LECTURE-4

 GENERAL ASPECTS OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

 COMMUNICATIONS
 HUMAN RELATIONS
 PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
 TECHNICAL READING

 Chemical process industries

 Any definition and description of the chemical process industries is bound to
be incomplete.
 Most processes in the chemical industries involve a chemical change.
 The term “chemical change” should be interpreted to include not only
chemical reactions but also biochemical reactions and physicochemical
changes, as the separation and purification of the components of a mixture
like petroleum crude in the refinery.
 Purely mechanical changes are usually not considered part of the chemical
process, unless they are essential to later chemical/biochemical changes.
 Perhaps a satisfactory definition of a chemical process industry is an industry
whose principal products are manufactured by processes based upon the
chemical/biochemical and physical principles included in the field of
chemical engineering.
 Basic purpose of chemical process industries is to start from an ore/raw
material and end up with a product through a series of chemical/ biochemical
and physical changes.

 Origin and growth

 The chemical process industries date back to pre-historic period when man
first attempted to control and modify his environment.
 Its growth can be divided into two periods. Pre-scientific period which
extended to the end of the eighteenth century which was largely empirical,
with little understanding of the basic chemistry.
 In the scientific period of the last 200 years, the chemical process industries
have made phenomenal growth based upon the sound and organized
knowledge of chemical, biological and physical sciences.

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 Pre-scientific Chemical Industries
 Chemical process industries developed as any trade or craft.
 Those who practiced the crafts were not of literate or learned class, so none
of the few remaining reports of early chemical process industries was
written by people actually involved in the craft.
 More adequate reports are available from the beginning of the sixteenth
century.
 No means of chemical analysis were available so the early craftsman had to
rely on previous art and superstitions.
 Progress was slow and confusion great.
 In the sixteenth century “Oil of Vitriol” was made from blue/green vitriol
(now known as cupric or ferrous sulfate).
 In the same century, “Oil of Sulfur” was made by burning sulfur which was
initially much expensive than the former.
 Probably the oldest chemical process industry is fermentation, although in
its earliest times it was more a folkcraft than an industry.
 Ale, a type of beer used by Egyptians 3000 B.C. is the oldest fermented
liquor.
 Distillation began in the first century A.D., and by the 13th century its
application was a common place in Europe for distillation of fermented
liquor.
 Recovery and use of metals began before 4000 B.C. the first metals found
were gold and silver.
 The first metal extracted from its ore was copper in Egypt and
Mesopotamia about 3500 B.C.
 Vinegar( dilute acetic acid) was the earliest known acid formed on the
oxidation of fermented liquor
 Nitric acid was made from saltpeter (KNO3) and ferrous sulfate by heating
the mixture and condensing the the distilled nitric acid.
 Alkali found in ash was used as cleansing agent.
 Soap was probably made by boiling ashes with a natural oil or fat.

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 Scientific Chemical Industries
 In late eighteenth-century, Europe interest in the scientific principles of
chemistry increased and there was great progress in the development of the
industries.
 In 1770-1773 oxygen was discovered by Swedish pharmacist
independently and by English Minister Joseph Priestley in 1774-1775.
 At the same time French chemist Antone Lavoisier clarified the role of
oxygen in combustion.
 Lavoisier’s careful work in oxidation and other chemical fields did much to
establish chemistry on a sound quantitative basis.
 During the year 1803-1808 John Dolton in England developed a workable
atomic theory which helped to explain how elements combined into
molecules.
 Thereby making it possible to consider chemical reactions on a quantitative
basis.
 The increased understanding of chemical sciences led to improvements and
new developments in chemical processing.
 The principal chemical industries in the early nineteenth century
manufactured alkalies, acids, and metals.
 The organic chemical industries began to develop after 1850.
 Cellulose was treated with nitric acid to produce nitrocellulose explosive.
 Rubber was introduced in the early nineteenth century and was first
vulcanized the 1840s.
 Ether and chloroform were made on a small scale for use as anesthetics.
 Synthetic organic chemistry may be considered to date from 1828.
 Wohler in Germany synthesized natural organic product urea from
inorganic ammonium cyanate.
 The work of many great German chemists and William Perkin in England
led to the development of aniline dye industry.
 In the mid of the nineteenth century (1857), the French Chemist Louis
Pasteur discovered role of microorganism in fermentation which played
significant role in the development of fermentation industries.
 Now the industries are well-established and computerized and moving
towards further development.

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 CHEMICAL PROCESS INDUSTRIES, TYPICAL PRODUCTS END
USES
EXAMPLES

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 CHEMICAL INDUSTRY TODAY (Indian Perspective)
 Chemical industry revenue has been growing at an average rate of 15% in
the last 5 years.
 The Indian chemicals sector stands out as one of the most rapidly advancing
industries globally.
 It has attained the status of being the sixth-largest chemical producer, with a
market size of $178 billion in 2021.
 As per industry reports, this sector is poised for further expansion, with an
anticipated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11–12%, reaching a
value of $290-310 billion by 2027.

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 When categorizing the chemical sector by its function and usage, it is
typically classified into four distinct segments: (a) Pharmaceuticals, (b)
Agrochemicals (c) Industrial Chemicals: including substances such as
solvents, lubricants, and catalysts, (d) Specialty Chemicals: which include
unique offerings like specialty polymers, coatings, and electronic chemicals.
 Among these segments, the Specialty Chemicals category is expected to
exhibit the most accelerated growth, with projections indicating a value of
approximately $50 billion by 2025.

Specialty chemicals are a new area mostly used for industry purposes and also
have applications in the agro- and food industries. (Representational image)

Source: India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) (2023)

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 India is the second-highest producer and consumer of chemical fertilizers in
the world.
 Covering more than 80,000 commercial products, India’s chemical industry
is extremely diversified and can be broadly classified into bulk chemicals,
specialty chemicals, agrochemicals, petrochemicals, polymers, and
fertilizers.
 India is the 6th largest producer of chemicals in the world and 3rd in Asia,
contributing 7% to India’s GDP.
 India's chemical sector, which is currently estimated to be worth US$ 220
billion in 2022 and is anticipated to grow to US$ 300 billion by 2025 and
US$ 1 trillion by 2040.
 Globally, India is the fourth-largest producer of agrochemicals after the
United States, Japan and China.
 India accounts for 16-18% of the world production of dyestuffs and dye
intermediates.
 Indian colorants industry has emerged as a key player with a global market
share of ~15%.
 The country’s chemicals industry is de-licensed, except for few hazardous
chemicals.
 India holds a strong position in exports and imports of chemicals at a global
level and ranks 14th in exports and 8th in imports at global level (excluding
pharmaceuticals).
 The domestic chemicals sector's small and medium enterprises are expected
to showcase 18-23% revenue growth in FY22, owing to an improvement in
domestic demand and higher realization due to high prices of chemicals.
 Domestic demand is expected to rise from US$ 170 billion-US$ 180 billion
in 2021 to US$ 850 billion-US$ 1,000 billion by 2040.
 India’s proximity to the Middle East, the world’s source of petrochemicals
feedstock, enables it to benefit on economies of scale.

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 Source: India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) (2023)

 Specialty chemicals are a new area mostly used for industry purposes and also
have applications in the agro- and food industries.
 Distinguished by their specialized attributes and performance advantages
tailored for specific applications, these chemicals often command a higher
price point compared to commodity chemicals.
 Examples of specialty chemicals
Examples include adhesives and sealants; catalysts; cosmetic chemicals;
electronic chemicals; food additives; flavors and fragrances; high-
performance thermoplastics; high-performance anticorrosion coatings;
industrial and institutional cleaners; lubricating oil additives; nutraceuticals;
oil field chemicals; synthetic ...
 Examples of specialty chemicals also include antibiotics, or pesticides, as they
are made in low volumes to address particular needs. For instance, antibiotics
are tailored to address the issues of a specific disease. Because of this niche
use, antibiotics are only made in low volumes as they become necessary.
However, as chemical research and development advances, specialty
chemicals become much more efficient to produce and may transition into a
commodity chemical.

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  Commodity chemicals are, as the name suggests, common chemicals that can
be produced in bulk quantities by a large number of chemical manufacturers.
 The production quality of these chemicals varies little, being developed in a
very standardized form with exact compositional matches.
 Examples of commodity chemicals:
 Market Size

 Top 5 Chemical Industries (Indian Perspective)

 Reliance Industries Ltd. Mumbai is the home base for the Indian multinational
conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL). ...
 Tata Chemicals Ltd. ...
 UPL Ltd. ...
 PI Industries Ltd. ...
 Aarti Industries Ltd. ...
 Deepak Nitrite Ltd. ...
 Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd. ...
 Navin Fluorine International Ltd.

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 What is new in the chemical industry?
 Automation: The chemical industry is expected to increase its use of
automation and robotics to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
 Automation can help chemical manufacturers streamline their processes and
eliminate manual errors, reducing the risk of accidents.

 Chemical Process Industries (Global Perspective)

Top 10 Chemical-Producing Countries of the World
 The global chemical industry is mostly controlled by few
multinational companies as they have the patent right of the
products. The major chemical-producing countries are USA,
Germany, China, Russia, Japan, France, India, Brazil, Italy, Poland,
Belgium, UK, etc.
 Since chemical industry is based on science and technology, its development
is more important in developed countries. But now, so many developing
countries are also important producers of several chemicals.

1. USA
The United States of America is the world’s leading country in the
production of chemical products. It produces nearly 30 to 35 per cent nitric
acid, soda ash and caustic soda of the world and also ranks second in the
production of sulphuric acid.
The factors responsible for the development of chemical industry in
USA are:
(i) The development of science and technology.
(ii) High degree of industrial development.
(iii) Availability of raw material.
(iv) Large and expanding market.
(v) Capital through multinational companies.
The centres of chemical industry in USA are widely distributed. The
largest concentration of chemical industry is in the northern states of
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Virginia, etc.
Some industries often require products of other chemical industries.
This interdependence or symbiotic relationship between the chemical
plants forced most of the industrial establishments to settle within the same

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region. The other reasons responsible for this higher concentration in those
states are the presence of nearby market, excellent transport facilities and
availability of all kinds of raw materials within their periphery.
Apart from these states, almost all other states have at least a few
chemical-producing units. The Atlantic coastal tracts ranging from New
York, New Jersey, Maryland to the south-eastern state of Florida contribute
more than 70 per cent of the chemical output. Of late, states of southern
USA are heading for rapid development of chemical industry.
The states like New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, and
Oklahoma are progressing in such a way that, within a few decades these
southern states may equal the production of the north-eastern states.
In US, sulphuric acid is produced in many parts of the country. But
the major sulphuric acid-producing states are Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado,
Texas and Louisiana.
The ammonium products are manufactured in the northern states at
Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee and Indiana.
Soda ash is mostly produced in the states of Ohio, Michigan, New York,
Virginia and Texas. Caustic soda and chlorine are produced in the states of
Ohio, Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia.
All these heavy chemical products have a large and ready market
throughout USA. The light chemical plants are the major buyers of these
products.
Light chemical industry includes various products ranging from
detergents, toilet products to pharmaceuticals. These products are secondary
in nature and mostly produced from the basic or heavy chemical products.
Several multinational companies control the industry in USA.
The internationally famous companies are now operating from USA,
i.e., companies like Lever Brothers, Colgate and several other detergent
producers, and Max Factor. Helene Curtis in toilet products has dominated
international market for several decades. All these factories are also located
within Atlantic coastal areas for export advantage.
2. Germany
Germany is also a leading country in chemical industry. In Germany, the
chemical industry began as early as in 1886 with the organization and early
growth of the dyestuffs and potash industry.
In Germany, chemical industry has been developed because of the
certain favourable factors, such as:

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 (i) Economic stability and research facilities,
(ii) Availability of raw materials like salt, potash, limestone, dolamite,
sulphur, etc.
(iii) Development of thermal power, and
(iv) Extensive market facilities.
The areas of chemical industry in Germany are concentrated in Rhine
valley and Upper Saxony. The four main areas are the Ruhr region,
Frankfurt region, Northern Rhine region and Upper Saxony region.
3. Russia
Chemical industry is one of the most important industries in Russia. The
early chemical-producing centres were largely concentrated around Moscow
— Tula and St. Petersburg.
The present chemical industry has been developed in the following
regions:
(i) Moscow region, having centres at Moscow, Novomoskorsk,
Voskresensk,
Kazan, Gorky, Dzherzinsk and Yaroslav.
(ii) St. Petersburg region.
(iii) Ural region.
(iv) Siberia and Far-East region.
4. China
China has now emerged as a leading producer of chemicals, not only in Asia
but also in the world. The development of chemical industry in China started
in the plan period after 1950, when concerted efforts were made to develop
Chinese chemical industry, especially heavy chemical industry.
Special care was taken to increase the production of caustic soda, soda ash,
sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid and nitric acid. The effort made was so
sincere that in the last three decades production increased threefold.
The major chemical-producing centres in China are located in its northern
part. The urban centres of Nanking, Shanghai and Shantung contribute
maximum of the chemical output. The other noted chemical factories are
located at Manchuria, Fushun, Penki, Dairen and Anshan. The largest of the
plants are located at Manchuria.
5. Japan
The origin of chemical industry in Japan began only after the First World
War. But since then, rapid growth of this industry has placed it in a high
position. Although, during the Second World War, Japanese industries

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including the chemical industry were completely devastated. But, with
herculean efforts, Japan was able to rebuild its chemical industry within a
short period and surpassed its pre-war production level.
Most of the Japanese chemical plants are either newly constructed or
completely rebuilt, so output and productivity is very high. All the plants are
new, modernised and automated.
Japan is deficient in raw materials. More than 80 per cent of its
factories are entirely dependent on imported raw materials. The only raw
material abundant in Japan is sulphur, deposited extensively by volcanic
eruptions. Most of the chemical plants in Japan are located within the
industrial agglomerations of Osaka-Kobe, Tokyo-Yokohoma, Nagoya,
Hemagi and Kyushu.
6. United Kingdom
In UK, chemical industry has been developed in the following areas:
(i) The Tees valley,
(ii) The Mursey valley and southern Lancashire,
(iii) Tyne valley and Avon valley,
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(iv) Scotland, and
(v) London region.
The leading chemical-producing centres are Lancashire, Glasgow,
Manchester, Birmingham, Yorkshire, Leeds, Norwich, Middlewich, etc.
7. Italy
Italy is considered as a leading producer of both light and heavy chemical
products. The growth rate in the industry is quite high. Several reasons are
responsible for the development of chemical industry in Italy.
These are:
(i) Presence of vast amount of raw materials within the country, including
limestone, dolomite, sulphur and potash.
(ii) Availability of cheap hydel-power.
(iii) Good transport system and market facilities.
The major chemical centres in Italy are Naples, Milan, etc.
8. France
In France, chemical industry has developed in four areas, i.e., north-eastern
region, Lorraine region, Leyons-Marseilles region and Bordeaux-Garonne
region. The strong industrial infrastructure, abundant coal reserve, developed
petroleum refinery industry and presence of several raw materials like salt,

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 dolomite, limestone and potash facilitated the growth of chemical industry in
France.
9. India
India is now an important manufacturer of the chemical products. India
produces 6 per cent sulphuric acid, 6.2 per cent soda ash and 4 per cent
caustic soda of the world along with a large variety of other chemical
products. The major centres of chemical industry in India are Mumbai,
Kolkata, Sindri, Jamshedpur, Chennai, Bangalore, Trombay, Vadodara,
Ahmedabad, Kanpur, Amritsar, Delhi, etc.
10. Brazil
Brazil is a significant producer of chemical products not only in South
America but also in the world. It produces 5 per cent sulphuric acid, 3 per
cent nitric acid and 4 per cent caustic soda to the world’s output. The main
centres of chemical industry are Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Minasgeras,
Santos, etc.
Apart from the above, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Australia, Bulgaria, Turkey,
Ukraine, Greece, Croatia, etc., are the other important countries, producing
chemical products in the world.

 TOP TEN CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING COMPANIES OF THE

WORLD

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With Chemical Sales

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 CHEMICAL SALES BY COUNTRY

 SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS OF CHEMICAL PROCESSES

 The typical chemical processes may be analysed with five
independent steps
 Mass and Energy Balance
 Thermodynamic and Kinetics
 Unit Operations and Unit Processes
 Instrumentation and
 Economics
 CHEMICAL PROCESS INDUSTRIES AND THE HUMAN SOCIETY
1. Food
2. Shelter
3. Clothing
4. Education
5. Healthcare
6. Transport
7. Telecommunication

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8. Defense
9. Entertainment
10. Sports
11. Space Exploration
12. Many more

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