INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL IN PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAMS
MODULE 2 PART 5 – Process Design & Development
ChE 45 – Chemical Engineering Design 1
Lapeña, Don Kim S.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Gain basic understanding on the process
regulation concepts, objectives, and conventions
in identifying control and instrumentation
elements
Trace the basic instrumentation sequence as
presented in a control & instrumentation diagram
Survey the basic control systems normally
encountered in a chemical process
Draw simple instrumentation and control diagram
on our designed process
CONCEPTS (PART 1)
Over the life of a chemical processing plant, it is
important to regulate operating conditions for
stable operations, and to produce quality
products efficiently and economically.
Process Regulation – establishes the strategy
by which the process can be controlled
- Its other aspect, the study and control
dynamic response or the transient
behavior of the process to changes in
operating variables
The regulation of process operations involves
understanding of the following:
- In most situations, processes are
regulated, by the manipulation of the
flowrates of utility and process
streams
- Changes in the flowrates are achieved by
opening or closing of valves
INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL
OBJECTIVES
Safe plant operation
- To keep the process variables within
known safe operating limits.
- To detect dangerous situations as they
develop and to provide alarms and
automatic shut-down systems.
- To provide interlocks and alarms to
prevent dangerous operating procedures.
Production rate
- To achieve the designed product output
Product quality
- To maintain the product composition
within the specified quality standards
Cost
- To operate at the lowest production
cost, commensurate with the other
objectives
CONCEPTS (PART 2)
In a typical chemical processing plant, these
objectives are achieved by a combination of (1)
automatic control, (2) manual monitoring, and
(3) laboratory analysis
AUTOMATIC-CONTROL SCHEMES
Things to know:
- The detailed design and specification of
the automatic control schemes for a large
product is usually done by specialists.
- The process designer (the ChE), through
experience with similar plant and
assessment of the process, can do the
preparation of a preliminary scheme of
instrumentation and control, developed
from the process flowsheet.
- Many of the control loops will be
conventional and a detailed analysis of
the system behavior will not be needed,
nor justified.
- Judgement, based on experience, must
be used to decide which systems are
critical and need detailed analysis and
design.
GUIDELINES FOR THE AUTOMATIC-
CONTROL SCHEMES
Identify and draw in those control loops
that are obviously needed for steady-
state pant operation, such as
st
1 - Level controls
guide - Flow controls
- Pressure controls
- Temperature controls
Identify the key process variables that
need to be controlled to achieve the
specified product quality. Include control
2nd
loops using direct measurement of the
guide
controlled variable, where possible; if not
practicable, select a suitable dependent
variable.
Identify and include additional control
3rd loops required for safe operation which
guide may not be covered in the previous
steps.
Decide and show those ancillary
4th instruments needed for monitoring,
guide troubleshooting and development of
plant operations.
5th Decide on the location of sample
guide points.
Decide on the need for recorded and the
6th location of the readout points. This step
guide would be done in conjunction with
steps 1 to 4.
Decide on the alarms and interlocks
7th
needed; this would be done in
guide
conjunction with step 3.
IDENTIFY CONTROL ELEMENTS IN PFDs
INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL IN PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAMS
MODULE 2 PART 5 – Process Design & Development
ChE 45 – Chemical Engineering Design 1
Lapeña, Don Kim S.
CONVENTIONS IN IDENTIFYING CONTROL
ELEMENTS
For instruments – we identify/show
- Indicators
- Recorders
- Controllers
- Instrument lines
Conventions Used for Identifying
Instrumentation on P&IDs (ISA standard ISA-
S5-1)
Common examples of instrumentation and
control indications encountered in process
flow diagrams
A better representation indication
UNDERSTANDING A SEQUENCEOF
INSTRUMENTATION
Green arrow – a level sensing element (LE) is
located on the reflext drum V-104.
Yellow arrow – a level transmitter (LT) also
locaetd on V-104 sends an electrical signal
(designed by a dashed line) to a level indicator
and controller (LIC). This LIC is located in the
control room on the control panel or console (as
indicated by the horizontal line under LIC) and
can be observed by the operators
Blue arrow – from the LIC, an electrical signal is
sent to an instrument (LY) that computes
correct valve position and in turn sends a
pneumatic signal (indicated by a solid line with
cross-hatching) to active the control valve (LCV).
Purple arrow – high-level alarm (LAH) and low-
level alarm (LAL) are installed in the control room
to warn operators
TYPICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS
Level Control – in any equipment where an
interface exists between two phases (e.g. liquid
vapor), some means of maintaining the
interface at the required level must be
provided.
The control valve should be placed on the
discharge line from the pump.
Pressure control – necessary for most systems
handling vapor or gas. Alongside of this,
venting is the most common option. The method
of control will depend on the nature of the
process.
INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL IN PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAMS
MODULE 2 PART 5 – Process Design & Development
ChE 45 – Chemical Engineering Design 1
Lapeña, Don Kim S.
The scheme shown would not be used where the
vented gas was toxic, or valuable. In these
circumstances thevent should be taken to a
vent recovery system, such as a scrubber.
Other schemes of pressure control
At b – This happens at the top of the column
wherein there is a sitpoint for the pressure that
should apply. If the certain pressure already
exceed, the system will allow some of the non-
condensable to go out, therefore the pressure of
the column will go down.
At c – The amount of coolant would correspond
to the amount of vapor that is being condensed
that will also affect the pressure in the
condenser.
At d – If we control the amount of the condensed
vapor that goes out of this condenser therefore,
the heat transfer area is also being controlled
and it will directly affect the pressure inside of the
condenser.
FLOW CONTROL
Usually associated with inventory control in a
storage tank or other equipment that will provide
flow control on a compressor or pump running
at a fixed speed and supplying a near constant
volume output.
As shown in figures (a and b), a by-pass control
would be used.
In figure A – discrepancies in the volume of gas
flow from the set point is controlled by allowing a
portion of the gas stream to by-pass the pump
or the compressor if the flowrate becomes higher
than the set point.
- The degree of the control valve opening
depend on how far the actual flow rate
to that of the set point.
In figure B – the centrifugal flow of the
equipment allows flow control by degree of
control valve opening.
- The pressure control in a process is
similar shown in figure a.
HEAT EXCHANGER CONTROL
Figure a shows the simplest arrangement, the
temperature being controlled by varying the
flow of the cooling or heating medium.
Figure b is the scenario if the exchange is
between two process streams whose flows are
fixed, by-pass control will have to be used.
As with condensers, temperature control is not
effective in vaporizes since saturated vapor
temperature is constant at constant pressure.
- The amount of liquid feed present in the
vaporizer directly corresponds to the
level. This is often used for controlling
the steam supply to the heating surface.
The liquid feed to the vaporizer is on flow
control. Thus, an increase in the feed results
in an automatic increase in steam to the
vaporizer to vaporize the increased flow and
maintain the level constant.
INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL IN PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAMS
MODULE 2 PART 5 – Process Design & Development
ChE 45 – Chemical Engineering Design 1
Lapeña, Don Kim S.

CASCADE CONTROL Examples of Distillation column control

With this arrangement, the output of one
controller is used to adjust the set point of
another.
Cascade control can give smoother control in
situations where direct control of the variable
would lead to unstable operation.
- The “slave” controller can be used to
compensate for any short-term
variations in, say, a service stream flow,
which would upset the controlled variable;
the primary (master) controlling long-
term variations.

REACTOR CONTROL
In chemical reactors, the product is the most
important parameter to control.
Reliable on-line analyzer available – the
product composition can be monitored
continuously and the reactor conditions and feed
flows controlled automatically to maintain the
desired product composition and yield.
RATIO CONTROL - Reactor temperature will normally be
Used where it is desired to maintain two flows at controlled by regulating the flow of the
a constant ratio; for example, reactor feeds heating or cooling medium.
and distillation column reflux. - Pressure is usually held constant.
- Material balance control will be necessary
to maintain the correct flow of
reactants to the reactor and the flow of
products and unreacted materials from
the reactor.

The ratio control is sometimes called the flow

fraction controller (FFC)

DISTILLATION COLUMN CONTROL

A complex unit operation that requires more
control.
The primary objective is to maintain the
specified composition of the top and bottom
products, and any side streams, correcting for
the effects of disturbances in:
- Feed flow-rate, composition and
temperature
- Steam supply pressure
- Cooling water pressure and header
temperature
- ambient conditions, which cause changes
in internal reflux
ALARMS AND SAFETY TRIPS, AND
INTERLOCKS
Alarms are used to alert operator of serious,
potentially hazardous, deviations in process
conditions.
Key instruments are fitted with switches and
relays to operate audible and visual alarms on
the control pane and annunciator panels
Where delay, or lack of response, by the operator
is likely to lead to the rapid development of a
hazardous situation, the instrument would be
INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL IN PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAMS
MODULE 2 PART 5 – Process Design & Development
ChE 45 – Chemical Engineering Design 1
Lapeña, Don Kim S.

fitted with a trip system to take action

automatically to avert the hazard; such as
shutting down pumps, closing valves, operating
emergency systems.

The basic components of an automatic trip

system are:
- A sensor to monitor the control variable
and provide an output signal when a
preset value is exceeded (the
instrument).
- A link to transfer the signal to the
actuator, usually consisting of a system of
pneumatic or electric relays.
- An actuator to carry out the required
action; close or open a valve, switch off a
motor.

A safety trip can be incorporated in a control

loop

In this system, the high-temperature alarm

operates a solenoid valve, releasing the air on
the pneumatic activator, closing the valve on high
temperature.