What is Process Flow Diagram and Read It Like

Pro – A Complete Guide

Process Flow Diagram (PFD) which is also known as Process Flow Chart, Process Flow sheets
and Process flow scheme. In this article, you will learn what is this drawing is and what type of
information is provided in it with the help of real plant PFD example.

What is Process Flow Diagram?

Process Flow Diagram (PFD) is a simple drawing that shows the relationships between major
equipment in a process plant using equipment symbols and shows the primary process flow path
of a unit. You can visualize the flow of material within the plant with the help of these drawing.

What is the use of Process Flow Diagram?

A process flow diagram provides a quick overview of the entire operating unit or a system. A
technician or engineer can use this document to trace the flow of materials through the unit. The
flow diagram is also used for visitor information and new employee training.

It is the one of the core document to draw the Plot Plant and P&ID.

What information does Process Flow Diagram provide?

A typical PFD will include:

 All Major equipment: Each equipment shown on PFD has a unique equipment number
and a descriptive name. It also indicates main dimensions, capacity and operating
information of the equipment.
 2nd is – Process flow stream or interconnected piping. PFD follows left-right approach for
process flow. That means any process stream enter or exit either from the right or left.
However please note that this left-right approach is not a mandatory requirement but good
engineering practice.
 All process flow streams shown on PFD will have an identification number. A
description of the process conditions and the chemical composition of each stream such as
pressure, temperature, density, mass flow rate, and a mass-energy balance will be included
in PFD. These data will be either displayed directly on the PFD or included in the flow
summary table. Sometimes, it also shows minimum, normal and maximum values of these
process parameters. Next is
 The process flow direction of all process line
 Control valves and process-critical valves
  Major bypass and recirculation systems
 Connections with other systems

What is not included in a PFD?

 Pipe classes and pipeline numbers
 Process control instruments
 Minor bypass valves
 Isolation and shutoff valves
 Maintenance vents and drains
 Relief valves and safety valves and
 Code class information

You must be thinking if this information is not here than where they are? Well! This information
is covered in P&ID which is more complex drawing than PFD.

To read PFD, PFS, P&ID, PEFS, iso and GA drawing, knowing the various symbols for
equipment, valve, and the instruments is a must. So if you have not watched the earlier video on
P&ID/PFD symbols, please watch that video first.

I will explain to you how to read this PFD or PFS with the help of the real drawing. Check the
PFD that you are going to learn.
If you don’t want to read, watch this video which will
explain to you all aspects covered in this article.
Now look at this PFS or PFD, well both are same. You can see the PFS of OSBL part of plant
fuel oil and slop tank.

Let’s check the equipment that are used in this system. Here you can see the tank, pumps,
exchanger, vessel, strainer and jet mixture. On top of any PFD, you can see the list of all the
major equipment along with its size and capacity.

All the main process lines are shown as a dark black line, and the thin black lines are minor
process lines. Aero heads on the line show the direction of the flow.

Fuel oil is coming from other ISBL units. You can see the incoming aero with a dark head. If
there is no dark head and simple aero is there like this, it means the line is coming from the same
unit.

You can see the battery limit between OSBL and ISBL. This process stream is numbered as one
for which details are given in the table below. Square box with a number inside will give you the
process stream number. Square box with letters inside means it refers to other service and for the
detail of that stream you to refer to the PFD of that process. Here SL means steam line and the
CL means condensate line.

This is a generic symbol of the valve.  If you want to know the exact type of valve, you have to
check the P&ID.  The letters NC means Normally close. That means this valve remains closed
during normal operation.
Now look at this loop, this is circulation loop. Fuel oil from the tank is supplied to pump which
will pass through the heat exchanger and return to the tank. You have to maintain the
temperature of the fuel otherwise it will get thick and chock the line and also settled in the tank.

You can see that there are two control valves are shown in this loop. One will maintain the
temperature by controlling steam and the second one will maintain the flow. The symbol of the
valve is a generic symbol of the remotely actuated valve. It can be the hydraulic, pneumatic or
motor operated type.

If you are interested in learning more about valves and their function, you can buy my full course
on the valve in which I have covered more than 18 types of valve. Yes, this is marketing because
that is how I earn money to produce good quality videos and articles. So please support by
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Now back to our PFD.

See this detail of the pump, recycle pump has a head of 60 meters and plant fuel oil pump has a
head of 216 meters. These must be large pumps. Let’s look where they are in PFD.

Let me adjust the PFD on the screen so that we can conclude our video.

Ooh!!  These pumps are turbine driven that means these are critical pumps. Normally turbine
driven pumps are provided where you want to run the pump even if there is a total power failure
in your plant.

Here we have two basket strainers one on the suction side and other on the pump discharge side,
and we also have a heat exchanger to maintain the temperature of fuel oil.

The suction strainer will protect pump impeller from any foreign object that can damage the
pump and discharge strainer will ensure clean supply to user units.

You can see the temperature control loop also.

Here, you can see the battery limits of ISBL and OSBL. Fuel oil is supplied to various ISBL
unit’s furnaces. On ISBL side you can see that one pressure control valve is given which ensure
constant pressure in the Fuel Oil loop.

Now let’s look at the stream table. Lots of process parameters such as pressure, temperature,
flow rate, and other details are given in this table. Have a look at it.
This is all about PFD. You have learned all most all detail that PFD provides. If you want to
learn about how to read P&ID, you can check the P&ID article here.