The Process Flow Diagram, The PFD ‘The Process Flow Diagram (PFD) isa highly specialized document that you may actually have nt of any complex process. lly depicts the conversion of never seen, Its, nonetheless, critical to the organized, early develop A PFD is the fundamental rcprescntation of a process that schernat raw materials to finished products without delving into details of how that conversion occurs. It defines the flow of mnaterial and utilities, it defines the basic relationships between equipment, and it establishes the flow, pressure and temperature ratings of the process. ior pieces of Project design teamns use PFDs most effectively during the developmental stages of a project. During these stages feasibility studies and scope definition work are undertaken prior to com ‘mencing detailed design, PFDs are closely associated with material balances. They are used to decide if there are sufficient raw materials and utilitics for a project to procced. Within an oper- ating company, a plantwide design group and the site management may use PEDs to document song the different units wi the flow of process materials and utilities 1 a Facility ‘There is no generally accepted industry standard to aid in developing the some PFDs show a minimum of detail while others may include significant detail. Th ferent design approaches are discussed below. D. Consequently, two dif Minimum Detail Approach For a PFD to be effective, the entire process is shown in as little space as practical. Only the major process steps are depicted, and detail is minimized. The intent i to simply show a change has, been made or a product has been produced, rather than how that change was made. It ean be somewhat of a challenge to limit the detail shown on a PFD. For example, very litle, or no, instrumentation and control (I&C) detail is shown on a PFD, since this equipment is not critical to the material balance. Nor are individual 1&C components a significant cost component in the overall budget. Valves and transmitters are usually significantly less costly than an associated pros sure vessel. Details will be shown later on the P&IDs and other project documents. P&IDs will be discussed in detail in the next chapter. So, how do you decide what you show on your PFD? Well, if you are the I&C professional and you are using the minimum detail approach, not much of your work is used at this stage in the process development. One snccessfil mle of thumb is to show detail on equipment only if that information has a significant impact on the material balance, or if that information is needed to@ (Chapter 1: The Process Flow Diagram, The PFD define something special about that equipment. The term “special” here means a “significant cost impact to the project”. Ifthe information is needed to reach a critical project decision, it may be important enough to show on the PFD. ‘Additional Detail Approach Other plant design teams and plant owners believe a PFD should include more design details. These teams andl owners involve the I&C engineers early in the project. The I&C engineers arc involved in the development of the PEDs. The PFDs might then include design details such as major measue- points, control methods, control valves, and process analyzers. Thhe PFDs are used asa guide, or perhaps even a first step, in the development of the P&IDs. Details will be shown (or duplicated) on the P&IDs and other project documents. P&IDs will be discussed in detail in Chapter 2 A single PFD may contain enough information for several P&IDs. One rule of thumb is a PFI fay contain cnough information to devclop up to 10 P&lDs! ‘The PFD's purpose is to define the design of the process. Figure 1-1 is an ‘example ofa simplified PFD. Completion of a PFD is frequently the starting point of the detailed engineering of a continuous process plant Process How Diagram a @ TOFLARE © 0 SEPARATOR Q 0s ACRE Fa Tae [reaane [ora © | oom [— vera wer [a ‘oss RoW onshr Fe joy | —Deasscouea | —rosrer | som | COATT Oo COT OR amon | —uemansronaw | —w-uer [om | Dam‘rete ow Dagan Te ero APED is mast likely developed in several steps. The plant owner may develop a preliminary PFD, asa first step, to be used as “thinking document” which, sets down on paper a proposed process or a process change that is under con- sideration, The plant owner may elect to use other methods to document the work, such as a written description to define the process scope. See Figure 1-2, Process Description. In either form, this information is used to establish the i tial design criteria for the plant. “The PFDs, or other conceptual information, is normally reviewed by the ring contractor's process engineers and planning team before the release to detail design. The review is to ensure two criteria have been met: 1. There is enough information on the PFD to support development of the P&IDs by all the detail design disciplines. The decision that “enough” infor ‘mation is presented is probably best left to the design entity that will use the PPD. 2, Material balance information is present to suppor, with the experience of the project design and purchasing teams, identification and specification of “long lead” equipment. “Long lead” equipment is the equipment that requires a long time to procure, design, fabricate and ship. In other words, it is equipment that has to be purchased early in the project. PFDs developed by a plant owner will likely be redrawn by the engineering team. The new version will include the information needed by the design team. The owner will put a lot of effort and invest a great deal of time, money and expertise in the project before any PFD is developed. The following isa simpli- fied look at steps the owner will take. | Figure 1-2: Process ia A project may start with a gleam in . ' — someone's eye or a voice in the middle __| * Process Description Plant 001 Knockout Drum D-001 of the night. We could sell a lot more The inet gas, which consists of mixed petroleum liquids and product if we had a new, more efficient vaposs,otgnates in various section ofthe plant and is piped to the knockout drum, D-001, where liquids and vapors are separated by expansion and a siow-down of velocity. ‘The mixed petroleum liquids are pumped to the separator and plant. We could sell a new product like soap, or paint, or sodium bicarbonate, or tissue, or toluene diisocyanate, or com- prbicns bent oo vapors ae routed tothe fae poter a on peoded car ne hath ‘The incoming material is normally 10% condensate, but under Ma os fective way. We coul fe some conditions, condensables may be reduced substantially. new plant, a new process, new materials, “The wet gas wall vary in temperature from a low of SOF to a ot different techniques, We could make Have BOR Wemricee cour product better, or cheaper. We could reduce pollution, or have fewer by-prod- ucts. We could make our product more profitable with higher quality. The leam in the eye is then tumed over toa team for further development.@ rarer 1h Pres ow Doge, The PFD The team will inchude company managers and specialist, such as consultants, engineers, real estate advisors, purchasing managers, anarketing teams sales experts, and other support personnel. The team develops, atthe least, a general size and location for the plant, a marketing plan for the product, and a fi cial plan to establish and control costs. A preliminary process is defined with a PED, and the source and costs of the raw materials are determined. {fall this information is favorable, company exccutives would likely decide to to make a specified number of units per year, using the best logy. The plan would possibly specify that the plant be located where raw materials, electricity, water and an intelligent labor force are avail- able. The plan would have costs defined and escalation calculated for the pro- ject's duration. The cost plan would include the production yield forecasts as well as the planned cost of the raw materials, combined and massaged to pro- Vide a umnit cost and margin for the units sold. The plan would nltimately project the return on investment (ROI) for the project, which hopefully will be above the company threshold for new projects. If there is litle return on the investment, orifit is below the company threshold, the project is simply not going to be approved Planning continues after the decision is made to proceed with the project Next, the executive team will secure the necessary land, and a set of scope def inition documents will be completed. These will serve as the starting point for the detailed engineering. An initial or preliminary PED, or other process description developed by the owner's cugincers or consultants, is included in these scope documents, Many firms use inde- pendent engineering contractors for the detailed engineering. Other firms have in-house capabilities and staff and prefer to do the detailed engineering design themselves. Eo hetero constr develops the des, ort done i-hause, the wok done by an engesng design team, consisting of mary spedaty groups. Atypical team wll be led by a project eng noes or enginesing manages and tight consist ofthe follwing, design groups: [Fan independent engineering coutractor is to be used, the owner will use the scope documents to aid in securing the contractor's services through competi- tive bidding or by other selection processes. The design team is apart ofthe toa organization necessary to manage the design and construction of afcity. One common. tea fox the scope ofthe total engarization i EPC: Engneesing - Proautement- Consuction. Some owes hit contractors for some ot al ofthe thre pats, whl others handel tree themsehes. The owner's proed manager as overall contol of the projec. The project manager may aso have atonal stato handle cher functions, such as cost engineering estimation and legal Contactors may ao use a projet menage to cntal thei potion ofthe proj, hey have responsbiles othe than engineeting A typical preliminary PFD, or process description, will show the product mamnfactured by the plant; raw ‘materials necessary for that product; by-products pro- duced by the process; waste materials that niust be disposed of; process pressures, temperatures, and flows needed to produce the product; and major equipment needed, The important piping nuns are shown, but piping is not sized on a PFD, and auxil-The haces Fw Dagan The DB Figure 1-3: PFD Equipment Symbols : ‘Subgroup: Process Subgroup: Process ‘Symbol Name: Vessel ‘Symbol Name: Disiltion Toner Symbol Mnemonic: VSL Symbol Mnemontc: OTWR -Avessel or separ intemal detats may be shown | Description: & packed or aye disiaton tomer used or to indicate ype of vessel Can abo be used a a pressurized seperation. Padeng o tes may be shown to nde ype of vessel eile 2 veal orton arengerent ‘isolation tower Subgroup: Storage ‘Subgroup: N/A Symbol Name: Armosphesic Tank Symbol Name: Extanger ‘Symbol Mnemonic: ATNK ‘Symbol Mnemonic: 1G Description: A tark for mater stored under amosphsic Deserption: Het worse equprent An atemaive pressure symbols depided. ‘Memate iary and utility piping are not shown. A written description of the process may also be included, perhaps to emphasize certain critical characteristics of the proces. The PFD will use symbols and letter designations to identify the equipment on the PFD, Itis not necessary to add much detail to the equipment shown on a PED. A simple line sketch will serve. For instane shown as a simple line representation of a main process low and a heat transfer ‘medium flow, without implying a particular type of exchanger. For a PFD, the only information needed is that a piece of equipment transfers heat at that point, rather than showing specifically the mechanism for transfer. For a few typical PFD symbols for equipment, see Figure 1-3 Some projects might identify equipment by using the Symbol Mnemonics shown on Figure 1-3: VSL for vessels, DTWR for distillation towers, AUNK From IRIS© otaner thoes row Dagon. The FO for atmospheric tank, and XGHG for exchanger. Other projects might use a single leter for identification: such as, C for columns and tanks, D for drums and vessels, E for heat exchangers and coolers, and G for pumps. There are ‘many variations of the letters and symbols used. I is very important to be cor sistent throughout a project, and almost as important to use symbols familiar to those who will use them, ‘The successful engineering contractor for the project will review and probably revise or replace the owner's PFD, or process definition, with a new PFD using the contractor's standards. Its likely to be tore efficient for the contractor to redraw the PIDs to take advantage oftheir “standardized” symbol and drawing development features inherent in the contractor's computer-aided drafting (CAD) package. Process flow data and conditions are provided on the PFD. These conditions are normally the “design” conditions, but — if it is important to the material balance or equipment sizing — uormual or operating conditions, waxi conditions, and even minimum conditions may be provided. Since the PFD is, tied closely to the material balance, mass flow units are normally used. Addi- tionally, pressure and temperature conditions are provided as well. “There are two common ways to show the process information, One is to prom Vide a sct of numbers above, and possibly below, the line connecting equip- ‘ment, using a standard format: lowépressure/temperature. Delimiters are used between the conditions. Unit are not provided normally to conserve space. ‘The units are standardized and are provided in a legend sheet. The flow condi- tions are those upon which the project is based, the equipment is purchased, and the piping is sized later in the design process. Another useful way to document process conditions is to use a keyed table. A numbered symbol — frequently a diamond with an intemal number — is added above a line or piece of equipment ou the drawing. A table is then pro- vided along the top or botiom of the PFD, listing the process conditions for that numbered symbol. This approach has the advantage of simplifying the addition of additional process conditions, and makes ita bit easier to mai data on the table As discussed carlicr in this chapter, some cnginecring contractors or owncrs include more information on PFDs than the minimum described above. This should be agreed upon between the owner and the eoutractor. Arguably, when there is pressure to add more detail to the PFDs, it may well be time to redirect the design effort to P& IDs. Some projects may show basic or even more detailed instrumentation and controls information. However, very simple sym- bols are typically used to indicate these devices on a PFD.The Process Flow Diagram, The PFD. Batch Processing Plants Vary Batch processing plants may contain equipment used in diffrent ways, in diferent sequences - often for many diferent batches or products at one time, or a diferent times. ‘The PFD defines @ continuous process very effcienty. Batch processing, however, may require addtional definition. A batch process subjects a fined quantity of material (@ batch) to one or more process steps in one or more pieces of equipment. The ‘process takes place in a set of equipment defined in ANSI/SA-8801-1995, Batch Control Pat 1: Models and Terminology a5 2 process call! The process cel may be used to make a single product or many producs. There are two further choices if the cel is making ‘many produc. The cell may use different raw materials with different process parameters and either use the same equip- ment of atemativey, use diferent equipment. Many process cells have the capabiliy to process more than one batch ofthe same, or different, products concurenty. A single PFO can define one proces. in batch processing the PFD is often supple- ‘mented by 3 recipe, due to the complexity, Redpes contain five categories of information, as indicated in Figure 1-4, and are speci for the end product Figure 1-4: Recipe Contents Header ‘Administrative information and a process summary Equipment Requirements | information about the spediic equipment necessary to rake a batch ora spedtic part ofthe batch Procedure Delines the strategy for caring aula process Formula Describes recipe process inputs, process parameters, and process ouiputs Othe information Product safety, regulatory, and other information that does fit in the other categories Figure 1-4 is from the book Applying S88, Batch Control from o User's Perspective, writen by Jim Parshall and Lany Lamb. The book contains a definition of control recipe: “A contol recipe is used to create a single specific batch... Control Recipes unique to individual batches allow product tracing or genealogy toca” 2 Some engineering contractors or owners use the PFD as. firs step in designing the instrumentation and control systems. Important process moni- toring and control requirements are captured, as they become known. In this sitiation, the process design team will indicate on the PFD where various process variables are to he measured. For example, a circle with a single letter P inside signifies that the pressure at this point is important to the process and should be measured. Likewise, the use of F for low, L for level, or T for tem- perature in a circle would indicate where these variables are sured. ‘The exact instrumentation and control systems required would be developed later and shown on a P&ID, Other contractors or owners might clect to show important, critical, or, most commonly, expensive instrumentation and control system components. For cxample, an in-line process chromatograph may appear on the PFD, cither due to its iinportance to the overall process or because of its est. Other project teams may elect to define process variable sensing points and show controllers© hapter 1: The Process Flow Diagram, The PFD and control valves symbolically. PFDs are intended to provide a canvas for the broad-brush artsty of the process engineers. The fine details wanted by the instrumentation and controls engineers should be left to the P&ID. ‘We have not shown any instrumentation symbols on our sample PFD, but we will discuss symbols and identification of the I&C systems in Chapter 2 We have chosen a very simple continuous process for our discussion. We will develop the rest of design documents for our plant in the following chapters ‘The PED for our simulated project is shown as Figure 1-1 and a word descrip tion ofthe process is shown as Figure |-2. ‘The PFD in Fignre 1-1 shows there is a flow in the process line, stream number (1), of 10,000 poundsthour of wet gas with a temperature between 90°F and 180°F and a pressure of 20 psi. The variation in temperature is ‘caused by process claniges upstream of our PED. Note that only a streat number, (1), (2) or (3) identifies the pipelines, Not included are line size, material of construction, or pressure rating (ANSI 150, ANSI 300, ete) for any ofthe piping shown on the PFD. Also note that there are no symbols or data shown for the pump driver. Only its equipment number, G-005, identifies the pump. “The wet gus goes into D-001, the Knockout Drum, where the liquid condenses ‘out ofthe wet gas stream as the gas expands and cools. "Ihe liquid is punuped to a separator (on another PFD) where the water and process liquid are separated. Stream number (2) shows the pump G-005 has a discharge pressure of 50 psi. ‘The pumped liquids have a specific gravity of 0.9 at 60°F. The pump has a capacity of 1,000 poundshhour and the temperature of the degassed material varies between 70°F and 170°F. “The light ends or gases, 9,000 poundsiour and shown as streams munuber (3), ane piped to a flare, which is shown on another PFD. The pressure needed to move this quantity of gas to the flare is psi. From this simple simulated PFD we have ‘enough information to start development of the P&ID. ‘To the project design team, the PFD becomes less important asthe P&ID develops and the process temperatures, pressures, and flows are used to develop design criteria. However, if itis kept current as the project develops, it may be used to familiarize the con- tractor’s and the owner's personncl with the proces. Ii usually far casicr to understand the basics of a process from a PFD than from the P&Ds. 1. ANSIASASAA-1995, atch Coto, at: Nl rl Teno (Resa Trane Task NC. Instrumentation, Sister, and Antomation Society, 185) p. 2. 2 Jin shad Lany Lamb, Applying S88 Beth Coral Pon a Uae Pept (Reseach Tian Pak, NC ISA. The Iammentabon, Stems ael sation Soi, 20) p38Pumps and Compressors wor" Compmesor ‘cavay Pome recorocstng ‘Compresser Vecuum Pu Scan Pump Axial Compressor —) Postive Displaveren Pom cenirugal ( ‘Centifugel Pures sive Cavity Pomp v) SeewPune Vertical — aayVessels and Tanks Tank Boiler Jacketed Tank Lf oe = Drum or Condenser Mixer - Mixing Reactor ee Dome Roof Cone Roof Tank Tank O_O Conveyor Bett Internal Floating Rar ouE Centrifuge | aD Air Cooler == Stirrers Cooling Tower Tower with Packing Gas Spurge DemisterProcess Flow Valves es Pa h A va Gate Valve Manual Operated Pneumatic Motor Hydraulic Vave re ven re ‘e Globe Valve Pneumatic Motor Hydraulic box ia Lh b= Ball Ball ae Plug Motor or Plug fiycraulic te Bleeder Valves, i Pneumatic af Motor or Hydraulic % ~. =} @ a ae ls! a pa ratte Sy Needle Butterily Butterfly Butterfly Bs stra = b Solenoid Valve Closed Diaphragm Diaphragm Ne et ui of bh A & Relief Check Valve Check Valve ‘Stop Check Sefety PRY ev bl 4 bx fe Oo Pinch Vahe Gauge Retameter ‘Three-Way Knife Valve Regulator Four-Way Orifice