MX2008002002A - Vibration monitoring - Google Patents

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for monitoring the status of a cutting tool during delayed decoker unit operation, and systems for remotely monitoring the level of coke or foam in a drum during the coking process. One or more sensors or accelerometers is coupled to a location in a delayed coking unit operation to read vibrations emanating from the component that the respective accelerometers are located on. Vibrational data is transmitted to a computer system that manipulates the data to provide useful information that an operator of a delayed coking unit operation may view.

Description

VIBRATION MONITORING FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to devices for vibration monitoring and methods for using them. Specifically, the present invention relates to the determination of the level of coke or by-products of coke within a coker drum and to non-invasive signature recognition systems using accelerometers and mathematical algorithms for detecting the heading.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Oil refining operations in which crude oil is processed often produce residual oil. Many oil refineries recover valuable products from heavy residual hydrocarbons. Residual oil, when processed in a delayed coker, is heated in an oven to a temperature sufficient to cause destructive distillation in which a substantial portion of the residual oil is converted, or "fractionated" into usable hydrocarbon products and the remainder produces coke of petroleum, a material constituted in its majority by coal. In general terms, the delayed coking process involves heating the heavy hydrocarbon supply material from a fractionation unit, then pumping the hot heavy supply material into a large steel container commonly known as a coke drum. The non-vaporized portion of the hot heavy supply material settles in the coke drum, where the combined effect of retention time and temperature causes the formation of coke. The vapors from the top of the coke container are returned to the base of the fractionation unit so that they are further processed to desired light hydrocarbon products. Normal operating pressures in coke drums typically range from 1.7525 kg / cm2 to 3.515 kg / cm2, and the inlet temperature of the supply material can vary between 426.6 ° C and 537.7 ° C. The structural size and shape of the coke drum vary considerably from one installation to another. Coke drums are usually large, vertical, cylindrical metal containers of 27,432 to 30.48 meters in height, and 6,096 to 9,144 meters in diameter. 'The coke drums have a top head and a bottom portion equipped with a bottom head. Coke drums are normally present in pairs so that they can be operated alternately. The coke settles and accumulates in a container until it is filled, at which time the hot supply material is changed to the alternate empty coke drum. While one coke drum is being filled with hot residual oil, the other container is cooled and purged to remove the coke. The removal of coke, also known as decoking, begins with an extinguishing step in which steam and then water are introduced into the container filled with coke to complete the recovery of light, volatile hydrocarbons and to cool the coke mass. After a coke drum is filled, purified and subsequently extinguished so that the coke remains in a solid state and after reducing the temperature to a reasonable level, the extinguishing water is drained from the drum through the pipe to allow the safe unheading of the drum. The drum is then ventilated at atmospheric pressure when the lower opening is decapitated, to allow the removal of the coke. Once the head is completed, the coke in the drum is cut off from the drum using high pressure water jets. Decoking is achieved in most plants using a hydraulic system comprised of a drill rod and a borehole that directs the water at high pressure into the coke bed. A rotating combination auger, referred to as the cutting tool, typically is approximately 55.88 cm in diameter with several nozzles, and is mounted on the lower end of a long, hollow, drill rod, approximately 17.78 cm in diameter. The hole is lowered into the container, in the drill rod, through a flanged opening in the upper part of the container. A "well" is bored through the coke using the nozzles, which expel water at high pressure at an angle between zero and twenty-three degrees approximately upwards from the vertical. This creates a pilot well, approximately 0.6096 to 0.9144 meters in diameter, so that the coke falls through it. After the initial well is completed, the auger is then mechanically changed to at least two horizontal nozzles in preparation for cutting the "cut" hole, which extends to the full diameter of the drum. In the cutting mode the nozzles shoot jets of water horizontally outwards, rotating slowly with the drill rod, and said jets cut the coke into pieces, which fall out of the open bottom of the container, into a channel that directs the coke towards a reception area. In all the systems used the drill rod is removed after the opening with flanges in the upper part of the container. Finally, the upper and lower parts of the container are closed by replacing the head units, flanges or other closing devices used in the container unit. The container is then closed and is ready for the next filling cycle with the heavy hydrocarbon supply material. In some coke cutting systems, after the well is made, the drill rod must be removed from the coke drum and readjusted to the cutting mode. This takes time, is inconvenient and is potentially dangerous. In other systems, the modes are changed automatically. Automatic exchange within the coke drum often results in plugging the drill rod, which still requires that the drill rod be removed for cleaning before the completion of the coke cutting process. Frequently, in automatic change systems, it is difficult to determine whether or not the drill rod is in the cutting or drilling mode, because the entire change takes place inside the drum. Errors to identify if high pressure water is cutting or drilling lead to serious accidents. Coke cutting efficiency is compromised because the maneuver operator does not know if the cutting procedure has been completed or if it is simply obstructed. If the water cutting systems are not turned off before removing the drill rod through the upper opening of the drum, operators are exposed to the high pressure water jet and serious injuries occur including dismemberment. Therefore, operators are exposed to significant safety risks from exposure to high pressure water jets very close to the container that is being decooked, when manually changing the cutting head from the drilling mode to the cutting mode or when an operator has not determined exactly whether or not the head is cutting, punching or whether or not it is off. Another problem encountered during the coking process is the difficulty in determining the level of coke in the upper part of the drum. Similarly, it is also difficult to determine the level of foam located above the coke. Numerous serious problems may occur, known to those skilled in the art, if the level of coke is too high or if the foam enters the supply lines connected to the drum.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to systems for remotely monitoring the condition of a cutting tool during the unitary operation of the delayed decorticator, and systems for remotely monitoring the level of coke or foam in a drum during the coking process. The first systems refer to systems to allow the operators involved in the removal of solid carbonaceous waste, known as "coke", from long cylindrical containers called coke drums to determine the state of the decoking operation from a distant location. The second systems refer to systems to allow the operators involved in the monitoring of the levels of coke and / or foam in the drum during coking to more accurately and efficiently avoid foam trawls and disastrous results resulting from coke levels that rise too much. Some modalities refer to the continuous monitoring and detection of the thicknesses of reduced material in the elbows and tubes that are transporting fluids or gases at high temperature and / or high pressure gases. In some modalities, monitoring systems can be used to measure bearing wear. In a preferred embodiment, deterioration of the bearings can be detected before the failure in critical rotating machinery occurs. In some modalities, monitoring systems can be used to detect coke that is clogging the tubing of furnaces that are heating the oil before it passes into the coke drum. In some modalities, monitoring systems can be used to monitor / detect the movement of fluids / gases in the tubes. Preferred embodiments refer to systems that use vibration monitoring systems to receive useful information regarding decoking or coking operation. Some modalities refer to systems that use acoustic monitoring systems, temperature monitoring systems, and / or pressure monitoring systems to receive such useful information. Preferred embodiments of the invention relate to a system that allows an operator to remotely detect the condition of a cutting tool while cutting coke inside a coke drum, and to detect remotely the time at which the tool you switch between the "drill" and "cut" modes, while you are reliably cutting coke into a coke drum, and without raising the bore out of the coke drum for mechanical alteration or inspection. Preferred embodiments of the invention also relate to a system that allows an operator to remotely measure the levels of coke or foam within a coke drum by using vertically positioned accelerometers. Preferred embodiments provide a visual display indicating the status of the coking or decoking operation. In some embodiments, a visual display allows the operator to determine in which mode the cutting tool is at that moment. In some embodiments, a visual display includes the display of a signal executed through an FFT algorithm. In some embodiments, the vibration data is used to provide information regarding the mechanical condition of the cutting tool of a delayed decoking unit; In some modalities, the data is used to provide information regarding the levels of coke and / or foam with respect to the upper part of the drum. Preferred embodiments use a vibration monitoring device comprising an accelerometer. In preferred embodiments, the vibration monitoring device may be attached at one or more sites in the delayed decoking unit.

In some modalities, some of these measures are relieved by a wireless device to an access point to the network and / or a repeater which relays the signal coming from the wireless device to the access points to the network. In other modalities, the data generated by the vibration monitoring devices are transmitted through a wire connection to a computer system without the use of a wireless device. In some modalities, the data received at the network access point are relayed to a computer system in which the vibration data can be monitored and used. In some embodiments, the data received from the vibration monitoring device is converted using software applications in a usable form. In the preferred modes, the data is passed through a Fast Fourier Transform ("FFT"), which converts the data into an FFT fingerprint that can be used as a rubric associated with the different modes of operation during an operation. of decoking. Some embodiments comprise a vibration monitoring device comprising: an accelerometer, in which the accelerometer provides an output signal; at least one access point to the network which receives the output from the vibration monitoring device; software for converting untreated data from the output signal into a usable waveform; and a display apparatus which informs an operator of the condition of the cutting tool in a coke drum, or informs an operator of the levels of coke and / or foam in the drum during coking.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The foregoing objects and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures. Understanding that these figures represent only typical embodiments of the invention and that, therefore, should not be considered as limiting their field, the invention will be described and explained with specificity and additional details through the use of the attached figures in which: Figure 1A shows a representative computer-based system in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. Figure IB illustrates a basic refinery flow chart.

Figures 2A and 2B illustrate alternative embodiments of an operational arrangement used to evaluate the condition of a cutting tool during the decoking operation. Figure 3 illustrates a mode of a coke drum with a drill rod that has been lowered partially. Figure 4 illustrates a mode of a coke drum with a completely raised perforation bar. Figure 5 illustrates an embodiment showing two accelerometers placed in a stationary tube that supplies water to a drill rod. Figure 6 illustrates a modality of a screen containing frequencies and waveforms in real time associated with cutting, drilling, and drilling in a decoking operation. Figure 7 shows a simulation facility for evaluating the use of two accelerometers to determine the levels of coke in a coke drum; and Figure 8 shows an example of a display of an accelerometer output signal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the figures thereof, can be accommodated and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Therefore, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the systems, devices, and methods of the present invention, as represented in the appended figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as claimed, but is only representative of some of the embodiments of the invention. The embodiments of the invention will be better understood by reference to the figures in which like parts are designated with similar numbers throughout all the figures. Although portions of the following detailed description are divided into sections, it should be noted that the creation of these sections is not intended to be in any way limiting, but is simply provided as convenience to the reader. 1. General discussion of computer-based systems and devices Figure 1A and the corresponding discussion are intended to provide a general description of a computer-based environment, an appropriate operating environment in which some embodiments of the invention can be implemented. The person skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention can incorporate one or more computer devices in a variety of system configurations, including a variety of network-based configurations. In addition, the embodiments of the present invention may encompass one or more computer readable media configured to include or potentially include in the same data or executable instructions on the computer to manipulate the data. Computer executable instructions - for example, software codes, data structures, objectives, programs, routines, program modules, etc. - make one or more computer devices perform one or more functions and comprise a type of means to implement the methods or steps of embodiments of the present invention. Examples of computer readable media include various types of random access memory ("RAM") media, read-only memory ("ROM") media, compact discs ("CDs"), digital video discs ("DVDs"). "), hard drives, memory cards, floppy disks, an electronic signal, or any other device or component that can provide data or executable instructions to a computer device. Electronic signals are typically incorporated into a light medium or carrier wave.

With reference to Figure 1A, a representative system for implementing the invention may include the computer device 100, which may be a computer for general use or for special purposes. For example, a computer device 100 may be a personal computer, a portable computer, a personal digital assistant ("PDA") or other portable electronic device, a workstation, a minicomputer, a macrocomputer, a supercomputer, a multi-processor system, a network computer, an electronic device based on processor, etc. The term "computer device" in the present invention is used in a general manner and can refer to either a single computer device or multiple computer devices, whether independent or networked. The computer device 100 may include a system bus 120, which may be configured to connect various components of the computer device 100 and may allow the data to be exchanged between the components. System bus 120 may include one of a variety of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, or a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. Typical components connected by the system bus 120 may include a processor system 140 and memory 160. Other components may include one or more interfaces for mass storage device 180, power interfaces 200, output interfaces 220, and / or interfaces network 240. The processor system 140 may include one or more processors, such as a central processor and optionally one or more other processors designed to perform a particular function or task. It is typically the processor system 140 that executes the computer-readable instructions found in the memory 160, which in turn can be incorporated into computer-readable media such as RAM or ROM media, magnetic hard drives, removable magnetic disks, Magnetic cassettes, optical discs, etc. The memory 160 may be embodied in one or more computer-readable media that can be configured to include in the same data or instructions for data manipulation, and which can be accessed by the processor system 140 through the system bus 120. The memory 160 may include, for example, ROM 280, used to store information permanently, and / or RAM 300, used to store information temporarily. The ROM 280 may include a basic power / output system ("BIOS") having one or more routines that are used to establish communication, such as during the boot of the computer device 100. The RAM 300 may include one or more modules of program, such as one or more operating systems, software applications, and / or program data. One or more bulk storage device interfaces 180 may be used to connect one or more mass storage devices 260 to system bus 120. Mass storage devices 260 may be integrated into, or may be peripheral to, a computer device 100 and allow the computer device 100 to retain large amounts of data. Optionally, one or more of the mass storage devices 260 can be removed from the computer device 100. Examples of mass storage devices include hard disk drives, magnetic disk drives, tape drives, and drives. Optical disc. A mass storage device 260 can read from and / or write to a magnetic hard disk, a removable magnetic disk, a magnetic cassette, an optical disk, or other computer-readable medium. Mass storage devices 260 and their corresponding computer readable media can provide non-volatile storage of data and / or executable instructions that can include one or more program modules such as an operating system, one or more software applications, program modules, program data, etc. Said executable instructions are examples of means for implementing the steps or methods described in the present invention. One or more power interfaces 200 may be used to allow a user to enter data and / or instructions to the computer device 100 through one or more corresponding power devices 320. Examples of such power devices include but are not limited to: a keyboard, a mouse, a ball mouse, a touch-sensitive screen, a light pen, a stylus or other pointing device, a microphone , a game controller, a game pad, a satellite dish, a scrutineer, a video camera, a digital camera, etc. Examples of power interfaces 200 that can be used to connect the power devices 320 to the system bus 120 include a serial port, a parallel port, a game port, a serial universal bus port ("USB"). by its abbreviations in English), a system of bus of series of high speed [Firewire (IEEE 1394)], etc. One or more output interfaces 220 may be used to connect one or more output devices 340 corresponding to the system bus 120. Examples of output devices 340 include a monitor or display screen, a loudspeaker, a printer, etc. A particular output device 340 may be integrated with or peripheral to the computer device 100. Examples of output interfaces 220 include a video adapter, an audio adapter, a parallel port, etc. One or more network interfaces 240 may allow the computer device 100 to exchange information with one or more other local or remote computer devices, generally illustrated at 360, through a network 380 that may include wireless connections and / or with wires. Examples of network interfaces 240 include a network adapter for connection to a local area network ("LAN") or a modem, wire link, or other adapter for connection to a wide area network ("WAN"), just like the Internet. The network interface 240 may be incorporated into, or may be peripheral to, the computer device 100. In a networked system, the accessible program modules or portions thereof may be stored in a remote memory storage device. Also, in a networked system, the computer device 100 can participate in a distributed computing environment, in which functions or tasks are performed by a plurality of networked computer devices. 2. General discussion of the delayed coking process FIG. IB illustrates one embodiment of a refinery operation 2. In the typical delayed coking process, the high-boiling petroleum residues are supplied to one or more coke drums 5 in which these are thermally pyrolyzed to light products and a solid residue - petroleum coke. Coke drums 5 are typically long cylindrical containers having an upper head and a conical bottom portion equipped with a lower head. The fundamental purpose of coking is the thermal pyrolysis of very high-boiling petroleum residues to lighter fuel fractions. Coke is a byproduct of the procedure. Delayed coking is an endothermic reaction with an oven 7 that supplies the heat necessary to complete the coking reaction in a drum 5. The exact mechanism is very complex, and of all the reactions that occur, only three different stages have been isolated: 1) partial vaporization and light coking of the supply material as it passes through the furnace 7; 2) pyrolysis of the vapor as it passes through the coke drum 5; and 3) pyrolysis and polymerization of the heavy liquid trapped in the drum 5 until it becomes steam and coke. The process is extremely sensitive to the temperature at which variable temperatures produce varying types of coke. For example, if the temperature is very low, the coking reaction does not proceed sufficiently and the formation of pitch or soft coke occurs. If the temperature is very high, the coke formed is usually very hard and difficult to remove from the drum with the hydraulic decoking equipment. Higher temperatures also increase the risk of coking in the furnace tubes or in the transfer pipe. As indicated, delayed coking is a thermal pyrolysis process used in petroleum refineries to improve and convert non-distillable petroleum residues into streams of liquid and gaseous product that leave behind a solid concentrated coal material, or coke . Furnace 7 is used in the process to reach thermal pyrolysis temperatures, which vary above 537.7 ° C. With short residence time in the furnace 7, the coking of the supply material is "retarded" until it reaches the large coking drums 5 downstream of the heater. In normal operations, there are the coke drums, designated in the present invention individually at 4 and 6, so that when one is filling or "in line" (such as drum 6), the other may be "out of line" (such as drum 4) so that the manufactured coke can be purged therefrom. It should be noted that, except when the discussion needs specific reference to an in-line drum 6 or an out-of-line drum 4, references in the present invention to one or more coke drums in general should be indicated with the number 5. In A typical oil refinery procedure, several different physical structures of petroleum coke can be produced. These are, in particular, coke in shot, coke in sponge, and / or coke in needles (collectively referred to hereafter in the present invention as "coke"), and each is distinguished by its physical structures and chemical properties. These physical structures and chemical properties also serve to determine the final use of the material. Several uses are available for manufactured coke, some of which include use as fuel for combustion, use as calcined coke in the aluminum, chemical, or steel industries, or use as gasified coke that can also produce steam, electricity, or as a gas supply material for the petrochemical industry. To produce coke, a delayed coker supply material originates from a supply of crude oil 9, travels through a series of processing members, and finally empties into one of the coke drums 5 used to make coke. The delayed coking process typically comprises an intermittent-continuous process, which means that the process is constant or continuous as the flow of supply material from the furnace ^ 7 alternates the filling between the two or more coke drums 5. As mentioned, while one drum is filled in line with coke, the other is purified, cooled, subjected to decoking, and prepared to receive another batch. In the past, this has proven to be a procedure that consumes too much time and work, in which each lot in the intermittent-continuous procedure takes approximately 12 to 20 hours to complete. In essence, the hot heavy oil, or "residues (resid)" as it is commonly known, from the tube furnace 7 is supplied to the interior of one of the coke drums 5 in the system. The oil is extremely hot and produces hot vapors that condense on the cooler walls of the coke drum 5. As the drum 5 is filled, a large amount of the liquid drains down the sides of the drum 5 towards a turbulent reservoir in boiling in the background. As this process continues, hot debris and condensation vapors cause the walls of the coke drum to heat up. This naturally, in turn, causes the waste to produce less and less of the condensing vapors, which finally causes the liquid in the bottom of the coke drum 5 to start heating up to coking temperatures. After some time, a main channel is formed in the coke drum 5, and as time passes, the liquid above the accumulated coke decreases and the liquid becomes a more viscous type pitch. This pitch continues to try to return to the main channel which can coke in the upper part, causing the channel to branch out. This process proceeds through the entire coke drum 5 until the drum is filled, in which the liquid deposits slowly turn into solid coke. When the first coke drum is filled, the hot residue is changed to the second coke drum, and the first coke drum is isolated, steam is applied to remove the residual hydrocarbons, cooled by filling with water, opened, and then it undergoes decoking. In this cyclic process, it is repeated over and over throughout the manufacture of the coke. The decoking process is the process used to remove the coke from the drum 5 after the coking process has ended. Due to the shape of the coke drum 5, the coke accumulates in the nearby area, and adheres to the flanges of other members used to close the opening of the coke drum during the manufacturing process. To decoke the drum 5, first the flanges or members must be removed or relocated. In the case of a flanged system, once full, the coke drum 5 is vented to atmospheric pressure and the upper flange (typically a flange of 1.2192 meters in diameter) is unscrewed and removed to allow placement of an apparatus for hydraulic coke cut 11. After the cooling water is drained from the container, the lower flange (typically a 2.1336 meter diameter flange) is unscrewed and removed. This procedure is commonly known as "headless" because the coke head that accumulates on the surface of the flange is removed or released. Once the flanges are removed, the coke is removed from the drum 5 by drilling a pilot hole from above to the bottom of the coke bed using jets of high pressure water. After that, the main coke mass remaining in the coke drum 5 is cut into fragments which fall to the bottom and exit towards a collection bucket, such as a coal bunker in a wagon, etc. The coke is then dehydrated, crushed and sent to a warehouse for coke or a loading facility. 3. Device for vibration monitoring Although the present invention aims to cover the use of systems for vibration monitoring by a unitary coker system delayed, and the devices of the present invention can be used to monitor the vibration at any point in the unit operation of coker delayed, the person skilled in the art will recognize that the invention as explained and described herein can also be designed and used in other environments in which vibration monitoring can provide useful data regarding mechanical operations. Some modalities refer to systems that use acoustic monitoring systems to receive useful information regarding the decoking operation. Some modalities refer to systems that use temperature monitoring systems to receive useful information regarding the decoking operation. Some modalities refer to systems that use pressure monitoring systems to receive useful information regarding the decoking operation. Although the majority of this discussion focuses primarily on the use of systems for vibration monitoring as an example embodiment of the present invention, the following description is similarly related to the use of acoustic monitoring, temperature, and / or pressure. It is contemplated that the use of acoustic, temperature, and / or pressure monitoring systems may be utilized to replace the vibration monitoring systems as described in the present invention. Therefore, the following discussion is not limited to systems for vibration monitoring. Rather, systems for vibration monitoring are a non-limiting example of preferred embodiments of the present invention. Likewise, because the present invention is especially useful with respect to the coking and decoking processes, the discussion in the present invention refers specifically to these manufacturing areas. However, it is contemplated that the present invention may be adapted for use in other manufacturing processes that produce various elements or by-products other than coke. Therefore, said other methods should be considered within the scope of the invention. Referring now to Figure 2A, a system for vibration monitoring is shown for monitoring during the unit operation of delayed coker. In figure 2A, a decoking system is represented, the decoking system includes a perforating bar 8 and a cutting head 14 for cutting coke inside a drum 5. The cutting head 14 also comprises nozzles for drilling 12 and nozzles for cutting 10. The boring nozzles 12 are generally oriented face down, and the cutting nozzles 10 are oriented generally horizontally. The system for vibration monitoring comprises a detector or transducer (preferably a vibration detector such as an accelerometer) 16 coupled to at least one position within the unitary coker system delayed and operatively coupled to a computer system 21. One or more accelerometers 16 can be placed in a component of the unitary coker system to measure the vibrations of the respective component; Figure 2A shows two accelerometers placed therein. Also, accelerometers 16 can be placed at any position or site in the unitary coker system. Figure 2A shows an accelerometer 16 placed on the outside of the drum 5, and an accelerometer 16 placed on the drill rod 8 (note that the accelerometers 16 can be placed at any location on the drum 5 or on the drill rod 8 and they are not limited to the specific sites shown). Figure 2B shows the accelerometers 16 placed in a first fluid pipe 16, a water or fluid pump 50, and a second fluid line 16 in which the unitary coker system shown includes a fluid reservoir 52 (again, the placement of the accelerometer 16 is not limited to the specific sites shown). Accelerometers 16 can also be placed in any orientation within the unit coker system. For example, Figure 2A shows the accelerometer 16 on the drill rod 8 which is placed in a vertical orientation, and the accelerometer 16 on the outside of the coke drum 5 in a horizontal orientation. The accelerometers 16 of the present invention can be attached to the drill rod 8, for example, in such a way that it coincides with the radial axis, axis of rotation, longitudinal axis, horizontal axis, and / or vertical axis of the drill rod. . Accordingly, the type of data acquired from the accelerometer 16 will depend on the placement and orientation of the accelerometer 16. The detectors or accelerometers 16 preferably collect vibration data from one or more points in the unit coker system, and the data is transmitted to the computer system 21. Depending on the orientation of the accelerometer 16, the accelerometer 16 can be used to measure the vibration in one or more axes. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, accelerometer 16 measures vibration on an axis such as a horizontal or vertical axis. In some embodiments, multiple 16 accelerometers can be used at a single site to measure vibration on multiple axes. In some embodiments, the accelerometer 16 measures the vibration of two or more axes. In a non-limited example, an accelerometer 16 can be used to measure vibration on a horizontal axis, and another accelerometer 16 can be used to measure vibration on a vertical axis. Referring again to Figure 2A, the computer system 21 may include one or more of the following: an active repeater 18, a network access point 20, a local computer device, a remote computer device 24, and / or another computer device or other component 23. It is contemplated that the connections between the components within the computer system 21, o and from the capture system 21, may comprise connections with wires or without wires, regardless of what the figures illustrate. in the modalities represented. In some embodiments of the present invention, the accelerometer 16 measures the vibration associated with the operating condition of the cutting tool 14 (e.g., whether or not the cutting tool is in the cut, puncture, or transition modes (ramping ) referring to transition to the procedure of changing from drilling to cutting mode or vice versa) in a particular coke drum. When the drill rod is in a drilling mode and water is being ejected from the high pressure nozzles 12 to cut a well through the solid coke residing in the coke drum 4 off line, the accelerometer 16 measures the vibrations that they occur as a result of the drilling procedure. The data received by the accelerometer 16 during the drilling process (or during other procedures such as cutting or transition procedures) can be transmitted wirelessly to the active repeaters 18, directly to an access point to the network 20, or another computer device 23 in the computer system 21. The wireless repeaters 18 preferably relieve the data to the access points to the network 20, but can relay data to any computer device 23 in the computer system 21. Once which are received at the access points 20 or at other points in the computer system 21, the data produced by the accelerometer 16 are transmitted to a component in the computer system 21 and can be stored in a database. The data can be amplified, export to a fast Fourier transform ("FFT"), calibrate, and / or transform. The resulting waveform can then be used to create an FFT print. Accordingly, as long as the piercing bar 8 is in the piercing mode, the data created by the vibratory nature of the piercing is translated into an FFT footprint which represents and therefore identifies the piercing procedure for a barrel drum. particular coke. The same procedure can take place with respect to cutting and transition modes. The present invention contemplates that each individual coke drum can have a unique footprint. Accordingly, the present invention contemplates the use of software that can identify the unique footprint of a particular coke drum, and that can produce and / or interpret modified data (e.g., an FFT footprint) that can allow a Operator will easily determine that the cutting tool at that time is drilling, cutting, or transitioning. When the drill rod 8 successfully terminates its passage through the solid coke of the coke drum 5 and a well has been created, an operator changes the water flow from the drill nozzles 12 to the nozzles for cutting 10. In systems Semi-automated and automated, the piercing head 14 remains in the coke drum 5 and is not visible to the operator. Accordingly, without means for monitoring the status of the piercing head 14 (whether it is in the piercing, cutting or transition mode), the operator can not be sure that the piercing head 14 has successfully changed from the mode of drilling to the cutting mode. In some embodiments of the invention, the accelerometer 16 attached to a portion of the coker measures the changes in vibration as the drill bar is changed from the drilling mode to the cut mode. Another embodiment demonstrates additional features of some embodiments of the present invention. In a non-limiting example, one or more accelerometers 16 placed at one or more of said sites in a delayed coker unit operation collect data during the unit operation of delayed coker. Data collected by accelerometers 16 and processed by a computer can create a "birth certificate" or rubric frequency footprint for a particular coke drum. Once the fingerprint of a birth certificate is determined or established, the normal operation of the decoking process can be monitored remotely. As the signature of the "execution mode" is received in the computer system 21 from the delayed coking operation, this execution mode rubric can be compared to the birth certificate signature to determine the operation mode of the operation of delayed coking. In a non-limiting example, the heading of the execution mode of a cutting tool 14 in a cutting mode can produce a execution mode rubric which, when compared with the birth certificate, can allow an operator in a site far away reliably and repeatably identifies that the cutting tool 14 is in a cutting mode. Accordingly, for a particular coke drum 5, the computer system 21 collects and groups the data, allowing the computer system 21 and / or the operator to recognize by the data that is being received from one or more accelerometers 16, if a delayed coking unit is or is not cutting, drilling and / or in transition. In some embodiments, the accelerometer 16 receives data concerning the vibration associated with a particular cutting tool 14 which is in the cut mode, the accelerometer 16 measures the amplitude and frequency of the vibration in one or more axes, and said data they are transmitted through the computer system 21 to a central processing unit in which the data is converted by the FFT into an FFT fingerprint that correlates with the cutting mode of a particular cutting tool 14. In other modalitiesIn addition to the use of FFT, fundamental rubrics are also used that are averaged and correlated. Accogly, for any delayed coker unit operation, the software of the present invention can receive data from an accelerometer 16 associated with the perforation, cut or transition and can identify the FFT traces corresponding to the perforation, cut and / or modes. or transition of a particular drill rod. In some embodiments, the vibration data or the FFT fingerprint associated with drilling and cutting can be translated into a simple light indicator system. For example, the system contemplates turning on a light of a particular color (such as a green light) when the perforation bar is in the drilling mode and turning on a different indicator light (such as a red light) when the Drill bar is in cutting mode. This simplified indicator light system can be used to avoid user error by making it very easy for any operator to quickly assess whether the drill rod is in drilling mode or in cutting mode. The present invention contemplates coupling the accelerometer 16 to at least one position in the delayed coker unit operation. The present invention contemplates coupling the accelerometer 16 using various means. In some embodiments of the present invention, the accelerometer 16 can be coupled to a portion of the delayed coker unit operation by magnetic coupling. In other embodiments, the accelerometer 16 can be screwed to the apparatus to be measured. In other embodiments, the accelerometer 16 can be placed in a "saddle" and attached to the apparatus for which the vibration will be measured. In a non-limiting example, an accelerometer can be placed in a "saddle" and lashed with stainless steel tapes to the top of the drill rod 8, securing the accelerometer 16 to the drill rod 8 in a desired orientation and in a manner that preserves the integrity of the data acquisition process by ensuring consistent positioning and contacting with the perforation bar 8. Figure 3 illustrates a coke drum 6 in line and coke drum 4 off-line, in the wherein the coke drum 4 off-line has a perforation bar 8 in a partially lowered position. The cutting tool 14 of figure 3 is represented by ejecting fluid in a horizontal direction from the head of the drill rod. Accogly, the head of the perforation bar shown in Figure 3 is in a cutting mode. Figure 3 further represents the well 13 that has been cut through the coke which allows the debris to fall through a channel located below the coke drum 5. Additionally, Figure 3 illustrates possible additional placements for the accelerometers 16 in the unitary coker system. The invention contemplates joining one or more accelerometers 16 to other positions in the unit operation of delayed coker to measure the vibration output of the cutting and drilling modes of the drill rod. In some embodiments of the present invention, accelerometers 16 are placed redundantly and used in more than one position on a drill rod. Therefore, in some embodiments of the invention, multiple accelerometers 16 can be attached to a drill bar to redundantly feed data to the computer operating systems 21 of the present invention for analysis. In some embodiments, multiple accelerometers 16 may be attached to the first tube 54 - which conducts fluid from the fluid reservoir 52 to the fluid pump 50 - to redundantly feed the data to a computer operating system 21 for analysis. In other embodiments, multiple accelerometers 16 can be attached to a second tube 56 to redundantly feed data to the computer operating system 21 for analysis. In other modalities, multiple accelerometers 16 can be joined at any of several locations in the delayed coker unit operation to feed data to a computer operating system 21. Figure 4 illustrates a piercing bar 8 in a fully elevated position. In some embodiments of the present invention, the accelerometer 16 may be attached as indicated in Figure 4 on top of the piercing bar 8. Alternatively, one or more accelerometers 16 may be placed in a coke drum 5, a reservoir of fluid 52, a first tube 54, a pump for fluid 50 and / or a second tube of fluid 56 for measuring the state of vibration of a coke drum 5 (ie, to determine whether the drill rod is in the mode cutting, drilling, or transition). Alternatively, one or more accelerometers 16 may be placed at more than one site throughout the entire unit operation of the delayed coker. In some embodiments, the accelerometer 16 may also comprise an electrical detector, a temperature detector, a digital signal processor, data memory, a wireless transceiver, internal battery, and / or an internal antenna. In some embodiments, the accelerometer 16 may preferably be driven with an internal lithium battery in which the solid state accelerometer 16 collects and transmits vibration data securely via a wireless link. The data collection parameters can be configured from a Windows® network computer. In some embodiments of the invention, the accelerometer 16 is completely wireless. In other embodiments, the accelerometer 16 is connected to a computer system 21. In some embodiments of the present invention, the accelerometer 16 detects vibration and / or temperature. In some embodiments of the invention, the accelerometer 16 measures or has a frequency response of 0.5 Hz to 10 kHz with a sampling rate of 1 Hz to 40 kHz. In other embodiments of the invention, the accelerometer 16 measures or has a frequency response of less than 0.5 Hz 1. In other embodiments, the accelerometer 16 measures or has a frequency response greater than 10 kHz. In a non-limiting example, the accelerometer 16 has a frequency response at 0.01, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 , 13, 14, 15, 20, 30, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and / or 100 kHz. In other modes, the accelerometer has a sampling rate of less than 1 Hz. In other modes, the accelerometer has a sampling rate of more than 40 kHz. Accordingly, in a non-limiting example, the accelerometer has a sampling rate of 0.5 Hz, 1 Hz, 10 Hz, 20 Hz, 30 Hz, 40 Hz, 50 Hz, 60 Hz, 70 Hz, 80 Hz, 90 Hz, 1 kHz, 10 kHz, 20 kHz, 30 kHz, 40 kHz, 60 kHz, 80 kHz, 100 kHz, and / or more than 100 kHz. In some embodiments, the accelerometer 16 is software that can be selected in the range between 5g and 50g. In some embodiments, the accelerometer 16 is software that can be selected at less than 5g and / or more than 50g. Accordingly, in a non-limiting example, the accelerometer software may be selected at lg, lOg, 20g, 30g, 40g, 50g, 60g, 70g, 80g, 90g, 100, and / or more than lOOg. In some modalities, the accelerometer 16 produces formats of time, FFT and general data and can transmit data up to 76.2 meters. In some modalities, the accelerometer 16 produces formats of time, FFT and general data and can transmit data to more than 76.2 meters. Therefore, in some embodiments, the accelerometer can transmit data at 91.44 m, 121.92 m, 152.4 m, 182.88 m, 213.36 m, 243.84 m, 274.32 m, 304.8 m, 609.6 m, 914.4 m, 1219.2 m, 1524 m, 3048 my / o more than 3048 m. In some embodiments, the accelerometer 16 has a readily replaceable battery with a life span that lasts for more than two (2) years. In some embodiments, the active repeater 18 of the invention may operate when the detectors 16 are out of range of the access points to the network 20. This may occur if a detector or accelerometer 16 is more than 76.2 m from the point of access to the network 20 or if an object is obstructing the signal emitted from the accelerometer 16. The active repeaters 18 used in some modes may have the benefit of being completely wireless, easy to install, have a range of up to 76.2 meters, have easily replaceable batteries, and transmit wireless data corrected for air encoded using solid state (ie, without moving parts). In some embodiments of the invention, the access point to the network 20 of the present invention fills the space between the wireless detector network and the computer devices 22, 24 of the present invention. Thousands of accelerometers 16 can share the same managed wireless network (hosted) by one or more access points to the network 20. The existence of access points to the network 20 allows multiple accelerometers to send data to computer devices 22, 24 in the computer system 21. In some embodiments, the network access point 20 stores data records in an off-line mode and encodes the corrected wireless transmissions for error or uses data transmitted wirelessly corrected as soon as possible. error from data collectors, specifically accelerometers 16, of the present invention. The access point to the network 20, in some embodiments, communicates with the central processing units of the computer devices of the present invention using either wireless connections or Internet connections. Figure 5 shows two accelerometers 16 positioned on a water or fluid tube 54 that can represent the tube 54 or tube 56 shown in the previous figures. As shown in Figure 5, more than one accelerometer 16 can be used to measure the vibration data at any given point in the operation. As shown in Figure 5, the accelerometers 16 are coupled to a support 17 and connected to the wires 15 that connect them to a computer operating system 21 so that the accelerometers 16 can transmit data to a computer for analysis. As shown in Figure 5, several accelerometers 16 can be oriented on different axes to acquire multiple data sets in order to confirm the operational state of a cutting tool 14 in a delayed coker operation. In a non-limiting example, and as shown in Figure 5, an accelerometer 16 can be placed to measure the vibration on a horizontal axis while the other accelerometer 16 can be placed to measure the vibration on a vertical axis. Accelerometers 16 as shown in Figure 5 can be similarly positioned throughout the entire unit operation of the delayed coker. Figure 6 shows a deployment screen 70 that can be displayed on a computer monitor and used by an operator, technician or engineer to monitor and / or analyze whether a cutting tool 14 is cutting, boring, or transitioning during operation unit of the delayed coker. As shown, the display 70 can indicate in which mode - transition, cut, or drilling - the drilling bar is at that moment and can indicate the orientation axes from which the data is being received. As shown in Figure 6, the orientation axis being measured is vertical 58.

Additionally, the data related to the real-time frequency in Hertz for a particular accelerometer 16 can be displayed in 60. The frequency can be used in real time to analyze the frequency associated with the drilling, cutting, transition, or Other procedures in the unit operations of the delayed coker, including the vibration associated with the water pump 50. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 6, the history 62 of the perforation bar mode can be displayed to allow a operator or other person analyze the history of drilling, transition, or cutting that has occurred over a period of minutes, hours, days, weeks, years or more. In addition to the data illustrated by Figure 6, the present invention contemplates allowing users to access and use productively and modify other groups of data. As shown in Figure 6, a deployment 70 may also contain a simple indicator light 64 that could allow an operator to determine a current mode of the piercing bar, including whether the piercing bar is cutting, transitioning, or drilling. Figure 6 also shows examples of some features that may be part of the deployment 70: calculated correlations 59, a signal 63, a pump heading 61, and a birth certificate 65 comprising, for example, drilling rubrics and cut. As mentioned, a vibration monitoring system is provided to monitor vibration at any point in the unit operation of the delayed coker. In a non-limiting example, some modalities are preferred to monitoring and continuous detection of the reduced material thickness in the elbows and tubes that are transporting fluids or gases at elevated temperature and / or high pressure. In some embodiments, the monitoring system can be used to measure bearing wear. In a preferred embodiment, the deterioration of the bearings can be detected before the critical rotating machinery that has not been monitored or that is only periodically monitored fails. In some embodiments, the monitoring system can be used to detect coke that is clogging the furnace tubes that heat the oil before it passes into the coke drum. In some modalities, the monitoring system can be used to monitor / detect the movement of fluids and / or gas in the tubes. In some embodiments, other features such as heat, pressure, sound, and / or some other quantifiable characteristic can be monitored instead of, or as well as, vibration characteristics. Up to now, the modalities have been discussed in terms of using detectors or accelerometers 16 to determine the mode of the cutting tool 14. Some embodiments of the present invention also contemplate similarly using detectors or accelerometers 16 to detect vibrations in the unitary system of the coker during the coking process to determine the levels of coke and foam inside the drum 5 to avoid undesirable drum losses and promote more efficient operation of the coker unit. Figure 7 illustrates a simulation in which a drum 80 of 66.04 cm high, 50.8 cm wide is filled with different filling levels of material having approximately the same density as the coke. An input force or pulse is applied at a point 82 in the drum 80 to simulate the natural movement of a coke drum 5 being filled. Four accelerometers 16 are positioned vertically in the drum and connected to a computer system 21. The software is used in the computer system 21 to obtain the rubrics at different material levels. Figure 8 shows a display 90 of four different rubrics, 92, 94, 96, and 98 corresponding, respectively, to a filling of 30.48 cm, a filling of 45.72 cm, a filling of 60.96 cm, and a filling of 66.04 cm (top). Therefore, in this simulation, it is demonstrated that the embodiments of the present invention are fully capable of obtaining useful fill information. The embodiments of the present invention involving the use of detectors or accelerometers 16 for determining the level of coke in the drum 5 are implemented in a manner similar to the embodiments of the present invention used to determine the condition of the cutting tool 14, and The previous discussion of the various modalities can be applied to the modalities used to measure the level of coke or foam. The vibration monitoring systems for monitoring the levels of coke or foam preferably measure the levels with respect to the upper part of the drum 5 and include one or more detectors or accelerometers 16 coupled to a coking system and a computer system 21. As with the detectors 16 used to determine the condition of the cutting tool, the detectors 16 used to determine the status of the level of coke or foam can be placed at any position or location in the coking system, in any orientation, and corresponding to different axes. Preferably, the detectors 16 in the coke or foam level measuring system are 4 coupled to the outside of the drum 5. In some embodiments, the detectors or accelerometers 16 are placed vertically in a drum 5. More particularly, some embodiments contemplate four accelerators 16 placed vertically in a line on a drum 5 in a manner similar to that shown in the simulation of figure 7.

Claims (42)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and therefore the content of the following is claimed as property: CLAIMS

1. A device for vibration monitoring comprising: at least one transducer coupled to a component in a unitary coker system delayed, the transducer provides an output signal representative of a physical characteristic in said component; a computer-readable medium, operatively connected to said transducer, which provides executable instructions on the computer to modify the output signal; and a screen, operatively connected to said computer-readable medium, which indicates an operating condition of said delayed coker unit system.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said transducer comprises an accelerometer.

3. - The device according to claim 2, characterized in that said at least one transducer comprises a plurality of accelerometers placed vertically along a coke drum.

4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that said plurality of accelerometers comprises four accelerometers.

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said component comprises a cutting tool.

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said component comprises a perforation bar of a cutting tool.

7. - The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transducer is coupled to said component by means of a mounting device.

8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said component comprises a coke drum.

9. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said component comprises a fluid line.

10. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said component comprises a fluid pump.

11. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said component comprises a fluid reservoir.

12. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said physical characteristic is selected from the group consisting of vibration, temperature, pressure, and acoustics.

13. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said instructions for modifying the output signal comprise instructions for performing a fast Fourier transform.

14. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said operating condition comprises the condition of the cutting tool inside a coke drum that is being decoked.

15. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said operating condition comprises the status of a cutting tool, said status is selected from the group consisting of cutting, drilling, and transition.

16. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said operating condition comprises the level of coke inside a coke drum that is filled during a coking operation.

17. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said operating condition comprises the level of foam inside a coke drum that is filled during a coking operation.

18. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the instructions for modifying the output signal comprise running the output signal through a fast Fourier transform to create a fast transforming fingerprint. Fourier

19. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the display also emits an operation history.

20. A device for monitoring the cutting tool in a unitary operation of the delayed coker comprising: at least one vibration detector connected to a delayed coker unit; and a computer system connected to said detector, the computer system comprises a component that can translate a signal transmitted from said detector.

21. The device according to claim 20, characterized in that said at least one vibration detector comprises a plurality of accelerometers.

22. The device according to claim 20, characterized in that said computer system transforms the signal into a rubric frequency footprint.

23. The device according to claim 20, characterized in that said signal is transmitted to an active repeater that, in turn, sends the signal to a network connection that is part of said computer system.

24. The device according to claim 20, characterized in that said computer system also comprises software that translates said signal into a birth certificate by means of a fast Fourier transform.

25. A device for monitoring the levels of material produced inside a coke drum during the production of coke, said device comprising: at least one vibration detector connected to a delayed coker unit; and a computer system connected to said detector, the computer system comprises a component that can translate a signal transmitted from said detector.

26. - The device according to claim 25, characterized in that said at least one vibration detector comprises a plurality of accelerometers.

27. The device according to claim 25, characterized in that said computer system transforms said signal into a rubric frequency footprint.

28. The device according to claim 25, characterized in that said signal is transmitted to an active repeater that, in turn, sends the signal to a network connection that is part of said computer system.

29. The device according to claim 25, characterized in that said computer system also comprises software that translates said signal into a rubric frequency footprint through a fast Fourier transform and in this way allows a user to recognize when

30. The device according to claim 25, characterized in that said material comprises coke.

31. The device according to claim 25, characterized in that said material comprises foam that is produced during the production of coke.

32. The device according to claim 25, characterized in that said vibration detector comprises four vibration detectors coupled vertically to said drum.

33. A system for determining a fast Fourier transform wave pattern associated with an operation status of a delayed coker drum operation, said system comprising: a detector, coupled to a component in a delayed coker drum system, which generates data that represent physical characteristics in real time of said component; a signal generator that transmits the data; a signal receiver that receives the data; software to execute a fast Fourier transform that converts the data into a usable waveform; a central processing unit that identifies said operation status by evaluating the waveform; and a deployment operatively connected to said software.

34. The system according to claim 33, characterized in that said operation condition comprises drilling and cutting. The system according to claim 33, characterized in that said operating condition comprises the level of coke filling inside a coke drum. 36.- The system according to claim 33, characterized in that said operating condition comprises the level of foam filling located above the coke inside a coke drum. 37.- A system for determining a fast Fourier transform wave pattern associated with the modes of cutting, drilling, and transition of a cutting tool inside a coke drum comprising: a vibration detector, coupled to a portion of a decoking system, the vibration detector generates data during decoking; a central processing unit that converts the data into a usable waveform; a central processing unit that identifies, through said waveform, the mode of the cutting tool; and a screen operatively connected to said central processing unit to identify the mode of the cutting tool. 38.- A system for determining a fast Fourier transform wave pattern associated with the level of material that is produced inside a coke drum during the production of coke, said system comprising: a vibration detector, coupled to a portion of a decoking system, the vibration detector generates data during coking; a central processing unit that converts the data into a usable waveform; a central processing unit that measures, by said waveform, the filling level of said material inside the drum; and a screen operatively connected to said central processing unit to indicate said level of filling. 39.- A method to determine the operation state of a delayed coker drum operation, said method comprises: mounting a transducer in a position in a unitary operation of the delayed coker to provide an output signal related to the movement in said position; process the output signal; and determining the operation status by the processed output signal. The method according to claim 39, characterized in that said determination comprises determining if a cutting tool is drilled, cutting, or in transition. 41.- The method according to claim 39, characterized in that said determination comprises determining several levels of material filling inside a coke drum. The method according to claim 39, characterized in that said processing comprises running the output signal through a fast Fourier transform.