Patent GB-1466429-A (GB)
Title: Control apparatus for fractionation tower
IPC: C10G7/12
Filed: 1974-09-24
Abstract: 1466429 Automatic control of fractionation tower STANDARD OIL CO 24 Sept 1974 [24 Sept 1973] 41451/74 Heading G3N A feed material is separated into two constituent components, the flow-rates of which are controlled to establish a ratio which gives desired product specifications for a given feed composition. Changes in the feed composition are detected and used to vary the flow ratio to maintain the product specifications. As shown in Fig. 1, a fractionation tower 12 has a feed line 16; a heat source in the form of a steam powered heat exchanger 20; a bottoms withdrawal line 32 for heavy liquid 18; and an overhead output line 24 connected through a condenser 26 with a reflux line 28 and a distillate withdrawal line 30. Valves 33-36 are controlled by electrical signals formed by a control system 10. The reflux, distillate, bottoms and heat flow-rates are regulated to desired values in dependence on signals produced by thermocouples, flow transducers, a tower pressure transducer 44, and a liquid level monitor 54. The overall system is of the feed forward type, in which the set points for the various flow-rate regulating circuits are adjusted in dependence on variations in feed flow and feed composition, so as to maintain desired product quality and operational stability. Control is effected by four distinct subsystems: Divider system, Fig. 3 (not shown), controls the ratio of distillate and bottoms withdrawal. Changes in feed composition are indirectly sensed by a thermocouple 42 in the tower which causes a temperature controller module 78 to adjust the set ratio between distillate and bottoms flow-rate. The set point of module 78 is itself automatically generated by a distillate composition analyzer module 74. Divider control module 80 receives another input from a feed rate sensor 56 and is calibrated so that the bottoms flow-rate maintains the level of liquid 18 between predetermined limits.  Reflux controller, Figs. 4-5 (not shown), adjusts the valve 33 in reflux line 28 using modules 62, 70 which respond to signals from distillate flowmeter 48 and reflux temperature sensor 46. The reflux flow is maintained proportional to distillate flow and is also decreased if the temperature falls in order to maintain the pressure in the tower. Pressure controller, Fig. 6 (not shown), comprises a controller module 72 which adjusts the heat flowing into the tower through the exchanger 20 in response to measurements of the overhead pressure sensed by a detector 44, and the distillate flow-rate monitored by a sensor 50. Over-ride system, Fig. 8 (not shown), prevents the tower drying out or flooding while permitting the liquid level to vary in an uncontrolled manner unless upper or lower limits are deemed likely to be exceeded. Normally, the bottoms flow is adjusted in response to a delayed signal representing feed, and the measured effluent flow. If the override module senses that one of the limits is likely to be exceeded, the set point signal 96 to bottoms flow controller 66 is inhibited and replaced by a level-representing signal, while calibration modules 84, 86 slowly change the setting of flow divider module 80, using a binary counter and D-A converter, until conditions are restored to a state where the over-ride system returns control to normal automatically. The overall system includes arrangements for bumpless transfer between automatic and normal control.