Dravo Corporation

Ronald D Tate

William R Phillips, Jr

Radon Tolman

A method of controlling a process off-gas system by generating a model of the input to the system as a function of the gas generating inputs to the process vessel served by the off-gas system and feeding forward this flow representation as the set point for a feedback flow control loop for the downstream off-gas system fans. The feed forward signal is trimmed by a process off-gas pressure feedback loop which when applied to a TBRC off-gas system assures a minimum flow of leakage air to prevent puffing. The flow control feedback loop employs a mass spectrometer to provide on line computation of the true off-gas flow at the fans. Since the input model can be generated as a simple linear function of the SCFM of the gas generating inputs to the process, the flow control loop is operated on the same basis although it can also be operated on the basis of mass flow.

Method of process off-gas control

Two series connected fans driving a variable throat venturi are controlled by a single flow control feedback loop yet are decoupled by modifying the common flow control signal by separate but complementary piecewise linear characterizations of the flow characteristics of each fan. Both fans are protected from surging and overcurrent by their own differential pressure and current limiting control loops respectively which automatically assume control when conditions warrant. The venturi is controlled by its own differential pressure control loop which is operated to generate the maximum differential pressure allowed by the flow rate without surging the fans.

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Denver, CO, United States of America

Ronald D Tate