2. What is a PFD and Who Uses Them?
• What is a PFD?
• Process Flow Diagrams (PFD’s) are drawings that show a representation of
only the absolute required elements of the entire process. They are a
schematic representation for converting raw materials into a finished product.
The details of this conversion are not shown on PFD’s.
• Who uses them?
• Strategic planners
• Managers at the corporate level
• Designers
• Sometimes, regulatory agencies
3. Minimum Amount of Detail on a PFD
• Process critical details are schematically shown in the least amount of
space
• PFD’s are the “Big Picture”
• Line sizing is rarely, if ever shown
• Only show equipment that:
• Impacts material balance
• Has a large impact on utilities
• Contains an ownership transfer point
• Process equipment that is needed for further definition of the process
• Special equipment
4. Additional Detail on a PFD
• Details may be added at the customer request if implementation is
complex and/or costly to the project
• Major measurement points, some control valves and control methods
and possibly process analyzers can be shown. These types of items
will then be duplicated on the P&ID
• When the PFD is reviewed, there should be:
• Enough information to help with the development of all the P&ID’s
• Long lead items should be spelled out
5. PFD Example – Basic Cement Plant
PFD_Cement_Plant.pdf
6. Process Description for Cement Plant
• Lime stone is mined at the local quarry and crushed with a bell crusher and
hammer mill.
• The crushed lime stone is conveyed to a stone storage/blending building
where a bridge crane blends it with Gypsum, Silica, Sand and Clay
depending on the grade of cement being produced.
• The blend of materials are then conveyed to a ball mill where it is
pulverized.
• The pulverized material is then dried and blown into a rotary kiln that
burns the material at 1,450°C/2,642°F.
• The result of burning the material creates clinker with is place into a
storage silo.
• The clinker is than placed in a finishing ball mill to produce the powder.
• The cement is conveyed to a finished goods silo where it can be packed in
bags or bulk loaded into tank trucks.
7. Classroom Exercise
• Pick a process that you are familiar with and hand draw/sketch the
process.
• We will then discuss some of them as a group.
Notas do Editor
Discuss with the students what a PFD is used for and what is usually found on these drawings. Items such as:
Material flow
Utilities required (H2O, Electric, Pneumatics, etc.)
Defines the relationship between the major equipment used in the process
Lists the minimum, normal and maximum conditions of the process(es)
Any calculations of material quantities is done on the scale of a mass and not to engineering units. As an example, pounds per hour rather than gallons per minute.
The calculations and values shown on a PFD will not provide items such as specific pipe sizes, process measurements or any type of control. The PFD addresses the end results without all of the detail as to how that end result is achieved.
The ANSI/ISA-5.1 does not provide a definition for how instrumentation is depicted.
Discuss what should and should not be included on a PFD. Page 16-17 in the textbook.
Discuss the additional detail that can appear on a PFD and why it should be included.
Long lead – A term used describe equipment that will need to be purchased or fabricated early in the project because it/they will take a long time to arrive or be fabricated.
This assessment can be done face-to-face, as a quiz, or as homework.
Some of the processes that students can use to answer the last question, but not limited to, are:
Home heating and cooling system.
Brewing beer.
Distilling alcohol.
Preparing a meal.
Baking a cake.
Baking a pie.
This assessment can be done face-to-face, as a quiz, or as homework.
Some of the processes that students can use to answer the last question, but not limited to, are:
Home heating and cooling system.
Brewing beer.
Distilling alcohol.
Preparing a meal.
Baking a cake.
Baking a pie.