Patent GB-1024316-A (GB)
Title: Method of, and apparatus for, controlling a continuously operating distillation process
IPC: B01D3/42
Filed: 1964-04-09
Abstract: 1,024,316. Distillation columns; control systems. SHELL INTERNATIONALE RESEARCH MAATSCHAPPIJ N.V. April 9, 1964 [April 11, 1963], No. 14765/64. Heading BIB. In the continuous distillation of a variable stream of feed mixture in a fractionating column 1 which is heated by reboiler 12, the column being operated at a pressure above atmospheric and the mixture being passed through preheater 5 before it is introduced into the column, the degree of separation of the components of the mixture by the column is maintained at the required value by automatic adjustment of the reflux ratio of the top fraction and of the proportion of the bottomfraction which is reboiled, the valve 29 governing the supply of cooling-medium to the condenser 7 and the valve 35 governing the supply of heating-medium to the preheater are both kept as wide open as possible except that the degree of cooling is decreased if the columnpressure falls below a prescribed minimum value P min.  or if the maximum permissible load of one or more trays of the stripping section of the column is exceeded, that the supply of heating-medium to the reboiler via valve 26 is reduced if the column-pressure rises above a prescribed maximum P max. , and that the degree of preheating of the feed and/or the degree of cooling of the top fraction is/are decreased if the maximum permissible load of one or more of trays of the rectifying section is exceeded. The withdrawal of the top and bottom fractions from the system is controlled by valves 14 and 19, respectively, which are controlled so as to maintain substantially constant the liquid-level in the condensate-accumulator 8 and in the base of the column. Meters 20 and 23 measure the composition of the top and bottom fractions, respectively. The reflux-valve 22 is controlled by instrument 21 which receives signals from meter 20. Pressuregauge 30 is connected to two controllers 31 and 32, which compare the measured pressure in the column with P min.  and P max. , respectively. Meter 23 transmits a signal, corresponding to the composition of the bottom fraction, to controller 24 which is connected to selector 25, an instrument which gives an output signal equal to the lower value of two incoming signals. As long as the pressure in the column is lower than P max. , the output signal from controller 32 is a maximum, and the signal from controller 24 is transmitted to the valve 26 which governs the supply of heating-medium to the reboiler. But if the pressure becomes higher than P max. , the signal from controller 32 becomes smaller, as a result of which it is transmitted by selector 25 to valve 26, whereby the valve is closed sufficiently to reduce the pressure to approximately P max.  Gauges 33 and 37 measure the load of a rectifying-tray and a stripping-tray respectively, and these gauges are connected to controllers and to selectors 28 and 39; and selector 39 is connected to the valve 29 which governs the supply of cooling-medium to the condenser. Gauge 33 is also connected via controller 36 to the valve 35 which governs the supply of heating-medium to the preheaters. In general, valves 29 and 35 are as wide open as possible. As long as the pressure is higher than P min. , the output signal from controller 31, which is connected to valve 29 via selectors 28 and 39, is a maximum and valve 29 remains open to the maximum extent. If the pressure becomes lower than P min. , the controller 31 will close valve 29 sufficiently to raise the pressure again to approximately P min.  If the load on the rectifying-tray and/or the stripping tray becomes greater than a prescribed maximum, the valve 29 is further closed. The output signal from controller 34 passes to controller 36 as well as to selector 39. Controller 36 compares the output signal from controller 34 with the signal from selector 28, and if the latter is lower, valve 35 in the heating-medium supply line for the preheater is closed sufficiently until the two signals reaching controller 36 become equal. Rapid pressure fluctuations in the column may be suppressed via valve 26 by making use of the difference in signalling rate between gauge 30 and meter 33.