Chemical Project Engineering

and Economics: Flow Diagrams

for Chemical Processes

Prof (Dr) Ujjaini Sarkar

Department of Chemical Engineering
JADAVPUR UNIVERSITY,
Calcutta- 700032
Block Flow Diagram (BFD)

 A block flow diagram (BFD) is a drawing of a chemical

processes used to simplify and understand the basic structure
of a system.
 A BFD is the simplest form of the flow diagrams used in
industry.
 Blocks in a BFD can represent anything from a single piece of
equipment to an entire plant.
 For a complex process, block flow diagrams can be used to
break up a complicated system into more reasonable principle
stages/sectors.
Overview
Uses
 Creating a BFD is often one of the first steps in developing a
chemical process.
 Different alternatives can be easily and inexpensively compared
at an early stage using simple BFDs.
 Once alternatives have been chosen, the BFD serves as a
starting point for a complete process flow diagram (PFD).
 A BFD is a useful tool for reports, textbooks and presentations
when a detailed process flow diagram is too cumbersome.
 These models allow for the reader to get an overall picture of
what the plant does and how all the processes interact.
 These can be understood by people with little experience with
reading or creating flow diagrams (Towler and Sinnott, 2013).

Towler G, Sinnott R. Chemical Engineering Design: Principles, Practice and Economics of Plant
and Process Design. 2nd ed. Boston: Elsevier; 2013.
Models
BFDs come in many forms and styles. They can be extremely
simple or very detailed in their explanation of a process.
I/O Diagrams
• The simplest form of BFD, the I/O (input/output) diagram
(Biegler et al., 1997), provides the material streams entering
and exiting the process. The diagram is modeled below using
arrows entering and exiting a process box to represent the
inputs and outputs, respectively.
Models
Block Flow Plant Diagram
• This model of flow diagram is used to explain the general material
flows throughout an entire plant. They will be generalized to
certain plant sectors or stages. These documents would help
orient workers to the products and important operation zones of a
chemical facility (Peters and Timmerhaus, 2003).

Block Flow Process Diagram

• This model will concentrate on a particular sector/area of a
chemical plant. This would be a separate flow diagram that details
what would have been present inside of one of the blocks in the
plant diagram. These diagrams may be more or less complicated
than the plant diagram but will focus on only a small sub-section of
the overall process (Peters and Timmerhaus, 2003).

Peters MS, Timmerhaus KD. Plant Design and Economics for Chemical Engineers. 5th ed. New
York: McGraw Hill; 2003.
Models: Conventions
There are several conventions regarding the construction and format of
BFDs that are commonly used in the engineering community. Some of
the recommended conventions are:
 Operations/equipment are represented with blocks
 Material flows are represented with straight lines with arrows giving
the direction of flow
 Lines are horizontal and/or vertical, with turns at 90 degree angles
 Flows go from left to right whenever possible
 If lines cross, the horizontal line is continuous and the vertical line is
broken
 Light streams (gases) are typically closer to the top of the BFD than
are heavy streams (liquids or solids)
 Critical information unique to the process (such as a chemical
reaction) is supplied
 A simplified material balance should be provided (Seider et al., 2004)
Seider WD, Seader JD, Lewin DR. Process Design Principles: Synthesis, Analysis, and Evaluation. 3rd ed. New
York: Wiley; 2004.
Example 1

 Toluene and hydrogen are used as feed stocks for the

production of benzene.
 The toluene and hydrogen are sent to a reactor, and the
effluent is sent to a gas separator where the noncondensable
gases are discharged from the system.
 The bottoms of the separator provides a liquid feed to a still
where the lighter benzene gas is collected as the distillate and
the bottom toluene draw is recycled back into the reactor.
 The BFD provided shows the reaction, the stream names, and
the mass flow of the inlets and outlets.
 There are many components of this system (heat exchangers
and pumps, etc.) that are not represented because they are not
vital for an understanding of the main features of the process.
Example 1: BFD
Example 2
 Propane is dehydrogenated to propene, which is oxidized to
acrolein first and then further oxidized to acrylic acid.
 The products are separated in the end to give acrylic acid and
various by-products.
 The by-products are further separated to yield a propane
recycle stream.
 Each block in the BFD provided shows what each individual unit
is doing along every step of the process.
 It also shows inlet and outlet streams, as well as byproducts
and recycle streams.
 A BFD in this style is helpful so that all materials can be seen,
every step of the process is outlined, and byproducts can be
taken into consideration for waste removal/treatment.
Example 2
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Process Flow Diagram: Purpose and Benefits

A Process Flow Diagram has multiple purposes:

 To document a process for better understanding, quality
control and training of employees.
 To standardize a process for optimal efficiency and
repeatability.
 To study a process for efficiency and improvement. It
helps to show unnecessary steps, bottlenecks and other
inefficiencies.
 To model a better process or create a brand-new process.
 To communicate and collaborate with diagrams that speak
to various roles in the organization or outside of it.
Process Flow Diagram: Symbols and Elements

The most common PFD symbols in use today come

from agencies such
 the International Organization for Standardization (ISO
10628 – Flow Diagrams for Process Plants, General
Rules),
 the German Institute for Standardization (DIN) and
 the American National Standards Institute (ANSI.)
However, many companies use their own symbols,
which are often similar but vary as they become more
detailed.
Process Flow Diagram: Symbols and Elements
A typical PFD for a single unit process will include these elements:
Major equipment: Including names and ID numbers. Examples
include compressors, mixers, vessels, pumps, boilers and coolers.
Process piping: Moves the product, usually fluids, between
equipment pieces.
Process flow direction
Control valves and process-critical valves
Major bypass and recirculation systems
Operational data: Such as pressure, temperature, density, mass flow
rate and mass-energy balance. Values often will include minimum,
normal and maximum.
Composition of fluids
Process stream names
Connections with other systems
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Process Flow Diagram: What to include in a PFD

 Process piping
 Major equipment items
 Control valves and other major valves
 Connections with other systems
 Major bypass and recirculation (recycle) streams
 Operational data (temperature, pressure, mass flow
rate, density, etc.), often by stream references to
a mass balance.
 Process stream names
Process Flow Diagram: What to exclude in a PFD

 Pipe classes or piping line numbers

 Process control instrumentation (sensors and
final elements)
 Minor bypass lines
 Isolation and shutoff valves
 Maintenance vents and drains
 Relief and safety valves
 Flanges
 Code class information
Process Flow Diagram: PFD in the light of BFD and P&ID
 When the diagram needs to show multiple unit processes at a
plant, it becomes more of an overview, containing less detail.
These are also called Block Flow Diagrams and Schematic
Flow Diagrams. Each block can depict a single piece of
equipment or a stage in a process. A rectangle is usually used
to show a piece of equipment and labels illustrate function. The
process flow is usually shown from left to right, and arrows
show flow direction.
 On the other hand, a Piping and Instrument Diagram (P&ID) is
more technical, describing mechanical details for piping
designers, electrical engineers, instrument engineers and other
technical experts who need this detail more than they need
process details. P&IDs take the conceptual aspects of a PFD
and add detail about the equipment, process sequence,
process and utility piping, bypass lines, instruments, valves,
vents, drains and other items.
PFD: Example of a single chemical engineering unit process
known as an amine treating plant
Process Flow Diagram: Researching PFD

• Define the scope of your process to be studied and what you hope to gain.
• Decide on what level of detail is needed for your purposes. For a
sophisticated process, different versions of the diagram may be drawn to
communicate with people in different roles.
• For an advanced process such as at an industrial plant, the research may be
done through a project team, quality control group or a consultant. For a
smaller, more basic process, you might do this yourself, perhaps even
starting with sticky notes.
• Study the equipment, activities and relationships through observation and
interviews. If you’re modeling a brand-new process, study whatever data is
available, including standards for whatever is being produced in the process.
• Draw a draft diagram and confirm it with people involved in the process.
Make any necessary changes, additions or deletions in collaboration with
them.
• Now the diagram(s) can be used for its intended purpose of documentation,
quality assurance, improvement or whatever other goal there might be.
Piping & Instrumentation Diagram: P&ID

• A piping and instrumentation diagram (P&ID) is a detailed diagram in the

process industry which shows the piping and vessels in the process flow,
together with the instrumentation and control devices.
• Superordinate to the piping and instrumentation flowsheet is the process
flow diagram (PFD) which indicates the more general flow of plant
processes and equipment and relationship between major equipment of
a plant facility.
• A piping and instrumentation diagram (P&ID) is defined by the Institute of
Instrumentation and Control as follows:
 A diagram which shows the interconnection of process equipment and
the instrumentation used to control the process. In the process industry,
a standard set of symbols is used to prepare drawings of processes. The
instrument symbols used in these drawings are generally based on
International Society of Automation (ISA) Standard S5.1
 The primary schematic drawing used for laying out a process control
installation.
P&ID: Contents
• Process piping, sizes and identification, including:
– Pipe classes or piping line numbers
– Flow directions
– Interconnections references
– Permanent start-up, flush and bypass lines
• Mechanical equipment and process control instrumentation and
designation (names, numbers, unique tag identifiers), including:
– Valves and their identifications (e.g. isolation, shutoff, relief
and safety valves)
– Control inputs and outputs (sensors and final elements, interlocks)
– Miscellaneous - vents, drains, flanges, special fittings, sampling
lines, reducers and increasers
• Interfaces for class changes
• Computer control system
• Identification of components and subsystems delivered by others
P&ID: Contents
• Process piping, sizes and identification, including:
– Pipe classes or piping line numbers
– Flow directions
– Interconnections references
– Permanent start-up, flush and bypass lines
• Mechanical equipment and process control instrumentation and
designation (names, numbers, unique tag identifiers), including:
– Valves and their identifications (e.g. isolation, shutoff, relief
and safety valves)
– Control inputs and outputs (sensors and final elements, interlocks)
– Miscellaneous - vents, drains, flanges, special fittings, sampling
lines, reducers and increasers
• Interfaces for class changes
• Computer control system
• Identification of components and subsystems delivered by others
P&ID: Contents
• P&IDs are originally drawn up at the design stage from a combination of
process flow sheet data, the mechanical process equipment design, and the
instrumentation engineering design.
• During the design stage, the diagram also provides the basis for the
development of system control schemes, allowing for further safety and
operational investigations, such as a Hazard and operability study (HAZOP).
• P&IDs also play a significant role in the maintenance and modification of the
process after initial build. Modifications are red-penned onto the diagrams
and are vital records of the current plant design.
• They are also vital in enabling development of:
– Control and shutdown schemes
– Safety and regulatory requirements
– Start-up sequences
– Operational understanding.
• P&IDs form the basis for the live mimic diagrams displayed on graphical
user interfaces of large industrial control systems such as SCADA and
distributed control systems.
P&ID: Identification & Reference Designation
• Based on STANDARD ANSI/ISA S5.1 and ISO 14617-6, the
P&ID is used for the identification of measurements within the
process.
• The identifications consist of up to 5 letters.
 The first identification letter is for the measured value,
 The second is a modifier,
 The third indicates passive/readout function,
 The fourth - active/output function, and
 The fifth is the function modifier.
• This is followed by loop number, which is unique to that loop.
For instance FIC045 means it is the Flow Indicating Controller in
control loop 045. This is also known as the "tag" identifier of the
field device, which is normally given to the location and function of
the instrument. The same loop may have FT045 - which is the
flow transmitter in the same loop.
P&ID: Identification & Reference Designation

Column
Column Column Column
Column 3 (Readout/pa
Letter 1 (Measured 4 (Output/acti 5 (Function
2(Modifier) ssive
value) ve function) modifier)
function)

A Analysis Alarm

Burner,
B User choice User choice User choice
combustion

User's choice
C (usually Control Close
conductivity)

User's choice
D (usually Difference Deviation
density)

E Voltage Sensor
P&ID: Identification & Reference Designation

Column 3
Column 4
Column Column 2 Column
Letter 1 (Measured (Readout/pas 5 (Function
(Output/active
value) (Modifier) sive modifier)
function)
function)

F Flow rate Ratio

User's choice Glass/gaug

G (usually Gas e/
gaging/gauging) viewing

H Hand High

I Current Indicate
J Power Scan
P&ID: Example of a single industrial control loop showing continuously
modulated control of process flow
P&ID: Piping and instrumentation diagram of pump with storage tank. Symbols
according to EN ISO 10628 and EN 62424.
P&ID: Example of a more complex process
Thank you