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 portion
Column which ascends the
column, and into liquid
portion which descends
the column.
2) Achieves intimate
mixing between the
Preheat two counter current
er flowing phases.
Feed  Purpose of mixing is to get
Pump an effective transfer of the
more volatile components
into the ascending vapour
and a corresponding
transfer of the less volatile
components into the
descending liquid.
 Distillation Equipment
 If the feed is liquid, the
temperature at which it
first starts to boil is
called the bubble point.
Column  If the feed is vapour, the
temperature at which it
first starts to condense is
called the dew point.
 The column is operated
in a temperature range
Preheat that usually intermediate
er to the two extremes of
Feed
Pump dew point and bubble
point.
 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 collected as a liquid in
counter flow of
er receiver.
Column vapour and liquid
phase gives the  A part is withdrawn as
perfect separation product or distillate.
Accumulat
of volatile  Remaining part is returned
or to the column as reflux.
components from
Refluxliquid to vapour.
Reflux
 The bottom liquid leaving
Preheat the column is heated in a
Pump
er reboiler.
Feed Distillate  Part of the liquid is
Pump
Boil-up withdrawn as bottom
Reboiler product or residue.
 Remaining part is
vaporized and injected
into the column as boil-up.
Residue
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
 Presence
the heat transferof area inside large
the condenser. of
percentage If theinert
pressuregas
Vent If the rate of condensate
is less, this is control
large,valve
level isof liquid
complicates
in accumulator closed
increases,
by using the
which
PRC is pressure
sosensed
that by
the levelcontrol
liquid problem.
transmitter levelandinside
opens thethepipe
control
PT
valve,
 so that
linethe
Uncondensablejust
liquid
above level
the remains
CV must
inert
PIC
increases,
be constant.
removed which will decrease
otherwise it will
As the pressure passed a certain
the heat transfer area, so operating
PR
accumulate
point (due to the presence and
of largeblanket
inert off
C
that condensation rate is gas),
PIC opens thisthe condensing
control
decreased valve
(andso surface.
that
the inert gas
column
with very small pressure
portion of isvapour is removed
increased).
(because, the densityLICof 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
Hereisthe
range heat transfer area is constant.
sufficient.
PT  Column
As the pressure
residence time of is
theregulated by it will
water increases,
manipulating the
increase the time lagrate ofsystem.
of the cooling medium.
 Wide proportional band is not sufficient.
PR  Need automatic reset to compensate for the load changes.
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
 Control
Control valve
valve of of air air
Air
stream
stream isis opened
closed byby PT,
PT,
Stea so that air air pressure
pressure
PR so Measurement
that of the
m becomes greater than
C
becomes
accumulatorzero.pressure
accumulator pressure.
 Column vapour
(which is almost
Air stream isequal tois
flowed
flowed
column
through thethrough
pressure)
ejector. the
PT
PIC ejector. less time lag
introduces
 Column pressure
than
 Column
increases the direct
pressure
measurement
decreases. of column
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.
FT
Narrow proportional
C


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 the feed at its
To Column bubble point when it enters the
TR
C
column.
 Unless the feed comes directly from
S some preceding distillation step, an
TT
FR
C
P FT
outside 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
FR
C FT bottom product is
determined by the
setpoint.
 Setting more steam
Steam will driven large
LT
LIC amount of lighter
material as boil-up.
Reflux Control
 Since distillation achieves
separation of materials by
counter currently contacting
vapour and liquid, reflux
PR
C
furnishes the continuous
PR supply of liquid to the column.
PT C
 Level control shown is not an
independent variable because,
PT
it reflux the difference
between what comes into
accumulator and what goes as
reflux.
FR
C FT

LIC
LT
Variable Column Feed
 Any inadvertent changes which
occurs in the first column
would be reflected in the
quantity and composition of
LT
LR
C the feed to the second column.
 Liquid level controllers can
have a wide proportional band
FT
FR
C
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