Control system for an N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone refining unit receiving medium sour charge oil

A solvent refining unit treats medium sour charge oil with an N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone solvent, hereafter referred to as MP, in an extractor to yield raffinate and extract mix. The MP is recovered from the and from the extract mix and returned to the refining extractor. A system controlling the refining unit includes a gravity analyzer, a sulfur analyzer, a refractometer and viscosity analyzers; all analyzing the medium sour charge oil and providing corresponding signals, sensors sense the flow rates of the charge oil and the MP flowing into the extractor and the temperature of the extract mix and provide corresponding signals. One of the flow rates of the medium sour charge oil and the MP flow rates is controlled in accordance with the signals from all the analyzers, the refractometer and all the sensors, while the other flow rate of the medium sour charge oil and the MP flow rates is constant.