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A method of producing petroleum coke in a petroleum coking system comprising the steps of (a) adding a fluid to a live coking drum while warming a second drum so that additional vapor is provided in the live drum and (b) reducing pressure loss in the live drum by regulating the addition of the fluid

A method of producing petroleum coke in a petroleum coking system comprising the steps of (a) adding a fluid to a live coking drum while warming a second drum so that additional vapor is provided in the live drum and (b) reducing pressure loss in the live drum by regulating the addition of the fluid based upon a target pressure for the live drum and by regulating the flow of warm-up vapor from the live drum to the second drum based upon a target pressure for the second drum. The flow of warm-up vapor from the live drum to the second drum is preferably conducted via a conduit system having a total length of less than 100 feet.

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1. In a method of producing petroleum coke in a petroleum coking system having at least a pair of coking drums operating in a cyclical manner such that, when a first coking drum is being operated in a fill cycle wherein a coker feed material flows into said first coking drum to form coke and produce

1. In a method of producing petroleum coke in a petroleum coking system having at least a pair of coking drums operating in a cyclical manner such that, when a first coking drum is being operated in a fill cycle wherein a coker feed material flows into said first coking drum to form coke and produce a vapor product, a second cooking drum is operated in a second cycle including a warming stage wherein a flow of warm-up vapor comprising a portion of said vapor product is delivered into said second coking drum, the improvement comprising the steps of:(a) adding a fluid to said first coking drum during said warming stage effective for providing additional vapor in said first coking drum, said fluid being a material other than said coker feed material and(b) reducing pressure loss in said first coking drum during said warming stage by regulating the addition of said fluid to said first coking drum based upon a target pressure for said first coking drum and by regulating said flow of warm-up vapor from said first coking drum to said second coking drum based upon a target pressure for said second coking drum. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein an actual pressure is determined for said first coking drum and said target pressure in said second coking drum is said actual pressure minus a targeted pressure differential. 3. The method of claim 2 wherein said targeted pressure differential is in the range of from about 2 psi to about 12 psi. 4. The method of claim 3 wherein said pressure differential is in the range of from about 3 psi to about 10 psi. 5. The method of claim 3 wherein said target pressure for said first coking drum is in the range of from about 25 psig to about 40 psig. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein:said petroleum coking system further includes a fractionator for fractionating said vapor product produced in said first coking drum;said fractionator produces cycle oil and at least one light product having an end point temperature below that of said cycle oil; andsaid fluid comprises at least a portion of said light product, at least a portion of said cycle oil, or a combination thereof. 7. The method of claim 1 wherein:said petroleum coking system further includes a fractionator for fractionating said vapor product produced in said first coking drum;said fractionator produces a light coker cycle oil product and a heavy coker cycle oil product; andsaid fluid comprises at least a portion of said light coker cycle oil product, at least a portion of said heavy coker cycle oil product, or a combination thereof. 8. The method of claim 7 wherein said fluid is at least a portion of said heavy coker cycle oil product. 9. The method of claim 7 wherein said fluid is delivered from said fractionator to said first coking drum without heating. 10. The method of claim 7 wherein said fluid is delivered to said first coking drum at a temperature in the range of from about 450° to about 690° F. 11. The method of claim 7 wherein said fluid has a D-1186 end point of not more than 990° F. 12. The method of claim 1 wherein said coker feed material flows into a lower end portion of said first coking drum and said fluid is delivered into an upper end portion of said first coking drum. 13. The method of claim 1 wherein:said first coking drum has an upper end portion;said second coking drum has an upper end portion; andthe improvement further comprises conducting said flow of warm-up vapor from said upper end portion of said first coking drum to said upper end portion of said second coking drum via conduit means having a total length of less than 100 feet. 14. The method of claim 13 wherein said total length of said conduit means is less than 75 feet. 15. In a method of producing petroleum coke in a petroleum coking system having at least a pair of coking drums operating in a cyclical manner such that, when a first coking drum is being operated in a fill cycle wherein a coker feed material flows into said first coking drum to form co ke and produce a vapor product, a second coking drum is operated in a second cycle including a warming stage wherein a flow of warm-up vapor comprising a portion of said vapor product is delivered into said second coking drum, said first coking drum having an upper end portion and said second coking drum having an upper end portion, the improvement comprising conducting said flow of warm-up vapor from said upper end portion of said first coking drum to said upper end portion of said second coking drum via conduit means having a total length of less than 100 feet. 16. The method of claim 15 wherein said total length of said conduit means is less than 75 feet. 17. The method of claim 15 wherein the improvement further comprises regulating said flow of warm-up vapor from said first coking drum to said second coking drum based upon a target pressure for said second coking drum. 18. The method of claim 17 wherein an actual pressure is determined for said first coking drum and said target pressure in said second coking drum is said actual pressure minus a targeted pressure differential. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein targeted pressure differential is in the range of from about 2 psi to about 12 psi. 20. The method of claim 18 wherein said targeted pressure differential is in the range of from about 3 psi to about 10 psi.