From EDITOR

Dear Readers,

Thank you for your immense support and contri-bution for our first issue of pathways. We arehappy to see your interest and enthusiasm in themagazine.

With your constant motivation and support, westrive for the betterment with every issue.

With the rise in catastrophic oil spills in oceans,we’ve got the cover story on it, unraveling the sci-ence behind oil spills and its preventive measures.And this is the time when most of the pre-finalyear students are geared up for CAT! Hence a spe-cial feature on the effective study for CAT has beenincluded.

Also, other articles presented are sure to intrigueyour technical and creative mind. We wish it ca-talyses your technical quest.

We welcome your feedback for the improvementof the magazine!

Happy reading!!

EditorSindhu Balu

Editorial TeamChaparala Sree VidyaPurnima Naresh MangnaniVikram GowrishankarMaya.P.S

Joint Editorial TeamHemalatha.JNivethika SundararajanN.VinishaMehdi Ali MirzaV.P.VenkateshwaranRohit Chanchal

Cover DesignPrasanna Venkatesh.K

-Sindhu BaluFinal Year

ChemE

EDITORIAL BOARD

Reach us at:pathways@chemfluence.com

1

INSIDE

How bad is oil spill?!

Pg. 3

So you think you can get into IIM?!Pg.6

Elements revealed!Pg.9

Curious mind!!Pg.7

With Regards, ChemEPg.12

FEATURES

How Bad is oil spill?

An oil spill is the accidental petroleum release into the environment. On land oil spills are usuallylocalized and thus their impact can be eliminated relatively easily. In contrast, marine oil spills may resultin oil pollution over large areas and present serious environmental hazards. The primary source of acci-dental oil input into seas is associated with oil transportation by tankers and pipelines (about 70%),whereas the contribution of offshore drilling and production activities is minimal (less than 1%). Large andcatastrophic spills releasing more than 30,000 tons of oil are relatively rare events and their frequency inrecent decades has decreased perceptibly. Yet, such episodes have the potential to cause the most seri-ous ecological risk (primarily for sea birds and mammals) and result in long-term environmental distur-bances (mainly in coastal zones) and economic impact on coastal activities (especially on fisheries andmariculture).

COVER STORY

-KISHEN RAFIZFinal yr, ChemE

Public concern over marine oil spills hasbeen clearly augmented since the 1967Torrey Canyon supertanker accidentoff the UK coast, when 100,000 tones ofspilled oil caused heavy pollution of theFrench and British shores with seriousecological and fisheries consequences.More recently, the highly publicized1989 spill of the Exxon Valdez in PrinceWilliam Sound, Alaska caused unprece-dented damage to the fragile Arctic sys-tem. Since then, impressive technical,political, and legal experience in manag-ing the problem has been gained inmany countries and at the internationallevel, mainly through a number of Con-ventions initiated by the InternationalMaritime Organization (IMO). - The oil can PELICAN

As a result of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the U.S. passed legislation requiring all newly built tankers to havea double hull.

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill (also known as the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill or the BP Oil Spill) is the largestmarine oil spill in history, and was caused by an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil platformabout 50 miles southeast of the Mississippi River delta on April 20, 2010. The Deepwater Horizon sank inabout 5,000 feet (1,500 m) of water on April 22, 2010. On April 23 the U.S. Coast Guard suspended thesearch for missing workers who are all presumed dead. BP was principal developer of the Macondo Pros-pect oil field where the accident occurred.

What is an oil spill?

2

Whose the dunce??

At the time of the explosion, BP and Trans-ocean were in the process of closing the well in antici-pation of later production. Halliburton had recently completed cementing of casings in the well. The U.S.Government named BP as the responsible party in the incident and will hold the company accountable forall cleanup costs resulting from the oil spill. BP has accepted responsibility for the oil spill and the cleanupcosts. However, in a report issued on September 18, 2010, BP clearly indicated its view that Trans-oceanand Halliburton deserved considerable blame for the disaster, allegations vehemently denied by thosecompanies. The sinking of the platform caused crude oil to gush out of the riser — the 5,000-feet pipe thatconnects the well at the ocean floor to the drilling platform on the surface.

The rate of oil release became thesubject of intense debate. Throughout thefirst month of the spill, government re-sponders officially adhered to what wenow know was low and inaccurate esti-mates. Non-governmental scientists, onthe other hand, used the small amount ofpublicly available flow data to generateestimates that have proven to be muchmore accurate. Live video feeds of theleak from the ocean floor fueled the con-troversy over the magnitude of the leak.

The emerging consensus is thatroughly five million barrels of oil werereleased by the Macondo well, withroughly 4.2 million barrels pouring intothe waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

3

How do we prevent???The following points must be kept in mind by oil companies to prevent oil spills, and thus make their op-erations safer at every level .

Inspect for deterioration and leaks in equipmenteach year. On a boat, make sure all fuel lines andhoses are in good condition and that seals and con-nections are tight. At home, examine the oil tank,pipes and supply lines for corrosion or over-pressurization. Replace all the damaged parts withnew fittings.

Install an oil safety valve on the supply line of yourheating system if you do not already have one. Thiswill automatically shut off the oil supply if the linebreaks.

Have your oil tank cleaned out every 10 years. Wa-ter and sludge can build up, causing corrosion andrusting the tank from the inside out.

Replace underground tanks that are more than 12to 15 years old with an above-ground tank. Under-ground tanks tend to corrode more quickly thanthose that are sheltered above ground. Also, re-place your above-ground tank if it has been uncov-ered for more than 10 years. Make sure your newtank has a covering to protect it.

Visual Puzzles!!!First one is done for you.BREAKFAST!! Now try the rest ! For those who are visually puzzled, reach pg.no. 7

4

So you think you can get intoIIM?!-Sindhu Balu

Final yr, ChemEAiming an IIM?!

Most of the CAT aspirants might have joined some acecoaching institutions by now and some would haveeven kick started their preparation.

Last year right the same time, I underwent the sameprocess, the rush of joining CAT classes, scouringaround any cat material with full zest. With aspirationsin mind and spirits soaring high I presented myself formy first class. But the first session thyself startled me.It was not a easy journey. There were not hundreds,but thousands of students sprawling all over the area.If seen from the bird's view, am sure the inaugurationceremony would have resembled a swarm of bees,with backpacks.

My class comprised of 70 people. There were 10 suchclasses in one batch and in one single centre of ONEinstitute. A simple calculation spotlighted on the enor-mity of the competition and strenuousness of the jour-ney ahead. Bell the cat!!

Why is such a strenuous process glorified?!

1. You get an highly successful career.2. Could DEMAND a pay in 10 digits3. Could RECTIFY any mistake IF done in UG!!4. An MBA degree which adorns your living room

wall.5. * Specific for boys: a FIVE fold increase in your

dowry

So if you think MBA is your way, you're reading theright article.

Pace 1:IIM'S are your sole dream destination. So take time to

get to know about them. Only then you would knowthe amazingly wonderful world which awaits you at theend of the hard toil. Learn about other colleges too.XLRI, FMS, IIFT, NMIMS, TISS, MUDRA are some of theimportant institutions which you can't afford to miss!

Pace 2:Analyze yourself! The well said quote about CAT is,

'There's no shortcut to CAT'Either you work HARD or SMART. Vast majority of us arenot blessed with the acumen or genius to take CAT andget an call from IIM!! So it's better to prepare.There are many online forums and websites( e.g.www.testfunda.com) to take mock CAT and assessyour present status. Analyze using an academic SWOT.This would enable you to devote your energy on weakareas , enabling smarter work.

Pace 3: Here comes the million dollar question!!Should I need to join a coaching institute?OrCollect the reading material and study by myself?

The only solution is " YOU DECIDE"Coaching institutions play a vital role in honing yourskills and organizing your study habits. Innumerous prac-tice tests and ace coaching are sure to escalate yourpercentile. But please do not mistake them to be alche-mists having some supernatural powers to turn yourweaknesses into golden strengths. They provide youthe best possible steps to get yourself into IIM, providedyou follow them.

5

IIM,Ahmedabad

And in best case, you find yourself capableenough of organizing your studies all by your-self, there can be nothing better than that.Ultimately, you are aiming at becoming aglobally competent manager. Self manage-ment and organization are a must here.

Pace 4: 'Plan your work and work your plan'Simple. Yet it is the mantra for CAT. Make anexclusive time table that is quite specific foryour IQ. Better to start from your high schoolmath and study from the day you keep youreye on IIM. The more you practice, nearercomes perfection.

Pace 5: Add food to your thought. Read, read, read and READ!!Keep participating in GD's at the coaching classes. Also participate in online MBA forums ( e.g. www.pagalguy.com)and get to know your competitors!

Here are our seniors who have realized their dream of IIM and share the spirit of life over there!!

IIM Bangalore is a unique place where you getthe chance to discuss real corporate problemswith 78 state toppers across boards from dif-ferent years, play any sport you like with 45gold medalists across IITs, NITs and India’sBest Universities, get your doubts on statisticsclarified by a Harvard or AFMC doctor and flirtwith St.Stephens or SRCC topper. Typically thestudent studies for 4 hrs for each class, theprofessors prepares for 6 hours to handle the1.5 hr session. Eating 5 times a day, bathingonce a week, drinking 7 cups of chai a day,celebrating birthdays every night and count-less number of times you wish 24 hours a dayis not sufficient makes IIM B definitely theplace to be. Wishing you all the very best forCAT.

I hope this would help you all MBA aspirants inunravelling the mysteries surrounding theprestigious IIM. A year ago I was in your shoes,when the idea of a B School was bizarre, butinteresting. Life here is amplified and timeseems to fly by. MBA is all about networking.You learn to enjoy yourself, make new con-tacts and at the end of the day you might learnfew things that come handy in life. The biggestUSP is that you meet different kinds of peopleand take in their ideas. You learn how tostretch your limits and realize that, your po-tential is much more than what you had everconceived it. I can speak forever on IIM but thetruth is that you can truly understand and lovethis life only when you become a part of it.Wish you very best to join this fantastic frater-nity.

Janesh RajagopalPGPM,Class of 2013IIM,Bangalore

Aishwarya VenkataramaniPGPM,Class of 2013IIM, Kozhikode

So now its your turn to burn the midnight oil! Don't flaunt it, just because its in trend! Keep in mind, you needto burn smart oil with hard toil to get there!!

6

Answers for Visual Puzzles!Answers (Left to Right):BreakfastHalf-heartedMoral supportA friend in needFor instanceReady for anythingOnce in a blue moonBack doorQuite rightYour time is upCrossroadsCrossbreedPainless operationSummaryForgive and forget

Language Snack!1.c ; 2.a ; 3.c ; 4.a ; 5.c ; 6.b

Curious Mind!!-Karthik SrinivasFinal Yr, ChemE

1. Why do onions make you cry?Answer: Unless you've avoided cooking, you've probably cut upan onion and experienced the burning and tearing you get fromthe vapors. When you cut an onion, you break cells, releasingtheir contents. Amino acid sulfoxides form sulfenic acids. Enzymesthat were kept separate now are free to mix with the sulfenic ac-ids to produce propanethiol S-oxide, a volatile sulfur compoundthat wafts upward toward your eyes. This gas reacts with the wa-ter in your tears to form sulfuric acid. The sulfuric acid burns,stimulating your eyes to release more tears to wash the irritantaway.Cooking the onion inactivates the enzyme, so while the smell ofcooked onions may be strong, it doesn't burn your eyes. Asidefrom wearing safety goggles or running a fan, you can keep fromcrying by refrigerating your onion before cutting it (slows reac-tions and changes the chemistry inside the onion) or by cuttingthe onion under water.The sulfur-containing compounds also leave a characteristic odoron your fingers. You may be able to remove or reduce some of thesmell by wiping your fingers on a stainless steel odor eater. Is this possible?!

7

2. Why does ice float?There are two parts to the answer for this question. First, let'stake a look at why anything floats. Then, let's examine why icefloats on top of liquid water, instead of sinking to the bottom.Answer: A substance floats if it is less dense, or has less mass perunit volume, than other components in a mixture. For example, ifyou toss a handful of rocks into a bucket of water, the rocks,which are dense compared to the water, will sink. The water,which is less dense than the rocks, will float. Basically, the rockspush the water out of the way, or displace it. For an object to beable to float, it has to displace a weight of fluid equal to its ownweight.Water reaches its maximum density at 4°C (40°F). As it cools fur-ther and freezes into ice, it actually becomes less dense. On theother hand, most substances are most dense in their solid(frozen) state than in their liquid state. Water is different be-cause of hydrogen bonding.A water molecule is made from one oxygen atom and two hydro-gen atoms, strongly joined to each other with covalent bonds.Water molecules are also attracted to each other by weakerchemical bonds (hydrogen bonds) between the positively-charged hydrogen atoms and the negatively-charged oxygen atoms of neighboring water molecules. As water coolsbelow 4°C, the hydrogen bonds adjust to hold the negatively charged oxygen atoms apart. This produces a crystallattice, which is commonly known as 'ice'.Ice floats because it is about 9% less dense than liquid water. In other words, ice takes up about 9% more space thanwater, so a liter of ice weighs less than a liter water. The heavier water displaces the lighter ice, so ice floats to thetop. One consequence of this is that lakes and rivers freeze from top to bottom, allowing fish to survive even whenthe surface of a lake has frozen over. If ice sank, the water would be displaced to the top and exposed to the coldertemperature, forcing rivers and lakes to fill with ice and freeze solid.

3. What common chemicals shouldn't be mixed?

Some of the common chemicals found in your home shouldn't bemixed together. It's one thing to say "don't mix bleach with ammonia",but it's not always easy to know what products contain these twochemicals. Here are some products you may have around the homethat shouldn't be combined. I also have a list of dangerous householdchemicals that may be helpful. Bleach with Acid Toilet Bowl Cleaners This mixture can result intoxic, potentially deadly fumes. Bleach with Vinegar Vinegar is a type of acid. Toxic chlorine vaporis produced. Don't mix chlorine bleach with any acid. Bleach with Ammonia Toxic, potentially lethal vapors are pro-duced. The main danger comes from chloramine vapors. Different Brands of One Type of Product Don't mix differentcleaners together. They may react violently, produce toxins, or becomeineffective. Highly Alkaline Products with Highly Acidic Products Acids andbases (alkalis) can react violently, presenting a splash hazard. Acids andbases are caustic and may cause chemical burns. Certain Disinfectants with Detergents Don't mix disinfectants with'quaternary ammonia' listed as an ingredient with a detergent. Theeffectiveness of the disinfectant may be neutralized.Chlorine bleach is sometimes called “sodium hypochlorite” or“hypochlorite.” You will encounter it in chlorine bleach, automatic dish

-washing detergents, chlorinated disinfectants and cleaners, chlorinated scouring powder, mildew removers, andtoilet bowl cleaners. Do not mix products together. Do not mix them with ammonia or vinegar.

8

Elements revealed!!!Whether gas, liquid or solid; radioactive or stable, reactive or inert; toxic or in your vitamin pill, the 118 buildingblocks each have its own chemically idiosyncratic characteristics, along with certain commonalities.

So here is a set of 10 elements revealed. Given their characteristics, guess the element!!For all those who could not reveal it, move to pg.no. 12

1.Solid-alkaliOne of only three elements to be created in the bigbang, though in much smaller amounts than hydro-gen or helium. It has no known role in normal physiol-ogy, but as a drug it has long been appreciated as amood stabilizer.2.Solid-alkaliTogether with nitrogen and phosphorus it is one ofthe three crucial elements in artificial fertilizers. It ispart of the alkali column, whose name comesfrom qali, the Arabic word for the salt-loving plantsaltwort.3.Liquid-halogenThis element is a favorite of hot-tubbers because ithas sanitizing properties similar to those of chlorinebut it is not as smelly.4.Solid-MetalloidsIts compound with fluoride is one of the most acidicknown, with a pH of -31. In alchemy it was seen as afeminine element; its symbol later became the sym-bol for “female” (a cross with a circle on top).5.Solid-non metalsBefore photosynthesis appeared, it's compound withhydrogen may have been life’s first source of energy.It is one of the most important elements in the living cell, appearing in two types of amino acids and in countlessother compounds.6.Solid-transition metalsIt is one of the most inert metals when in bulk. But its nano particles have surprising catalytic powers. They also as-

sume different colors depending on their size: its nano particles are responsible for the reds of stained glasses.7.Solid-non metalsOne of the crucial building blocks of DNA as well as of ATP, the living cell’s main form of energy currency. Togetherwith nitrogen compounds, they are a major pollutant in the runoff from fertilizers, causing “dead zones” in seas andlakes.8. Solid-actinidesAlthough he was neither a chemist nor a nuclear physicist, he was the author of a seminal 1905 paper on Brownianmotion that helped convince scientists of the existence of atoms and molecules. In the same year he also laid thefoundations for quantum theory, which eventually led scientists to explain the structure of the periodic table. it wasfirst discovered in materials from the fallout of a thermonuclear bomb.9.Solid-metalloidsThis element is fairly rare and has no known role in biology. Mixed in with glass, it reduces thermal expansion andthus it makes for oven-proof pots and pans.10.Solid- post transition metalsIt is the most abundant metal in Earth’s crust but it is rare in its pure form. Until the 1800s, when the technology

was developed to separate it from rock, it was more expensive than gold; Napoleon III allegedly hosted a banquet inwhich the guests of honor ate on its plates.

9

With Regards,ChemE

-Purnima ManghnaniFinal Yr, ChemE

Wet Bulb TemperatureThe wet bulb temperature is a good googly that you might haveto face in an interview. It’s the interviewer’s favorite questionbecause it’s something that not many have a clear idea about.Condensation, evaporation, humidification, and distillation aretransport phenomena in which vapors or vapor mixtures are incontact with the liquids, and a large amount of energy is releasedor absorbed with the phase change, which is known as the latentheat. A characteristic of mass transfer in these phenomena isthat it is always accompanied by an energy transfer due to thephase change, and in this respect it is quite different from ordi-nary mass transfer, which is not accompanied by an energytransfer.

Wet bulb temperature is important, owing to the fact that it helps in determining the humidity of the given gasstream. We’ll get to that in detail later.Say that a droplet of water is suspended in an unsaturated fast moving gas stream and its temperature is higher thanthe dew point of the gas (that means on the gas-liquid interface, instead of condensation there may be vaporizationdue to the higher temperature) which will facilitate a high vapor pressure at the surface of the droplet, whereasthere’s a low partial pressure in the bulk gas. The latent heat required for the liquid to pass into the vapor phase willbe taken from the body of the droplet i.e. the sensible heat. Hence the vaporization will certainly cause a fall in thedroplet temperature.As the temperature of the droplet keeps falling, once it’s less than the gas temperature, heat transfer from the gas tothe liquid begins. This process assures that the liquid get enough latent heat for the vaporization. At some point asteady state will be attained where the heat received by the drop will be equal to the latent heat used for vaporiza-tion. The temperature of the drop or liquid at this point is called the wet bulb temperature.Hence the heat transfer occurs to facilitate the mass transfer. This is a very interesting phenomenon! If there is adriving force for mass transfer to occur, heat transfer will provide the helping hand (obviously in operations involvingphase change).Now what exactly is the significance of the wet bulb temperature??At steady state,

qG= λw NAwhere NA is the gas-phase mass flux, qG is the gas-phase sensible heat flux, and λw is the latent heat of vaporizationof the liquid at the wet-bulb temperature Tw. This links the mass and heat transfer operations.

qG= hG (TG∞-Tw)NA= kH (Hw-H∞)

where hG is the gas-phase heat transfer coefficient, kH is the gas-phase mass transfer coefficient defined by the driv-ing force in terms of the absolute humidity, H∞ is the absolute humidity of the bulk gas, Hw is the absolute humidityat the wet-bulb temperature, and Tw and TG∞ are the wet-bulb and the bulk gas temperatures, respectively.

Now let’s do a little bit of mathematical manipulation and arrive at this equation,(Hw-H∞)/(TG∞-Tw) = hG/ (kH. λW)hG/kH is the psychrometric ratio which is a physical parameter. The above equation clearly establishes a relationshipbetween the humidity and the temperatures. Voila!!

10

Language Snack!a) to suddenly become excited

b) to slowly become excited

c) to suddenly become angry

a) you can ask me anything you want

b) it's safe to fire the gun

c) I think I can smell something burning

What does fire away mean?:

a) you feel very brave about doing something

b) you feel too cold to do something

c) you feel too nervous to do something

If you get cold feet, this means that:

a) you can't decide

b) you have made a decision

c) you have a headache

If you are in two minds, this means:

a) very angry

b) very sad

c) very happy

If you are over the moon, how do you feel?

a) play a musical instrument

b) decide what to do when the situation happens

c) plan what to do before the situation happens.

What are you going to do if you are going to play it by ear?

What does blow your top mean?:

Answers in pg.no. 7

11

Elements revealed!!! -Solutions

1 2 3

4 5 6

987

10

12

OUR MAJOR SPONSORS

Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd (Orchid) was established in 1992 as a 100% Export Ori-ented Unit (EOU). Commencing operations in 1994, Orchid has achieved amazing and consistentgrowth, quantitatively and qualitatively to emerge among the Top-15 companies in the Indianpharmaceutical industry in a short span of fifteen years of operations.Orchid's growth and positioning in the global pharmaceutical industry are indeed distinctive. Arobust leadership position in the antibiotics space, a core competence in oral and sterile manu-facturing, a broad-based multi-therapeutic coverage and an end-to-end connectivity over thepharmaceutical value chain, from discovery to delivery, have positioned Orchid uniquely.Orchid is a leader in the use of environment friendly technologies. Orchid has invested substan-tially in zero-discharge manufacturing processes at its facilities and is considered a national show-case in environmental friendliness.VisionEnriching Lives through Innovation in HealthcareMission"Discovery to Delivery"Orchid is a vertically integrated pharmaceutical company with established research, manufactur-ing and marketing capabilities across multi-therapeutic domains. We successfully leverage ourpenchant for science and technology to create niche products and manufacturing platforms lead-ing to attractive growth.

Chennai Petroleum Cor-poration Limited (CPCL) isa world class RefiningCompany with dominantpresence in South India.CPCL, formerly known asMadras Refineries Limited

CPCL plays the role of a Mother Industry sup-plying feed stocks to the neighboring indus-tries in Manali. CPCL’s products are marketedthrough IOCL. CPCL’s products are mostlyconsumed domestically except Naphtha, FuelOil and Lubes which are partly exported.CPCL has also made pioneering efforts in thefield of Energy and Water Conservation bysetting up a Wind Farm and Sewage Reclama-tion and Sea Water Desalination Plants.

Today it enjoy the status of a global entity withoperations in four countries; eight manufactur-ing plant locations in India and one each in UAE,Thailand and South Africa. The market leader inmost of its businesses in its home market in In-dia, SRF is the world's 2nd largest manufacturerof both the Nylon 6 tyre cord as well as the belt-ing fabrics. SRF strives to ensure faster integra-tion of people, procedures and practices acrossglobal entities to build synergies and createvalue for its stakeholders.

The multi-business corporategroup SRF with head quartersin Gurgaon, India has overthe years expanded its foot-prints beyond the nationalboundaries.

13

OUR PAST SPONSORS