Simulation and Design of a

Process Control System for

a Pilot Plant-Scale
Distillation Unit
Washington University
Department of Chemical Engineering
Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering

Bia Henriques
Jonathan Lowe
Rachel Vazzi
Kwaku Opoku-Mensah
December 2004

Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory

 Overview
Introduction
Methodology
Problem Segmentation
Steady State Vs. Dynamic
Assumed Process
Challenges
DeltaV Control Blocks
Testing Procedures
Team Work
Control Diagrams and Graphics
Wrong and Right
Interface Demo
Accomplishments
Future Work
Lessons Learned

Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory

 Introduction
Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville Federal
Corn to Ethanol Pilot Plant needs simulation of its
ethanol distillation unit

Washington University partnered with SIUE to

provide this service to achieve a better way of
predicting the system’s behavior

Assumptions
No solids in inlet stream
Degasser treated as 2-tray column instead of separator
Did not include all control loops

Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory

 Methodology

Design and setup of control system for distillation unit

Distillation unit simulation performed in Hysys to
predict steady state and dynamic behavior of process
Process control instrumentation simulated in Hysys for
dynamic state
Process control system configured in DeltaV in both
control studio and explorer
Both simulations interfaced so the behavior of the
control system can be studied when a load change is
made in Hysys

Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory

 Problem Segmentation

P&IDs used to build graphics for DeltaV

Hysys used to simulate process

DeltaV used to control process

Programs interfaced to provide optimum process

control design

Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory

 Steady State Vs. Dynamic

Hysys model must be configured to run both in

steady-state and dynamic mode

Temperature and pressure profiles for streams and

equipment connected need to match in dynamic mode

Tank sizes, valve sizing, and inlet conditions must

remain constant throughout

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 Assumed Process

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 Challenges

Hysys would not run dynamics if solids existed in

streams
Cascade mode would not work without external
references in DeltaV
Hysys would not switch to dynamics if all 3 columns
were present
Simplified the process to get it to work
Created own dynamos in DeltaV because the ones
found in the library did not match the P&IDs
Required more overall time and effort than was
originally predicted

Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory

 DeltaV Control Blocks

PID

AI

AO

CALC

External References

Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory

 Testing Procedure

Testing reasonability of HYSYS simulation

Testing reactions of the DeltaV control system prior to

link to HYSYS

Test the linked systems

Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory

 TeamWork
TEAM DUNCAN!!!
Bia Henriques (Captain)
Hysys simulation and implementation
Jonathan Lowe
DeltaV simulation, module design and implementation
Kwaku Opoku-Mensah and Rachel Vazzi
DeltaV graphic design and implementation

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 AI

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 PID

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 PID with Cascade

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 Heat Exchanger

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 Beer Well P&ID

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 Beer Well DeltaV Graphic

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 Hysys Simulation

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 What Went Wrong/Right

Wrong:
• Hysys dynamic mode did not behave correctly

• Mass balance around column did not sum

Right:
Creation of DeltaV graphics went smoothly

DeltaV configuration works sufficiently

Steady-state Hysys converged properly

Hysys and DeltaV talked correctly

Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory

 Accomplishments

Each of us learned new skills in DeltaV or Hysys

A real-world process was modeled and controlled in

the lab

This model, once perfected, could be used to estimate

costs and feasibility of process control

Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory

 Future Work

Tune model to achieve process optimization of pilot

plant thus increasing ethanol production

Create full interactive model of pilot plant in HYSYS

and DeltaV

Design process control system for other unit

operations in the pilot plant

Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory

 Lessons Learned

Jonathan & Bia: Hysys dynamic mode, linking

DeltaV and Hysys

Kwaku & Rachel: DeltaV graphics, configuration,

reading PnID’s, linking DeltaV graphics and
configuration

References:
http://www.meadmadecomplicated.org/science/fermentation.html
http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/jitkangl/Fermentation%20of%20Eth
anol/Fermentation%20of%20Ethanol.htm

Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory

 Acknowledgements

Thanks to Dr. Terry Tolliver for assisting with the

simulation of the SIUE pilot plant.

Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory

 The End
QUESTIONS???

Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory