Column Dynamics 1

Column Dynamics

© 2005 AspenTech – All Rights reserved.

EB1017.04.05
04_Column Dynamics.doc
2 Column Dynamics

Workshop
The Column Dynamics module introduces you to the process for setting up a
distillation column with Aspen HYSYS Dynamics. Some of the concepts you have
learned in the previous modules are applied here. However, the distillation column is
one of the most complex unit operations in Aspen HYSYS. As such, it deserves
special attention. Starting with the Feed Heater Train, you will expand the Flowsheet
by adding the DePropanizer column.

Learning Objectives
In this module you will learn to:

• Configure a distillation column to meet purity specifications

• Prepare the distillation column for dynamic simulation analyses
• Develop a control strategy
• Test the model

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 Column Dynamics 3

Process Overview

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4 Column Dynamics

Column Overview

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 Column Dynamics 5

Expanding the DePropanizer Simulation

Flowsheet
Load the simulation case that you created and saved in the Transitioning from Steady
State to Dynamics module (FHT-Dyn1.hsc). Click the Steady State Mode button to
return to Steady State in order to add a column.

You may get a consistency error when you start the steady state solver. You
need to resolve the error before you continue.

Add a Distillation Column

Distillation Column icon Add a distillation column to the Flowsheet. Configure the distillation column with
the following information:
In this cell... Enter...
Connections
Name DePropanizer
Number of Stages 24

Inlet Stream ColFeed

Inlet Stage 12
Condenser Type Full Reflux
Condenser Energy Stream Q-Cond
Overhead Vapour Outlet Propane
Reboiler Energy Stream Q-Reb

Bottoms Liquid Outlet C4+

Aspen HYSYS is equipped
with a distillation column
Input Expert option that
allows you to have properly
configured the column. The
Use Input Expert option
can be accessed from the
Tools-Preferences-
Simulation menu.
Pressure Profile
Condenser Pressure 1925 kPa (280 psia)
Reboiler Pressure 2070 kPa (300 psia)
Condenser Pressure Drop 0 kPa (0 psi)
Specification
Reflux Ratio 2

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6 Column Dynamics

Adding Column Specifications

1. Open the Column Property view to the Monitor page on the Design tab. Notice
that two specifications are Active; Reflux Ratio and Overhead Vapour Rate.
Make the Overhead Vapour Rate Inactive, and the Degrees of Freedom goes to
1.

2. On the Monitor page of the Design tab add a new specification with the
following information and make it Active:
In this cell... Enter...

Column Specification Types Column Component Fraction

Name Lights
Stage Condenser

Flow Basis Mole Fraction

Phase Vapour

Spec Value 0.95

Components Ethane, Propane

3. Click the Run button to converge the column.

The steady state model of the DePropanizer process is now complete. All unit
operations, material and energy streams are solved.

Save your case as Column_SS.hsc.

Save your case!

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 Column Dynamics 7

Preparing for Dynamic Simulation Analyses

Equipment Sizing
On the Rating tab of the Column Property View, you can input the sizing
information for the Distillation Column. The information required to size a
distillation column is the Condenser Volume, the Reboiler Volume and the Column
Tray Section dimensions. Additionally, on the Rating tab there exists the facility to
size other equipment that is in the column sub-flowsheet.

Vessels
Appropriate vessel sizing is important for dynamic simulation analyses. The vessel
hold-up will affect the system’s transient response during dynamic analyses as you
move from one operating regime to the next. In addition, the vessel size affects the
pressure calculations that are associated with the unit operation.

4. Input a Condenser Volume of 10 m3 (350 ft3) and Reboiler Volume of 20 m3

(700 ft3).

Sizing the Column Tray Section

In steady state mode you are free to specify the column pressure profile as you
desire. In fact, we just specified a column pressure drop of 145 kPa (20 psi). In
dynamics mode, the column pressure profile is calculated by the hydraulic
If you do not know the calculations on each stage. Thus the calculated pressure drop on each tray section is a
dimensions of your process function of the tray geometry (diameter, weir height, weir length and tray spacing).
equipment, calculate the
vessel size based on an
appropriate residence time: The dynamic column pressure profile of each column in your Flowsheet can be
estimated with the Tray Sizing utility. The Tray Sizing utility performs the hydraulic
• 10 minutes is typically a
suitable residence for
calculations on each stage of the column. If you do not know the actual dimensions
liquid phase hold ups. of your column tray section, the tray sizing utility should be used to estimate the size
of the tray section before running dynamically.
• 2 minutes is typically a
suitable residence time
for vapour phase hold
ups.

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8 Column Dynamics

Some columns may have multiple tray sections. In an effort to balance model
rigour with ease of model development only 1 tray section geometry is
provided on the Rating tab. Averaged tray section information should be
specified on this tab.

If different tray sections are required for more accurate modelling, multiple tray
sections can be configured and linked together.

Running the Tray Sizing Utility

To run the Tray Sizing utility, do the following:

1. From the Tools menu, select Utilities and from the Available Utilities view
select Tray Sizing and click the Add Utility button.

2. Click the Select TS button and choose the tray section to size. In this case, select
the DePropanizer Flowsheet and Main TS as the object. Click the OK button.

3. Click the Add Section button. This adds the selected tray section to the utility;
allowing the sizing calculations to be performed, select Valve from item
Internals.

4. Move to the Performance tab and then select the Results page. The hydraulic
calculations based on the recommended tray geometry for the column are
displayed.

5. This page also displays the estimated Tray Section Pressure Drop. Notice the
Tray Sizing utility estimates approximately a 10kPa pressure drop through the
24 stages of the column.

When we initially designed our column in Steady State mode, we entered a pressure
drop of 145 kPa (20 psi) through the column. The condenser pressure being specified
as operating at 1925 kPa (280 psia) and the reboiler pressure being specified at 2070
kPa (300 psia). Additionally, the ColFeed pressure was calculated to be operating at
2000 kPa (290 psia).

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 Column Dynamics 9

In dynamic mode, the pressure drop at each stage will be calculated based on the tray
geometry. Moreover, the Condenser, Reboiler and ColFeed pressures will be based
on this dynamic pressure profile. If the steady state pressure profile does not match
the dynamic pressure profile, the column tray pressures and flow rates will oscillate
until an equilibrium pressure profile is established. As the column tries to adjust to
an equilibrium pressure profile, the column can possibly go unstable. Thus, a proper
column pressure profile based on the hydraulic calculations should be entered for the
column before moving to dynamic simulation analysis.

Size the Column Tray Section

1. From the Results page on the Performance tab of the Tray Sizing utility, fill in
the appropriate tray dimensions in the table below.
In this cell... Enter...
Section Diameter
Weir Height
Weir Length

Tray Spacing

2. Open the Column Property view (by double-clicking the column).

3. Enter the values shown in the table above into the appropriate fields on the Tray
Sections page of the Rating tab.
If the Tray Sizing utility
determines more than one
4. Click the Parameters tab and select the Profiles page.
section in the Column,
there are two options: 5. Change the pressure of the Condenser and Reboiler as follows:
1. Use the weighted
Condenser Pressure 1925 kPa (280 psia)
average dimensions for
the dynamic tray Reboiler Pressure 1935 kPa (281 psia)
dimensions.
2. Configure the column Save your case as: ClmSize.hsc.
with multiple tray
sections inside the
column sub-flowsheet
and supply the
dimensions as
Save your case!
appropriated.

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10 Column Dynamics

Making Pressure Flow and Dynamic

Specifications
Refer to the Rules to Remember Outlined in the Transitioning from Steady State to
Dynamics module.

For your ease of reference, we have included the first seven rules here:
Dynamics Specifications
Boundary Streams Insert a valve on all boundary streams
(feed/product streams) within the
Flowsheet that are not connected to
conductance devices (i.e., heat
exchangers, coolers, heaters)

Pressure Specifications Place a pressure specification on all

boundary streams (feed/product streams)
within the Flowsheet.
Distillation Columns Distillation columns with condensers
require an extra specification around the
condenser. Make a flow specification for
the reflux flow.

Valves Use the “pressure/flow relationship” as

the dynamic specification for a valve.
K value Use the “overall K value” as the dynamic
specification for coolers, heaters, and
heat exchangers and LNG exchangers.

Pressure gradients Be sure to account for pressure gradients

throughout the Flowsheet. Moreover, be
sure to specify reasonable pressure
drops/rises in the Flowsheet. Pressure
differentials are the driving force for flow
through the process Flowsheet.

Tray Sizing Use the tray sizing utility to estimate the

column geometry and pressure profile.
Dynamic specifications can only be modified when the integrator is stopped.
Once the integrator is started the value of the dynamic specification can be
changed (its value appears in blue), but the choice of dynamic specification can
not be changed.

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 Column Dynamics 11

Add Valves to the Boundary Feed and Product

Streams
1. In the Column Sub-flowsheet, two boundary streams have been added and one
boundary stream has been removed. The two new boundary streams are
Propane and C4+. The boundary stream that has been removed is ColFeed.

2. Remembering Rule one, add a valve to all boundary streams, so add a valve
downstream of the Propane and C4+ streams in the Column Sub-flowsheet.

3. Specify a pressure drop of 70 kPa (10 psi) and size the valves as you did in
Module 2.

4. Return to the Main Environment, re-solve the column.

What Cv value does Aspen HYSYS calculate for the Propane valve?
_________________________

And for the C4+ valve? ________________________________________________________

5. Connect the boundary subflowsheet streams Propane Out and C4+ Out to the
Main Flowsheet streams Propane and C4+, respectively. This is done on the
Connections page of the Design tab of the Column Property view.

Make the Appropriate Pressure- Flow Specifications

6. On the Dynamics tab of streams Propane and C4+ select the Pressure
Specification by checking the checkbox. Again, make sure only the Pressure
Specification is Active. Propane and C4+ are boundary streams in the main
Flowsheet. Remember to deactivate the Pressure Specification of the ColFeed
stream.

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12 Column Dynamics

Figure 1

7. On the Dynamics tab of the Reflux stream (Column Sub-flowsheet) make the
Molar Flow specification Active.
Figure 2

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 Column Dynamics 13

8. Run the Dynamics Assistant to see if there is something else that needs to be
changed.

What recommendations does the Dynamics Assistant make?

____________________________________________________________________________

Dynamic specifications can only be modified when the integrator is stopped.

Once the integrator is started the value of the dynamic specification can be
changed (its value appears in blue), but the choice of dynamic specification can
not be changed.

Save your case as: Clm-Specs.hsc.

Save your case!

Click the Dynamics Mode icon to enter dynamics, and start the integrator, as the
model is now ready to run in dynamics. Run the integrator for a few minutes of
Integrator Start icon
integrator time.

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14 Column Dynamics

Adding Strip Charts and Controllers

Add the following Controllers to your case for Column Control:

1. Add the Column Controllers in the Column Environment. Installing the

controllers in the Column Environment eliminates the need for the controllers to
cross the Flowsheet boundary.
Pressure Control Overhead Condenser

In this cell... Enter...

Connections

Name Cond-PC
Process Variable Source Condenser, Vessel Pressure
Output Target Object C3 Valve, Actuator Desired Position
Parameters - Configuration
Action Direct
PV Minimum 1725 kPa (250 psia)
PV Maximum 2070 kPa (300 psia)

Mode Auto

Kc 2.0
TI 2.0 minutes
SP 1925 kPa (280 psia)

Condenser Level Control

In this cell... Enter...

Connections

Name Cond-LC
Process Variable Source Condenser, Liquid Percent Level
Output Target Object Reflux, Control Valve(Control Flow)

Parameters – Configuration
Control Valves should be
Action Direct
sized with a maximum of
twice the Steady-State PV Minimum 0%
value.
PV Maximum 100%
Don’t forget to size the
control valve properly. Mode Auto
Kc 2.0
TI 10.0 minutes

SP 50%

Control Valve Min Flow 0 kgmole/hr (0 lbmole/hr)

Control Valve Max Flow 3200 kgmole/hr (7500 lbmole/hr)

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 Column Dynamics 15

Reboiler Duty Control

In this cell... Enter...

Connections
Name Tray23-TC

Process Variable Source Main TS, Stage Temp., Stage 23

Output Target Object Q-Reb, Control Valve

Parameters - Configuration
Action Reverse

PV Minimum 100°C (200°F)

PV Maximum 200°C (400°F)
Mode Auto

Kc 2.0

TI 10.0 minutes
SP 140°C (284°F)
Control Valve Min Flow 0 kj/h (0 Btu/hr)
Control Valve Max Flow 1.0e+8 kj/h (9.5e+7Btu/h)

Reboiler Level Control

In this cell... Enter...

Connections
Name Reb-LC
Process Variable Source Reboiler, Vessel Liq Percent Level
Output Target Object C4+ Valve, Actuator Desired Position

Parameters – Configuration
Action Direct

PV Minimum 0%
PV Maximum 100%
Mode Auto
Kc 2.0

TI 10.0 minutes
SP 50%

Save your case as: Clm-Control.hsc.

Save your case!

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16 Column Dynamics

Exercise 1
Create a Strip Chart named Column and enter the following variables:

• ColFeed Mass Flow

• Condenser Vessel Pressure
• C4+ Mass Flow
• Propane Mass Flow

Run the Integrator and watch the variables change over time.

Does the simulation reach a steady state if given enough time?

____________________________________________________________________________

Exercise 2
Change the Output Variable for the Cond-LC to Cond-Q, from Reflux. Make sure
that you choose reasonable values for the maximum and minimum cooling duty.
Change the molar flow specification for the Reflux stream to 1620 kgmole/h (3560
lbmole/hr).

Does this control strategy provide better control over the De-Propanizer?

____________________________________________________________________________

Can you think of another control strategy for the Condenser Liquid level?

____________________________________________________________________________

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 Column Dynamics 17

Exercise 3
Change the NGL-Feed composition as follows:
Component Mole Fraction

Ethane 0.01
Propane 0.25

i-Butane 0.08
n-Butane 0.15
i-Pentane 0.07
n-Pentane 0.07

Hexane 0.37

How does this change affect the Propane concentration in the C4+ stream?

____________________________________________________________________________

How long does it take for the change to occur?

____________________________________________________________________________

Try changing the Tray23-TC set-point in order to return the Propane concentration back to
its original level. Does the temperature have to be lowered or raised?

____________________________________________________________________________

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18 Column Dynamics

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