Structural design guidelines for Delayed Coker Unit (DCU) used in hydrocarbon industry

Abstract

PurposeDelays in projects execution due to improper structural design lead to substantial losses to the owners. Little guidelines are available in practice that deals with structural design of Delayed Coker Units (DCUs). This work describes effective structural criteria for design of DCU used in hydrocarbon industry. Economical procedures are described for steel and concrete design. Design of pump houses supporting DCU is also described.Design/methodology/approachNumerical procedures are developed to model pipelines and mechanical equipment loadings. Soil restraints are simulated using horizontal and vertical springs along the pile embedded length. Concrete pile-caps are integrated with steel structure in the analysis model.FindingsThe proposed design approach is cost effective to use in practice. The paper offers economical footprint for design of DCUs that can be used for multiple projects.Practical implicationsThe paper provides useful guidelines that can be utilized by engineers for design of coker heater and coker fractionation stacks, steel modules, coke pump house, deluge building, etc.Originality/valueCurrently, there are no guidelines in practice that deal with structural design of DCU. The present work bridges this gap and describes novel strategies that can be utilized for industrial projects.