Free AutoCAD process equipment symbols (DWG): vessels, reactors, columns, exchangers, pumps

About the conventions

Process equipment has no single standard outline: flow diagrams use the shapes that are customary in each industry. ISO 10628-2 defines a small set of equipment symbols for P&IDs, which are in the P&ID library, and this library adds the detailed outlines that process engineers draw for flow diagrams.

The blocks are our own drawings, not copies of a standard, and the library is not certified. Check them against the legend of your project or company and change a block if yours differs.

Frequently asked questions

How is this library different from the P&ID library?

The P&ID library holds the symbols of ISO 10628-2 (equipment, valves, lines and fittings). This library holds the recognisable equipment outlines used in process flow diagrams, such as columns with trays or packing, agitated reactors, plate exchangers, crushers, centrifuges and industrial gas equipment. Use the two together.

Can I resize a vessel or a column?

Scale the whole block with the SCALE command, or explode it and stretch the lines to the height you need. The nozzle stubs are plain lines, so you can add or move the connections you need.

Can I use the symbols in commercial projects?

Yes. They are free to use and modify in your own projects, including commercial ones. They are provided as is, without warranty.

Are industry-specific items such as PSA units and electrolysers included?

Yes: PSA adsorbers, desiccant dryers, cold boxes, air separation columns, alkaline and PEM electrolysers, hydrogen compressors, cylinders, cryogenic tanks, vaporizers, membrane separators, flare stacks and gas generator skids, as well as pharmaceutical freeze dryers, isolators, blenders and spray dryers.

Can I change a symbol or add attributes?

Yes. Open the DWG, edit a block with BEDIT to change it or add attributes, and save. To update drawings that already contain the block, run ATTSYNC or replace the block. Make a backup first: attribute values can be lost if ATTSYNC is used carelessly.

Where do I find a ready-made set of these symbols for AutoCAD?

AutoCAD itself ships only a small set of sample blocks, so a full symbol set has to come from a library. Download the ZIP on this page and open the DWG: every symbol is a block. Insert one with INSERT (Blocks palette, Libraries tab, then pick the DWG) or drag it from DesignCenter (ADCENTER). You can also download a single symbol on its own.