VTU PhD Entrance Test Chemical Syllabus 2021

Research Methodology

PART - I

UNIT - 1

Research Methodology:

Introduction, Meaning of Research, Objectives of Research, Types of Research, Research Approaches, Significance of Research, Research Methods versus Methodology, Research and Scientific Method, Research Process, Criteria of Good Research, Problems Encountered by Researchers in India. Defining the Research Problem: Research Problem, Selecting the Problem, Necessity of Defining the Problem, Technique Involved in Defining a Problem.

 

UNIT - 2

Reviewing the literature:

Place of the literature review in research, Bringing clarity and focus to research problem, Improving research methodology, Broadening knowledge base in research area, Enabling contextual findings, Review of the literature, searching the existing literature, reviewing the selected literature, Developing a theoretical framework, Developing a conceptual framework, Writing about the literature reviewed. Research Design: Meaning of Research Design, Need for Research Design, Features of a Good Design, Important Concepts Relating to Research Design, Different Research Designs, Basic Principles of Experimental Designs, Important Experimental Designs.

 

UNIT - 3

Design of Sample Surveys:

Design of Sampling: Introduction, Sample Design, Sampling and Non-sampling Errors, Sample Survey versus Census Survey, Types of Sampling Designs. Measurement and Scaling: Qualitative and Quantitative Data, Classifications of Measurement Scales, Goodness of Measurement Scales, Sources of Error in Measurement, Techniques of Developing Measurement Tools, Scaling, Scale Classification Bases, Scaling Technics, Multidimensional Scaling, Deciding the Scale. Data Collection: Introduction, Experimental and Surveys, Collection of Primary Data, Collection of Secondary Data, Selection of Appropriate Method for Data Collection, Case Study Method.

 

UNIT – 4

Data Preparation:

Data Preparation Process, Some Problems in Preparation Process, Missing Values and Outliers, Types of Analysis, Statistics in Research. Descriptive Statistics: Measures of Central Tendency, Measures of Dispersion, Measures of Skegness, Kurtosis, Measures of Relationship, Association in case of Attributes, Other Measures.

 

UNIT - 5

Sampling and Statistical Inference:

Parameters and Statistic, Sampling and Non- Sampling Errors, Sampling Distribution, Degree of Freedom, Standard Error, Central Limit Theorem, Finite Population Correction, Statistical Inference.

 

UNIT - 6

Testing of Hypotheses:

Hypothesis, Basic Concepts Concerning Testing of Hypotheses, Testing of Hypothesis, Test Statistics and Critical Region, Critical Value and Decision Rule, Procedure for Hypothesis Testing, Hypothesis Testing for Mean, Proportion, Variance, for Difference of Two Mean, for Difference of Two Proportions, for Difference of Two Variances, P-Value approach, Power of Test, Limitations of the Tests of Hypothesis. Chi-square Test: Test of Difference of more than Two Proportions, Test of Independence of Attributes, Test of Goodness of Fit, Caution in Using Chi Square Tests.

 

UNIT – 7

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA):

The ANOVA Technique, Basic Principle of ANOVA, One way ANOVA, Two way ANOVA, Latin – square Design, Analysis of Co- Variance, Assumptions in Co-Variance.

 

UNIT – 8

Linear Regression Analysis:

Dependent and Independent Variables, Simple Linear Regression Model, Multiple Linear Regression Model, Problem of Multicolinearity, Qualitative Explanatory Variables. Factor Analysis: The Mathematical Basis, Important Methods of Factor Analysis, Rotation in Factor Analysis, R – Type and Q – Type Factor Analysis, Merits and Demerits of Factor Analysis.

 

UNIT – 9

Probability:

Random Experiments, Sample Spaces, Events, The Concept of Probability, The Axiomsof Probability, Theorems on Probability, Assignment of Probabilities, Conditional Probability, Theorems on Conditional Probability, Independent Events, Bayes’Theorem. Random Variables, Discrete Probability Distributions, Distribution Functions for RandomVariables, Distribution Functions for Discrete Random Variables, Continuous Random Variables, Graphical Interpretations, Joint Distributions Independent Random Variables, Change of Variables, Probability Distributions of Functions of Random Variables, Convolutions, Conditional Distributions.

 

UNIT - 10

The Binomial Distribution, Properties of the Binomial Distribution, The Normal Distribution, Properties of the Normal Distribution, Relation Between Binomial and Normal Distributions, The Poisson Distribution, Properties of the Poisson Distribution, Relation Between the Binomial andPoisson Distributions, Relation Between the Poisson and Normal Distributions, The Hypergeometric Distribution.

 

Reference Books:

(1) Research Methodology Methods and Techniques, C.R. Kothari, Gaurav Garg, New Age International Publishers,4th Edition, 2019.

(2) Research Methodology a step-by-step guide for beginners, Ranjit Kumar, SAGE Publications Ltd, 3rd Edition, 2011. [For Unit -2, Reviewing the Literature]

(3)Probability and Statistics, Murray R. Spiegel, Schaum’s Outline Series, McGraw-Hill, 4th Edition, 2013.[For Unit -9 and Unit – 10]

Chemical

Part II

Unit 1

Chemical Process Calculations and Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics:

Laws of conservation of mass and energy; use of tie components; recycle, bypass and purge calculations; degree of freedom analysis. First and Second laws of thermodynamics and their applications; equations of state and thermodynamic properties of real systems; phase equilibria; fugacity, excess properties and correlations of activity coefficients; chemical reaction equilibria.

 

Unit 2

Momentum Transfer:

Fluid statics, Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, Bernoulli equation, Macroscopic friction factors, energy balance, dimensional analysis and similitude, shell balances, flow through pipeline systems, flow meters, pumps and compressors, elementary boundary layer theory, flow past immersed bodies including packed and fluidized beds, Turbulent flow: fluctuating velocity, universal velocity profile and pressure drop.

 

Unit 3

Mechanical Operations:

Particle size and shape, particle size distribution, size reduction and classification of solid particles; free and hindered settling; centrifuge and cyclones; thickening and classification, filtration, agitation and mixing; conveying of solids.

 

Unit 4

Process Heat Transfer:

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

 

Unit 5

Mass Transfer:

Fick’s law, molecular diffusion in fluids, mass transfer coefficients, film, penetration and surface renewal theories; momentum, heat and mass transfer analogies; stage-wise and continuous contacting and stage efficiencies; HTU & NTU concepts; design and operation of equipment for distillation, absorption, leaching, liquid-liquid extraction, crystallization, drying, humidification, dehumidification and adsorption.

 

Unit 6

Chemical Reaction Engineering:

Theories of reaction rates; kinetics of homogeneous reactions, interpretation of kinetic data, single and multiple reactions in ideal reactors, non-ideal reactors; residence time distribution; non-isothermal reactors; kinetics of heterogeneous catalytic reactions; diffusion effects in catalysis.

 

Unit 7

Environmental Engineering:

Importance of environment. Damages due to environmental pollution. Types of water pollutants, treatments of effluents, Sludge treatment and disposal. Classification of air pollutants. Effects of air pollution, control methods for particulates, gaseous pollutants. Pollution abatement equipment used in Process industries. Engineered systems for solid waste management – Generation and handling, Composting, sanitary land filling and incineration.

 

Unit 8

Instrumentation and Process Control:

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

 

Unit 9

Plant Design and Economics:

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

 

Unit 10

Chemical Technology:

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