How to Compensate Pressure Changes in Temperature Control

Temperature control is an essential conditions of many industrial processes. Pressure changes, nevertheless can quite
drastically interface with temperature monitoring. Heres a look at some controls that when used correctly give the desired
results...
In the operation of distillation columns, feedback controllers controlling compositions of product streams are employed to operate
columns at desired product specifications. The process variable for these feedback composition controllers, are actual stream
compositions measured either on-line or in laboratories. Main drawback of this technique is high dynamic lag and large time
constant of analyser system loop.
Alternatively, Tray temperature is often used as process variable to calculate stream compositions rather than complex analyser
systems. Temperature control is an easy and inexpensive way of composition control as it uses high reliability and low
maintenance measuring element. However, temperature control can suffer from pressure variations in the column, as column
temperature can change due to variations in column pressure at fixed composition.
Changing Pressure Affects Temperature Control
Temperature controller may interpret change in column pressure as change in composition and would send a corrective signal.
This false signal could lead to disturbances in the column operation. Generally with columns operating under high pressures,
change in pressure doesnt have considerable impact on temperature control. Effect of change of column pressure on temperature
control is more prominent in low pressure columns and especially in columns operating under vacuum.
lso, effect of pressure change in case of close separation columns is more pronounced as temperature variation with composition is
small and even small effect of pressure change on temperature can appear relatively large. Thus, in such cases pressure
compensation is provided to temperature control. The article illustrates pressure compensated temperature calculations with
industrial examples of Deisobutanizer and Debutanizer columns in refinery applications.
When pressure compensation is provided, it is required to generate an equation which can give satisfactory correlation between
column pressure and control temperature i.e. vapour pressure and saturation temperature. Vapour pressure is, in general, a
nonlinear function of temperature and composition. Most vapour-pressure equations are empirical equations derived from
integration of the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. These equations are for pure components and coefficients are obtained by
experimental procedures.
Use of linear equation is also reported for this purpose; however, this has a low accuracy and is correct for small variations only.
For this particular case study, well known Antoines equation is used. The methodology described in the article by Jerald Linslley
is used here i.e. vapour pressure (Antoines) equation for pure component is applied directly to a mixture and empirical
coefficients are determined as if the mixture were some pseudo-pure component. In the current text, Antoines equation is
linearized and coefficients are estimated using multivariable linear regression data analysis tool of MS Excel 2010.
System Description: There are four distillation columns in one of the refinery units, operating at various pressures. Out of these
four columns pressure compensation is provided for two columns only, i.e. Deisobutanizer and Debutanizer, which operate at
comparatively lower pressure. These columns are explained in detail below.
Temperature Control in Isobuatne Separation
1. Deisobutanizer: Deisobutanizer (DIB) is a superfractionator that separates isobutane (i-C4) from normal butane (n-C4) plus
heavier products. The DIB tower has 80 trays which are required to separate the close-boilingpoint components, isobutane and
normal butane. Ideally, it is desired to produce the highest purity isobutane in the distillate product and minimize isobutane losses
to the bottoms. DIB has three feeds from various sources. DIB has an air-cooled total condenser and thermosyphon reboiler. Refer
figure 1 for schematic of DIB. Operating conditions of Deisobutanizer are mentioned in table 1.

DIB Control Schemes

Pressure control: The tower pressure is controlled by partially flooding tube bundle of an air cooled condenser by operating a
butterfly valve located at the condenser outlet. If the overhead pressure increases above the set point, the butterfly valve opens and
exposes more heat transfer surface allowing more overhead gas to condense; conversely, if the overhead pressure falls below the
set point, the butterfly valve closes, submerging more tubes and allowing less gas to condense, which leads to increase in the
pressure.
Pressure Control is Essential
Temperature control: Tower heat balance is maintained by controlling the pressure compensated temperature of the vapour
stream of the column bottom tray. This controller resets the flow of low pressure steam to reboiler via direct acting flow
controller.
This controller in turn achieves proper reboiler duty by adjusting the set point of condensate pot level controller, which exposes
proper number of tubes and thus the proper amount of heat transfer surface for condensation in the reboiler.
Deisobutanizer ColumnPCTControl
Problem statement Inferential temperature control is employed in Deisobutanizer which is separating isobutane from the mixture
of butane and heavier hydrocarbons. Temperature transmitter is located at the first tray from the bottom in the column. Pressure
compensation is provided to eliminate the effects of pressure variations in the column.
Pressure transmitter used for pressure compensation is also located at the bottom most tray. Correlation of pressure temperature
has to be developed and values of coefficients in the equation are to be determined.
Analysis: As explained above, in the current scenario, Antoines equation for pure component is applied to the mixture of
hydrocarbons. Vapour pressure and corresponding saturation temperature data for the tray composition is required to determine
the coefficients of the equation. Here, since the temperature transmitter is located on the first tray, bottom product composition is
considered for calculations. Since this is a grass root set up and no operating data is available, the required bubble point - pressure
data is generated for the bottom product composition using Pro-II (table 2) simulation.

The Effect of Steam Pressure on Temperature Control

Effect of changes in Deisobutanizer column pressure on temperature is studied. It is observed from table 2 that column
temperature may vary by about 70C i.e. from 121 to 1280C even if pressure varies by (+/-) 0.5 Kg/cm2 from operating pressure.
The pressure variations could disturb the column temperature control system. Thus pressure compensation is essential to nullify
the effect of pressure change.
Antoines equation is given by
ln P = A - B / (T + C) (1)
Antoines equation is linearized to eq. 2
ln P = A + (AC-B) / T - C (ln P)/T (2)
Coefficients of the above equation are determined using multivariable linear regression data analysis tool of MS Excel 2010.
Antoines equation can be re-written in the form mentioned below

Where
Patm = Atmospheric Pressure
Pmeasured = Measured column Pressure (kg/cm2g)
Tcorrected = Saturation Temperature corresponding to Pmeasured (0C)

Results: Equation 3 is used to get corrected temperature after pressure compensation. Temperature controller compares this
corrected temperature with actual measured temperature and takes corrective action. The values of the coefficients of the equation
are calculated and mentioned in table 3.

Table 3: Antoines equation coefficients for Deisobutanizer column PCT control (Source: Aker Solutions)
The values of the coefficients are derived from the simulated data in the absence of actual plant operating data. Thus these
coefficients need to be fine-tuned during operation.
Vapour pressure vs. Temperature data from PRO II and from equation 3 with coefficients from table 3 are plotted in figure 2.
From the plot it is evident that the vapour pressure data calculated from equation 3 is in close agreement with PRO II simulation.
Vapour Pressure vs. Temperature
2. Debutanizer: The Debutanizer separates normal butane (n-C4) from C6 plus heavier hydrocarbons. Normal butane is produced
as an overhead product and is sent to tankage. The large difference in boiling points makes this a relatively easy separation.
Debutanizer has an air-cooled total condenser and thermosyphon reboiler. Refer figure 3 for schematic of Debutanizer column.
Operating conditions of Debutanizer are mentioned in table 4.

Table 4: Debutanizer column operating conditions (Source: Aker Solutions)

Debutanizer control schemes: Control scheme of debutanizer is similar to that of Deisobutanizer column.
Temperature control: Tower heat balance is maintained by controlling the pressure compensated temperature of the downcomer
liquid from the sixth tray from bottom. This controller resets the flow of medium pressure steam to the reboiler via direct acting
flow controller. This controller in turn achieves proper reboiler duty by adjusting the set point of condensate pot level controller,
which exposes proper number of tubes and thus the proper amount of heat transfer surface for condensation in the reboiler.
Debutanizer column- PCT Control: Problem statement Inferential temperature control is employed in Debutanizer column
which is separating butane from the mixture of heavier hydrocarbons. Temperature transmitter is located at the sixth tray from the
bottom in the column. Pressure compensation is provided to eliminate the effects of pressure variations in the column. Pressure
transmitter used for pressure compensation is located at the bottom most tray. Pressure temperature correlation is to be
developed and values of coefficients in the equation are to be determined.
Analysis: In this scenario, tray composition where the temperature transmitter is located (i.e. sixth tray from bottom) would be
different than bottom product composition. Thus Debutanizer column is simulated using PRO II to get the composition at sixth
tray. For this composition, required bubble point - pressure data is generated using Pro II and is mentioned in table 5.
Effect of changes in Debutanizer pressure on temperature is studied. It is observed from the table 5 that column temperature may
vary by about 80C i.e. from 102 to 1100C even if pressure varies by (+/-) 0.5 Kg/cm2 from operating pressure. Thus pressure
compensation is essential to nullify the effect of pressure change.

Table 5: Bubble point Pressure data for Debutanizer column from Pro II (Source: Aker Solutions)
Pressure Drops Within the Column
Antoines equation (eq. 3) can be updated for debutanizer PCT as below

Controlling process parameters is vital to satisfactory operation of critical fractionators (Source: Aker Solutions)
Where, dp = Pressure drop from pressure measurement to temperature point (kg/cm2) (assumed constant) (It is subtracted from
Pmeasured as pressure measurement point is below the temperature point in the column).
When the control temperature and control pressure are measured at two different locations in the column, pressure drop between
the measuring points needs to be added or subtracted depending on the location of respective transmitters. E.g. if the pressure
transmitter is located below the temperature transmitter, pressure drop across respective transmitters shall be subtracted to get the
column pressure at the tray where temperature transmitter is located. In case of Deisobutanizer column, pressure transmitter and
temperature transmitter were located at the same tray, thus dp term was set to zero.
Fine Tuning Required for Pressure Control
Results: Antoines equation (eq. 4) is used to get corrected temperature after pressure compensation.
Temperature controller compares this corrected temperature with actual measured temperature and takes corrective action. The
values of the coefficients of the equation are determined from regression data analysis tool of MS Excel 2010 and are mentioned
in table 6. Pressure drop term dp is worked out from actual vendor data. Since values of these coefficients are derived from the
simulated data and not from actual plant operating data, these coefficients need to be fine-tuned during actual operation of
column.

Controlling process parameters is vital to satisfactory operation of critical fractionators (Source: Aker Solutions)
Vapour pressure vs. Temperature data from PRO II and from Antoines equation with coefficients from table 6 are plotted in
figure 4. From the plot it is evident that the vapour pressure data calculated from Antoines equation is in close agreement with
PRO II simulation.
Calcuation withA ntoine's Equation An Inexpensive Solution
Major drawback associated with inferential temperature control is misinterpretation of temperature change as a composition
change due to pressure variations in distillation columns. This drawback can be overcome by implementing an inexpensive
pressure compensated temperature control technique as illustrated in this text. Antoines equation can be used effectively for
calculation of pressure compensated temperature for hydrocarbon systems.