Torres 

Ayala Antonio  English III 

137442  October 9th, 2022

 
ASSIGNMENT 2

Title: Elements of Process Flow Diagram

Author: By Antonio Torres Ayala

Introduction:

Process flow diagrams (PFD) will probably be the first way to detail an industry process in
software programs when the boss wants to understand why you need some equipment to
upgrade the process or repair the actual. PFD also is an especially important component of
process design. Chemical engineers will need to know how to read PFD because it is the most
effective way of relaying information about a piping, instrumentation, and equipment design.
The PFD is more detailed and conveys more information than the block flow diagram (BFD),
which only gives a general sense of process flows. The PFD shows the sequence of flow
through a system and details the stream connections, stream flows rates, compositions, and
operating conditions through the plant layout. This essay seeks to explain the main
characteristics of PFD, so that it is easier to understand them the next time we need to read
or design one.

Development:

PFD is an unscaled drawing describing the process in which the main process flows should
preferably be shown going from the left of the sheet to the right.
In a PFD, critical internal parts of vessels and other items essential to the process should be
indicated. Another requirement when we draw a PFD is the directions of flow within the
diagram are shown by solid arrowheads, and the capacities of equipment should be shown.
Equipment should be drawn schematically, using equipment symbols, and where feasible
should be drawn in proportion to the actual sizes of the items, indicating where standby and
paralleled equipment are.
PFD does not show systems for providing services. However, the type of service, flow rates,
temperatures, and pressures should be noted at consumption rates corresponding to the
material balance.
The route of disposal for all waste extrastreams must be indicated too.

For all these reasons PFD is a powerful tool for chemical engineers because it allows to read
and understand very fast the process flow, the equipment, and all involved streams.
When we are reviewing the control of some process could possibly, we need more specific
information, each piece of equipment has been named and listed on a table that we can consult
whenever, and all streams have been labeled and identified with a number, those numbers
are shown in a summary separate table too.
Other essential information that we can find in a PFD is:
 The process piping, equipment, and vessels.
 Heat and material balances.
 Composition, flow rate, pressure, and temperature of every stream.

The PFD conveys more information than BFD, we can notice of this when we compare the
main elements of each one. PFD should include the following:
 Process piping
 Major equipment symbols, names, and identification numbers
 Control, and valves that affect the operation of the system
 Interconnection with other systems
 Major bypass and recirculation lines
 System ratings and operational values as a minimum, normal, and maximum flow,
temperature, and pressure
 Composition of fluids

Whereas the BFD is used to simplify and understand the basic structure of a system and only
includes:
 Blocks (simulating equipment in a simple form)
 Line streams (with composition and some operating conditions)

Conclusion:

The process flow diagram is an essential part of chemical engineering that conveys a process
and the path of its components. PFD is the essential tool that engineers, who are responsible
for many industries, need to read and create process systems like professionals.
The PFD shows the sequence of flow through a system and details flow connections, flow
rates, flow compositions, and operating conditions throughout the plant layout, making it
easy to understand the flow plants process, problem-solving, explain to others what each
symbol, its function, and its connections.

APA references:

[1] Wong, T. (2015, March 2). Process flow diagram. Processdesign. Retrieved October 8,

2022, from

https://processdesign.mccormick.northwestern.edu/index.php/Process_flow_diagra

[2] Sherwood, D. (1991, February 14). The Piping Guide (2.). CRC Press.

[3] PFD - Process Flow Diagram. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2022, from

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/pfd-process-flow-diagram-d_465.html