Bulging is the non-uniform radial growth of pressure vessels that can result from cyclic mechanical or thermal loads. It is a common problem in coke drums that can lead to cracking, product leakage, and fires. The Bulging Intensity Factor (BIF) is a fitness-for-service technique for the evaluation of coke drum bulging. The method uses a pattern recognition approach that works by analyzing the similarity between three-dimensional surface bulging patterns of a given drum and ones associated with known cracking histories. The BIF is used to identify and rank the areas of the drum that are most susceptible to cracking from the increased cyclic stress induced by the bulge geometry. In this paper, the background and applicability of the technique are discussed along with an operator's experience in using it for the integrity management of a large set of coke drums.
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