International Journal of Scientific Engineering and Science

Volume 2, Issue 3, pp. 43-45, 2018. ISSN (Online): 2456-7361

Online Top Composition Prediction of a Distillation

Column Using Feedforward Neural Network
Nasser Mohamed Ramli1, Bawadi Abdullah1
1
Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak,
Malaysia-32610

Abstract—The development of neural network prediction had widely discovered by the industrial world nowadays. The efficiency of predicting
and manipulating the outcome of the input based on the given functions makes neural network favourable. Neural Network which inspired by
the brain neural system itself also capable of dealing with the non-linear functions which make it suitable for controlling complex operation
units such as distillation column. By the mean of study, this paper will be looking into feed forward neural network prediction. The main focus is
to validate the efficiency of feed forward neural network in producing the expected composition as the output. The research will be conducted
step by step by firstly gathering the relevant data from the distillation column. It will then be proceed with data analysis and validation of each
component. This study will utilized the MATLAB software to produce the expected results. The study is expected to come with persuasive results
on the effectiveness of feed forward neural network prediction.

Keywords— Online prediction; neural network; distillation column.

I. INTRODUCTION II. METHODOLOGY

Neural network prediction is one of the type of process model
of the column. The network uses a different approach of
modelling process behaviour as the history of the process
phenomena becomes unnecessary. It is taught to replicate a
process by a „training‟ command with necessary data
regarding the targeted subject. The network creates its own
model based on the introduced input and output data during
the training and optimization process. Model that has being
created can use to predict the output for a given input [1]. In
short, the network is capable of handling complex data such as
from chemical process, manufacturing, or commercial that
mostly has algorithm but with high amount of variables [2].
Feed forward neural network is one of the simplest type of
neural network. Feed forward optimize the mechanism of back
propagation which referred to gradient computations for
nonlinear multilayer network. This type propagations has a
typical structure of network. The network is consist of three
basic layers which are; input, output, and hidden layer. Each
layer is connected to each other with respective arrangement.
The number of each layer is depended on the type of
component that is to be examined and the transfer function
that is used. Back propagations can be manipulated with three
transfer function; pure linear, log-sigmoid, and tan-sigmoid.
[3].
In oil and gas industry, the urge of maintaining product values
on quality is highly depended on the efficiency of the
equipment. One of the significant units in oil and gas refinery
plant is distillation column. Distillation column which
operates to recover n-butane from a stream is highly important
as it determine the quality of the gas produced. The current
practice quality control for a column usually takes one day for
lab sampling and analysis. Thus, an alternative approach of
using neural network prediction is subsequently recommended
[4].
An overview study of the research is conducted. The study
mainly about neural network, types of the network, the
purpose of the network, background study on distillation
column, and MATLAB software.
A problem statement is to be raise to create a clear
objective of the research. The problem statement is made
based on literature review and other work by previous
researches.
Data gathering and organizing: Data for distillation column
is obtained. The data consist of the information of major
component of a distillation column such as C3, n-C4, i-C4,
i- C5, and n-C5.
Neural Network construction: Neural network m-file is
developed in a MATLAB software. All of the important
algorithm regarding neural network is taken into account.
Result which will be produced by MATLAB is analysed and
justified. The result will justify the effectiveness of neural
network control application in a distillation column.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The research has been conducted for not partitioned data
set. MATLAB and MICROSOFT EXCEL had been used to
display the related results
A. Neural Network Development on C3,i-C4, n-C4 and n-C5
(without partitioning)
Based on the trial and method, it has been found that the
feed forward neural network control for without partitioning
data arrangement is highly compatible with tan sigmoid
transfer function for all input, hidden layer, and output. This
because, the transfer functions arrangement shows the best
results as compared to the other arrangement
Neural Network for C3 Output
Optimum number of neuron = 30
Maximum number of epochs set = 100

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 International Journal of Scientific Engineering and Science
Volume 2, Issue 3, pp. 43-45, 2018. ISSN (Online): 2456-7361

Best Training Performance is 0.021023 at epoch 100

10
1 Training: R=0.97947
1
Train
Data
Best
0.8 Fit
Goal
Y=T
Mean Squared Error (mse)

0
10 0.6

Output ~= 0.96*Target + -0.0069

0.4

-1 0.2
10
0

-0.2
-2
10
-0.4

-0.6

-3
10 -0.8
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
100 Epochs -1
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1
Fig. 1. MSE verses Epochs for C3 at number of neuron in the hidden layer Target
=30, maximum epochs set = 100.
Fig. 4. Regression for i-C4 at number of neuron in the hidden layer = 40,
Training: R=0.94328
1 maximum epochs set = 100.
Data
0.8 Fit
Y=T
Neural Network for n-C4 Output
0.6 Optimum number of neuron = 30
Output ~= 0.87*Target + -0.063

Maximum number of epochs set = 100

0.4

0.2
Best Training Performance is 0.0099503 at epoch 97
0
10
Train
0
Best
Goal
-0.2
Mean Squared Error (mse)

-0.4 -1
10

-0.6

-0.8

-2
-1 10
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1
Target

Fig. 2. Regression for Propane at number of neuron in the hidden layer= 30,
maximum epochs set = 100. 10
-3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Neural Network for i-C4 Output 97 Epochs

Optimum number of neuron = 40 Fig. 5.MSE verses Epochs for n-C4 at number of neuron in the hidden layer
=30, maximum epochs set = 100.
Maximum number of epochs set = 100
Training: R=0.97201
Best Training Performance is 0.0099726 at epoch 97 1
1 Data
10
Train 0.8 Fit
Best Y = T
Goal 0.6
Output ~= 0.94*Target + 0.04
Mean Squared Error (mse)

0
10 0.4

0.2

-1 0
10

-0.2

-0.4
-2
10
-0.6

-0.8
-3
10
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 -1
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1
97 Epochs Target
Fig. 3. MSE verses Epochs for i-C4 at number of neuron in the hidden .
layer=40, maximum epochs. Fig. 6. Regression for n-C4 at number of neuron in the hidden layer = 30,
maximum epochs set = 100.

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 International Journal of Scientific Engineering and Science
Volume 2, Issue 3, pp. 43-45, 2018. ISSN (Online): 2456-7361

Neural Network for n-C5 Output

Training: R=0.90444
Optimum number of neuron = 20 1
Maximum number of epochs set = 100 Data
0.8 Fit
Y=T
Best Training Performance is 0.0099749 at epoch 76
1 0.6

Output ~= 0.81*Target + -0.0047

10
Train
Best 0.4
Goal
Mean Squared Error (mse)

0 0.2
10

-1 -0.2
10

-0.4

-2
-0.6
10
-0.8

-1
-3 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1
10
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Target
76 Epochs
Fig. 7. MSE verses Epochs for n-C5 at number of neuron in the hidden layer Fig. 10. Regression for i-C5 at number of neuron in the hidden layer = 33,
=20, maximum epochs set = 100. maximum epochs set = 100.
Training: R=0.94887
1 All of the result is produced by trial and error method. The
Data number of hidden layer is manipulated in order to obtain the
0.8 Fit
Y = T best result. A good result is determined by low RMSE value
0.6 and high R value (approaching to 1).
Output ~= 0.89*Target + -0.068

0.4
IV. CONCLUSION
0.2
Through the process, feed forward neural network control
0
had shown a promising result. It has proven itself to be a good
-0.2 prediction for a distillation column by observing the results in
-0.4
term of Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) value and
Regression value of actual against simulated data.
-0.6

-0.8
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Fig. 8. Regression for n-C5 at number of neuron in the hidden layer = 20, [2] Leslie Smith, “Centre of Cognitive and Computational,” Neuroscience.
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Based Artificial Neural Network Model,” Neurocomputing, vol. 2, issue
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-3
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Fig. 9. MSE verses Epochs for i-C5 at number of neuron in the hidden layer
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