Group 2

CEAT-08-701P

Chavez, Julius Caezar C.

Dalipe, Amiel Joshua M.
Espiña, Michael James P.
Fullido, Arriane Charisse O.
Galon, Meljun C.
Lansang, Cristina Marie F.

Fermentation Process
Control Narrative
The batch fermentation process will start as the material enters through the feed
inoculation. As soon as the material passes through the pipe, it will proceed to the heat exchanger
where a TIRC-03-101 (DCS Recording Controller) will set the temperature to 130°C-150°C,
having to preheat the entering material before proceeding to the vessel. A thermocouple
instrument, TIT-03-101 will provide signals to TIRC-03-101 about the flowing temperature on
the steam pipe of the heat exchanger and will send a pneumatic signal to adjust the opening of
TCV-03-101 to maintain the setpoint of 130°C-150°C. For redundancy purposes, another
controller loop TIC-03-102 is connected to TCV-03-102 and will be used when the main control
of steam is in maintenance or damaged. Both these control valves are air-to-open so that when
signal is lost, the valves will close.

After passing through the cross-flow heat exchanger, a thermocouple TI 03-104 is placed
to give the temperature reading and will continue to pass through the orifice plate flow
transmitter FT-03-105. The DCS controllers LIC-03-107 and FIC-03-107 are in cascade control
where the output of LIC-03-107 (Master) will provide the setpoint for the FIC-03-105 (Slave).
The LIC-03-107 will indicate if the level inside the tank is at high or low level. By sending an
electric signal to the solenoid valve FV 03-105, it will either open or close according to the
commands given by the master-slave controller. If the ultrasonic transmitter LT-03-107 senses
that the level inside the tank is reaching the 200-liter setpoint then the signal will be sent to LIC
03-107 so that FIC 03-105 will command the FV 03-105 to close. But, if LT-03-107 is at low
level then FIC-03-105 will continue to command the valve to open allowing materials to enter
the vessel.  LT-03-107 uses ultrasonic technology as a transmitter since it is suitable for multi-
phase material. Another cascade loop of FIC-03-106 and LIC-03-108 is placed in the feed pipe
for safety and redundancy purposes.

For safety purposes, several relief valves are placed on TCV-03-101, TCV-03-102, FV-
03-105, and FV-03-106 to regulate and control the pressure in the system to prevent
overpressure. Isolation valves are also placed on the pipe to stop the flow of process when in
maintenance and for protection of the instruments.

As the feed fills the tank, the additives such as reactants, carbon dioxide and oxygen are
added at the same time to improve the quality of the product, and each of them has a set of
instruments for flow control. Differential Pressure (DP) type of Flow Transmitters are present
(FT-03-111, FT-03-112 & FT-03-113) to sense the flow rate of each additive and send a signal to
the DCS-type of Flow Indicating Controllers (FIC-03-111, FIC-03-112 & FIC-03-113). A Level
Transmitter (LT-03-110) is connected to the vessel in order to determine whether the feed
already reached the 200-liter requirement and sends a signal to a DCS Level Indicating
Controller (LIC-03-110) where the flow controllers are connected using electrical signals. The
LIC-03-110 serves as the master which commands the FIC-03-111, FIC-112, and FIC-113 by
giving them a set point to control the opening of the Flow Control Valves (FCV-111, FCV-112
& FCV-113) before they meet at the static mixer and enter the vessel. These valves are normally
closed so when an emergency occurs like shutdown, it will cut the supply to prevent additives
from going in which may affect the quality of the product as well as the whole process. For
safety, there are relief valves present on each side of the FCV-111, FCV-112 and FCV-113 to
release excess air and prevent overpressure to the pipes, and isolation valves to cut-off flows for
circumstances such as maintenance.   

To maintain the desired temperature of 130°C-150°C and determine the reaction, the
temperature of the feed and additives inside the tank will be controlled by the jacket of the vessel
throughout the stirring operation. This will be determined by the signal received from the
thermocouple (TIT-03-117 & TIT-03-115) inside the tank. When the signal using a
thermocouple (TIT-03-117 or TIT-03-115) indicates that the temperature of the product inside
the tank is increasing and will exceed the desired temperature, the cooling system will be
activated. While steam is operated when the measured temperature is under the desired
temperature.

The Temperature Indicating Transmitter (TIT-03-115) will send the signal to the
Temperature Indicating Controller (TIC-03-114) which is connected to the Temperature
Controller Valve (TCV-03-114B). The controller (TCV-03-114B) on the coolant supply line will
be open, allowing coolant to flow to the jacket to decrease the temperature of the product.
Surrounded by the isolated and relief valve for safety and prevent overpressure, then back to the
system where it will flow to the coolant return line with the check valve surrounded by the
isolated valve. A by-pass Temperature Indicating Transmitter (TIT-03-117) will also send a
signal to a temperature indicating controller (TIC-03-116) that is connected to another valve
(TCV-03-116B). 

On the other hand, if the temperature of the product decreases just under the desired
temperature, it will be heated with steam. The temperature indicating controller (TIC-03-114) is
connected to the steam valve (TCV-03-114A). If it is necessary to open, this controller (TIC-03-
114) will wait for the signal from the Temperature Indicating Transmitter (TIT-03-115). A by-
pass line connects the Temperature Controller Valve (03-116A) to the Temperature Indicating
Controller (TIC-03-116), which is dependent on the signal from the Temperature Indicating
Transmitter (TIT-03-117). Every process requires a by-pass line for safety and if the mainline is
under maintenance. The condensate will then be directed to the condensation line.

Once the product inside the vessel is stirred and reacts completely with the temperature
maintained between 130℃-150℃, it also has to satisfy a certain pH level in order for it to be
acceptable and continue to the next stage. For that, an Analysis Indicating Transmitter (AIT-03-
109) is attached to the vessel which senses the pH value of the product and sends the signal it
measured to the DCS Analysis Controller (AC-03-109). The required pH level is set by the AC-
03-109 and is used by the LIC-03-110 to also control the amount of additives that will enter the
system. This shows a three-level cascade where the AC-03-109 is the first master while the LIC-
03-110 is its slave, and LIC-03-110 as the second master while the Flow Indicating Controllers
(FIC-03-111, FIC-03-112 & FIC-03-113) are its slaves. The output will leave the tank using the
pipe connection below where a manually operated 3-way valve is present. This valve leads either
to the next process or the Clean in Place (CIP), and in this case, the product proceeds to the
former.

The cleaning process will start after every batch as CIP is activated for sanitation and to
maintain the quality of the product. Each process may leave sediment that might contaminate the
next product process. The CIP pipes will contain a two DP type Flow transmitter FT-03-118 and
FT-03-119 to send signals about the flow rate entering the pipe to DCS controller FC-03-118 and
FC-03-119 which will then command FCV-03-118 and FCV-03-119 to open or close
accordingly. The only difference between the two controllers is that the FC-03-118 will be in-
charge of operating the cleaning process of the upper part of the tank while FC-03-119 will take
charge of the cleaning process at the lower level of the tank. A cleaning solution will be used to
cleanse the tank as it is commonly used for food processing.

The shutdown scheme will operate when the sensing element in LIT-03-202 detects that
the level inside the tank exceeds the 200L limit as it will send the signal to the PLC level relay
controller which is then connected to interlock I-03-101. The inlet valve LSV-03-201 and outlet
valve LSV-03-203 are connected to the interlock I-03-101 which will automatically close
according to the command set as it will provide safety to the whole process operation.