Shell Heavy Oil Fractionator Problem

(adapted from Prett and Garca, Fundamental Process Control, Butterworths, 1988)
Consider multivariable, constrained control of a Shell Heavy Oil Fractionator (Figure 1) using
Model Predictive Control. The heavy oil fractionator is characterized by three product draws
and three side circulating loops. The heat requirement of the column enters with the feed,
which is a gaseous stream. Product specications for the top and side draw streams are
determined by economics and operating requirements. There is no product specication
for the bottom draw, but there is an operating constraint on the temperature in the lower
part of the column. The three circulating loops remove heat to achieve the desired product
separation. The heat exchangers in these loops reboil columns in other parts of the plant.
Therefore, they have varying heat duty requirements. The bottom loop has an enthalpy
controller which regulates heat removal in the loop by adjusting steam make. Its heat duty
can be used as a manipulated variable to control the column. The heat duties of the other
two loops act as disturbances to the column.
Top and Side Endpoints are the controlled variables, while Top Draw, Side Draw, and
Bottoms Reux Duty are available as manipulated variables, Bottoms Reux Temperature
is an Associated Variable. Disturbances enter the system via the Intermediate Reux Duty
(assumed measured) and Upper Reux Duties (treated as unmeasured).
Control Objectives:
1. Maintain the top and side draw product end points at specication (0.0 0.005 at
steady-state).
2. Maximize steam make in the steam generators (i.e., maximize heat removal) in the
bottom circulating reux (Important note: heat duties are expressed in terms of heat
input to the column. Decreasing heat duty implies increasing the amount of heat
removed).
3. Reject the disturbances entering the column from the upper and intermediate reuxes
due to change in heat duty requirements from other columns (Upper and intermediate
reux duties range between 0.5 and 0.5).
4. Keep the closed-loop speed of response between 0.8 and 1.25 of the open-loop process
bandwidth.
Control Constraints:
1. All draws and the Bottoms Reux Duty have hard maximum and minimum bounds of
0.5 and 0.5.
2. The Bottoms Reux Temperature, Top Endpoint, and Side Endpoint must be maintained within the maximum and minimum values of 0.5 and 0.5.
3. Maximum move size limitation on the manipulated variables is 0.20 per sampling time.
Use sampling time of 4 minutes.

PC
T
LC
FC

UPPER REFLUX
A

TOP DRAW

INTERMEDIATE REFLUX
T

SIDE
STRIPPER

LC

FC

SIDE DRAW

BOTTOMS REFLUX

Q(F,T)
CONTROL

LC

BOTTOMS
FEED

Figure 1: Heavy Oil Fractionator-Shell Control Problem

Kes
s + 1
Units for , are in minutes.

TOP
END
POINT
SIDE
END
POINT
TOP
TEMP
UPPER
REFLUX
TEMP
SIDE
DRAW
TEMP
INTER.
REFLUX
TEMP
BOTTOMS
REFLUX
TEMP

TOP DRAW

SIDE DRAW

K = 4.05
= 50
= 27
K = 5.39
= 50
= 18
K = 3.66
=9
=2
K = 5.92
= 12
= 11
K = 4.13
=8
=5
K = 4.06
= 13
=8
K = 4.38
= 33
= 20

K = 1.77
= 60
= 28
K = 5.72
= 60
= 14
K = 1.65
= 30
= 20
K = 2.54
= 27
= 12
K = 2.38
= 19
=7
K = 4.18
= 33
=4
K = 4.42
= 44
= 22

BOTTOMS
REFLUX
DUTY
K = 5.88
= 50
= 27
K = 6.90
= 40
= 15
K = 5.53
= 40
=2
K = 8.10
= 20
=2
K = 6.23
= 10
=2
K = 6.53
=9
=1
K = 7.20
= 19
=0

INTER. REFLUX
DUTY
K = 1.20
= 45
= 27
K = 1.52
= 25
= 15
K = 1.16
= 11
=0
K = 1.73
=5
=0
K = 1.31
=2
=0
K = 1.19
= 19
=0
K = 1.14
= 27
=0

Table 1: Nominal Heavy Oil Fractionator model

UPPER
REFLUX
DUTY
K = 1.44
= 40
= 27
K = 1.83
= 20
= 15
K = 1.27
=6
=0
K = 1.79
= 19
=0
K = 1.26
= 22
=0
K = 1.17
= 24
=0
K = 1.26
= 32
=0

Uncertainties in the Gains of the Model

TOP
END
POINT
SIDE
END
POINT
TOP
TEMP
UPPER
REFLUX
TEMP
SIDE
DRAW
TEMP
INTER.
REFLUX
TEMP
BOTTOMS
REFLUX
TEMP

TOP DRAW

SIDE DRAW

BOTTOMS
REFLUX
DUTY

INTER. REFLUX
DUTY

UPPER
REFLUX
DUTY

4.05 + 2.111

1.77 + 0.392

5.88 + 0.593

1.20 + 0.124

1.44 + 0.165

5.39 + 3.291

5.72 + 0.572

6.90 + 0.893

1.52 + 0.134

1.83 + 0.135

3.66 + 2.291

1.65 + 0.352

5.53 + 0.673

1.16 + 0.084

1.27 + 0.085

5.92 + 2.341

2.54 + 0.242

8.10 + 0.323

1.73 + 0.024

1.79 + 0.045

4.13 + 1.711

2.38 + 0.932

6.23 + 0.303

1.31 + 0.034

1.26 + 0.025

4.06 + 2.391

4.18 + 0.352

6.53 + 0.723

1.19 + 0.084

1.17 + 0.015

4.38 + 3.111

4.42 + 0.732

7.20 + 1.333

1.14 + 0.184

1.26 + 0.185

1 i 1 ;

i = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5