Coke drum monitoring is a critical part of maintaining safe and efficient delayed coking operations, especially as units age. Yet for many refineries, process management still relies heavily on periodic checks and indirect signals, leaving operators with limited visibility into what is happening inside the drum during live operation. This gap often leads to conservative decision making, higher operating costs, and avoidable process risk.
As coke drums age, their behaviour becomes less predictable. Foam formation can vary from cycle to cycle, phase transitions may not follow expected patterns, and drum switching decisions become harder to time with confidence.
To manage this, technologies like neutron backscatter have been used for decades. However, the original manufacturers of these specialised coke drum units have gone out of business, leaving asset owners with aging, obsolete monitoring equipment or legacy gamma systems.
In response, operators tend to take a more cautious approach. Cycle times are extended, anti-foam usage increases, and operating conditions are kept within wider safety margins. While this helps manage risk, it also limits throughput and efficiency.
The underlying issue is not a lack of expertise. It is a lack of clear, real-time insight into internal drum conditions.
While tracking bulk level is essential, relying solely on it is not enough to manage the complexities of a live coking cycle. During live operations, most decisions rely on indirect indicators such as pressure trends, basic bulk level data, or historical performance. These signals do not fully reflect the phase distributions or dynamics happening inside the drum, particularly in aging units where internal behaviour can shift more frequently.
This creates a blind spot. By the time an issue becomes visible externally, it may already be affecting performance or increasing operational risk.
Tracerco's exclusive DrumVision™ technology enable this by detecting vapour, foam, and coke phases inside the drum in real time. Instead of relying on indirect signals, operators can see how the process is behaving throughout the cycle.
This shift changes how decisions are made. Drum switching can be timed more accurately, foam behaviour can be managed earlier, and operating conditions can be adjusted with greater confidence.
With better visibility, operators can run closer to optimal conditions without increasing risk. Heater outlet temperatures and drum pressures can be managed more precisely, helping improve throughput and consistency.
At the same time, early detection of foam development reduces the likelihood of foam-over events and unplanned disruptions. This supports more stable operation and lowers the need for reactive interventions.
There is also a direct impact on cost. Anti-foam usage can be reduced, energy efficiency can be improved, and unnecessary downtime can be avoided. Over time, these improvements contribute to stronger overall unit performance.
Perhaps most importantly, better insight helps protect the asset itself. Identifying abnormal behaviour early reduces avoidable stress on the drum, supporting longer run lengths and extending the life of aging equipment.
Solutions like DrumVision™ are designed to replace aging or obsolete instrumentation with minimal disruption. This makes it possible to upgrade visibility quickly and start making more informed decisions without interrupting production.
For refineries managing aging coke drums, the challenge is no longer just about maintaining operation. It is about doing so with confidence. Real-time insight provides a practical way to reduce uncertainty, improve performance, and keep critical assets running reliably.
Download our fact sheet , recently published whitepaper or watch our webinar, where our experts explain about DrumVision™ and its benefits.
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