Chemical Reactor Temperature Control

Document Title:
Training on GET-Instrumentation
November
2014
CONTROL OF REAL TIME PROCESS

PARAMETERS
Code: PI
Chemical Reactor Temperature Control:Sometimes we see a mix of instrument signal standards in one control
system. Such is the case for this particular chemical reactor temperature
control system, where three different signal standards are used to convey
information between the instruments. A P&ID (Process and Instrument
Diagram) shows the inter-relationships of the process piping, vessels, and
instruments
The purpose of this control system is to ensure the chemical solution

inside the reactor vessel is maintained at a constant temperature. A
steam-heated jacket envelops the reactor vessel, transferring heat from
the steam into the chemical solution inside. The control system maintains
a constant temperature by measuring the temperature of the reactor
vessel, and throttling steam from a boiler to the steam jacket to add more
or less heat as needed.
We begin as usual with the temperature transmitter, located near the
bottom of the vessel. Note the different line type used to connect the
temperature transmitter (TT) with the temperature indicating controller
(TIC): solid dots with lines in between. This signifies a digital electronic
instrument signal sometimes referred to as a field bus rather than an
analog type (such as 4 to 20 mA or 3 to 15 PSI). The transmitter in this
Document Title:
November
2014

PARAMETERS
Code: PI
system is actually a computer, and so is the controller. The transmitter

reports the process variable (reactor temperature) to the controller using
digital bits of information. Here there is no analog scale of 4 to 20
milliamps, but rather electric voltage/current pulses representing the 0
and 1 states of binary data.
Digital instrument signals are not only capable of transferring simple
process data, but they can also convey device status information (such as
self-diagnostic test results). In other words, the digital signal coming from
this transmitter not only tells the controller how hot the reactor is, but it
can also tell the controller how well the transmitter is functioning!
The dashed line exiting the controller shows it to be analog electronic:
most likely 4 to 20 milliamps DC. This electronic signal does not go
directly to the control valve, however. It passes through a device labeled
TY, which is a transducer to convert the 4 to 20 mA electronic signal into
a 3 to 15 PSI pneumatic signal which then actuates the valve. In essence,
this signal transducer acts as an electrically-controlled air pressure
regulator, taking the supply air pressure (usually 20 to 25 PSI) and
regulating it down to a level commanded by the controllers electronic
output signal. At the temperature control valve (TV) the 3 to 15 PSI
pneumatic pressure signal applies a force on a diaphragm to move the
valve mechanism against the restraining force of a large spring. The
construction and operation of this valve is the same as for the feed water
valve in the pneumatic boiler water control system.
Document Title:
November
2014

PARAMETERS
Code: PI
Wastewater Disinfection:The final step in treating wastewater before releasing it into the natural
environment is to kill any harmful bacteria in it. This is called disinfection,
and chlorine gas is a very effective disinfecting agent. However, just as it
is not good to mix too little chlorine in the outgoing water (effluent)
because we might not disinfect the water thoroughly enough, there is also
danger of injecting too much chlorine in the effluent because then we
might begin poisoning animals and beneficial microorganisms in the
natural environment.
To ensure the right amount of chlorine injection, we must use a dissolved
chlorine analyzer to measure the chlorine concentration in the effluent,
and use a controller to automatically adjust the chlorine control valve to
inject the right amount of chlorine at all times. The following P&ID
(Process and Instrument Diagram) shows how such a control system might
look:
Chlorine gas coming through the control valve mixes with the incoming
water (influent), then has time to disinfect in the contact chamber before
exiting out to the environment. The transmitter is labeled AT (Analytical
Transmitter) because its function is to analyze the concentration of
chlorine dissolved in the water and transmit this information to the control
system. The Cl2 (chemical notation for a chlorine molecule) written near
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November
2014

PARAMETERS
Code: PI
the transmitter bubble declares this to be a chlorine analyzer. The dashed

line coming out of the transmitter tells us the signal is electronic in nature,
not pneumatic as was the case in the previous (boiler control system)
example. The most common and likely standard for electronic signaling in
industry is 4 to 20 milliamps DC, which represents chlorine concentration
in much the same way as the 3 to 15 PSI pneumatic signal standard
represented steam drum water level in the previous system:
Transmitter signal current
Chlorine concentration
4 mA
0% (no chlorine)
8 mA
25%
12 mA
50%
16 mA
75%
20 mA
100% (Full concentration)
The controller is labeled AIC because it is an Analytical Indicating

Controller. Controllers are always designated by the process variable they
are charged with controlling, in this case the chlorine analysis of the
effluent. Indicating means there is some form of display that a human
operator or technician can read showing the chlorine concentration. SP
refers to the setpoint value entered by the operator, which the controller
tries to maintain by adjusting the position of the chlorine injection valve.
A dashed line going from the controller to the valve indicates another
electronic signal, most likely 4 to 20 mA DC again. Just as with the 3 to 15
PSI pneumatic signal standard in the pneumatic boiler control system, the
amount of electric current in this signal path directly relates to a certain
valve position:
Controller output signal current
Control valve position
4 mA
0% open (Fully shut)
8 mA
25% open
12 mA
50% open
Document Title:
November
2014

PARAMETERS
Code: PI
16 mA
75% open
20 mA
100% (Fully open)
Note: it is possible, and in some cases even preferable, to have either a

transmitter or a control valve that responds in reverse fashion to an
instrument signal such as 3 to 15 PSI or 4 to 20 milliamps. For example,
this valve could have been set up to be wide open at 4 mA and fully shut
at 20 mA. The main point to recognize here is that both the process
variable sensed by the transmitter and the position of the control valve
are proportionately represented by an analog signal. The letter M inside
the control valve bubble tells us this is a motor-actuated valve. Instead of
using compressed air pushing against a spring-loaded diaphragm as was
the case in the boiler control system, this valve is actuated by an electric
motor turning a gear-reduction mechanism. The gear reduction
mechanism allows slow motion of the control valve stem even though the
motor spins at a fast rate. A special electronic control circuit inside the
valve actuator modulates electric power to the electric motor in order to
ensure the valve position accurately matches the signal sent by the
controller. In effect, this is another control system in itself, controlling
valve position according to a setpoint signal sent by another device (in
this case, the AIT controller which is telling the valve what position to go
to).

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Document Title:

CONTROL OF REAL TIME PROCESS

The purpose of this control system is to ensure the chemical solution

CONTROL OF REAL TIME PROCESS

system is actually a computer, and so is the controller. The transmitter

CONTROL OF REAL TIME PROCESS

CONTROL OF REAL TIME PROCESS

the transmitter bubble declares this to be a chlorine analyzer. The dashed

Transmitter signal current

100% (Full concentration)

The controller is labeled AIC because it is an Analytical Indicating

Controller output signal current

Control valve position

0% open (Fully shut)

CONTROL OF REAL TIME PROCESS

100% (Fully open)

Note: it is possible, and in some cases even preferable, to have either a

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