Distillation Control Philosophy

Some of the general guidelines are noted below:

column pressure normally controlled at a constant value
feed flow rate often set by the level controller on a preceding column
feed flow rate is independently controlled if fed from storage tank or surge tank
feed temperature controlled by a feed preheater. Prior to preheater, feed may be heated by
bottom product via feed/bottom exchanger
top temperature usually controlled by varying the reflux
bottom temperature controlled by varying the steam to reboiler
differential pressure control used in packed columns to monitor packing condition, also used
in tray columns to indicate foaming
the compositions controlled by regulating the reflux flow and boiled-up (reboiler vapour)
Pressure is often considered the prime distillation control variable, as it affects temperature,
condensation, vapourisation, compositions, volatilities and almost any process that takes place
inside the column. Column pressure control is frequently integrated with the condenser control
system.
Reboilers and condensers are integral part of a distillation system. They regulate the energy
inflow and outflow in a distillation column.
The 3 main methods of pressure and condensation control are:
(1) vapour flow variation,
(2) flooded condenser, and
(3) cooling medium flow variation.
Vapour Flow Variation
The simplest and direct method for column producing a vapour product. The pressure controller
regulates the vapour inventory and therefore the column pressure. See the Figure below.

An important consideration here is the proper piping of the vapour line to avoid liquid pockets.
Flooded Condenser
This method is used with total condensers generating liquid product. Part of the condenser
surface is flooded with liquid at all times. The flow of condensate from the condenser is
controlled by varying the flooded area. Increasing the flooded area (by reducing flow) increases
the column pressure (less surface area for condensation).

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Cooling Medium Flow Variation
Pressure can also be controlled by adjusting the flow of coolant to the condenser ( see Figure
below). Operation using cooling water can cause fouling problems at low flow condition, when
cooling water velocity is low and outlet temperature is high.

For air-fin condensers, the controller varies the fan speed or fan pitch to control pressure (see
Figure below). This arrangement is energy-efficient as it minimises fan power consumption, but
requires the use of variable-pitch fan or variable speed motor.

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Other method: pressure control using inerts (see Figure below).

When column pressure falls, an inert gas is admitted to raise the column pressure.
Or: split-range pressure control venting excess gas to flare (see Figure below)

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In most instances, both vapour and liquid phase are present in the column overhead. The vapour
contains components that can condense out but are undesirable in the liquid, i.e. excessive
condensation may lead to off-specification liquid product. In addition, it is also undesirable to
lose liquid product (through insufficient condensation) to the vapour. It is therefore important to
control the rate of condensation to obtain the desired vapour-liquid split.
This is usually done by controlling the temperature of the liquid product just downstream of the
condenser. One common scheme used is shown the Figure below.

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A column is controlled by regulating its material and energy balances. Click here for more
information and an example.
The following controls are briefly discussed in this Section:
eboiler Control

This is required to provide good response to column disturbances, and to protect the column
from disturbances occurring in the heating medium. The reboiler boil-up is regulated either: (1)
to achieve desired product purity, or (2) to maintain a constant boil-up rate.
In a typical reboiler control (see Figure below), the control valve is located in the reboiler steam
inlet line.

For inlet steam controlled reboiler, the heat transfer rate is regulated by varying the steam control
valve opening, thereby changing the steam condensing pressure and temperature.
When an additional boil-up is required, the valve opens and raises the reboiler pressure, which
increase the temperature, and in turn increases the boil-up rate. This scheme has the disadvantage
of non-linear relationship between pressure and boil-up, and is affected by fouling in the reboiler.
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An alternative is to control the condensate flow, i.e. by putting the control valve on the
condensate line ( see Figure below). The main disadvantage is that this scheme has poorer
dynamic response than the previous scheme. Manipulating the inlet valve immediately changes
the vapour flow, giving faster dynamic response. On the other hand, the condensate outlet valve
has no direct effect on vapour flow. The response time varies with the condensate level in the
exchanger.

The other main disadvantage is the sizing of the condensate valve. If condensate cannot be
drained in time, vapour flow may be restricted as much of the reboiler remains flooded. On the

other hand, too fast of condensate draining (faster than vapour condensation in the reboiler) as
result in loss of liquid seal in the reboiler and steam will pass into the plant's condensate recovery
system.
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Some reboiler control features the use of condensate pot. This is particularly important in fouling
or corrosive services (where leakage is a serious problem). An example is shown in the Figure
below.

In the system shown, by varying the level control set point, the tube surface area in the reboiler
that is exposed for vapour condensation can be adjusted, thus changing the available heat transfer
area. The heat transfer rate can therefore be adjusted.
This arrangement also automatically minimise the condensation (and therefore, tube wall)
temperature. A pressure-balancing line is provided to maintain a steady pressure and level in the
condensate pot.
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Temperature Control
Column temperature control is perhaps the most popular way of controlling product
compositions. In this case, the control temperature is used as a substitute to product composition
analysis.
Ideally, both top and bottom compositions should be controlled to maintain each within its
specifications. See the Figure below.

In practice, simultaneous composition control of both products suffer from serious "coupling"
(interaction) between the 2 controllers, resulting in column instability. In the system shown,
suppose that there are concentration changes in the feed conditions that result in lower column
temperature. The top and bottom temperature controllers will respond by decreasing reflux and
increasing boil-up respectively.
If the actions of the 2 controllers are perfectly matched, and response is instantaneous, both
control temperatures will return to their set points without interaction.
However, the 2 actions are rarely perfectly matched, and their dynamics are dissimilar - usually
the boil-up response is faster. The reflux and boil-up will "cycle" as shown in the Figure above.
The interaction can be avoided by controlling only 1 of the 2 product compositions.
On-line analyser can be used together with temperature control to control product composition.
The principal control action is rapidly performed by the temperature controller, while the
analyser slowly adjusts the temperature set point to prevent off-specification product purity. A set
up is shown in the Figure below.

In the above set-up, delayed analyser response is acceptable, as its time lags become a secondary
consideration. The fast temperature controller action renders this control method less sensitive to
upsets and step changes in an analyser-only control system.

Another advantage is that, should the analyser become inoperative, the temperature controller
will maintain automatic control of the process.
Feed Preheat Control
Feed preheat is usually practised for heat recovery or to attain the desired vapour and liquid
traffic above and below the feed tray. The objective of the preheat control system is to supply the
column with a feed of consistent specific enthalpy. With a single-phase feed, this becomes a
constant feed temperature control; with a partially vapourised feed, a constant fractional
vapourisation is required.
As an example, consider case (a) as shown in the Figure below whereby the feed is a cold liquid.
In this case, all the liquid feed will go to the stripping section. In addition, because the feed is
cold, it will also condense some of the rising vapour.

As a result, the amount of liquid flow in the stripping section is much larger than the liquid flow
in the rectifying section. The vapour flow in the rectifying section is lower than the vapour flow
in the stripping section because of the condensation into the liquid.
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The following Figures showed 2 other feed conditions: case (b) for saturated liquid (left) and
case (c) for vapour-liquid mixture (right):

And the following Figures showed 2 other feed conditions: case (d) for saturated vapour (left)
and case (e) for superheated vapour (right):

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Subcooled feed or superheated feed can be controlled (see Figure below) by preheating (left) or
desuperheating (right) the feed prior to column entry:

A superheated bottom feed can be cooled by injecting a quench stream as shown in the Figure
below.

istillation Control - Material & Energy Balance

A distillation column is controlled by regulating its material balance and the energy balance.
In essence, a material balance means that the sum of the products leaving the column must be
equal (approximately) to the feed entering the column; and an energy balance means that the heat
input to the column must equal (approximately) to heat removed from the system.

When a column is in material and energy balance, there is no accumulation or generation of

material or heat within the column, i.e. the column is "stable".
The control system is dynamic, i.e. if a process variable changes, the control system reacts by
adjusting the affected process variables until the system returns to normal condition.
The term "steady state operation" describes the condition in a column when the process variables
are changing in small amounts within prescribed limits.
When a column is in steady-state operation, the changes to the column's material balance and
energy balance variables are minimal and are handled by the control system. As mentioned in the
start of this chapter, one of the objectives of control is to maintain the products within the
required specifications, or simply "specs". A "spec" is a value, or a range of values, for a physical
property or a set of physical properties that is required for a product or products. A sample of
typical properties of interest in petroleum refining is shown in Appendix A. Return to

Appendix 1: Examples of Typical Petroluem Cut or Fraction Properties

NOTE: "Cut" is the refinery term of a fraction obtained direct from a fractionating unit. Several
cuts can be blended for the manufacture of a certain product. A "fraction" is a portion of
petroleum separated from other portions in the fractionation of petroleum products. It is often
characterised by a particular boiling range.
Initial Boiling Point (IBP)
The temperature at which the first drop of distillate appears after commencement of distillation
in the standard ASTM laboratory apparatus
Final Boiling Point (FBP)
The maximum temperature observed on the distillation thermometer when a standard ASTM
distillation is carried out.
Boiling Range
Petroleum products (which are mixtures of many compounds, each having a different boiling
point) do not have a simple boiling point but have a boiling range instead, i.e. the temperature
range from bubble point to dew point.
API Gravity

In the U.S. an arbitrary scale known as the API degree is used for reporting the gravity of a
petroleum product. The degree API is related to the specific gravity scale (15oC / 15oC) by the
formula:

Viscosity
The dynamic viscosity of a liquid is a measure of its resistance to flow. The kinematic viscosity
is equal to the dynamic viscosity divided by the density of the liquid.
Cloud Point
The temperature at which a fuel, when cooled, begins to congeal and present a cloudy
appearance owing to the formation of minute crystals of wax.
Flash Point
The lowest temperature under closely specified conditions at which a combustible material will
give off sufficient vapour to form an inflammable mixture with air in a standardised vessel. Flash
point tests are used to assess the volatilities of petroleum products.
Freezing Point
The temperature at which crystals first appear when a liquid is cooled under specified conditions.
It is an important characteristic of aviation fuels.
Pour Point
The temperature below which an oil tends to solidify and will no longer flow freely.
Reid Vapour Pressure (RVP)
The pressure caused by the vapourised part of a liquid and the enclosed air and water vapour, as
measured under standardised conditions in standardised apparatus: the result is given in psi at
100 oF, although normally reported simply as "RVP in lb". RVP is not the same as the true
vapour pressure of the liquid, but gives some indication of the volatility of a liquid, e.g. gasoline.
Octane Number

The octane number of a fuel is a number equal to the percentage by volume of iso-octane in a
mixture of iso-octane and normal heptane having the same resistance to detonation as the fuel
under consideration in a special test engine. It is a measure of the "anti-knock" value of a
gasoline and the higher the octane number the higher the anti-knock quality of the gasoline.
("Anti-knock" is an adjective signifying the resistance to detonation (pinking) in spark-ignited
internal combustion engines).
Smoke Point
The maximum height of flame measured in millimeters (mm) at which a kerosene will burn
without smoking when tested in a standard lamp for this purpose.

Product specifications are set by the demands of downstream processes and by the marketplace.
Products must meet certain quality standards. For a product to be saleable, it must comply with
certain pre-determined quality.
Products are routinely tested to ensure that the specifications are met. Testing can be done by
direct composition measurement or by indirect measurement, according to prescribed standards,
such as ASTM.
Direct composition measurements are analysis that allow personnel to directly observe the
percentages of components in a product. An example is the process chromatograph. It provides a
direct read-out of the component percentages. The readings of the chromatograph can be
compared against the specifications to see if any adjustments are needed to ensure that the
product meets specifications.
Indirect composition measurements are analysis in which one measured property is used as an
indicator of another property. One common indirect measurement is the boiling temperature. For
example, since the boiling points of the components in a feed mixture are known, the
components in a product can be indirectly identified by their boiling points. When the product is
tested, its composition can be indirectly measured by recording the temperatures at which the
different components in the product boil.
If the composition of a product is outside of the normal limits for that product, the product is
referred to as "off-specification".

Exceeding product specifications or producing better quality product than is required is known as
product giveaway.
Return to
An Example of Distillation Column Control
A typical distillation column has a combination of different control loops. The control system of
a particular column is designed to meet that column's particular process requirements. An
example is shown in the Figure below.

There are several control loops associated with the distillation column:
Temperature:
1. Overhead condensation (Fin-fan)
2. Overhead column (Reflux)
3. Feed preheat
4. Column bottom (Reboiler steam)
Pressure:
1. Overhead accumulator (Off gas)
Level:
1. Overhead accumulator (Distillate product)
2. Column bottom (Bottoms product)
Flow:
1. Column feed

In this distillation column, the material balance (MB) loops consisted of the following:

feed flow control loop (which sets the throughput, i.e. production rate)
bottom level control loop (which controls the column level)
accumulator level control loop (which regulates the product flow by regulating the overhead
accumulator level)
off gas pressure control loop (which controls the column pressure)
The energy balance (EB) control loops are the following:
reboiler temperature control loop (which control the column bottom temperature by
controlling the steam input to the reboiler)
feed preheater temperature control loop (which controls the feed inlet temperature)
overhead condenser temperature control loop (which regulates amount of cooling in the
column)
external reflux temperature control loop (which controls the temperature at the top of the
column)
In this example, the main influence on the heat input to the column is the steam flow to the
reboiler. Heat also enters the system via the preheater. Heat balance is achieved when the heat
input from the reboiler and preheater is removed by the condenser.
(Note that there is also a balance between the energy in the feed stream and product streams, but
this balance does not have much effect on the overall energy balance)
In this type of control system, the material balance control loops react to the changes in the
column's energy balance.
For example, a change in the reboiler steam flow will lead to a series of changes in the column;
and the column's control system react to this change in order to maintain the material balance and
energy balance.
An increased steam flow to the reboiler means an increase in heat input which will result in
increased vapourisation in the reboiler and an increased bottom temperature. There will be an
increased vapour flow and temperature throughout the column. The liquid level in the bottom of
the column decreases as more liquid is being boiled-off, and the bottom product rate decreases.
Hence, a change in the EB leads to a change in the MB.
Increased vapour flow to the top will cause a higher temperature at the top of the column, and the
temperature (reflux) controller will increase the reflux flow back to the column. Increased reflux
flow will condense the additional vapour in the column.
The larger amount of vapour also requires additional cooling in the overhead system and this is
handled by the temperature control that increases the fan speed of the overhead condenser. This
will increase the heat removal and tends to restore the EB. Increased condensation leads to
increased liquid flow into the overhead accumulator (reflux drum). The accumulator level

controller responds by increasing the outflow of top product. This increased outflow of materials
from the top will offset the decreased in outflow from the bottom, hence the MB is restored.
Concentrations of the top and bottom product streams are affected as well - higher bottom
temperature will results in more heavy components being vapourised from the bottoms product.
This can be illustrated using a multi-component separation of 8 products: C1, C2, C3, C4, C5,
C6, C7 and C8+. The main separation is between 2 key components: the light key (C4) and
heavy key (C5). This is shown in the Figure below.

If the bottom temperature is too high, more of the heavy key (HK) will be vapourised from the
bottom product. The vapour thus had become heavier due to the presence of the HK. The final
boiling point (FBP) of the top product will be higher but the initial boiling point (IBP) did not
change.
On the other hand, the IBP of the bottoms product will be higher, because the bottoms product
has been depleted of the HK and become heavier. The FBP of the bottoms product is not affected
by the bottom temperature increase.
Other possible disturbances
This example illustrated just one of the many disturbances that can upset the smooth operation of
a distillation column. Besides the reboiler example, which could be due to controller
malfunctioning, other disturbances can also occur. The following list is not exhaustive, but only
serves as a reference of what possible events that can disrupt the smooth operation of a plant.
reboiler and other heat exchangers: fouling of heat transfer surfaces, tube leaks, etc
charge heater: loss of fuel gas and/or fuel oil (e.g. due to low fuel gas pressure trip)
overhead condenser: loss of cooling water or loss of power supply (for air-fin coolers)
pumps: overload trip, loss of power, cavitation, etc
control valves failure: e.g. loss of instrument air, jammed valve, faulty positioners, etc.
faulty instruments: wrong signals transmitted, false alarms, etc.

feed changes: feed rate, more lower boiling components, contaminations, etc.
tower internals: e.g. flooding, weeping, channelling, etc.

Though distillation column is designed and installed as per some sophisticated mathematical
calculations and computer software model it not so easy while operating it in the field. Operation
of distillation column ultimately works by the hands of the distillation operator. Even tons of
books explain how to design the distillation column and at last the erected column works based
on the operators and engineers in the field. Based on the experience and knowledge of distillation
operation of senior personals could help but in course of time due to the shift of manpower the
knowledge may shatter for particular operation and control of distillation column.
The following are some of major problems arise during running distillation column in a chemical
plant.

Instrument devices and control systems problems

column internal valves and packing damages

Startup and shutdown operation problems

Re-boiler and condenser fouling and inefficiency

Foaming, entarinment, flooding problems

Column tray, weir and down comer layout

Up on main failure cases the column operation is disturbed or adjusted based on startup and shut
down operation practices some of the hint for start up and shut down of distillation would come
as given below which are established by experience.
How to start a distillation column:

After commissioning the column it pressure test to find out the leak at fitting and joints.

Than the column is flushed with nitrogen the operation is called as line blowing.

The column is purged out to remove the oxygen content and then cooling system is
started.

All vent and drains are kept in loop control systems.

Reboilers is filled with feed mixture till the level glass mark, heating media such as steam
is introduced to heat the mixture and produce the vapors till they reach the condenser.

Reflux valve is opened to maintain the top temperature and pressure drop in column.Feed
is introduced proportional to the vapors produced in the column.

Finally column is operated at constant reflux till the pressure and temperature indicator
show the designed process values.

Feed flow rate is increased to the designed value and all controls valves are switched
from manual mode to auto mode.

How to shut down a distillation column:

Flow rates of the feed is reduced with controlling the reflux flow rate proportionally.

Heating system is stopped first following cooling system which is working until vapor
produced in the bottom of the column.

Than feed to stop with reflux valve open which will make the entire vapor to condense
and collected in the reflux drum and bottom of distillation column.

All the liquid is than drained out from the column and reflux drum Bring the column to
room temperature by flush out with inert nitrogen.

Flush out the off gas valve to remove the remaining vapor mixtures to the flare Finally
the column should be check for oxygen level and opened to atmosphere for maintenance.