Effective distillation instrumentation and control help plants minimize energy consumption, meet product specs, and maintain high throughput.
Feed variability, temperature changes, and pressure fluctuations can upset distillation processes, resulting in off-spec product and shutdowns. Emerson’s distillation solutions keep products on-spec with advanced sensors, transmitters, and process control technology providing predictive diagnostics and optimized process control for a more profitable and energy efficient distillation operation.
Measuring and optimizing temperature at specific tray levels is necessary for effective separation. The ability to control the temperature profile at all levels ensures the greatest product quality at each extraction point. Emerson offers a wide variety of temperature probes and transmitters, suitable for every imaginable mounting option and measurement range.
Rosemount™ 848T Wireless Temperature Transmitter
The Rosemount 848T Wireless Temperature Transmitter is the premier choice for high-density measurements via a WirelessHART® device.
Temperature Monitoring with Rosemount 3144P Transmitter
The Rosemount 3144P Temperature Transmitter provides industry-leading accuracy, stability and reliability for your temperature measurements. It features a dual-compartment housing to ensure reliability and advanced diagnostics to keep your measurement point up and running.
Control Systems and Software for the Chemical Industry
Leveraging DeltaV advanced control systems, chemical producers will achieve higher product quality, more efficient tuning, more refined control, and better process visibility.
Strategic trays where fractions are withdrawn must be monitored to ensure maximum production without flooding or draining the tray dry. Emerson’s guided wave radar solutions provide very precise measurements, even at high temperatures and pressures.
Level Measurement Solutions for Distillation Column Trays
Continuous and point level measurement and control solutions for distillation columns.
DeltaV Distributed Control System
The DeltaV DCS is an easy-to-use automation system that simplifies operational complexity and lowers project risk.
Many distillation column accidents have resulted from poor level control at the bottom. If operators do not realize the column is filling with liquid, disaster can result. Control of the reflux boiler also depends on how much liquid is at the bottom. Emerson offers multiple level measurement technologies, including differential pressure and guided wave radar, that are well suited to this application. The Rosemount Thermal Range Expander helps DP installations handle high temperatures.
Fisher Digital Isolation Solutions
Take the guesswork out of your safety instrumented system valve assemblies with our proven solutions and expertise.
Level Measurement Solutions for Distillation Column Trays
Continuous and point level measurement and control solutions for distillation columns.
Fisher Control Valves
Fisher control valves manipulate a flowing fluid (such as gas, steam, water), or chemical compounds to compensate for the load disturbance, and keep the regulated process variable as close as possible to the desired set point.
Differential Pressure (DP) Level Solutions for Distillation Column Vessels
Electronic Remote Sensor (ERS) Systems reduce maintenance, while improving measurement accuracy on large tanks.
DeltaV Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS)
The proven DeltaV SIS continuously monitors your plant’s safety devices’ status and diagnoses the health of the entire safety loop–dramatically reducing your risk.
Fresh feed must enter the column at the correct temperature, but also at the correct feed rate. For this purpose, a mass flow reading is the most desirable, so a Coriolis mass flow meter is an excellent choice as it can handle the temperatures involved, and its wide flow turn-down range is helpful when moving through startups and correcting upsets.
Micro Motion Coriolis Flow and Density Meters
Our Coriolis meters deliver unmatched reliability for mass flow, volume flow & density measurement in your chemical operation.
TopWorx D-Series Discrete Valve Controllers
The D-Series has been built to survive the most demanding applications and conditions, providing reliable service for a lifetime. With its microprocessor-based sensor-communication modules, it delivers position-sensing, bus network communications to facilitate predictive maintenance in On/Off valve applications.
Bettis Stainless Steel M Series Actuators
Designed for the harshest environments, the Stainless Steel M Series provides reliable valve actuation with a corrosion-resistant construction.
Fisher Control Valves
Fisher control valves manipulate a flowing fluid (such as gas, steam, water), or chemical compounds to compensate for the load disturbance, and keep the regulated process variable as close as possible to the desired set point.
Control Systems and Software for the Chemical Industry
Leveraging DeltaV advanced control systems, chemical producers will achieve higher product quality, more efficient tuning, more refined control, and better process visibility.
Keeping a distillation column running correctly calls for balancing energy input with the production level. Maintaining an optimized energy and mass balance is necessary to drive maximum throughput without wasting steam and fuel. This calls for monitoring of multiple critical measuring points around the tower and ancillary equipment so the automation system can create viable operating scenarios.
Crosby J-Series Bellow Leak Detection
J-Series valves provide high quality and dependable overpressure protection for air, gas, steam, vapor, liquid and two-phase applications in one simple design. Now available with two new-to-the-world technologies: Balanced Diaphragm and Bellows Leak Detection.
Fisher Control Valves
Fisher control valves manipulate a flowing fluid (such as gas, steam, water), or chemical compounds to compensate for the load disturbance, and keep the regulated process variable as close as possible to the desired set point.
Flow Measurement to Optimize Steam Output and Identify Energy Waste
Rosemount™ 8800 Vortex Flow Meters help increase measurement accuracy and compare consumption against natural gas bills, helping customers optimize the output of utility plants.
Penberthy Series LL, LM, LH, GL, GH Jet Pumps
Penberthy Jet Pumps are practical, simple, and cost-effective alternatives for process industries to pump, mix or heat a range of liquids and gases with a variety of motive media.
Fisher MR95 Series Pressure Regulator
MR95 Series regulators are compact, large-capacity, direct-operated pressure regulators. They work well at maintaining constant feed of pressure to process to allow for better control of the fluid.
Yarway Steam Traps
Emerson's Yarway steam traps that are suitable for a wide range of applications, with in-line repairable options.
Level Measurement Solutions for Distillation Column Reboilers
Continuous and point level measurement and control solutions to eliminate overheating and optimize efficiency.
DeltaV Distributed Control System
The DeltaV DCS is an easy-to-use automation system that simplifies operational complexity and lowers project risk.
Frequently Asked Questions about Distillation Columns
Distillation columns are inherently difficult to control since there are so many variables, from feedstock inconsistency to the local weather conditions. Emerson has developed many effective control strategies each capable of balancing a very wide range of variables, but these must all be measured. Effective control across all such variables calls for a variety of instruments, and these investments result in increased production and product quality.
Since most distillation columns are pressurized, using DP to measure the bottom level calls for one of the measurement points to be at the top of the tower. Using a conventional approach, this calls for one impulse line to be as long as the tower is high, a daunting prospect in most cases. Emerson has multiple options to simplify this approach, but the best is an electronic remote sensor that uses a second pressure transmitter at the top. This replaces the long impulse line with an electric cable sending the tower pressure value digitally, simplifying maintenance and increasing reliability.
There are two excellent ways to reduce the amount of wiring infrastructure for temperature sensors. First, Emerson offers a temperature transmitter designed to support four sensors. It sends the four signals sequentially over one pair of wires. This is practical because temperature readings do not change significantly from one second to the next. Second, the same four-sensor transmitter is available using WirelessHART, so no wires are needed at all. Most facilities have WirelessHART networks installed, so adding measurement points in this manner is the lowest cost approach.
Effective tower operation is a balancing act of upward vapor and downward liquid movement. Tray flooding is often a result of vapor gaining the upper hand and choking off liquid flow. This impedes effective separation and hurts product quality. Often such an imbalance may not be recognized if liquid level in strategic trays is not measured. Adding level readings, either using Emerson’s DP transmitters or guided-wave radar level instruments, indicates when such an imbalance has taken hold so the automation system can modulate the feed rate more precisely.
