Draw Pipes and Process Links

Vessels and pumps etc. can be connected with pipes (branches).

There are a number of default settings associated with drawing a pipe. The default pipe style, tracing style and end styles can be set, along with whether or not flow arrows, pipe breaks, break symbols and tracing are to be included automatically.

All these defaults can be set using the Pipeline Group and Signal Line Group of the Home Tab. Pipes can then be placed on the drawing using an option on the same tab. These defaults can be changed while in the pipe creation process, and the next segment created responds to the new settings.

When a pipe is drawn, the user will be prompted to identify the new pipe as a main pipe, a branch pipe or a trim pipe. If the pipe is a branch or trim pipe, the user must indicate the owning pipe or equipment.

Note: For further guidance on creating piping networks, refer to Piping Network Creation Options for Drafting Designers.

Process Links

Process links are branches that will not be labelled with a pipeline tag, for example, connections to off-line instruments, and in some cases by-passes. These can be created in any pipe style by using the Process Link option in the Pipeline group of the Home tab, refer to Draw Process Links.

A number of factors should be considered when drawing process links if data is to be exported to an XML file in the ISO 15926 schema format. For details, see Guidelines for Drawing Process Links in Draw Process Links.

When pipes or process links cross, one of the pipes or process links is automatically broken. When a pipe crosses a process link, the process link is broken. If two pipes cross or two process links cross, the break priority (whether the horizontal or the vertical line is broken) is set in the Pipes Configuration Category of the AVEVA P&ID Project Administration program. If automatic pipe breaking is off, a warning will be received each time a pipe or link is drawn over another.

Instrument Process Links, also known as "Legacy" Process Links, are Process Links without the functionality introduced with AVEVA P&ID 7.2 SP3 (the PLK item type) and may be used if required. A specific style for this type of process link can be selected.

Non-"Legacy" Process Links are drawn using the pipe item type (PMA) in the process link pipe style. In other words they will technically be branches between main pipes and offline items. They will therefore have all the functionality of pipes and may be labelled and edited in the same way.

Pipe Drawing Facilities

The following facilities are also provided to help in drawing pipes and process links:

• The pipe style of an existing pipe can also be changed using facilities in the Pipeline group of the Home tab, Change Pipe Styles.

• Tracing can also be applied to existing pipes using an option in the Pipeline group of the Home tab. Refer to Trace Lines.

• Pipes, and process links can be manually broken, for example, if they cross vessels, refer to Break Lines.

• Pipes and branches may be merged into a single pipe/branch, refer to Merge Pipes, Branches and Signal Lines.

• Main pipes may be split into two separate main pipes,refer to Split Pipes and Signal Lines. Pipes may also be split by inserting a break symbolrefer to Insert Inline Fittings.

• A part of a main pipe may be split off as a branch of that pipe, refer to Split off Branches.

• The flow of a pipe may be reversed, refer to Reverse Pipe and Signal Line Flows, or set to bi-directional, refer to Label Pipes.

• Pipe segments may be added, merged and deleted, refer to Add Pipe and Signal Line Segments, Add Pipe Segments from any Point, Merge Pipe Segments and Delete Pipe and Signal Line Segments.

• The length of a pipe or process link may be changed, refer to Change the Length of Lines.

• Elbows may be added to a pipe or process link, refer to Add Elbows to a Line.

• Pipes can be converted into branches and branches converted into pipes (see Change Pipes to Branches and Branches to Pipes).

• Process links may be converted to "Legacy" process links and vice versa, refer to Switch Process Links between "Legacy" and "Non-legacy" Process Link Types.

• A different pipe may be selected as the owner of a branch, refer to Change the Owning Pipes of Branches.

• Pipes may be connected to and disconnected from nozzles and equipment, refer to Connect Pipes to Nozzles and Equipment and Disconnect Pipes from Nozzles and Equipment.

  Note: Referenced pipes, refer to Label by Selection of a Reference Object, cannot be split or merged.