CHAPTER 4

PROCESS CONTROL AND INSTRUMENTATION

4.1 Introduction

Sensors to measure process conditions and valves to influence process

operations are essential for all aspects of engineering practice. Engineers want to
design and operate processes that remain in safe conditions, produce the desired
amounts of high quality products and are profitable. Therefore, engineers must provide
measuring devices for key variables and valves to influence of “steer” the process. This
site provides educational material on sensors and valves for use in the process
industries.

While sensors and valves are important in all aspects of engineering, they assume
greatest importance in the study of automatic control, which is termed process
control when applied in the process industries.

Process Control consists of the systems and tools used to ensure that processes are
well defined, performed correctly, and maintained so that the completed product
conforms to established requirements. Process Control is an essential element of
managing risk to ensure the safety. It is recognized that strict process control practices
will aid in the prevention of process escapes that may result in or contribute to in-flight
anomalies, mishaps, incidents and nonconformances.
 4-2

The primary objectives of the instruments and control scheme are:

1. Safety: All process variables must be operated within known safe operating
limits in order to protect human life and property, keep the process variables
within known safety operating limits and within allowable limits as well as to
detect dangerous situations as they develop and to provide alarms and
automatic shut down system. Besides that, the control system must be able to
detect any dangerous situations and also provide alarms, interlocks and
automatic shutdown systems.
2. Production specification – The main aim is achieved the design product output
of 100,000 MT/year of 2-Ethylhexyl Acrylate to produce the desired quality of
final product purity and to keep the product composition within the specified
quality standards.
3. Environmental regulation – To ensure the temperature, concentration of
chemicals and flow rates of the waste effluent are within certain limits that have
been specify by the federal and states regulations. What important is that the
variable controlled must not exceed the allowable limits set by various federal
and state laws.
4. Operational constraints – Various type of equipments used in chemical plant
have constraints inherent to their operation. Such constraint should be satisfied
throughout the operation of plant. Control systems are needed to satisfy all
these operational constraints in order to satisfy the operational constraints of
various types of equipment.
5. Economics – Control operating conditions at optimum levels of minimum capital
and operating cost, maximum profit and possible utilization of raw material,
energy and human labor.

All those requirements are achieved by a combination of automatic control,

manual monitoring and laboratory analysis. Instrument monitoring critical process
variables will be fitted automatic alarms to alert the operators to critical and
hazardous situations. There are three main classes of need a control system that is
to satisfy:
 4-3

1. Ensuring the stability of a chemical processes.

2. Suppressing the influence of external disturbances.
3. Optimizing the performance of a chemical process.

The design of a control system for a chemical plant is made after a process flow
sheet has been synthesized and designed or even constructed to a significant detail.
Thus, the control designer has to have the knowledge of below:

1. The range of operating conditions.

2. The process units in the plant and their sizes.
3. How they are interconnected.
4. Possible disturbances, available measurements and manipulations.
5. The problem may arise during start up and shutdown of the plant.

4.2 Process control system

4.2.1 Control system design

There are two types of control system, which are feedback control and feed forward
control. Feedback configuration uses direct measurement of the controlled variables to
adjust the value of manipulated variables and the objective is to keep the values of the
controlled output variables at desired levels. The feed forward control configuration
measures the disturbances (load) directly and takes control action to eliminate its
impact on the process output. That is mean a feed forward controllers have the
theoretical potential for perfect control. Most of the processing system in the chemical
plant used the multiple input, multiple output system (MIMO) and single input, single
output system (SISO) (Sinnot, 1999).

Figure 4.1: Feedback control system

 4-4

Figure 4.2: Feed forward control system

Basically, control objectives must be first defined before developing a particular control
schemes. After that, when a critical controlled variables are identified, whereby
measured variables manipulated variables must be decided to conceptualize the control
strategies. The following procedures are used to identify and locate the control
instrument in the process:

1. Define the control objective: The central element any control configuration is the
process that need to be controlled. There are four elements that need to define
in order to control the objective that are ensuring the stability of the process,
suppressing the influence of external disturbances and optimizing the economic
performance of a plant or combination of these four elements.
2. Select measurement – this element was done by measuring the certain
processing variables such as temperature, pressures, concentration, flow rates
and etc.
3. Select the manipulated variables.
4. Select the control configuration – the most common configuration that has been
used is feedback control configuration in chemical plant.
5. Design and decide which type of controller appropriate to use.
 4-5

There are some typical feedback control systems that are often applied in chemical
processes.

1. Flow control.
2. Pressure control.
3. Liquid level control.
4. Temperature control.
5. Composition control.

4.2.2 Instrumentation in control system

All operations and control in the plant are monitored by instrument. Generally,
close loop system is the most common control configuration that has been widely
applied in chemical plant.

Set Point

Command Process
input Final Unit output
Controller
P-3

P
Control P
Operation P

Measurement
Figure 7.3: Typical close loop control system
P

Figure 4.3: Block diagram

Five basic components of a control system are:

1. Sensor (primary element)
2. Transmitter (secondary element)
3. Controller (brain of the control system)
4. Final Control Elements (such as control valve)
5. Alarm system (temperature alarm low and high (TAL,TAH), pressure alarm
low and high (PAH,PAL), and level alarm low and high (LAL,LAH))
 4-6

The sensor will measure the process variable of the process system stream. It is
connected physically to the transmitter, which takes the output from the sensor and
converts it to a signal form that is strong enough to be transmitted into a digital. The
transmission line will transmit the signal to the controller then receives the signal and
compares it with the desire value. Based on this comparison, the controller will take
action to maintain its desire value. The controllers then send another signal to the final
control element, which in turn manipulated the manipulated variables. The common
symbol used in Piping and Instrument (P&ID) are shown in table 4.1.

Table 4.1: Symbols and functions of control elements

Instrument Function

PT Detect the pressure change in the device

Make a decision on what action should be done. Then, the decision is

PIC
sent to final control element, basically valve

Detect the high pressure in device. When the pressure is high enough
PAH
compared to set point, the instrument transmits the signal to PIC

Detect low pressure in device. When the pressure is low compared to

PAL
set point, the instrument transmits the signal to PIC

TT Detect the temperature change in the device

Make a decision on what action should be done. Then, the decision is

TIC
sent to final control element, basically valve
Detect high temperature in device. When the temperature is high
TAH enough compared to set point, the instrument transmits the signal to
TIC
Detect low temperature in device. When the temperature is low
TAL
compared to set point, the instrument transmits the signal to TIC

Detect flow rate in the streamline to major device. This element will
FT
detect the change of flow in the streamline

Make a decision on what action should be done. Then, the decision is

FIC
sent to final control element, basically valve

LT Detect liquid level change

Make a decision on what action should be done. Then, the decision is

LIC
sent to final control element, basically valve

LAH Detect for higher liquid level change

LAL Detect for lower liquid level change

 4-7

Compare the ratio of flow rate with set point. After that, sends the
RC
signal to final control element
Pressure relief valve-relief pressure in the vessel if pressure out of
PRV
limit

4.3 Typical control system

There are descriptions for typical control system that is usually applied to a
chemical plant which are some of this control system will be apply in this 2-Ethylhexyl
Acrylate plant.

4.3.1 Level control

To maintain the interface in any equipment where an interface exists between two
phases (e.g., liquid–vapor) at the required level must be provided. This may be
incorporated in the design of the equipment, as is usually done for decanters or by
automatic control of the flow from the equipment. The storage tanks would require
automatic level control to control the flow from the equipment (Sinnot, 1999).

An increase in controller gain often brings an increase in system stability, while low
controller gains can increase the degree of oscillation. Integral control action is normally
used but is not necessary if small offsets in the liquid level (±5%) can be tolerated.
Derivative action is not normally employed in level control, since the level
measurements often contain noise due to splash and turbulence of the liquid entering
tank (Smith, 2006).

Usually, the liquid storage tank is used as a surge tank to damp out the fluctuations in
its inlet streams. If the exit flow rate from the tank is used as the manipulated variable
then the conservative controller settings should be applied to avoid large, rapid
fluctuation in the exit flow rate. This strategy is referred to as averaging control. If a
level control also involves heat transfer, such as in vaporizer of evaporator, the process
model and controller design become much more complicated. In such situations,
special control method can be advantageous.
 4-8

4.3.2 Flow controls

Flow control is usually associated with inventory control in a storage tank or other
equipment. Flow and liquid pressure control loops are characterized by the fast
responses, with essentially no times delays. The process dynamic is due to
compressibility (in a gas stream) or internal effect (in a liquid). The sensor and signal
transmission line may introduced significant dynamic lags if pneumatic instrument are
used. Disturbance in flow control systems tend to be frequent but generally not for large
magnitude. Most of the disturbance are high frequency noise (periodic or random) due
to stream turbulence, valve changes and pump vibration. PI flow controllers are
generally used with intermediate value of the controller gain, K c. The presence of
recurring high frequency noise rules out the use of derivative action. To provide flow
control on a compressor or a pump running at fixed speed and supplying a near
constant volume output, a by-pass control would be used (Smith, 2006)

4.3.3 Pressure controls

Pressure control will be necessary for most systems handling vapor or gas. The
method of control will depend on the nature of the process. Gas pressure is relatively
easy to control except when the gas is in equilibrium with the liquid. A gas pressure
process is self-regulating, the vessel or pipeline admits more feed when the pressure is
low and the feed intake is reduced when the pressure becomes high. PI controllers are
normally used with only a small amount of integral control action. Usually the vessel
volume is not large, leading to relatively small residence times and time constant.
Derivation action is normally not needed because the process response times are
usually quite small compared to other process operation (Sinnot, 1999).
 4-9

4.3.4 Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID)

The P&ID provides a graphical representation of a control configuration for the

process. It illustrated the measurement device, controller and also actuator of the
control loop. The standard measurement is based on International Society for
Measurement and Control. Table 4.2 shows the symbol used to shows the valves,
instrument and control loops.

Table 4.2: Symbol used to shows the valves, instrument and control loops

Hardware Element Symbol Description

Measurement
TT Temperature Transducer

PT Pressure Transducer

TT LT Level Transducer

FT Flow Transducer

FFT Flow Ratio Transducer

CT Composition Transducer
Controller
TIC Temperature Indicator Controller

PIC Pressure Indicator Controller

TIC LIC Level Indicator Controller

FIC Flow Indicator Controller

FFIC Flow Ratio Indicator Controller

CIC Composition Indicator Controller

Alarm
H TAH / TAL Temperature Alarm (High & Low)

I-4
PAH / PAL Pressure Alarm (High & Low)
L
LAH / LAL Level Alarm (High & Low)

Pneumatic Transmission Line

Transmission Line
Electric Transmission Line
 4-10

4.4 Control system for major equipment

4.4.1 P&ID REACTOR (R-101)

PT PC

FC FT
Steam
Out

R-101

Steam In

TC TT

Figure 4.4: Process control of reactor

 4-11

Table 4.3: Control System for reactor (R-101)

Control Controlled Manipulated

Disturbances Control Strategy
Objectives Variables Variable

Control inlet Amount of Flowrate of Feed flowrate Type of controller;

flow rate to feed to the feed stream
Feedforward
the reactor at reactor to reactor
desired – The loop
values consists of flow
tranducer (FT),
flow indicator
controller (FIC)
and the control
valve.
- If the flow
detected by FT
for the inlet
reactor stream
is higher or
less than 176.2
kgmole/hr, the
signal is sent to
FIC. FIC will
send corrective
action to the
control valve.

Control Operating Outlet stream Feed flowrate Type of controller;

pressure in pressure of flowrate of the
Feed Feedback
reactor at the reactor reactor
pressure
desired - If pressure
values exist + 10% of
set point,
pressure alarm
 4-12

high / low will

be activated

Control Operating Cooling water Feed Type of controller;

temperature temperature / steam temperature
Feedback
in reactor at of the flowrate
Feed flowrate
desired reactor - If temperature
values exist +10% of
set point,
temperature
alarm high /
low will be
activated

4.4.2 Distillation Column (T-101)

Distillation is a very important separation process that presents a major control

problem. It makes used that the fact two or more materials can be separated on the
basis of their different boiling points. The components can be separated into top and
bottom products depends on the volatility of the components, the number trays in the
column, the point of entry of the feed into the column and the ratio between the liquid
and vapor flow rates. The column is divided into two sections, the upper being the
rectification section and the lower known as stripping section. The division between the
two sections is the point at which the feed enters the column (Sinnot, 1999).

Process variables like temperatures, pressures, flow rates, levels and compositions
must be monitored and controlled in all distillation processes. These process variables
within a distillation system affect one another, whereby a change in one process
variable will result in changes in other process variables. Thus, in column control one
should be looking at the whole column and not focusing on any particular sections only.
 4-13

Each column has a control system that consists of several control loops. The loops
adjust process variables as needed to compensate for changes due to disturbances
during plant operation. Each of the process variables has its own control loop, which
typically consists of a sensor and transmitter, controller and control valve. An
adjustment is made to a process variable by varying the opening of its control valve.
The stream flow rate is therefore adjusted and a desirable variable is being controlled.

All distillation columns have to be carefully operated in order to achieve the required
production rates and product quality. The three main objectives of column control can
be stated as:

1. To set stable conditions for column operation

2. To regulate conditions in the column so that the product(s) always meet the
required specifications
3. To achieve the above objective most efficiently such as by maximizing product
yield, and minimizing energy consumption.

V-113

PT PC

To vacuum pump
E-103

FC

LC LT

FT V-111

S9
TT TC
V-109

T-101 S11

V-112
E-102
LT LC Light ends

V-110

Figure 4.5: Detail P&ID for Distillation Column (T-101)

 4-14

Table 4.4: Detail P&ID for Distillation Column (T-101)

Intension: To separate product with by-product

Control Controlled Manipulated Type of
Disturbances Set Point
Objectives Variables Variables Controller
Control column Liquid level in Column Reflux Feedback Avoid
liquid level at reflux drum outlet stream flowrate. Feed Control flooding or
desired values and reboiler flowrate flowrate System dry up
Reflux
Control
Operating flowrate. Feed Feedback Distilation 1:
pressure in the Distillate
pressure in stream Control (RBOT)
column at flowrate
the column pressure and System 27 kPa
desired values
flowrate
Distilation 1:
o
28.54 C
(If
Feed stream
temperature
Control top Operating Cooling water temperature Feedback
exist ±10%
temperature at temperature flowrate to and pressure. Control
of set point,
desired value of top column condenser Reflux System
temperature
flowrate.
alarm high /
low will be
activated)
Distilation 1:
120.6oC
(If
Feed stream
Operating temperature
Control bottom Stream temperature Feedback
temperature exist ±10%
temperature at flowrate to and pressure. Control
of bottom of set point,
desired value reboiler Reflux System
column temperature
flowrate.
alarm high /
low will be
activated)
Overhead
Control liquid column
Feedback Avoid
level in reflux Liquid level in Reflux stream
Control flooding or
drum at reflux drum flowrate flowrate.
System dry up
desired value Cooling water
flowrate.
 4-15

4.4.3 Control system for the Distillation Column (T-102)

Objective:

(1) to control the level of the flash column at desired value to avoid flooding for
better separation
(2) to control the operating pressure of the flash column at desired value to achieve
the desired operation
(3) to maintain the feed flowrate of the flash column at desired value.

V-118
PIC
P-381

LI LIC
To vacuum pump
E-105

PI

V-119

FI

FIC

TI
V-114

T-102

LI
E-104

V-117
S12

V-115 TIC Heavies

V-116
LIC

Ethylhexylacrylate production Indication:

Title: Distillation Column 2 FIC –Flowrate indicator controller

(Auctioneering System)
Date: 10-04-2011 PIC – Pressure indicator controller
 4-16

Designer: MOHAMMAD AL-AMIN BIN ISMAIL LIC – Level indicator controller

Pneumatic line

Signal line

Major pipe line

Figure 4.5: Process Control Diagram (PCD) For Flash Drum F-7

Table 4.5: Control system for the Distillation Column (T-102)

Control
Measured Manipulated Control
Variables Disturbance Set Point
Variables Variables Configuration

Control the Measure the Manipulate the Changes in the Feedback Avoid flooding
liquid level in level of the outlet flowrate inlet flowrate of
Distillation liquid of bottom Distillation
Column (LIC) Distillation Distillation Column
Column Column

Control the Measure the .Manipulate the Changes in inlet Feedback Pressure
pressure in pressure at outlet flowrate flowrate of
the column the top of the top Distillation
column column Column

Control the Measure the Manipulate the Changes the Feedback Purity
composition composition outlet flowrate outlet flowrate of
of the bottom of the bottom of the bottom the bottom
Distillation column column column
Column (CIC)
Changes
temperature feed
of the column

Control the Measure the Manipulate the Changes of the Feedback Temperature
temperature temperature steam feed to steam to the
of the column of the column the reboiler reboiler

Control the Measure the Manipulate the Changes of inlet Feedback Avoiding
level of liquid level of the distillate flowrate of the
 4-17

in the reflux liquid in the flowrate drum flooding

drum (LIC) reflux drum

4.4.4 DISTILLATION COLUMN (T-103)

PIC
P-421
PI
V-125 To vacuum pump
E.107
LI LIC

V-124 To Mix-101
FI

FIC

TI TIC
V-120

T-103

S14

V-123

LI
V-121

LIC

Production of 100,000 MT/ year of 2- Indication:

Ethylhexylacrylate FIC –Flow rate indicator controller
(Auctioneering System)
Title: Distillation Column (T-103)
PIC – Pressure indicator controller
Date: 13-04-2011 LIC – Level indicator controller
Pneumatic line
Designer: NORASYIKIN ZOLKIFILE Signal line
Major pipe line

Figure 4.7: Control System for Distillation Column (T-103)

 4-18

Objective: To separate certain substance from the main stream as light component at
top column and heavy component at bottom column by difference of boiling points.
Control System:

1. Mainly, to control the composition of the distillate and bottom stream at a desired
amount.
2. To control the bottom column temperature at a desirable degree.
3. To control the pressure of the column at a desirable point.
4. To control the liquid level in the column from flooding or from being too low.

Table.4.6: Control System of Distillation Column (T-103)

Control Measured Manipulated Disturbance Configuration

Set point
Variable Variable Variable of Controller

P= 1 kPa
(if pressure
exceeds the
Flow rate at range ±10%
Pressure of Pressure of Not Feedback
the top of set point,
column column significant control
stream pressure
alarm high/
low will be
activated)

When liquid
in reflux
drum is
Liquid level going to
Level at Product at Not Feedback
at reflux over flow or
reflux drum distillate significant control
drum dry out,
level alarm
high/ low
will be
 4-19

activated

50% of the
total height
of the

Flow at Flow rate column to

Flow rate to Not Feedback avoid
reflux from reflux
the column significant Control flooding as
stream drum
well as dry
out of
column

50% of the
total height
of the

Flow rate at column to

Liquid level Liquid level Not Feedback avoid
bottom
of column of column Significant control flooding as
product
well as dry
out of
column

T= 100.3°C
(If
temperature
exceeds the
Temperature Temperature Heating range ±
Ambient Feedback
of the of the utilities in 10% of set
temperature Control
column column reboiler point,
temperature
alarm high/
low will be
activated)
 4-20

4.4.5 Control System for Heat Exchanger

The control system for heat exchanger is designed to make sure that the heat
exchanger to give outlet stream at targeted temperature. The main control objective for
the heat exchanger is to control the temperature of stream at desired value so that the
plant operates safely and can achieve maximum energy recovery. These can be
achieved by manipulating the flowrate of heating or cooling utilities. Hot utility used is
steam while the cooling utility is water at ambient temperature.

Table 4.7: Control System for Heater E-101

Control Manipulated Disturbance Type of Set Point

Controller
Variable Variable

Temperature of Flowrate of Temperature of Feedback T = 75oC (if

outlet stream, steam steam temperature exceeds
+ 10% of the set
S7
point, the
temperature alarm
high/low will activate
 4-21

Ethylhexylacrylate production Indication:

TT - Temperature Transmitter
Title: Heat Exchanger, E-101
TC - Temperature Controller

Date: 10-04-2011 LIC - Level indicator controller

TAH - Detect high temperature in

Designer: NADIATUL AKMAR BINTI ABU device.
SHOED
TAL - Detect low temperature in device

TSP - Set Point Temperature

Pneumatic line

Signal line

Major pipe line

Figure 4.8: Piping and Instrumentation Diagram of Heater

 4-22

Table 4.8: Control System for Cooler E-108

Control Manipulated Disturbance Type of Set Point

Controller
Variable Variable

Temperature Flowrate of Temperature of Feedsback T= 25.00 oC (if

of outlet chill water chill water temperature
stream, exceeds + 10% of
the set point, the
S16
temperature alarm
high/low will
activate)

Chill water in

Cooler
Chill water out

Ethylhexylacrylate production Indication:

TT - Temperature Transmitter
Title: Cooler, E-108
 4-23

TC - Temperature Controller
Date: 10-04-2011
LIC - Level indicator controller

Designer: NADIATUL AKMAR BINTI ABU TAH - Detect high temperature in

SHOED device.

TAL - Detect low temperature in device

TSP - Set Point Temperature

Pneumatic line

Signal line

Major pipe line

Figure 4.9: Piping and Instrumentation Diagram of Cooler