Patent ID: 8512525

Claim:
A coke drum de-header system comprising: (a) a coke drum having at least one port therein, wherein said coke drum is structured to receive molten petroleum residuum; (b) a de-header valve removably coupled to said port of said coke drum for regulating the throughput of said port and for allowing repeated de-heading and re-heading of the coke drum, said de-header valve comprising: ( 1 ) a main body having an orifice dimensioned to align with said port of said coke drum when said de-header valve is coupled thereto; ( 2 ) a valve closure operably supported by said main body, said valve closure capable of being actuated to oscillate between an open and closed position with respect to said orifice and said port; (3) a seat support system within the main body that is structured to support said valve closure, wherein said seat support system comprises at least one live loaded upper seat that forms a contact seal with the valve closure and is structured to move axially while said valve closure is actuated between the open and the closed position to accommodate surface variance on the valve closure while maintaining the contact seal such that the contact seal shears accumulated coke and effectively de-heads the coke drum upon actuation of the valve closure; (4) an upper bonnet coupled to the main body; (5) a lower bonnet coupled to the main body; and (6) an internal coke containment system structured to maintain total isolation of the coke within the system comprising a plate having a first end that is contiguous with one or more of the at least one live loaded upper seat that is on the lower bonnet side of the main body and a second end that extends into the lower bonnet to provide a planar surface that contacts the surface of the valve closure forming a contact seal.