Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams in Process Control

All processes benefit from P&ID

P&ID's (Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams), or Process and Control Flow Diagrams, are schematic representations of a process control system, used to illustrate the piping system, process flow, installed equipment, instrumentation, and functional relationships among all the system components.

Intended to provide a comprehensive picture of all piping and associated hardware, including physical branches, valves, equipment, instrumentation and interlocks, the P&ID employs a set of standard symbols representing each component of the system such as instruments, piping, motors, pumps, etc. The use of standard symbols provides a universal depiction that can be read and understood by operators, technicians, outside contractors, and other similarly trained individuals.

P&ID’s can be very detailed and are generally the primary source from where instrument and equipment lists are generated, also being a very handy reference for maintenance and upgrades. P&ID’s also play an important early role in safety planning by enabling an understanding of the operating states and relationships of all components in the system.