BARC INTRVIEW EXPERIENCE CHEMICAL

ENGINEERING QUESTIONS
Interview 1:
After document verification I was allotted the first slot for the interview

There were 5 members in the panel. Chairman at center and other four teachers. They ask me about
college and job for couple of minutes and then started the interview

I: Write your favorite subjects on board

Me: HT FM CRE MT

I: Write Fourier law and explain, what is K, Explain physical mechanism of thermal conductivity

Me: Explained

I: What are assumptions of 1 d heat transfer

Me: Explained’

I: Draw one slab with one end at 400 Deg C and other end open to ambient. Upper and lower ends
insulated draw temp profile

Me: Drawn linear profile in slab and nonlinearly decreasing outside with discontinuity in slopes at
interface

I: Why discontinuity in slopes at interface

Me: told them about difference in conductivity in gases and Solids

I: what is physical mechanism for that

Me: Explained

I: how will you calculate h , What is Grashoff no ,What is L in that no what will you take L in this case
for plate problem

Me: Explained

I: Add one more slab in series now draw temp profile

I: Air is introduced between the two slabs now draw temp profile

I: Superimposed all temp profiles you have drawn earlier

Me: Drawn all the profiles

I: How do we write Reynolds no for stirred tank explained it Which diameter is that diameter of impeller
or diameter of vessel?

Me: Diameter of impeller

I: Why ?

Me: Explained

I: Why shell and tube heat exchanger is better than double pipe heat exchanger

Me: Explained

I: Would you like to drink tea

I: Why the handle of cup is not hot compared to the cup

Told them it’s like fin an additional conduction resistance due to handles but they confused me even more

I: Draw two slabs in parallel of different K draw temp profile

Me: Drawn linear temp profile

I: What about temp at interface

I was trying to explain but chairman interrupted and asked another question

I: Leave that problem take two slabs independently having same temp difference at both ends. Both of
them having different thermal conductivity Draw temp profiles and explain

Me: Explained as same delta T is applied slab having higher thermal conductivity will have higher heat
flux

FM:

I: We want to transfer liquid from one country to another country how will you design the system

Me: Explained about pumps

I: How will you select the pump, How will you calculate head for pump

Me: Explained

I: What is frictional head, How to find f

Me: Told them about moody chart

I: Draw moody chart what is scale of this graph

I had not drawn moody chart properly told them that is Cartesian scale instead of logarithmic. They
grilled me heavily on moody chart

I: what is value of ‘f’ at Re tends to zero

Me: Confused

I: Draw pressure vs length. Explained it using Darcy formula,

Me: Tried to explain them somehow

I: Why do we construct bore well

Me: Explained them about submersible pumps and why we cannot use centrifugal pump and its suction
limits

I: Do you know about pump affinity law

Me: Explained

I: suppose we pumped some another fluid which is denser than earlier fluid what will happen to power
consumption

Me: Increase

I: how to decrease it

By decreasing speed, Mam was giving hint by pointing towards affinity law but I was not able to capture
it at that moment

CRE :

I: What are nonideal reactors, What is RTD, Explain about tracer experiment

Me: Explained

I: Someone has given you RTD curve how will you check is it correct or not

Me: Will check its area under the curve is equal to one or not

I: Draw RTD for CSTR, Derive it

Me: Derived

I: Suppose you inject tracer at 100 deg c and that tracer decomposes at that temp according to first order
kinetics could you draw RTD curve for this case

Me: Tried to derive it but was not able to answer it satisfactory

I: Draw CSTR and take parallel reaction A gives D and U. Design reactor in such way that conc of U
should not exceeds 1000 ppm

Me: Explained using mass balance over CSTR

MT:

I: How to increase purity in distillation

Me: By decreasing pressure and increasing reflux ratio of column

I: Could you explain how purity increases by decreasing pressure on T xy diagram

Me: Drawn Txy diagram for given pressure and drawn one more TXY envelope below that as both
saturation temp will decreased

I: Will gap between envelopes will remain same in both cases

Me: No sir it will increase in case of decrease in pressure

I: Show how purity increases by increasing reflux ratio on YX stage diagram

Could not explain properly

I: Consider a binary mixture in open pan we are heating it show its trajectory in TXY diagram

Me: Explained with help of TXY diagram?

I: what if that vessel is closed how it will change

Unable to answer it ‘

I: What is separatibility factor at top and bottom of distillation column?

Me: explained

I: What is green hydrogen Have you heard of it

Unable to answer it

Verdict: select for OCES 2022

INTEVIEW 2:

There are 6 members.

One lady and others are gentlemen.

Chairman - Tell me something about yourself dig Vijay.

What's your favorite subjects... Write it down on board.

My order of preference was

CRE,FM,HTO,MTO

1) Draw CSTR.. Conversion is 80%. Now draw one recycle stream is coming back. Now tell me
conversion will change or not?

Draw 2 CSTR of equal volume in parallel now tell me conversion will increase or Dec and now in
series.. Why in series there is high conversion?

2) Draw Arrhenius plot. Now draw one more line below it and tell me which catalyst is better?

3) Draw PFR. Now there is one reaction A=B in gas phase 1st order and conversion is 80% now
there is another reaction of 1st order gas phase and reaction is A=2B.. Now in this reaction
conversion will be high or low?

4) Draw horizontal tube.. Mass flow is 100 and length is 10 m now tell me how you will select the
pipe. Draw velocity profile for laminar and turbulent.. Now tell me in which flow cost will be high of
pipe... Draw cost vs Reynolds number profile.. Draw cost vs diameter profile for Laminar and
turbulent both..

5) Now draw pressure vs length graph in pipe.. Now in turbulent flow.. What the diff between them..
Now velocity vs length graph.

6) Draw 1 2 shell and tube HE and tell me about different parts of it. Now one oil with inlet and
outlet temp with mass flow rate and cooling fluid is with inlet and outlet temp is given.. Now tell me
between double pipe and she'll and tube heat exchanger which one required higher heat transfer area..
What is correction factor.. Show me how in 1 2 shell and tube counter current and Co current flow
happen.. Tell me in which LMTD will be higher in double pipe or 1 2 she'll and tube for this Q...

7) Draw one wall. And there is uniform heat generation in middle of the wall.. Draw temp profile
inside it.. Now draw temp profile for outside wall.. If i increase the outside temple of air.. Now draw
whole profile again.

8) In distillation column in which part there is large relative volatility.. Where pressure will be
highest... Now everything is same and i half the reflux. Tell me which parameters will change.. What
about compositions.

9) They told me to draw two flat plates. One plate is moving in right direction and other one is in left
direction.. Told me to draw velocity profile. I drew wrong one then they asked me many counter Q
and then at the end they trapped me and I have to told them that sorry sir i am not able to understand
what to now.. So don't give wrong otherwise they will make you going to fall in tripe.

Ok tell me what is the unit of thermal diffusivity is.

Thank you

INTERVIEW 3:

1. They ask me about my mtech.. How much sub you did study in masters in 1st semi.

2. Tell me your preference order of subject.

HT-

1. kya pada he HT me.

2. Shell and tube me tube side fouling hogi to kya hoga.

3. Film kaise resist kargi.

4. Effect on flow area and give us an correlation

5. After giving ko relation tell me HTcoeff. Depends on which main factor.

6. Conduction pe kaise depend karega.

7.Dittus Boelter me 0.3 for cooling and 0.4 for hot kyu hoga significant resone.

8. Temp profile in shell and tube

9. Shell side pass how u determine

MT

1. Kya padke aii ho MT me

2. Cooling tower working

3. Mass transfer profile in cooling tower.

4. Heat transfer profile in cooling tower

5. If I give u 3 solutions

1) salt+ water
2) Kerosene and water

3) methanol+water

6. Give m azeotropic curve and what is min. Boiling azotrope.

7. T-xy diagram explain

8. What is relative humidity?

9. Psychometric chart explain karo.

FM

1. Venturimeter pressure vs length graph

2. Velocity vs length graph

3. Orifice meter velocity and pressure vs length 4.what is the difference between 1,2 and 3 graph.

5. Orifice plate vo pressure drop kargi to us point pe kaise rahega( actully i draw a just what similar
graph so he correct me here is sudden pressure drop)

6. If drop of bubble is drop from certain height what forces are applied on it

7. Velocity vs height profile

8. If it is vacuum then what will happen

9. What happen if drag force is absent on velocity of fluid.

CRE

1. So anurag you are doing your masters and you studied advance chemical reaction so what you fell
different what you studied different.

2. Tell me how you find order of reaction if conc. Vs time data is given.

1 chemistry ke sir aye and unhone chemistry ke q. Puchne lage

What is aldehydes groups, ketonic group, acidic group glycerol contain what.

Khatam huva interview bye khatam😅 sukun k sass li

INTERVIEW 5:

*HT*

1. What is tube side velocity, in HEX what will happen if we will increase it?

2. How to find the balance between high and low tube side velocity?

3. What is Dittus Boelter eqn, and Sieder Tate eqn when to apply it? What is 'k' in it?

4. Two fluids of different Prandtl number are given, which one to prefer for efficient HT?

5. What is dirt factor? How it affects the heat transfer

6. If 1 tube is blocked in shell and tube HEX, then how it will affect the HT coefficient?

7. Which method do you use for HEX design?

8. Design a HEX by that method for given fluids

9. Draw temperature profile of HEX of 1 shell 1 tubes pass, 1 shell 2 tube pass.

10. What is this this temperature cross? Out of above 2, in which scenario it is possible?

11. Draw the temperature profile in plate heat exchanger ( ye maine bola bhi nahi tha ☹️)

*MT*

1. How will you design a multicomponent distillation column?

2. Given feed has 3 components A,B,C with given that A,B are more volatile than C. Find out the
height and number of trays of such column which separates all three.

3. α(ΑB) and α(AC) are given, you get 2 equilibrium curves, for 3 components, then how will you
get number of trays for the same column separating 3 components, using McCabe thiele method?

4. What will happen if R < Rmin ? (he asked what will happen on x vs y curve instead of actually
logical explanation)

5. What is T dry bulb and T wet bulb

*CRE*

1. How to determine order and rate constant of reaction?

2. What is integral and differential method of analysis? Which one to use when?

3. Draw k vs T graph
4. What is selectivity?

5. For reactions, A + B ---> R (desired with rate constant k1) and B + R ---> S (undesired with rate
constant k2),

Design the reactor scheme, how will you maximize the production of desired product? Also draw the
curve for (C(r)/Cao) for various (k1/k2)

*FM and baki random*

1. What is difference between pressure and stress?

2. Explain the working of solar cell

3. What is pressure reading in front tire of bike?

4. what is more elastic rubber or metal?

5. What is pH? Define pH scale. If I have 10-⁸ HCL, what is its pH value?

INTERVIEW 6:

My priorities

HT, FM, MT, CRE

No question from Cre asked

1) Copper and iron slab side by side with different temp at one's end draw temp profile

2) Gap between slabs (Fe &Cu) filled with vacuum draw temp profile and justify that

3) Gap now filled with air draw profile and justify that

4) Difference at the end point temp on cu slab end temp

5) Difference in all three cases in rate of HT

6) Take one slab wall temp T1 and T2 draw temp profile if it's Cu

7) Now assume its Fe now draw profile with same wall temp

8) Will the slope be same?

9) Remove slab now take a Cu cylinder with wall fixed temp

Draw profile (radial)

10) Now remove Cu with Fe and draw temp profile

11) Now assume u have cylinder

On with center as T1 temp

And one with T1 as outer temp

Draw temp profile at SS

12) In which case rate will be high

13) Tell me exact math’s how does it (temp) drop

FM

1) Draw Venturi meter

2) Principle

3) why expansion side has small angle

4) if we make manometer after any length will Q be same

5) if I apply pump that can throw flow till 1km and there I apply increase in diameter will pressure
recover

6) Ok it's increase diameter 1/2 km

Will pressure recover?

7) what are flow meters where is is used

8) what are mass flow meters, basic principle of mass flow meter

Mass

1)Driving Force of mass transfer

2) what is absorption

3) what happen if ammonia and water were in equilibrium and I increase water again and again

4)what Is distillation , DF force in it

5) what is relative volatility, is it constant in column

6) draw txy and pxy diagram

7) why there is gap between graph txy

8) how can we increase it or decrease it

9) what happen if we increase temp in pxy and what happen if we increase pressure in txy

10) what is Charles law

11) use Charles law for txy to relate P

12) what is ph , rang of ph

13) tell me what is concentration on H+ or h30 ions if ph is 0

INTERVIEW 7:

1. Modes of HT in HEX

2. Is radiation possible in HEX?

3. How will radiation vary wrt roughness?

4. Why solar cells are shiny if radiation is max at high roughness

5. Shell n tube (pressure drop variation wrt tube diameter... Baffles.. Increasing passes)

6. Why copper is not used in HEX

7. Pump: NPSH

8. How much above cn we pump the water(I said infinite... bt..🥲they didn't look convinced at all)

9. How does cavitation vary with pipe diameter(explain in the eqn form)

10. A rxn is giving more conversion in CSTR than in PFR.. Why?

11. Series parallel reaction graphs

12. Txy plot

13. what would u do to increase the distance between the bubble pt and dew point curve..

14. If water boils and condenses at the same temp (100°C)... Then how come there is diff in the temp
in the Txy curve?

15. Stress pressure difference

16. Wet bulb dry bulb temp meaning

Where is it used?

INTERVIEW 8:

Date: 1st dec

Venue: BARC Mumbai

Interview class room me hua tha

Panel me 5 log the,2 female aur 3 male, sab dur dur baithe the aur samne ek whiteboard tha.

I went inside at 10:20 am and wished everyone good morning, they asked me to sit down. And then

1)Shivam tell me about yourself

2) so shivam u are selected through gate right?

3) what was ur gate score?

4) Rank? (29)

5)sukun ki life nhi chahiye kya shivam? why barc not psu?

6) Ok shivam please write down ur 4 favourite subject on board in short form and we will ask
questions in same order

ans: I wrote down MT, CRE, HT, FM

7) Please write down the names of mass transfer operations which u have listened so far

8) What is difference between distillation and extraction?

9) Which one to choose when?

10) Assume our solute is not non-volatile and both process are feasible then which one will we
prefer?

11) Money is not a concerned tell some more deciding factors?

12) Why we can’t attain high purity in solvent extraction?

13) What are the conditions required to attain maximum purity?

14) Which arrangement we will use for maximum purity?

15) Explain multistage counter current extraction technique

16) What is the technical term for that box?

17) Draw equilibrium curve

18) Explain single unit in detail

19) Which streams are in equilibrium? And how to find their compositions?

20) How will we find the extract and raffinate composition if contacting equipment is not ideal?
Explain with equations (I used mixing and lever arm rule to write down equations)

21) What are those intersecting lines?

After asking these they shifted to CRE

22) Ok shivam let’s say i want to build a batch reactor at industrial level so how will i do it.

( i thought the question was about scaling up so i went in that direction that first we have to do it a
lab scale then dimensions less number stuff but they stopped me and said no no no, dont scale up just
build a batch reactor for A->B )

23) How to find that rate expression?

24) How to measure concentration vs time?

25) tell me some more units of concentration ( i got stucked here for a moment then one mam gave
me hint " You have qualified jee advanced shivam think ", Got that 👍

25) What are the methods to find out rate expression? Explain both

26) Now tell me the finishing part how to calculate volume of reactor?

After these they shifted to HT

27) Where is heat transfer used in industry?

28) What are different types of heat exchanger?

29) When to use which one?

30) Draw detail diagram of shell and tube heat exchanger? (one mam told me to draw 1/2 )

31) Label all the parts in diagram

32) Can you tell some name of parts used which are not in diagram?
33) Can u please explain more about tie rods and spacers?

34)what’s purpose of baffles?

35)Do we have other types of baffles? And what do you mean by this baffle cut percentage?

36) when will we use these ones?

37) shivam if i want to use this heat exchanger as condenser then in which side will i pass vapor?

38) do we have to do any modifications in HX for this?

39) Why we prefer 1/2 more than 1/1?

40) So why not 1/4?

41) What kind of complexity increase?

42) Ok other than that one thing also increase can you think of it? (they ultimately wanted to hear
pressure drop XD)

43) what are the factors which are kept in mind while designing HX?

44)how do we calculate h.t.c in tube flow?

45) in which condition do we use this dittus boelter?

after these they shifted to FM

46) shivam what are the ways to measure flowrate of flowing fluid?

47) please explain orifice meter in detail and derive the expression for velocity of fluid

48) whats that equation ( Bernoulli )? what does it represent? when can we use that?

49) where are the losses occuring?

50) if i have a pipeline and i am measuring velocity with orifice meter at one point and with venturi
meter at other point will i get same velocity?

51) why? then how to obtain actual velocity?

52) whats that correction factor? how do we get that?

53) it i flow oil instead of water what will change in this equation?

54) Ok shivam lets say we have a pipeline wit its end open to atmosphere and water is flowing in it
and there is orifice meter attached to it in between. please draw pressure vs lenth graph for water.

after this they told me to sit down again and then asked me little bit about my intern then about my
travelling and staying.
thankyou you can go.

I came out at 11:48 am

Interview went for 1 hr 28 min, you won't realize how fast time will pass.

Good luck 👍👍

INTERVIEW 9:

*Fav subjects*

*HT, MT, FM and CRE*

*Heat Tranfer*

1. What are similarities in first three subjects?

2. What are the types of heat transfer?

3. Write its basic equations?

4. There are two bodies one with temp 400°C and other 200°C and other other two bodies with 400
and 100°C..how much Heat is transferred by first object in both cases?

5. One cylindrical horizontal rod divided in 3 section first and last are insulated on surfaces and
centre portion is left open to atmosphere. Draw temp profile?

Why this temp profile only?

6.On which factor HTC will depend

7. Write equation correlating this all factors?

8. What is this k term?

9. In this three section case how will you calculate HTC?

10. Write its correlation

11. You have HE of given construction with inlet and outlet temp of Hot and cold fluid given....

How will you reduce outlet temp of exit hot fluid without changing HE construction?

12. How can you reduce exit temp by changing construction of HE?
*Mass Tranfer*

1. You have Air+ co2 mixture how will you reduce co2 content in mixture?

2. Draw diametergram of absorption equilibrium and operating line in graph form?

3. How will you calculate stages of column?

4. If there is Air + co2+ H2S mixture now how will find concentration of exit H2S for given column
that you have designed previously?

5. In this corona pandemic situation why it is getting more dangerous in winter than summer?(not
able to anwer conviniently)

6. When you sneeze you have droplet of sneeze..how will it get evaporated...write relation for time
taken for complete evaporation?

7. Derive this relation(not able to derive)

8. What will happen if air flowrate is increased will rate of evaporation increase?

9. How will you get this Psat?

*Fluid Mechanics*

1. What is Economic pipe?(not answered)

2. You have done scale up right? how will you scale up given system of two tanks with pump from
pilot to large scale.

3. Which factor will remain constant while doing scale up.

*****Interview over*****

In 2nd and 3rd question there was long time discussion.

As my previous job was of Technology tranfer thats why they asked this question? But i don't know i
was wrong or right

They were giving lot of hints for bigger problems in which we had to think

We had to explain everything on Black Board due to social distancing norms of Covid

I felt 1hr 15min like 30mins time😅

You will not understand after coming out that how was your interview either good or bad? Because
panel is very much friendly and you will really enjoy that 1 hr with them😊

Apart from final results Interview expereince was very much enjoyable!!
: In Heat transfer they

Asked tell mode of heat transfer

And define all the modes in Heat exchanger...

And the draw 2-4 HE and U tube Heat exchanger

And how can be say u tube is better than Shell and tube

And a lot of cross questions.

2. In cre they told me to draw pfr with flowrate Q and concentration C of 90% conversion

Now an extra stream of Q/2 flowrate has added in middle of pfr now find the conversion

Then they removed the extra stream and then told how can be increase the conversion

And lot of cross questions....

3. Designe of adsorption tower and too many cross questions

Really frustrating

4. And last is fm

There is tank on 2 storey building at hight H from ground

And there is also a tank in the underground we have to pull the water from the bottom tant to top tank

How you decide the pump

And they really grilled in pump portion even single parts of the pump ....

And atlast told if you are already persuing research in IITM then why BARC...🤣

Interview over in 1hr 10 min approx...

Modes of heat transfer

* Why negative sign in fourier law

* Why for radiametertion heat transfer temperature difference not required.

*One question on temp profile

* Shell and tube heat exchanger 1-1 diametergram

* Baffles uses

* Why not to increase ht coefficient decrease baffle spacing

*Major pressure drop

* Priority liquids for heat transfer in tube and shell.

* Why not put high pressure liquid in shell

* How to design heat exchanger

Thermo

* Why a particular reaction happens

* What is entropy

* Minimum work require to separate two gases

* Simple question on turbine

* How to transfer ht from low temp to high temp

*Draw T-S diametergram for vapor compression cycle

* COP, how to find, variation with surrounding temp

* How to convert a refrigerator into A. C.

Cre

* Some question pfr conversion version distance .

* Why study cre

* A question on finding best combination of reaction for desired rxn

Fluids

* NPSH

* What changes in suction line to decrease cavitation

* Variation of NPSH with temp.

Cre-

make a batch reactor ,

reaction is occurring from A to B .. first order given ..how to calculate rate constant ,if another
reaction is added in parallel to this ..with 0 order ..how to find k1 and k2 now ,(you are only given to
calculate concentration of A not other products),how to increase selectivity , temperature and
concentration changes and how the selectivity be varying , preferred reactor order like which one be
placed first CSTR or pfr

Ht-

types of heat transfer ,write eqn associated with them,given a metallic plate with air flowing on one
side at 100 deg C and on the other side 30 deg C ..draw temperature profile ,does radiametertion
changes with distance from source

fm-

draw characteristic curve for a pump with head and flow flow rate ,a question related to how the
pump be placed like the best setup ,npsh calculation ,two plates with one having velocity in positive
x and one in negative x ..draw velocity profile

Mt-

Dalton law , Raoult law ,is it valid for all ,if not what is equation for them,in which mode of Mt we
use this ,HTU ,NTU

..

there was some random question during cre ..what happens as we go up in atmosphere , how cooking
is different from that at the plain area ,is cooking a chemical or physical reaction

BARC questions:

Date-21-12-20

Subject order-HT,FM,MT,CRE

1.modes of heat transfer and their governing equations

2.consider a pipe containing steam at 150 celcius. How will u identify it in plant? What is the coating
over the insulation in pipe..(they provide ans aluminium sheet).why aluminium sheet is coated? How
is critical radius of insulation helps in determining radius of insulation. How much more radius is to
be used than Rc? Tell the dominant mechanism before and after the critical radius of insulation?

3.consider a plate of metal of some thickness. Left side of it is a fluid moving at 100 celcius and right
side of plate a stagnant fluid of 30 celcius. Draw the complete temperature profile. How will the
temperature profile change if I increase conductivity to 2 times? How will it affect heat transfer
through the plate?

4.Draw rotameter diametergram and tell the basic principle. If I increase the flowrate from Q to 2Q
then how float position is changed and why? What are the three forces acting. As buoyancy and
gravity force are constant ...what is that factor which makes float reaches to its new equilibrium
position and come to rest? Is drag force continuously increase or specifically increase?

5.what are equilibrium relationship in mass transfer?how can we get equilibrium relationship for
absorption? consider NH3 and CO2 absorption in water...draw the y-x curve for both? Will they be
same or different? What happens in sprite bottle if u remove its cap...draw the y-x curve for both the
situation before cap opening and after cap opening?

6.Draw a packed bed reactor...A--B ,zero order reaction, draw the rA vs length curve and Ca vs
length curve... write down material balance for PBR.

7.for a given conversion, space time is more for CSTR or PFR?

Time approx-40 min

IF ANYONE WANTS CREDIT THEN FEEL FREE TO DROP A COMMENT BCZ SOME OF
THESE INTERVIEWS ARE OF MY CLOSE FRNDS AND SOME OF THEM I GOT FROM MY
SOURCES.

I INSISTED MY FRIEND MANY TIMES TO GET THESE INTERVIEWS SO UPCOMING

CANDIDATES WILL GET BENEFIT AS WE GOT FROM SOME OF THE INTERVIEWS ON
QUORA.

HOPE YOU APPRECIATE THAT❤️

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BARC INTERVIEW PART3

Interview date - 18th Dec 2020

Interview time — 2:05 pm to 3:00 pm approx. (55 min approx.)

Discipline — Chemical engineering

Location - Mumbai

Result - Selected amongst 22 TSOs out of 294 chemical candidates.

Interview panel consisted of 7 members, 4 Male (including chair person) and 3 Female.

Interview was started just after lunch. As soon as I entered, they asked me about my introduction ( I
told that I graduated in 2018 then took 2 yrs experience in a chemical company).

Then chair person asked me kya padhke aye ho? ( I overconfidently made a blunder there: I told
padhke toh sab aya hu, but you will require only 4 subjects so they are: 1. Heat transfer 2. Mass
transfer 3. Chemical reaction engineering 4. Fluid mechanics in the same order ).

After which, for a moment they looked at each other, and finally chair person said chaliye heat
transfer se shuru karte hai.

Interview questions:

(in sequencial order as they asked)

*HT*

1.What are different modes of heat transfer in shell and tube heat exchanger? Write the equation
governing shell and tube heat exchange process.

2.What are typical values of tube side velocity, in Heat exchanger what will happen if we will
increase it?

3. How to find the balance between high and low tube side velocity?

4. What is deittus bolter eqn, and sieder tate eqn when to apply it? What is 'k' in it?

5. Two fluids of different prandtl number are given, which one to be preferred for efficient HT?

6. What is dirt factor? How it affects the heat transfer?

7. If only 1 tube is choked in shell and tube Heat exchanger, then how it will affect the HT
coefficient? (For intituive explanation I took an example of certain number of tubes, considered HT
coefficient of each tube, took mean of all tube side coefficients, and reduced one sample data of
choked tube while averaging to show that HT coefficient should reduce due to little less contribution
to HT from choked tube. In addition to that due to choking, the tube side velocity will also increase
in rest of the tubes. Hence HT coeff should increase. Thus we have to take effects of both these
factors to see the net effect.)(They asked me to explain intituively as well as through the formula
which I wrote for answer of Q1)

8. Which method do you use for Heat exchanger design? Design a heat exchanger by that method for
water and methanol.

9. Draw temperature profile of heat exchanger of 1 shell 1 tube pass, 1 shell 2 tubes pass.

10. What is this this temperature cross? Out of above 2, in which scenario it is possible?

11. Where do we use plate heat exchangers? What is their advantage over conventional shell and tube
heat exchangers? Draw the temperature profile in plate heat exchanger.

This is how my heat transfer part went. It took approximately 20 minutes.

Then they switched to my next preference, i.e, Mass Transfer:

*MT*

1. How will you design a multicomponent distillation column?

2. Given feed has 3 components A,B,C with given that A,B are more volatile than C. Find out the
height and number of trays of such column which separates all three (this question was linked with
q3 of MT)

3. α(ΑB) and α(AC) are given, you get 2 equilibrium curves, for 3 components, then how will you
get number of trays for the same column separating 3 components, using McCabe thiele
method? (Here I asked some time to think, and did some jugad, told them to take geometrical mean
of both α(ΑB) & α(AC) as done in Fensky equation to get overall α and can proceed with McCabe
thiele)

4. What will happen if R < Rmin ? (he asked what will happen on McCabe thiele plot, instead of
actual logical explanation)

5. What is dry bulb and wet bulb temperature?

6. What is TR? What is it's significance? Where do we use it?

This was all about MT. It also took around 15–20 mins.

Then they switched to my 3rd preference CRE:

*CRE*

1. How to determine order and rate constant of reaction?

2. What are integral and differential method of analysis? Which one to use when?

3. Draw k vs T graph.
4. What is selectivity?

5. For reactions, A + B ---> R (desired with rate constant k1) and B + R ---> S (undesired with rate
constant k2),

Design the reactor scheme. How will you maximise the production of desired product? Also draw the
curve for (C(r)/Cao) for various (k1/k2).

CRE took less time than above two.

Then the decided to ask some random ( out of syllabus ) questions along with Fluid mechanics

*FM and baki random*

1. What is unit of pressure? What is unit of stress? If their units are same, then how they are
different?

2. Agar ghar m tumne LPG cylinder ka tumne valve khula chod diya then uss cylinder ka pressure vs
time graph banao.

3. Bike chalate ho? ( I said yes ). Then what is pressure reading in front tyre of bike?

4. What is pH? Uska minimum and maximum value kitna hai? If I have 10-⁸ molar HCL, what is it's
pH value?

4. Solar cell kaise Kam Karta hai?

5. Which is more elastic, rubber or metal? Why?

After this question, chair person said, “Ok Dinesh you can leave now.”

That how my interview went.

Notes —

1) Fluid mechanics is relatively easy topic but I kept it as my last preference, as it's syllabus is vast
and interviewer can ask any random question from it.

2) Always keep your first two subjects such that you can answer any question from them. (This is
most important point)

3) I have only mentioned my mental thought procedure at the time of interview to the questions
where I got blank.

4) Whatever be your thinking procedure, just explain it to panel and make sure that you don't make
any mistakes in simplest questions.
BARC INTERVIEW QUESTIONS PART 4

I am a 2019 chemical engineering graduate. During my final year I have given many interviews in
PSUs as well as in some private sector through campus and GATE 2019 exam. But the experience
which I have earned after this interview is worth to remember for the entire life.

VENUE OF INTERVIEW - BARC Training School, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai.

DATE OF INTERVIEW - 22nd May 2019.

RESULT - Selected as a Trainee Scientific officer for OCES.

There were two panels of interview for chemical students. I was waiting since the morning as my
turn was 9th and finally 2nd panel interviewed me, so they interviewed me after lunch from 2:30 PM
to 4:00 PM. Panel consisted of 6 members including one lady and a chairman.

Chairman - C, Male - M, Female - F.

When I entered the room I greeted them and they offered me a seat. They were in very relaxing mode
after the lunch. Firstly the chairman said “As you are fresh graduate from college, what do you know
about BARC interview.” I told them that Sir, I am having a brief idea about BARC interview as I
have read about it on quora which says that there will be panel of 5-6 members, interview will be
mainly focused on technical portion of the discipline and I also said that as I have read, panel is quite
supportive for the student.”

F - Do they mention questions also on quora?

Me - Yes ma’am, we can get few sample or actual questions of BARC interview pattern.

F - Oh! So quora is revealing our secrets.

Then they all started laughing and asked me to write my four favourite subjects.

I had planned for it so I written in an order of preference.

1. Heat transfer, 2. Mass transfer, 3. Fluid mechanics, 4. Chemical Reaction engineering.

They started from Heat transfer.

C - What are the different modes of the heat transfer and differentiate between them?

Me - Answered with confidence about all three modes and cited certain differences.

C - Can you write governing equation of all three modes?

Me - I started from Fourier’s law then Newton’s law of cooling and Stefan Boltzmann’s law and
explained them well.

C - Why is there a negative sign in governing equation of conduction?

Me - Sir, because temperature gradient is negative in the direction of heat conduction, to make heat
flux positive we use negative sign.

F - Give us at least one example of each mode where only one type of heat transfer is taking place?

Me - I was a bit shocked on this question since in many cases more than one type of heat transfer
takes place so I thought for a moment and answered them correctly.

M - How will you increase the radiametertion heat transfer?

Me - I mentioned about increasing view factor or temperature or emissivity.

C - What is view factor, Explain with diametergram?

Me - I explained them about the concept of view factor and drawn different cases of view factor with
proper reasoning.

C - How will you increase emissivity?

Me - Answered.

Me - Then the chairman gave me a problem of uniform heat generation inside a cylinder of a given
dimensions with bottom and curved surfaces of it are insulated and top surface open to the
atmosphere and asked me that

 What will happen after infinite time?

 Derive the expression of temperature and draw the final temperature profile?
 What will happen if we use a fan just above the top surface? How will be the temperature
profile, explain practically and analytically?
 What will happen if we create vaccum instead of atmosphere?
Though I took my time, I answered each part of the question correctly. They were giving some
indirect hint wherever I got stucked.

F - How many types of flow of fluid inside heat exchanger are there?

Me - I told them all three types of flow i. e. Crossflow, countercurrent flow and co-current flow.

F - In a shell and tube type of heat exchanger, if steam is condensing on shell side (Losing only latent
heat) and water is getting heated on tube side, In which case LMTD will be more? Whether in co-
current flow or counter current flow also draw temp. profile?

Me - Comfortably drawn the temp. profile and answered that LMTD will be same for the both types
of flow in this case.

After they they all looked satisfied on my heat transfer portion and moved to Mass transfer.

The chairman drawn a curve between Y - X (Equilibrium curve) for minimum boiling azeotrope.

C - I have seen it somewhere and I could not understand what is it? Can you help me to know about
this curve?

Me - I told them that this is an equilibrium curve for a minimum boiling azeotrope.

C - What is an equilibrium curve?

Me - Answered

C - What is an azeotrope? How many types of azeotropes do you know? How will you come to know
about certain mixture that whether it is an azeotrope or not?

Me - Answered

Since Y - X curve cuts Y = X line once, they asked me the reason for this.

Me - I explained with the help of T - X , Y diametergram extension.

F - Tell me about relative volatality where Y is less than X.

Me -(She actually wanted to ask me that whether it will be less than 1 or more than 1)I told that
Ma’am relative volatality is always taken with respect to more volatile component so we can never
say that it is less than 1.

C - How do you design a distillation column? What methods do you know?

Me - Told them about two methods McCabe thiele and Ponchon Savarit.

C - What are the assumptions of McCabe thiele? How it is different from the Ponchon Savarit?

Me - Explained all basic assumptions which leads to main assumption i. e. constant molar overflow
and cases where we use Ponchon savarit method.

M - Suppose, you are given to design a distillation column with McCabe thiele method, What data
you will need and how will you design it with the use of minimum data information?

Me - I used the standard procedure but due to certain constrain R was unknown for me, So I had to
go for minimum reflux ratio first and then drawn the curve for optimum reflux ratio and by the
staircase method I determined no. of trays of distillation column for the optimum operation.

C - Where is feed tray?

Me - Answered

C - What each stair represents? Which point represents incoming liquid composition and outgoing
liquid composition on the tray?

Me - Answered

He looked satisfied.

M - What are dry bulb temperature and wet bulb temperature?

Me - Explained both with examples.

M - Accha aap azamgarh se ho, vhaan pr aap cooler chalaaoge to paseena (Sweat) jaldi sookhega
but mumbai me aisa nhi hota itna jaldi kyu?

Me - Sir, Humidity is the reason behind it. In mumbai, due to humidity, driving force for the vapor
evaporation is less and compared to the places which are not so humid so cooling effect is less here
as compared to my home town azamgarh.

(In my answer I said cooling once so next they moved onto the cooling tower)

C - What do you know about cooling tower, how many types of cooling towers are there? Draw the
schematic diametergram of the cooling tower operation.

Me - I explained the operation of cooling tower and catagorized them onto the mechanical basis.
(Some other cross questions were also there which I can not remember right now, I will edit them if I
would be able to recall them)
M - Where will be the pinch point in cooling tower?

Me - (I was knowing about pinch point in heat exchanger networking but never heard about pinch
point in cooling tower so i decided not to answer) Don’t know sir.

Then they moved to Chemical reaction engineering portion.

One panelist who was silent from the starting Started asking questions.

He drawn a PFR type system and given me three cases, in all cases entering flow rate and exit flow
rate are 1 L/S and 10 L/S respectively. He given me the example of corn seller where corn inflation
occures and due to that flow rate changes. In first case inflation occures at the end, in 2nd one
inflation occures in the starting and in 3rd one 25% inflation occures in the starting and rest 75% at
the end point of the system. He asked me to draw E(t) and F(t) profile.

I had never though that there will be any problem of RTD with varying volume and I started taking
my time and told them about my problem. Then they asked me to draw it in constant volumetric flow
rate condition. I drawn them correctly.

Then again same person asked

M - How many types of reactors do you know? What are the assumptions applied?

Me - I told them about Batch, MFR and PFR and their assumptions and also explained about PBR for
homogeneous reaction system.

M - For the same inlet conditions, Which reactor will give more conversion, given the volume of
both reactors are same?

Me - For the positive order reaction, PFR will give more conversion and MFR will give less
conversion and for the other case vice-versa.

M - What is the reason behind it?

Me - Sir because for negative order, rate will be inversely proportional to the concentration, since
MFR converts instantaneously the reactant and concentration drops suddenly whereas in the case of
PFR, concentrations drops gradually. So rate will be more in the case of MFR as compared to PFR
for negative order of reaction. That’s why conversion is more in MFR for this case.

M - If we devide a PFR into several parts of equal sized PFRs in series, In which case the conversion
will more? Tell the same thing about MFR?

Me - For PFR conversion will remain same after dividing into equal sized PFRs whereas for MFR, if
we devide the MFR into several equal volume reactors, final conversion will be more because it will
tend towards PFR behavior.

M - Suppose three equal volume MFR are in series and final conversion is 90%. Tell me about
approximate conversion after 1st and 2nd reactor?
Me - Sir, in first reactor conversion will be more than 30%, in 2nd reactor conversion difference
between outlet and inlet will be less then the first one and in the 3rd reactor, conversion difference
between outlet and inlet will be even lesser than 2nd reactor beacuse concentration will drop and rate
of reaction will get slow down.

Then they moved to Fluid mechanics portion.

M - What is friction factor? How do we get the value of friction factor?

Me - Explained them about friction factor and Moody’s chart.

M - Draw Delta P vs Flow rate curve for a pipe?

Me - Drawn the curve indicating different regimes and showing dependency of Delta P on Flow rate.

M - Draw Friction factor vs length in a long pipe if fluid enters from one end and fluid flow develops
inside the pipe?

Me - (I was knowing the relation of friction factor for fully developed flow but not knowing about it
for developing flow) I tried to explain them what I think it should be, I told them that friction factor
would be more in developing region and would be constant for developed flow.

They were not looking satisfied but again chairman interrupted them and told me answer few
questions.

C - Have you heard the name of Stainless Steel? What is composition and property of it?

(This is when I thought that they are taking me seriously, which increased my confidence.)

Me - Yes sir, It is an alloy of carbon having Chromium and Nickel etc. as alloying material. They are
corrosion resistant and having high tensile strength.

C - Due to which component these properties are?

Me - Sir, I do not know about it (Because I literally had no idea about it)

C - What is pH value?

Me - Answered.

C - What is Le chatlier’s principle?

Me - Answered with examples.

C - What is Roult’s law?

Me - Answered

C - What is Dalton’s law?

Me - Answered

F - What does the 1 Ton of AC mean?

Me - I was unable to recall the exact value in thousands KJ of heat removal, but answered with the
help of their hint.

Then they all looked satisfied and asked me about my GATE rank and score. They also asked
whether I am having interview of NPCIL also. I said no sir, I hadn’t applied in NPCIL. Then they
asked me about my future plans? Whether I have applied for any M. TECH or Ph. D. ? I said that no
sir I have not applied.

F - Kaun kaun se questions aise the jo aapko quora pr mile the?

M - Ma’am, there are very less no. of answers about BARC interview experience in chemical
engineering. Some basic questions were matching.

F - So, would you share this interview experience also on quora?

Me - Yes ma’am, most probably.

We all smiled and they said OK Ajay, you can go now, thank you and all the best.

I also thanked them and left the room. When I came out I saw the clock was showing 4: 00 PM, I
wondered that how quickly time passed. I was feeling happiness as I was able to make them satisfied
with my most of the answers. Still in BARC, anything can happen even after a good interview
because vacancies are very less and call ratio is quite high.

After selection:

Only 25 people out of 288 were selected after interview. I felt quite lucky on the day of selection. I
was also feeling proud by making my parents really happy. I had waited for it for so long. I thanked
GOD and I am again determined to work hard to be more and more successful and to serve my
country.

BARC INTERVIEW QUESTIONS PART 5

BARC shortlisted students for interview from both Gate score and its individual test.

This year in 2019 Barc shortlisted 288 students and there were 25 vacancies. In Barc there is no
reservation.Barc chemical engineering gate score cutoff this year was 725 and from test cutoff was
150 out of 300. My gate score was 747 and Barc test score was 177 out of 500 . In barc you have to
select the slot for Interview.This year slot filling from was from 13th may to 14th june 2019. My
interview was on 27th May on 2019.
Interview venue- Homi Bhabha National institute Mumbai

Reporting time -8:30 am

First document verification was being done and then token number were alloted for interview.

There were 7 members(one lady) in panel.

Here is my interview
Mr Rahul how are you?
From which college are you.
Where are you presently staying in Mumbai?
You were selected for interview from gate score or barc paper.
How was the barc paper?
Have you prepared for interview?
How many subjects have you prepared ?
Wrote Mass transfer , Heat Transfer ,Fluid Mechanics ,Chemical reaction engineering
What is the driving force in all these subjects?
What is driving force in heat transfer ,mass transfer,fluid mechanics?
Lets start with mass transfer
Appliaction of mass transfer
What is distillation.
They gave 4 examples how to separate (salt +water,ethanol +water ,oil+water, ammonia
+gas ).Distillation se konsa mixture separate karoge aur kyun.
Other mixture kaise separate karoge .
Which mechanism are the separation based on.
Explain other mass transfer operations.
What is extraction? Driving force for extraction.What property solvent should have in extraction?
What is separtion factor? What is selectivity? What is solvent power?What is partition coefficient?
Now coming to distillation design column.How to design column? What parameters you need in
designing.
What is Mcabe thiele assumption?Explain assumption in details.
Derive operating line equation.
How you Calculate efficiency of tray and column?
What is Rmin ,Ropt ,q ?
What is feed location?
How to decrese number of plates without manipulating reflux ratio?
What is volatility,relative volatity,formula ,variation of relative volatility with pressure?
Where is maximum minimum temperature pressure in column?
How vapor and liquid flow in distillation column?
High pressure gas kaise milegi.Why pressure drop occurs?What is difference between blower and
compressor?
Then shifted to heat transfer.

Draw temperature profile for flow in pipe keeping heat flux at wall constant.
Profile linear or parabolic.
What will happen to profile if flowarate double will change or not?
What is h and on what factor h depend ?
How will you calculate heat flux in case of flow in pipe?
Draw the graph of heat flux variation for flow in pipe.
What is ditus bolter? Write ditus bolter.What is prandtl number,Reynolds Number,Nusselt number?
Dependency of heat transfer coefficient on reynolds number.
Drew two slabs in parallel with different conductivity draw temperature profile in slabs ,whether the
temperature profile feasible or not?
Then they drew a frustom conical expander with its end at different temperature with sides insulated
draw the temperature profile variation with length,heat flux variation with length,heat energy
variation with length,variation is linear or quadratic.

Then fluid mechanics.

What is npsh,caviation?
What will vapor bubble do in pump ,their effect?
What is the difference if liquid and gas is used in pump?
Why volute is used,what is the disadvantage of high kinetic energy at outlet why we convert it?
Why we convert kinetic energy into pressure energy in volute only when the fluid with high kinetic
energy will go up in pipe there will no problem (ignore losses) then automatically it will convert into
pressure energy?
Explain working of centrifugal pump.
How impeller increase pressure energy?
Variation of density on head explain for oil water mercury ,draw there difference performance curve.
What are Fan laws?
Ganga mein paani kaise behta hain.

CRE
They drew 3 combination of mfr and pfr in series of same volume gave second order kinetics and
explain physically in which conversion will be more and why?
What will happen at 0 order 1st order explain physically no maths ?
Single pfr mfr of same volume conversion difference .
Write performance equation of all reactor draw their graphs explain graph.
What is ideal pfr mfr batch reactor?
How concentration varies in ideal mfr along the length.
What are nonidealities in mfr pfr?Is laminar flow a nonideality in pfr?
How to predict nonideality in pfr?
What is 1 parameter model?
What is axial dispersion?
What is dispersion coefficeint?What is its value for ideal pfr mfr?

What will happen if laminar flow in pfr?

Why we need flat velocity profile in pfr?
What is ph ,molality ,molarity,normality,graph x3 and x2?
Which graph is increasing in which interval? What is composition of steel
Asked about college location,about college ,when it was open,campus placements,which psu you
applied for,npcil mein interview diya
You can go thanku.

Result got selected as training scientist officer

Result came on 27th June 2019.

This is how my whole interview went.They will start with basics and go deep and deep untill they
stop you.Panel is friendly they will give you hints so that you arrive at result.

Advise - Basic should be strong. Read standard books and you will be able to crack barc.

Here is the pic of cutoff for barc interview shortlisting through gate score.

PART6

Discipline – Chemical Engineering

Date of Interview – 18-12-2020 (04:20pm to 05:30pm)

Place of Interview – BARC Training School, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai

Result – Selected

BARC-2020 interview finally scheduled in December 2020 after long delay. They organized written
exam one more time in November 2020 upon many requests from candidates who left exam in march
2020 due to COVID.

Here I have shared interview questions that were asked to me in my interview and wish it will benefit
the reader.

There were 6 members in panel including 2 ladies. The person in center (Chairman, might be) asked
me to write three favorite subjects on a white board.

Mine were CRE, FM, HT

Chemical Reaction Engineering –

Q–1
Q–2

Q–3

In a batch reactor zero order exothermic rxn is taking place. In one case it is operated isothermally
and in other case it is operated adiameterbatically.

Plot conc. Of reactant vs time for both cases on same graph. Explain the differences of both curves.
Q–4

An exothermic first order rxn taking place isothermally in a batch reactor. The heat is being removed
through cooling water jacket.

Will the rate of removal of heat will be constant at all times. If not, what will be nature of variation of
cooling water flow rate.

Q–5

On what basis we define heat of reaction?

Q–6

Write heat balance equation for BATCH reactor.

Fluid Mechanics –

Q – 1 Draw a venturi meter and pressure profile along flow direction.

Q – 2 What is reason of flow of fluid in venturi meter? If it is pressure drop then why we see increase
in divergent section along the flow?

Q – 3 If we start to decrease the throat diametermeter, what is limit and why?

Q – 4 Why divergent section is longer? If flow direction is reversed in a venturi meter, will it still
measure the flow? If yes, will the flow be accurate? What will happen to manometric deflection, will
it shift to another limb of manometer?

Q – 5 Pointing toward water bottle - If a small hole is at the bottom and it is filled with water and
allowed to drain. Plot height of water in bottle vs time curve, and explain why so?

Heat Transfer –

Q–1

In a batch reactor, how heat transfer takes place in non-adiameterbatic reaction. (they mean to write
Nusselt no as function of Reynold and Prandtl no. And also define Reynold no in this case)

Q–2

Why temperature profiles are curvilinear in fluid layers when heat transferred across a solid wall but
linear in solid itself?

Q–3

Draw 1-2 pass shell and tube heat exchanger. How I will increase the overall heat transfer
coefficients, without changing feed flow rates and their parameters.
(I told them, reduce the baffle spacing, decreasing the tube diametermeter, cleaning of tubes etc. they
did not care all these explanations and asked me to think something else. I took time and told we will
fin the tubes, and all agreed)

General Questions

What does 95 represents in N95 mask? (As I was wearing an N95 mask) Is it effective against
Corona Virus?

Should we use N95 mask in case of chlorine gas present in air? If not, then what are ways?

BARC PART 7

My interview was at 3:00 PM and it lasts for 40 minutes.

Q1- So you got AIR 49 , last day also a guy came with same rank and same college , do you know
him? Have you discussed questions with him?

Answered

Q2- what were you doing after b.tech completion?

Answered (doing job in Saint gobain)

Q3- saint gobain is MNC naa? What does it manufacture? Answered

Q4- ok, take chalk and write down your 4 favourite subjects. Wrote CRE, MT,HT &FM

Q5- don’t you know thermodynamics?

I said I know but not expertise in thermo

Q6- tell me the first law of thermo

Answered

Q7- do you the which cycle works in refrigeration.

I said no

Q8- draw t-s digram for brayton cycle.

Not answered

Q9- what do you like in CRE? I said homogeneous part

Then he asked why not heterogeneous

Answered somehow

Q10- what is the difference between homogeneous & heterogeneous rxn system?

Answered

Q11-draw rate vs time curve for first order reaction , now draw conc vs time for zero order, draw rate
vs conc for zero order

Drew all curves properly

Q12- can you tell me how would you find rate constant for autocatalytic rxn, first tell which reactor
would you use then tell procedure.

Answered but they actually want full derivation so I stuck in midway of derivation, they helped but I
couldn’t figured out.

Q13- ok leave it, draw rate vs conc curve for autocatalytic rxn.

Answered

Q14- draw conversion vs time curve for autocatalytic rxn

Answered

Q15- now what you have read in HT

I answered conduction, convection, heat exchangers

Q16- write eqn used for radiametertion heat transfer

Answered

Q17- do radiametertion HT deppends on distance also, if yes give an example

Answered

Name- Himanshu Dubey

Branch- chemical

BARC exam score- 186 (cutoff-176) GATE rank- 49

Shortlisted from GATE score

Date- 10th june 2022

Q18- which term in this equation represents distance term

Q19- fanning factor remains constant, how would it includes distance ? Q20- some cross questions
regarding stefan boltzmann law!
Q21- in industry which process used for CO2 removal? Answered absorption

Q22- can you tell me which solution they use ?

Not answered

Q23- characteristics of solvent

Answered properly

Q24- for absorption , why packed tower ,why not tray column?

Answered we don’t need different grades of products in absorption unlike distillation.

Q25- ok which packing would you use & why ?

Answered raschig rings

Q26- draw raschig rings

Drew

Q27- now if some gas is purging out from reactor , draw how would you use absoprtion ( they want
to know whether you supply gas from bottom or top).

Drew

Q28- if there is liquid layer on outer surface of packings, it would be beneficial for us or not?
Answered

Q29- can you tell me whole procedure how would gas approach to liquid & packings? Answered
using two phase theory

Q30- which mass transfer operation in which MT takes place between solid & gas?

Answer was adsorption ( didn’t come into mind at that time)

Q31- draw venturimeter

Q32- where would be pressure tapings for pressure measurement in venturi? Q33- draw pressure
variation along length

Answered all

Q34- draw velocity variation with length in same graph.

Drew

Thanks !!
NOTE- answered doesn’t mean I answered correctly , the questions were mostly generating from
whatever you were saying !! RESULT- Not selected.
Venue - BARC Training School and guest house

Qualified through written exam

My score 183 , cutoff was 173.

Timing - 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Favorite subjects - HT, MT, CRE, CET

1. HT - Modes of heat transfer, how do u increase the rate for each mode? In a slab draw
temperature profile , it is made up of two sides Al and Cu, on changing the geometry of the
slab does the profile remain same ? Shell and tube heat exchanger draw and explain
difference between 1–1 and 1–2 type. Why not 1–3 or 1–4 ?
2. MT - which method u use for finding the no. of trays in distillation column ? Assumptions
of mcaabe thiele and draw the diametergram. Does it include anything related to mass
transfer because all the lines are obtained through material balances ?
3. CRE - when do u use pfr and when CSTR ? How do u convert a pfr into a CSTR ? Draw
the pulse input response of a pfr and a pfr with recycle. Tell any reaction that you see in
your day to day life. What type of reaction is combustion of coal ? Why does a coal turn
red when air is blown above it? How do u find activation energy of a reaction ? A reaction
5A + 7B —-> 12C , do u think it is possible ?
4. CET - what is fugacity ? Activity ? When do you use them ? What is meant by gibbs free
energy ? What is its value at equilibrium? What is zeroth law of thermodynamics ?
Experience - Overall a good experience. You will get a reality check that where do you stand. Being
a fresher as I graduated the same year, they were asking pretty easy questions to me but not for other
candidates who were either working or pursuing M.Tech. One of the senior panelist was extremely
helpful and tried helping me out whenever I got stuck.

Expectations - Not going to be selected as I wasn't confident during my entire interview and this was
also the 2nd interview of my career so I was extremely nervous. Moreover, due to covid they were
sending the candidate to board to draw/derive and not with pen and paper like other years.

Suggestions - If you really want to get into barc, never ever compare the level of barc interviews with
gate exams, although they might ask you easy question but the situation over there is entirely
different. You will get an experience like never before during that one hour.

I'm from mechanical engineering but mechanical and chemical have similar subjects so here's my
experience.

Barc interview

Name: Ashish Ranjan

Date of interview : 9/6/2017

Time: 5:40 pm to 7:00 pm

Branch: Mechanical Engineering

Result: selected as OCES Trainee

Now the interview experience goes like this:

My interview was last interview of the day by panel given to me (there were 6 panel for Mechanical
engineering and I got 3rd panel)

Me: may I come in?

Member 1: yes please sit down

They were in hurry, I didn't even get chance to wish them good evening (honestly they don't care
either)

M1: (member of interview panel =M from now on) so are you staying at hostel of BARC?

Me:yes sir .

M1:did you properly have lunch?

Me:yes sir.

I wasn't looking nervous or worried so they didn't waste much time in introduction and all (they don't
care about that either, if you are terrified then they might spend 10min to calm you down)

They gave me a pencil and an A-4 size page.

M1:ok, Ashish now we want you to write 4-5 subjects you are most comfortable in.

Me: (writing and speaking at the same time as each of the five members were noting down these
subjects in a piece of paper of there own) 1.Strength of material

M1:you can use short forms

Me: 2)FM

3)HT

4)MD

5. Basic Thermodynamics

M1 gave M2 signal to start.

M2:ok, there's a bar with load of 3P acting on one of it's side, what will be the stress?
Me:there will be no stress if we neglect all frictions. Body will accelerate with a=3P/m

M2: we add a force of 5P on other side. Now what will there be stress?

Me: (after thinking for few seconds)body will have a stress of 3P/A and acceleration of 2P/m

M2:will the stress be uniform longitudinally or will it vary?

Me: Sir this is a case of dynamic analysis, in btech we have studied till static stress analysis so if I
have to go based on that then it will be uniform longitudinally but it might be possible that it varies
from maximum at 5P side and minimum at 3P side.

M1:but will there be stress at all?

Me:yes sir stress will be present.

M1:ok Ashish, if I drop a ball from certain height will there be stress when it freely falls?

Me: are we considering air drag?

M1:No.

Me: Then there will be no stress.

M1:then how is this bar stressed?

Me:sir, if we consider that same ball falling freely and tie it with an elastic band on top and then let it
fall then it is both falling and resisting against the band, in this case there will be stress in the ball
since it is resisting aginst something.

M1:ok(indicating M3 to ask his question)

M3: (draws a tank with one hole at bottom face, one at outlet of vertical pipe attached at bottom face
and last also at bottom but on vertical face) what are velocities at each of these outlets?

Me:(using bernoulli's equation derived velocities)

M1:now buckets under each stream at same level, which one will fill first?

Me:first one.

M1:why?

Me:highest velocity

M2:which one will fill second?

Me:other 2 will fill simultaneously.... Ok wait... Stream from third hole is having a projectile type
stream
I started using equations of projectile motion.. Filled almost a page...

M1:Is this necessary?

M3:what are you trying to do?

Me:sir, I am trying to find the velocity of stream just before it gets into bucket as that would give us
volume flow rate and as we know volume of bucket we can find time taken to fill it.

M1:ok continue.

Me: further using projectile motion equations in x and y axis.

M4:(after 4-5 seconds) sometimes analysis is not necessary. Use your engineering sense, which one
do you think will fill faster.

M2:yes use method of feeling.

Me: (after few seconds, trying to feel) I think second hole will fill first.

M1: sure?

Me: (thinking)

M1:do you think in third hole water has to travel larger distance?

Me:yes sir, I get it.

M1:Is this the only reason for 2nd stream filling bucket before 3rd one?

Me:yes sir.

M1:ok, indicating 5th member to ask question.

M5: have you done tensile test?

Me:sir, I've not done it because our college didn't had the apparatus, but I've seen videos on it.

M5:What does the specimen look like?

Me: (drew the shape) the length to diametermeter ratio is 10:1, lines are marked on specimen at equal
interval.

M5:how do we measure stain?

Me:we use stain gauge.

M5: how is it placed?

Me:showed it in drawing
M5:why are lines marked?

Me:after some time elongation becomes large enough, we don't need stain gauge anymore and we
can measure it directly using these lines.

M5: draw stress station curve.

Me:for?

M1:Mild steel

Me: drawing and explaining at the same time.

M5: explain various points.

Me: (explained)

They did not get into dislocation theory and luder's band.

M2:see Ashish, fracture point has lower stress than what we had even before upper yield point so
why doesn't it fall there itself?

Me: (thinking for 3-5 seconds) sir the stress what we are showing here is the force divided by
original area, actually after ultimate stress point necking will take place and actual stress will
increase.

M4:what is that stress called?

Me:true stress.

M4:(has a smile on his face) and what is this stress called? the one you have shown on y axis?

Me:Engineering stress.

M3:Now draw the diametergram for aluminium.

Me: (drawn)

M1:Where's the yield point?

Me: specefic yield point is not visible in stress strain curve of aluminium.

M3:how do we know it for engineering purposes?

Me: (even though I knew the answer I knew this is a bit high level question that most Mechanical
engineering students are not aware of, so I pretended to think and recall and answered in 2-5
seconds) sir there's something called proof stress.

M1:what is it?
Me:sir we draw a line with slope equal to modules of elasticity and having intersection at x axis at
0.02% strain. Wherever this line intersect the curve is our yield point.

M1:Good.

Tip: see there are two ways of impressing interviewers, either give all the answers you know
instantly in which they will keep on raising difficulty level and ultimately you will reach a point
where whatever you have studied is covered and now they will ask questions in portion you have not
studied and you are forced to think and use your imagination. Or play in area you are comfortable in,
just pretend to be uncomfortable, show that you are thinking and the answers are not recorded in your
head. Because how far you can think beyond what you have studied is all they want to see. For you
1st law of thermodynamics might be easy and entropy might be difficult, for them everything is easy
like A, B, C, D... to you. They just want to see if you are able to think beyond what you've studied.
Obviously they also check whether you know your basic subjects well but that part everyone is good
at, that is necessary condition but not sufficient. Now I'm not saying that do this pretending thing at
every question because then they will see right through it. But whenever you get a chance add it. But
for doing this you have to remain calm. BARC was the only interview I had as my GATE 2017 rank
was 1825 and I had already dropped an year after btech so pressure was high but I learned to control
it. I knew if I have to make it happen tension and worry will not help me and that a calm and
composed mind can do anything it wants to.

M4: two vertical bars, one with area A and another with area 2A,same material ,fixed at top to a rigid
support and at bottom to a rigid bar which remains parallel to horizontal as we apply Force in vertical
direction. Which bar will fail first?

Me:(using compatibility equation to find force in both members)

M4: what are you trying to do?

Me: sir, I'm trying to find out stress in each of the bars the i'll divide it with area to find stress, which
ever will have higher stress will fail first.

M4:ok, continue.

Me: (found out that F2=2F1)sir, stresses will be same (I was little surprised myself)

M1: but how is that possible? Area of cross sections are different.

Me:Sir, forces will be different but area of cross sections are also different so stresses are same. We
can see if in another way too, as lower rigid bar remains parallel, strain in both bars are same and
since material is both members are same modules of elasticity are same thus stresses will be same in
both.

M1: there is a pipe with uniform heat flux through out its length, water is passing through it, inlet
temperature is 25C outlet temperature is 160C, pressure is 1atm..draw the temperature profile of
water?

Me:(drew a straight line with positive slope from inlet to outlet)

M1:are you sure?

Me: ( thinking for few seconds) ok sir there's a mistake.

M1:use the eraser.

Me:(drawing again, drew a curve-positive slope-decreasing slips) sir as the water passes is
temperature will rise so heat flux will decrease thus rate of heat transfer will decrease.....

M1:heat flux is constant.

Me: ok, that slipped my mind, then slope will also be constant i.e. We will get a straight line...
(thinking for few seconds..)

M1:see, water is entering,what do you think is leaving ?

Me:ok, it will become stream till it reaches outlet.

M1:draw the curve .

Me:(drew straight line, positive slope then at 100C 0 slope till some distance then again positive
slope till 160C)

M1:which portion will have maximum length?

Me: q.x=mc(dT) and q.x= m(LH). If mass flow rate is m, heat flux per unit length is q an x is
unknown for each of the tgree portions. We can find x factor r each portion.

M1: use the values and find out which lenghth is largest.

Me: c of water in s 4.18kj/kgK latent heat of evaporation is 2300 Kj/kgK and Cp of steam( trying to
recall for few seconds) sir, I dont remember.

M1:ok, compare the first two.

Me: x is proportional to c and LH. So second portion will be much longer than first portion.

M1: what is triple point?

Me: it is the point at which all three phases, solid, liquid and gases exist in equilibrium.

M1:what is critical point temperature for water.

Me: 273.16C

M1: are you talking about critical point?

Me: oh sorry sir, did you ask critical point?

M1:yes, what is it?

Me: ok, critical point is something completely different than triple point, it is the point at or beyond
which liquid will dirrectly convert to gaseous phase whithout consuming any latent heat.

M1: ok what is critical point pressure and temperature for water?

Me: (trying to recal for 2-3 seconds) sir I cannot remember.

M1:Ok(indicating M4 to ask next question)

M4:(drew a structure with conical part on left and attached to it a cylindrical part, like a nail, left side
temp. Is 400k,left side it is 300k) draw the temperature profile.

Me:(drew curve with increasing slope in left portion and staight line on right portion.

M1:draw the curve outside too. Surrounding's temperature is 300 and 400 not the surface temp.

Me: ok sir then there will be formation of thermal boundary layer.

M2:draw it.

Me: (drew it) sir natural connection will be taking place.

M2:No no draw the temperature profile.

Me:(drew it, decreasing slope outside)

M2:what do you think will be the thickness of this thermal boundary layer?

Me: it will be small, we can actually feel it if we are physically present near the surface.

M2:how thick? Is it in mm or cm or m?

Me: few cms sir.

M1: if in this stucture(nail one),we drill a hole throughout how will the curve change.

Me:it will be like this only.

M1: no no, there will be some chabges.

Me:sir, the hole is if constant cross section so in left part area is area will change but it is still similar
function of x as before.

M2:you are not listening what he is getting to say, listen carefully (by now more than 75 minutes had
passed and my enery was completely drained out since I already waited for 6 hours before interview,
and on top of that I was the only one, the interviewers didn't offer anything to eat or drink for all the
time I was in interview room)

M1: See Ashish, the graph will be similar but do you think slope will change?
Me:Yes sir, slopes will definitely change.

M1:will or increase or decrease?

Me: sir, q=kA(dt/dx)

M1:what is that law called?

Me: ( thinking for 5-6 seconds, I was confused between Fourier's law and Newton's law of cooling,
taking your time to give correct answer in one shot is always better than speaking quickly and being
wrong) Fourier's law.

M1: so, increase our decrease?

Me: slope is inversely related to area of cross section. As in drilling hole, area decreases so slope will
increase.

M1: Ok Ashish you can go now.

Me:Thank you sir(going out )

M4: please leave the pencil.

Me: (with a smile) sorry sir.

M4:Thank you Ashish, all the best.

I graduated from B.I.T SINDRI in the year 2018. I got selected for the BARC interview from BARC
test score in year 2019. My marks were 2 marks more than the cutoff but it does not matter in the end
selection is entirely based on the interview score.
My interview started at 5: 30 p.m. There were 6 members in the panel for interview all experts in
their respective field.

First they try to make you comfortable in the environment (In my case I was quite nervous) by asking
simple questions. From where are you, where did you study, gate score, barc test score.

A- Kaafi late ho gaye aap (Did you come late?)?

Ans- No Sir. The document verification sequence gave me such queue.

M- (Helping me out) There is mixed crowd.

Me nodding along with M.

A- So which language would you like to prefer Hindi or English.

Me- English.

A- What have you studied in Chemical Engineering during you GATE preparation.

Me- Fluid Mechanics, Mass Transfer, Heat Transfer, Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, etc.

B- What kinds of books were followed by you during your preparation?

Me- Answered some standard books like McCabe, Van Ness Smith, CD gel for fluid,etc.

A- What are your favourite subjects write them (they handed me a piece of A4 size paper and pencil)

I started with Fluid Mechanics, Heat transfer, Mass Transfer, Chemical Engineering
Thermodynamics, Chemical Reaction Engineering.

A- Write the starting governing equation with which we start our study of F.M., H.T, M.T. ?

Me- I started with the Newton law of viscosity, Fick’s first law of diffusion and then wrote the
Fourier’s equation.

A- You have given negative sign in ficks eqn and fouriers equation but positive sign in Newton’s
law.

Me- It is due to the sign convection followed during the derivation. Then I drew the fluid between to
parallel plates and coordinates to explain the sign convection.

A- Okay, But Wouldn’t it be convenient if we chose same sign convection in all.

Me- Being nervous and confused I said Yes sir.

FLUID MECHANICS

A- There is a straight cylindrical pipe and fluid is flowing through it. Draw the variation of Pressure
along length
Me- Answered.

B- Why the profile is like this?

Me- Explained using the equation for drop due to friction in cylindrical for laminar flow(Hagen
Poiseuille equation )

A- Okay, but it is valid only for laminar flow what if want to find the pressure drop for turbulent
flow?

Me- Writing the pr drop eqn for turbulent flow.

C- What is f in this equation how do we find it.

Me- Answered that f is fanning friction factor and for laminar flow can be found using the Hagen
Poiseuille and the for turbulent using Moody chart

A- Draw the Moody’s diametergram?

Me- Drew the diametergram.

M- What type of axes are these log-log, semilog, Cartesian.

Me- Answered.

A- From Moody’s diametergram What practical values f can take?

Me- Answered.

C- There are sometimes capital F, sometimes small how are they different?

Me- Answered one is Darcy friction factor and fanning.

D- I what type of flow the losses are maximum laminar or turbulent explain from the Moody’s
diametergram.

Me- First I answered laminar. Then I got stuck by the counter questions asker afterwards.

D- How . Explain from the Moody’s diametergram.

Me- Contradiction my own answer I told that we cannot compare as the friction factor in the
turbulent depends on roughness factor along with the Reynolds Number.

A,B,C,D,M didn’t look satisfied they moved on the simpler questions.

Fluid Mechanics question from the profile for Newton’s law of viscosity that I drew earlier.

D- In Mass Transfer mass get transported, in Heat Transfer heat got transferred, but in Fluid
Mechanics what is transported.
Me- I answered confidently that molecular momentum gets transported from higher velocity to lower
velocity in the direction perpendicular to velocity.

D- okay, The velocity profile you have drawn draw the profile for velocity gradient along the
momentum transport?

Me- Since I have drawn a linear profile the velocity gradient must be a constant. But at the time I was
unable to answer.

HEAT TRANSFER

B- (starting with a simple conduction question) there is a cylindrical rod and its sides surfaces are
insulated but the ends are at different

Temperature one is higher and other is lower. Draw the temperature versus length profile & heat flux
us. Length profile.

Me- answered.

B- now we remove a certain part of insulation from the middle and now draw the earlier discussed
profiles.
M e- I got stuck at this question started with the conventional approach but could not solve. Despite
of the hints provided by them

Mass transfer

A- what is relative volatility?

Me-Answered.

E- what should be value of relative volatility for distillation?

Me- answered.

C- can the value of relative volatility be variable?

Me- ( I did not answer correctly or what they wanted to hear) I told them that relative volatility varies
along the length of column during distillation

I drew the y - x . equilibrium diametergram and tried explaining with them. (They wanted to
azeotrope so they gave the hint)

M e- answered azeotrope have variable relatively volatility and tried explain with a azeotropic y-x
equilibrium diametergram ( then M asked me the

Counter-question)

M- why do the curve cut the y=x.

Me- answered.

M- what should the relative volatility on this side of intersection I other side of intersection.

Me-answered

E- suppose we have equal volumes of kerosene and water both make 1 liter and we supply heat from
the bottom can you draw the variation of

Temperature with time and T -x-y diametergram.

Me- I was not able to answer this question. As I have not studied about the immiscible mixtures.

This was the last question they asked me.

I was told that I should answer confidently as you know almost everything but due to nervousness
did not deliver to the full potential. Unfortunately I was not in the final merit list. But it was a
experience and I hope it may help others.
  CHEMICAL REACTION ENGGINERING
PANEL : so pankaj in cre tell me if we have a reaction with know kinetics how can i fond its
activation energy parcitcally in lab….?

ME: lucikly that striked in my mind sir we will first check its kinetics ie rate const at one temperature
and then after increasing its temperature we get another rate constant and with the help of arhenius
equation we will calculate the activation energy.

PANEL : ( seeing each others ) ok that’s wright it can be one of the way now tell us what are ideal
reactors and how many types of ideal reactors does exist in real world…?

( as this was quite a confusing question so our conversation went quit long in thus question , me
arguing no ideal reactor exist in real world and they were saying so pankaj you are saying that pfr is
not ideal, actully i think i din’t listien there question carefully or they were just trying to confuse me
and checking my knowledge regarding the ideality of reactors but converstion went long )

PANEL : pfr is ideal we all know tell us if CSTR is ideal or not……?

ME: ( confidenty ) no sir CSTR is not ideal.

PANEL : what makes CSTR NON - IDEAL

ME: i told various thing among one was a fluid element may sometimes passes form top of CSTR
making it non ideal.

PANEL : ( all at one time ) so tell me what process is this called ,one name is there for this na ..?

ME: (thinking trying to recall as i had stuided this during prepration but couldn’t recall )

PANEL : lets give u a hint ( they give hints where u could not answer don’t worry if u catch that hint
it will be ur plus point ) tum UTTRAKHAND mai rahte ho na to nanital bi jate rahte honge ( i
replied yes sir) imagine you are going to naintal form bike while going u sudeenly see two roads one
going to bhimtal and other to nanital what will it be called….?
( mam saying pankaj isse acha hint to koi de hi ni sakta iske liye sir ne bilkul perfect hint diya hai
socho socho pankaj , mam again repeating that hint for me )

but unfortunately i couldn’t catch that hint i know that word was in my mind but it was not coming to
my mouth ( sometimes happens u all can understand )

after sometime panel said BYPASS kya yr had hai ( one of member who was very young and very
friendly always saying in hindi )

ME: ( on a regread note ) mam this word couldn’t just strike my mind but i have studied that but sir
had given really nice clue to me i must have catch’n that.

PANEL: some questions on multiple reactions and selectivity ( like which reactor should be used if u
have this given reaction and such similar questions)

ME: answered them correctly and they were quite satisfied with my answered this time no cross
question on this topics .

PANEL : at last they switched to catalyst , what is function of catalyst activation energy , and eno-
exo diametergram and some basic questions .

ME: as these questions were basics so there was not much difficulty i answered but they asked cross
questions and many times i was confussed too .(as they were all asking at same time so i couldn’t
listen the questions carefully also i couldn’t complian about them regarding this as that would be
awakard so i showed them some sign of being confussed by there asking question all at same time
and i think they did understand)

 HEAT TRANSFER
PANEL : now tell us about modes of heat transfer…?

ME: i said there are three modes conduction , convection and radiametertion but basic modes are
only two convection is a special mode of conduction where fluid moves ,so modes of heat transfer
are conduction and radiametertion .

i did a blunder by saying that as i couldn’t explain them clearing what i mean by that i regret after
interview that i shouldn’t said the second line (the bold letters in my answer, i think they just
listeined that bold words ) that was too deep or may be i was wrong but again this time conversation
become long they asking questions like where u read that/ and then why in all book 3 modes .’

then at last they said that yes u r wright but partilly , convection can be said a special type of
conduction but modes are 3 not 2 (even u say basic modes of heat transfer ) .

PANEL : then they asked few examples like if a pencile is kept in air one horizontal and other
vertical in which will cool to the same temperature first and why……..? draw the boundary layer for
both……?

EDIT 1 ( after recaling what i aswered them)

ME: if all the properties of pencile are same then it will take same time to cool to same temperature.
PANEL : any reason for ur answer why not differnt time for both..?

ME: sir actually……. (no rpley just seeing there faces)

PANEL : okh means u are just guessing it .

ME: sir i thought this way……..i just wrote the formlua of transit heat tranfer (u know that e ki
power -t/ tau wala formula) and said that all property are same then time is same for same
temperature no place for any angle which it makes to the fluid in the formula .

PANEL : ok( then they moved to next question w/o telling u r wright or wrong may be they accepting
some therotical explaination or may be i was right i don’t know ) guys do comment what u think
about this question in comment box.

then many more question regarding boundary layer in that pencile ,diametergram for convection
curents formed during boiling of water inside bucket by heating rod.

 FLUID MECHANICS
then they asked me question in fluid mechanics like drag force , rotameter, and some basic questions

QUESTIONS :

 how rotameter different for venturimeter …?

 what is function of ball in rotameter and why it does’nt fly away with water pulling from
bottom as this device is open from top..?
 tell us the forces on that ball and there directions...?
 formula for drag force
(yes forumlas are impotant in heat also many direct formula like formula for coffecient of thermal
expansion , nusult number were asked as they start asking any topic with very basic question or very
easy formula then go to what u can say advance level) think that if u could not tell them a simple
formula because of ur igonerance during prepration what will happen ,they will shift to next topic
without asking more asuming that u doest know much from this topic so dnt ignore basic formulas
and basic defination)

( so i answered them fluid questions and expalined with diametergrams expect one from
rotameter ,dont actully rember that question will add as soon as i recall )

 MASS TRANSFER
and finally at last questions form mass transfer

PANEL : when will the equllibirium line wiil be straight in distillation column

ME: sir when the solution is dilute.

PANEL : asking about minimum flow rate , plates , fenskey equation ,

( i answered )

 END OF INTERVIEW
PANEL: they said ok right your interview is now over ( mam saying i think u will share this too on
quora and laughing )

ME: ya mam offcourse i will its really nice experience being a part of this interview.

PANEL : so u have written in ur form that u have applied for iit roorkee for counselling too so that
will be held tomorrow then how will u reach there are u leaving today itself…i think then also u will
not reach..?

ME: no man i am going from flight i will leave tomorrow as i have no other option.

PANEL : ok thanks u may leave ( taking white sheet from me )

ME: thanku mam

it was 1 hour interview

but unfortunately from 400 students only 14 were selected ( less than 5 percent) and my name was
not in the list released on 7th july but it was quite a good experience.

and i started preparing for gate 2017 from august

EDIT 2 :-

during my barc interview prepration i founded every thing about barc interview on quora but
couln’nt find from anywhere that which type of questions are asked so after interview i decided to
write this and help other chemical engginers like me appering for barc interview.

EDIT 3 - my advice to all barc interview appering aspraints is that dont think of ki wheter u will got
selected or not as its selection percent is very low , just give ur best choose 3–4 subjects divide time
for each according to time available and learn and remember as much as u can.

EDIT 4 :- my another advice is that barc does not give any extra marks if u speak or answer of them
in english if u are not comfortable in answering in english you can answer them in hindi also thing is
you have to explain them clearly your explaination of answer ,ya you can give your introduction in
english but answer them in hindi if you are not comfortable in english unless your english is fluent
and clear beacuse it is not an job interview for 10 - 15 min it can take 1 hour so i think you got it no
marks for english only marks for your knowledge , concept , approach and understanding of subject
etc .

I will tell u that even i was not selected i was sad as after gate 2016 exam i prepared for barc with
efforts but couldn't make it but then after that i started preparing for gate 2017 again then i relaised
that how much this barc prepartion cleared my concepts and also improved my basic and deep
knowledge.
Attending BARC interview is an experience worth remembering.

There won't be any personal questions nor HR type questions in a typical 45min to 1hr 30min purely
technical style of BARC interview.Sometimes if you are the last student of the day and you are doing
well, the interview may extend upto 2hrs also.

Typically they ask to write down 5 of your favourite subjects in a paper and straight away you are
expected to answer the questions one by one in somewhat same order you had listed. The panel
usually consists of 5 members with their expertise mainly spread in Heat transfer, Mass transfer,
Chemical reaction engineering and Thermodynamics. So it would be wise to choose these 4 subjects
to set your basics right.
The interview always start with simple basic questions and they go deeper and deeper as the
interview progresses. If you are able to convincingly answer at least 3 core subjects to the full extent
there is a good chance that you would get through. By "full extent", I mean you are able to answer a
full set of questions with a common theme without the committee members changing the topic as you
start faltering. In short, without faltering if you reach the end of a subject and the committee
members themselves move on to the next subject after reaching a particular level of difficulty, you
did well..! Kudos..!

If you are still caught up guessing what type of questions they will ask or what is meant by the
pattern of "increasing difficulty", here is a sample questionnaire for you.

------

( Assuming that you wrote heat transfer at the top)

Interviewer: Oh...! Heat transfer..! Everyone's favorite subject.! (Pointing at a fuming tea cup kept on
the table) . Do you drink tea ? What if I transfer this tea from this small cup to this big cup ? Will it
cool faster or slower.

You: You look at both the cups and point out that the one which has the larger surface area in contact
with air would cool faster.

Interviewer: So what if I replace this with water instead of milk ? What is the parameter that is going
to change? What is the equation relating the phenomenon ? What is a more faster way to cool this
from a common man's point of view ?

You: You write down the Newtons law of cooling and explain the parameters controlling the
convection process. The dependence on heat transfer coefficient and surface area are also laid down.
And in this particular question you would point out the heat capacity difference between milk and
water. Later you explain how heat transfer coefficient can be altered by stirring with a spoon or
increasing the speed of fan, similarly you also explain how the surface area can be changed by
transferring the content to the plate kept at the base of the cup.

Interviewer: These are all the things that you do at home. Stirring with spoon and juggling the liquid
between the cups. If I want to achieve this at an industrial scale, what should I do?

You: You come up with the concept of heat exchangers.( rather you are pushed to the concept of heat
exchangers)

[ From here slowly the fun part of the interview ceases and pure technical questions start]

Interviewer: What are the other heat exchange devices used in an industry.? How are they different
from heat exchanger.How do you increase the heat transfer rate in a given heat exchanger ?

You: You list out the various heat transfer equipments and specify the uniqueness of heat
exchangers. You also list out the various methods of increasing the heat transfer rate in a heat
exchanger such as increasing the surface area, using triangular pitch instead of square pitch, increase
turbulence through baffles etc.
Interviewer: Increasing the surface area ? You mean by increasing the number of tubes or is there any
other method(s) to do so ?

You: Yes, You introduce the concept of fins and it's uses.

Interviewer: How does the temperature profile vary in a 1:1 heat exchanger ? Draw the temperature
profiles of the fins situated at either sides of the heat exchanger ? What would be the difference in
temperature profiles of the fins located at the cold and hot end ?

You: You plot the temperature profile inside the heat exchanger in a counter current as well as co-
current flow system. Also, two different temperature profiles of the rectangular fins with varying
degree of curves depicting different temperature at the base of the fin is drawn.

Interviewer: Why is the temperature profile parabolic ? Why couldn't it be linear ? If I replace
ambient air with oil around the fin, how would the temperature profile look like ?

You: You sense that the interviewer wants to go into boundary layer theory, evidently you explain
the reason based on the boundary layer theory. Following that, you draw a more straighter cure of the
oil dipped fin temperature profile explaining the reason.

Interviewer: ( Seeing that you had answered all the questions convincingly enough). Now suppose, a
very naughty child enters the heat exchanger premises and he scratches the entire fin surface into a
wavy pattern using a hand file he found lying on floor. Now tell me how will the temperature profile
of the fin look after the incident :P

Now, I don't know if anyone was able to answer that question convicingly or better say supposed to
answer that question convincingly, but most of the times your interview ends with a take home
question like this.

After this the interviewer moves on to next subject with a wink or a smile !
Now 2 more subjects to left to crack and the interview proceeds.. !

------

So, this is how a typical BARC interview question pattern looks like. They go deep and deep until
you break. Hope this helps :)
Okay this is my actual interview last year for IOCL which took place in Mumbai during mid-June
2016. I had decent GATE rank, good pointers and industrial training at HPCL Vizag Refinery.
Nothing much for extra-curricular and they were not looking for that either.

So the panel consisted of 6 to 8 people I can’t remember exact count. There was one south
indiametern, one north eastern, one lady, one HR, and other Sirs all of them possibly engineers from
different fields.

I went in greeted everyone, sat down comfortably, gave my resume form along with xerox copies of
documents attached.

Q1 (The lady started) : Tell me something about your-self, starting with you family background,
education, college and projects which you did and any hobby if you would like to share. ( I was
surprised by such detailed question)

Me: I started took decent pauses and finished my answer.

Q2 (Now the sir started) : How long you were in HPCL?

Me: 3 weeks. ( Their response “3 weeks is very short for training”)

Q3 : What you did in your training?

Me: Explained

Q4 : Which plant of refinery you know the best? Draw the flowsheet?

Me: Trying to recollect. Now the pressure building. Drew something.

Q5 : OK so Sulfur Recovery Unit. There is one very important reaction in this process do you know?
Me: Tried, didn’t knew gave No for the answer..

Q6 : Alright you were in fire & safety so tell me which type of extinguisher you will use in case of
electric fire?

Me: CO2. Probably DCP also but that would damage equipment.

Q7 : Which subsidaries of HPCL do you know ?

Me: (Stress increasing ) Guru Gobind singh refinery bhatinda & HPCL manglore.

Q8 : Are you sure. HPCL Manglore, as currently it is taken by ONGC. Tell me any other.

Me: (What is this) Sir I don’t know any other as of know.

Now Grilling Started, Rapid fire technical-

Q9 : What is Joule Thomson effect

Me: Told but not very clearly

Q10 : Which gases doesn’t follow Joule Thomson effect?

Me: Forgot.

Q11 : What is Gibbs free energy? What is its significance?

Me: Explained but not very clearly most of them looked unsatisfied.

Q12 : What is chemical potential?

Me: Told

Q13 : What it signifies?

Me: (Now my confidence was crushed, I didn’t knew many things.) I said I don’t know.

Q14 : Can you tell me the difference between Coning and weeping in distillation?

Me: Answered.

He said “ You told exactly opposite”

Q15 : Do you know about this instrument (I don’t recollect some weird instrument name)

Me: (Now fed up) Sir I don’t know. We didn’t had instrumentation in detail.

Q16 : Do you know what F11 in radiametertion signifies?

Me: Told.
Now the Lady again started

Q17 : Why IOCL? Why not further studies? If you are not selected then what will you do?

Me: Told some points about IOCL which I read. Biggest oil industry. Some points from there ppt
which they showed at start.

If not selected I will again give gate and come back to PSU. I don’t want to go for higher studies. I
want to do job,. learn practical knowledge and all the bullshit which is to said for such questions.

Q18 : Ok. Thank you Shivam. Please send the next one in after 5 minutes.

Me: Thank you Sirs & Ma’am. Can I ask a question?

One of the Sir said Sure

Me: The chances of my selection are very narrow naa. As my rank is also not very exceptional and
interview also didn’t went well.

He said Do you know what Krishna said in GEETA

Me: (With a Smile) Yes Sir “Karm karte Jaa Phal ki iccha mat kar”

He also gave smile. I said Thank You and left.

Result : I hope you would have understood, Rejected for Better.

As I got UPL after that which Turned out to be a phenomenal experience as I got opportunities to do
thing which were impossible to do in such big PSUs. Got to interact with each and every dept. people
here. Got to understand the chemical business and various functions related to SUPPLY CHAIN
MANAGEMENT. Thank God for the Rejection.

I know this is not the answer for how the interview should go but how it shouldn’t.

Tips for Interview :

1. Prepare your training/Work experience thoroughly.

2. Know your subject exceptionally well right from first year topics.
3. Be clear about an answer and then only answer.
4. Hope for the best.
After that GD+GT(group task) Happened Topic
Venue - BARC Training School and guest house

Qualified through written exam

My score 183 , cutoff was 173.

Timing - 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Favorite subjects - HT, MT, CRE, CET

1. HT - Modes of heat transfer, how do u increase the rate for each mode? In a slab draw
temperature profile , it is made up of two sides Al and Cu, on changing the geometry of the
slab does the profile remain same ? Shell and tube heat exchanger draw and explain
difference between 1–1 and 1–2 type. Why not 1–3 or 1–4 ?
2. MT - which method u use for finding the no. of trays in distillation column ? Assumptions
of mcaabe thiele and draw the diametergram. Does it include anything related to mass
transfer because all the lines are obtained through material balances ?
3. CRE - when do u use pfr and when CSTR ? How do u convert a pfr into a CSTR ? Draw
the pulse input response of a pfr and a pfr with recycle. Tell any reaction that you see in
your day to day life. What type of reaction is combustion of coal ? Why does a coal turn
red when air is blown above it? How do u find activation energy of a reaction ? A reaction
5A + 7B —-> 12C , do u think it is possible ?
4. CET - what is fugacity ? Activity ? When do you use them ? What is meant by gibbs free
energy ? What is its value at equilibrium? What is zeroth law of thermodynamics ?
Experience - Overall a good experience. You will get a reality check that where do you stand. Being
a fresher as I graduated the same year, they were asking pretty easy questions to me but not for other
candidates who were either working or pursuing M.Tech. One of the senior panelist was extremely
helpful and tried helping me out whenever I got stuck.

Expectations - Not going to be selected as I wasn't confident during my entire interview and this was
also the 2nd interview of my career so I was extremely nervous. Moreover, due to covid they were
sending the candidate to board to draw/derive and not with pen and paper like other years.