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An Example of Distillation Column Control

A t ypical dist illat ion column has a combination of different cont rol loops. The cont rol syst em of a
part icular column is designed t o meet t hat column's part icular process requirement s. An example is
shown in t he Figure below.

There are several cont rol loops associat ed wit h t he dist illat ion 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

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In t his dist illat ion column, t he material balance (MB) loops consist ed of t he 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 t he 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 t his example, t he main influence on t he heat input t o t he column is t he st eam flow t o t he reboiler.
Heat also ent ers t he syst em via t he preheat er. Heat balance is achieved when t he heat input from t he
reboiler and preheat er is removed by t he condenser.

(Not e t hat t here is also a balance bet ween t he energy in t he feed st ream and product st reams, but
t his balance does not have much effect on t he overall energy balance)

In t his t ype of cont rol syst em, t he mat erial balance cont rol loops react t o t he changes in t he column's
energy balance.

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For example, a change in the reboiler steam flow will lead t o a series of changes in t he column; and
t he column's cont rol syst em react t o t his change in order t o maint ain t he mat erial balance and energy
balance.

An increased st eam flow t o t he reboiler means an increase in

heat input which will result in increased vapourisation in t he
reboiler and an increased bottom temperature. There will be
an increased vapour flow and t emperat ure t hroughout t he
column. The liquid level in the bottom of t he column
decreases as more liquid is being boiled-off, and t he bottom
product rate decreases. Hence, a change in the EB leads to a
change in the MB.

Increased vapour flow t o t he t op will cause a higher

temperature at t he t op of t he column, and t he t emperat ure
(reflux) cont roller will increase the reflux flow back t o t he
column. Increased reflux flow will condense the additional
vapour in t he column.

The larger amount of vapour also requires additional cooling in

t he overhead syst em and t his is handled by t he t emperat ure cont rol t hat increases t he fan speed of
t he overhead condenser. This will increase the heat removal and t ends t o restore the EB. Increased
condensat ion leads t o increased liquid flow int o t he overhead accumulat or (reflux drum). The
accumulat or level cont roller responds by increasing the outflow of t op product . This increased
out flow of mat erials from t he t op will offset t he decreased in out flow from t he bot t om, hence t he
MB is restored.

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Concentrations of the top and bottom product streams are affect ed as well - higher bot t om
t emperat ure will result s in more heavy component s being vapourised from t he bot t oms product .

This can be illust rat ed using a mult i-component separat ion of 8 product s: C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7 and
C8+ . The main separat ion is bet ween 2 key component s: t he light key (C4) and heavy key (C5). This is
shown in t he Figure below.

If t he bot t om t emperat ure is t oo high, more of t he heavy key (HK) will be vapourised from t he bot t om
product . The vapour t hus had become heavier due t o t he presence of t he HK. The final boiling point
(FBP) of t he t op product will be higher but t he init ial boiling point (IBP) did not change.

On t he ot her hand, t he IBP of t he bot t oms product will be higher, because t he bot t oms product has
been deplet ed of t he HK and become heavier. The FBP of t he bot t oms product is not affect ed by
t he bot t om t emperat ure increase.

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Other possible disturbances

This example illust rat ed just one of t he many dist urbances t hat can upset t he smoot h operat ion of a
dist illat ion column. Besides t he reboiler example, which could be due t o cont roller malfunct ioning,
ot her dist urbances can also occur. The following list is not exhaust ive, but only serves as a reference
of what possible event s t hat can disrupt t he smoot h operat ion 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.

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