INDUSTRIAL PROCESS

CONTROL:
CONTROL OF
DISTILLATION TOWERS
 Distillation separates mixture on the basis
of a difference in composition between
liquid and vapour formed from the liquid.
 In the process industry, distillation is widely
used to isolate and purify volatile materials.
 Distillation Equipment
 The tower or
column has two
purposes:
1) It separates the
feed into vapour
Column portion which
ascends the
column, and into
liquid portion
which descends
the column.
Preheat
2) Achieves intimate
er mixing between
Feed
Pump the two counter
current flowing
phases.
 Purpose of mixing
is to get an
effective transfer
of the more volatile
components into
 Distillation Equipment
 If the feed is liquid, the
temperature at which it
first starts to boil is
called the bubble point.
 If the feed is vapour,
Column the temperature at
which it first starts to
condense is called the
dew point.
 The column is operated
in a temperature range
that usually
Preheat intermediate to the two
er extremes of dew point
Feed and bubble point.
Pump  For effective separation
of the feed, it is
important that both
vapour and liquid
phases exist throughout
the column.
 Distillation Equipment
 The overhead vapour
This interaction leaving the column is
between the sent to a cooler, and
Condens
counter flow of
collected as a liquid
er in receiver.
Column vapour and liquid  A part is withdrawn
phase gives the as product or
perfect separation distillate.
Accumulat
of volatile  Remaining part is
or
components from returned to the
liquid to vapour. column as reflux.
Reflux Reflux
Preheat  The bottom liquid
Pump
er leaving the column is
Feed Distillate heated in a reboiler.
Pump
Boil-up  Part of the liquid is
Reboiler withdrawn as bottom
product or residue.
 Remaining part is
vaporized and
injected into the
Residue column as boil-up.
Variables to Control
 Independent variables are:
 Column pressure.
 Feed flow rate.
 Feed composition.
 Feed temperature.
 Reboiler (boil-up) control.
 Reflux control.
 Other variables are:
 Level control.
 Depends on the performance of independent variable
controllers.
 Pressure Control
Most distillation control systems are
based upon maintaining the column
pressure at some constant value.
 Variation of pressure will upset the control system by
changing the equilibrium condition of the material.
The set-point of pressure is the
compromise between two extremes.
 The pressure must be high enough to cause
condensation of the overhead vapour by heat
exchange with the cooling medium usually water.
 The pressure must be low enough to cause
vaporization of the bottom liquid by heat exchange
with the heating medium usually steam.
Column Pressure Control with
Liquid Distillate and Inerts
Column pressure can be
controlled by manipulating
the heat transfer area inside
 Presence of
the condenser. If the
large
percentage of inert gas
pressure is less, this control
Vent complicates
If the rate of
valve is closed the
condensate is large, pressure
level of liquid
by using PRC
control
in accumulator problem.
increases,
so that liquid
which is sensed by
level inside the
the level transmitter and opens the control
Uncondensable
pipe line just aboveinert the CV must
PT
valve, sobe thatremoved
the liquid level remains
otherwise it
increases, which will
PIC
will constant.
accumulate and
As the pressuredecrease
passed the heat transfer
a certain operating
point (due to blanket
area, off the
so that condensing
condensation
PR
C the presence of large inert gas),
surface.
PIC opens thisrate is decreased
control (and inert
valve so that the gas
columnofpressure
with very small portion vapour isisremoved
(because, the densityLICof increased).
inert gas is very small,
LT
and ascends the condenser tube, which is not
condensed).

This control valve is an ON-OFF control valve.

Column Pressure Control with
Liquid Distillate and Negligible
Inert  Most common.
 Maintenance costs are low because the valve is
on the water line.
Water  For properly designed condenser, PRC need
only proportional controller, as narrow
throttling range is sufficient.
Here
 As the
the heat transfer
residence time ofarea is constant.
the water increases, it
PT
Column pressure is regulated by
will increase the time lag of the system.
 Wide proportional band is not sufficient.
manipulating the rate of cooling medium.
 Need automatic reset to compensate for the load
changes.
PR
C  Control the condensate which will maintain the
water rate constant.
 Keep the condenser 10 to 15ft below accumulator.

LIC
LT
Column Pressure Control with
Vapour Distillate and Inert
 System pressure will
Water
quickly respond to
changes in flow of
PT
PR
C
cooling medium.
 Condenser will
LIC condense only
enough condensate
LT to provide the
column with reflux.
 Condenser require a
short residence time.
Vacuum System
 For some liquid mixtures, the
temperature required to vaporize the
feed would need to be so high that
decomposition would result.
 To avoid this, it is necessary to operate the
pressure below atmosphere.
Column Pressure Control with
Liquid Distillate and Inerts
Air

 Control valve
Control valve of of air
air
stream
stream isis opened
closed by by
Stea PT,
PT, so
so that
that air
air
PR
m pressure
Measurement becomes
of
C pressure
greater becomes
than
accumulator
zero. pressurethe
accumulator
(which is almost
pressure.
equal to
 Column
 Air stream
column vapour
is flowed
pressure) is
PT
PIC
flowed the
through
introduces through
lessejector.the
time lag
ejector.
 Column
than the direct pressure
 increases
Column of pressure
measurement column
decreases.
pressure
LIC
LT

Click here to know the

effect if column
pressure P1 is close to
too small
the atmospheric
(or more vacuum).
 Feed Control
 Only six variables need to be fixed
inorder to predetermine all conditions in
a distillation column.
 The column pressure can be the first controlled variable.
 If fixed feed conditions are assumed,
three more independent variables are
determined.
 Feed rate.
 Feed composition.
 Feed temperature.
 Feed Flow Rate
 By holding the flow
rate constant, best
means of operation
FR
stability is obtained.
C FT
 Narrow proportional
band is used.

Feed
Feed Composition
 Feed composition have greater influence
on operation.
 Feed composition is seldom subject to
adjustment.
 Changes are made elsewhere.
Feed Temperature
 For efficient separation, it
usually is desirable to have
To Column
the feed at its bubble point
TR when it enters the column.
C
 Unless the feed comes
directly from some preceding
S distillation step, an outside
TT
FR
C
P FT source of heat is required.
 Constant temperature feed
does not necessarily mean
constant feed quality.
 If feed composition varies, its
Steam bubble point also varies.
 Set the temperature control
at a point which is equivalent
to the bubble point of
heaviest feed.
Fee
d
Reboiler (Boil-up) Control
 Boil-up rate is
controlled by
setting the flow of
heat to the reboiler.
 The amount of
lighter boiling
material in the
bottom product is
FR
C FT

determined by the
setpoint.
 Setting more steam
will driven large
Steam amount of lighter
LT
LIC material as boil-up.
Reflux Control
 Since distillation achieves
separation of materials by
counter currently
contacting vapour and
PR liquid, reflux furnishes the
PR
C continuous supply of
PT C liquid to the column.
 Level control shown is not
PT an independent variable
because, it reflux the
difference between what
comes into accumulator
FR
and what goes as reflux.
C FT

LIC
LT
Variable Column Feed
 Any inadvertent changes
which occurs in the first
column would be reflected
in the quantity and
LR composition of the feed to
LT C
the second column.
 Liquid level controllers can
have a wide proportional
FT
FR
C band so that changes in
the reboiler / accumulator
level can swing over a
wide range without
drastically upsetting the
flow of products.
 Second column will receive
varying flow rate, which
must be avoided.
 Flow controller is also added.
Thank You