Copyright © IFAC Control of Distillation

Columns and Chemical Reactors,

Bournemouth, UK 1986

CONTROL OF A DISTILLATION COLUMN

WITH A HEAT PUMP
Y. Naka and E. O'Shima
Research Laboratory of Resources Utilization, Tokyo Institute of Technology,
Yokohama 227, Japan

Abstract. S t a t i c and d y n a m i c o p e r a b i l i t i e s of two types of d i s t i l l a t i o n

s y s t e m s w i t h a heat p u m p are i n v e s t i g a t e d b a s e d on d i g i t a l s i m u l a t i o n . A
heat p u m p is not i n s t a l l e d b e t w e e n a c o n d e n s e r and a r e b o i l e r but between
a p l a t e in the c o o l i n g z o n e of a d i s t i l l a t i o n c o l u m n and a r e b o i l e r (SC/R
System). One of the SC/R s y s t e m s is a v a p o r - s p l i t t y p e s y s t e m and the
another e m p l o y s a p a r t i a l c o n d e n s e r - t y p e s y s t e m as a side-cooler. Both
systems have the b r o a d r e g i o n s of f e a s i b l e o p e r a t i o n of the the manipu-
lative variables, r e f l u x r a t i o and heat to a r e b o i l e r . The l a t t e r s y s t e m
is s u p e r i o r to the a n o t h e r in t e r m s of c o n t r o l p e r f o r m a n c e .

Keywords. Process control; petro-chemical control; PID controllers;

d y n a m i c r e s p o n s e ; m o d e l s ; d i s t i l l a t i o n ; heat p u m p

INTRODUCTION v o l v e d in t h e zones can s a v e energy. The

heat e x c h a n g e b e t w e e n a c o n d e n s e r and re-
A c o n c e p t of a p p l i c a t i o n of a heat p u m p to boiler is an e x a m p l e of the above men-
a d i s t i l l a t i o n to r e d u c e e n e r g y load to a tioned. In g e n e r a l , typical possible pat-
reboiler has b e e n e s t a b l i s h e d . Some such terns of heat e x c h a n g e b y use of a heat
combined s y s t e m s h a v e been a c c e p t e d in an p u m p a r e c l a s s i f i e d in a r e a l s e n s e t o :
e x i s t i n g p l a n t and t h e i r heat p u m p is used (i) s u p p l y of heat e n e r g y r e m o v e d from a
merely b e t w e e n a c o n d e n s e r and a r e b o i l e r . condenser to a side-heater added to an
Due to this limited application, those intermediate plate in the heating zone
s y s t e m s cannot be w i d e l y u s e d . This reason (C/SH t y p e )
is b e c a u s e a heat p u m p has s e v e r a l serious (ii) s u p p l y of heat e n e r g y r e m o v e d through
restrictions; the temperature difference a side cooler added to an intermediate
b e t w e e n the top and t h e b o t t o m s , which in- plate in the c o o l i n g zone to a reboiler.
cludes the m i n i m u m a p p r o a c h t e m p e r a t u r e of (SC/R t y p e )
a heat e x c h a n g e r , is less than about 3 0 ° C ,
due to thermal decomposition of working The SC/R s y s t e m is d i s c u s s e d b e l o w . Each
f l u i d s the b o t t o m t e m p e r a t u r e is lower t h a n p a t t e r n has two m a n n e r s of heat exchanging
130°C and so o n . Recently, thermodynamic in a s i d e - c o o l e r . The s i d e - c o o l e r is c a l l e d
a n a l y s i s of d i s t i l l a t i o n s y s t e m s has prog- an e v a p o r a t o r , in a heat p u m p :
ressed. Engineers can now more easily (1) A p a r t of the v a p o r s t r e a m is cut at
determine the s u i t a b l e p o s i t i o n on an in- s o m e p l a t e in the c o o l i n g zone and is con-
termediate heat e x c h a n g e r or a heat pump densed in the e v a p o r a t o r in a heat pump
into a distillation system (Naka, 1980, s y s t e m , w h i c h is d e n o t e d as S C - l / R t y p e .
1 9 8 3 ) , and then r o u g h l y d e s i g n a heat i n t e - (2) A w h o l e v a p o r s t r e a m is t a k e n a w a y from
grated system. For a d i s t i l l a t i o n s y s t e m a suitable p l a t e in the c o o l i n g zone and
with a heat pump, remaining significant fed into an e v a p o r a t o r . A part of the
p r o b l e m s are of o p e r a t i o n , that is o p e r a b l e vapor stream is c o n d e n s e d by a working
region, dynamic behavior and so on. To f l u i d in t h e heat p u m p s y s t e m . B o t h liquid
develop distillation systems with a heat and v a p o r are r e t u r n e d to the c o l u m n , w h i c h
p u m p , o p e r a t i o n a l p r o b l e m s are d i s c u s s e d in is d e n o t e d as S C - 2 / R t y p e .
t e r m s of s t a t i c c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s and d y n a m i c
The schematic s t r u c t u r e s of b o t h systems
b e h a v i o r b a s e d on s i m u l a t i o n in this p a p e r .
are s h o w n in F i g s . 1 and 2, r e s p e c t i v e l y .

SC/R D i s t i l l a t i o n Systems
S T R U C T U R E S OF D I S T I L L A T I O N S Y S T E M W I T H HEAT
PUMP SC-l/R. The f l o w r a t e of v a p o r s t r e a m to
be cut at a s u i t a b l e p l a t e is f i x e d . This
Though the p o s i t i o n w h e r e a heat p u m p has p l a t e is d e t e r m i n e d so that t h e t e m p e r a t u r e
b e e n i n s t a l l e d in a d i s t i l l a t i o n c o l u m n is of the s a t u r a t e d liquid c o n d e n s e d from the
determined, t h e r e m a y be t w o p o s s i b l e p a t - vapor s t r e a m is near the d e s i r e d heat ex-
terns for use of a heat p u m p . Every dis- changing temperature. The S C - 1 e v a p o r a t o r
tillation s y s t e m has c o o l i n g and heating in a heat p u m p s y s t e m is the total con-
zones. A limited amount of heat e n e r g y can denser in a d i s t i l l a t i o n s y s t e m . As the
be r e m o v e d from the c o o l i n g zone and can be difference of the v a p o r t e m p e r a t u r e s bet-
s u p p l i e d to the h e a t i n g z o n e . A condenser ween t h e inlet and o u t l e t is great, the
and a r e b o i l e r b e l o n g s to the c o o l i n g zone large heat e x c h a n g i n g a r e a s h o u l d not be
and the heating zone, respectively. To p r o v i d e d in the e v a p o r a t o r . B u t , w h e n the
combine two heat loads respectively in- temperature profile is changed by some

261
262 Y. Naka and E. O'Shima

Evaporator

F i g . 2 S c h e m a t i c d i a g r a m of SC-l/R
Fig. 1 S c h e m a t i c d i a g r a m of SC-l/R
system
System

disturbance, heat e x c h a n g i n g load m a y v a r y i m p o r t a n t c o n t r o l l e r s in S C - l / R and SC-2/R,

very much. The liquid in the r e b o i l e r is respectively. H e r e , a r o t a r y c o m p r e s s o r is
c i r c u l a t e d a r o u n d the c o n d e n s e r in the heat installed and has two m a n i p u l a t i v e varia-
pump system. If the c i r c u l a t i o n f l o w r a t e bles, the n u m b e r of r o t a t i o n s and a t h r o t -
is s u f f i c i e n t l y large and the v a p o r i z a t i o n tle valve w h i c h are used to control the
r a t i o of the c i r c u l a t e d s t r e a m is m u c h less vapor f l o w r a t e of the w o r k i n g fluid and
than 1, the v a p o r c o m p o s i t i o n g e n e r a t e d is pressure. So, for s i m p l i f i c a t i o n of c o n -
in e q u i l i b r i u m w i t h the liquid c o m p o s i t i o n . t r o l p r o b l e m s , it is a s s u m e d that the p r e s -
If the c i r c u l a t i o n r a t e is too small and sures of the e v a p o r a t o r and the condenser
the r a t i o is o v e r 1, the v a p o r c o m p o s i t i o n are w e l l - c o n t r o l l e d by u s i n g t h e s e m a n i p u -
equals to the liquid c o m p o s i t i o n in the lative variables. But the f l o w r a t e must
reboiler. be c h a n g e d .

SC-2/R. The SC-2 is a kind of partial DESIGN AND OPERATING CONDITIONS

condenser in a d i s t i l l a t i o n column. The
temperature difference between the dew The design c o n d i t i o n s are summarized in
point of the v a p o r s t r e a m s u p p l i e d to the TABLE 1. B o t h types of d i s t i l l a t i o n s y s -
evaporator and that of the vapor stream tems c o n s i s t of a c o n d e n s e r , a r e b o i l e r and
r e m o v e d from the c o n d e n s e r is less than the 25 p l a t e s w h i c h are n u m b e r e d from top to
t e m p e r a t u r e d i f f e r e n c e of S C - 1 . The o u t p u t bottom. The n o m i n a l v a l u e s of the t e m p e r a -
streams of v a p o r and liquid g e n e r a t e d in t u r e of a c o n d e n s e d s t r e a m at the outlet of
SC-2 are returned to the "side-input" the e v a p o r a t o r w a s given as 105 °C. The
plate. The amount of the c o n d e n s e d s t r e a m R 1 1 3 is used as a w o r k i n g f l u i d . Its tem-
is d e t e r m i n e d b y the r e l a t i o n a m o n g UA and peratures in the e v a p o r a t o r and in the
the temperatures and flow rates of the
v a p o r and the w o r k i n g fluid at the inlet of
the evaporator. Here, U and A mean the TABLE 1 Design Conditions
overall heat t r a n s f e r c o e f f i c i e n t and heat
exchanging area, respectively. This s y s t e m Components : E t h a n o l and A c e t i c acid
a l s o has the c i r c u l a t i n g s t r e a m a r o u n d the
c o n d e n s e r in the heat p u m p s y s t e m .
SC-l/R SC-2/R
A w o r k i n g fluid r e c e i v e s heat e n e r g y from
the evaporator and its temperature is
raised by the use of a compressor. And (Distillation system)
then it t r a n s p o r t s heat e n e r g y to a re- •Plate : Total 25 25
b o i l e r , that i s , a c o n d e n s e r in a heat p u m p : Feed 8 5
system. In this p a p e r the R a n k i n e c y c l e is : Side-input 6 3
u s e d as the heat p u m p c y c l e . But, as the : Side-cut V(9) V(4)
whole working fluid p a s s i n g through the •Feed :Comp. 0.182 0.182
e v a p o r a t o r m a y not be c o m p l e t e l y v a p o r i z e d , : F. R. 50 50
a v a p o r - l i q u i d s e p a r a t o r s h o u l d be p r o v i d e d *Top :Comp. 0.900 0.900
so as not to d a m a g e the b l a d e s in a com- •Bottom:Comp. 0.011 0.011
p r e s s o r and the n o n - v a p o r i z e d w o r k i n g fluid •Atomospheric Pressure
is r e t u r n e d to the inlet of the e v a p o r a t o r .
V ( j ) : V a p o r F. R. from the j -th plate
Figures 1 and 2 i n v o l v e the l o c a t i o n of the F. R. : F l o w r a t e (kg-mol/hr)
 Control of a Distillation Column with a Heat Pump 263

condenser are f i x e d as 99.8 °C and 115.2 plates bounded by the heat pump system
°C, r e s p e c t i v e l y . The r e f l u x and t h e b o i l - a p p r o a c h e s the t o t a l r e f l u x c o n d i t i o n .
up flow r a t e d e p e n d on the heat load re- Systems w i t h no heat load to the side of
m o v e d from t h e e v a p o r a t o r , even t h o u g h t h e columns are c o n v e n t i o n a l systems. After
s i d e - c u t and s i d e - i n p u t p l a t e s are f i x e d . heat exchangers in a heat p u m p are de-
signed, the heat load c h a n g e in normal
operation is not large e x c e p t during the
M O V A B L E R E G I O N OF M A N I P U L A T I V E VARIABLES p e r i o d of s t a r t - u p .

A distillation system with a heat pump C H A N G E IN F E E D C O M P O S I T I O N . Due to the

seems to be v e r y c o m p l i c a t e d at a glance. c h a n g e s of the feed c o m p o s i t i o n , the v a p o r
In g e n e r a l , given the s p e c i f i c a t i o n s of the load from the r e b o i l e r and the c o n d e n s e r in
top a n d b o t t o m c o m p o s i t i o n s and t h e oper- the heat p u m p and the r e f l u x r a t i o c o r r e s -
ating pressure, no d e g r e e of f r e e d o m re- ponding to e x c h a n g i n g heat load at the
mains. B u t , in t h e c a s e of i n t r o d u c t i o n of side-input plate are shown in the same
heat exchanging o p e r a t i o n at s o m e plate, figures. For b o t h s y s t e m s , w h e n the e t h a -
one d e g r e e of f r e e d o m is a d d e d . The rela- n o l feed c o m p o s i t i o n i n c r e a s e s , the t e m p e r -
tionships b e t w e e n the r e m o v e d heat e n e r g y , a t u r e at the s i d e - c u t p l a t e d e c r e a s e s . As
vapor f l o w r a t e g e n e r a t e d in the reboiler the h e a t load at the e v a p o r a t o r d e c r e a s e s ,
and the c o n d e n s e r of t h e heat pump and the v a p o r f l o w r a t e in the r e b o i l e r m a y be
reflux r a t i o are i n v e s t i g a t e d in t e r m s of generated more. The c h a n g e s of the v a p o r
static characteristics. The r e s u l t s are load for S C - 2 are v e r y s m a l l and linearly
shown in F i g s . 3 for SC-l/R and 4 for S C - 2 changed, even if the feed composition
for S C - 2 / R . varies. M e a n w h i l e , t h e c h a n g e of t h e r e f -
lux r a t i o s in b o t h s y s t e m s are a l m o s t i d e n -
H E A T L O A D C H A N G E IN E V A P O R A T O R . For b o t h tical .
s y s t e m s , in g i v i n g t h e feed c o m p o s i t i o n , as
heat load r e m o v e d from SC increases, the CHANGE IN S P E C I F I C A T I O N OF B O T T O M C O M P O S I -
v a p o r load r e q u i r e d in the c o l u m n i n c r e a s e s TION . In t h i s c a s e , the v a p o r loads and
but the reflux ratio decreases. It is r e f l u x r a t i o s h a v e the same c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
because in the c a s e of large exchanging as t h o s e w i t h the feed c o m p o s i t i o n c h a n g e s .
heat load the o p e r a t i n g c o n d i t i o n in the But the vapor flow rate varies greatly

150f

140

1 1 1 !
' ' 0
0.0 .1 .2 .3 .4
Feed composition Feed composition

Fig. 3 R e l a t i o n s h i p s a m o n g s i d e - c u t heat Fig. 4 R e l a t i o n s h i p s a m o n g s i d e - c u t heat

l o a d , v a p o r f l o w r a t e and r e f l u x l o a d , v a p o r f l o w r a t e and r e f l u x
r a t i o for S C - l / R r a t i o for S C - 2 / R

DCCR-R
264 Y. Naka and E. O'Shima

c o r r e s p o n d i n g to a v e r y s m a l l c h a n g e in the tion and the b o i l - u p flow rate to the b o t -

set point. The r e a s o n is t h a t , as both tom composition, the transfer functions
distillation systems have a p i n c h point were determined by using step responses.
near the b o t t o m u n d e r the given separating The i n i t i a l o p e r a t i n g c o n d i t i o n s are shown
conditions, very s m a l l a l t e r n a t i o n of the in T A B L E 2. T h e y are a little deference
p r o d u c t s p e c i f i c a t i o n c a u s e s the c h a n g e of f r o m T A B L E 1 due to the d e g r e e of accuracy
the gradient of t h e o p e r a t i n g l i n e . design parameters involved in t h e evapo-
r a t o r and the c o n d e n s e r . The c o m b i n a t i o n s
of the m a n i p u l a t i v e and c o n t r o l l e d varia-
DYNAMIC MODEL AND DYNAMICS bles offer implicit decoupling controllers
(Ryskamp, 1981) in the case of a conven-
Dynamics Models tional column. T h e step r e s p o n s e s to the
reflux ratio in 3% increments from the
The d y n a m i c m o d e l of the d i s t i l l a t i o n sys- nominal state were very smooth for both
tems is d e s c r i b e d b e l o w in b r i e f . cases. B u t , the step input to the b o i l - u p
8flow rate w i t h the same increment 3% for
Distillation column. The d y n a m i c simula- both systems caused slightly inverse
tion of a d i s t i l l a t i o n s y s t e m w i t h a heat responses. As the m a g n i t u d e of the inverse
p u m p b e t w e e n a c o n d e n s e r and a r e b o i l e r has r e s p o n s e w a s v e r y s l i g h t , it m a y h a r d l y a f -
been e x e c u t e d b y F e r n a n d e z ( 1 9 8 1 ) . As t h e r e f e c t e d p e r f o r m a n c e of c o n t r o l s y s t e m s .
is no c o n d e n s e r and no r e b o i l e r w h i c h use
outer u t i l i t i e s and the p r e s s u r e c h a n g e m a y A l l of the s i m u l a t i o n case s t u d i e s on d y n a -
affect a heat p u m p s y s t e m and a distilla- mics and p e r f o r m a n c e of control systems
tion column, he u s e d a p r e s s u r e v a r i a t i o n were executed m a k i n g use of the program
model. But, in t h i s p a p e r , as the heat p a c k a g e , "Dynamic Process S i m u l a t i o n ( D P S ) "
p u m p has an e x t e r n a l w o r k i n g f l u i d , such a d e v e l o p e d b y Japan Union of S c i e n t i s t s and
pressure m o d e l is not n e c e s s a r y u n d e r the Engineers.
pressure control with the manipulative
variable of the c o o l a n t f l o w rate. Mass
b a l a n c e e q u a t i o n s and the w e i r e q u a t i o n as C O N T R O L S Y S T E M D E S I G N A N D THEIR PERFORMANCE
a plate m o d e l are considered. The heat
e x c h a n g e r s of the c o n d e n s e r and r e b o i l e r in Control system design
the d i s t i l l a t i o n s y s t e m are of a complete
mixing unit. Control systems are d e s i g n e d b y use of a
method of c o n t r o l s y s t e m d e s i g n based on
Evaporator and condenser in a heat pump partial k n o w l e d g e of c o n t r o l l e d processes
system. In g e n e r a l , as the temperature (Kitamori, 1978). This method tunes con-
difference between hot and cold streams trol p a r a m e t e r s so that the r e s p o n s e to be
should be s m a l l in the e v a p o r a t o r and the d e s i g n e d is a d j u s t e d to the r e f e r e n c e m o d e l
condenser, the heat e x c h a n g e r m o d e l with w h i c h has a d e s i r e d r e s p o n s e . The r e f e r e n -
s e q u e n t i a l s t i r r e d - t a n k s are e m p l o y e d . ce m o d e l is d e n o t e d as ( α Q = Q^=1 )
As the heat p u m p s y s t e m seems to h a v e f a s t -
er response, its m o d e l is described in 2 2
algebraic equations. G
r f e= l/( a 0+ a 1a s + a 2a s +...) (1)
W h e r e σ is the r i s e - t i m e and the v a l u e s of
DYNAMICS {α·} are to s a t i s f y d e s i r e d p e r f o r m a n c e of
control in general as follows: a =0.5,
To design two conventional control loops, .15,o^-O.03, ...
2
A t r a n s f e r function
the r e f l u x r a t i o to the d i s t i l l a t e c o m p o s i - can be w r i t t e n in g e n e r a l form as f o l l o w s :
2
TABLE 2 Operating Conditions G(s) = l / ( a ' + a ' s + a ' s + . . . ) (2)
0 1 2
W o r k i n g fluid ( W f ) : R113 As the g e n e r a l s t r u c t u r e of PID controller
is given b y

S C - 1/R S C - 2/R 2
G (s) = (c +c s+c s )/s (3)
c ( )1 2
The t r a n s f e r f u n c t i o n of the s e t - p o i n t to
(Distillation s y s t e m ) the c o n t r o l v a r i a b l e is
•Feed :F. R. 50 50 1
:Comp. 0 .182 0 .182 a' +a'-s+a ~s~+...
*Top :Comp. 0 .901 0 .899 G*(s) = l/(l+s
n ) (4)
: Reflux r a t i o 4 .33 4 .65
*Bottom:Comp. 0 .014 0 .011
C +C S +S +C
:Total V - F . R. 132 .1 130 .1 0 1 2 " * * *
: Steam Q 8 .50 8 .71 The c o n t r o l p a r a m e t e r s can be obtained
Gs ; so
as for G * ( s ) to be e q u a l to
(Heat p u m p s y s t e m ) for PI a c t i o n
r f (e )
•Evaporator
:Wf-F. R. 130 .0 140 .0 a O0t
a / ά+σ2 ()2 aί α 0= ) (
: Exchanged Q 22 .06 21 .56 * 2^*' 0~ 2 ' 1 ' θ 2 ~ 3^
:P 44 .03 44 .03 The control p a r a m e t e r s are d e t e r m i n e d by
•Condenser u s i n g the m i n i m u m and p o s i t i v e v a l u e of the
:Wf-F. R. 103 .9 114 .8 r o o t s of σ o b t a i n e d from e q . (1) :
.-Circu. F. R. 121 .5 121 .1 c = /a a =c
: Exchanged Q 23 .99 23 .27
:P 62 .37 62 .37 0 'û ' i a'oiaya^-a^l/a

F.R.: F l o w rate
5
(kg-mol/h)
c
2 = a' {a' /a' -aa a' /a'
0 2 0 2 2 12 0
Q : Heat load (x 1 0
6 kJ/h)
+ σ ( ( α ) - α ) }/σ (6)
Ρ : Pressure (χ 1 0 Pa) 2 3
 Control of a Distillation Column with a Heat Pump 265

CLOSED-LOOP RESPONSE the side-cut plate became lower. The tem-

perature difference between the hot and
As mentioned above, there are some d i f f e - cold streams in the evaporator became
r e n c e s of t h e s t a t i c r e l a t i o n s h i p s between smaller w i t h o s c i l l a t i o n and the heat ex-
the r e f l u x r a t i o and the v a p o r l o a d . Let's c h a n g i n g load w a s r e d u c i n g . A l s o , the v a p o r
investigate their differences between SC- flow rate from the c o n d e n s e r in the heat
l/R and S C - 2 / R . M a i n d i s t u r b a n c e s to t h e pump was reducing with small oscillation
s y s t e m s w e r e c o n s i d e r e d as f o l l o w s : c h a n g e s from 9 4 . 7 k g - m o l / h t o 8 6 . 5 k g - m o l / h for 2
in the feed c o m p o s i t i o n and f l o w r a t e . In min and f i n a l l y to 85.4 k g - m o l / h . Conse-
addition, t h e c h a n g e in the s i d e - c u t flow q u e n t l y , the v a p o r to be g e n e r a t e d f r o m the
r a t e w a s i n t r o d u c e d to S C - l / R . reboiler increased corresponding to the
c h a n g e s of t h o s e v a r i a b l e s . Although the
C h a n g e in feed c o m p o s i t i o n . Let's investi- vapor f l o w r a t e r e v e r s e l y d e c r e a s e d at the
gate the c a s e that the feed composition beginning of the response, the control
changes by 2 . 0 % i n c r e a s e of the ethanol performance was very well.
composition from the nominal state. In t h e
case of no c o n t r o l , the top c o m p o s i t i o n w a s C h a n g e in feed f l o w r a t e . The p r o d u c t c o m -
shifting by 3% in 30 min. For SC-l/R, p o s i t i o n s for b o t h s y s t e m s w e r e controlled
though the bottom composition was well- v e r y w e l l as s h o w n in F i g s . 7 and 8. For
controlled, the top composition was gra- SC-l/R, the vapor flow rate generated in
d u a l l y d r i f t e d b y a b o u t 0.4% in 30 m i n . as the r e b o i l e r first d e c r e a s e d f r o m 34.5 k g -
s h o w n in F i g . 5. The side-cut vapor stream mol/hr to 32.8 kg-mol/hr and then in
w a s c o m p l e t e l y c o n d e n s e d in t h e evaporator reverse, r a p i d l y i n c r e a s e d in a b o u t 8 m i n .
of the heat p u m p . The munipulative v a r i - Meanwhile, the v a p o r f l o w r a t e for S C - 2 / R
ables, the r e f l u x r a t i o and the heat load slightly d e c r e a s e d and t h e n g r a d u a l l y in-
to the r e b o i l e r w e r e c h a n g i n g v e r y s l o w l y . creased. For S C - l / R , the vapor flow rate
The v a p o r f l o w r a t e from the r e b o i l e r did f r o m the c o n d e n s e r in the heat p u m p varied
not c h a n g e for a b o u t 20 m i n . The reflux up and d o w n v e r y s l o w l y and t o o k t h e l o w e r
ratio w a s d e c r e a s i n g as w a s e x p e c t e d from value than the i n i t i a l v a l u e in 30 min.
the s t a t i c c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s . The c o r r e s p o n d i n g v a l u e of S C - 2 / R monoto-
For SC-2/R, when the feed composition neously decreased. The r e f l u x r a t i o of S C -
varied from e t h a n o l 1 8 . 2 % to 21.8%, both l/R v a r i e d d o w n and u p v e r y s l o w l y . Mean-
product compositions were well-controlled while t h e r e f l u x r a t i o of S C - 2 / R t o o k the
as s h o w n in F i g . 6. The r e s p o n s e s of the m i n i m u m v a l u e in about 10 m i n . and recov-
munipulative variables were much faster e r e d s l i g h t l y b y 0 . 1 0 % a f t e r 20 m i n .
than those for SC-l/R. Especially the
r e f l u x r a t i o r a p i d l y r e a c t e d to t h e d i s t u r - Change in s i d e - c u t f l o w r a t e . The side-cut
bance. As the ethanol composition in- vapor f l o w r a t e in S C - l / R m a y n o t b e pre-
creases, the t e m p e r a t u r e of the v a p o r from cisely controlled. In the c a s e of d i s t u r -

0.98 4.5
.___Reflux ratio

0.94
eu
ο ε
o
4.0
C4-1 I I
h en
Ο w I Dis t i l i â t e J •H M
TJ 0.90 O «—·
4-» Ω
•Η 3.5
r/3
Ο 40
Û4 0.08
ε
ο
υ Boil-up 35
w
ε
ο 0.04 Fig. 5 C l o s e d r e s p o n s e of
S C - l / R to c h a n g e in
ο Bottoms 30
m feed c o m p o s i t i o n
0.00
10 15 20 25 30 m i n

0.98]
4.5
to
a o
Η 0.94 ρ ε
Reflux ratio I I
.h en 4.0
•H M
û 0.90 Ο <—»
Distillate
40 3.5
ο o
0.08

Fig. 6 C l o s e d r e s p o n s e of
S C - 2 / R to c h a n g e
2 w
Boil-up
35
•H
-M
U
rd
Ο o 0.04
in feed c o m p o s i t i o n
υ o
0.00
Bottoms
30 H
4-1
«
10 15 20 25 30 m i n
 266 Y. Naka and E. O'Shima

Fig. 7 Closed r e s p o n s e of
SC-l/R to c h a n g e in
feed flow r a t e

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 m i n

Φ 0.98
+-> -α
to
H "s
\ 3 H
I Ο
•H 0.94 Reflux ratio H ε
4-1 •H
Ο Cn
I
•H
W
CQ X
û ι—ι
Distillate
0.90
w
o 45
ε Boil-up
o 0.08
u 40
w
ε
o
Fig. 8 C l o s e d r e s p o n s e of 0.04 35
S C - 2 / R to c h a n g e in
feed f l o w r a t e Bottoms
0.00 • • . 1 , 30 .
!0 15 20 25 30 m i n

b a n c e on it w i t h 1 0 % i n c r e a s e , b o t h p r o d u c t r i o r to S C - l / R b e c a u s e the f o r m e r can cor-

compositions could be sufficiently con- responds to d i s t u r b a n c e m o r e r a p i d l y than
trolled but the v a p o r f l o w r a t e generated the latter. In the case of the reflux
in the c o n d e n s e r of the heat p u m p system ratio and heat load to the b o t t o m as main
decreased in l a r g e from 34.5 k g - m o l / h r to manipulative v a r i a b l e s to c o n t r o l two p r o -
20.0 k g - m o l / h r and t h e n g r a d u a l l y i n c r e a s e d duct compositions, two SISO controllers
to 29 k g - m o l / h r . The f l u c t u a t i o n of the could o f f e r good p e r f o r m a n c e against the
side-cut flow rate m a y induce the extremely disturbances on the feed c o n d i t i o n s except
big c h a n g e in the v a p o r load from the re- for the set p o i n t c h a n g e of the products.
boiler. In r e v e r s e , the c i r c u l a t i o n f l o w To m a k e t h e c l o s e d - l o o p r e s p o n s e around the
rate from the p r o c e s s s t r e a m or the flow b o t t o m c o m p o s i t i o n f a s t e r , the f l o w rate of
rate of the v a p o r i z e d w o r k i n g fluid s h o u l d the circulation process stream through the
be carefully controlled. c o n d e n s e r in the heat p u m p or the flow rate
of the w o r k i n g fluid s h o u l d be carefully
In all c a s e s t h e b o t t o m c o m p o s i t i o n s were controlled.
almost i n v a r i a n t . The r e s u l t s w e r e c a u s e d
b y the large d e g r e e of the c i r c u l a t i o n r a t e
a r o u n d the c o n d e n s e r in the heat p u m p sys- REFERENCES
tem. For e x a m p l e , w i t h l a r g e amount of i t ,
the bottom c o m p o s i t i o n held the desired Fernandez, E. (1981). Feasibility
value but a l i t t l e amount of the circula- analysis, dynamics and control of
tion flow made operation very difficult. distillation columns with vapor
If the set p o i n t is c h a n g e d , the circula- recompression. Ph. D. Thesis, The
tion flow r a t e s h o u l d be carefully con- Luisiana State Univ.
trolled. N a k a , Y., M. T e r a s h i t a , S. H a y a s h i g u c h i and
T. t a k a m a t s u (1980). An intermediate
heating and c o o l i n g m e t h o d for a d i s -
CONCLUSION tillation column. J. Chem. Eng.,
Japan, 13, 123-129.
The s t a t i c and d y n a m i c c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s for N a k a , Y., K. B a b a , T. S a t o h and T. T a k a m a -
two types of a d i s t i l l a t i o n w i t h a heat t s u ( 1 9 8 3 ) . A t h e r m o d y n a m i c approach to
p u m p w e r e i n v e s t i g a t e d b a s e d on s i m u l a t i o n . distillation system d e s i g n for e n e r g y
B o t h of S C - l / R and S C - 2 / R p r o p o s e d in this c o n s e r v a t i o n . P r o c . of P A C H E C , K o r e a .
paper have the b r o a d r a n g e s of feasible Ryskamp, C. J. (1981). Explicit vs.
operation, respectively. But, the patterns Implicit Decoupling in Distillation
of o p e r a t i o n in t e r m s of s t a t i c characte- Control. P r o c . of C h e m . Process C o n -
ristics are different with each other as t r o l , Sea I s l a n d , U . S . A .
shown in F i g s . 1 and 2 . As the results
f r o m the d y n a m i c b e h a v i o r , S C - 2 / R w a s s u p e -