Chemical Engineering
The most of the products we use in our daily life are made up of chemicals.
Chemical Engineers discover and manufacture better plastics, paints, fuels, fibers,
medicines, fertilizers, semiconductors, paper, and all other kinds of chemicals.
Chemical Engineers also play an important role in protecting the environment,
inventing cleaner technologies, calculating environmental impacts, and studying
the fate of chemicals in the environment. can be used to produce all kinds of useful
products.
Chemical engineering deals with the application of physical science with
mathematics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more
useful or valuable forms. In addition to producing useful materials, modern
chemical engineering is also concerned with pioneering valuable new materials
and techniques - such as nanotechnology, fuel cells and biomedical engineering.
Chemical engineering largely involves the design and maintenance of chemical
processes for large-scale manufacture. Chemical engineers in this branch are
usually employed under the title of process engineer.
Eligibility For Chemical Engineering
The basic eligibility criteria for a BE / B.Tech is 10+2 or equivalent examination, with
Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. To become a chemical engineer one should
have a graduate degree (B.E / B.Tech) or postgraduate degree (M.E) in Chemical
Engineering. There are both degree as well as diploma courses. One can go for
the 3 year diploma course after the 10th standard (SSC).
Job Prospects & Career Options For Chemical Engineering
They can seek jobs in areas such as processing, operations or manufacturing,
research and development, design and construction, finance and teaching. They
may also pursue a management degree after B.Tech and take on marketing jobs.
Candidates with an additional management degree are sought by private
industries. In process industries they could work in positions such as a supervisor
or manager, technical specialist, project manager or project engineers.
Among the
manufacturing industries, pharmaceuticals provide the best opportunities for
chemical engineers. In the government sector, chemical engineers are employed
to solve environmental problems such as waste and water treatment,
environmental regulations and recycling; on energy sector such as energy
conservation and research on alternate energy sources and health-related
research projects, defense establishments and atomic power plants. They are also
employed in service industries such as scientific research and development
services, particularly in energy and the developing fields of biotechnology and
nanotechnology.
Other work areas of chemical engineers include food processing,
coal preparation and mineral processing, explosives manufacturing, chemical
process industries such as fertiliser industry, including pesticides and herbicides,
caustic soda, glass and specialty chemicals, dyes and dyestuff, paint, lubricants,
steel and aluminum production. They are also employed in a variety of
manufacturing industries other than chemical manufacturing, such as those
producing electronics, photographic equipment, clothing, pulp and paper and even in the development of aircrafts.
