Methods and Systems for Constructing a Hydrocarbon Processing Facility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025035379-A1
Application number	US-202318716829-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 17, 2023
Priority date	Feb 7, 2022
Publication date	Jan 30, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods of constructing a furnace facility including determining transport parameters including vessel parameters. The method can include determining operating site parameters of an operating site and designing one or more modules based on the vessel and operating site parameters. The modules can be sized to provide length, width, height, weight of the modules within allowance of the vessel and operating site parameters. The modules can be constructed at a module fabrication site before transporting to the operating site via a vessel. One or more modules can have one or more furnace components, and/or one or more modules can have one or more furnace.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of constructing a furnace facility including one or more furnaces, the process comprising:
determining transport parameters; determining operating site parameters of an operating site; designing one or more furnace modules based on the transport parameters and the operating site parameters, the one or more furnace modules sized to provide length, width, height, and weight of the modules within allowance of the transport parameters and operating site parameters; and constructing the one or more furnace modules at a module fabrication site separate from the operating site, the modules comprising one or more furnace components.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
installing the one or more furnace modules at the operating site to construct the furnace facility.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the one or more furnaces comprises a plurality of furnace components; and at least one of the furnace modules comprises from 25% to 100% of the plurality of components in a designated furnace of the one or more furnaces.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein:
the designated furnace comprises a convection section and a radiant section; and a furnace module comprises an upper module section positioned above and abutting a lower module section, the upper module section corresponds to an upper portion of the convection section, and the lower module section corresponds to a lower portion of the convection section and the radiant section.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein:
constructing the furnace module comprises: constructing the upper module section and the lower module section separately; positioning the upper module section above and abutting the lower module section; and mechanically securing the upper module section to the lower module section to construct the furnace module.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein:
the upper module section comprises a first vertical reinforcement member; the lower module section comprises a second vertical reinforcement member; and the first vertical reinforcement member and the second reinforcement member are connected to form a unitary reinforcement component in the furnace module.

7 . The method of claim 3 , wherein:
the designated furnace comprises a convection section and a radiant section; the one or more furnace modules include an upper furnace module and a lower furnace module; the upper furnace module corresponds to an upper portion of the convection section; and the lower furnace module corresponds to a lower portion of the convection section and the radiant section.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the upper furnace module and the lower furnace module, separate from each, are transported to the operating site; and at the operating site, the upper furnace module is positioned over and abutting the lower furnace module to construct the designated furnace.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the transport parameter and/or the operating site parameters comprise a constraint preventing transporting an alternative module comprising the upper furnace module positioned over and abutting the lower furnace module.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
at least two adjacent steam cracking furnaces present in the furnace facility are connected to form a multiple-furnace cluster comprising a plurality of cluster components; and the furnace module comprises from 60% to 100% of the plurality of cluster components in the multiple-furnace cluster.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the furnace module comprises a plurality of structural reinforcement components that maintain structural integrity of the furnace module during fabrication, transportation, and installation thereof.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the structural reinforcement components comprise a plurality of vertical beams and a plurality of horizontal beams.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the furnace module further comprises auxiliary equipment.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the transport parameters comprise vessel parameters; the vessel parameters comprise a width allowance, a length allowance, a height allowance, and a weight allowance, the vessel configured to transport from one or more of the furnace modules; each furnace module has a module width, a module length, a module height, and a module weight; and each module length is about 25% to about 100% of the length allowance, the module width is about 25% to about 100% of the width allowance, the module height is about 25% to about 100% of the height allowance, and the module weight is about 25% to about 100% of the weight allowance.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the transport parameters includes one or more of: vessel dock length, vessel dock width, and vessel dock shape, height of obstruction(s) during transport, maximum weight capacity of the vessel, economics in procuring vessels, vessel draft when loaded, depth along path during transport, and any combination thereof; and the operating site parameters includes one or more of: maximum weight restriction of a road leading to the operating site, a soil condition of a road leading to the operating site, height of an obstruction along a road leading to the operating site, width of an obstruction along a road leading to the operating site, a road turn radius restriction, a live equipment lift, a workforce location at the operating site, a land transport ability, and a combination thereof.

16 . A furnace module comprising:
at least two furnaces, each furnace comprising a radiant section and a convection section; and a module interconnection disposed between adjacent furnaces.

17 . The furnace module of claim 16 , wherein:
the module interconnection includes one or more interconnections coupling the two furnaces together.

18 . The furnace module of claim 16 , wherein the furnace module comprises a base section configured for transport using self-propelled modular transporters.

19 . The furnace module of claim 16 , further comprising:
at least one control valve deck comprising a block valve, a control valve, and one or more pipes; and auxiliary equipment comprising an electrical room and an analyzer.

20 . The furnace module of claim 16 , wherein the furnace module has features selected from the group consisting of:
a length of about 25 meters to about 90 meters; a width of about 20 meters to about 45 meters; a height of about 30 meters to about 75 meters; a weight of about 6,000 tons to about 12,000 tons; and combinations thereof.

21 . The furnace module of claim 16 , wherein the electrical room is disposed between a control deck of each furnace and is configured to power each furnace.

22 . The furnace module of claim 16 , wherein the furnace module comprises a common analyzer enclosure for analyzers.

23 . The furnace module of claim 16 , further comprising an ammonia vaporization skid configured for selective catalytic reduction unit (SCR) on the control valve deck.

24 . A furnace assembly comprising a convection section above and adjacent a radiant section, the furnace assembly comprising:
an upper furnace module corresponding to an upper portion of the convection section; and a lower furnace module corresponding to a lower portion of the convection section and the radiant section of the furnace assembly.

25 . The furna

Assignees

• Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc

Inventors

• Hirst Thomas T
• Spicer David
• Hopkins Tim W
• Almeida Samuel L
• Rooney Mark A

Classifications

• F27D2001/0079

  Means to assemble at least two parts of a furnace or of any device or accessory associated to its use · CPC title

• B01D2258/0283

  Flue gases · CPC title

• B01D2257/404

  Nitrogen oxides other than dinitrogen oxide · CPC title

• B01D2251/2062

  Ammonia · CPC title

• B01D53/8631

  Processes characterised by a specific device · CPC title