An intrinsic study of fatigue mechanisms and a strategy to prolong service life of coke drum under thermal-mechanical cyclic loading

本建议书是一项为期两年半的研究计划，重点是与油砂沥青加工相关的主要设备-延迟焦炭塔的损坏分析和长期可靠性评估。目前的焦炭塔的使用寿命是有限的，由于严重的热机械负荷经历。通过紧密耦合的实验研究、理论建模和有限元数值模拟，对焦炭塔损伤的产生和扩展有了深入的了解。将开发一种更可靠的寿命估算方法，以及改进的建议，以延迟损坏和延长焦炭塔的寿命。加拿大西部目前正在进行前所未有的油砂投资。焦炭塔的主要技术自20世纪40年代引入以来基本上保持不变。至关重要的是，这种设备提供长期的可靠性，以适应当今的经济和劳动力挑战的环境。成功完成这项拟议研究对工业用户的好处是建造更坚固的新设备并修复现有设备。总的来说，这项研究将提高加拿大工业的盈利能力，释放劳动力需求，并提高技术知识。

This proposal is for a two and half year research program focusing on damage analysis and long term reliability evaluation of delayed coke drums - primary equipment associated with the processing of oil sand bitumen. The service lives of current coke drums are limited due to severe thermal-mechanical load experienced. Through tightly-coupled experimental investigation, theoretical modeling and FEM numerical simulation, a thorough understanding of the initiation and propagation of damage in coke drums will be obtained. A more reliable life estimation methodology will be developed, as well as the proposal of enhancements to delay the damage and to prolong lives of coke drums.Unprecedented investments in oil sands are currently occurring in Western Canada. The primary technology of coke drums has remained essentially the same since its introduction in the 1940's. It is critical that this equipment provide long term reliability to suit today's economy and labor-challenged environment. The benefit of the successful completion of this proposed research to industrial users is to construct more robust new equipment and to remediate existing equipment. Overall, this research will improve the profitability of the Canadian industry, free up labor demands and advance knowledge of the technology.