P&ID Interpret

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Interpreting Piping and Instrumentation

Diagrams
1/5 in the series How to Interpret Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams

With a Bit of Smoke, a Few Mirrors and a Degree in Hieroglyphics, Anyone Can Learn to Read a
P&ID. This is Part 1 of a five-part series.
Part 1 - Introduction
http://www.aiche.org/chenected/2010/08/interpretingpipingandinstrumentationdiagrams 1/11
by Robert Cook
AUG 24, 2010
COMMENTS (19)
AICHE
Topics:
Equipment
Plant Operations
Process Safety
Engineers love to draw. Not necessarily in an artistic sense of the word, although beauty is,
as they say, in the eye of the beholder. As for me, well, I've never been accused of having a
particular gift in the arts, or photography for that matter (see bio mug shot taken in my
natural habitat), but I have done a few process drawings in my 25? years as a process
engineer. I guess that's earned me my vice, VP of Engineering and Technology Development
to be precise. Hi there. I'm Bob Cook and I'm glad to have you along for my premier entry
here on ChEnected.com where we explore the interpretation of Piping and
Instrumentation Diagrams, or P&IDs for those in the know. This is a topic that can benefit
process, project and design engineers, business developers, operators, safety, maintenance
and even management. Wow, that a lot of folks! However, consider this - all of the members
listed above will either come across P&IDs intermittently or have to work with them as a core
aspect of their job. And if I still have your attention then, yes, you too should have a solid
understanding of how to read them! Hey you hiding the back...don't be bashful. You say
that you are two, three...five years out of school and still not sure you really have a
good handle on P&IDs? You're not alone. Having worked for many companies and
provided services to a variety of industries over the years, I find it curious how P&IDs are
often poorly understood by those who should know them better. In some cases, they exude
this aura of intimidating, complex documents that only ChE geeks (and the like) really know
how to read. I believe this is simply due to a dearth of formal training. Folks are just expected
to pick it up "on the fly". Given the variability in career direction our backgrounds in the
best engineering field afford us, this works well for some but leaves others playing catch-up
later on. So even experienced engineers and operators may one day discover their lack of
knowledge on the topic puts them at a disadvantage. So let's just put a stop to all that by
taking P&IDs apart in this multi-part series.
Regardless of experience level, you will find many of the symbols are obvious. Others need a
bit more explanation. In much the same way ancient Egyptians used hieroglyphics
thousands of years ago, we process folks (in conjunction with our peers in the electrical,
controls and other departments) just come up with our own set of symbols to represent the
various equipment, devices and control concepts that go into our plants. When you look at it
that way, one could argue that not much has changed in a few thousand years. I suppose
that's true. Hey, if it isn't broke, why fix it? Enough of my bantering, let's get started
already. I look forward to a healthy exchange. Part 2 will dig into P&IDs - The Fundamentals.
I'll include a few example drawings that we can use as we venture forth down that path of
process knowledge. If you want to get a head start, download them here. Stay tuned!
Comments or Questions? Just make/ask them in the comments field.

Answers will probably come in a future post in the series but I'd love to see your
questions or observations.
Comments Log in to post comments
Very eye catching language so far apart from technical

matters.:) I have a question as I m a debutant in this field.
Why do we need P&ID's in the first place when we have
Abbas (not verified) PFD's and mechanical drawings etc.? Thank u
AUG 24, 2010
Abbas - the comment system is giving me fits. For now, I

will simply say that this is a topic of Part 2 in the series
(although I drafted up a thorough response to your
RGCook (not verified) question). I just can't get it to post, maybe owing to text
AUG 25, 2010 limitations.
PFD tells what the process does P&ID shows how the
process can be operated Mechanical drawing for how to
build it
Naji (not verified)
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Home Interpreting Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams-Symbology

Diagrams-Symbology

With a Bit of Smoke, a Few Mirrors and a Degree in Hieroglyphics, Anyone Can Learn to Read a P&ID.
Part 3 - Symbology Primer

Welcome back to Part 3 folks! Let me apologize at the outset for the delay in getting this posted
sooner but we had our Labor Day holiday here in the USA last week and oddly enough, we tend
NOT to work on Labor Day. Go figure... I suppose it should be called slacker day because I really
didn't do much the whole weekend. In any event, I'm back in the saddle so let's recap the last two
http://www.aiche.org/chenected/2010/09/interpretingpipingandinstrumentationdiagramssymbology 1/27
parts before we hit the trail again. We have a lot of ground to

by Robert Cook cover before sunset.
Part 1 talked about why the interpretation of P&IDs is

important to everyone involved in the planning, design, and
SEP 22, 2010
construction through operation of a process plant.
COMMENTS (27) Part 2 described the various functions P&IDs serve and
highlighted the kinds of information they convey, along with
AICHE
the support documents that are commonly associated with
them. We also talked about some of their weaknesses.
Topics:
Equipment
Plant Operations
Process Safety
With the requisite academics out of the way, it's time to focus on the exciting stuff - P&ID
symbology interpretation. That's the goal I had when I started this series and by golly, I'm
sticking to it. However, I'm going to warn you up front - this is a big part in the series, figuratively
and literally speaking. I might even be pushing the limits of Chenected.com's server capacity but I
did my best to balance breadth of content with depth of detail. If you think I short-changed any
areas and would like more detail on any topic, please let me know via the comment system. I'll do
my best to oblige.
Lead Sheets Define Symbology

As I mentioned in Part 2, the meanings of the various symbols used on P&IDs (aka, symbology)
are defined on separate drawings called "Lead Sheets" (or Legend Sheets). These are your "secret
decoder rings" to P&ID symbology interpretation. Every company that builds process plants
should have a set of lead sheets customized to their particular ways and means. Having seen a
number of lead sheets over the years, I can tell you that most of them are just variations on a core
set of generally accepted symbols and notations that engineers and industry organizations have
settled on as defacto standards over the years. The lead sheets I provide in the supporting file
download to this series include the following;
D001 - Instrumentation and Valves

D002 - Codes, Tags, and Labels
Here's the good news - these lead sheets include 90.00?0.05% of what you need to know.
Seriously, the significant digits are right here, I checked them. Yeah, I realize some companies
have more than two lead sheets, four or five even. Probably even a few with six or seven just to
prove a point I suppose, but the number of lead sheets isn't important. What is important is that
they are logically organized so that the symbols and tags can be located easily. Poorly organized
and/or incomplete lead sheets will just frustrate folks who turn to them for help so it's important
to keep them neat, concise and logical. And the two I present here should be up-front-and-center
in your set. Related to the content I include on the example lead sheets, you might have noticed a
conspicuous absence of lead sheets for major equipment, i.e., tanks, pumps, and sundry items
typically included in process plants, etc. It's good to have lead sheets for that kind of stuff; I'm not
going to say otherwise. However, I have generally stopped using them in my group because;
1. It is almost always self-evident what a symbol represents for major equipment, and
2. Even if it's not apparent, the major equipment is always tagged and named with some general
specifications provided along one edge of the drawing. I underline always because that's the
way it should be. I don't want to debate it. Just make it so!
Aside from these reasons, it's tough to keep an equipment lead sheet updated when new or
custom equipment that doesn't really have an industry standard symbol is added to a drawing for
a particular job. I could go on regarding the topic of symbols for major equipment but this is a
topic I decided not to expand on in the interest of focusing more on the instrumentation and
controls side of symbology. Shoot me a note if you want to discuss this more.
Caveat Emptor
Before we move on, I want to address the operations folks here in attendance: Keep in mind that
reading and understanding P&IDs is a core topic of operator training. And that training happens
long before you step on-site. In fact, you should know this stuff before you enter the room as a
team member on a Process Hazards Analysis. As a process engineer at heart, I view operations as
my #1 client and work hard to make sure that they fully understand the plant and its procedures
so that it can safely and efficiently meet its objectives. If you are in an operations group, you are
not expected to have it all figured out just from reading this series alone. However, the following
sections should serve as a solid primer. And I will make you a simple promise - so long as you
don't get bored and start daydreaming about whether Brock Lesner will remain the UFC
heavyweight champion for the next five years (I don't even...), you will definitely walk away from
this series with a solid, functional understanding of P&IDs! If you don't, call me and I will refund
your money, no questions asked.
Instrumentation and Controls Symbology

We'll kick things off with what has traditionally been viewed as the "hardest part" of P&ID
interpretation, that of course being instrumentation and controls. In my experience, this is the
area that gives newcomers the most grief. Trust me, it's not that hard and once you have this area
conquered, everything after that is stupid simple and the learning curve will skyrocket.
The main symbols used for Instrumentation and Control (I&C) are shown in the table above.
When you spot one of these on a P&ID, you will be able to glean three things from it, including:
1. What is that device?

2. Where is it located?
3. Why is it there?
The 'what' and 'where' aspects can be determined from the symbol shape. The 'why' part comes
from text placed inside the symbol that is made up of two parts that form the "tag number". This
includes:
1. An abbreviation for what the device is (based on ISA S5.1), combined with a
2. Loop number based on your company's preferred numbering system
Before I dig into this topic more heavily, it's worth providing a couple simple tag number
examples as a lead-in. Pressure indicators have the abbreviation PI and temperature indicators
use the abbreviation TI. It follows logically that flow and level indicators use the abbreviations FI
and LI, respectively. Since most plants can have many instruments of the same type, a unique
number is applied so that each one can be individually identified. This number is often referred to
as the "loop number". Thus, the device abbreviation + loop number become the unique "tag
number". While the device abbreviations are largely based on accepted standards (ISA S5.1), the
loop numbering system is company specific. My group happens to use a four digit numbering
system. In this case, typical tag numbers for pressure and temperature indicators in our plants
will be PI0134 and TI4348, respectively. You could even reuse the loop number "0134" to define
other types of devices, such as a level indicator, LI0134 or flow indicator, FI0134. The same holds
true for loop number "4348"; it may be used for PI4348, LI4348 and HS4348 (where HS stands
for Hand Switch). The key point is that the abbreviation + loop number must be unique for each
device otherwise, it cannot be uniquely identified. You can get creative and apply special prefixes
(or suffix) numbers to the tag number when you want to reuse the same tag (like in cases where
you have redundant devices but you don't want them to have different loop numbers). I will get
into those when we look at the example P&IDs. But that is detail stuff.
What is that control symbol?
Refer to the first row in the table above. A circle symbol is quite simply any physical instrument or
device in the field or on a panel. It doesn't matter if it is a level transmitter, a flow meter, a
pressure gauge or some other type of indicator. If it is a physical device that measures or displays
something, it will be illustrated by the use of a circle on a P&ID. Notice also how I placed the tag
number PI0134 inside the symbol. The common practice is to place the device function
abbreviation on the top line, with the loop number at the bottom. When the device is ordered and
a stamped tag is requested, it should match the tag number placed inside the symbol on the P&ID.
Aside: Sometimes, you will hear folks refer to the symbols as instrument "bubbles". This is just
jargon that is commonly used. When you hear it, they are simply referring categorically to the
symbol shapes I am talking about in this part. Just act like you've been calling them bubbles for
years and show now sign of confusion!
Move down to the symbols on the second row of the table - the ones that show a circle inside of a
square. These are used to represent a graphic on a computer screen or control panel that you can
see and possibly interface with via touch panel or a computer mouse. It might be used to show the
level in a tank (as the tab number in the bubble shown here suggests) or represent a hand switch
that you can click on with the mouse to start a pump (or a million other things!). The point is if
you can see it on a control screen, it will be represented as a circle inside a square on P&IDs. Don't
ask me who decided this, it wasn't me! The last two rows are for symbols that let the reader know
a computer is used to do some sort of complex processing. In the case of the hexagon, it means a
"computer" is used. That's a pretty vague description don't you think? I mean, is your plant a "PC
or a Mac"? I don't want to get into that debate (my wife uses a Mac, otherwise I would) but my
point is that some of these symbols begin to show their quaint age.
In the case of a square with a diamond in it, that means a programmable logic controller (PLC) is
used. Ah yes, the venerable PLC - still hanging tough after all these years. Even if you are not
familiar with control computers or PLCs, don't sweat it. Just know that these symbols really
represent software instructions that engineers write to define the automated behavior of the
plant. For example, code that tells a pump to automatically stop when the tank it is pumping from
runs low. That would be a so-called low level interlock type function that would exist as
instructions inside a PLC. In this instance, a level element provides the input and the computer
runs a set of instructions that say 'stop the pump' if tank level is low. These symbols are often left
off of P&IDs because they really don't provide any usable information that you could get out of
just looking at the symbol. For example, in the simple example that I just provided, how could you
describe the low level interlock using a symbol that looks like a square with a diamond in it? You
couldn't! You would need to supplement the P&ID with a written description of what the plant is
supposed to do with all of the input it receives. So the symbols would just take up space and
clutter the drawing for no good reason other than perhaps provide some pointer via a tag number
to coded instructions. But the P&IDs serve the process, not the programmer so we can't have that!
Symbology Star Power!
This brings me to the arbitrary star rating I gave all of the symbols in the table (see "Bob's Review"
key at bottom of table). Folks, this isn't published by the ISA (as if I had to qualify this...) but
we've been together long enough for you to know that this is how I roll. It's my way of explaining
the frequency and importance of these symbols in most cases. Here goes. For each symbol, I rate it
based on how often it typically shows up on drawings that I have worked on over the years. Every
plant is different but there is a general theme here. I view symbols with only one star as pretty
much useless because the abstract concept they are trying to illustrate simply can't be done
effectively with just symbology. Two star symbols have value but may not show up very often or at
all in many cases, depending on the type of plant and its design. Anything at or above three stars
is a celebrity in our P&ID feature presentations. We're talking Arnold Schwarzenegger, whereas
the one star symbol is akin to the nondescript ensign killed off in the first five minutes of a Star
Trek episode. So what about those quizzical computer symbols that I poke fun of? Well, you can
still use them if you want but they need heavy support from a document that describes all of the
functional requirements of a plant and that is typically called a Functional [Control] Description.
Maybe in a future series (if you're good), we will cover functional control aspects. Oh Goody! I can
almost sense your joy at the thought! Hey, pay attention and no smart remarks. We still have
work to do here!
Where is the device located?

If you glance back at the table, you will see that there are four columns that provide the 'Where'
part of a symbol. Now, as we discussed in Part 2 of this series, P&IDs generally aren't good at
showing you where something is located in the field. We aren't talking about that kind of
'where'. In this case, we are using where as a relative reference. Relative location is indicated via
the presence of a centered, horizontal line (or lack thereof), a dual centered horizontal line, or a
dashed centered horizontal line placed inside the symbol;
1. Single horizontal line - located on a main control panel near the control room or some
computer screen in the main control room,
2. No horizontal line - located somewhere in the field, probably close to the general area shown
on the P&ID,
3. Double horizontal line - on some secondary (satellite) local panel in the field.
4. Single dashed horizontal line - inaccessible or not generally located where it can be easily
accessed or viewed. May also be used for hidden or password protected areas of a control
system.
Notice in the above items, no specific location information is provided, only that the device or
graphic is associated with a relative, general location. In many cases, it's not hard to figure out
where something is just from where the symbol is at on the drawing. But there are limits to what
the symbol can convey.
More on the Dashes
I have found that the dashed line symbols can cause confusion so I want to speak on those a bit
more. When you see a symbol such as the one shown at left, that simply means that you can't
normally see it or work with that device it in the field. It might be installed behind or inside of a
panel so that it is normally not in view (inaccessible to the operator). So in the symbols shown
here, a circle with a dashed line in the middle means it is an instrument or device that you can't
normally see or get to. If you are an operator, it is probably something you do not need to get to
but it might still be vitally important to the plant control system, so we show it this way on a
P&ID. In a similar fashion, a graphic display symbol with a dashed line in the middle simply
means that this portion of the control system is password protected or hidden from normal view
on a screen or operating panel so you can't get to it unless you know the secret access code. It's
not that people are keeping secrets from you (or maybe they are...hmmmm); it's just that it might
contain important settings that nobody should ever need to mess with.
Why is that device here?

You've come a long way towards understanding control symbology. You can now identify what a
control symbol represents and its relative location in the plant. But you still don't know why it's
there. It's not helpful to know how to identify a control symbol type if you cannot explain what
purpose it serves in the plant. That is the point of the textual abbreviations placed inside the
symbols. We touched on this a bit above so now lets cover the essence of what you need to know -
and keep in mind, come of this is the way I like to do things, which doesn't necessarily mean it is
the best or only way. Refer to the figure below entitled "Instrument Symbol Tag Identification". A
control symbol will typically contain two lines inside it, as follows:
1. Upper Line - an abbreviation for the functionality it provides (based on the ISA 5.1 standard),
and
2. Lower Line - a loop number that corresponds to the equipment or area it is associated with (or
based on your company's preferred standard).
The upper line text abbreviation, along with the lower line tag number makes up the unique
symbol identification tag. It is important that each symbol have a unique tag so that it can be
individually identified. In this example, the symbol would be referred to as PDIT1703 in a process
document or operating procedure. There may be a bunch of other symbols with 1703 in them, but
they must have a different text abbreviation before the 1703 or you won't be able to uniquely
identify it. Part 4 of this series will talk more about typical device tagging protocols but for now;
consider this your "Introduction to Tagging 101".
The letters on the first line are in accordance with ISA standard 5.1, as described in the upper left
corner of lead sheet D001. Each letter provides unique information. We can use the table in D001
to determine that this symbol represents:
1. "P" - First Letter stands for "Pressure"

2. "D" - Second letter is a modifier for the first and stands for "Differential"
3. "I" - Third letter stands for "Indicating"
4. "T" - Fourth letter stands for "Transmitter"
5. 1703 is the loop number (the Electrical Engineering eggheads need loop numbers too)
I like to base loop numbers off the associated major equipment. That's just me, and I think it
makes good sense. But if your company uses a different technique, roll with it. Now is not the
time to be a renegade creator of new tagging systems. Fight your battles but win your wars! So in
this case, we have a pressure differential indicating transmitter installed on equipment 1703. You
might see such a device across a strainer inlet and outlet to let you know what the pressure drop is
across it so that you can clean it when it gets high.
Common Instrument Abbreviations

There are a number of instrument letter combinations that you are likely to come across a lot. A
few of these are listed in the figure titled "Common Primary Device Symbols". These examples
will help you get some practice understanding the abbreviations used for control symbols. You
can compare the examples to the table on D001 to get the hang of it. These examples all represent
field-mounted devices. We know that because they are all simple circle symbols with no
horizontal lines. I told you this was pretty straight forward!
The hardest part in deciphering the abbreviations inside control symbols is figuring out what the
letters designate when there are three or more letters used. Here are a couple rules of thumb:
In the case of abbreviations with four letters, the second letter is a modifier to the first.
When only three letters are used, the second letter probably is not a modifier.
As with any "rule of thumb", you mileage may vary, so if in doubt, look it up using the table on
D001 (or your own company lead sheets).
Symbol Attributes
Depending on the symbol purpose, various other attributes may be placed near control symbols in
"supporting role". The section called "Instrument Abbreviations" on lead sheet D001 defines
some of the more common ones you might run into. These are simply helpful bits that provide
further clarification for the situation at hand. In many cases, it is helpful to know "at a glance"
that a valve is FC (Fail Closed) or that DI is a (Digital Input). Refer to this table when you encounter
abbreviations used around control symbols.
Instrument Input-Output (I/O)
Despite major advances in computer technology and communications protocols, many

instruments still transmit their signals using a trusty analog signal (via a 4-20ma, 24V). For
switched devices, the input is typically a switch that simply provides a voltage input. While it is
not a common practice to show the type of signal a particular device sends to and/or receives from
the control system (collectively referred to as the I/O), in my company I like to employ simple
triangular symbols along the interconnecting lines to help illustrate the I/O flow (if you will) on a
P&ID. This is illustrated using the symbols shown in the figure below. The important point to
remember when you see these symbols is that the I/O flow is always from the control computer's
perspective. Thus, all outputs (DO, AO) come out of a output module and go to some field device.
Conversely, all inputs (DI, AI) are signals from field devices that flow into some input module.
Other types of I/O that may require specialized transducer cards or network protocols are
sometimes used. For example, the KT signal is a common type of signal that a thermocouple
employs. You may have also heard of RTD temperature sensors. There are a myriad of
transmission protocols used today and as process engineers, we don't need to get caught up in
that. But it is helpful to understand the flow of I/O in a plant and using these symbols is a cheap,
easy way of showing that with no penalty on the complexity of the drawing! All of the I/O symbols
invariably link to the software line type (described below), as this is used to illustrate software
processing within a computer or PLC. You don't know what is taking place just by looking at a
line, but you can be sure that whatever it is, the Functional Control Description is the place to look
to find out.
Line Symbols
The key line types are highlighted in the figure at right. By far, the most common line type is the
solid line, which is used to represent a pipe. Although not shown, a process line with long dashes
means the pipe is existing or is outside the battery limits (OSBL) of the plant. Other common line
types that you should be able to identify are electrical signal (anywhere wires are employed),
instrument air to control valves/devices (labeled as pneumatic signal) and software or data link
which includes "virtual" communication such as what occurs inside a computer program or PLC
ladder logic. The software can include anything that happens inside a computer, but you need a
functional description to actually know what that is, as we discussed earlier in this brief. Just
know that when you see a software line, it means computers are at work linking the devices in
some meaningful way that relates to the system controls.
Computing Functions
These symbols describe the types of functions that run inside a computer program. A problem
with applying these symbols is that they do not really provide solid insights into how the plant is
controlled in complex instances. For this reason, most P&IDs will make limited use of computing
function symbols. You can safely ignore these and not miss out on much because the functional
control description is really intended to describe control details that these symbols try to
illustrate.
Valve Symbols
The figures below show the key symbols for the various types of manually-operated valves and
actuator details for automated valves. Note the attributed stems on the actuators to indicate fail
state. This is a good example of using attributes to provide key information that is valuable to
operations.
Connection Types
Regarding connections, the symbology shown in the figure below is standard. One point I will
make is that in plastic piping systems (PVC, CPVC and ABS), everything is generally glued using a
connection type called "socket weld". However, socket weld can also be applied to metallic piping
systems where a welded connection is employed using socketed (versus butt weld) fittings. There
is no specific designation between glued or welded socket connections. Nor is there a symbol for
threaded connections.
When you start getting into what type of connection should be used in a particular pipe, this is not
really something that is based on personal preference or simply what you might have on hand in
the maintenance trailer. This is something that is based on things like the line service (what's in
the line), conditions (temperature, pressure), and other factors (like supporting requirements).
This kind of stuff is defined in a Material and Line Specification Standard. We won't cover that in
detail here but you know what? I just got an idea! This is great topic for a future series. The fun
never ends does it?
What about pipe fittings?

In case you are wondering (and I know you were), P&IDs generally do not show pipe fittings
(elbows, tees, unions, o-lets, etc.). Nor will they include all the various flanged connections
that might actually exist in the plant. These are details that show up on piping plans/sections,
isometrics and fabrication drawings. So, unless it is important to the process design for some
reason, fittings and extraneous flanged connection are generally not shown. If you need to get a
fitting take-off, look elsewhere!
Transducer Functions
This is an area that defines signal conversion. Only electrical engineers get excited about this
stuff, and you really don't need to focus too much on this. In fact, I almost skipped it but I just
know that if I did someone would ask, so let's get this out of the way because this electrical stuff is
starting to get a tad boring... A transducer is something that takes a signal in one form and
converts in into another form so that it can be used by a downstream device. For example, a
control valve may need air to actuate but receive an electrical signal to tell it to do that. Somehow,
you have to get the electric signal converted into an equivalent air signal so the valve can move.
Hello signal transducer.
In this particular example, an I/P (current to pneumatic) transducer is necessary so that the valve
can be positioned to any desired opening point with just an electrical signal. This is the most
common transducer function used in many plants; the others listed are comparatively rare. So,
understand what I/P means when you see it and don't worry too much about the rest of them for
now. When you graduate to Master Ninja P&ID interpreter, then we will focus on these details.
Primary Flow Elements

These symbols are nothing more than graphic illustrations that complement the control bubbles
to help readers of the drawing more easily identify the type of flow element being employed. The
most common types are shown in this table on D001. These symbols are not really critical towards
an understanding of the instrumentation or controls. Level elements don't have an equivalent.
Nor do other common instrument types.
Breaktime!
OK, so now you have a solid feel for what P&IDs are, the purposes they serve, their limitations and
supporting document requirements and now - a pretty solid handle on the symbology used.
Despite all the ground we covered in this part, we haven't really had a chance to go through a few
examples. Everyone knows that when it comes to learning new information, application it is key.
The old adage "use it or lose it" applies. I still aim to get to some examples but for now, just take a
well deserved break and let this stuff sink it. Besides, I'm sure they need to go buy a couple more
hard drives for Parts 4 and 5.
Be sure to drop me any comments you have so that I can tailor the remaining
parts.
Hang in there, we are almost done. Your on the back side of the race and heading towards the
finish line. Thanks for joining me!
Robert, Excellent presentation - one minor comment is that the

PLC symbol that you rarely encounter is commonly used in
batch procsses that are typical of pharmaceutical plants. Great
David Greene (not verified) series. David
SEP 30, 2010
David - thanks for your kind feedback. Your note about the
PLC symbol showing up often in the types of projects you
work on is not surprising. I do see it now and again but tried
RGCook (not verified) to speak at a very generic level about its utility. It always
OCT 5, 2010 comes down to your audience and mine is generally
operations. I can see how programmers (EI&C types) might
enjoy using it for their work to mark code, procedures, etc. -
Bob
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P&ID.
Part 2 - The Fundamentals

In Part 1 of this series, I talked about why a solid understanding of P&ID interpretation is
important to virtually every discipline involved in a process

by Robert Cook plant - from process engineering and detail design through
construction, commissioning/start-up, operations and
management. I'm glad to see I sold you on that point and
welcome you back to part two of this saga. Things are
SEP 1, 2010
starting to heat up and soon we will be weeding out the true
COMMENTS (11) process engineers from the causal posers who would rather
go off and waste time browsing reddit or digg (which I never
do by the way). We still have a bit of the academic stuff to
AICHE
cover before we really dig in but it's important stuff so sit up

straight and pay attention! Let's kick things off by defining
Topics:
what P&IDs are and the types of information they illustrate.
Equipment Afterwards, we'll cover some of their limitations. It's
Plant Operations important to know the limitations of a tool so that you don't
apply it in the wrong way. At the end of Part 1, I provided a
Process Safety link to some example drawings that I put together to help
illustrate some of the concepts I plan to discuss in this series.
If you haven't downloaded it yet, please do so now. The file
contains:
Two typical P&ID "Lead Sheets", and

A few example P&ID drawings
A Word about Lead Sheets

We will talk more about the lead sheets (sometimes referred to as legend sheets) in Part 3 -
Symbology. If you've never encountered lead sheets before, for now, just know that lead
sheets are used to define the equipment and device symbols, tags and other notations,
abbreviations and sometimes esoteric conventions that companies use to develop P&IDs for
any project they execute. If you compare lead sheets from a few dozen companies, you will
find that 90% of them are pretty much Copy | Paste. For that last 10%?, there can be distinct
differences and company-specific conventions used that are not obvious on P&IDs.
Therefore, it is good to know where the lead sheets are in your company so you can
quickly track down the meaning of that pipe service label or some other obscure
symbol.
The Example P&IDs

The last three drawings in the download link include some fairly typical P&IDs. I plan to use
these in some upcoming videos to illustrate how the symbols from the lead sheets are
applied to a real drawing and then compare that drawing to actual pictures of real-world
plants. This will help forge the cognitive connection from the abstract realm of cubicle
dwellers at CAD stations to the real world of process plants in action! Even if you are
completely new to P&IDs, I'm sure there are some aspects that are obvious to you in these
example drawings - things like the equipment and valve symbols, tags, etc. If not, that's OK
too because we will get into the details later but for now, just look them over and familiarize
yourself with what's there.
What are P&IDs?
A P&ID (or engineering flow drawing, EFD) is a type of process engineering drawing that
describes all process design aspects of a plant. In this context, "Process Design" means all
the stuff that makes up a plant, including:
Major and minor equipment - the distinction between what is "major" vs. what is
"minor" equipment is subjective
Valves, including vents, bleeders, safety relief, sample (all of them!)
Instrumentation, including devices that are used to continuously measure pressure,
flowrate, massrate, temperature or some analyzed parameter such as pH, concentration,
viscosity...the list goes on.
Stand-alone controllers that may function independently to perform a particular
function, like a PID controller or relay timer.
Buttons used to control motors and devices, be they pushbutton, toggle, or some other
type.
Motors and drives - many motors are single speed, non-reversing but there are other
kinds that have variable speed drives, and can operate in both directions.
Limit and point devices - including devices that only reveal a discrete state, e.g., if a
tank is at a certain level (point level), or a valve or actuator is in a particular position (a
limit switch)
That's it...just kidding.
Piping (of course!). All the pipes, tubes and even overflows in the plant. Not just the
main process pipes inherent to the particular process, but even the utilities (steam, air,
fuel, etc.).
Virtual devices on computer control screens (often as graphical representations real-
world objects) that are used to interact with the plant from the control room/panel. This
includes things like "clickable" buttons used to start/stop equipment, operate valves,
adjust controller settings, setpoint sliders and dials, evaluate alarms, etc. Computer
functions and software "links" are generally limited because it is difficult to convey
complete control meaning using just symbols. However, it doesn't matter if the process
is running on a home-brew Excel VBA project with Dick-and-Jane graphics or a state-of-
the-art Honeywell DCS - the symbology used to represent the control interface will be
shown.
I probably forgot some stuff in the list above but you get the idea. Clearly there can be a lot of
information to show on a P&ID. And for this reason, there are various degrees of detail that a
particular company will generally choose to show. There is no formal standard for the
various amounts of information a P&ID must include. Rather, it is left to the discretion of the
engineers involved. In terms of detail provided, my opinion is that a good P&ID will strike a
balance of "clarity without confusion". If you can't see the process for all the symbols, then
it's probably overdone. On the other hand, if you can't even discern how a pump may be
operated or what interlocks may exist, then you probably need to embellish it a bit.
P&ID Support Documents
For those things that are deliberately left off P&IDs for the sake of clarity, other documents
are used to provide the details. Common documents that serve vital support functions to
P&IDs include:
1. Process Flow Drawings (PFDs) are simple flow drawings that illustrate the general plant
streams, major equipment and key control loops. They also provide detailed mass/energy
balance data along with stream composition and physical properties. P&IDs originate
from PFDs.
2. Piping and material specifications. Here, you can dig into all the gory details about
materials of construction, gaskets, bolts, fittings, etc. for each of the services. (I will talk
about this more in a future post.)
3. Equipment and instrumentation specifications. Modern CAD software used to
produce P&IDs are sometimes called "smart" because they can incorporate
specifications, standards and details that go into the design. Yea, they are cool but just as
you can't fix stupid, you can't see "smart". Thus, it's good to have tangible documents
that folks can access and digest outside the masters of CAD.
4. Functional/process control documents that describe in detail, how the plant operates.
A good one will include preferred standards for use on control screens/displays. Folks
involved in programming the computers used to operate the plant need these.
How Should P&IDs be Organized?

Now you know what a P&ID is and what goes on them but you're not quite ready for the
corner office. At this point it's worth considering how a set of P&IDs can (and should) be
organized for a particular process.
There is no single good answer to this question and most companies will have a defined
precedent or standard that they follow but if you find yourself at File | New with nothing to
go on, because you just started your own company and (whoa...dude I just realized there is
no mechanical group anymore) my advice is to keep in mind that when you set out to
develop a set of P&IDs you are essentially writing a structured document, not unlike a book
or report with chapters/sections and a logical progression. OK, a really boring book with no
plot or characters, but you get the idea! My point is, you should plan the structure and break
the task down into manageable sections based on area in the plant, function and other
criteria that might be of importance to the project/process. Here's a quick example.
Consider a process plant with that receives raw feedstock in a storage area, feeds them into
some reactor train(s) to make some product and then includes a storage and packaging back
end. This particular process might be sitting inside a larger complex and leveraging existing
utility infrastructure and tank farms. In this case, you might elect to break the P&IDs down
as such:
Raw material receiving and storage

Process trains for product manufacture
Product storage and packaging
Tie-ins to facility utilities and distribution
Environmental controsl and specialty unit operations/vendor packages such as thermal
fluid, complex unit operations, etc.
Breaking a set of P&IDs down into logical sections makes the drawing set easier to develop,
digest and, perhaps most importantly - change. Any of you that have tampered with object-
oriented programming should be nodding in agreement at this point. Once you have the
categorical areas broken down, the drawing set is then linked together via arrows and
notations. Ultimately, it all fits together to like a puzzle to yield a continuous masterpiece.
Some companies like to develop their P&IDs so that if you had a huge wall, you could tape
them together and all of the various interconnecting arrows would line up as the parts of a
jigsaw puzzle. I have found that such an approach places unreasonable restrictions on the
convenient location of equipment and arrows and generally doesn't afford any greater
understanding of the holistic process. It's not uncommon for even relatively simple
processes to have a dozen or more P&IDs so you would need a really big wall and then you
wouldn't be able to read anything without getting close. My advice is to make efficient use of
the space provided, use the interconnect arrows as required to link them together and not
get caught up on how well they align with the god of geometric continuity (I think that was a
Greek god, not sure).
What are P&IDs Used For?

P&IDs really do have vital roles. In fact, if I had to pare it down to the top two, this is my list:
Act as the definition of the process from which all engineering, fabrication, construction
and operation is based.
Serve as reference for Process Safety Information (PSI) in Process Safety Management
(PSM).
To effectively accomplish these objectives, a good set of P&IDs should do the following:
1. Provide a clear and concise illustration of all equipment, pipes, valves, instruments,
sensors, etc. so that anyone involved has a solid understanding of the process.
2. Provide information to assist in analyzing process hazards, safeguards and potential
faults so that all kinds of errors (design, human/operation, etc.) are minimized, ideally
eliminated.
3. Support development of operating and maintenance procedures.
4. Serve as an as-built record of the process so that changes can be planned safely and
effectively using Management of Change (MOC).
So it's pretty clear that the P&IDs define the process at a root level. They serve as the
foundation upon which the system is designed, built and operated. Anyone who tells you
that they can design a plant without first generating P&IDs either is a Deity or has endless
funds that they enjoy throwing at poorly executed projects during the construction+ phases.
P&ID Limitations
At this point, you might be wondering what P&IDs can't do. After all, so far we've painted a
picture that they have seeming supernatural powers. Well, there are a few things that P&IDs
don't do well and it's important that you know what these are so that nobody makes any
false assumptions because we all know what happens when one assumes.
Despite their illustrious superhero status in the process engineering world, there are a
couple things P&IDs don't do well. Let's get it out in the open now:
They don't reveal scale or geometry,

They don't serve as a true model for how things are oriented and placed in the real world.
Like I said in the intro to this series, I've been doing process engineering for 150 years (in the
snow, uphill to work both ways) and I still run into instances where somebody will base a
decision on how to make a change or try to find something in the plant based on where or
how it looks on the P&ID. Here's a ProTip - a better way to get a handle on where things
really are at in the field is to use the P&IDs as a guide and do a walk-down or find other scale
drawings. Good examples of true scale drawings are the ones used by contractors to build the
plant. These include civil and piping plans, sections and/or isometrics, skid/equipment
fabrication drawings, instrument location plans, etc. If you just assume that a pipe is located
somewhere because it looks that way on the P&ID, you might be disappointed! Since we're
exposing the superman P&IDs to a bit of kryptonite, let's review some other weaknesses of
P&IDs just to make sure we've covered all the key points:
1. Not to Scale - as stated above, P&IDs can't be relied on as a scale guide for where pipes,
equipment or other items are in proximity to equipment in the real world. Yes, I'm
repeating that again because it will be on the quiz.
2. Not Geometrically Accurate - P&IDs don't illustrate geometry. The level of detail that
goes into symbols for equipment will vary, but is almost never geometrically correct!
3.
Color Blind - P&IDs are not good at using color to convey meaning. While the folks who
draw them often use color to help spot things on a monitor, don't try too hard to glean
meaning from color printouts or you may just end up seeing stars...
4. Not Definitive - P&IDs do not include complete specs for all of the equipment in the
process. They are, after all drawings, not documents. If you need details, grab the
pertinent data sheets or vendor specs. Or ask someone for some help.
5. Not Drawn Consistently - Sadly, P&IDs seldom look consistent between companies.
That's because there is a lot of flexibility in how one can go about drawing a P&ID (due to
various standards, CAD systems, etc.) and that leaves them open to company and/or
personal preferences. As a result, P&IDs often take on a different "look and feel" from
company-to-company or even from job-to-job inside the same company. This can be a
point of confusion when you get used to a certain way of seeing them. But don't sweat it;
just reorient yourself to the ways and means used by the process tribe in your group. Did
you just think about lead sheets! Bonus point for you!
OK, so now you have a solid feel for what P&IDs are, the purposes they serve and their
limitations. Hopefully, you've taken the time to at least glance at the example drawings
provided. Great, in Part 3 of this series we will dig into the symbology used so we can
interpret the geek speak of process engineers!
Questions? Comments? Ask away!
then please let me know how to decide an instrument device

has an I/O in order to arrange an I/O list. thanks
jabbar (not verified)

DEC 12, 2011
Hi Rob, great job. Although I am a chemical engineer, I am

new to this topic. It would be nice if you can also post a PDF
version of the lecture notes. I am comfortable in reading
Sanjib (not verified) from the paper than on my computer. Thanks and looking
MAY 13, 2012 forward to more insights. Sanjib
How to comment a P&ID for the possition of OR&A engineer

?
dan spranceana (not

verified)
AUG 7, 2012
2/3/2015 Codes,TagsandLabelsInterpretingPipingandInstrumentationDiagrams|ChEnected
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Codes, Tags and LabelsInterpreting Piping

and Instrumentation Diagrams

P&ID.
Part 4 - Codes, Tags and Labels

So you are back for more in Part 4? After all we went through in Part 3, those still standing
http://www.aiche.org/chenected/2010/10/codestagsandlabelsinterpretingpipingandinstrumentationdiagrams 1/21
probably deserve a medal or something. That said, unlike

by Robert Cook Part 3 where we really covered a lot of detailed "nuts-and-
bolts", this part will be a comparative piece of cake. Kind of
like the last day of school where you know you still need to
go and it might even be kind of fun, but you don't have to do
OCT 27, 2010
any real work and the stuff you do take home will be
COMMENTS (20) memories not homework. That's the frame of mind you
need to have for Part 4, ok? But before you take this as a cue
to start shooting spitballs at your host, sit up straight
AICHE
because this part is vital to your understanding and

development of clean, clear, odor-free P&IDs. Since this
Topics:
series is kind of long (hey, who snorted!?), let's get the
Equipment requisite recap out of the way for those who missed the
Plant Operations previous parts and need to circle back:
Process Safety Part 1 talked about why the interpretation of P&IDs is

important to everyone involved in the planning, design, and
construction through operation of a process plant.
Part 2 described the various functions P&IDs serve and
highlighted the kinds of information they convey, along
with the support documents that are commonly associated
with them. We also talked about some of their weaknesses.
Part 3 covered the nitty-gritty aspects of instrumentation and control symbology. Along
with that, we dissected tag abbreviations and how loop numbers uniquely identify
devices. Since we were on a roll, we closed out this part with all the ancillary I/O symbols,
line types, piping connections and other various sundry items peripheral to the main
theme.
Up till now, we have spent a great deal of our time focusing on the first lead sheet, D001 -
Instrumentation and Valves, provided along with other drawings in the supporting file
download to this series. In this Part 4, we will turn our attention to the remaining lead
sheet, D002 - Codes, Tags, and Labels. As I have mentioned previously, D002 is an example
lead sheet typical of the ones I have
used in the past. It may look different from the ones your company uses and that's OK. It's
not as important how a company prefers to do labeling on a P&ID, only that they do it
clearly, consistently and based on a robust system that is amenable to future change and
additions. An extensible tagging system if you will. That's a concept that may be a bit
unfamiliar to some so I will discuss that as a sort of prerequisite. Hang in there, I see the
finish line...just around the corner!
P&IDs Are Really Databases, Wait..what?
While P&IDs are representations of the process to the casual observer, their underlying
structure more closely resembles a relational database. In fact, for those of you familiar with
today's common computer aided drafting packages, you may realize that a CAD drawing is
really a database of objects assembled in a structured manner. Even if you reuse the same
object over and over in a drawing, the CAD system keeps track of it with a unique identifier.
This is very similar to a process plant in that, well for starters, we apply tags to keep track of
equipment, piping, valves, devices, etc.--things that we reuse over and over again in any
given process design. So I am here to tell you folks, when you design a process and develop
the P&IDs in CAD, you are really assembling a database along the way. This isn't lunacy with
half a bowtie. I'm serious and I would urge you to get familiar with relational database
design, if only from an academic standpoint. Like object-oriented programming, these
abstract concepts are extremely valuable towards implementation in our line of work. Some
examples? Ok, behold my exhibits--like a database, a process plant illustrated using
CAD on a set of P&IDs:
Contains collections of similar objects with unique tags so that even identical objects
(valves, pumps, instruments, etc.) can be uniquely identified.
Is assembled in a structured manner that lends itself to additions, deletions, changes,
etc. with a granularity as coarse as whole unit areas, down to a single valve on a pipe
anywhere in the plant.
Contains lots of metadata in the tagging systems that can inherently provide (or link to)
much more detail such as specifications, materials of construction, data sheets, etc.
There's more than just the above but I will rest my case. I hope you agree that while the tags
and labels themselves are self-evident, the real power is in the underlying tagging system
used. And so you're still thinking, "why must a tagging system be so robust and extensible?
I mean, come on Bob, aren't you making a mountain out of mole hill?" Well, glad you
asked; the answer is quite simply because most plants change over their useful life.
Change comes from a lot of different angles:
Operational Tweaks--improvements often come from the operations folks. In my

experience, some of the best improvements to a plant don't come from the egghead
engineers sitting in their cubicles, but from the folks in the plant dealing with the
machine each and every day. It is in their interest to make it work better, safer and
cheaper.
Capacity/Production Changes--often, a particular unit operation needs to be expanded
to meet new production requirements or changes in feedstock or product requirements
that shift the process design needs. I've seen instances where complete new trains have
to be added to a system.
PSM Audit Review--Process Safety Management requires that process documentation
be kept up to date and routine plant audits and Process Hazard Review may reveal
changes that should be implemented to a plant that is already in operation. The P&IDs
are the reference upon which such reviews are based and must always be in a current
"As-Built" state.
The key take-away from the list above is that the P&IDs serve initially as the process
definition upon which the plant is designed. But then they serve operations long after the
plant is built. This is why earlier in this series I espoused the need for engineers to be
routinely, actively engaged in ongoing operations. Not only will you learn a lot about the
plant that you yourself may have helped build, the feedback you receive will be invaluable to
maintaining a safe operation. Plus, you can implement the lessons learned on future
projects. Now that I've driven home the importance of a structured tagging system, let's
turn attention to the meat of this Part 4--the actual tagging of equipment and devices.
Equipment Tags
Lots of companies use what appears initially to be an intuitive, simple system to tag
equipment. It later reveals itself not to be very intuitive or robust. Let's pause for fictitious
example (that bears no resemblance to my past, really). GitRDun Process, Inc. has decided to
build a new plant to produce Trimethylkabif, a precursor to a drug that yields quick weight
loss, improved memory and muscle tone while eliminating irritable bowl, gastric reflux and
attention deficit. The process folks start out tagging equipment as follows:
Pumps are simply tagged P-1, P-2, P-3 (makes sense right?)
Agitators are tagged AG-1, AG-2, AG-3, etc. Dude - this is so simple!
And of course tanks and vessels are tagged TK-1, TK-2, TK-3 (or V-1, V-2, V-3). Could do
this in my sleep...
And so on...Life is good. Later on, though less common equipment starts getting added, and
this starts to stress the "intuitive" nature of the system. For example, a centrifuge is initially
tagged C-1 but now they need to add a conveyor but C is taken so they decide to call the
conveyor CO-1. Now they think, well, we will just revise the centrifuge tag to CE-1. Crisis
avoided...But wait, later they need to add a chemical feed package and want to tag that CF-1.
OK, that's cool but then a bunch of cross flow filter modules is added they decide to "steal"
the CF label for those and change the chemical feed to CE, no wait...can't do that, CE is taken
by the centrifuge. So they bite the proverbial bullet and call the chemical feed skid CS-1
where S is "intuitive" for supply. Right? Try again quiz kid. Nobody is going to see that as
intuitive. And then one day, it hits GitRDun's process engineers that their initially conceived
so-called intuitive tagging system is a heap of broken confusion and nobody knows their
CE's from their CO's. Cue the Jackson 5 song A B C, simple as 1 2 3!
A Better Tag Numbering System

To avert the problems inherent in the above example, many process industries utilize a
numeric-only system for tagging equipment. This helps simplify the logical categorization of
equipment during the process design phase. Moreover, a structured tag system is more
intuitive for the development of design documentation, operating procedures and training,
and general documentation upkeep/maintenance. With that in mind (and considering the
points presented earlier in this Part), the following method is but one example of how to tag
process equipment using an extensible system.
Area Number, AN Most sizable process plants are comprised of multiple areas. An area is a
physical, geographical, or logical grouping determined by the site. It may contain process
cells, units, equipment modules, and control modules (more details can be found at isa.org).
To facilitate a hierarchical organization of equipment, equipment tags should then
incorporate area designation.
A small or simple project may have only one area. Conversely, larger more complex projects
may have multiple areas. The assignment of areas is at the discretion of the process engineer
and can be subjective. The only general rule that I like to employ is that common equipment
that serves multiple areas, e.g., utility and infrastructure system be placed into a "Common
Resources" area rather than be made a part of any other process area. Once areas have been
designated for a particular project type, engineers should strive to maintain common area
designations on future, similar projects. For example, the areas shown in the figure above
may be defined on the lead sheet for a fictitious project.
Equipment Types, ET
Equipment can be identified based on its type using a numeric system such as the simple one
shown below. In cases where equipment has multiple functions, user discretion is advised in
selecting the most suitable type code.
Sequence Number, SQ
This is the consecutive numbering of like equipment in a particular area. The sequence
begins with 01. All equipment is to a have its own sequence number. The use of alphabetic
or other tag suffixes is to be avoided.
Example Equipment Tags

Using the system outlined above, a four-digit system emerges that may not be instantly
recognizable in terms of what the specific equipment is (or where), but it will eventually
become very familiar to those who are intimate with the plant. A few examples using the
area numbers defined above are provided below:
1101 - The first pump in the tank farm area.

1701 - The first tank in the tank farm area.
1405 - The fifth mixer in the tank farm area.
2901 - A vendor package in the Train 1 area.
The equipment tag number should be prominently displayed near the symbol used for the
equipment. For example, the tag number for a centrifuge might appear as follows on a P&ID.
Lastly, all major equipment should be named and provided general specifications in a label
placed along the drawing border. A couple examples for a pump and tank follow.
It is up to your company to decide on the final formatting, location (some companies like to
put certain equipment labels near the top of the border), and which particular specifications
should be included along with each major equipment label. The system presented here is
fairly simple and broadly applicable. Irrespective of these details, I highly recommend that
every piece of major equipment receive a label with a similar level of detail.
Instrument Loop Numbers

A benefit of using four digit equipment numbering system such as the one presented above
is that the tags lend themselves toward application in defining associated instrument loops.
This makes grouping equipment and associated instrumentation devices more logical. Think
back to our friends at GitRDun Process, Inc. Their tagging system consisted of tags like P-1,
AG-1, CE-2, etc. These tags are not amenable for use in defining instrument loops. However,
a four digit system does neatly tuck into instrument bubbles and when you think about it,
most instruments and devices serve or are primarily associated with a piece of equipment.
And even when that is not the case, they can readily borrow from the equipment type code
"9" in cases where, for instance, a pressure gauge on an air header serving the entire area
must be defined. Considering the above points, the following instrument and device tagging
system is but one effective way to tag instruments and devices:
Where;
PX - device type prefix (as per ISA 5.1)

EQ - the associated equipment tag (as defined above)
SX - duplicate or redundant device suffix (see details below)
Duplicate Suffix, SX Rules

A suffix is provided to accommodate instances were many devices of the same type are
associated with a given piece of equipment. For example, a vessel may have many lines
connected to it, each having its own actuated valve. To resolve these instances so that each
device has its own unique loop number, there are two suffix tag methods that can be
employed,
1. If a piece of equipment has redundant devices associated with it, an alphabetic suffix may
be appended to the loop number, e.g., FV1101A, FV1101B, FV1101C, etc. (Note:
Redundant means serving the same purpose as another device in a backup fashion.)
2. If a piece of equipment has multiple items of the same type, each of which with different
functions (not redundant) then a numeric system should be employed, e.g., FV1101-1,
FV1101-2, etc.
Example Loop Tags

Based on the above discussion, some example loop tags are provided below. If needed, the
reader can visit a more though discussion in Part 3 regarding instrument abbreviations.
(Note: In the examples provided, I use the example Area Numbers presented as examples
above.)
PI1101 - A pressure indicator on the discharge of the first pump in the tank farm area.
LT1701 - A level transmitter on the first tank in the tank farm area.
IT1405 - A current transmitter (for the motor) on the fifth agitator in the tank farm area.
AE1701A - One of at least two redundant analyzers on the first tank in the tank farm.
Hence, one would expect to see AE1701B, AE1701C... as indicated.
XV1701-1 - An actuated valve on the first tank in the tank farm area. The suffix -1
implies there are other valves associated with tank 1701 but in an alternate service (i.e.,
not redundant). For example, XV1701-1 may be on the inlet to the tank, while XV1701-2
may be on the outlet.
Line Numbers
Similar to equipment and instrumentation, every pipe on a P&ID requires a unique tag
number so that it can be uniquely identified during design, or referenced in operating
procedures. Since most lines are also affiliated with a major piece of equipment to which
they connect, I like to employ a numbering system similar to that used for instrument loops
whereby the equipment tag is integrated into the line tag in the following manner (Note:
D002 provides an alternate method that employs drawing number instead of equipment
number but I generally prefer the method given below.)
X"--SVC--ET:SQ--LS
Where;
X" - the nominal size of the pipe

SVC - the service code for the material that normally flows in the line (see examples
below for list)
ET:SVC - a unique line tag that includes two parts, the equipment tag from which the
line originates followed by a unique sequential number
LS -line specification for the pipe, including class and material type, valves etc.
Service Codes, SVC

Service codes are abbreviations for the fluid the line primarily handles.
Since some lines can serve many different process fluids, the fluid used to specify the
materials for the line should go here. The list should be available on a lead sheet in a manner
similar to that provided in the example above.
Line Specifications, LS
Line specifications cover all the details related to the piping system used to handle the fluid
for the line. This should include all details regarding material of construction, valves and
trim, gaskets, fittings, T/P limits, and much more. This is beyond the scope of this series but
is such a critical component of plant design that I might expand on this in a future post.
Hand Valves
Hand valves require a consistent and clear tagging system for reference in operating
procedures. There are a number of techniques that can be used, but one that I generally
prefer is as follows.
In the example provided at left, one can discern valve size, spec and tag number. This might
be more information than you want to include on some P&IDs. In cases where you just want
to show the valve tag and allow the spec and size to be derived implicitly from the line tag,
the following method is one option:
"V" - D# - SQ
Where;
HV or V - A literal and required part of all hand valve tags

D# - last two digits of P&ID drawing number
SQ - Sequence Number (01 to 99)
V0001 - The first hand valve on P&ID D100
V1205 - The fifth hand valve on P&ID D102
Example Hand Valve Tags

V0001 - The first hand valve on P&ID D100
V1205 - The fifth hand valve on P&ID D102
Wrap-Up
Further to the content in this part, D002 includes a few more examples of common tags and
codes applied in P&IDs, such as insulation, interconnecting arrows, etc. These are important
parts but are pretty self-evident. Aside from that, most companies have very specific ways
and means on these items so I won't cover them in depth here. Well, I started this out by
saying it was going to be fun and simple and I hope you leave this series feeling like I made
some solid points that will be of value to you going forward. In a follow-up to this series, I
will put together a complementary video where I take a few typical P&IDs (like the ones I've
attached here) and discuss all of these aspects in what I hope to be a much more engaging
manner. You will then be able to get a much better feel for seeing and hearing this
information. Now venture forth with your new knowledge and apply it for good. Stay safe
and have fun.

P&amp;ID Interpret

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2/3/2015 InterpretingPipingandInstrumentationDiagrams|ChEnected

AIChE CCPS SBE CEI IfS

Home Interpreting Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams

Interpreting Piping and Instrumentation

1/5 in the series How to Interpret Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams

AUG 24, 2010

Comments or Questions? Just make/ask them in the comments field.

Comments Log in to post comments

Very eye catching language so far apart from technical

Abbas - the comment system is giving me fits. For now, I

AIChE CCPS SBE CEI IfS

Home Interpreting Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams-Symbology

Interpreting Piping and Instrumentation

2/5 in the series How to Interpret Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams

Part 3 - Symbology Primer

parts before we hit the trail again. We have a lot of ground to

Part 1 talked about why the interpretation of P&IDs is

Lead Sheets Define Symbology

D001 - Instrumentation and Valves

Instrumentation and Controls Symbology

1. What is that device?

What is that control symbol?

Symbology Star Power!

Where is the device located?

More on the Dashes

Why is that device here?

1. "P" - First Letter stands for "Pressure"

Common Instrument Abbreviations

Instrument Input-Output (I/O)

Despite major advances in computer technology and communications protocols, many

What about pipe fittings?

Primary Flow Elements

Comments Log in to post comments

Robert, Excellent presentation - one minor comment is that the

AIChE CCPS SBE CEI IfS

Home Interpreting Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams

Interpreting Piping and Instrumentation

3/5 in the series How to Interpret Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams

Part 2 - The Fundamentals

important to virtually every discipline involved in a process

cover before we really dig in but it's important stuff so sit up

Two typical P&ID "Lead Sheets", and

A Word about Lead Sheets

The Example P&IDs

What are P&IDs?

P&ID Support Documents

How Should P&IDs be Organized?

Raw material receiving and storage

What are P&IDs Used For?

They don't reveal scale or geometry,

interpret the geek speak of process engineers!

Questions? Comments? Ask away!

Comments Log in to post comments

then please let me know how to decide an instrument device

jabbar (not verified)

Hi Rob, great job. Although I am a chemical engineer, I am

How to comment a P&ID for the possition of OR&A engineer

dan spranceana (not

AIChE CCPS SBE CEI IfS

Home Codes, Tags and LabelsInterpreting Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams

Codes, Tags and LabelsInterpreting Piping

4/5 in the series How to Interpret Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams

Part 4 - Codes, Tags and Labels

probably deserve a medal or something. That said, unlike

P&ID Interpret

P&ID Interpret