CHAPTER 7

INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL STRATEGY

7.1 INTRODUCTION

A safe mode operating chemical plant requires a good control system around the equipment
by installation of relevant instrumentations in achieving its target production. This is to ensure
that the operation of the plant could be conducted in the most economical way and avoid
accidents that may lead to the upset value of the production.

Namely, the main objectives of designing the control system strategy are:

 To have a safer operation plants and avoid accidents such as explosion

 To maintain the operational condition of the unit operation at their own respective
condition
 To control the process that is in line with the production rate
 To maintain the product purity as high as possible
 To avoid excess usage of heating and cooling utilities

In this case, various instrumentations are being proposed to make sure that the production of
ethylbenzene is maintained at the desired rate (500 000 tons per year). In order to achieve this
production, several requirements are imposed to fulfill the technical, economic and
environment condition in the presence of the external disturbances which may occur at any
unconscious time during the operation. Some of the requirements include the followings:

 Safety
o To keep the process variables within known safety limits
o To make sure the temperature and pressure at the desired level for the unit
operation especially the reactor and distillation column
o To detect the risk as they develop as well as to provide alarms and automatic
shutdown systems

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 o To provide interlocks and alarms in order to prevent dangerous operating
conditions
 Production specifications
o To achieve the composition specification for the outlet stream of reactor and
distillation column with accordance to the conceptual design as prescribed in
literatures
o To maintain the product’s desired purity especially ethylbenzene

 Environmental regulations
o To meet the environmental legislative regulation to avoid issues that may wipe
out the environment

 Operational constraints
o To make sure that the operation condition of the process is not distracted by
other circumstances

 Economics
o To operate at the lowest production costs, commensurate with the other
objectives
o To minimize the usage of heating and cooling utilities, and thus reduce the
utility cost
o To optimize the overall cost of the plant

7.2 REACTOR CONTROL SYSTEM

The control of chemical reactor offers some most challenging problems in chemical
engineering, since the chemical reactor is the heart of many processes. Any changes in the
reactor will affect other parts of the process. The stability efficiency of reaction operation is
very important to the entire plant. The reaction employed in the plant is highly exothermic
and runaway operation can cause explosion. Thus, it requires an effective, well-designed
control system to assure stable operation. Since the reactor is an isothermal reactor, the
temperature of reaction takes place must be constant which is in the range of 250 oC. There

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are 2 reactors being used in this plant, only the control system for Alkylation Reactor, R-101
is explained in detail in this report. The control system objectives are defined as:
 To sustain the product quality in order to make sure the maximum production rate can
be maintained at the annual production rate.
 To maintain the reactor operation at optimum temperature, pressure and condition.
 Provide the safeguards against the process runaway and maintain the safe operation.

Table 7.2: Alkylation Reactor, R-101 Control System Details

Control Measured Manipulated Type of

Disturbance Set Point
Variable Variable Variable Controller
Temperature Temperature Coolant Changes in the Cascade Tset:
of the reactor of the reactor flowrate coolant flowrate controller 250°c
Flowrate of Flowrate of Benzene Feed Benzene Recycle Ratio Fset: 615.5
reactor inlet reactor inlet flowrate flowrate controller kmol/hr

7.2.1 Cascade Controller (TC, FC R-101)

1) Type of Advance Control Implemented: Cascade Control.

2) Control Objective: To maintain the temperature of the reactor by manipulating the
flow rate of the coolant to reactor.
3) Control Philosophy: Slave loop (flow rate of cooling medium) response faster
compared to master loop (temperature of reactor). Any changes in temperature of
reactor will affect flow rate of the coolant. Adjustment by controller is made by
comparison of set point and process variable provided by the temperature
controller. Output of primary controller changes set point of secondary controller.
Cascade control decreases time delay of control caused by process disturbance
from outside.

7.2.2 Ratio Controller (RS R-101)

1) Type of Advance Control Implemented: Ratio Control.

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2) Control Objective: To maintain the ratio of two inlet streams by adjusting their
feed flow rate to reactor.
3) Control Philosophy: The flow rate into the reactor has a certain ratio value for the
ideal reaction to occur or otherwise, the desired production rate will not be
achieved. The ratio is set at least 615.5 kmol/hr of benzene per ethylene.
Therefore, these two inlet streams have to be adjusted at this desired value by
controlling it with a ratio controller between Benzene Feed and Benzene Recycle.
Both are feedforward controller and are interconnected with a ratio controller to
ensure that the desired ratio of the feed stream can be obtained.

 Pressure of the reactor

The pressure of the reactor also has to be controlled as to prevent any accidents from
occur. For safety reasons, pressure relief valve is installed should the pressure
increased tremendously in the reactor. Accidents may occur if the pressure exceeds the
desired value. The catalyst used is also being control in sense of temperature by
measuring and manipulating the pressure so that the ideal condition could be achieved.

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 Figure 7.2: Alkylation Reactor, R-101 Control System

Benzene PSV

Inlet
Flare

To E-102 Cooling
Water In
FT
03

R-101
FC FT
RS
03

01 01

E-104
Ethylene
Inlet TT TC
01 01

M-101

M-103
FC
03
FT
03

Benzene E-105
Recycle

Cooling
Water Out

Symbols:- Title: R-101

FT – Flow Transmitter Note:
FC – Flow Controller Project Title: Production of Ethylbenzene
TC – Temperature Controller
Designer: Group 21 Date: 06-09-2010
TT – Temperature Transmitter
RS – Ratio Station

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 7.3 DISTILLATION CONTROL SYSTEMS

The control system in the distillation column is important in order to have a sharp separation
between the components in the feed. The control system must be able to cause the average
sum of the product streams to be exactly equal to the average feed stream. It must also be able
to maintain the desired concentration of the products at the bottom and the top streams.
However, certain safety operation must be considered in designing the control system of the
distillation column. The same control system is applied for all the distillation but with
different set point. There are 3 distillations being used in this plant, only the control system
for Ethylbenzene Column C-101 is explained in detail in this report. The objective is to
separate product component namely ethylbenzene at overhead column from heavier
component namely poly-ethylbenzene at bottom column then sends to second reactor.

Table 7.3: Ethylbenzene Column, C-101 Control System Details

Control Measured Manipulated Type of
Disturbances Set Point
Variable Variable Variable Controller

Change in
Column Steam Selective
Temperature
steam Tset = 135ºC
temperature of column flow rate control
flowrate

Change in
Column Pressure of Flow of Pset=102
cooling water Feedback
pressure column cooling water kPa
flowrate

Column Feedforward
Flowrate of Change in Fset = 5505
inlet Feed flowrate control
inlet column feed flowrate kmol/hr
flowrate

Change in Selective
Overhead Liquid level
Reflux Fset = 4282
reflux control
drum level in overhead
flowrate kmol/hr
drum flowrate

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 Bottom Feedback
Bottom Liquid level at Change in
control Fset = 615
bottom of the product flow steam
column level kmol/hr
column rate flowrate

7.3.1 Cascade Controller (TC, FC C-101)

1) Type of Advance Control Implemented: Cascade Control.

2) Control Objective: 1) To maintain the temperature of the column by manipulating
the flow rate of the steam to column
2) To maintain the overhead drum level and inlet flowrate by manipulating the
flowrate of reflux
3) Control Philosophy: 1) Due to the slow dynamic response of a column system, a
cascade control with primary loop of temperature controller and secondary loop of
flow controller is implemented. The cascade control is placed to improve the
dynamic response of the system and also to eliminate possible disturbances that
may be caused by fluctuation of vapor load at top of the column. Since the
dynamic response of the secondary loop is faster than the primary loop, the flow
controller should be able to adjust the flow of steam to column based on the set
point given by the temperature controller.
2) Slave loop (flow rate of reflux) response faster compared to master loop (level
of reflux drum). Any changes in flowrate of reactor inlet and overhead drum level
will affect flow rate of the reflux. Adjustment by controller is made by comparison
of set point and process variable provided by the flowcontroller. Output of primary
controller changes set point of secondary controller. Cascade control decreases
time delay of control caused by process disturbance from outside.

7.3.2 Feedforward Controller (FT FC C-101)

1) Type of Advance Control Implemented: Feedforward Control.

2) Control Objective: To maintain the inlet to the column by manipulating the flow
rate of the feed inlet.

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 3) Control Philosophy: At normal condition, the inlet flowrate to the column can be
controlled by manipulating the feed flowrate on the top of column. Adjustment by
controller is made by comparison of set point and process variable provided by the
flowrate of the inlet of column. When the controller received low set point, the
selective controller will take over the process by manipulating the reflux flowrate
to maintain the feed flowrate at desired value.

7.3.3 Feedback Controller (LT LC, FT FC C-101)

1) Type of Control Implemented: Feedback Control

2) Control Objective: 1) To maintain the minimum liquid level in the column bottom.
2) To maintain the pressure of column by manipulating the flowrate of cooling
water
3) Control Philosophy: 1) The minimum liquid level of the column bottom is
maintained by manipulating the flow rate of the bottom product stream. The
controller will control the bottom column from running dry due to low level which
will cause pump cavitations, hence will damage the pump or flooding because of
high level.
2) The pressure of column is maintained by adjusting the flowrate of cooling
water. If the pressure of column is high, more cooling water will enter to the
column, more vapour will be condensed and the vapour pressure is reduced (vice
versa).

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 Figure 7.3: Ethylbenzene Column, C-101 Control System

LC LT
01 01
PC CW To Benzene
01 Column
FT FC
01 01
<
PT PSV

01

Flare

C-101
FC FT
01 01

R-101
Outlet

TT TC
01 01

FC FT
LT 01 01

01

To
Ethylbenzene
Purification
Column

LC
01

Symbols:- Title: C-101

FC – Flow Controller Note:
FT – Flow Transmitter Project Title: Production of Ethylbenzene
LC – Level Controller
Designer: Group 21 Date: 06-09-2010
LT – Level Transmitter
TC – Temperature Controller
TT – Temperature Transmitter

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 7.4 COOLER CONTROL SYSTEM

The purpose of performing a control system for cooler is to maintain the desired temperature
of its outlet stream either by providing heating or cooling utility. The outlet stream of the
cooler will be compared with the set point. If the temperature is not at the desired level, the
controller will take action by manipulating the flow rate of utility. The type of heat exchanger
that had been used in this system is the single stream heat exchanger control system, and this
type of heat exchanger is applied to all heat exchanger in the plant.

Table 7.4: Cooler, E-106 Control System Details

Control Measured Manipulated Type of
Disturbances Set Point
Variable Variable Variable Controller

Change in Cascade
Product Temperature
Flowrate of Tset =
coolant flow control
temperature at outlet of
cooling water 130ºC
cooler rate

7.4.1 Cascade Controller (TC, FC E-106)

1) Type of Control Implemented: Cascade Control

2) Control Objective: To maintain the product temperature by manipulating the flow
rate of cooling water to the cooler.
3) Control Philosophy: The temperature at outlet of cooler can be controlled by
manipulating the flow rate of cooling water to cooler. If the temperature of
condenser outlet exceeds the set point, more cooling water will be supply to cooler
to increase the condensation rate, thus reduce the temperature at cooler outlet.

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 Figure 7.4: Cooler, E-106 Control System

FT FC TC TT
06 06 06 06

Product
Storage Product

E-106

Symbols:- Title: E-106

TC – Temperature Controller Note:
TT – Temperature Transmitter Project Title: Production of Ethylbenzene
FC – Flow Controller
Designer: Group 21 Date: 06-09-2010
FT – Flow Transmitter

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7.5 PUMP CONTROL SYSTEM

Pumps are usually used when the process stream is in liquid form in order to increase the
pressure and consequently increase the flowrate in order for the liquid streams to be
transferred easily. Thus, both manipulated and controlled variables are the flow rates of the
pump discharge stream where it is controlled using a feedback loop. This control system is
usually placed after the pump in order to maintain the liquid flowrate at a specified value.
The control valve is usually placed on the discharge line from the pump. The parameters of
the pump control system are shown in Table 4 and the control scheme for P-102 is shown in
Figure 8.

Table 7.5: Pump, P-102 Control System Details

Control Measured Manipulated Type of
Disturbances Set Point
Variable Variable Variable Controller

Change in Feedback
Product Pump
Feed supply Pset = 2200
feed flow rate controller
pressure discharge
pressure KPa
pressure to the process

7.5.1 Feedback Controller (PS P-102)

1) Type of Control Implemented: Feedback control

2) Control Objective: To maintain product outlet pressure by manipulating the feed
supply pressure
3) Control Philosophy: The product outlet pressure can be controlled by feed supply
pressure. If the pressure of product outlet suddenly drop and below the set point, a
signal from the controller will send to pressure controller to increase back and
maintaining the pressure to process at desired pressure and flow rate

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 Figure 7.5: Pump, P-102 Control System

PC PT
01 01

To Benzene
C-101 Column
Product
Distillate

P-102

Symbols:- Title: P-102

PT – Pressure Transmitter Note:
PC – Pressure Controller Project Title: Production of Ethylbenzene
Designer: Group 21 Date: 06-09-2010

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 7.6 COMPRESSOR CONTROL SYSTEM

The purpose of the control system for compressor is to maintain the desired pressure outlet
which is the inlet to the reactor. The control system of compressor consists of pressure, speed
and flow controller for the inlet. Speed control is more efficient than throttling the flow at a
constant compressor speed (Meherwan P. Boyce-2003). This is due to the fact that throttling
creates artificial resistant and an unrecoverable loss in power results. A flow indicator and
controller have been installed at inlet compressor line as to measure the variation occurred in
the flowrate, override controller will takes place if the flowrate below the set limit. The
pressure indicator and controller installed at outlet compressor line to measure the pressure
deviation, it will be compared to the set point and proper adjustment on the speed of motor is
implemented as to maintain the desired pressure of compressor outlet at its set point. This
control system is to reduce possible damage to the compressor and ensure a safe working
environment for all station personnel.

Table 7.6: Compressor, K-101 Control System Details

No Control Measured Manipulated Type of

Disturbance Set Point
Variable Variable Variable Controller
1 Pressure of Pressure of Speed of motor Changes in the Override Pset:
compressor compressor inlet flowrate controller 3000 KPa
outlet outlet

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 Figure 7.6: Compressor, K-101 Control System

K-101

Ethylene
Feed
M To M-101

PT
01
FT
01
PC
< 01

FC
01

Symbols:- Title: K-101

PC – Pressure Controller Note:
PT – Pressure Transmitter Project Title: Production of Ethylbenzene
FC – Temperature Controller
Designer: Group 21 Date: 06-09-2010
FT – Temperature Transmitter

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 7.7 HEAT EXCHANGER CONTROL SYSTEM

The purpose of performing a control system for heat exchanger is to maintain the desired
temperature of its outlet stream either by providing heating or cooling utility. The outlet
stream of the heat exchanger will be compared with the set point. If the temperature is not at
the desired level, the controller will take action by manipulating the flow rate of utility. All
the heat exchanger and cooler used same control system. The type of controller being use is
cascade controller. Due to the slow dynamic response of a heat exchanger system, a cascade
control with primary loop of temperature controller and secondary loop of flow controller is
implemented. The cascade control is placed to improve the dynamic response of the system
and also to eliminate possible disturbances that may be caused by fluctuation of flow rate of
utility. Since the dynamic response of the secondary loop is faster than the primary loop, the
flow controller should be able to adjust the flow of utility to the heat exchanger based on the
set point given by the temperature controller.

Table 7.7: Reactor Heat exchanger, E-104 Control System Details

No Control Measured Manipulated Type of
Disturbance Set Point
Variable Variable Variable Controller
1 Temperature Temperature Flow rate of Changes in Cascade Tset:
of outlet of at outlet steam/coolant steam/coolant controller 224°c
stream stream into heat flowrate
exchanger

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 Figure 7.7: Heat Exchanger, E-104 Control System

From M-101

R-101
Product To E-102
Outlet
04 04 E-104
TC
04

FT FC
TT
04

To R-101
Inlet

Symbols:- Title: E-104

FC – Flow Controller Note:
FT – Flow Transmitter Project Title: Production of Ethylbenzene
TC – Temperature Controller
Designer: Group 21 Date: 06-09-2010
TT – Temperature Transmitter

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