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How to read P&IDs

Dave Harrold, senior editor
Control Engineering
August 1, 2000

Instrumentation detail varies with the degree of design complexity. For example,
simplified or conceptual designs, often called process flow diagrams, provide less
detail than fully developed piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs). eing a!le
to understand instrumentation sym!ols appearing on diagrams means
understanding "#$I%I$"&s $'.()(*+, (- (**.) Instrumentation sym!ols and
identification standard. $'.( that defines how each sym!ol is constructed using
graphical elements, alpha and numeric identification codes, a!!reviations, function
!loc/s, and connecting lines.
Deciphering symbols
I$" $'.( defines four graphical elements0discrete instruments, shared
control%display, computer function, and programma!le logic controller0and groups
them into three location categories (primary location, auxiliary location, and field
mounted).
Discrete instruments are indicated !y circular elements. $hared control%display
elements are circles surrounded !y a s1uare. 2omputer functions are indicted !y a
hexagon and programma!le logic controller (P32) functions are shown as a triangle
inside a s1uare.
"dding a single hori4ontal !ar across any of the four graphical elements indicates
the function resides in the primary location category. " dou!le line indicates an
auxiliary location, and no line places the device or function in the field. Devices
located !ehind a panel)!oard in some other inaccessi!le location are shown with a
dashed hori4ontal line
3etter and num!er com!inations appear inside each graphical element and letter
com!inations are defined !y the I$" standard. #um!ers are user assigned and
schemes vary with some companies use of se1uential num!ering, others tie the
instrument num!er to the process line num!er, and still others adopt uni1ue and
sometimes unusual num!ering systems.
5he first letter defines the measured or initiating varia!les such as "nalysis ("), Flow
(F), 5emperature (5), etc. with succeeding letters defining readout, passive, or output
functions such as Indicator (I), -ecord (-), 5ransmit (5), and so forth.
Example shows the story
-eferring to the 6xample P&ID diagram, F5 (7( represents a field)mounted flow
transmitter connected via electrical signals (dotted line) to flow indicating controller
FI2 (7( located in a shared control%display device. " s1uare root extraction of the
input signal is applied as part of FI2 (7(&s functionality. 5he output of FI2 (7( is an
electrical signal to 58 (7( located in an inaccessi!le or !ehind)the)panel)!oard
location. 5he output signal from 58 (7( is a pneumatic signal (line with dou!le
forward slash mar/s) ma/ing 58 (7( an I%P (current to pneumatic transducer). 55
(7( and 5I2 (7( are similar to F5 (7( and FI2 (7( !ut are measuring, indicating,
and controlling temperature. 5I2 (7(&s output is connected via an internal software
or data lin/ (line with !u!!les) to the setpoint ($P) of FI2 (7( to form a cascade
control strategy.
9ften P&ID&s include a cover page where common and typical terms, sym!ols,
num!ering systems, etc., are defined. 9n the example, 5ypical 8I2 would li/ely
appear on the cover page and the simplified form of 8I2 would appear throughout
the P&IDs.
5ypical 8I2 indicates an on%off valve is controlled !y a solenoid valve and is fitted
with limit switches to indicate open (:$;) and closed (:$3) positions. "ll inputs and
outputs are wired to a P32 that&s accessi!le to the operator (diamond in a s1uare
with a solid hori4ontal line). 5he letter <8< indicates an event, state, or presence. 5he
letter <I< depicts indication is provided, and the letter <2< means control ta/es place in
this device.
"dherence to I$"&s $'.( Instrumentation $ym!ols and Identification standard
ensures a consistent, system independent means of communicating instrumentation,
control, and automation intent is developed for everyone to understand.
General instrument or function symbols

Primary location
accessible to
operator
Field mounted
Auxiliary location
accessible to
operator
Discrete
instruments
hared display!
shared control
"omputer
function
Programmible
logic control
1. Symbol size may vary according to the user's needs and the type of document.
2. Abbreviations of the user's choice may be used when necessary to specify location.
3. Inaccessible behind the panel! devices may be depicted using the same symbol but with a
dashed horizontal bar.
Source" #ontrol $ngineering with data from ISA S%.1 standard
Identification letters
First letter ucceeding letters

#easured or
initiating $ariable
#odifier
%eadout or
passi$e function
&utput function #odifier
A "nalysis "larm
' urner, com!ustion =ser<s choice =ser<s choice =ser<s choice
" =ser<s choice 2ontrol
D =ser<s choice Differential
E >oltage
$ensor (primary
element)

F Flow rate
-ation
(fraction)

G =ser<s choice ?lass, viewing
H ;and ;igh
I 2urrent (electrical) Indication
( Power $can
) 5ime, time schedule
5ime rate of
change
2ontrol station
* 3evel 3ight 3ow
# =ser<s choice @omentary
@iddle,
intermediate
+ =ser<s choice =ser<s choice =ser<s choice =ser<s choice
& =ser<s choice 9rifice, restriction
P Pressure, vacuum
Point (test
connection)

, Auantity
Integrate,
totali4er

% -adiation -ecord
$peed, fre1uency $afety $witch
- 5emperature 5ransmit
. @ultivaria!le @ultifunction @ultifunction @ultifunction
/
>i!ration,
mechanical analysis

>alve, damper,
louver

0 Beight, force Bell
1 =nclassified C axis =nclassified =nclassified =nclassified
2
6vent, state, or
presence
8 axis
-elay, compute,
convert

3 Position, dimension : axis Driver, actuator
Source" #ontrol $ngineering with data from ISA S%.1 standard
"ommon connecting lines
2onnection to process, or instrument
supplyD
Pneumatic signalD
6lectric signalD
2apillary tu!ing (filled system)D
;ydraulic signalD
6lectromagnetic or sonic signal (guided)D
Internal system lin/ (software or data lin/)D
Source" #ontrol $ngineering with data from ISA S%.1 standard
ISA codes for Process Instrumentation
ISA instrumentation codes and cominations
&o understand instrumentation symbols appearing on process diagrams means understanding A'SI(ISA)s
S%.1*1+,- . 1++2! Instrumentation symbols and identification standard.
Process
Measurement
Element
Type
Element Transmitter Indicator
Indicator
controller
Controller
Ratio
Controller
Recorder
Hand
Switch
Hand
Valve
Totalizer
Indicating
Totalizer
Solenoid
Valve
Control
Valve
Calculation
Calculation
Code E T I IC C C R HS HV ! I! "V V #
$nalysis $ $E $T $I $IC $C $C $R $HS $HV $! $I! $"V $V $#
Conductivity C CE CT CI CIC CC CC CR CHS CHV C! CI! C"V CV C#
%ensity % %E %T %I %IC %C %C %R %HS %HV %! %I! %"V %V %#
Voltage E EE ET EI EIC EC EC ER EHS EHV E! EI! E"V EV E#
low E T I IC C C R HS HV ! I! "V V #
%imension & &E &T &I &IC &C &C &R &HS &HV &! &I! &"V &V &#
Hand H HE HT HI HIC HC HC HR HHS HHV H! HI! H"V HV H#
Current I IE IT II IIC IC IC IR IHS IHV I! II! I"V IV I#
Time ' 'E 'T 'I 'IC 'C 'C 'R 'HS 'HV '! 'I! '"V 'V '#
(evel ( (E (T (I (IC (C (C (R (HS (HV (! (I! ("V (V (#
Humidity M ME MT MI MIC MC MC MR MHS MHV M! MI! M"V MV M#
Power ) )E )T )I )IC )C )C )R )HS )HV )! )I! )"V )V )#
Pressure P PE PT PI PIC PC PC PR PHS PHV P! PI! P"V PV P#
%elta Pressure dP dPE dPT dPI dPIC dPC dPC dPR dPHS dPHV dP! dPI! dP"V dPV dP#
!uantity ! !E !T *I *IC !C !C !R !HS !HV !! !I! !"V !V !#
Radioactivity R RE RT RI RIC RC RC RR RHS RHV R! RI! R"V RV R#
Speed S SE ST SI SIC SC SC SR SHS SHV S! SI! S"V SV S#
Temperature T TE TT TI TIC TC TC TR THS THV T! TI! T"V TV T#
%elta
Temperature
dT dTE dTT dTI dTIC dTC dTC dTR dTHS dTHV dT! dTI! dT"V dTV dT#
Viscosity V VE VT VI VIC VC VC VR VHS VHV V! VI! V"V VV V#
+eight + +E +T +I +IC +C +C +R +HS +HV +! +I! +"V +V +#
Vi,ration # #E #T #I #IC #C #C #R #HS #HV #! #I! #"V #V ##
Position - -E -T -I -IC -C -C -R -HS -HV -! -I! -"V -V -#