Process Operability Class

Materials
Process Flexibility
Design with

Basic flowsheet

Operability

LC
1

FC
1

Copyright Thomas Marlin 2013

The copyright holder provides a royalty-free license for use of this
material at non-profit educational institutions

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

PROCESS OPERABILITY: FLEXIBILITY

In this Lesson, we will learn

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

Why do we need flexibility in a design?

- Distillation

Deciding what to achieve (control)

- Principles:Control Objectives
- Example: Bioreactor

Locating the flexibility: how many and where?

- Principles: Degrees of freedom and Controllability
- Blending, CSTR, heat exchange, bioreactor

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

Why
flexibility
?

FLEXIBILITY

Without flexibility, the process

bl
a
t
ep
c
c
una
e

2. Flexibility/
controllability

Does not respond to changes in set points

3. Reliability

Responds to all disturbances that change

product qualities, production rates and can lead
to unsafe operation!

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

With flexibility, the process

We need to
steer the
process

Achieves set points

Compensates for all disturbances so that

product qualities, production rates and safety
are achieved.

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

Why
flexibility
?

FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility enables us to adjust the plant operation

after the equipment has been designed. It requires
spare capacity in selected equipment and extra
equipment to adjust operation.

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

Spare capacity in pumps, valve, heat

exchangers, vessels, motor speed, etc.

5. Efficiency &
profitability

Additional equipment includes pipes and

valves

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

- Adjust flows (especially utility) to equipment;

utility = cooling water, steam, fuel, air,
nitrogen, hydrogen, .
- Enable flow to (partially) by-pass equipment

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

Why
flexibility
?

FLEXIBILITY

We have designed for an

operating window. Now we
must move around in it to
achieve the desired point.
What equipment must we add
to the distillation tower?

5. Efficiency &
profitability

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

What uncertainty exists

L-V equil, heat
transfer, flow, etc.
What disturbances occur?
Feed composition,
enthalpy, & rate
CW temperature
Reboiler temperature

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

What defines a point

Feed flow rate
Pressure
Levels
Distillate composition
Bottoms composition

FV

What is adjusted
??
??
??

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

Why
flexibility
?

FLEXIBILITY

What equipment must we add to the distillation tower?

2. Flexibility/
controllability

We add a
valve to every
adjustable flow.

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

FV

We could
have alternative
feed trays, with
manual valves used
to change the tray.
Naturally, the
equipment must
have capacity

Key Operability
issues

What to
achieve?

1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

FLEXIBILITY
How do we decide what to control?

1. Safety
2. Environmental
Protection
3. Equipment
protection
4. Smooth operation
production rate

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

T6

T1

T2

F1

T4

P1

7. Monitoring &
diagnosis

Vapor
product

T5

Feed
T3

L1

5. Product quality
6. High profit

7. Dynamic
Performance

Give example

F2

Process
fluid

F3

Steam

A1
L. Key

Liquid
product

See Chapter 2 of Marlin (2000) for solution

Key Operability
issues

What to
achieve?

FLEXIBILITY

1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

Class Workshop: We are designing a batch

bioreactor. Define the the control objectives,
specifically the variables to be controlled.

3. Reliability

Variables to
satisfy desired
trajectory

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

time

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

FLEXIBILITY

How do we decide what to manipulate?

How much - We provide capacity to achieve an
operating window with specified size; see
Operating Window topic.
How many How many flexible items are needed?
Where - We need flexibility (adjustable variables)
that influence the operating variables that define
the point we want to achieve.
We can check a point using a flowsheeting program. We can
determine which manipulated variables change and by how
much. But, this takes lots of time to check many points.

Key Operability
issues

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

FLEXIBILITY How many?

DEGREES OF FREEDOM

How do we determine the maximum number of variables

that be controlled in a process?
How do we determine the minimum number of adjustable
variables to achieve desired values for specified variables?

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

v8
F2
F1

T1

T3

v3
T4

F5

T5
F3

v5

v6
v7

T2

Hot Oil

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

P1

F4

L1

v1
v2

7. Dynamic
Performance

T6

T8
T9

Hot Oil

F6

T7

L2

Key Operability
issues

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

FLEXIBILITY How many?

1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

DEGREES OF FREEDOM
A requirement for a successful design is:
The number of valves (adjustable variables)
number of variables to be achieved (controlled)
v8

5. Efficiency &
profitability

F2
F1

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

T1

T3

v3
T4

F5

T5
F3

T6

L1

v1

v5
v2

v6
v7

T2

Hot Oil

T8
T9

Hot Oil
v4

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

P1

F4

F6

T7

L2

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

FLEXIBILITY Where?

We need independent causal relationships between

the adjusted and controlled variables. Remember,
interaction can exist, but desired points must be able
to be achieved. See three cases from Process Control.
Two drivers can
achieve
independent
positions without
interaction

Two drivers can

achieve
independent
positions with
interaction

Two drivers cannot

achieve
independent
positions. They are
linked

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

Independent

Connected by
Interaction
spring

Connected by
Linearly
beam
dependent

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

FLEXIBILITY Where?

CONTROLLABILITY: A system is controllable if its

CVs can be maintained at the set points, in the
steady-state, in spite of disturbances entering the
system.
Model for 2x2 system in deviation variables

CV1 0 K11

CV2 0 K 21

K12

K 22

MV1 K d 1

K D
MV2 d 2

A system is controllable when the matrix of process

gains can be inverted, i.e., when
the determinant of K 0.

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

FLEXIBILITY

Controllability Class Workshop: Can we achieve

desired blended flow and composition by adjusting the
valves?

3. Reliability

Blending Process

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

FA, xA
FM, xAM

FS, xAS = 0

Total flow and composition

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

FLEXIBILITY

Controllability Class Workshop: Can we achieve

desired blended flow and composition by adjusting the
valves?
Blending Process

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

FA, xA
Connected
by spring

FM, xAM

FS, xAS = 0
F'M F' A F'S

FS

x' AM

(Fs FA )

Yes, this system

is controllable!

FA'
ss

FA

FS'

(Fs FA )

ss

FS
FA
Det ( K )

0
2
2
( FA FS )
( FA FS )

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

Controllability Class Workshop: Can we achieve

desired values for the sensors by adjusting the valves?

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

FLEXIBILITY

Non-isothermal Chemical Reactor

Pure A feed

v1

CB

A B + 2C

-rA = k0 e -E/RT CA

CC
v2

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

FLEXIBILITY

Controllability Class Workshop: Can we achieve

desired values for the sensors by adjusting the valves?
v1
A
CB

A B + 2C

CC
5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

v2

Connected
by beam

-rA = k0 e -E/RT CA

C B 0 K11
C 0 2 K
11
C

K12
2 K12

MV1
MV
2

Det (K) = 0; No! The system is not controllable!

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

FLEXIBILITY

Controllability Class Workshop: Add flexibility to the

heat exchanger to achieve the goal for three different
scenarios.

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

Goal: Maintain cold effluent Tcold at a desired value

Freedom to adjust flows

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

T
Stream A
(cold)

Stream B
(hot)

Stream A

Stream B

1. Constant

Adjustable

2. Adjustable

Constant

3. Constant

Constant

Key Operability
issues

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

FLEXIBILITY

1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

1
TC
Stream A
(cold)

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

Freedom to adjust flows

Stream A

Stream B

1. Constant

Adjustable

2. Adjustable

Constant

3. Constant

Constant

Stream B
(hot)

3
TC

6. Operation
during
transitions

TC
Stream A
(cold)

Stream A
(cold)

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

Stream B
(hot)

It is not typical to adjust a stream flow to control its

temperature; if the temperature is important, likely the
flow rate is also important. But, this design will function.

Stream B
(hot)

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

FLEXIBILITY

Controllability Class Workshop: Add flexibility to the

heat exchanger to achieve the goals.
Goals: Maintain cold effluent at Tcold and
Maintain hot effluent at Thot
T

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

Stream A
(cold)

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

Stream B
(hot)

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

Goals:

FLEXIBILITY

Maintain cold effluent at Tcold and Maintain hot effluent at Thot

Energy balance on each

stream

QHot FHot C p H ( THout THin )

Stream A
(cold)

QCold FCold C pC ( TCout TCin )

Equipment model with
U= f(FH, FC)

Stream B
(hot)

Q UAY (T ) lm
From an energy balance on entire system:
QHot = Qcold

Connected
by beam

It is not possible to satisfy both energy balances by adjusting

the flows. (We would have to adjust the inlet temperatures,
which would seem to defeat the purpose of the heat exchanger.)

Key Operability
issues

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

1. Operating
window

Flexibility Workshop: We heat a stream with

several process streams, which recovers energy
efficiently.

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

FLEXIBILITY

What disturbances can occur?

What set point changes can occur?

No stream flow rate can be manipulated. What flexibility is

needed to achieve the desired outlet temperature?

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

FLEXIBILITY

Disturbances:

Set points:

Fluid inlet
temperatures

Outlet temperature

Fluid inlet flow rates

T

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

Class Exercise: Add flexibility

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility: If the final process-fluid heat exchanger

has a outlet temperature that is high enough to
achieve the desired value, a by-pass could be used.

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection
TC

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility: If the final process-fluid heat exchanger

has a outlet temperature that is not high enough to
achieve the desired value, an additional source is
required; here the source is a fired heater.

4. Safety &
equipment
protection
PIC
1

5. Efficiency &
profitability

AT
1
FT
1

PI
4

TI
1

PI
5
TI
5

TI
2

6. Operation
during
transitions

TI
3

TI
7

TI
4

TI
8

FT
2

7. Dynamic
Performance

air

PI
2

TI
9

PI
3

P-27

TI
10

FI
3

TI
11

PI
6

P-28

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

TC

TI
6

PT
1

fuel

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

Flexibility:
where & how
many?

FLEXIBILITY

Generalization: From the heat exchanger examples, we

see that flexibility can be achieved by adjusting utilities
or in some cases, with a by-pass.

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

Adjust flows (especially utility)

utility = cooling water, steam,
fuel, air, nitrogen, hydrogen,
.
disturbance

To be achieved

Enable flow to (partially) bypass equipment

disturbance

To be achieved

Key Operability
issues

What to
achieve?

FLEXIBILITY

1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

Class Workshop: We are designing a batch

bioreactor. Define the flexibility required to achieve
the control objectives from the previous workshop in
this lesson.
Gas exit

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

acid
substrate
base

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

steam
Cooling
water

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

air

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

FLEXIBILITY
INDUSTRIAL PRACTICE
1. Flexibility enables achieving points in the operating
window.
2. The choice of adjustable equipment is based on
principles and experience.
3. Controllability is often determined by qualitative
analysis; however, flowsheeting can be used to see if
the dependent variable values can be achieved by
changing the selected adjustable variables.
4. Whether the adjustable variable is manipulated by
process control or by a person depends on the
response time required.

Key Operability
issues

FLEXIBILITY

1. Operating
window

INDUSTRIAL PRACTICE
2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

(1) Model Uncertainty

(2) Disturbances
(3) Set Point values
(4) Production Variation

Know where you

are going
(Remember for
4W04)

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

The plant Design Specification must include

definitions of items (2) to (4)

7. Dynamic
Performance

The engineer must understand all items when items

are significant and must be accommodated with extra
capacity or improved sensor technology.

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis

Key Operability
issues
1. Operating
window

PROCESS OPERABILITY: FLEXIBILITY

In this Lesson, we will learn

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

Why do we need flexibility in a design?

- Distillation

Deciding what to achieve (control)

- Principles:Control Objectives
- Example: Bioreactor

Locating the flexibility: how many and where?

- Principles: Degrees of freedom and Controllability
- Blending, CSTR, heat exchange, bioreactor

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis