Delayed Coking Basics

The reasons for adding a delayed coker unit to a refinery scheme are both economic and process related. This presentation will describe the basics of a delayed coker, as well as the process objectives and variables to consider before building a delayed coker. Determining the correct coke drum temperature, pressure, and recycle are key processing parameters which will help the refiner meet process and economic criteria to ensure profitability of the project. While feedstock properties ultimately determine the yield, they also have a large affect on reliability of the coker once it is built. Understanding the basics of a delayed coking unit is key to understanding a refinery block flow diagram as well as refinery economics.