The average process engineer has the following

responsibilities:
1. Prepares studies of process cycles and systems for various product
production or improvements or changes in existing production units.
2. Prepares material and heat balances.
3. Prepares economic studies associated with process performance.
4. Designs and/or specifies items of euipment reuired to define the
process flowsheet or flow system! specifies corrosion resistant
materials of construction.
5. "valuates competitive bids for euipment.
#. "valuates operating data for existing or test euipment.
$. %uides flowsheet draftsmen in detailed flowsheet preparation.
Process Design Scope
1. Process material and heat balances
2. Process cycle development& correlation of pilot or research data& and
correlation of physical data.
3. 'uxiliary services material and heat balances.
4. (lowsheet development and detailed completion.
5. )hemical engineering performance design for specific items of euipment
reuired for a flowsheet& and mechanical interpretation of this to a practical
and reasonable specification. *ere the process reuirements are converted into
hardware details to accomplish the process end results at each step in the
product production process.
6. +nstrumentation as related to process performance& presentation and
interpretation of reuirements to instrument specialists.
$,. Process interpretation for proper mechanical& structural& civil& electrical&
instrument& etc.& handling of
the respective individual phases of the pro-ect.
.. Preparation of specifications in proper form and/or detail for use by the
pro-ect team as well as for the
purchasing function.
/. "valuation of bids and recommendation of ualified vendor.
Role of the Process Design Engineer
1. Prepare heat and material balance studies for a proposed process& both 0by
hand1 and by use of computer programs.
2. Prepare rough cost economics& including preliminary si2ing anid important
details of euipment& factor o an ordler of magnitude capital cost estimate,
prepare a production cost estimate& and wor3 with economic valuation
representatives to establish a payout and the financial economics of the
proposed process.
3. Participate in layout planning for the proposed plant 4see 54#6 54$67.
4. Prepare final detailed heat and material balances. repare detailed si2ing of
all process euipment and possibly some utility systems. +t is important that
the process engineer visualize the 8ow and processing of the fluids through
the system and inside the various items of euipment in order to adeuately
recogni2e what will ta3e place during the process.
#. Prepare/supervise preparation of draft of process flowsheets for review by
others.
$. Prepare/supervise preparation of piping or mechanical flow diagram 4or P
and +D7& with necessary preliminary si2ing of all pipe lines& distillation
euipment& pumps& compressors& etc.& and representation of all instrumentation
for detailing by instrument engineers.
.. Prepare mechanical and process specifications for all euipment& tan3s&
pumps& compressors& separators& drying systems& refrigeration systems. 9his
must include the selection of materials of construction and safety systems and
the coordination of specifications with instrumentation and electrical
reuirements.
9. Determine si2e and specifications for all safety relief valves and/or rupture
dis3s for process safety relief 4including run:a:way reactions7 and relief in
case of external fire.
1;. Prepare valve code specifications for incorporation on item # above& or
select from existing company standards for the fluids and their operating
conditions 4see (igures 1:2< and 1:2#7.
11. =elect from company insulation standards 4or prepare& if necessary7 the
insulation most be applied to each hot or cold pipe or euipment. >ote that
insulation must be applied in some cases only to prevent operating personnel
from contacting the base euipment. =ee 9able 1:1 for typical insulation
thic3ness from which code numbers can be established.
12. "stablish field construction hydraulic test pressures for each process
euipment. =ometimes the euipment is blan3ed or bloc3ed off& and no test
pressure is applied in the field& because all pressure euipment must be tested
in the fabricators, or manufacturers, shop per '=?" )ode.
13. Prepare drafts of line schedule and/or summary sheets 4(igures 1:24 ':D7
, and euipment summary schedules 4(igures 1:2$& 1:2.& 1:2/& 1:3;7& plus
summary schedules for safety relief valves and rupture dis3s& compressors and
other ma-or euipment.
14. Prepare detailed process and mechanical specifications for developing
proposals for purchase by the purchasing department.