Coke drum discharge system

1. An apparatus comprising:

a coke drum for coking hydrocarbon substances, the coke drum having a bottom flange;

a funnel removably attached to said bottom flange;

a valve connected to said funnel, said valve being actuatable between an open position and a closed position;

a steam supply providing a source of steam at a higher pressure than a pressure applied to said valve from contents of said coke drum located upstream of said valve, said steam supply supplying the steam at the higher pressure to said valve such that if said valve leaks, said steam supply causes said valve to fail safe; and

a discharge conduit disposed downstream of said valve for removing coke from said coke drum when said valve is in the open position.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said discharge conduit comprises a mitered bend.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said mitered section is overlaid.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising another valve, which is disposed beneath said valve, such that if said valve leaks, said other valve contains the contents of said coke drum.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said discharge conduit is a pipe.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said discharge conduit is a chute with an open top.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a side conduit for feeding or draining said coke drum,

said apparatus being adapted such that when said valve is closed, the hydrocarbon substance can be fed from said side conduit.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said discharge conduit is coupled to said valve which is coupled to said coke drum, such that no gap is formed between the bottom of said coke drum and a proximal end of said discharge conduit.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said valve is a ball valve.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said side conduit is connected to said funnel.

11. A closed system for discharging coke from a coke drum, said system comprising:

a coke drum having a bottom flange;

a funnel removably attached to said bottom flange;

a ball valve connected to said funnel, said valve being actuatable between an open position and a closed position;

a discharge conduit disposed beneath the ball valve; and

a steam supply providing a source of steam at a higher pressure than a pressure applied to said ball valve from contents of said coke drum located upstream of said ball valve, said steam supply supplying the steam at the higher pressure to said ball valve such that if said ball valve leaks, said steam supply causes said ball valve to fail safe,

wherein coke exiting the coke drum is enclosed until exiting said discharge conduit.

12. A discharge system for a coke drum, said system comprising:

a coke drum having a bottom flange;

a funnel removably attached to said bottom flange;

a side conduit for feeding petroleum to said coke drum;

guiding means for guiding coke from a bottom of said coke drum;

sealing means, disposed downstream of said funnel and upstream of said guiding means, for sealing coke in said coke drum; and

steam supplying means providing a source of steam at a higher pressure than a pressure applied to said sealing means from contents of said coke drum located upstream of said sealing means, said steam supplying means supplying the steam at the higher pressure to said sealing means such that if said sealing means leaks, said steam supplying means causes said sealing means to fail safe.

13. A discharge system according to claim 12 , wherein said guiding means includes a pipe.

14. A discharge system according to claim 12 , wherein said guiding means includes a pipe and a mitered bend.

15. A discharge system according to claim 12 , wherein said sealing means comprises a ball valve.

16. A discharge system according to claim 12 , wherein said side conduit is connected to said funnel.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a coke drum for coking hydrocarbon substances, the coke drum having a bottom flange;

a side conduit connected to a lower portion of said coke drum for feeding and draining said coke drum;

a funnel removably attached to said bottom flange;

a valve connected to said funnel, said valve being actuatable between an open position and a closed position;

a steam supply providing a source of steam at a higher pressure than a pressure applied to said valve from contents of said coke drum located upstream of said valve, said steam supply supplying the steam at the higher pressure to said valve such that if said valve leaks, said steam supply causes said valve to fail safe; and

a discharge conduit disposed downstream of said valve for removing coke from said coke drum when said valve is in the open position,

wherein said coke drum is filled with the hydrocarbon substances via said side conduit before coking.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the hydrocarbon substances are coked in said coke drum by: (i) filling, via said side conduit, the coke drum with the hydrocarbon substances while said valve is closed, (ii) quenching the hydrocarbon substances using a quenching medium, supplied via said side conduit, and (iii) draining the quenching medium from said coke drum via said side conduit, and wherein said valve is subsequently opened and the formed coke is cut for removal from said coke drum via said discharge conduit.

19. An apparatus according to claim 17 , further comprising a steam supply conduit connected to said valve, wherein said steam supply conduit supplies steam to said valve at a higher pressure than that upstream of said valve, such that, if said valve leaks, the steam supply will cause said valve to fail safe.

20. An apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein said discharge conduit is coupled to said valve which is coupled to said coke drum, such that no gap is formed between the bottom of said coke drum and a proximal end of said discharge conduit.

21. An apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein said valve is a ball valve.

22. An apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein said side conduit is connected to said funnel.