OPTIMIZATION

University of technology
Chemical engineering department
Process engineering

Optimization of Control System of Petroleum Refinery

Isomerization Unit

done by :
Yasir waleed Khalid
Process enginerring
Moring study
Academic year :2019-2020

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Abstract
Industrial process control system due to integration of
equipment, existing material and energy recycle streams and
their effects are extraordinary importance. The process in
terms of safety, product quality and control stability have a
challenge when there was defects in a process control system.
The isomerization process is gaining importance in the
presence of refining context due to upgrading the octane
number of light naphtha fractions and also simultaneously
reduces aromatic compounds especially benzene content.
In this report, the isomerization unit control system is defined
by four controllers include: the temperature controller on pre-
heater exchanger, the concentration controller on
depentanizer, deisopentanizer and deisohexanizer towers.

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Table of content ............................................................................page

1-Introduction..................................................................................4
2-the process description.................................................................5
2.1 the Isomerization Process Description..................................5
2.2-Process Control Modeling & controlling..............................6
3-Result and discussion ..................................................................7
4- Conclusion..................................................................................9
5-recommandation..........................................................................10
6-the reference................................................................................11

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1-Introduction
Isomerization of normal alkanes into their corresponding branched isomers with
high octane number, low sensitivity (the difference between research octane
number (RON) and motor octane number (MON)), and low sulfur content, is an
important petroleum refining process.
Isomerization was developed during World War II to produce iso-butane
necessary for the manufacture of alkylates, which are used as blend stocks in
high-octane aviation gasoline.
Today isomerization is mainly focused on upgrading of refinery naphtha
streams into highoctane motor gasoline
The isomerization unit consists of a complex flow diagram and many different
equipment in a wide range of operating conditions. The existence of multiple
recycle streams, energy integration and sequential arrangement of the various
equipment makes it easy to transfer disturbances from the upstream units to the
downstream units Therefore, due to the complexity of the process and the effect
of the control loops of this unit on each other, we must adopt control measures
and use appropriate tools for safe operation and achievement of design goals.
In this work, the plant-wide process control system isomerization unit has been
studied. To achieve this aim, first, the process was dynamically simulated by
Aspen Hysys v7.3, and then nine step of the plant-wide process control theory
has been implemented on this model to achieve an acceptable control system.

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2-the process description

2.1 the Isomerization Process Description
The light naphtha (C5-C6) isomerization process generally consists of two parts
of the reaction section and the separation section In the first section, the material
flows initially enter the pre-heat exchanger and then enters plug flow reactor,
which includes the main reactions:
isomerization of n-pentane and n-hexane, and saturation of aromatic
compounds, especially benzene, and secondary reactions such as hydrocracking.
In the second section, the iso-pentane product from top of the deisopentanizer
tower and the iso-hexane product from top and bottom of the deisohexanizer
tower are mixed and sent to refinery tanks as a isomerate product.
isomerization unit (Figure 1) the operating conditions are given in Table 1. The
three recycle stream loops that exist in the unit include:
circulating gas recycle stream, n-pentane and n-hexane recycle streams.
Naturally, higher the number of recycle streams, more challenging will be with
respect to the process. If a disturbance occurs in recycle stream, at one cycle
process, this disturbance intensifies and becomes larger. This trend continues
over time as the system goes out of control.

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2.2-Process Control Modeling & controlling

To design or review the control system of an industrial process, it needs a
dynamic model of that process. So, the isomerization process simulated by
Aspen Hysys v7.3 with dynamic model, which is expressed in nine steps:
Step 1: Determine the objectives of the control system In this step, the important
parameters of the process were identified. Level of vessels, flow rate of feed
stream, downstream flow of deisopentanizer tower, recycle streams of n-
pentane and n-hexane, inlet gas stream into reactor, furnace and reactor inlet
temperature and pressure vessel, can be considered as the most important
operational variables in the isomerization process.
Step 2: Find the freedom degrees of control system The number of degrees of
freedom is the number of variables that are controlled by giving the adjustment
point. According to the first step and the examination of controlled variables,
there are 18 degrees of freedom.
Step 3: Create an energy management system The main purpose of creating an
energy management system is to use cold and hot streams and to prevent the
sudden increase or decrease in temperature of the influential flows inside the
process.
Steps 4 and 5: Setting the rate and quality of the products .
Temperature is the only variable in the reactor, which can affect the rate and
quality of products. The inlet temperature of the reactor is controlled by the
amount of fuel in the furnace.
Increasing the temperature of the isomerization reactor with a hysopare catalyst
up to 50°C is allowed. In this case, it can be assured that the rate and quality of
the products are controlled.
Step 6: Constanting the flow in recycle stream loop The recycle stream of n-
pentane, separated from top of the depentanizer tower, as well as the recycle
stream of n-hexane, separated from middle of the deisohexanizer tower, was
fixed by flow controllers to avoid disturbances caused by them.
Step 7, 8 and 9: Check the balance of compounds, separate control of an
equipment, and dynamic control optimization
The seventh and ninth steps are overview, but in step eight, it is discussed with
the choice of controllers that are necessary to control an equipment. The

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remaining variables in step one, which the controller selection for them depend
on the dynamic analysis, are analyzed in step eight.
3-Result and discussion
1- The Temperature Controller On Pre-Heater Exchanger : One of the problems
of the isomerization unit control system is the reactor temperature disturbances,
which sometimes greatly increases the reactor output temperature and this is
while the control strategy are not considered. Of course, this extreme
temperature fluctuation, disrupts the reactor's performance due to the loss of
catalyst activity and damage to the reactor body, as well as the quality of the
isomerate product, which is not economically feasible for the refinery.
2- The Concentration Controller On Towers: Another problem with the
isomerization unit control system is the lack of a concentration analyzer for the
important unit (deisopentanizer, depentanizer and deisohexanizer towers) is
used, which can greatly affect the quality of the product in unfavorable
conditions.
2.1- Deisopentanizer Tower: The stream that is separated from the top of the
deisopentanizer tower is sent out to the outside of the unit, and it consists
mainly of iso-pentane with a concentration of 99.6%.
Fluctuating in the concentration of iso-pentane can lower the isomeriate
product quality. Therefore, in order to maintain this concentration, an analyzer
should be installed at the top of the tower. Should define a control strategy for a
concentration analyzer that would not change the iso-pentane concentrations of
top of the tower, when the tower conditions change. There are several variables
in the tower that can be controlled by the analyzer controller, in which the
temperature of bottom of the tower and the pressure of top of the tower are the
most common variables. By checking the variables in the tower, it was
determined that if the analyzer's concentration decreases, the temperature of
bottom of the tower should be increased (Figure 5) and the pressure of top of
the tower should be reduced (Figure 6). Therefore, there is no significant
decrease in the concentration analyzer. Typically in industrial processes, the
temperature of bottom of the tower is used as a variable for controlling the
concentration analyzer. This control strategy for V3301 is given in Figure 7.
2.2- Depentanizer Tower: A discharged stream from top of the depentanizer
tower is fed as a n-pentane recycle stream to the V-3301. The normal state of
npentane concentration at the top of the depentanizer tower is 36.6%. Figure 8
shows the control of the npentane concentration of the top of tower by the heat

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rate of reboiler in terms of changing the inlet n-pentane concentration of the

tower. Figure 9 demonestrates its control strategy.
2.3- Deisohexanizer Tower: The streams of top and bottom of the
deisohexanizer tower as products are mixed with isomerate of the
deisopentanizer and leave the unit. Therefore, the definition of the iso-hexane
concentration analyzer for V-3310 can play a significant role in controlling the
quality of the isomerate product. Figure 10 shows the control of the iso-hexane
concentrations of top of the tower by the heat rate reboiler in the conditions of
the change in the inlet iso-hexane concentration of the tower and Figure 11
illustrates its control strategy.

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4- Conclusion
Isomerization complements catalytic reforming process is an upgrading the
octane number of refinery naphtha streams. Isomerization is also a simple and
cost-effective process for octane enhancement compared with other octane-
improving processes. Isomerate product contains very low sulfur and benzene,
making it ideal blending component in refinery gasoline pool.
Due to the significance of isomerization in the modern refining industry, it
becomes essential to optimize its control process.
The results of the implementation of the process control :

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• The existing control system conformed to the plant-wide process control

principles and the performance of the controllers of this system did not
interfere with each other
• In the existing control system, the surface of any vessel did not fluctuate
significantly and in the V-3309 and V-3312, although the inlet flow has
fluctuated and their output were constant as the recycle flow, the surfaces
reached to the adjustment point and became stable.
• Using dynamic simulation by Aspen Hysys v7.3, to have more efficient
control system, two suggestions are proposed :
• Creating a temperature controller on the by pass stream of the pre-heater
exchanger of furnace is essential to prevent possible temperature
fluctuations (which damages the catalysts) in the loop of furnace, reactor
and pre-heater exchanger
• Creating a concentration controller on top of the depentanizer,
deisopentanizer and disohexanizer towers, in addition to avoiding the
process from extreme fluctuations, is also a step towards guaranteeing the
quality of the isomerate product.
5-Recommandation
An average operating space velocity and X factor should be maintained during a
temperature optimization exercise.
If the operating space velocity and X factor routinely change significantly above
and below the average values identified in the base optimization then it is
recommended that an additional higher and lower optimization be completed at
the variable’s extremes to account for these variations.
Before starting the reactor temperature optimization it is necessary to select the
desired overall space velocity (LHSV) and feedstock composition for
optimization Throughout the optimization process, the same overall space
velocity is being recorded and maintained, as well as hydrogen to hydrocarbon
ratio and reactor pressure. The reactor outlet temperatures must be recorded.

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6-the references
1. Hancsok, J., Magyar, S., Szoboszlai, Z. and Kallo, D., “Investigation of
energy and feedstock saving production of gasoline blending components free
of benzene”, Fuel Processing Technology, Vol. 88, No. 4, (2007), 393-399.
2. Newalkar, B.L., Nettem, V.C. and Siddiqui, M.A., “Hydroisomerization
catalysts: Chemistry and its features. Catalysts in Hydrocarbon Processing &
Fertilizer Industry”, Petrotech Society, New Delhi, India, (2005).
3. Askari, A., Karimi, H., Rahimi, M.R. and Ghanbari, M., “Simulation and
modeling of catalytic reforming process”, Petroleum & Coal journal, Vol. 54,
No. 1, (2012), 76
4- Foss, A.S., “Critique of chemical process control theory”, AIChE Journal,
Vol. 19, No. 2, (1973), 209-214.
5-
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334896504_Optimization_of_Control
_System_of_Petroleum_Refinery_Isomerization_Unit_by_Plant-
Wide_Control_Principles

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