Advanced Process Control

A Real World Example

Jim English
UT Graduate, ChE ‘04
April 27, 2006
 Introduction

• Who am I?

• Who is Air Liquide?

 Why am I here?

• “Real World” example

• Some notes from industry

 So what’s the story?

• HyCO = Hydrogen + Carbon Monoxide

• How does the HyCO work? (Go to PFD)

• Amine System (Go to Amine)

 HyCO Process Flow

Natural Gas
Amine
+ Reformer Dryers
Steam System
(Reactions) (Details)

Cold
Hydrogen PSA Membranes
Box

CO
 Reformer Reactions

Natural Gas Reforming:

– CH4 + H2O ↔ 3H2 + CO

Water Shift Reaction ~60’

– CO + H2O ↔ H2 + CO2

• Back to PFD
 Amine System
Process CO2
Gas
Outlet

Reboiler

Amine Stripper
(Inside)
Absorber
Process
Gas
Inlet
System
Heat
Exchanger
 Pictures Inside

Top Wall

Reboiler

X
Re-
boiler
Stripper
 Pictures Inside

Downcomer Tray Missing Clips

Re-
X boiler
Stripper
 Pictures Inside
Steam Deflector Plate

Re-
boiler
Stripper
X
So What Next?
 Form the Team

• Research & Development

• Engineering & Design
• Process Control Experts
• Plant Operations
• HyCO Personnel
 What’s our Goal?
• Reduce corrosion in the stripper…

• While maintaining absorber’s CO2 removal

 But Why?
• If we have to replace stripper packing…

– $50,000 for packing

– Plant shutdown = lost product revenue

– Packing degradation ruined 2 pumps ($$$)

 What’s Important?...

• Constraint Variables

• Manipulated Variables

• Disturbance Variables
 Which Allows Us To…

CV Target

CV Value
MVPC MV Setpoint
MV History
Controller
DV History
 Amine System Revisited
CO2
Process CV CV
Gas
Outlet CV

Reboiler

Stripper MV
CV Absorber
Process Heat
Exchanger
Gas
Inlet DV
CV
CV

MV
 How do these guys interact?
MVs Stripper Reboiler Amine Recirc Total CO2 Flow
CVs

Stripper Ovhd Temp ? ? ?

CO2 Slip ? ? ?

Rich Liquid Loading ? ? ?

Stripper Top DP ? ? ?

Stripper Bottom DP ? ? ?

Absorber DP ? ? ?
 Next came the tough part
• Test & collect process
reaction curves

• Import to Excel &

Matlab

• Fit First Order plus

Time Delay models
Example Step Response

(0.5)

G = 0.5
τ = 4.5
θ = 3.0

θ (3.0) τ (7.5)
 Now we Know
MVs Stripper Reboiler Amine Recirc Total CO2 Flow
CVs

Stripper Ovhd Temp Modeled

CO2 Slip Modeled Modeled Modeled

Rich Liquid Loading Modeled Modeled

Stripper Top DP Modeled Modeled

Stripper Bottom DP Modeled Modeled

Absorber DP Modeled Modeled

Inserting Models into MVPC…
 Overall Results
Corrision Temperature
235°F 235°F

230°F

230°F
225°F
Post Implementation
220°F
225°F
215°F

220°F
• Reduced average temperature by 5°F (225°F to 220°F)
• 215°F
Decreased
T standard T 60%
deviation by
= 225 ± 10°F = 220 (10°F
± 4°Fto 4°F)
avg avg
 Miscellaneous

• Project Updates

• Tools used

• Tasks performed
 Conclusions
• Important Factors:

– ENTIRE team

– We reduced the risk of corrosion!

– Project’s success is leading to further MVPC

around the plant’s reformer
Thanks!

Questions?