GATE2008

CHEMICALENGINEERING
Thereareatotalof60questionscarrying100marks.Questions1through20are1mark
questions;questions21through60are2markquestions.
Questions51through56(3pairs)arecommondataquestionsandquestionspairs(57,58)
and(59,60)arelinkedanswerquestions.Theanswertothesecondquestionoftheabove2
pairsdependsontheanswertothefirstquestionofthepair.Itthefirstquestioninthe
linkedpairiswronglyansweredorisunattempted,thentheanswertothesecondquestion
inthepairwillnotbeevaluated.
Questionsnotattemptedwillcarryzeromarks.
WronganswerswillcarryNEGATIVEmarks.ForQ.1toQ.20,1/3markwillbededucted
foreachwronganswer.ForQ.21toQ.56,2/3markswillbedeductedforeachwrong
answer.Thequestionspairs(Q.57,Q.58)and(Q.59,Q.60)arequestionswithlinked
answers.Therewillbenegativemarksonlyforwronganswertothefirstquestionofthe
linkedanswerquestionpairi.e.forQ.57andQ.59,2/3markwillbededucedforeachwrong
answer.ThereisnonegativemarkingforQ.58andQ.60.
Q.1Q.20carryonemarkeach.
1)Thedirectionoflargestincreaseofthefunctionxy3x2atthepoint(1,1)is
(A)(B)(C)(D)
2)Themodulusofthecomplexnumberis
(A)(B)(C)1(D)
3)ThesystemoflinearequationsAx=0,whereAisannnmatrix,hasanontrivialsolution
ONLYif
(A)rankofA>n(B)rankofA=n
(C)rankofA<n.(D)Aisanidentitymatrix
4)Adehumidifier(shownbelow)isusedtocompletelyremovewatervaporfromair.
WhichONEofthefollowingstatementsisTRUE?
A.WateristheONLYtiecomponent
B.AiristheONLYtiecomponent,
C.BOTHwaterandairarethecomponents
D.ThereareNOtiecomponents
5)Dehydrogenationofethane,C2H6(g)C2H4(g)+H2(g),iscarriedoutinacontinuousstirred
tankreactor(CSTR).Thefeedispureethane.Ifthereactorexitstreamcontainsunconverted
ethanealongwiththeproducts,thenthenumberofdegreesoffreedomfortheCSTRis
(A)1,(B)2,(C)3,(D)4
6)AnidealgasattemperatureT1andpressureP1iscompressedisothermallytopressureP2(>
P1)inaclosedsystem.WhichONEofthefollowingisTRUEforinternalenergy(U)andGibbs
freeenergy(G)ofthegasatthetwostates?
(A)U1=U2,G1>G2(B)U1=U2,G1<G2

(C)U1>U2,G1=G2(D)U1<U2,G1=G2
7)Underfullyturbulentflowconditions,thefrictionalpressuredropacrossapackedbedvaries
withthesuperficialvelocity(V)ofthefluidas
(A)V1(B)V(C)V3/2(D)V2
8)Foramixingtankoperatinginthelaminarregime,thepowernumbervarieswiththe
Reynoldsnumber(Re)as
(A)Re1/2(B)Re1/2(C)Re(D)Re1
9)Duringthetransientconvectivecoolingofasolidobject,Biotnumber0indicates.
A.Uniformtemperaturethroughouttheobject
B.Negligibleconvectionatthesurfaceoftheobject
C.Significantthermalresistancewithintheobject
D.Significanttemperaturegradientwithintheobject
10)ThePrandtlnumberofafluidistheratioof
A.Thermaldiffusivitytomomentumdiffusivity
B.Momentumdiffusivitytothermaldiffusivity
C.Conductiveresistancetoconvectiveresistance
D.Thermaldiffusivitytokinematicdiffusivity
11)Accordingtothepenetrationtheoryofmasstransfer,themasstransfercoefficient(k)varies
withdiffusioncoefficient(D)ofthediffusingspeciesas
(A)D(B)D1/2(C)D1/2(D)D3/2
12)Theratiooftheliquidtogasflowrateinacountercurrentgasabsorptioncolumnisincreased
atotherwiseidenticalconditions.WhichONEofthefollowingstatementsisTRUE?
A.Theoperatinglineshiftstowardstheequilibriumcurve
B.Theoperatinglineshiftsawayfromtheequilibriumcurve
C.Theconcentrationoftheabsorbedspeciesincreasesintheexitliquidstream
D.Theoperatinglinediesnotshift.
13)Forahomogeneousreactionsystem,where
Cjistheconcentrationofjattimet
Njisthenumberofmolesofjattimet
Visthereactionvolumeattimet
tisthereactiontime.
Therateofreactionforspeciesjisdefinedas
(A)(B)(C)(D)
14)Thehalflifeofafirstorderliquidphasereactionis30seconds.Thentherateconstant,inmin
1,is
(A)0.0231(B)0.602(C)1.386(D)2.0

15)Forasolidcatalyzedreaction,theThielemodulusisproportionalto
16)WhichONEofthefollowingsensorsisusedforthemeasurementoftemperatureina
combustionprocess(T>1800C)?
(A)TypeJthermocouple,(B)Thermistor
(C)Resistancetemperaturedetector,(D)Pyrometer.
17)Therootsofthecharacteristicequationofanunderdampedsecondordersystemare
(A)Real,negativeandequal,(B)Real,negativeandunequal,
(C)Real,positiveandunequal,(D)Complexconjugates.
18)ThetotalfixedcostofachemicalplantisRs.10.0lakhs;theinternalrateofreturnis15%and
theannualoperatingcostisRs.2.0lakhs.Theannualizedcostoftheplant(inlakhsofRs.)is
(A)1.8(B)2.6(C)3.5(D)4.3
19)Inpetroleumrefiningoperations,theprocessusedforconvertingparaffinsandnaphthenesto
aromaticsis
(A)Catalyticreforming(B)Catalyticcracking
(C)Hydrocarcking,(D)Alkylation.
20)Theactivecomponentofcatalystsusedinsteamreformingofmethanetoproducesynthesisgas
is
(A)Nickel(B)Iron(C)Platinum(D)Palladium
Q.21toQ.60carrytwomarkseach.
21)Thevalueofthelimitis
(A)(B)0(C)1(D)
22)Thegeneralsolutionofthedifferentialequation
=0,
withC1andC2asconstantsofintegration,is
(A)C1e3x+C2e2x(B)C1e3x+C2e2x
(C)C1e3x+C2e2x(D)C1e3x+C2e2x
23)Usingtheresiduetheorem,thevalueoftheintegral(counterclockwise)
aroundacirclewithcenteratz=0andradius=8(wherezisacomplexnumberandi=),is
(A)20i(B)40(C)40i(D)40i
24)Considertheintegral,
overthesurfaceofasphereofradius=3withcenterattheoriginandsurfaceunitnormaln
pointingawayfromtheorigin.UsingtheGaussdivergencetheorem,thevalueofthisintegralis
(A)180(B)0(C)90(D)180
25)Usingthetrapezoidalruleand4equalintervals(n=4),thecalculatedvalueoftheintegral
(roundedtothefirstplaceofdecimal)
1is
(A)1.7(B)1.9(C)2.0(D)2.1

26)Theeigenvaluesofmatrixare5and1.Thentheeigenvaluesof2A+3I(Iisa2x2
identitymatrix)are
(A)7and5(B)7and5(C)and(D)and
27)Afairdieisrolled.LetRdenotetheeventofobtaininganumberlessthanorequalto5andS
denotetheeventofobtaininganoddnumber.ThenwhichONEofthefollowingaboutthe
probability(P)isTRUE?
(A)P(R/S)=1(B)P(R/S)=0(C)P(S/R)=1(D)P(S/R)=0
28)Purewater(streamW)istobeobtainedfromafeedcontaining5wt%saltusingadesalination
unitasshownbelow:
Recycle(R)
Feed(F)MixedfeedEffluent
5wt%salt10wt%saltDesalination
unit
a.Purewater(W)
b.0%salt
Iftheoverallrecoveryofpurewater(throughstreamW)is0.75kg/kgfeed,thentherecycleratio
(R/Fis
(A)0.25(B)0.5(C)0.75(D)1.0
29)Forabinarymixtureatconstanttemperatureandpressure,whichONEofthefollowing
relationsbetweenactivitycoefficient(i)andmolefraction(xi)isthermodynamicallyconsistent?
(A)ln1=1+2x1,ln2=
(B)ln1=1+2x1,ln2=
(C)ln1=1+2x1,ln2=
(D)ln1=1+2x1,ln2=
30)Twoidenticalreservoirs,openatthetop,aredrainedthroughpipesattachedtothebottomof
thetanksasshownbelow.Thetwodrainpipesareofthesamelength,butofdifferentdiameters
(D1>D2).
Assumingtheflowtobesteadyandlaminarinbothdrainpipes,ifthevolumetricflowrateinthe
largerpipeis16timesofthatinthesmallerpipe,theratioD1/D2is
(A)2(B)4(C)8(D)16
31)Foranincompressibleflow,thexandycomponentsofthevelocityvectorare
x=2(x+y);y=3(y+z);
wherex,y,zareinmetresandvelocitiesareinm/s.Thenthezcomponentofthevelocityvector
(vz)oftheflowfortheboundaryconditionvz=0atz=0is
(A)5z(B)5z(C)2x+3z(D)2x3z
32)Theterminalsettlingvelocityofa6mmdiameterglasssphere(density:2500kg/m3)ina
viscousNewtonianliquid(density:1500kg/m3)is100m/s.IftheparticleReynoldsnumberis

smallandthevalueofaccelerationduetogravityis9.81m/s2,thentheviscosityoftheliquid(in
Pa.s)is
(A)100(B)196.2(C)245.3(D)490.5
33)Awellinsultedhemisphericalfurnace(radius=1m)isshownbelow:
Theselfviewfactorofradiationforthecurvedsurface2is
(A)1/4(B)1/2(C)2/3(D)3/4
34)Adoublepipeheatexchangeristobedesignedtoheat4kg/sofacoldfeedfrom20to40C
usingahotstreamavailableat160Candaflowrateof1kg/s.Thetwostreamshaveequal
specificheatcapacitiesandtheoverallheattransfercoefficientoftheheatexchangeris640
W/m2.K.Thentheratiooftheheattransferareasrequireforthecocurrenttocountercurrent
modesofoperationsis
(A)0.73(B)0.92(C)1.085(D)1.25
35)Forthecompositewallshownbelow(case1),thesteadystateinterfacetemperatureis
180C.IfthethicknessoflayerPisdoubled(Case2),thentherateofheattransfer(assuming1D
conduction)isreductionby
(A)20%(B)40%(C)50%(D)70%
36)SpeciesAisdiffusingatsteadystatefromthesurfaceofasphere(radius=1cm)intoa
stagnantfluid.Ifthediffusivefluxatadistancer=3cmfromthecenterofthesphereis27
mol/cm2.s,thediffusiveflux(inmol/cm2.s)atadistancer=9cmis
(A)1(B)3(C)9(D)27
37)Thefeedtoabinarydistillationcolumnhas40mol%vaporand60mol%liquid.Then,the
slopeoftheqlineintheMcCabeThieleplotis
(A)1.5(B)0.6(C)0.6(D)1.5
38)Theequilibriummoisturecurveforasolidisshownbelow:
ThetotalmoisturecontentofthesolidisXanditisexposedtoairofrelativehumidityH.Inthe
tablebelow,GroupIliststhetypesofmoisture,andGroupIIrepresentstheregioninthegraph
above
GroupIGroupII
P.Equilibriummoisture1
Q.Boundmoisture2
R.Unboundmoisture3
S.Freemoisture4
WhichONEofthefollowingisthecorrectmatch?
(A)P1,Q2,R3,S4(B)P1,Q3,R4,S2
(C)P1,Q4,R2,S3(D)P1,Q2,R4,S3
39)TheliquidphasereactionABisconductedinanadiabaticplugflowreactor.
Data:
InletconcentrationofA=4.0k.mol/m3

Densityofreactionmoisture(independentoftemperature=1200kg/m3
Averageheatcapacityoffeedstream(independentoftemperature)=2000J/kg.k
Heatofreaction(independentoftemperature)=120kJ/molofAreacting
Ifthemaximumallowabletemperatureinthereactoris800K,thenthefeedtemperature(inK)
shouldnotexceed.
(A)400(B)500(C)600(D)700
40)Anisothermalpulsetestisconductedonareactorandthevariationoftheoutlettracer
concentrationwithtimeisshownbelow:
Themeanresidencetimeofthefluidinthereactor(inminutes)is
(A)5.0(B)7.5(C)10.0(D)15.0
41)TheinverseLaplacetransformofis
(A)et/2et(B)2et/2et
(C)et2et/2(D)etet/2
42)ThecharacteristicequationofaclosedloopsystemusingaproportionalcontrollerwithgainKc
is
12s3+19s2+8s+1+Kc=0
Attheonsetofinstability,thevalueofKcis
(A)35/3(B)10(C)25/3(D)20/3
43)Theblockdiagramforacontrolsystemisshownbelow:
Foraunitstepchangeinthesetpoint,R(s),thesteadystateoffsetintheoutputY(s)is
(A)0.2(B)0.3(C)0.4(D)0.5
44)Foratankofcrosssectionalarea100cm2andinletflowrate(Qiincm3/s),theoutletflowrate
(Qoincm3/s)isrelatedtotheliquidheight(Hincm)asQo=3H(seefigurebelow).
Thenthetransferfunction(overbarindicatesdeviationvariables)oftheprocessaroundthe
steadystatepoint,Qi,s=18cm3/sandHs=36cm,is
(A)(B)
(C)(D)
45)AcolumncostsRs.5.0lakhsandhasausefullifeof10years.Usingthedoubledeclining
balancedepreciationmethod,thebookvalueoftheunitattheendoffiveyears(inlakhsofRs.)is
(A)1.21(B)1.31(C)1.64(D)2.05
46)Anequimolarmixtureoffourhydrocarbons(1,2,3,4)istobeseparatedintohighpurity
individualcomponentsusingasequenceofsimpledistillationcolumns(oneoverheadandone
bottomstream).Fourpossibleschemesareshownbelow.
SchemeRSchemeS
UsingtheKi(+yi*/xi)valuesgivenabove,theoptimalschemeis
(A)P(B)Q(C)R(D)S

47)MatchtheequipmentinGroupItotheinternalsinGroupII.
GROUPIGROUPII
P.Centrifugalpump1.Baffle
Q.Distillationcolumn2.Impeller
R.Heatexchanger3.Tray
4.Volute
(A)P2,Q1,R4(B)P2,Q4,R3
(C)P1,Q3,R4(D)P4,Q3,R1
48)MatchtheproductinGroupIwiththenameoftheprocessinGroupII.
1GROUPIGROUPII
2P.Sodiumcarbonate1.Haber
3Q.Ammonia2.Solvay
4R.Sulphuricacid3.FischerTropsch
4.Contact
(A)P2,Q1,R4(B)P4,Q1,R2
(C)P3,Q4,R2(D)P2,Q1,R3
49)MatchtheproductinGroupItotherawmaterialinGroupII.
1GROUPIGROUPII
2P.Ethylene1.Naturalgas
3Q.Methanol2.Synthesisgas
4R.Phthalicanhydride3.Naphtha
4.Naphthalene
(A)P1,Q2,R3(B)P2,Q1,R4
(C)P3,Q1,R4(D)P3,Q2,R4
50)MatchtheunitprocessinGroupIwiththeindustryinGroupII

GROUPIGROUPII
P.Steamcracking1.Petroleumrefining
Q.Hydrocracking2.Petrochemicals
R.Condensation3.Polymers
4SoapsandDetergents
(A)P1,Q2,R3(B)P2,Q3,R3
(C)P1,Q2,R4(D)P2,Q1,R3

CommonDataQuestions
CommonDataforQuestions51and52:
Anidealgaswithmolarheatcapacity(whereR=8.314J/mol.K)iscompressedadiabaticallyfrom
1barand300KtopressureP2inaclosedsystem.Thefinaltemperatureaftercompressionis600K
andthemechanicalefficiencyofcompressionis50%.
51)Theworkrequiredforcompression(inkJ/mol)is
(A)3.74(B)6.24(C)7.48(D)12.48
52)ThefinalpressureP2(inbar)is
(A)23/4(B)25/4(C)23/2(D)25/2
CommonDataforQuestions53and54:
AslabofthicknessLwithoneside(x=0)insulatedandtheotherside(x=L)maintainedata
constanttemperatureT0isshownbelow.
AuniformlydistributedinternalheatsourceproducesheatintheslabattherateofS
W/m3.Assumetheheatconductiontobesteadyand1Dalongthexdirection.
53)Themaximumtemperatureintheslaboccursatxequalto
(A)0(B)L/4(C)L/2(D)L
54)Theheatfluxatx=Lis
(A)0(B)SL/4(C)SL/2(D)SL
CommonDataforQuestions53and54:
Aflashdistillationdrum(seefigurebelow)isusedtoseparateamethanolwatermixture.Themole
fractionofmethanolinthefeedis0.5,andthefeedflowrateis1000kmol/hr.Thefeedis
preheatedinaheaterwithheatdutyQhandissubsequentlyflashedinthedrum.Theflashdrumcan
beassumedtobeanequilibriumstage,operatingadiabatically.Theequilibriumrelationbetween
themolefractionsofmethanolinthevaporandliquidphasesisy*=4x.Theratioofdistillateto
feedflowrateis0.5.
55)Themolefractionofmethanolinthedistillateis
(A)0.2(B)0.7(C)0.8(D)0.9
56)Iftheenthalpyofthedistillatewithreferencetothefeedis3000kJ/kmol,andtheenthalpyof
thebottomswithreferencetothefeedis1000kJ/kmol,theheatdutyofthepreheater(QhinkJ/hr)
is
(A)2106(B)1106(C)1106(D)2106
LinkedAnswerQuestions:
StatementforLinkedAnswerQuestion57and58:
Afreejetofwaterisemergingfromanozzle(diameter75mm)attachedtoapipe(diameter225
mm)asshownbelow.
ThevelocityofwateratpointAis18m/s.Neglectfrictioninthepipeandnozzle.Useg=9.81
m/s2anddensityofwater=1000kg/m3.
57)Thevelocityofwateratthetipofthenozzle(inm/s)is

(A)13.4(B)18.0(C)23.2(D)27.1
58)Thegaugepressure(inkPa)atpointBis
(A)80.0(B)100.0(C)239.3(D)367.6
StatementforLinkedAnswerQuestions59and60:
TheliquidphasereactionAB+Cisconductedisothermallyat50Cinacontinuousstirredtank
reactor(CSTR).TheinletconcentrationofAis8.0gmol/liter.Ataspacetimeof5minutes,the
concentrationofAattheexitofCSTRis4.0gmol/liter.Thekineticsofthereactionis
AplugflowreactorofthesamevolumeisaddedinseriesaftertheexistingCSTR.
59)Therateconstant(k)forthisreactionat50Cis
(A)0.2(B)0.2
(C)0.4(D)0.4
60)TheconcentrationofA(ingmol/liter)attheexitoftheplugflowreactoris
(A)0.5(B)1.0(C)2.0(D)2.5