SCOPE AND CHALLENGES FOR CHEMICAL ENGINEERS

IN INDUSTRIES
.By Dr. B. Basu
Bibekananda.basu1502@gmail.com

Mobile no 9867682084.
Retired General Manager, Reliance Gr.
Ex-Scientist, BTRA, Bombay – 86
Ex-Faculty, T& P Officer, ISO - MR, Anuradha Engineering College, Chikhli, Dist: Buldana.
Ex-Coordinator, Power loom service centre. Ministry of Textiles, Sasmira, Bhiwandi
Adjunct Faculty and Placement coordinator, SGGS, Nanded
Visiting Faculty of VJTI, Mumbai 400 019
Author of 64 Publications at National & International level

Chemical engineers work with ground-breaking technologies to enhance the quality of

people's lives in areas such as environmental protection, the management of resources,
and controlling health and safety. They are required even in the Heavy Engineering,
Power Corporations.

[1] What is chemical engineering?

Modern society relies on the work of chemical, biochemical and process engineers - they help
manage resources, protect the environment and control health and safety procedures, while
developing the processes that make the products we desire or depend on.

Chemical engineering is all about changing raw materials into useful products you use every
day in a safe and cost-effective way. For example: petrol, plastics and synthetic fibres such as
polyester and nylon, all come from oil.

Chemical engineers understand how to alter the chemical, biochemical or physical state of a
substance, to create everything from face creams to fuels.

[2] The Role of chemical Engineers: The Chemical engineers help in leading to advances in
health care, including Technology and Medicine. They also help developing Processing
Systems that more efficiently manage waste disposal. Chemical engineers play a vital role in
Food Processing that help companies make food consumable in a more affordable and
healthy way.

The main role of Chemical Engineers is to Design and trouble shoot processes for the
Production of Chemicals , fuels , food, pharmaceuticals and biological , just to name a few.
They are most often employed by large scale manufacturing Plants to maximise productivity
and product quality with Minimum cost.

In a nutshell, their core responsibilities revolve around three key objectives, i.e., making
processes cost-effective, eco-friendly and efficient.

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[3]ChemicalEngineer`s role in Environment

Chemical engineers meet environmental challenges. They develop advanced technologies,

monitoring devices, modelling techniques, and operating strategies that reduce the volume
and toxicity of pollutants allowed to enter the air, waterways, and soil; significantly reduce
the negative environmental impact of industrial facilities, power plants, and transportation
vehicles; and allow greater reuse of post-consumer and post-industrial waste streams.

Chemical engineers have always been at the forefront of environmental protection by

designing complex solutions to our vexing environmental challenges,. One success is the
conversion of the sulphur oxides (highly polluted material) in power plant gases into gypsum
for use in wallboard another one is the removal of trace contaminants from drinking water by
reverse osmosis.

Chemical engineering transforms environmental conservation, they work

to make our Eco system more sustainable.

HOW?

[3.1]CLEAN WATER RESOURCES: Chemical engineers are coming up with

innovative ways of treating water so that it is safe to consume and that water can be
reused,they found ways to remove harmful pollutants from all sources of water, be it a raw
source or contaminated wastewater and have developed much more cost-effective methods to
do this , they have purified water from rivers and lakes so that we can have clean , potable
drinking water,They effectively treated municipal wastewater and sewage to make it safe for
reuse all methods reduced the amount of waste water and keep safe water for consumption
without depleting our sources.

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[3.2]Improving Air Quality:
Air quality and climate change go hand in hand. Chemical engineers who work with air
quality help to save lives and clean the environment they create products such as filters to
prevent or clean up air pollution (car emissions, oil spills, etc.). They have found ways to
capture and neutralise air pollutants before they are discharged into the environment they
have reduced harmful airborne emissions as sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx),
mercury and unburned hydrocarbons which is helping in less toxic air to breathe, they also
design processes or devices to test for dangerous chemicals in air or water

[3.3] Improved Recycling:

Reducing waste and eliminating the need for more raw material. Chemical engineers worked
on effective ways to recycle paper, plastics and more. For example, they have developed
ways to recycle aluminium with the use of chemicals, which was a very challenging process
as compared to recycling stainless-steel, to produce one tonne of aluminium for cans, five
tonnes of bauxite is needed which now is saved because of recycling .

[4] The Role of Chemical Engineers in Steal Plants : Metallurgists/Metallurgical

engineers usually are responsible for the development of the steel process and products at a steel
mill. A chemical engineer could work in the testing lab working on chemical analysis of steel.
Also, a chemical engineer could work on analysis of slag reactions. Also, you could work on
analysing the pickling process (e.g. inhibited acids). Lastly, there are various rolling oils used that
require engineering and frequently have chemical engineers employed.

Chemical engineers often share a fair bit of coursework with metallurgy (nowadays of material
science) student in school: thermo, kinetics, heat transport, etc. As Cory Pad stated - liquid steel
metallurgy is filled with chemical reactions in steel and slag. They are also responsible for the
maintenance of Batteries in Coke oven plants.

There are at present 19 Major integrated steel plants in India. SAIL (Steel Authority of India
Limited) is the major public sector company in this sector and TISCO (Tata Iron and Steel
Company) is the major private sector company in this industry.
Today, TISCO employed 32,364 employees and the whole India, the Steel plant recruits 6.1
million people. By and large 10% Chemical Engineers are required among all the Engineers i.e.,
Metallurgy, Mechanical, Electrical, Civil and Software.

[5] The role of a chemical engineer in the cement industry spans from the very
first units, all the way to packaging.
Unlike most industries, cement manufacturing is completely dominated by mechanical
operations with only one partially chemical step. Yet, these mechanical operations fall under
the realm of chemical engineering.

The various operations are:

1. Sizing of raw material

2. Mixing of raw material in proper amounts
3. Ensuring homogeneity
4. Meeting size requirements

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 5. Calcination
6. Separation based on particle size
7. Recycle of undesirably sized particles
8. Storage
9. Control of dust in the air
Each of these operations, save calcination - which is a process so to speak, can be designed
only by a chemical engineer; you are the only ones who know the mechanics, Economics and
technology to optimally run all these units.

[5.1] Cement production reached 329 million tonnes (MT) in FY20 and is projected to
reach 381 MT by FY22. However, the consumption stood at 327 MT in FY20 and will reach
379 MT by FY22. The cement production capacity is estimated to touch 550 MT by 2020.

Today there are about 210+ Cement factories are in India with 10 big players. The growth
rate is 7-8% and expected to be 8-9% in the next 5 years.

In general, 1 man requires for 1 ton of Cement production.

[6] Job options

Jobs directly related to your degree include:

 Biotechnologist
 Chemical engineer
 Colour technologist
 Energy engineer
 Nuclear engineer
 Petroleum engineer
 Product/process development scientist

Jobs where your degree would be useful include:

 Analytical chemist
 Energy manager
 Environmental engineer
 Manufacturing engineer
 Materials engineer
 Mining engineer
 Production manager
 Quality manager
 Waste management officer
 Water engineer

Remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any degree subject,
so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs.
The demand for chemical engineers at major chemical and pharmaceutical companies is
expected to continue but at a slower pace than average through 2020. Employment is tied to
the overall state of manufacturing and to the technologies used to create products
(biotechnology, alternative energies, etc.).

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As the biotechnology industry continues to grow, opportunities for chemical engineers with a
background in biology will expand. Chemical engineering research jobs are increasing in
importance with the development and implementation of new energy sources designed as
substitutes for the world’s diminishing supplies of petroleum and natural gas.

[6.1] Process engineering

Many chemical engineers become process engineers when they graduate and start their
career. Process engineering is essentially the application of chemical engineering principles
to optimise the design, operation and control of chemical processes. Since this requires
equipment design and selection, mechanical engineers may also be employed as process
engineers.

[6.2] Biochemical engineering

Biochemical engineering is a rapidly developing sector which takes exciting science

discoveries and changes them into cost-effective and environmentally-friendly processes.
Biochemical engineers use these processes to create products ranging from new medicines
through to renewable energy, as well as greener solutions to waste treatment.

Biochemical engineers are responsible for tackling many of today’s global challenges such as
the development of vaccines to protect people against pandemic flu, stem cell therapies to
cure blindness and biofuels from algae to provide more sustainable energy sources.

[7] Job Outlook and Pay Scale

Employment of chemical engineers in India is projected to grow, with the Government and
Private sector jobs available aplenty. Speaking about Private Sector jobs, chemical
engineering graduates can find potential opportunities in sectors such as Petrochemical
industries, Petroleum refineries, Cement Factories, Food Processing and Technology units,
Fertilizer Factories, Pharmaceutical industries, Biotechnology Sector, etc. Some of the top
companies in India hiring chemical engineers are L & T, ONGC, Merchem Limited, Infosys,
Wipro, Reliance, and Essar, among others.
Coming to the pay scale for chemical engineers, the salary is quite lucrative. Freshers can
earn an average pay of INR 25,000 to INR 30,000 per month, nevertheless, on gaining
experience and specific skill sets, you can earn an average of INR 5-7 Lakhs per year. While
salary specifics vary in both Private and Government sectors, there are high-end salary
packages for those willing to work abroad. Some of the international companies like Baker
Hughes, Techconsult UK Ltd., and Swift Worldwide Resources, offer a salary of INR 1 Lakh
– 3 Lakhs per month for competent professionals in chemical engineering.
Looking at the current scope and expansion of the industry, chemical engineering is
considered as one of the brightest career option with huge employment opportunities
available. But not to forget, students aspiring to make an entry into the sector should focus on
having thorough knowledge and skill set and should pursue their engineering education from
an institute that can serve as a strong backing for their profile. Most of the core companies
today rely on prestigious institutions for hiring freshers through campus recruitments. So, if
you are expecting to enter core companies in your chemical engineering field, it is wise to

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join a reputed educational institution that can provide you with industry-vetted knowledge,
aptly polish your skills and talents, and support you with on-campus placements.

[8] Work experience

Work experience is a valuable way of getting first-hand knowledge of specialised industries.
If you're undecided about the area of chemical engineering you want to work in, try to get an
in-plant placement to find out what's available. This may be a placement that's part of your
degree, or one you set up yourself during the summer.
Industrial placements or In-plant trainings are a great way of building up your practical
experience and skills, testing and expanding your knowledge, and establishing a network of
contacts for future work opportunities. There may also be opportunities to work shadow a
chemical engineer to find out more about what they do.
Work experience is available in the pharmaceutical, petrochemical, and food and drink
industries. Check out the careers section of company websites for more information on the
opportunities available.
Search for placements and find out more about work experience and internships.

[9] Typical employers

Employers cover a range of industrial sectors. Any company involved in large-scale
conversion of raw materials into a product will require chemical engineers.
You'll find major employers in gas and oil extraction, oil refining, nuclear and other power
generation and process industries, including pharmaceuticals, fine and heavy chemicals, and
agrochemicals. Other manufacturing industries that need chemical engineers include those
supplying:

 fibres and polymers

 food and drink
 plastic and metals
 pulp and paper
 Toiletries.

Many chemical development engineers work for engineering consultancy and contracting
firms.
There are also opportunities to work in pollution control, environmental protection, energy
conservation, waste recovery and recycling, alternative energy, medical science and health
and safety.
Engineers are well equipped for business roles and may also go into careers in financial
services, management, consultancy or law.
Find information on employers in engineering and manufacturing, energy and utilities, and
other job sectors.

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[10] Skills for your CV
In addition to specific technical knowledge, a chemical engineering degree provides a sound
theoretical basis for introducing new technology and advancing existing technology. You also
gain an awareness of the global and societal context in which engineering solutions are
applied.
Transferable skills that would be useful in a range of engineering and business-related roles
include:

 project management, through group design work

 resource management
 teamwork and leadership
 IT skills
 initiative and attention to detail, through independent research
 creativity and innovation
 Communication and presentation skills, developed through group work and presenting
research projects.
 problem-solving and analytical skills

[10.1] Further study

Some chemical engineering graduates go on to further study in order to gain professional
status as a chartered engineer (CEng) or incorporated engineer (IEng), which helps to boost
career prospects. For more information on the training needed to gain charter ship, see:

 Engineering Council
 Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)

Others go on to take further study at Masters or PhD level in a specialist area of chemical
engineering that interested them at undergraduate level. A PhD is essential for a career in
academia and research.
It's also possible for chemical engineering graduates to take postgraduate study in areas such
as design, science or management.
For more information on further study and to find a course that interests you, see Masters
Degrees and search postgraduate courses in chemical engineering.

[11] What do chemical engineering graduates do?

Two-fifths of chemical engineering graduates are working in engineering professions six
months after graduation. Of these, 22% are working as production and process engineers.

Destination Percentage

Employed 69.4

Further study 12.5

Working and studying 6.3

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 Destination Percentage

Unemployed 6.5

Other 5.3

[11.1] Graduate destinations for chemical engineering

Type of work Percentage

Engineering and building 40.6

Business, HR and finance 18.2

Information technology 10.4

Technicians and other professionals 8.4

Other 22.5

[12] Ten reasons to become a chemical engineer

1. In global profession a degree in chemical engineering allows you to work in many different
job roles, in a variety of industries, all over the world. The Institution of Chemical Engineers
(IChemE) has a membership exceeding 40,000 members in around 100 countries, indicating a
thriving and like-minded global profession.
2. Make a difference some professions attract the word “vocation”. Nurses and teachers are
often associated with the view that it’s not just about the money, but the satisfaction of
knowing that you’ve helped someone personally and profoundly. Chemical engineers have
this opportunity too – better nutrition and improved health; greater social mobility; warmth
and light; protection of the environment, and many other measures valued by society are the
result of chemical and biochemical engineers’ hard work.
3. Job choice Undergraduates always have a tricky decision about which course to choose,
and there's always a danger that the course they decide on could narrow their future job
prospects. That isn’t the case with chemical engineering – it opens doors to biochemical
engineering, chemicals, consultancy, education, food and drink, health, safety and
environment, mining and minerals, oil and gas (exploration and production), oil refining,
paper and packaging, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and toiletries, plastics, power
generation (fossil fuels/nuclear generation or decommissioning/renewable), water, waste
Management

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4. Great (big) companies some of the world’s largest companies and biggest brands operate in
the chemical and process sector. Not surprisingly, oil and gas features heavily in the top 50
companies ranked by revenue, along with energy companies and pharmaceutical suppliers.
5. Travel and lifestyle Chemical engineering provides some great opportunities for travel and
working in different countries, helped by the high proportion of multinational companies
operating in the sector. So if you want to see the world, choose chemical engineering – you'll
have plenty of chance to work abroad throughout your career. Now a days Merchant Navy is
selecting Chemical Engineers apart from Army, Navy and Air force.
6. Future proof where there are problems to solve, engineers will always be needed. For
chemical and biochemical engineers, the search for sustainable solutions to our future energy,
water, food and pharmaceutical needs (to name a few) will keep them busy for years to come.
7. On hand when it matters in times of trouble, like natural disasters, emergency teams are on
the ground as soon as possible. Once their work is over, teams of people – often volunteers –
replace them to help establish vital services and infrastructure like clean water, warmth and
food. It's always great to know that charities involving chemical engineers are part of these
invaluable teams.
8. Career progression with so many large employers in the sector, there is plenty of scope to
progress your career as a chemical engineer. Even if you prefer to work for a smaller
company, or on your own as a consultant, there is always an opportunity to choose your own
career path. The China National Petroleum Corporation reportedly employs 1.6m people, and
food giant the Compass Group employs over 420,000 people. Chemical engineers also work
in areas such as risk and insurance, business and finance – even politics.( Competitive exams)
The result is a world of opportunity for those looking for an interesting and varied career.
9. Money Although money shouldn’t be the number one reason to enter a profession, getting
paid a good salary for doing a job that’s interesting and rewarding is a pretty good position to
be in. Chemical engineers generally feature at the top end of high earners, with graduate
starting salaries in the UK of around £30,000. Median salaries for Chartered Chemical
Engineers reach over £70,000 and are even higher for those working in certain industries,
which all leads to a great quality of life.
10. Diversity The chemical engineering profession is incredibly diverse. Take, for example
Shell’s Gamba site in Gabon, Africa. In addition to French-speaking Gabonese personnel, it
employs a mix of staff from Europe, North and South America, the Middle East, Asia and
other African countries. The senior engineers and student interns form a multi-cultural, multi-
disciplinary team, which is common within our profession.

[13] Challenges of the Chemical Engineers in the Industries

 Increasing sensitivity towards pollution

 Need to improve energy efficiency (many processes are energy intensive)
 Understanding new chemicals which are being developed wrt to their safety / stability/
production process
 very high scale of operation (very big plants)
 Energy savings.
 Innovative ideas that help the mankind

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[14] How to become a Perfect Engineer?

 Keep updated with latest technology.

 The syllabus / courses is to be modified time to time in consultation with the
academicians, Industrial experts and alumni.
 The Projects prepared by the Engineers are to down to the earth. The “copy & paste”
attitude is to be abolished. The students must know the Aim/objective of the project very
well.
 The Industrial Experts who burnt the fingers, who knows “what is what” are to involve as
Project Guides.
 Regular attendance, interaction with the Teaching staffs and Industrial Experts will make
the Engineers more skilful who will have the confidence to face the challenge in the
professional life.
 Deep analytical sense, able to solve the problems, no lethargy in work, positive attitude,
determination are the key areas of success in life. Such scientist cum engineer can only
able to face the global challenges.
 Strong mind, good health, having creativity, team spirit, sportsman spirit, through
knowledge in the subject, attitude towards the learnings will lead the man to become a
perfect Engineer.
 He should know that there is no place for lazy, timid, excuse giving man in this world of
competition.

[15] A few tips to face Interviews

 Get ready for GATE.

 Prepare project work that attracts the interviewers.
 Keep updated with latest knowledge, GK and happenings.
 Have a nice Resume.
 Keep records of Industry visits.
 Have sound knowledge of your subjects.
 Know the Organisation going for interview.
 SWOT Analysis.
 Know about yourself.

[16.1] What are the major Process Control activities followed in the various Chemical
Industries including yours?
 Process control activities are carried out with the help of automation
 Automation levels will change as per the process requirement/ plant capacity/ capital
investment capability.
 automation can be with help of simple local instrument with manual control or can go upto
the fully automated
 new software are available for modelling and control like ASPEN etc

[16.2] What are the safety measures taken in the Chemical Industries?

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 Safety can be divided into two parts
 process safety: for which safety valves/ rupture dics/ software and hardware interlocks etc
are use in addition to other process control philosophies
 personal safety: use of personal protective equipment’s like helmets/ hot suits/ hand
gloves/ goggles/ self-breathing apparatus, fire fighting system etc.

[17] Common misconceptions about chemical engineers.

There are plenty of stereotypes about the chemical engineering profession that simply aren’t
true. Here are some of the more common misconceptions about chemical engineers and
chemical Engineering

The majority of chemical engineers are male, but actually, about one in four chemical
engineers entering the profession in the UK are female - 28% of last year’s UK chemical
engineering undergraduate intake were women. In total Engineering Industries the female %
is 34%. However, work is still needed to improve not only the proportion of women in
chemical engineering, but also to improve other areas of diversity, equality and inclusion
such as disability, ethnicity or religion. The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) has
signed up to the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Diversity & inclusion in engineering
programme to help tackle these issues.

[18] Industry Scenario

Market size of the Chemicals industry in India stood at $180 bn in 2019.

The production of Total Major Chemicals and Petrochemicals in 2019-20 (upto September
2019) was 13,871 thousand MT. CAGR (compound annual growth rate) in production of
Total Chemicals and Petrochemicals during the period 2014-15 to 2018-19 is 4.78%. Alkali
Chemicals accounts for around 71% of the total production of Major Chemicals for the year
2019-20 (up to September 2019).
 The petrochemical demand is expected to grow at 7.5% CAGR from FY 2019-23, with
polymer demand growing at 8%
 The agrochemicals market in India is expected to grow at 8% CAGR reaching $3.7 bn by
FY22 and $4.7 bn by FY25.
 The specialty chemicals constitute 18% of total chemicals and petrochemicals market in
India. As of FY19, the total market size is around $32 bn. The demand for speciality
chemicals is expected to grow at 12% CAGR from FY19-22.
 The chemical industry in India is divided into various segments. Some of the main
segments and their progress statistics are as below:
 * Inorganic chemicals constitute one of the major segments of the country's total chemical
production. A growth rate of 9 percent is recorded for the segment that includes alkalis,
fertilizers and detergents as main chemicals.
 * Drugs and pharmaceuticals are among the most exported chemicals from India. This
segment of the Indian chemical industry ranks at 4th position in the world. The growth rate of
8 to 9 percent is recorded by the segment.
 * Agro-chemical products include pesticides and fertilizers as the main chemicals in this
category. The 10 percent domestic market growth rate is recorded by this segment.
 * Dyes and paints segment has a growth rate of about 12 percent. The segment also
includes polymers and other related chemicals.

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 * Petrochemicals in the Indian chemical manufacturing industry have the fastest growth
rate of 15 percent.
 Considering the growth trends in different sections of the chemical industry in India, one
can easily place the industry among major contributors towards the overall growth of the
country's economy. To improve the sales network for the Indian chemicals, the manufacturers
and suppliers need to rely upon the online b2b networks. The b2b directories are the places
where small and medium sized chemical manufacturing enterprises can gain more benefits.
[19] GDP of India

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in India was worth 2875.14 billion US dollars in 2019,
according to official data from the World Bank and projections from Trading Economics. The
GDP value of India represents 2.39 percent of the world economy. source: World Bank

India`s GDP Growth Rate, Historical Data

Year GDP% growth Year GDP % Growth
2019 5.02 2014 7.41
2018 6.12 2013 6.39
2017 7.04 2012 5.46
2016 8.26 2011 5.24
2015 8.00 2010 8.50
GDP is varying for different reasons because of Price index, Export market world Petroleum
price. But growth will remain persistent.

See the continuous growth rate in GDP of India contributed by Chemical Industries. The year
2020 has shown less figure because of Slack down in the Industries.

[20] Conclusions:

 The chemical industry is among the most diversified industrial sectors and includes
basic chemicals and its products, petrochemicals, fertilisers, paints, gases,
pharmaceuticals, dyes, etc.

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 The sector covers over 70,000 commercial products, and provides the feedstock to
many downstream industries such as finished drugs, dyestuffs, paper, synthetic rubber,
plastics, polyester, paints, pesticides, fertilisers and detergents.
 The industry has a 14% weightage in the overall Index of Industrial Production
(IIP) which gives an indication of its importance in the country’s industrial growth.
 A robust chemical industry ushers in many economic and strategic benefits for the
nation. As on March 31, 2019, the size of the Indian chemical industry was estimated at
around USD 35 bn and 3% of India’s GDP.
 The Indian chemical sector accounts for 13-14% of total exports and 8-9% of total
imports of India.
 In terms of volume of production, it is the twelfth-largest in the world and the third-
largest in Asia. Currently, the per capita consumption of products of the Indian
chemical industry is one-tenth of the world average, which reflects the huge potential
for further growth.
 The issues like inadequate technologies, skilled labour, environmental norms and
need to innovate remain a threat to the industry.
 Analytical skills. Creativity. Ingenuity. Interpersonal skills. Math skills. Problem-
solving skills are the requirements for the Chemical Engineers.
 Only 9.3% Engineers are unemployed. That because of their own lacuna.

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