1/8/2014 Hand-in Exercise 3: Answers

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Hand-in Exercise 3: Answers
Flash Vessel
Pressure, Liquid to Feed Ratio, Temperature
In this example the first thing to think about is which flowrate is going to be used to regulate the ratio. It would
seem sensible to use the feed rate for the ratio leaving the liquid rate for the level in the flash vessel. The other
alternative would also work but not as directly.
For the pressure loop the most direct action would be to put the valve on the vapour line thus leaving the heat
input for the temperature which again is the most direct method.
A diagram showing these loops is shown below.
Pressure, Temperature, Vapour Rate
In this example the first loop to consider is the vapour flowrate. This is easily controlled using the vapour rate.
Next consider the temperature. Again it is possible to use the heat input.
Finally think about what is left - pressure and inventory - with two streams left to regulate - the feed and
liquid. The obvious choice, and in fact the only one that will work, is to use the feed for pressure and the
liquid rate for the inventory.
A diagram showing these loops is shown below.
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Pressure, Vapour Rate, liquid to feed ratio
Again for this example control the vapour rate in the usual manner.
Now think about the ratio. In this case one flowrate will regulate the ratio and the other one will regulate the
inventory. Again it could be either way but the most direct is to have the feed rate on the ratio control and the
liquid rate on the inventory.
This leaves the heat input to determine the pressure.
A diagram showing these loops is shown below.
Distillation Column
Pressure, Distillate Rate, Bottoms Rate, Bottoms Composition
In this example the first thing to consider is the distillate and bottoms rates. These can be controlled directly as
shown in the diagram.
The pressure of the column can be controlled in a number of different ways as discussed in the notes but for
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simplicity the direct condenser method is use in all these examples.
The bottoms composition can be controlled using the boilup rate. This leaves the top inventory in the reflux
drum controlled via the reflux rate and the bottoms inventory controlled via the feed rate.
A diagram showing these loops is shown below.
Pressure, Feed, High Purity Distillate Composition, Bottoms
Rate
As before the first loops to place are the feed rate and the bottoms rate. Next add in the high purity distillate
composition loop by controlling the quality via the distillate flowrate.
The pressure loop is next which is completed in the same way as before. Finally add the inventory loops. The
level in the reflux drum is controlled using the reflux flowrate and the inventory at the bottom of the column is
via the reboil rate.
A diagram showing these loops is shown below.
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Pressure, Feed, Distillate to Bottoms ratio, Bottoms
Composition
First loop to place on the diagram is the feed rate. Then it is easy to add the pressure loop.
Next consider the distillate to bottoms ratio. One method would be to use the bottoms flowrate to control the
ratio. This would leave the distillate flowrate to regulate either the bottoms composition or the inventory at the
bottom of the column. This would be very undesirable due to the time lag involved caused by the level on the
plates.
A much better solution would be to use the distillate flowrate for the ratio leaving the bottoms flowrate for the
inventory at the bottom of the column and the reboil rate for the composition although again these two loop
are interchangeable.
The inventory at the top of the column is regulated via the reflux rate.
A diagram showing these loops is shown below.
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