Anacortes refinery coking plant

Equilon Anacortes Refinery Coking Plant Accident, November 25, 1998 195... 

EQUILON ANACORTES REFINERY COKING PLANT ACCIDENT, NOVEMBER 25, 1998... 

The coke drums are filled and anptied daily in a batch process, although the rest of the refinery operates more-or-less continuously. Like most plants of this sort, the Anacortes refinery had two large coke drums. Drums A and B, stainless steel drums each about 20 m tall and each with adequate capacity for one day s coke production. The process conditions in the operational coke drum are 450-500 °C and 20-30 bar pressure. Only one coke drum is online at any time the other is offline, being emptied or standing by. Vapor passes from the top of the operational coke drum to a fractionating column, where the gaseous products are separated into the desired fractions. The residue remains in the coke drum to crack further until only the coke is left. 

Drum A irn the coking plant at Equilon Anacortes refinery, November 25, 1998. Six people were standing under the bottom head when it was unbolted and removed. They were killed by hot coke and burning heavy oil residue. 

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