NiCuZn / Resources
Practical notes on process engineering.
Guides for chemical and process engineers working through early and basic engineering, from the design basis to the P&ID.
Process diagrams
BFD vs PFD vs P&ID: what each process diagram is for
Block flow diagrams, process flow diagrams and piping and instrumentation diagrams describe the same plant at three levels of detail. Here is what belongs on each, and when you need it.
Basic engineering
How to write a process design basis: a practical checklist
The design basis is the agreed set of requirements and assumptions every later engineering step depends on. Here is what to include, and how to keep it useful as the project moves.
Process calculations
What is a heat and material balance? A practical guide
The heat and material balance is the table of numbers behind every process flow diagram. Here is what it contains, how it is built, and how to check it before anyone sizes equipment from it.
Process calculations
Equipment sizing basics: pumps, vessels and heat exchangers at the early stage
Preliminary sizing turns the heat and material balance into equipment you can cost and lay out. Here are the core methods for pumps, drums and heat exchangers, each with a worked example.
Process diagrams
How to read a P&ID: lines, valves, instruments and tags
A practical guide to reading piping and instrumentation diagrams: line numbers, valve and instrument symbols, ISA tag letters, and a step-by-step way to work through a sheet.
Free template
Process design basis template (Excel)
A checklist with status tracking (Confirmed, Assumed, Hold), plus sheets for feeds and products, battery limits, utilities, site data and a revision log. Adapt it to your company standards.
BLACK OWL EARLY ACCESS
See Black Owl on your process
Join the early-access group for a walkthrough and a direct line to the developers.