PetroStreet

Hi

1) Different units are numbered in refinery. e.g crude unit may be assigned 01 , vacuum unit 02 etc . My question is

i) How this numbering system is done?
ii) Whose responsibility is this to do this numbering system?
iii) At what stage this is done in project?
iv) If someone share some reading document on this numbering system.It would be great?

2) Also Equipment numbering system like e.g V-101 , E-102 , P-101 etc is done.

i) Why numbering started from 100 . why not 500 . is there any technical reason?
ii) Is these numbering system consistent all over the globe?

I hope i have clarified my point.

Regards

1-i) Numbering system is developed and the primary objective is the ease in segregation of all the operational units. The segregation is done on the basis of process flow towards the finished product.
ii) Licenser - Process Designer
iii) At the start just after the conceptualization of whole process flow
iv) Look for some specifications that your plant designer must have provided. Anyhow, I would try to share

2-i) No technical reason for sure
ii) You would be finding mix and match at other plants /locations. There is mainly one common factor which is considered during developing a numbering system and that is the process flow.

Numbering system is always developed by plant designer and he makes a complete specification on it.
That specification does not contain any specific logic as to why numbers have been assigned a certain way. Plant designer also describes about the A B C designation of equipment / machinery also that how they must be given; normally they are marked from north to south like P-101A would be on the north most side and P-101C would be on the south most side.
I mean that these all details are set and do not have any standard international reference to it. Just the way how Plant designer deals with it.

i- There always exists a comprehensive document which defines the whole numbering system. It can be done is some ways. What I have seen are the two more common methods.
a) Unit described by a unique number, then type of equipment / machinery, then number describing a sub-unit and then the repetitive alphabet (if any). For example, 12-P-502A means a main unit 12, P for pump, 502 for a sub-unit 5 and A implies that there exist one or more same type of equipment / machine.
b) All individual units are defined independently means no sub-units. In this case, the numbering is made as you mentioned; E-102 an exchanger of unit 01.

ii- Plant licensor / designer. Vendors submit their equipment drawings according to their own numbering systems, however, plant designer changes the same before issuing to Client.

iii- After systemization of whole project

2 i- NO
ii- NO, it varies a lot sometimes

Numbering system shall be established in a way that the number must not be ambiguous and the relevant item can be identified easily be the number only.

Following is the scheme of numbering the equipments,lines, etc adopted by SHELL globally.Sorry I could not copy it in a proper way from the original DEP provided by shell

3. IDENTIFICATION OF EQUIPMENT
3.1 GENERAL
All equipment shall be identified by a tag number of the format:
AA-xxxYYz,
in which
"AA" is a one or two-letter code identifying the equipment function in accordance with
Table 1; see (3.2);
"XXX" is a one, two-digit or three-digit number used to identify the process unit; see (3.3);
"YY" is a two-digit sequence number; see (3.4) and
"Z" is a one-letter code applied only to denote identical equipment items used for the
same purpose. See (3.5).
NOTE: Refer to (3.8) for the equipment numbering of parallel trains.
3.2 EQUIPMENT FUNCTION CODE "AA"
The equipment function code shall be arranged as follows:
1. The first letter shall indicate the equipment type, in accordance with column 1 of
Table 1;
2. The optional second letter shall indicate the supporting function in accordance with
column 2 of Table 1.
3.3 PROCESS UNIT NUMBER "XXX"
Examples:
for unit 100, X is 1
for unit 7400, XX is 74
for unit 15200 XXX is 152
3.4 SEQUENCE NUMBER "YY"
Sequence numbers shall run consecutively from 01 for each group of equipment in
accordance with Table 1, unless flexibility for the addition of future equipment within the
same sequence is required.
3.5 IDENTICAL EQUIPMENT CODE "Z"
This code is used to denote identical equipment items used for the same purpose, and shall
be one of the letters: "A", "B", "C", "D", etc. The letter "S" is to be used with common spare
equipment.
3.6 EXAMPLES OF EQUIPMENT NUMBERS
Example 1:
P-106A
P-106B
P-108S
in which
P = equipment function code of a pump
1 = process unit 100
6 = equipment sequence number of pump 6
A and B = are the letters indicating two identical pumps (either working in parallel or in
series or equipment with single spare)
S = common spare (e.g. for P-108 and P-109)
DEP 31.10.03.10-Gen.
December 2007
Page 8
Example 2:
P-7004A
P-7004B
P-7008S
in which
P = equipment function code of a pump
70 = process unit 7000
4 = equipment sequence number of pump 4
A and B = are the letters indicating two identical pumps (either working in parallel or in
series or equipment with single spare)
S = common spare (e.g. for P-7008 and P-7009)
Example 3:
K-15210A
K-15210B
K-15220S
in which
K = equipment function letter code of a compressor
152 = process unit 15200
10 = equipment sequence number of compressor 10
A and B = are the letters indicating two identical compressors (either working in parallel
or in series or compressor with single spare)
S = common spare (e.g. for K-15220 and K-15221)
DEP 31.10.03.10-Gen.
December 2007
Page 9
Table 1 Equipment function codes
Letter Column 1
(Equipment type)
Column 2
(Supporting
function)
A Packaged units and miscellaneous equipment, e.g.
extruders, crushers, cutters, kneaders, crystallisers,
pelletisers
Aerial, Air Motor
B Buildings, rooms, enclosures, containers
C Columns : tray columns
packed columns
rotating disc contactors
Chamber
D Drying equipment Diesel engine,
Damper
E Unfired heat transfer equipment:
- heat exchangers
- condensers
- air-cooled heat exchangers
- reboilers
F Fired equipments, furnaces, heaters, steam boilers,
flare tip
Fan
G Generator Gearbox
H Heaters; electrical Hydraulic motor
I See Note 2
J Jets (ejectors, injectors and eductors)
K Compressors, blowers, fans, turboexpanders
L Pig Launchers
M Mixers, stirrers, mixing nozzles, blenders, steam
desuperheaters, agitators, piping manifolds
Electric motor
N Not assigned Natural gas
engine
O See Note 2
P Pumps (centrifugal, reciprocating, rotary)
Q Not assigned
R Pig Receivers
S Gravity and mechanical separators, e.g. thickeners,
cyclones, expellers, centrifuges, filters, dust
collectors, sieves, hydrocyclones
Shell, Fan
Silencer
T Atmospheric storage tanks, interceptors, neutralising
pits
Turbine
(steam or gas),
Tube
U Not assigned
V Vessels, incl. pressure storage vessels, silos and
hoppers
W Weighing equipment, wellheads
X Stationary transport equipment, material handling
equipment, cranes, hoists
Y Not assigned
Z Bulk loading arms, Offloading buoys
NOTES: 1. Where a choice has to be made between two or more letters, the most important function of the
equipment shall prevail. If, for example, a jet is used for mixing purposes, M is preferred to J.
2. The letters I and O should not be used to avoid confusion with the numbers 1 and 0.
DEP 31.10.03.10-Gen.
December 2007
Page 10
3.7 EXAMPLES OF THE LETTER CODES OF TABLE 1
EG Gearbox of heat transfer equipment (e.g. fin-fans)
GT Turbine of generator
KT Turbine of compressor
PD Diesel engine of pump
PG Gearbox of pump
PM Electric motor of pump
EM Electric motor of air-cooled heat exchanger
3.8 EQUIPMENT NUMBERING OF PARALLEL TRAINS
Identical equipment of identical parallel trains shall be given identical equipment numbers,
except for the train identifier.
The number after the equipment function code indicates the number of the train.
Example:
V1-4205 for train 1 and V2-4205 for train 2.
3.9 EQUIPMENT NUMBERING OF PACKAGE UNITS
The package unit shall be given a number as described above. The first digit of the
sequence number "YY" should be allocated so that this digit is identical for all equipment in
the package unit.
Example:
Equipment in package unit A-4350
S-4351, P-4351, V-4351 and V-4352
DEP 31.10.03.10-Gen.
December 2007
Page 11
4. IDENTIFICATION OF PIPING
4.1 GENERAL
All piping in PEFS, UEFS and piping drawings shall be identified by a line number
consisting of the following components (see 4.2).
Line number example:
100 P3001 - 31011- 4EN
100 P 3 001 31011 4EN
Fluid
Code
Process
Unit
Number
300
Sequence
number
Nominal
Diameter
(DN)
Line numbering – See (4.2)
Piping class identification in
accordance with
DEP 31.38.01.12-Gen.and
DEP 31.38.01.15-Gen.
Insulation
code see
(4.3)
NOTE: On offshore platforms a location code may be inserted between the piping class identification and the
insulation code. If so applied, the Principal shall define the location codes.
4.2 LINE NUMBERING
4.2.1 DN number
The DN number is the ISO designation for nominal pipe size.
4.2.2 Fluid code
To indicate the type of fluid, the codes in Table 2 shall be used.
Table 2 Fluid codes
Process P The letter P may be replaced, if desired, by:
M for slurry lines
T for toxic material
Inert gas G
Steam/condensate S
Water W
Air A
Drain D
Fuel F
Refrigeration R
Blowdown and relief B
4.2.3 Process unit numbers
The process unit numbers correspond to those assigned to the associated equipment as
described in (3.3).
4.2.4 Line sequence numbers
The sequence number for the line shall be a three-digit number from 001 to 999.
4.2.5 Assigning line identifications
Process and utility lines shall be numbered from apparatus to apparatus. Where there is a
considerable change in the pressure, volume or temperature, the numbering shall also be
changed. This normally occurs at piping class/fluid service changes or major branches.
Parallel lines shall be numbered separately.
DEP 31.10.03.10-Gen.
December 2007
Page 12
Piping passing from one unit to another, either directly or indirectly via a pipe bridge, pipe
track or other interconnecting system, shall be given line numbers corresponding to the unit
of origin, seen in the direction of flow.
Lines entering a unit from other sources and not included in any other identification system
shall be given line numbers corresponding to the unit they enter.
Utility headers on common pipe bridges or tracks not entering a specific unit shall be given
a line number corresponding to the unit of origin, seen in the direction of flow.
Utility lines from utility headers entering a processing unit shall be given number(s) of that
unit.
The changing of line numbers depends on changing conditions of the line, e.g. pressure,
temperature, volume.
4.3 INSULATION CODES
The insulation code shall be a two- or three-letter code, as follows:
1. The first letter shall indicate the category tag in accordance with Table 3
2. The second letter shall indicate the requirement tag in accordance with Table 3
3. The third letter if needed shall indicate contact type tag in accordance with Table 3
Table 3 Tagging system for thermal and acoustic insulation on PFS and PEFs
for line identification
Category Tag Process temperature
1 Cycling or dual process temperatures between –20 ºC and
320 ºC (or lower)
2 Process temperatures between 50 ºC and 120 ºC
3 Process temperatures between –5 ºC and 50 ºC
4 Process temperatures between 120 ºC and 175 ºC
5 All process temperatures > 175 ºC
6 All process temperatures < –5 ºC
N No insulation required for process temperature reasons
Requirement tag Description requirement
E Thermal conservation of equipment and piping
T Temperature control of processes or products, e.g. to
avoid condensation, solidification, or too high a viscosity.
P Personnel protection, i.e. on surfaces with a temperature
of 70 °C or higher where these present a danger.
F Preventing or reducing damage to equipment and piping
from exposure to freezing conditions.
N Not Required
A Acoustic
Contact or
Non-Contact type
of insulation
Description
C Contact type of insulation
N Non-contact type of insulation is an insulation system in
which there is limited contact between bare surface of
pipe/equipment and the insulation material.
DEP 31.10.03.10-Gen.
December 2007
Page 13
4.4 EXAMPLES OF LINE NUMBERS
Example 1 Example 2
100-P6002-31011-4EN
in which:
100-S43005-91011-5TC
in which:
100 = nominal pipe
diameter (DN)
100 = nominal pipe
diameter (DN)
P
= fluid code for
process, see (4.2)
S = fluid code for steam,
see (4.2)
6 = unit identifier for
process unit 600,
see (3.3)
43 = unit identifier for
process unit 4300,
see (3.3)
002
= line sequence
number
005 = line sequence
number
31011 = piping class; ASME
rating class 300
91011 = piping class; ASME
rating class 900
4EN Process temperatures
between 120 ºC and
175 ºC.
Thermal conservation
of equipment and
piping if economically
justified. Non-contact
type of insulation
5TC All process
temperatures > 175 ºC.
Temperature control of
processes or products,
e.g. to avoid
condensation,
solidification, or too high
a viscosity. Contact type
of insulation
Example 3 Example 4
100-G152125-61011-NAN
in which:
100-W8003-17061-NN
in which:
100 = nominal pipe
diameter (DN)
100 = nominal pipe
diameter (DN)
G = fluid code for gas,
see (4.2)
W = water, see (4.2)
152 = unit identifier for
process unit 15200,
see (3.3)
8 = unit identifier unit
600, see (3.3)
125 = line sequence
number
003 = line sub-number
G150125 = line number W8003 = line number
61011 = piping class; ASME
rating class 600
17061 = piping class, glass
fibre reinforced
epoxy
NAN No insulation required
for process
temperature reasons
Acoustic non-contact
type of insulation
NN No insulation required

Thanks for the detailed answer.

I hope it must have served your purpose and it will have made your mind clear