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Pipe and Identification Diagrams (P&ID) Documentation and Symbols
Pipe and Identification Diagrams (P&ID) Documentation and Symbols
Instrument symbols should also contain letters and numbers. The letters are a
shorthand way of giving the type of instrument, its use in the system, and the
numbers identify the control loop. Usually 2 or 3 letters are used. The first letter
identifies the measured or initiating variable, the following is a modifier, and the
remaining letters identify the function.
Examples of instrument identification are shown in a,b,c and d:
a. The first letter T indicates that the instrument is in temperature loop number
178. The second letter Y denotes conversion, which from the line description
gives the conversion from a current of 4 to 20 mA to a pressure of 3 to 15 psi.
The instrument is a discrete instrument located in the field.
c. The letter P denotes pressure, R is recorder, and the third letter T is transmitter,
giving a recording pressure transmitter in loop 89 which is located in a secondary
accessible location and is a PLC function.
d. The first letter L stands for level, A indicates alarm, and H is high, which is
an alarm for high liquid levels located in loop 222 and is not accessible.
Functional Symbols
A number of functional symbols or pictorial drawings are available for most P and ID
elements. A few examples are given here to acquaint the student with these elements. They
have been divided into actuators, primary elements, regulators, and math functions for clarity.
Actuators:
actuator are shown combined with the control valve symbol to give a representation of a hand
operated valve and a pneumatic operated valve in the second row. Note should also be taken
of the arrows to represent the state of the valve under the system fail conditions.
Primary elements
By far the largest numbers of elements used in P and ID are the primary elements;
a sampling of these elements is given in Fig. Lettering and numbers
are included in the examples.
Examples of primary elements used in P and ID:
Abbreviations:
ISA Instrument Society of America
P&ID Pipe and identification diagram
PLC Programmable logic controller
ANSI American National Standards Institute