Glossary · Batch and process operations
Equipment module (ISA-88)
Also known as: EM
German: Equipment Module
In ISA-88 batch control, an equipment module is a functional group of equipment that can carry out a finite number of specific minor processing activities, such as dosing, weighing or heating. It is typically centered on a piece of process equipment and may contain control modules and other equipment modules.
- Batch control
- Process industry
- Standards
In one sentence
In ISA-88, an equipment module is a functional group of equipment that carries out a limited number of minor processing activities, like dosing.
Example
The dosing equipment module of a mixing unit combines a flow meter, a pump and two valves and offers the phases "dose" and "flush".
How it applies
- Engineering: Equipment modules encapsulate the logic for a minor processing activity, often as equipment phases with a standard state model (idle, running, complete, held, aborted and so on), commanded by the batch system.
- Operation: Operators and recipes use the capabilities offered by equipment modules without needing to know how the individual devices are sequenced.
- Reuse: A well-defined equipment module can be reused across units and projects, which supports modular plant concepts.
- Documentation: Each equipment module is best described by its purpose, contained control modules, offered phases, parameters, reports and alarms. This structure lends itself to reusable topics referenced from unit and plant documentation.
Equipment module vs. unit
A Unit (ISA-88) carries out major processing activities on a batch, such as reacting or mixing, and typically holds the batch. An equipment module performs minor activities within or shared among units.