Optimizing the Control of the Diesel Backwash Filters Using Foxboro DCS

Abstract

The first and most important stage of the Diesel quality and competency improvement in Diesel Hydro treated unit (DHT) is the backwashing process of the main filters, which is triggered periodically depending on pressure differential (DP) and automatically through the Pneumatic Control System (PCS). The (PCS) system described above represents the main weakness point in the filtration system. It is mainly influenced by many sub-issues related to the (PCS), and resulted in a bigger challenge maintaining and supervising the (PCS). The situation briefly described above eventually leads to low levels of diesel production and low quality. The main question this research is trying to answer is: whether it is possible to turn these systems from Pneumatic to electronic ones, using the existing Distributed Control System (Foxboro). In this research the virtual Foxboro DCS machine packages (ICC, Fox draw, Fox select, Fox view, etc) were successfully used, and a new program is proposed to control the filters cleaning process with high constancy in monitoring and follow-up. In addition, the proposed program increase the chances for operators to define time frames for; filtering, maintenance, and the diesel quantity used in filtering process, and many other advantages that helps improve the quality, increase final product productively, and extend catalyst life time.