Instrumentation & Control

11.0 Instrumentation and Process Control

Measurement is a fundamental requisite to process control. Either the control can be
affected automatically, semi automatically or manually. The quality of control obtainable
also bears a relationship to accuracy, re product ability and reliability of measurement
methods, which are employed. Therefore, selection of the most affect means of
measurements is an important first step in design and formulation of any process control
system.
11.1 Objectives

The primary objective of the designer when specifying instrumentation and control
schemes are:
11.1.1 Safe Plant Operation
 To help the process variables within know safe operating limits.
 To detect dangerous situations as they develop and to provide alarms and automatic
shutdown systems.
 To provide inter locks and alarms to prevent dangerous operating procedures.
11.1.2 Production Rate

To achieve the design product output.

11.1.3: Product Quality

To maintain the product composition within specified quality standard.

11.1.4: Cost
To operate at the lowest production cost, commensurate with the other objective. These
are not separate objectives and must be considered together. Measurement is a
fundamental requisite of process control either the control will be affected automatically,
semi-automatically or manually. The quality of the control obtainable is a function of the
accuracy, repeatable and reliability of the measuring devices employed.
The objective of an automatic process control is to use the manipulated variable to
maintain the controlled variable at its set point in spite of disturbances. Instruments are
provided to monitor the key process variables during plant operations. Instruments
monitoring critical process variables will be fitted with automatic alarms to alert, the
operations to critical and hazardous situations. Pneumatic instruments are used in this
plant. The main process parameters are all indicated in the control room where automatic
or remote control is carried out centrally. The process parameters e.g. temperatures,
pressure flow, liquid level etc. are converted to signals with transducers and then
indicated, recorded and controlled with secondary instruments.
11.2 Temperature measurement and control

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Temperature measurement is used to control the temperature of outlet and inlet streams in
heat exchangers, reactors, etc. Most temperature measurements in the industry are made
by means of thermocouple to facilitate bringing the measurements to centralized location.
For local measurements at the equipment bimetallic or filled system thermometers are
used to a lesser extent. Usually, for high measurement accuracy, resistance thermometers
are used. All these measurements are installed with thermo wells when used locally. This
provides protection against atmosphere and other physical elements.

11.3 Pressure measurement and control

Like temperature pressure is a value able indication of material state and composition. In
fact, these two measurements considered together are the primary evaluating devices of
industrial materials. Pumps, compressors and other process equipment associated with
pressure changes in the process material are furnished with pressure measuring devices.
Thus pressure measurement becomes an indication of an energy decrease or increase.
Most pressure in industry are elastic element devices, either directly connected for local
use or transmission type to centralized location. Most extensively used industrial pressure
is the Bourderi Tube or a Diaphram or Bellow gauges.
11.4 Flow measurement and control
Flow indicators are used to control the amount of liquid. Also all manually set streams
require some flow indication or some easy means for occasional sample measurement. For
accounting purposes, feed and product streams or metered. In addition utilities to
individual and grouped equipment are also metered. Most flow measures in the industry
are/ by Variable Head devices. To a lesser extent variable area is used as are many types
available as special metering situation arise.
11.5 Control Loops
For instrumentation and control of different sections and equipments of plants, following
control loops are most often used.
1. Feed back control loop
2. Feed forward control loop
3. Ratio control loop
4. Auctioneering control loop
5. Split range control loop
6. Cascade control loop
Here is given a short outline of these control schemes, so that to justify out selection of a
control loop for specified equipment.
11.5.1 Feed Back Control Loop
A method of control in which a measured value of a process variable is compared with the
desired value of the process variable and any necessary action is taken. Feed back control
is considered as the basic control loops system. Its disadvantage lies in its operational
procedure. For example if a certain quantity is entering in a process, then a monitor will be
there at the process to note its value. Any changes from the set point will be sent to the
final control element through the controller so that to adjust the incoming quantity

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according to desired value (set point). But in fact changes have already occurred and only
corrective action can be taken while using feed back control system.
11.5.2 Feed Forward Control Loop
A method of control in which the value of disturbance is measured than action is taken to
prevent the disturbance by changing the value of a process variable. This is a control
method designed to prevent errors from occurring in a process variable. This control
system is better than feed back control because it anticipates the change in the process
variable before it enters the process and takes the preventive action. While in feed back
control system action is taken after the change has occurred.
11.5.3 Ratio Control
A control loop in which, the controlling element maintains a predetermined ratio of one
variable to another. Usually this control loop is attached to such as system where two
different systems enter a vessel for reaction that may be of any kind. To maintain the
stoichiometric quantities of different streams, this loop is used so that to ensure proper
process going on in the process vessel.
11.5.4 Auctioneering Control Loop
This kind of control loop is normally used for a huge vessel where readings of a single
variable may be different at different locations. This type of control loop ensures safe
operation because it employs all the readings of different locations simultaneously, and
compares them with the set point, then the controller sends appropriate signal to final
control element.
11.5.5 Split Range Loop
In this loop controller is preset with different values corresponding to different actions to
be taken at different conditions. The advantage of this loop is to maintain the proper
conditions and avoid abnormalities at very differential levels.
11.5.6 Cascade Control Loop
This is a control in which two or more control loops are arranged so that the output of one
controlling element adjusts the set point of another controlling element. This control loop
is used where proper and quick control is difficult by simple feed forward or feed
backward control. Normally first loop is a feed back control loop.

11.6 CONTROL SCHEMES OF DISTILLATION COLUMN

In distillation column control any of following may be the goals to achieve
1. Over head composition.
2. Bottom composition
3. Constant over head product rate. .
4. Constant bottom product rate.
11.6.1 MANIPULATED VARIABLES
Any one or any combination of following may be the manipulated variables

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1. Steam flow rate to reboiler.

2. Reflux rate.
3. Overhead product withdrawn rate.
4. Bottom product withdrawn rate
5. Water flow rate to condenser.

11.6.2 LOADS OR DISTURBANCES

Following are typical disturbances
1. Flow rate of feed
2. Composition of feed.
3. Temperature of feed.
4. Pressure drop of steam across reboiler
5. Inlet temperature of water for condenser.

11.6.3 CONTROL SCHEME

Overhead product rate is fixed and any change in feed rate must be absorbed by changing
bottom product rate. The change in product rate is accomplished by direct level control of
the reboiler if the stream rate is fixed feed rate increases then vapor rate is approximately
constant & the internal reflux flows must increase.
ADVANTAGE
Since an increase in feed rate increase reflux rate with vapor rate being approximately
constant, then purity of top product increases.
DISADVANTAGE
The overhead reflux change depends on the dynamics of level control system that adjusts
it.

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Fig.11.1: Control scheme of distillation column

Various Controllers used in flow sheet are as follows

Controller Input Signal Purpose

FCV-01 FT-01 Controls the atmospheric

column reflux

FCV-02 FT-02 Controls the feed rate to the

stabilizer (V-02)

FCV-03 FT-03 Controls the Reflux rate to the

stabilizer (V-02)

LCV- 01 LT-01 Controls the Level in reboiler

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(E-05)

PSV- 01 PT-01 Controls the Pressure of the

atmospheric column

PSV-02 PT-02 Controls the pressure of the

stabilizer (V-02)

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