Antifoaming for delayed coker

Abstract

A method is provided for reducing foaming within a coke drum of a delayed coking unit. The method may include forming a plastic mixture including a plastic material and a carrier. The method may also include injecting the plastic mixture into the coke drum during operation of the coke drum.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of reducing foaming within a coke drum of a delayed coking unit comprising:
 forming a plastic mixture including a plastic material and a carrier; and   injecting the plastic mixture into the coke drum during operation of the coke drum.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein forming the plastic mixture comprises one or more of:
 at least partially dispersing the plastic material in the carrier; and   at least partially dissolving the plastic material in the carrier.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein forming the plastic mixture comprises:
 combining the plastic material and the carrier using a high-shear mixer.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the high-shear mixer includes a slotted rotor/stator high-shear mixer. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plastic material includes one or more of:
 polyolefin, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, waste tire scrap, polyethylene terephthalate, polyester, polyamide, acrylic, other plastic materials, and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the plastic material includes one or more of a virgin plastic material, a recycled plastic material, a post-consumer plastic material, and a combination of one or more thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the carrier includes a hydrocarbon carrier. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the carrier includes one or more of: light coker gas oil, heavy coker gas oil, pyrolysis fuel oil, diesel, naphtha, fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) slurry oil, decant oil, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein forming the plastic mixture includes temperature controlling the carrier to an elevated temperature. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plastic mixture includes between about 0.5 wt. % to about 70 wt. % plastic material by weight of the total plastic mixture. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein injecting the plastic mixture into the coke drum includes injecting the plastic material into the coke drum via one or more of: and antifoam injection port; an antifoam quill, and an antifoam nozzle. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein injecting the plastic mixture into the coke drum includes injecting the plastic material at rate of between about 5 wppm (weight parts per million) to about 200 wppm or greater of the total coker feedstock transferred to the coke drum. 
     
     
         13 . A method of reducing foaming within a coke drum comprising:
 providing a plastic material;   providing a carrier;   combining the plastic material and the carrier using a high-shear mixing to one of at least partially disperse the plastic material in the carrier and at least partially dissolve the plastic material in the carrier;   injecting the combined plastic material and carrier into the coke drum during thermal cracking of a coker feedstock.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising heating the carrier to a temperature of greater than at least about 400° F. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein heating the carrier includes one or more of heating the carrier prior to combining the plastic material and the carrier, and during high-shear mixing of the plastic material and the carrier. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plastic material includes one or more of: polyolefin, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, waste tire scrap, polyethylene terephthalate, polyester, polyamide, acrylic, other plastic materials, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the carrier includes one or more of: light coker gas oil, heavy coker gas oil, pyrolysis fuel oil, diesel, naphtha, fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) slurry oil, decant oil, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein combining the plastic material and the carrier includes combining between about 0.5 wt. % to about 70 wt. % plastic material by weight of the total combined plastic material and carrier. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein injecting the combined plastic material and carrier into the coke drum includes injecting the plastic material at rate of between about 5 wppm (weight parts per million) to about 200 wppm or greater of the total coker feedstock transferred to the coke drum. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein injecting the combined plastic material and carrier includes injecting the combined plastic material and carrier into the coke drum via one or more of an antifoam quill, and antifoam nozzle, and an antifoam port.