Dr. Mahmod Samman - Houston Engineering Solutions & Suncor Energy
Shell cracking is a safety concern that faces coke drum operators. While cracks are caused by various factors, they can all potentially lead to loss of containment and fire. Coke drum operators often face the possibility of discovering too many cracks to repair during a planned shutdown.
In this presentation, we describe how crack propagation assessment procedures from API 579-1/ ASME FFS-1 of 2007 were used along with measured properties to examine the fitness-for-service of shell cracks in a set of drums. Resulting screening curves help estimate the safety margin and prioritize repairs of cracks based on their depth, length, and location.