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C
C H A P T E R X X I I I
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND
INDUSTRY
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING VS OTHER
ENGINEERING DISCIPLINES
hemical engineering had a uniue !"ar"# in
c$n% "ra!" "$ "he $"her engineering di!ci&line!# in
"ha" righ" 'r$m "he (eginning i" )a! a degree
c$ur!e* In $"her (ranche! $' engineering )e had
$ld in!"i"u% "i$n! li+e H$)rah C$llege $'
Engineering# ,$l+a"a- Guind. C$llege $'
Engineering# Chennai- P$$na C$llege $'
Engineering# Pune- /*0*T*I*# Mum(ai- and
Th$ma!$n C$llege $' Engineering 1n$)
Uni2er!i". $' R$$r+ee3# R$$r+ee- )hich !"ar"ed
)i"h di&l$ma c$ur!e! and in"r$duced degree
c$ur!e! la"er* The e2en m$re a""rac"i2e 'ea"ure
)a! "ha" uni2er!i"ie! "$$+ a lead and !"ar"ed
c$ur!e! in Chemical Engineering and Chemical
Techn$l$g.* The!e )ere e!!en"iall. &$!" 4*Sc*
C$ur!e!* In "he earl. 56789! "he!e c$ur!e!
(ecame :%.ear &$!" In"er Science 1!u(% !euen"l.
Seni$r Sec$ndar.3 c$ur!e!* Since Chemical
Engineering and Chemical Techn$l$g. )ere
"augh" (. Uni2er!i". De&ar"men"!# re!earch (ecame
im&$r% "an" a! "he!e de&ar"men"! )ere mea!ured
)i"h "he !ame rig$ur a! $"her !cience! and li(eral
ar"!* Thu! "he PhD &r$gramme! )ere in"r$duced
ui"e earl.*
Nag&ur- Annamalai Uni2er!i".# Annamalai e"c*
came in"$ e;i!"ence* The UDCT )a! uniue a!
i" )a! &lanned (. indu!"riali!"! and
&hilan"hr$&i!"!# )i"h !u(!"an"ial 'inancial !u&&$r"
% c$n!euen"l. i" )a! "he 'ir!" de&ar"men" "$ ge"
au"$n$m. under "he &r$% 2i!i$n! $' "he Uni2er!i".
Gran"! C$mmi!!i$n and Uni2er!i". $' 4$m(a.#
Mum(ai* Pri$r "$ "he &ar"i% "i$n# Pan<a(
Uni2er!i".# Lah$re# $''ered c$ur!e! in chemical
"echn$l$g.* 0ada2&ur ha! "he di!"inc"i$n $'
c$ncei2ing and e;ecu"ing "he 'ir!" c$ur!e in
Chemical Engineering* 4HU )a! a &i$neer in
c$ur!% e! in Chemical Techn$l$g.* Pr$minen"
&er!$nali"ie! "ha" (el$nged "$ "he &eri$d 56=8%78
)ere S*C* /en+a" Ra$# G*P* ,ane# P*S* Mene#
G$2ind Ra$# N*R* ,ama"h#
G*S* Laddha and M*N* Ra$*
A ma<$r e2en" )a! "he e!"a(li!hmen" in earl.
56789! $' a !erie! $' Indian In!"i"u"e $'
Techn$l$g. 1IIT3 n$) !i; in all ini"iall. )i"h "he hel&
$' "he "hen USSR# U,# USA# German.* All "he!e
in!"i"u"i$n! $&ened chemical engineering c$ur!e!
and u!hered in a ma<$r change# na"i$nall. and
in"erna"i$nall.*
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY IN INDIA
C$llege3# ,$l+a"a- Pan<a( Uni2er!i".# Chandigarh- P
!mall e;&l$!i2e! 'ac"$r. 1a" ,ir+ee# near
0adha2&ur Uni2er!i". 1earlier called Na"i$nal
Andhra Uni2er!i".# /i!ha+ha&a"nam- 4anara!
Hindu Uni2er!i". 14HU3# /arana!i- Calcu""a
Uni2er!i".# ,$l+a"a- Indian In!"i"u"e $' Science#
4angal$re- Uni2er!i". De&ar"men" $'
Chemical
Techn$l$g. 1UDCT3# Mum(ai "$$+ an
earl. lead*
P U R S U I T A N D P R O M O T I O N O F S C I E N C
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235
La"er A*C* C$llege $' Techn$l$g.# Chennai- L*I*T*
ri$r "$ 56:># India had hardl. an. chemical
indu!%
"r.%"he
Pune and Ar2an+andu# Nilgiri!3 and !mall !ingle
!u&er&h$!&ha"e &lan"!# )i"h a""ached !ul&huric
acid &lan"! )ere !mall uni"! )i"h limi"ed
&r$duc"i$n* 4engal Chemical! in ,$l+a"a )a! a
&i$neering gr$u& and had a na"i$nali!" academic
en"re&reneur Achar.a Pra'ulla Chandra Ra. 1!ee
Cha&"er $n T$rch%(earer!3
P U R S U I T A N D P R O M O T I O N O F S C I E N C E
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a! "he +e. &er!$n in all re!&ec"!* India9! !ugarcane
and "hi! )a! !u&&lied a! !ingle !u&er&h$!&ha"e* I
TEXTILE INDUSTRY
indu!"r. needed
&h$!&h$ru! a! a
&ar" $' "he 'er"ili?er
Sindri 'er"ili?er
&lan" )a! a
!ec$nd )$rld )ar
re&ara% "i$n gi'"
and )a! (a!ed $n
c$al 'r$m near(.
'ield! and g.&!um
1)hich a'"er
&ar"i"i$n had "$ (e
hauled all "he )a.
'r$m &lace! near
0$dh&ur in
Ra<a!"han3* There
)a! n$ &e"r$leum
re'ining e;ce&" '$r
a "in. uni"# &r$%
ce!!ing 8*@7 m"&a#
in Dig($i# A!!am#
(a!ed $n l$cal
crude $il and "$
!er2ice "he "hri2ing
"ea garden!* The
'ir!" "hree
re'inerie! 1")$ in
Mum(ai and $ne
in
/i!ha+ha&a"nam3
came u& in earl.
"$ mid 56789!
and made a
uan"um change
in "he Indian
!cenari$* The 'ir!"
&lanned 'er"ili?er
&lan" )a! $'
Fer"ili?er
C$r&$ra"i$n $'
India in Mum(ai#
ad<acen" "$ "he
re'inerie! 1n$) called
RCF3* The Nangal
&lan" )a! reall.
&lanned "$ u"ili?e
!ur&lu! chea& &$)er
'r$m Nangal !$ "ha"
elec"r$l."ic h.dr$gen
'$r amm$nia
(ecame
2ia(le* Since "here
)a! n$ CO
2
#
amm$nium
ni"ra"e
1AN3 and calcium
amm$nium ni"ra"e
(ecame "he ch$!en
'er"ili?er!* Amm$nium
ni"ra"e c$uld al!$ (e
u!ed a! an e;&l$!i2e*
Ala! "he !ur&lu!
&$)er (ecame an
illu!i$n in earl. .ear!
$' $&era"i$n and
"echn$l$g. change
had "$ (e (r$ugh" in*
The Nangal &lan" )a!
al!$ "he 'ir!" "$ !"ar"
&r$duc"i$n $' Hea2.
Aa"er# reuired '$r
nuclear energ.
&r$gramme*
Sugar indu!"r.
&r$2ided chea&
m$la!!e! and
P U R S U I T A N D P R O M O T I O N O F S C I E N C E
2 3 7235
237 P U R S U I T A N D P R O M O T I O N O F S C I E N C
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M
ndia ha!
en<$.ed a high
re&u"a"i$n in
c$""$n "e;%
"ile!* Ini"iall.
)e "hri2ed $n
!&inning and
)ea2% ing*
A'"er
Inde&endence
# &r$ce!!ed
'a(ric!
(ecame
im&$r"an" in
India and "he
UDCT#
Mum(ai#
&la.ed a
&i2$"al r$le in
"hi!
endea2$ur*
The "hri2ing
"e;"ile
indu!"r.
needed
chemical! li+e
cau!"ic !$da#
(leach liu$r#
d.e!#
&igmen"! and
a num(er $'
&r$minen"
"e;"ile
h$u!e!# li+e
Delhi Cl$"h
Mill#
Ma'a"lal!#
Sara(hai
!"ar"ed
chemical uni"!
"$ manu'ac"ure
cau!% "ic !$da#
chl$rine# d.e!*
The need
'$r ra.$n
indu!"r. )a! 'el" in
56:89! and NRC#
,al.an 1near
Mum(ai3# Cen"ur.
Ra.$n 1Shahad#
near Mum(ai3
came in"$
e;i!"ence )here
!ul&huric acid#
ra.$n grade
cau!"ic !$da#
)ere reuired and
ca&"i2e &lan"!
)ere e!"a(li!hed*
S
O
D
A

A
S
H
i"ha&ur# near
O+ha &$r"# Gu<ara"#
!a) "he (ir"h $'
"he 'ir!" ma<$r
!al" (a!ed
indu!"r. and
(ecame an
im&$r"an" S$l2a.
&lan" in "he gl$(al
c$n% "e;"* Thi! uni"
)a! &i$neered (.
,a&il Ram /a+il
and la"er "a+en
$2er (. Ta"a
Chemical!# )here
"he "rul.
$u"!"anding
chemical engineer
Dar(ari Se"h made
m$numen"al c$n"ri(u"i$n!*
R
E
S
E
A
R
C
H

L
A
B
O
R
A
T
O
R
I
E
S
an a""rac"i2e ra)
ma"erial* La"e 789!
and earl. B89!
G
e Inde&endence#
"$ e!"a(li!h "he
C$uncil
)i"h "he &re2alen"
&r$hi(i"i$n# e"h.l
alc$h$l (ecame
!a) "he
emergence $' "he
$rganic chemical
indu!"r.
in India (u" !$$n
"herea'"er "here
)a! a !eri$u!
de'ici" $' e"han$l*
Nagara<a Ra$
and G*P* ,ane
&la.ed a +e. r$le in
&r$m$"ing "he
alc$h$l%(a!ed
indu!"rie!*
H$)e2er#
!ur&lu! na&h"ha
'r$m
re'inerie! (ecame
a c$n2enien" ra)
ma"erial (u"
e2en "hi! (ecame
!h$r" in mid
56>89! and
(ecame
!ur&lu! again in
56689!* The
di!c$2er. $' "he
na"ural
ga! and crude $il
in A!!am# Gu<ara"
and 4$m(a.
High (r$ugh" a
ma<$r change and
a l$ng Na"ural
Ga! &i&eline
called H40
&i&eline $' a($u" 5C88
+m
leng"h# 'r$m 4$m(a.
High "$ 0agdi!h&ur in
UP )a!
e!"a(li!hed in
56C89!* La"er
Na"ural Ga! )a!
di!c$2ered in
G$da2ari c$a!" al!$*
P U R S U I T A N D P R O M O T I O N O F S C I E N C E
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$2ernmen" $' India
"$$+ a ma<$r
deci!i$n# <u!"
(e'$r
$' Scien"i'ic D
Indu!"rial
Re!earch
1CSIR3 and in
chemical
!ec"$r "he
&i$neering
la($ra"$r.
)a! "he
Na"i$nal
Chemical
La($ra"$r.
1NCL3# Pune#
e!"a(% li!hed
in 5678*
Pri$r "$ "hi!
"he Ni?am
S"a"e#
H.dera(ad#
had a Cen"ral
La($ra"$r.#
la"er called
Regi$nal
Re!earch
La($ra"$r. 1RRL3#
H.dera(ad# (. "he
CSIR# 1&re!en"l.
called "he Indian
In!"i"u"e $'
Chemical
Techn$l$g.3* Man.
RRL9! )ere
!u(!e% uen"l.
e!"a(li!hed* Fr$m
"he chemical
indu!"rie! &$in" $'
2ie) "he addi"i$nal
CSIR la($ra"$rie!
$' !ig% ni'icance
)ere "he Indian
In!"i"u"e $'
Pe"r$leum# Dehra
Dun- Cen"ral Sal"
and Marine
Chemical!
Re!earch
In!"i"u"e#
4ha2nagar-
Cen"ral
Elec"r$chemical
Re!earch In!"i"u"e#
,arai+udi and
P U R S U I T A N D P R O M O T I O N O F S C I E N C E
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P U R S U I T A N D P R O M O T I O N O F S C I E N C
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T
T
A
Cen"ral Lea"her Re!earch In!"i"u"e# Chennai* F$r
drug! )e ha2e Cen"ral Drug Re!earch In!"i"u"e#
Luc+n$) and In!"i"u"e $' Micr$(ial Techn$l$g.#
Chandigarh* Much earlier )e had# in "he c$al (el"#
"he Cen"ral Fuel Re!earch In!"i"u"e# Dhan(ad*
The a($2e la($ra"$rie! had man. $u"!"anding
chemical engineer!# chemical "echn$l$gi!"! and
chemi!"!* A !&eci'ic men"i$n mu!" (e made $' ,*
/en+a"araman 1UDCT and NCL3# 4*D* Tila+
1UDCT and NCL3# ($"h )ere c$n"ri(u"$r! "$ "he
(ir"h $' "he d.e!"u'' indu!"r. in India*A
di!"ingui!hed gala;. $' chemical engineer! 'ur"her
enhanced $ur ca&a(ili"ie! in di2er!e 'ield!* Thi!
included !$me $' $ur la"e Fell$)!E
Y*Na.udamma# S*C*4ha""achar.a# G*S*Sidhu#
Hu!!ain Faheer and num(er $' !"ill ac"i2e
!cien"i!"!*
RESEARCH IN NUCLEAR SCIENCES AND
NUCLEAR POWER
he e!"a(li!hmen" $' A"$mic Re!earch Cen"re#
Mum(ai# n$) called 4ha(ha A"$mic Re!earch
Cen"re 14ARC3# "$ h$n$ur "he '$under $' nuclear
re!earch in India# H$mi 4ha(ha# and $"her
la($ra"$% rie! made a ma<$r im&ac" '$r chemi!"!
and chemical engineer!* Thi! g$" (u""re!!ed )i"h
"he e!"a(li!hmen" $' Nuclear P$)er Plan"!# )i"h
"he a!!$cia"ed uni"! '$r nuclear 'uel and Hea2.
Aa"er* Chemical engineer! &la.ed a 2i"al r$le in
"he a($2e area a! )ell a! in "he
e;&l$ra"i$n $' rare ear"h!* 1See )ri"e%u& $' DAE3*
DEFENCE & SPACE RESEARCH
ESTABLISHMENTS
he De'ence Re!earch and De2el$&men"
Organi?a"i$n 1DRDO3 reuire! a large num(er $'
chemical engineer!# chemical "echn$l$gi!"! and
chemi!"!* S&ace re!earch# &ar"icularl. '$r r$c+e"!#
reuired chemical engineer!* C$n"ri(u"i$n! "$ &$l.%
mer! and chemical! u!ed in "he !&ace &r$gramme
c$n%
!"i"u"e 2i"al in&u"! '$r "he !ucce!! $' "hi!
endea2$ur*
ACADEMIC RESEARCH
! chemical engineering !"ar"ed in Uni2er!i".
De&ar"men"!# re!earch (ecame an in"egral &ar"
$' "he ac"i2i"ie! 'r$m ince&"i$n and a !&ecial
men"i$n
P U R S U I T A N D P R O M O T I O N O F S C I E N C E
I
A
!h$uld (e made $' "he UDCT# Mum(ai 1)hich c$n% "inue! "$
$ccu&. a &r$minen" &$!i"i$n3 and "he Indian In!"i"u"e $'
Science# 4angal$re* In la"er .ear! IIT9! (ecame im&$r"an"
cen"er!*
The !cien"i'ic c$n"ri(u"i$n! $' Indian Chemical
Engineer! ha! (een )idel. acclaimed ($"h na"i$nall.
and in"erna"i$nall.* Am$ng man. !uch rec$gni"i$n! and
a)ard! men"i$n ma. (e made $' Fell$)!hi& $' "he R$.al
S$cie".# L$nd$n "$ ")$ $' "hem*
DESIGN AND FABRICATION CAPABILITIES
n earlier .ear! FACT# ,$chi# and "he Sindhri uni" $'
FCI had !$me de!ign ca&a(ili"ie!* The crea"i$n $'
Engineer! India L"d 1EIL3 (r$ugh" $u" a uan"um change in
India# &ar"icularl. '$r &e"r$% leum re'ining and
&e"r$chemical!* EIL al!$ carried $u" )$r+ $2er!ea!* A
num(er $' mul"ina"i$nal c$m&anie! and !$me Indian
c$m&anie! la"er en"ered in"$ "hi! (u!ine!!* Thu! de"ailed
engineer%
ing (ecame )$rld cla!!*
In"erna"i$nal cla!! mechanical de!ign and 'a(rica"i$n
'acili"ie! a" Lar!en D T$u(r$# Mum(ai and
4HP/# /i!ha+ha&a"nam# 'ur"her !"reng"hened "he
Indian &$!i"i$n in &u""ing u& &lan"! in2$l2ing
2er. high &re!!ure! and c$m&lica"ed de!ign!*
ESTABLISHMENT OF INDIAN INSTITUTE OF
CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
! in "he ca!e $' "he USA and U,# "he Indian
chemical engineer! al!$ "h$ugh" i" &ruden" "$
ha2e a !e&ara"e &r$'e!!i$nal gr$u& $' "heir $)n
and "hi! )a! reali?ed in 56:> "hr$ugh !u!"ained
e''$r"! $' H*L* R$. in 0ada2&ur# ,$l+a"a* A num%
(er $' illu!"ri$u! &er!$n! ha2e (een Pre!iden"!
and "he!e included R*R* Ha""iangadi# )h$ made
ma<$r c$n"ri(u"i$n! in "he cemen" indu!"r. 'r$m
earl. :89!# G*P* ,ane# G*S* Laddha# )h$ did
)$rld cla!! re!earch in liuid%liuid e;"rac"i$n
a" A*C* C$llege# Chennai# G*S* ,a!(e+ar# )h$
headed "he 'ir!" &u(lic !ec"$r in"egra"ed
$rganic chemical! c$m&le;# Hindu!"an
Organic Chemical!#
Ra!a.ani*
23
8
P U R S U I T A N D P R O M O T I O N O F S C I E N C
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P U R S U I T A N D P R O M O T I O N O F S C I E N C E
INDUSTRIAL R&D
In "he la"e 56789!# c$m&anie! !uch a! "he
Na"i$nal
de&ar"men"! and e;ecu"ed !$me $' "heir &r$<ec"!
$n
ADVENT OF RELIANCE
INDUSTRIES A
PHENOMENON
T
Ra.$n C$r&$ra"i$n had
de!ign and de2el$&men"
"heir $)n* A !imilar
!i"ua"i$n e;i!"ed in Delhi
Cl$"h
Mill!* A num(er $'
"echn$cra" en"re&reneur!
en"ered
"he Indian !cene 'r$m
56B89! $n)ard!* The
earlie!" ca!e
$' )$rld%cla!! &r$ce!!e!
came 'r$m a uali'ied
chemi%
cal engineer ,*H* Gharda#
Gharda Chemical!# )here
"he 'ir!" (lue
&h"halc.amine d.e )a!
made# )hich )a!
!u&eri$r "$ "he (e!"
a2aila(le in "he )$rld*
Thi! )a! '$l%
l$)ed (. !e2eral
(rea+"hr$ugh! in !&eciali".
chemical!
and m$re !&eci'icall.
agr$chemical!* F$r a
)ell%+n$)n
her(icide# I!$&r$"ur$n# a
n$n%&h$!gene &r$ce!!
)a!
de2el$&ed# e2en (e'$re
"he 4h$&al di!a!"er* Thi!
)a!
"he 'ir!" !uch &r$ce!!
gl$(all.* Man. "echn$cra"
en"re%
&reneur! ha2e made "he
Indian !cene 2i(ran"*
The Indian
Pe"r$chemical!
C$r&$ra"i$n L"d# 1IPCL3#
had "he uniue
di!"inc"i$n $' ha2ing a
Direc"$r# RDD# $n 4$ard
$' Direc"$r!# e2en (e'$re
"he c$mmercial
&r$duc"i$n c$mmenced*
Su(!euen"l. India9! large!"
$il re'ining c$m&an.# Indian
Oil C$r&$ra"i$n# L"d* had
crea"ed a &lace '$r RDD
Direc"$r $n "he ($ard* Shri
L$2 Ra< ,umar de!er2e!
credi" '$r !&earheading "he!e
m$men"$u! change!*
Hindu!"an Le2er )a! "he
$ne $' "he earlie!" "$ ha2e
an RDD Cen"re and an
RDD Direc"$r $n 4$ard*
Ci(a Re!earch Cen"er )a!
e!"a(li!hed in Mum(ai under
G$2indachari a! "he chie' and
made man. 2alua(le
c$n"ri(u"i$n!* Ala!# "hi! uni"
)a! la"er '$lded u& and "he
!ame 'a"e )a! me" (. "he
H$ech!" Re!earch Cen"re in
Mum(ai*
P U R S U I T A N D P R O M O T I O N O F S C I E N C E
C
he Reliance
gr$u& $'
Indu!"rie!#
changed "he
'undamen"al! $'
(u!ine!! in "he
chemical indu!%
"r.* T$ !"ar" )i"h
&$l.e!"er 'ilamen"
&lan"! )ere
e!"a(li!hed )i"h a
dail. ca&aci". eual
"$ "he annual
ca&aci". $' !$me
&i$neering
c$m&anie!* In "he
ca!e
$' &$l.e!"er! "he.
ha2e a uniue
gl$(al &$!i"i$n $'
c$m&le"e
in"egra"i$n 'r$m
(a!ic ra)
ma"erial!
p-xylene, "ere&h"halic
acid# e"h.lene#
e"h.lene gl.c$l#
"$ 'ini!hed 'a(ric!
and al!$ re!in!*
The
)$rld9!
large!" p-
xylene
&lan"# a"
0amnagar
and "he
)$rld9!
large!"
green'ield
&e"r$leum
re'ining
c$m&an.
ha2e (een
e!"a(li!he
d in
0amnagar
(. "he
Reliance
Indu!"r.# in
rec$rd "ime and
)i"h l$)e!" &er
uni" ca&i"al
in2e!"men"*
Indian chemical
engineer! ha2e
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hemical
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