GATE Syllabus for Chemical Engineering 2023

GATE 2023 exam dates will be released shortly. Those who are aspiring to attend the exams are aware of the competitive level of the exam. They are hence advised to begin their Gate preparation as early as possible to increase their chances of cracking the exam. Exam Dates will be announced on the official website- gate.iitk.ac.in. Candidates can expect GATE 2023 Exam Dates to be February 4, 5, 11 and 12, 2023. GATE 2023 application form is expected to be released in September 2022.

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GATE 2023 Important Dates

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GATE Chemical Engineering Syllabus

The Gate 2023 syllabus covers the following nine main sections:

• Engineering Mathematics
• Process Calculations and Thermodynamics
• Fluid Mechanics and Mechanical Operations
• Heat Transfer
• Mass Transfer
• Chemical Reaction Engineering
• Instrumentation and Process Control
• Plant Design and Economics
• Chemical Technology

Engineering Mathematics

Linear Algebra: Matrix algebra, Systems of linear equations, Eigen values and eigenvectors.
Calculus: Functions of single variable, Limit, continuity and differentiability, Taylor series, Mean value
theorems, Evaluation of definite and improper integrals, Partial derivatives, Total derivative, Maxima
and minima, Gradient, Divergence and Curl, Vector identities, Directional derivatives, Line, Surface
and Volume integrals, Stokes, Gauss and Green’s theorems.
Differential equations: First order equations (linear and nonlinear), Higher order linear differential
equations with constant coefficients, Cauchy’s and Euler’s equations, Initial and boundary value
problems, Laplace transforms, Solutions of one dimensional heat and wave equations and Laplace
equation.
Complex variables: Complex number, polar form of complex number, triangle inequality.
Probability and Statistics: Definitions of probability and sampling theorems, Conditional probability,
Mean, median, mode and standard deviation, Random variables, Poisson, Normal and Binomial
distributions, Linear regression analysis.
Numerical Methods: Numerical solutions of linear and non-linear algebraic equations. Integration by
trapezoidal and Simpson’s rule. Single and multi-step methods for numerical solution of differential
equations.

Process Calculations and Thermodynamics

• Steady and unsteady state mass and energy balances including multiphase, multi-component,
  reacting and non-reacting systems. Use of tie components; recycle, bypass and purge calculations;
  Gibb’s phase rule and degree of freedom analysis.
• First and Second laws of thermodynamics. Applications of first law to close and open systems.
  Second law and Entropy. Thermodynamic properties of pure substances: Equation of State and
  residual properties, properties of mixtures: partial molar properties, fugacity, excess properties and
  activity coefficients; phase equilibria: predicting VLE of systems; chemical reaction equilibrium.

Fluid Mechanics and Mechanical Operations

• Fluid statics, surface tension, Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, transport properties, shell balances including differential form of Bernoulli equation and energy balance, equation of continuity, equation of motion, equation of mechanical energy, Macroscopic friction factors, dimensional analysis and similitude, flow through pipeline systems, velocity profiles, flow meters, pumps and compressors, elementary boundary layer theory, flow past immersed bodies including packed and fluidized beds, Turbulent flow: fluctuating velocity, universal velocity profile and pressure drop.
• Particle size and shape, particle size distribution, size reduction and classification of solid particles;
  free and hindered settling; centrifuge and cyclones; thickening and classification, filtration, agitation
  and mixing; conveying of solids.

Heat Transfer

Equation of energy, steady and unsteady heat conduction, convection and radiation, thermal
boundary layer and heat transfer coefficients, boiling, condensation and evaporation; types of heat
exchangers and evaporators and their process calculations; design of double pipe, shell and tube
heat exchangers, and single and multiple effect evaporators.

Mass Transfer

Fick’s laws, molecular diffusion in fluids, mass transfer coefficients, film, penetration and surface
renewal theories; momentum, heat and mass transfer analogies; stage-wise and continuous
contacting and stage efficiencies; HTU & NTU concepts; design and operation of equipment for
distillation, absorption, leaching, liquid-liquid extraction, drying, humidification, dehumidification and
adsorption, membrane separations(micro-filtration, ultra-filtration, nano-filtration and reverse
osmosis).

Chemical Reaction Engineering

Theories of reaction rates; kinetics of homogeneous reactions, interpretation of kinetic data, single
and multiple reactions in ideal reactors, kinetics of enzyme reactions (Michaelis-Menten and Monod
models), non-ideal reactors; residence time distribution, single parameter model; non-isothermal
reactors; kinetics of heterogeneous catalytic reactions; diffusion effects in catalysis; rate and
performance equations for catalyst deactivation.

Instrumentation and Process Control

Measurement of process variables; sensors and transducers; P&ID equipment symbols; process
modeling and linearization, transfer functions and dynamic responses of various systems, systems
with inverse response, process reaction curve, controller modes (P, PI, and PID); control valves; transducer dynamics; analysis of closed loop systems including stability, frequency response, controller tuning, cascade and feed forward control.

Plant Design and Economics

Principles of process economics and cost estimation including depreciation and total annualized
cost, cost indices, rate of return, payback period, discounted cash flow, optimization in process
design and sizing of chemical engineering equipment such as heat exchangers and multistage
contactors.

Chemical Technology

Inorganic chemical industries (sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, chlor-alkali industry), fertilizers
(Ammonia, Urea, SSP and TSP); natural products industries (Pulp and Paper, Sugar, Oil,
and Fats); petroleum refining and petrochemicals; polymerization industries (polyethylene,
polypropylene, PVC and polyester synthetic fibers).

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GATE Exam Pattern for Chemical Engineering

The paper will be for a total of 100 marks out of which 15 marks will be of questions from General Aptitude (GA), 13 marks from Engineering Mathematics and 72 marks will consist of questions from the above mentioned syllabus. The paper will consist of multiple choice questions (MCQ), Multiple Select Questions (MSQ) and/ or Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions. There will be a total of 65 questions out of which 10 will be for General Aptitude and the rest for syllabus related topics. The duration of the paper will be 180 minutes.

Marking Scheme

The paper will consist of questions which carry 1 mark and 2 marks. For 1-mark MCQ, 1/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer. For 2-mark MCQ, 2/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer. There will be no negative marking for MSQ & NAT.

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