Piping and Instrument Diagrams (P& IDs)

P&ID's provide a useful tool in training personnel to understand how the plant
works, and how the associated areas and equipment interact. In this course, the
fundamental purpose is to enable Operations personnel to read a Piping and
Instrumentation Diagram and understand the various, basic instrumentation
involved.

Because plant diagrams, and especially P &ID's are so important to plant

personnel, it is therefore critical that all drawings available for the plant are
maintained in a good condition, are readily available, and most important they are
accurate.

Over time, many changes and modifications are made to the plant equipment
(either minor or major) and to ensure the integrity of the plant operation it is
important that P&ID's are updated accordingly, and revisions made.

To put it simply, diagrams are used extensively in all operating activities as a

means of replacing and explaining written words. These documents are, along with
experience, the most useful source of information for operations personnel.

They allow personnel who are new to the plant, to familiarize themselves with the
plant equipment and flows, and enable the more experience operators to retain
their knowledge, troubleshoot problems, and develop in-depth comprehension of
their operating areas.

What are P&IDs?

P&ID stands for Piping and Instrumentation Diagram. It is a drawing or

blueprint of the systems in a section of your plant. A P&ID shows you the
components needed to run, monitor, and control specific processes. It was made
during the design and construction of the plant. A P&ID does not describe
the chemical, reactions Involved or give you procedures. In some plants a P&ID
may be known as a Process and Instrumentation Diagram , or as a Process and
Control Diagram (P&CD).

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A P&ID layout includes:

• Equipment
• Piping that connects the equipment;
• Lines and instruments used to monitor and control the process.

P&IDs for an area may be important to any person who has responsibility for
maintaining safe and efficient operation of a process system. The following are
some examples of times when an operator, mechanic, or technician may; need to
check a P&ID:

• Planning a job;
• Writing a job safety analysis (JSA)
• Lockout before repair or replacement of a piece of process
equipment.
• Troubleshooting if a problem develops
• Emergency preparedness and dealing with emergency situations
• Process hazard reviews
• Training a new employees

P&IDs are one of many sources of information. In some cases, you will need to
check other sources as well as P&IDs to complete a job. For example, to replace
an instrument, you might need to check instrument specification sheets for
information such as the name of the instrument manufacturer. :

On P&ID's, symbols are used to represent equipment and instrumentation, to

prevent the drawing from becoming too crowded. Abbreviations are also
commonly used.
Figure 1A shows a simple control loop set-up, showing how it actually
appears on the plant.

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Figure IB shows an example from part of a P&ID compared to the as-built
arrangement in Figure 1 A.

Figure1

Instrument symbols, such as circles, letters, numbers and lines are used to
provide information about the process. Symbols may represent the devices in the
system, or identify the function of instruments, or indicate how devices are
connected to each other or to the process.

Instrument Symbols

A circle on an instrumentation diagram is called a Balloon or a Bubble.

Balloons are used to identify the function of an instrument in a process. A
balloon contains lines, letters, and numbers that identify the location of the
instrument, its function in the process, and further specify whether the
instrument is used to measure, indicate, record, or control the process ;
variable.

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 A balloon without lines indicate a stand-alone instrument (field
mounted).

If the symbol is a circle enclosed in a square, the instrument has a

shared display or a shared control.

Hexagons are used to designate computer function.

Programmable logic controls are shown as diamonds enclosed in

squares.

Symbol indicate this information. Lines, variation include single solid lines, double
solid lines and broken lines.

Solid line indicates that the instrument is board-mounted, usually

with a group of instruments. In most instances, board mounted
instruments are easily accessible to operator.

Double lines indicate that the instrument is at an auxiliary

location
Thenormally
absenceaccessible to operator.
of a horizontal line within the balloon indicates that
the instrument is field-mounted. Field-mounted instruments are
usually located near the point of measurement or near the final
control element.
Broken lines indicate, that an instrument is mounted behind the
board or behind the panel. Behind the board Instruments may not be
be accessible.

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Tag Numbers

Instrument identification numbers or tag numbers are alphanumeric codes that

provide specific information about instruments or functions. The loop
identification part of the tag number is generally common to all instruments or
functions of the loop.

The letters inside the instrument symbol identify the kind of instrument and
process variable that the instrument measures and controls. The numbers
inside the symbol identify the control loop for the instrument figures shown
above shows a typical instrument symbol.

The symbol tells you four things about the instrument:

• Where it is - It is mounted on a panel in the control room.
• What it is - It is a Pressure Indicating Controller (PIC).
• What it is part of- It is part of an instrumentation system called a Loop.
The loop number is 123.

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Identify instrument abbreviations.

Many abbreviations are used in instrumentation symbols. They are all

organized the same way. The first letter identifies the process variable that the
instrument loop measures or controls. .

For example, P indicates a pressure loop.

The remaining letters in the abbreviation identify the type and function of the
instrument. Instruments that perform more than one function are identified with
two or three letters.

For example PIC is an indicating controller for a pressure loop. It functions as

both a pressure indicator and as a pressure controller in control loop 123.

Abbreviations

Next page shows a list of some of the abbreviations that you will see on a
P&ID's instrument symbol legend.

Remember the four main process variables and their abbreviations:

• P = Pressure
• T = Temperature
• L = Level
• F = Flow

The most common instrument abbreviations are:

• I = Indicator
• A = Alarm
• G = Gauge
• T = Transmitter
• R = Recorder
• S = Switch
• C = Controller

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Some Commonly Used Abbreviations
AE Analyzer Element PdIC Pressure Differential Indicating Controller
AT Analyzer Transmitter PdlS Pressure Differential Indicator Switch
FC Flow Controller -PdTd Pressure Differential Transducer
FCV Flow Control Valve PG Pressure Gauge
FE Flow Element PHC Pressure Manual Control
FG Flow Gauge Glass PI Pressure Indicator
FHC Flow Manual Control PIC Pressure Indicating Controller
FHS Hand Switch in Flow Loop PIT Pressure Indicating Transmitter
Fl Flow Indicator PR Pressure Recorder
FIC Flow Indicating Controller PS Pressure Recorder
FM Flow Meter PT Pressure Transmitter
FQI Flow Totalizer Indicator PTd Pressure Transducer
FR Flow Recorder PZE Rupture Disc
FRC Flow Recorder Controller PZV Pressure Relief Valve
FS Flow Switch RTD Resistance Temperature Detector
FT Flow Transmitter RO Restriction Orifice
FTd Flow. Transducer ST Speed Transmitter
HCV Hand Operated Control Valve SOE Sequence Of Events (recorder)
HS Hand Switch SV Solenoid Valve
LC Level Controller TA Temperature Alarm
LCV Level Control Valve TC Temperature Controller
LF Liquid Filled TCV Temperature Control Valve
LG Level Gauge Glass TdIC Temperature Differential Indicating Controlle
LHC Level Manual Controller TE Temperature Element
LI Level Indicator THC Temperature manual Controller
LIC Level Indicating Controller Tl Temperature Indicator
LR Level Recorder TIC Temperature Indicating Controller
LS Level Switch TIT Temperature Indicating Transmitter
LT Level Transmitter TR Temperature Recorder
LTd Level Transducer TS Temperature Switch
PA Pressure Alarm TT Temperature Transmitter
PC Pressure Controller TTd Temperature Transducer
PCV Pressure Control Valve TW Thermowell
Pdl Pressure Differential Indicator VZV Vacuum Relief Valve
XA Annunciator
XLS Limit Switch
XPI Position Indicator
XVE Vibration Detector
XVS Vibration Switch
ZS Valve Mounted Limit Switch
ZV Safety Shutdown Valve

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IDENTIFICATION LETTERS
First letter Succeeding letters
Measured or initiating Modifier Readout or passive Output function Modifier
variable function
A Analysis Alarm
B Burner, combustion
C Conductivity Control
D Density Differential
E Voltage Sensor (primary
element)
F Flow rate Ratio (fraction)
G User's choice Glass, viewing device

H Hand High
1 Current Indication
J Power Scan
K Time Time rate of Control station
change
L Level Light Low
M Moisture Middle,
intermediate
N User's choice User's choice User's choice
O Orifice, restriction
P Pressure Point (test connection)

Q Quantity Integrate,
totalizer
R Radiation Record
S Speed, frequency Safety Switch
T Temperature Transmit
U Multivariable Multifunction Multifunction Multifunction
V Vibration, mechanical Valve, damper,
analysis louver
W Weight, force Well
X Unclassified X axis Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified
Y Event, state, or presence Y axis Relay, compute,
convert
Z Position, Dimension Z axis Driver, Actuator

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Process Loop:

A loop is an instrument or combination of instruments arranged to measure and

control a process variable. A number is usually assigned to each loop of a project.
Each instrument loop has a unique loop identification number. Each instrument
within a loop has assigned to it the same loop number. an instrument common
to two or more loops should carry the identification the loop that is considered
predominant.

The loop identification number is assigned to all of the instruments include in the
loop regardless of their function or location. In addition to specific information
about each instrument contained in the loop, the number will often indicate a
location in the plant or a building designation. In some cases, specific series of
numbers may be used to designate a special function.

Example: The series 300 to 399 could be used for a loop whose primal
function is safety related.

When it is necessary to do repair work on a system, the P&ID can save

significant time and effort.

For example: Assume that you are informed that a transmitter in loop 101 is
malfunctioning, the loop identification number on the diagram make it cask to trace
the instrument which is affected in the loop.

Loop numbering may be parallel or serial. For example, with parallel loop
numbering the sequence might look like this: TIC-100, FRC-100, LIC-IOC AI-100,
etc. With serial numbering, the sequence could look like this: TIC 100, FRC-101,
LIC-102, AI-103 etc.

Example: PRC-105 A

First letter Succeeding letters Loop number Suffix (if used)

P RC 105 A
Functional identification Loop identification

Instrument Identification
Or
Tag Number
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Normally, a letter is added after the number when several instruments of one type
are involved. For instance, if the pressure recorder receives signals from two
separate pressure transmitters, one transmitter's tag would read PT 105 A and the
other would be identified as PT 105 B.

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