Modeling Case Study:

Surge Tanks, Valves,

Level sensors, and modeling
By Peter Woolf (pwoolf@umich.edu)
University of Michigan
Michigan Chemical Process
Dynamics and Controls
Open Textbook
version 1.0
Creative commons
!
dh
dt
= F " k
1
v
1
h
!
h[0] = h
0
ODE model:
Surge tank P&ID and model from previous lectures..
LC1
What
valve?
What
control
line?
What level sensor?
On/off, reliable, inexpensive
On/off, easy clean, see
valve position
Similar to ball valve, more
$$, but more rugged
High capacity, economical,
can have good flow control
Used for abrasive, sanitary, & corrosive environments
Drain tanks w/o dead space
High press. and high temp. environments
Good flow control, hard to clean
Best flow control, low flow
Allows flow only in 1 direction
Images courtesy of B. Barkel
Angle valve
Plug valve
Bleed port plug valve
Butterfly valve
Diaphragm valve
Flush bottom valve
Gate valve
Globe valve
Needle valve
Check valve
Bleed port ball valve
Ball valve
Manual valve Type not specified
(b) Low flow resistance
when open, infrequently
used but need reliability
(a) Need to regulate the
flow and robustly shut
off if needed
(c) Need good
rangability, flow
resistance okay, robust
shutoff needed
Globe valve?
Gate valve?
Needle valve?
Name that valve!
(e) Not a control valve,
but vents if pressure is
too high
Safety valve
(d) Low flow resistance
with good control
abilities
Butterfly valve
Check valve
(f) Prevent backflow
Name that valve!
Solenoid operated valves
(all valves except
butterfly)
Motor operated valves
(all valves except
butterfly)
Air operated control
valve
(Globe, needle, ball
valves)
Air operated butterfly
valve (circle in middle
indicates butterfly)
Air operated shut off
valves (ball, plug, etc)
Specify fail safe condition:
FO: Fail Open
FC: Fail Closed
FL: Fail last position
*
Images courtesy of B. Barkel
Automatic solenoid valve
Name that valve!
Movie from ChemE Visual Encyclopedia
Answer:
Motor
operated
(hydraulic)
ball valve
How to pick a valve?
Type: Many kinds work, but some work
better than others for specific
applications.
Materials: Can it withstand the
pressure, temperature, pH,
abrasiveness? Can it be cleaned?
Does it leach?
Size: Is the valve big enough?
Valve Sizing
For liquids, valves are characterized by
their Cv factor:
!
Cv = F
max
G
t
"P
Note: Units are important!
F
max
= maximum flow through valve in
gallons per minute
!P = pressure drop across valve in psi
G
t
=liquids specific gravity.
!
Cv = F
max
G
t
"P
Note: Units are important!
F
max
= maximum flow through valve in
gallons per minute
!P = pressure drop across valve in psi
G
t
=liquids specific gravity.
Table from http://www.thevalveshop.com/menu/auto/triaca/triacda/triac88da.pdf
Example
table for a
particular
valve from a
valve catalog
Valve Sizing Example
!
Cv = F
max
G
t
"P
= 250
1.52
3
=178
You are to design a system to load 50% sodium hydroxide into a
carbon steel tank in your plant. Sodium hydroxide is considered
a hazardous material. It is not recommended to move 50%
sodium hydroxide at velocities over 6 ft/sec in carbon steel
piping. The supply pump at the plant can generate a flow of up
to 250 gpm. The recommended maximum pressure drop across
the valves in the system is 3 psi. Specific gravity of the sodium
hydroxide solution is 1.52. Please specify a control valve for this
service.
Fmax=250 GPM
Gt=1.52
!P=3 psi
You are to design a system to load 50% sodium hydroxide into a
carbon steel tank in your plant. Sodium hydroxide is considered
a hazardous material. It is not recommended to move 50%
sodium hydroxide at velocities over 6 ft/sec in carbon steel
piping. The supply pump at the plant can generate a flow of up
to 250 gpm. The recommended maximum pressure drop across
the valves in the system is 3 psi. Specific gravity of the sodium
hydroxide solution is 1.52. Please specify a control valve for this
service.
You are to design a system to load 50% sodium hydroxide into a
carbon steel tank in your plant. Sodium hydroxide is considered
a hazardous material. It is not recommended to move 50%
sodium hydroxide at velocities over 6 ft/sec in carbon steel
piping. The supply pump at the plant can generate a flow of up
to 250 gpm. The recommended maximum pressure drop across
the valves in the system is 3 psi. Specific gravity of the sodium
hydroxide solution is 1.52. Please specify a control valve for this
service.
!
Cv =178
Table from http://controls.engin.umich.edu/wiki/index.php/ValveTypesSelection
Result:
5 inch valve
or for a little
bit more
range, 6
inch valve
You are to design a system to load 50% sodium hydroxide into a
carbon steel tank in your plant. Sodium hydroxide is considered
a hazardous material. It is not recommended to move 50%
sodium hydroxide at velocities over 6 ft/sec in carbon steel
piping. The supply pump at the plant can generate a flow of up
to 250 gpm. The recommended maximum pressure drop across
the valves in the system is 3 psi. Specific gravity of the sodium
hydroxide solution is 1.52. Please specify a control valve for this
service.
What diameter pipe would correspond to a flow of
6ft/sec?
Fmax=A*v
A="r
2
= " *(d/2)
2
!
d =
4F
max
"v
=
4 #.557 ft
3
/ s
" #6 ft / s
= .344 ft = 4.1 in
v=6 ft/sec
Fmax=250 gpm=0.557 ft
3
/sec
A pipe with a diameter over
4.1 inches should not exceed
the 6 ft/sec requirement
Specification: 5 inch ball valve
Characterizing valve flows
Test 1: With constant pressure feed, open
valve to many positions and measure
flow rate through valve
Quarter turn
No effect
until
threshold
Saturating effect
Different shapes
depending on fluid
properties and valve
geometry
Characterizing valve flows
Test 1: With constant pressure feed, open
valve to many positions and measure
flow rate through valve
Two turns
quick
opening valve
Near
linear
valve
Finite possible
valve turns
!
flow =
IF x > x
min,
, k
1
(x " x
min
),0
( )
Modeling valve flows
Image from http://controls.engin.umich.edu/wiki/index.php/ValveModeling
Linear w/ threshold
Linear:
!
flow = k
1
x
Quick opening
!
flow = k
1
x
Equal %
!
flow = k
1
R
x"1
LC1
What
valve?
What
control
line?
What level sensor?
Electrical or thermocouple leads
Pneumatic line
Multiplexed signal
Pneumatic controls:
Spark free control
Control signal also provides power for valve
Relatively short range and slower acting
Common pressure signal range: 3 to 15 Psi
Electrical controls:
Fast and long range
May pose a spark hazard
Can be multiplexed to address many controllers at once
Common signal range: 4-20 mA
Images courtesy of B. Barkel
LC1
What
valve?
What
control
line?
What level sensor?
Image from http://controls.engin.umich.edu/wiki/index.php/LevelSensors
Level Sensors
Visual: sight tubes,
inexpensive but not
automatic
Float: inexpensive but
requires clean fluids and
calm fluids
Electronic: point
detection, accurate, but
may require regular
cleaning
Non-contact sensors
Ultrasonic/microwave:
accurate, works in
harsher
environments, needs
smooth surface &
moderately expensive
Nuclear: read levels
through walls, but
very expensive
Level Sensors
Alternatives:
Mass sensor: Weigh the
tank
Pressure sensor: Measure
pressure at bottom of tank
Temperature: thermal
imaging of tank to detect
liquid level
Level Sensors
Normal
image
Thermal
image
Cooler
Warmer
Cold
Approximate
liquid level
LC1
What
valve?
What
control
line?
What level sensor?
Air driven
ball valve,
characterized
experimentally
Pneumatic
Three electronic
sensors
Pressure
relief valve
Bring it all together
in a model!
(1) Parameterize valve
(2) Create sensor model
(3) Create feed model
(4) Create physical model
(5) Simulate!
Modeling Case Study:
Surge Tanks, Valves,
Level sensors, and modeling
By Peter Woolf (pwoolf@umich.edu)
University of Michigan
Michigan Chemical Process
Dynamics and Controls
Open Textbook
version 1.0
Creative commons
LC1
What
valve?
What
control
line?
What level sensor?
Air driven
ball valve,
characterized
experimentally
Pneumatic
Three electronic
sensors
Pressure
relief valve
Bring it all together
in a model!
(1) Parameterize valve
(2) Create sensor model
(3) Create feed model
(4) Create physical model
(5) Simulate!
(1) Parameterize valve
What kind of model to use?
Maybe equal percentage?
Thresholds at ~3 and 15 psi?
(1) Parameterize valve
Estimate values from graph:
P
min
~4, p
max
~14, k
1
~10, R=??
Find parameters
with regression!
See tank.model.xls
Equal %
!
flow = k
1
R
x"1
Modified Equal %:
!
flow = IF p < p
min
,0, IF p > p
max
, k
1
, k
1
R
x"1
( ) ( )
where
x =
p " p
min
p
max
" p
min
p
min
p
max
k
1
(2) Create a sensor model
s1
s2
s3
IF(vol>20, s1=1,s1=0)
IF(vol>50, s2=1,s2=0)
IF(vol>80, s3=1,s3=0)
Elected to use 3 electronic sensors. Sensors
report 1 if immersed in fluid or 0 if dry.
LC1
Note: Sensor
details often
not provided
in P&ID!
Modeling continued
(1) Parameterize valve
(2) Create sensor model
(3) Create feed model
(4) Create physical model
(5) Simulate!
See tank.model.xls
Take home messages
Your choice of instrumentation is
process and application specific
It is possible to develop accurate
quantitative models of a process using
numerical integration, IF..THEN..
statements, experimental data, and
numerical optimization.