Reflux Drum Level

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: I have read on the Board that there is a recommendation not to open the overhead drum level of a distillation tower, when the condenser uses a hot gas bypass, as the open level impacts the pressure controller.  Do you believe that this is true for all types of flooded condenser that have a drum?  I have the following set up

: 1.  The condenser of the naphtha splitter is water cooled and situated above the reflux drum.
: 2. There is a valve between the condenser and the reflux drum that is used to flood the condenser and hence control the pressure.
: 3. There is a vapour bypass around the condenser to the reflux drum, which has no valve.

: The distillate product is a constraint and I was intending opening the level to make it easier to control the distillate product to its constraint. However, after doing some pretest work I noticed that I appear to be getting a strong model between the distillate product and the pressure controller valve position (the tower has a bottom tray temperature controlled by the reboiler and the reflux is under flow control).  I have not got enough data yet, but it almost appears that the pressure valve appears to behave like a ramp, following the drum level.

: Has anyone any thoughts on this?

: Thanks Graeme Taylor 


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