4 ◾  Distillation Control, Optimization, and Tuning
1.2 Purpose
The purpose of this book is to present the fundamentals of
process control of a distillation column as a separation and
purification unit operation. This includes the critical concepts
and functional criteria for the design, operation, and troubleshooting of distillation process control plus the concepts of
measuring and improving product quality performance. There
is a prevailing need to strike a balance between understanding the concepts that are critical to exercising good engineering judgment and understanding the intricate details of each
hypothesis. The focus of this book is on achieving distillation
product purity at low cost without dwelling on complex mathematical descriptions.
Often, there is more than one way to achieve the desired
results, so conflicts can develop about which is the best way
to approach a subject and what creates the most value. The
cost of acquiring resources and developing everyone’s knowledge is generally too high. On the other hand, the risk of
failing to meet production rates or product quality or of consuming excessive raw materials and energy has economic
consequences for the business. Generally, the highest value is
created by striking a balance.
1.3 Audience and Prerequisites
The material in this book can be useful for engineers, technicians, and plant operators concerned with the design,
operation, and troubleshooting of process control systems for
distillation columns. The course can also be useful for students who want to gain insights into the practical approach
to distillation process control in industry and tuning control
loops in a plant control room.
There are no specific prerequisites for taking this course.
However, it would be helpful to have a basic understanding of