EMS510U: Process Design and

Simulation

Introduction to Chemical Process Diagrams

Dr Sanaa Hafeez
 Chemical process diagrams
• Block Flow Diagram (BFD)
• Process Flow Diagram (PFD)
• Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID) – often
referred to as Mechanical Flow Diagram
– Complexity and conceptual understanding increases

As chemical engineers, we are most familiar with BFD and

PFD.
 Block Flow Diagram (BFD)
• Is the simplest flowsheet
• Most useful in early stages of process
development
• Process engineers begin the process design
with a BFD with only the feed and product
streams identified
 Block Flow Diagram (BFD)
• BFD shows overall processing picture of a chemical
complex
– Broken into basic functional elements, such as reaction
and separation sections
– Flow of raw materials and products may be included on a
BFD
– BFD is a superficial view of facility – Chemical Engineering
information is missing
 Definitions of BFD
• Block Flow Process Diagram
– Similar to sketches in material and energy balances
 Definitions of BFD
• Block Flow Plant Diagram
– Gives a general view of a large complex plant

“Production of Ethane from Ethanol

Ethanol is fed to continuous reactor with presence of Acid Sulphuric
catalyser to produce ethylene. Distillation process then will be applied
to separate ethylene-H2O mixture. Ethylene as a top product is then
condensate with condenser to perform liquid ethylene. Hydrogenation
of ethylene applies in another reactor with presence of Nickel catalyzer
to produce ethane as a final product.”
 Definitions of BFD
• Block Flow Plant Diagram
– Gives a general view of a large complex plant
 Block Flow Diagram
Example:
Ammonia-air mixture is feed to the bottom stream of an absorber with flow
rate of 10L/min. Water then feed to the upper stream of the same absorber
with desired flow rate of 5L/min. There are two outputs from the absorber
where upper stream is insoluble NH3 and bottom stream is NH3-Water
mixture. This NH3-water mixture then feed up to a batch distillation column.
The column produces ammonia gas as a top product which this product then
will be condensate with a condenser to produce liquid ammonia.

Develop Block Flow Diagram (BFD) for this process.

Solution: Block Flow Diagram
 Process Flow Diagram
• PFD shows all process engineering information
– The topology of the process – showing the
connectivity of all the streams and the equipment
– Use appropriate conventions – consistency is
important in communication of process
information
 Process Flow Diagram
• PFD will contains the following information:-
- Flow rate of each stream in case of continuous process or quality of each
reactant in case of a batch process.
- Composition streams.
- Operating conditions of each stream such as pressure , temperature,
concentration, etc.
- Heat added or removed in a particular equipment.
- Flows of utilities such as stream, cooling water, brine, hot oil, chilled water,
thermal fluid, etc.
- Major equipment symbols, names and identification.
- Any specific information which is useful in understanding the process.
 Process Flow Diagram
• PFD will contain the following information:
– All major pieces of equipment (descriptive name,
unique equipment no.), pumps and valves.
– All the utility streams supplied to major
equipment such as steam lines, compressed air
lines, electricity, etc.
 Process Flow Diagram
• Developed using software
– ASPEN, ChemCAD etc.
• Typical component data in the software:
– Instrument ID
– Drawing number
– Dimensions
 The Process Flow Diagram (PFD)

Process Unit Symbology

Symbol Description

Heat exchanger

H2O Water cooler

S Steam heater

Cooling coil
 The “Process Flow Diagram” (PFD)
Process Unit Symbology
Symbol Description

Heater coil

Centrifugal pump

Turbine type compressor

Pressure gauge
 The “Process Flow Diagram” (PFD)

Process Unit Symbology

Symbol Name Description

Stripper Convert liquid mixture into gas

phase

Absorber Convert mixture gas into

liquid phase
 The “Process Flow Diagram” (PFD)

Process Unit Symbology

Symbol Name Description

Distillation Separate liquid into

miscellaneous component
column fractions.

Liquid mixer Mix liquid components.

or
 The ”Process Flow Diagram” (PFD)

Process Unit Symbology

Symbol Name Description

Reaction Location of chemical process

or reaction occurs
chamber

Horizontal tank Store liquid or gas.

or cylinder
 The “Process Flow Diagram” (PFD)
Process Unit Symbology
Symbol Name Description

Boiler Heating purposes.

Centrifuge Physically separated liquid

mixture (exp: oil-liquid)
 The “Process Flow Diagram” (PFD)

Valve Symbology
Symbol Name

Gate Valve

Globe Valve

Ball Valve

Check Valve

Butterfly Valve
 The “Process Flow Diagram” (PFD)

Valve Symbology

Symbol Name (a)

Relief Valve (d)

(b)
Needle Valve (a)

3-Way Valve (c)

(c)
(d)
Angle Valve (e)

(e)
Butterfly Valve (b)
 Process Flow Diagram
• Stream numbering and drawing
– Generally number streams from left to right
– Horizontal line cuts or break vertical lines
– Add arrows for: change in direction and inlet of equipment

Yes No No
 Process Flow Diagram
“Production of Ethane from Ethanol
Ethanol is feed to continuous reactor with presence of Acid Sulphuric
catalyser to produce ethylene. Distillation process then will be applied
to separate ethylene-H2O mixture. Ethylene as a top product is then
condensate with condenser to perform liquid ethylene. Hydrogenation
of ethylene applies in another reactor with presence of Nickel catalyzer
to produce ethane as a final product.”
 Process Flow Diagram
R-100 P-100 T-100 E-100 P-101 R-101
Reactor Pump Distillation Column Condenser Pump Reactor

Hot water out

Ethylene
E-100 Ethylene
V-104 liq.
Cold water in
V-106
CV-100 T-100
CV-101
Ethanol V-105

V-100 V-101 V-102 Hydrogen

H2SO4 V-103 V-107
R-100 Ni Ethane
R-101
P-100
H2O P-101
 Process Flow Diagram
Example:
Ammonia-air mixture is feed to the bottom stream of an absorber with flow
rate of 10L/min. Water then feed to the upper stream of the same absorber
with desired flow rate of 5L/min. There are two outputs from the absorber
where upper stream is insoluble NH3 and bottom stream is NH3-Water
mixture. This NH3-water mixture then feed up to a batch distillation column.
The column produces ammonia gas as a top product which this product then
will be condensate with a condenser to produce liquid ammonia.

Develop Process Flow Diagram (PFD) for this process.

 Process Flow Diagram
T-100 T-101 E-100
Absorber Column Batch Distillation Column Condenser

Insoluble ammonia
gas Hot water out

Ammonia gas
Ammonia liquid
Water 5 L/min
Cold water in

Ammonia-air
mixture 10 L/min
Ammonia-water mixture
 Process Flow Diagram
“Production of Ethane from Ethanol
Ethanol is feed to continuous reactor with presence of Acid Sulphuric
catalyser to produce ethylene. Distillation process then will be applied
to separate ethylene-H2O mixture. Ethylene as a top product is then
condensate with condenser to perform liquid ethylene. Hydrogenation
of ethylene applies in another reactor with presence of Nickel catalyzer
to produce ethane as a final product.”
Process Flow Diagram
 Process Flow Diagram
Stream Information
Stream 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Number
Temperature 25.0 35.0 35.0 35.0 35.0 60.3 41 38 54.0 45.1
(oC)
Pressure (psi) 28 32.2 31.0 31.0 30.2 45.1 31.3 24.0 39.0 2.6

Vapor fraction

Mass flow 10.3 13.3 0.82 20.5 6.41 20.5 0.36 9.2 20.9 11.6
(tonne/hr)
Mole flow 108 114.2 301.0 1204.0 758.8 1204.4 42.6 1100.8 142.2 244.0
(kmol/hr)
 R-100 P-100 T-100 E-100 P-101 R-101 NOTE:
Reactor Pump Distillation Column Condenser Pump Reactor
GATE VALVE

Hot water out GLOBE VALVE

CHECK VALVE
Ethylene E-100 Ethylene liq.
PNEUMATIC DIAPHRAGM
6 VALVE
V-104
Cold water in
LIC V-106
25 T-100
CV-100 CV-101
28
V-105
Ethanol 5 20
1 V-101 V-102
H2SO4 4 38 Hydrogen
V-100 9
V-103 V-107 Ni
R-100
3 R-101 Ethane
2 8 10
35
35 31.0 7 H2O
32.2 P-101 LIC
P-100

fs
FLYSIS CHEMICAL
(M) SDN. BHD
Stream Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
PROCESS FLOW
Temperature (oC) 25.0 35.0 35.0 35.0 35.0 60.3 41 38 54 45.1 DIAGRAM
Pressure (psi) 28 32.2 31.0 31.0 30.2 45.1 31.3 24.0 39 2.6
PRODUCTION OF
Vapor fraction ETHANE FROM ISSUED :
ETHANOL
Mass flow (tonne/hr) 10.3 13.3 0.82 20.5 6.41 20.5 0.36 9.2 20.9 11.6 DRAWN BY :
PAGE : 1 OF 1
Mole flow (kmol/hr) 108 114.2 301.0 1204.0 758.8 1204.4 42.6 1100.8 142.2 244.0
APPROVED BY :
 Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams
• Detailed graphical representation of a process including the
hardware and software (i.e piping, equipment, and
instrumentation) necessary to design, construct and operate
the facility.

• Common synonyms for P&IDs include Engineering Flow

Diagram (EFD), Utility Flow Diagram (UFD) and Mechanical
Flow Diagram (MFD).
 Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams
• Information includes:
– Appliances and machinery
– Pipes or means of transport (e.g. moving belts)
– Valves and fittings
– Information on dimension, nominal pressures and material
classification
– Any insulation, electric pipe heater, gradients & materials
Process Flow Diagram
Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams
 Summary
▪ The three principal diagrams (BFD, PFD, and
P&ID) are used to convey increasingly specific
technical information about a process.
▪ Important to adhere to common standards for
these diagrams in order to avoid confusion