Process Engineering
A. Definition
Process is 1) the method of producing products at a set of activities or a plant that
produces a specific service or product; 2) a procedure of independent sequential
activities.
Process Design is 1) the design of processes that produces the products and
services for desired chemical and physical transformation of materials. The Process
Design is a central to chemical engineering and bringing together all components
and services that provides the network design concept generations including the
layout initiation and preliminary flow design to determine the equipment
requirements, workflows, and requirement of specific processes, etc.; 2) in
management, the Process Design is to operate the appropriate overall organization
objectives and deliver customer values with the constant involvement of
management at various stages.
Process Engineering is a branch of engineering disciplines (chemical) that focuses
on the process technology, configuration, integration and optimization of the process
and utility facilities, and a selection of the equipment types considering the
performance of production and economics with other disciplinary supports. A
Process Engineer is responsible for the development of process design and
engineering document including PFD, P&ID, Process Datasheet, etc. The Process
Engineer is often to involve a collaboration of engineering and science, and a normal
back ground of process engineer is a chemical engineer.
B. Key Activities and Deliverable
Block Flow Diagram (BFD, Block Diagram) is a simple diagram to show the
essentials of the installation plant, system and process units in sufficient block
outline to indicate the main design features. A BFD is a deliverable document of the
FEED and Detailed Design and Engineering generated by a Process discipline.
Flare and Relief System Study is a deliverable document of the FEED Engineering,
and sizing calculations to ensure correctly sized headers for foreseeable relief
scenarios are the Detailed Design and Engineering deliverables these are developed
by Process discipline.
Heat and Material Balance (H&MB) is one of the basic process engineering
documents produced by process design engineers in which energy and material
output from a system that equals energy input. A H&MB document includes
operating conditions, compositions and key physical properties of every major
process stream on the Process Flow Diagram (PFD). A H&MB may be included as
part of a PFD or a separate document, particularly when several operating cases are
evaluated. A H&MB is a deliverable document of the FEED and Detailed Design and
Engineering developed by a Process discipline.
Intelligent P&ID is a graphical represented 2D P&ID (Process and Instrumentation
Diagram) that is generated and developed from a single data source for the entire
project for all disciplines including safety and quality related information. The
Intelligent P&ID can be developed and maintained a consistent set of all disciplines'
design documents, and produced deliverable efficiently, and systematic handover to
client at the project completion. (e.g., Intergraph Smart® P&ID)
Mass Balance (or Material Balance) is a specific input and output table that
indicates the changes in mass occurring in an object, system, or component of a
system for a particular period of time. (Refer to the Heat & Material Balance (H&MB))
Mass Flow Diagram (MFD) is a simple block diagram which identifies the mass flow
of all matter through the process.
Operating & Maintenance Manual is a deliverable document of the Detailed Design
and Engineering developed by the Process, Operation, and Maintenance disciplines.
Performance Test Procedure is a deliverable document of the Detailed Design and
Engineering developed by the Process and Operation disciplines.
Piping & Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID) is a schematic representation of the
equipment, instrument, piping, and any miscellaneous items with corresponding the
design data of processing units, utility systems, and offsite systems serving a
processing unit used to the design basis and providing key process information to
the other disciplines. A P&ID allows the design to progress from the Process Flow
Diagram (PFD) with the standard numbering systems that facilitates the design
process, manufacturing, or construction and communicates information to the Client
and all involved disciplines. A P&ID includes a unique plant item number for each
item of equipment, valve, instrument and line, and ideally a line number includes a
size, material and fluid content identifier to enable the anyone reading the drawing to
obtain this information without having to refer to other documents. Approved P&ID is
the basis of HAZOP and SIL review. A P&ID is a deliverable document of the FEED
and Detailed Design and Engineering generated by the multidisciplinary effort. (Refer
to the Intelligent P&ID)
Pre-commissioning and Commissioning Manual is a deliverable document of the
Detailed Design and Engineering developed by the Process, Construction, and
Operation disciplines.
Process
Datasheet is
the
summarized
performance
and
other
technical
characteristics of an equipment or a system that relates to a single item of the
essential process data for initiating the detail design. The Process Equipment
Datasheet describes the fundamental data necessary to start disciplinary specific
engineering in the mechanical, structural, piping, control systems, and electrical
components that includes the overall size, number, approximate geometry and
identification of the connections, material of construction and the full range of
operating conditions. The Process Datasheet generally includes a simple diagram.
(Refer to the Mechanical Datasheet; Vendor Datasheet)
Process Flow Diagram (PFD) presents the process streams and fluid flows or
transfers system through equipment and connected lines including the system
conditions (temperature and pressure), components of fluid (physical properties),
flow rates, and short equipment specifications. A PFD is generated by analysis and
calculation of the chemical and physical characteristic of materials used by a process
simulation program. A PFD is corresponding with Heat and Material Balance
document, and developed information of different operation modes such as
minimum, maximum, normal, summer, and winter cases in the separate tables that is
used for the basis of equipment datasheet, P&ID and other critical engineering and
design document. A PFD is a deliverable document of the FEED and Detailed
Design and Engineering generated by a Process discipline.
Simulation is a model of a set of problems or events that is used to assess the
current, or predict the future, performance of a business process to improve the
business processes through the use of mathematical, statistical and other analytical
methods. The Process Simulation is used for the design, development, analysis, and
optimization of technical processes.
Utility Distribution Diagram (UDD) shows the piping or other utility commodity that
is connected to consuming areas of the plant from the utility sources. An UDD is the
utility P&ID and usually depicted in two distinct parts that is a deliverable document
of the FEED and Detailed Design and Engineering generated by a Process
discipline.
C. Additional Definitions
Absorption is the process by which atoms, molecules, or ions enter substance
phases (liquid, gas, solid). The Absorption differs from adsorption, since the atom,
molecule or ion are taken up by the volume, not by surface.
Absorption Cooling is a process of using a source of heat to produce cold by cooling
technologies of both absorption and adsorption that is accomplished by the
evaporation of a volatile fluid.
Active Cooling is the cooling technology that uses an external device such as heat
pipes or pumps to enhance heat transfer. (Opposite of the Passive Cooling or
Natural Cooling)
Adiabatic Process is a condition in which no heat enter or leave the system from the
external environment. The Adiabatic Process is only internal energy (temperature)
variation in which the energy is converted into mechanical energy that can be
expansion or compression. (Refer to the Isothermal Process)
API Gravity is typically used in reference to crude oil that is calculated using its specific
gravity: the ratio of its density to that of water. The API sets standards for production,
refinement and distribution of petroleum products including the method used for
measuring the density of petroleum. An API gravity which is always determined at 60 °F
is calculated: API gravity = (141.5/Specific Gravity) – 131.5. An API gravity is used to
classify oils as light, medium, heavy, or extra heavy (Light – API > 31.1, Medium – API
between 22.3 and 31.1, Heavy – API < 22.3, Extra Heavy – API < 10.0).
Autocatalysis is the one of reaction product that is itself the catalyst for that reaction,
or the increase of the rate of reaction due to the catalyzing effect of the reaction
products.
Back Pressure (or Backpressure) is the system pressure caused by the fluid friction
or induced resistance that is the pressur
he desired flow or the resistance by which the fluid encounters flowing through the
system.
D. Deliverables (* Definitions are defined)

Block Flow Diagram (BFD, Block Diagram) *

Catalyst and Chemicals Summary

Distribution P&ID for the Flare Header

Effluent and Emission Summary

Flare and Relief System Study

Heat and Material Balance (H&MB) *

Line List

Operating & Maintenance Manual

Performance Guarantees Statement

Performance Test Procedure

Piping & Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID) *

Pre-commissioning and Commissioning Manual

Process & Operational Control Description

Process Alarm & Trip Schedule

Process Datasheet

Process Datasheets for Instrumentation

Process Datasheets for Main Equipment (per Equipment List)

Process Design Calculation

Process Equipment List

Process Flow Diagram (PFD)

Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs), Utility Flow Diagrams (UFDs) and Heat &
Material Balances (HMBs)

Process Simulation Report

Tie-in Schedule

Utility Distribution Diagram (UDD)

Utility Head Diagram (UHD) or Utility Flow Diagram (UFD)