A painless approach to use distributed digital-control system for Heavy Water Plant- Tuticorin

Heavy Water Plant (Tuticorin) production is based on mono thermal process of ammonia-hydrogen exchange and is connected with a 1100 tons per day capacity ammonia plant of M/s Southern Petrochemical Industries Limited for getting its feed. The deuterium concentration in the syngas (N2 + 3H2) is extracted through ammonia-hydrogen exchange process and finally burnt with air in the final product unit to get heavy water. The depleted syngas is sent back to M/s SPIC's synthesis unit. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the instrumentation requirements of heavy water production, problems encountered in use of DDCS along with remedial action taken for the back up facility. (author)