Engineering Interview Questions.

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MECHANICAL ENGINEERING Interview
Questions with Answers :-

1. What is the difference between isotropic and anisotropic materials ?

If a material exhibits same mechanical properties regardless
of loading direction, it is isotropic, e.g., homogeneous cast
materials. Materials lacking this property are anisotropic.

2. What are orthotropic materials?

It is a special class of anisotropic materials which can be
described by giving their properties in three perpendicular
directions e.g. wood; composites.
3. What is view factor ?
View factor is dependent upon geometry of the two surfaces
exchanging radiation.
4. What properties need to be considered for
applications calling for following requirements :
(i) rigidity
(ii) strength for no plastic deformation under static load
(iii) strength to withstand overload without fracture.
(iv) wear resistance
(v) reliability and safety.
(i) Rigidity—Elastic modulus and yield strength
(ii) Strength (for no plastic deformation under static loading)
—yield point
(iii) Strength (overload)—Toughness and impact resistance
(iv) Wear resistance—Hardness
(v) Reliability and safety—Endurance limit and yield point.
5. Explain the effects of alloying chromium and
nickel in stainless steel.
Addition of nickel and chromium increases the tensile
strength and increase in resistance to corrosion takes place.

6. Mention two types of dislocations.

Dislocation refers to a break in the continuity of the lattice. In
edge dislocation, one plane of atoms gets squeezed out. In
screw dislocation the lattice atoms move fom their regular
ideal positions.

7. What are the principal constituents of brass?

Principal constituents of brass are copper and zinc.
8. What is Curie point ?
Curie point is the temperature at which ferromagnetic
materials can no longer be magnetised by outside forces.
9. Specific strength of materials is very high when
they are in fibre size but lower when they are in bar
form Why ?
Crystal structure has ordered, repeating arrangement of
atoms. Fibres are liable to maintain this and thus have high
specific strength. As size increases, the condition of ordered
and repeating arrangements can’t be guaranteed because of
several types of defects and dislocations and thus the specific
strength gets lower.
10. What is the percentage of carbon in cast iron ?
2.5%.
11. Which element is added in steel to increase
resistance to corrosion ?
Chromium.
12. Whether individual components in composite
materials retain their characteristics or not?
yes.
13. An elastomer is a polymer when its percentage
elongation rate is ?
Greater than 100%.
14. If percentage elongation of a material is more
than 200%, it is classed as ?
Rubber.
15. Why is it that the maximum value which the
residual stress can reach is the elastic limit of the
material ?
A stress in excess of elastic limit, with no external force to

oppose it, will relieve itself by plastic deformation until it

reaches the value of the yield stress.
16. Why fatigue strength decreases as size of a part
increases beyond around 10 mm?
Perfection of material conditions is possible at lower sizes and
as size increases, it is not possible to attain uniform structure
of the material.
17. Distinguish between creep and fatigue.
Creep is low and progressive deformation of a material with
time under a constant stress at high temperature applications.
Fatigue is the reduced tendency of material to offer resistance
to applied stress under repeated or fluctuating loading
condition.
18. While normal carburising and nitriding surface
treatments increase fatigue strength, excessive
treatment may decrease the fatigue strength. Why ?
.Normal carburising/nitriding treatments increase volume
due to phase transformation at Surface and introduce residual
compressive surface stress and thus increase the fatigue
strength. By excessive treatment the high compressive
stresses are introduced but these are balanced by high
internal tensile stresses of equal value and the subsurface
fatigue cracks may develop in the regions of high tensile stress
and lead to early fatigue failure.
19. List at least two factors that promote transition
from ductile to brittle fracture.
Manner of loading, and the rate of loading promote transition
from ductile to brittle fracture. A machine member may have
ductile failure under static loading but may fail in brittle
fashion when the load is fluctuating. Similarly a material may
evidence ductile failure under tensile loading at ordinary
testing speed but if load is applied at a high velocity then
failure may be brittle.
20. Which theories of failure are used for (a) ductile
materials, and (b) brittle materials ?
For ductile materials, theories of failure used are maximum

shear stress theory, and maximum energy of distortion

theory; while for brittle materials, theory of maximum
principal stress, and maximum strain are used.
21. What does thermal diffusivity of metals signify.
Thermal diffusivity is associated with the speed of
propagation of heat into solids during changes in temperature
with time.
22. For conduction of heat, the instantaneous rate of
heat flow is product of three factors. What are these
?
Ans:
1. Area of the section of the heat flow path, perpendicular
to the direction of heat flow.
2. temperature gradient, i.e. change of temperature w.r.t.
length of path.
3. Thermal conductivity of material.
23. How convective heat transfer is effected and on
what factors it depends ?
Convective heat transfer is effected between a solid and fluid
by a combination of molecular conduction within the fluid in
combination with energy transport resulting from the motion
of fluid particles. It depends on boundary layer configuration,
fluid properties and temperature difference.
24. Which is the common element between brass
and bronze ?
Copper.
25. What does following alloy designation indicate
FG 250 ?
Grey cast iron with tensile strength of 250 MPa.
26. How is ceramic defined ?
It is a solid formed by combination of metallic and nonmetallic
elements.

27. Give one example of metal classified as per

structure as BCC, FCC, HCP and CCP.
Ans:
BCC (body centred cubic) structure—Molybdenum
FCC (face centred cubic) structure—Aluminium
HCP (hexagonal closed packed) structure—Zinc
CCP (cubic dosed packed) structure-Copper.
28. What is the name of solid solution of carbon in
alpha iron and delta iron ?
Ferrite and austenite respectively.
29. Explain the difference between pearlite and
cementile ?
Pearlite is eutectoid mixture of ferrite and cementile.
Cementite is chemical compound of iron and carbon.
30. Give one example each of the following
proportion of materials dimensional, physical,
technological and mechanical.
Roughness, enthalpy, toughness, and hardness respectively.
31. For which parts the Wahl factor and Lewis form
factor used ?
For springs and gears respectively.
32. How oxygen can be removed from steel during
melting? What are fully killed steels ?
Oxygen can be removed by adding elements such as
manganese, silicon or aluminium which, because of their high
affinity for oxygen, react with it to form non-metallic oxides
which rise into the slag. Steels which have had most of their
dissolved oxygen removed are called “fully killed steels”.
33. Hydrogen cannot be removed easily from molten
steel. What harm hydrogen has on property of steel ?
Execessive hydrogen results in the formation of small fissures
often described as hairline cracks or flakes in the steel. Large
forgings in alloy steel are particularly sensitive to this
phenomenon.

34. What is allotrope ? In what forms of cubic

pattern, iron exists ?
Some elements exist in more than one crystalline form. Each
form is known as “allotrope”. Iron exists in two forms of cubic
pattern, namely body centered cubic (bcc) and face-centered
cubic (fee).
35. What is the difference between alpha iron, delta
iron and gamma iron ?
The bcc form of iron exists between room temperature and
910°C, and between 1400°C and the melting point at 1539°C.
The lower temperature form is known as “alpha”-iron and the
higher temperature form as “delta”-iron. The face-centered
cubic form existing between 910°C and 1400°C is referred to
as “gamma-iron”.
36. Metals, in general are of low strength and do not
possess required physio-chemical and technological
properties for a definite purpose. Alloys are
therefore more than metals alone. Discuss the
arrangement of atoms and structures of alloys.
Alloys are produced by melting or sintering two ore more
metals, or metals and a non-metal, together. Alloys possess
typical properties inherent in the metallic state. The chemical
elements that make up an alloy are called its components. An
alloy can consist of two or more components. The phase and
structures of alloys describe the constitution, transformations
and properties of metals and alloys. A combination of phases
in a state of equilibrium is called a system. A phase is a
homogeneous portion of a system having the same
composition and the same state of aggregation throughout its
volume, and separated from the other portions of the system
by interfaces. For instance, a homogeneous pure metal or
alloy is a single-phase system. A state in which a liquid alloy
(or metal) coexists with its crystals is a two-phase system.
Structure refers to the shape, size or the mutual arrangement
of the corresponding phases in metals or alloys. The structural
components of an alloy are its individual portions, each
having a single structure with its characteristic features.

37. What is the difference between isotropic material

and homogeneous material ?
In homogeneous material the composition is same throughout
and in isotropic material the elastic constants are same in all
directions.
38. Explain the difference between the points of
inflexion and contraflexure.
At points of inflexion in a loaded beam the bending moment is
zero and at points of contraflexure in loaded beam the
bending moment changes sign from increasing to decreasing.
39. What is the difference between proof resilience
and modulus of resilience ?
Proof resilience is the maximum strain energy that can be
stored in a material without permanent deformation. Modulus
of resilience is the maximum strain energy stored in a
material per unit volume.
40. What is the difference between column and strut
?
Both column and strut carry compressive load. Column is
always vertical but strut as member of structure could carry
axial compressive load in any direction.
41. Explain the difference between ferrite, austenite
and graphite ?
Ferrite is the solid solution of carbon and other constituents
in alpha-iron. It is soft, ductile and relatively weak.
Austenite is the solid solution of carbon and other
constituents in gamma-iron. It exists in ordinary steels at
elevated temperatures, but it is also found at ordinary
temperatures in some stainless steels.
Graphite has a hexagonal layer lattice. ‘
42. Explain the terms solid solution, eutectic,
eutectoid and peritectic.
Ans:
Solid Solution. When a homogeneous mixture of two (or
more) atomic forms exists in solid state, it is known as solid

Eutectic. A mixture of two (or more) phases which solidify

simultaneously from the liquid alloy is called an eutectic.
Alloys in which the components solidify simultaneously at a
constant temperature the lowest for the given system, are
called eutectic alloys.
Eutectoid. Eutectoid alloys are the alloys for which two
solid phases which are completely soluble become
completely insoluble on cooling before a certain
temperature called eutectoid temperature.
Peritectic. A peritectic transformation involves a reaction
between a solid and liquid that form a different and new
solid phase. This three phase transformation occurs at a
point called peritectic point.
43. What do you understand by critical points in
iron, iron-carbide diagram ?
The temperatures at which the phase changes occur are called
critical points (or temperatures).
45. Why PERT is preferred over CPM for evaluation
of project ?
PERT is based on the approach of multiple time estimates for
each activity.
46. What is the percentage of chromium in 18 : 4 : 1
IISS ?
4%.
47. What is stellite ?
It is a non-ferrous cast alloy containing cobalt, chromium and
tungsten.
48. Which rays are produced by cobalt-60 in
industrial radiography ?
Gamma rays.
49. What are killed steels and what for these are
used ?
Killed steels are deoxidised in the ladle with silicon and

aluminium. On solidification no gas evolution occurs in these

steels because they are free from oxygen.
50. What is critical temperature in metals ?
It is the temperature at which the phase change occurs in
metals.
51. Car tyres are usually made of ?
Styrene-butadine rubber.
52. What is the structure of pure iron and whether it
is soft or hard ?
Ferrite and it is soft.
53. Which elements increase the corrosion
resistance of steel ?
Chromium and nickel.
54. What causes hardness in steel ? How heat
treatment alters properties of steel ?
The shape and distribution of the carbides in the iron
determines the hardness of the steel. Carbides can be
dissolved in austenite is the basis of the heat treatment of
steel. If steel is heated above the A critical temperature to
dissolve all the carbides, and then cooled, suitable cooling
through the cooling range will produce the desired size and
distribution of carbides in the ferrite, imparting different
properties.
55. Explain the formation of microstructures of
pearlite, bainite and martensite in steel.
If austenite containing about 0.80 percent carbon is slowly
cooled through the critical temperature, ferrite and cementite
are rejected simultaneously, forming alternate plates or
lamellae. This microstructure is called pearlite. At
temperatures just belot the A1, the transformation from
austenite.to pearlite may take an appreciable time to initiate
and complete, but the product will be lameller pearlite. As the
transformation temperature is lowered, the time to initiate
transformation shortens but the product is pearlite of
increasing fineness, and at temperatures approaching 550°C it

cannot be resolved into its lamellar constituents. Further

deerease in transformation temperature causes a lengthening
of the ncubation period and a change in structure of the
product to a form known as “bainite”.
If the temperature is lowered sufficiently, the diffusion
controlled nucleation and growth modes of transformation
are suppressed completely and the austenite transforms by a
diffusionless process in which the crystal lattice effectively
shears to a new crystallographic configuration known as
“martensite”. This phase has a tetragonal crystal structure and
contains carbon in supersaturated solid solution.
56. How with alloying of steel it is possible to a
achieve properties which can not be achieved with
heat treatment ?
A prerequisite to the hardening of steels is that martensite
should be formed on cooling, but this can only be achieved if
the rate of cooling is great enough to suppress the formation
of pearlite or bainite and in plain carbon steels this can be
achieved by quenching relatively small specimens
57. What are the major effects of alloying elements?
1. To alter the transformation temperatures and times
2. To modify the room temperature and elevated
temperature strengths of given structures by (a)
stiffening the crystals and (b) introducing complex
precipitates which tend to harden the steel.
3. To modify the type of oxide film formed on the surface of
the steel and thereby affect its corrosion resistance.
58. What is the difference between austenite
stabilisers and ferrite stabilisers ?
Austenite stabilisers have the effect of extending the
temperature range overwhich austenite is formed. Such
elements are carbon, manganese, nickel, copper and cobalt.
Ferrite stabilisers have the effect of extending the
temperature range over which alpha and delta ferrite are
formed, which consequently reduces temperature range

over which austenite is formed. Such elements are silicon,

chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, titanium and niobium.
59. What are the effects of carbon on the properties
of steel.
In general, an increase in carbon content produces higher
ultimate strength and hardness but lowers ductility and
toughness of steel alloys. Carbon also increases air-hardening
tendencies and weld hardness, especially in the presence of
chromium. In low-alloy steel for high-temperature
applications, the carbon content is usually restricted to a
maximum of about 0.15% in order to assure optimum ductility
for welding, expanding, and bending operations. To minimize
intergranular corrosion caused by carbide precipitation, the
carbon content of austenitic (18-8 type) alloys is limited in
commercial specifications to a maximum of 0.08%, or even
less, i.e. 0.03% in the extremely low-carbon grades used in
certain corrosion-resistant applications.
In plain carbon steels in the normalised condition, the
resistance to creep at temperatures below 440°C appears to
increase with carbon content up to 0.4% carbon, at higher
temperatures there is
but little variation of creep properties with carbon content.
An increase in carbon content lessens the thermal and
electrical conductivities of steel and increases its hardness on
quenching.
60. What is the role of silicon as alloying element in
steels ?
Silicon contributes greatly to the production of sound steel
because of its deoxidizing and degasifying properties. When
added in amounts up to 2.5%, the ultimate strength of the
steel is increased without loss in ductility. Silicon in excess of
2.5% causes brittleness, and amounts higher than 5% make
the steel non-malleable.
Resistance to oxidation and surface stability of steel are
increased by the addition of silicon. These desirable effects
partially compensate for the tendency of silicon to lower the
creep properties of steel. Silicon increases the electrical
resistivity of steel and decreases hysteresis losses.

61. Discuss the role of manganese in alloying steels.

Manganese is an excellent deoxidizer and sulfur neutralizer,
and improves the mechanical properties of steel, notably the
ratio of yield strength to tensile strength at normal
temperatures. As an alloying element, manganese serves as an
inexpensive means of preventing “hot shortness”. It improves
rolling properties, hardenability, and resistance to wear.
However manganese increases the crack sensitivity of
weldments, particularly with steels of higher carbon content.
62. Define buckling factor.
It is the ratio of the equivalent length of column to the
minimum radius of gyration.
63. What do you understand by catenary cable ?
A cable attached to the supports and carrying its own weight.
64. What is coaxing ?
It is the process of improving fatigue properties by first understressing
and then increasing the stress in small increments.
65. What is difference between conjugate beam and
continuous beam ?
A conjugate beam is an imaginary beam of same size as
original beam and carrying a distributed load in accordance
with the bending moment diagram.
A continuous beam is one which is resting on more than
two supports.
66. What is isotropic material ?
It is a material having same elastic constants in all directions.
67. Explain difference between modulus of resilience
and modulus of rigidity ?
Modulus of resilience is the maximum strain energy stored in
a material per unit volume and modulus of rigidity is the ratio
of shearing stress to the shearing strain within the elastic
limit.
68. What is the difference between basic hole and
basic shaft ?
A basic hole is one whose lower deviation is zero and in case of
basic shaft the upper deviation is zero.
69. What for pyranometer is used ?
It is used to measure the total hemispherical solar radiation.
70. Describe transfer machines in brief.
It is an automatic machine in which workpiece alongwith
fixture is transferred from one station to other automatically
and several operation on workpiece are performed at each
station.
71. What is burnt-out point ?
It corresponds to maximum heat flux at which transition
occurs from nucleate boiling to film boiling.
72. What do you understand by eutectic ?
It is mechanical mixture of two or more phases which solidify
simultaneously from the liquid alloy.
72. Explain the difference between grey iron and
white iron. What is mottled iron ?
The carbon in cast iron could exist at room temperature as
either iron carbide, or as graphite which is the more stable
form. Irons containing carbon as graphite are soft, easily
machinable and are called “grey irons”. Irons with carbon
present as iron carbide are extremely hard, difficult to
machine and are called “white” irons. Irons with fairly equal
proportions of graphite and iron carbide have intermediate
hardness and are called “mottled” irons.
73. The graphite in grey irons exists in the form of
flakes which act as stress-raisers under tensile
loading and consequently grey irons have relatively
low tensile strength and ductility. Still grey iron is
extensively used in engineering. Why ?
Grey iron is extensively used in engineering because of
following characteristics.

1. Cheapness.
2. Low melting point and high fluidity making it suitable
for castings of intricate shape.
3. Relatively good erosion and corrosion resistance.
4. High damping capacity, with respect to vibration.
5. Relatively good mechanical properties under
compressive loading.
74. Under what condition a convergent divergent
nozzle required ?
When pressure ratio is greater than critical pressure ratio.
75. What is endurance limit and what is its value for
steel ?
Endurance limit is the maximum level of fluctuating stress
which can be tolerated indefinitely. In most steels this stress is
approximately 50% of the ultimate tensile strength and it is
defined as the stress which can be endured for ten million
reversals of stress.
76. How the net work to drive a compressor and its
volumetric efficiency behave with increase in
clearance volume ?
Work remains unaltered and volumetric efficiency decreases.
77. What do you understand by sulphur print ?
Sulphides, when attached with dilute acid, evolve hydrogen
sulphide gas which stains bromide paper and therefore can be
readily detected in ordinary steels and cast irons. While
sulphur is not always as harmful as is sometimes supposed, a
sulphur print is a ready guide to the distribution of segregated
impurities in general.
78. What is the different between brass and bronze ?
Brass is an alloy of copper with zinc; and bronze is alloy of
copper with tin.
79. What is the effect of addition of zinc in copper?
What is the use of 70/30 brass ?
By addition of zinc in copper, both tensile strength and

elongation increases. The 70/30 brass has excellent deep

drawing property and is used for making radiator fins.
80. What for admirality brass used ?
Admirality brass with 29% zinc and 1% tin has good corrosion
resistance and is used for condenser and feed heater tubes.
Aluminium is also added to brass to improve corrosion
resistance.
81. What is the maximum use of magnesium ?
Magnesium is used to alloy with aluminium and as an additive
for making SG (Spheroidal Graphite) iron.
82. What for zinc finds applications ?
Galvanizing consumes the largest proportion of zinc. Zinc is
resistant to corrosion but is attacked by acids and alkalies.
Zinc alloy.s are suited for making die casting since the melting
point is reasonably low.
83. Which factors influence the type of fracture in
failure of a material ?
Seven factors influencing type of failure are :
1. Type of material (inherent structure properties),
2. Manner of loading (Static versus dynamic),
3. Range of imposed stress,
4. Strain rate (static, dynamic, impact),
5. Stress distribution (discontinuity in material/shape),
6. temperature, and
7. surface treatment.
84. What is the name given to ratio of actual cycle
efficiency and ideal cycle efficiency.
Efficiency ratio.
85. List two effects of manganese in plain carbon
steels.
Manganese increases tensile strength and hardness. It
decreases weldability.

86. Name the strongest and weakest type of atomic

bonds.
Metallic bond is strongest and molecular bond also known as
Vander Waals bond is weakest.
87. In which process internal energy remains
constant ?
Isothermal process.
88. What is temper embrittlement in alloy steels and
what are its effects ?
Embrittlement attack is usually intergranular in metals, i.e.
cracks progress between the grains of the polycrystalline
material. It imparts a tendency to fail under a static load after
a given period of time in those alloy steels which are
susceptible to embrittlement.
89. What are whiskers ?
Whiskers are very small crystals which are virtually free from
imperfections and dislocations.
90. What is Bauschinger effect ?
According to Bauschinger, the limit of proportionality of
material does not remain constant but varies according to the
direction of stress under cyclic stresses.
91. What is the difference between heat capacity and
specific heat of a material ?
Ans:
The heat capacity of a material is the amount of heat
transformed to raise unit mass of a material 1 degree in
temperature.
The specific heat of a material is the ratio of the amount of
heat transferred to raise unit mass of a material 1 degree in
temperature to that required to raise unit mass of water 1
degree of temperature at some specified temperature.
For most engineering purposes, heat capacities may be
assumed numerically equal to;specific heats.

92. Explain the rule to find specific heat of aqueous

solutions.
For aqueous solutions of salts, the specific heat can be
estimated by assuming the specific heat of the solution equal
to that of the water alone. Thus, for a 15% by weight solution
of sodium chloride in water, the specific heat would be
approximately 0.85.
93. What do you understand by latent heat ? Give
four examples of latent heats.
For pure substances, the heat effects accompanying changes
in state at constant pressure (no temperature change being
evident) are known as latent heats. Examples of latent heats
are : heat of fusion, vaporisation, sublimation, and change in
crystal form.
94. Define the terms free energy and free enthalpy.
What is their significance and importance ?
Free energy (or Helmholtz function) is defined as/= u -Ts.
It is equal to the work during a constant-volume isothermal
reversible nonflow process.
Free enthalpy (or Gibbs function) is defined as g = h – Ts
(where u = internal energy, h = enthalpy, T = temperature, s =
entropy)
Gibbs function is of particular importance in processes where
chemical changes occur. For reversible isothermal steady-flow
processes or for reversible constant-pressure isothermal
nonflow processes, change in free energy is equal to net work.
95.Which parameter remains constant in isochoric
process ?
Volume.
96. What is polytropic process ? Under what
conditions it approaches isobaric, isothermal, and
isometric process ? In which reversible process no
work is done ?
A polytropic process is one that follows the equation pun =
constant (index n may have values from – oc to + oo. This
process approaches isobaric when n = 0, isothermal when n =

1, and isometric when n = . No work is done in isometric

process.
97. Whether superheated steam can be treated like
ideal gas ?
Yes.
98. Out of constant pressure and constant volume
lines on TS diagram which line has higher slope ?
And whether slope is constant or variable ?
Constant volume line. Slope is variable.
99. Whether entropy is intensive property or
extensive property ?
Entropy is extensive property.
100. In which process fluid expands but does no
work ?
Throttling process.
101. What is the difference between scavenging and
supercharging ?
Scavenging is process of flushing out burnt gases from engine
cylinder by introducing fresh air in the cylinder before exhaust
stroke ends. Supercharging is the process of supplying higher
mass of air by compressing the atmospheric air.
102. What are the names given to constant
temperature, constant pressure, constant volume,
constant internal energy, constant enthalpy, and
constant entropy processes.
Isothermal, isochroic, isobaric, free expression, throttling and
adiabatic processes respectively.
103. In a Rankine cycle if maximum steam pressure
is increased keeping steam temperature and
condenser pressure same, what will happen to
dryness fraction of steam after expansion ?
It will decrease.

104. Why entropy change for a reversible adiabatic

process is zero ?
Because there is no heat transfer in this process.
105. What are two essential conditions of perfect gas
?
It satisfies equation of state and its specific heats are constant.
106. Enthalpy and entropy are functions of one
single parameter. Which is that ?
Temperature.
107. Why rate of condensation is higher on a
polished surface compared to rusty surface ?
Polished surface promotes drop wise condensation and does
not wet the surface.
108. How much resistance is offered to heat flow by
drop wise condensation ?
Nil
109. What is the relationship between COP of
heating and cooling ?
COP of heating is one(unity) more than COP of cooling.
110. How much is the work done in isochoric process
?
Zero.
111. When maximum discharge is obtained in nozzle
?
At the critical pressure ratio.
112. Under what condition the work done in
reciprocating compressor will be least ?
It is least when compression process approaches isothermal.
For this purpose, attempts are made to cool the air during
compression.
113. What is the difference between stalling and
surging in rotary compressions ?

Stalling is a local phenomenon and it occurs when How breaks

away from the blades. Surging causes complete breakdown of
flow and as such it affects the whole machine.
114. Why the electric motor of a fan with backward
curved blades is never got overloaded under any
condition ?
The maximum power is consumed at about 70% of maximum
flow in case’of fan with backward blades. For higher flow,
power consumption gets lower.
115. Why the work per kg of air flow in axial flow
compressor is less compared to centrifugal
compressor for same pressure ratio ?
Isentropic efficiency of axial flow compressor is higher.
116. What is the name given to portion of thermal
energy to be necessarily rejected to environment ?
Anergy.
117. What is pitting ? How it is caused ?
Non uniform corrosion over the entire metal surface, but
occuring only in small pits is called pitting. It is caused by lack
of uniformity in metal.
118. What is caustic embrittlement ?
It is the actual physical change in metal that makes it
extremely brittle and filled with minute cracks. It occurs
particularly in the seams of rivetted joints and around the
rivet holes.
119. Which impurities form hard scale and which
impurities soft scale ?
Sulphates and chlorides of lime and magnesium form hard
scale, and carbonates of lime and magnesium form soft scale.
120. What is the difference between hard water and
soft water ?
Hard water contains excess of scale forming impurities and
soft water contains very little or no scale forming substances.

121. Which two elements in feed water can cause

corrosion of tubes and plates in boiler ?
Acid and oxygen in feed water lead to corrosion.
122. What should be done to prevent a safety valve to
stick to its seat ?
Safety valve should be blown off periodically so that no
corrosion can take place on valve and valve seat.
123. Why large boilers are water tube type ?
Water tube boilers raise steam fast because of large heat
transfer area and positive water circulation. Thus they
respond faster to fluctuations in demand. Further single tube
failure does not lead to catastrophy.
124. What type of boiler does not need a steam drum
?
Super-critical pressure boiler.
125. Why manholes in vessels are usually elliptical in
shape ?
Elliptical shape has minimum area of opening and thus plate
is weakened the least. Further it is very convenient to insert
and take out the cover plate from elliptical opening.
126. Low water in boiler drum is unsafe because it
may result in overheating of water tubes in furnace.
Why it is unsafe to have high water condition in
boiler drum ?
High drum level does not allow steam separation to be
effective and some water can be carried over with steam which
is not desirable for steam turbine.
127. Why boiler is purged every time before starting
firing of fuel ?
Purging ensures that any unburnt fuel in furnace is removed,
otherwise it may lead to explosion.
128. What is the principle of mechanical
refrigeration ?

Axis. A volatile liquid will boil under the proper conditions

and in so doing will absorb heat from surrounding objects.
129. Why high latent heat of vaporisation is desirable
in a refrigerant ?
A high latent heat of vaporisation of refrigerant results in
small amount of refrigerant and thus lesser circulation system
of refrigerant for same tonnage.
130. What is the critical temperature of a refrigerant
?
Critical temperature is the maximum temperature of a
refrigerantrat which it can be condensed into liquid and
beyond this it remains gas irrespective of pressure applied.
131. Maximum combustion temperature in gas
turbines is of the order of 1100 to 10°C whereas same
is around 00°C in I.C. engine ? Why ?
High temperature in I.C. engine can be tolerated because it
lasts for a fraction of second but gas turbines have to face it
continuously which metals can’t withstand.
132. Why efficiency of gas turbines is lower
compared to I.C. engines ?
In gas turbines, 70% of the output of gas turbine is consumed
by compressor. I.C. engines have much lower auxiliary
consumption. Further combustion temperature of I.C. engines
is much higher compared to gas turbine.
133. What do you understand by timed cylinder
lubrication ?
For effective lubrication, lub oil needs to be injected between
two piston rings when piston is at bottom of stroke so that
piston rides in oi during upward movement. This way lot of
lub oil can be saved and used properly.
134. What is IIUCR in relation to petrol engine ?
HUCR is highest useful compression ratio at which the fuel
can be used in a specific test engine, under specified operating
conditions, without knocking.

135. In some engines glycerine is used in place of

water for cooling of engine. Why ?
Glycerine has boiling point of 90°C which increases its heat
carrying capacity. Thus weight of coolant gets reduced and
smaller riadiator can be used.
136. Why consumption of lubricating oil is more in
two-stroke cycle petrol engine than four-stroke cycle
petrol engine ?
In two-stroke engine lub oil is mixed with petrol and thus
some lub oil is blown out through the exhaust valves by
scavenging and charging air. There is no such wastage in four
stroke petrol engine.
137. As compression ratio increases, thermal n
increases. How is thermal n affected by weak and
rich mixture strength ?
Thermal n is high for weak mixture and it decreases as
mixture strength becomes rich.
138. How engine design needs to be changed to burn
lean mixture ?
Engine to burn lean mixture uses high compression ratio and
the highly turbulent movement of the charge is produced by
the geometry of the combustion chamber.
139. Horse power of I.C. engines can be expressed as
RAC rating, SAE rating, or DIN rating. To which
countries these standards belong ?
U.K., USA and Germany respectively.
140. What is the use of flash chamber in a vapour
compression refrigeration cycle to improve the COP
of refrigeration cycle ?
When liquid refrigerant as obtained from condenser is
throttled, there are some vapours. These vapours if carried
through the evaporator will not contribute to refrigerating
effect. Using a flash chamber at some intermediate pressure,
the flash vapour at this pressure can be bled off and fed back
to the compression process. The throttling process is then

out in stages. Similarly compression process is also

done in two separate compressor stages.
141. Why pistons are usually dished at top ?
Pistons are usually hollowed at top to (i) provide greater spa’e
for combustion, (ii) increase surface for flue gases to act upon,
and (iii) better distribution of stresses.
142. What is the function of thermostat in cooling
system of an engine ?
Thermostat ensures optimum cooling because excessive
cooling decreases the overall efficiency. It allows cooling water
to go to radiator beyond a predetermined temperature.
143. What are the causes of failure of boiler tubes ?
Boiler tubes, usually are made from carbon steel and are
subject to (a) high rates of heat transfer, (b) bending stresses
due to uneven heating, especially at expanded or welded joints
into headers or drums, (c) external erosion from burners and
flue gas, (d) possible corrosion on the boiler side, and (e)
occasional manufacturing defects.
Failure may occur due to following reasons :
(a) High thermal ratings may lead to rapid failure if the
internal fluid flow is reduced for any reason. The resultant
overheating leads to a failure by creep, characterised by the
bulging of the tube with the eventual development of a
longitudinal split.
(b) Fatigue cracking due to bending stresses occur. These are
associated with change of section and/or weld undercut,
where tubes are expanded or welded into headers.
(c) Failure may arise due to overstressing of a reduced section
of metal.
(d) Sudden failure of the boiler tube due to corrosion arises
from embrittlement of the carbon steel due to interaction
between atomic hydrogen from the corrosion process and the
iron carbide present in the steel.
(e) Defects in tube manufacture, although far from being a
regular occurrence, can be a cause of serious trouble.
Lamination in boiler tubes or score marks arising from the
cold drawing of tubes, give rise to premature failure and may
promote corrosion at these regions.

What are the causes of failure of superheater

tubes ?
Superheater tubes are subjected to the most severe
combination of stress, temperature and corrosive
environment. In addition to high-temperature strength,
resistance to corrosion is also important. For example, lowalloy
ferritic steel such as -1/% Cr, 1% Mo would not be used
at metal temperatures above 580°C because of inadequate
resistance to corrosion and oxidation over a full service life of
100,000/150,000 hr.
Failures in superheater tubes may arise from :
(a) Prior fabrication history (b) Faulty heat treatment
(c) Consequences of welding (d) Overheating of the tube metal
(e) Gas-side corrosion (f) Stress corrosion (austenitic steels).
145. Why supercritical boilers use less amount of
steel compared to non-supercritical boilers ?
Supercritical boilers do not head heavy drum for separation of
steam from mixture of water and steam.
146. Out of electric heater and heat pump, which is
economical in operation ?
Heat pump.
147. Which furnace burns low-ash fusion coal and
retains most of the coal ash in the slag?
Cyclone furnace.
148. How the thickness of thermal boundary layer
and thickness of hydrodynamic boundary layer
related ?
Ratio of their thickness = (Prandtl number)-1/3.
149. What is the effect of friction on flow of steam
through a nozzle ?
To decrease both mass flow rate and wetness of steam.
150. Why gas turbine power plant needs efficient
compressor ?
Because a large portion of turbine work is eaten away by

compressor and its inefficiency will affect net power output

and cost of generation.
151. Why rockets using liquid hydrogen have higher
specific impulse compared to liquid hydrocarbon ?
Liquid hydrogen has higher burning velocity.
152. Why axial flow compressor is preferred for gas
turbines for aeroplanes ?
Because it has low frontal area.
153. What is the effect of inter cooling in gas turbines
?
It decreases thermal efficiency but increases net output.
154. Why iso-octane is chosen as reference fuel for
S.I. engines and allotted 100 value for its octane
number ?
Iso-octane permits highest compression without causing
knocking.
155. Why thermal efficiency of I.C. engines is more
than that of gas turbine plant ?
In I.C. engine maximum temperature attained is higher than
in gas turbine.
156. Which are the reference fuels for knock rating
of S.I. engines ?
n-heptane and ISO-octane.
157. When effect of variations in specific heats is
considered then how do maximum temperature and
pressure vary compared to air standard cycle ?
Temperature increases and pressure decreases.
158. Quantities like pressure, temperature, density,
viscosity, etc. are independent of mass. What are
these called ?
Intensive properties.

159. The amount of radiation emitted per scm per

sec is called …. ?
Emissive power.
160. In convection heat transfer, if heat flux intensity
is doubled then temperature difference between
solid surface and fluid will ?
Get doubled.
161. How you can define coal ?
Coal is a naturally occurring hydrocarbon that consists of the
fossilised remains of buried plant debris that have undergone
progressive physical and chemical alteration, called
coalification, in the course of geologic time.
162. Which pollutant is major greenhouse gas and
what is its effect ?
CO is major greenhouse gas and it traps the radiation of heat
from the sun within earth’s atmosphere.
163. In order to increase efficiency and reduce CO
emissions and other emissions, clear coal
technologies are receiving major attention. What are
these ?
(i) Advanced pulverised and pressurised pulverised fuel
combustion.
(ii) Atmospheric fluidised bed combustion and pressurised
fluidised bed combustion.
(iii) Supercritical boilers.
(iv) Integrated gasification combined cycle systems.
(v) Advanced integrated gasification, including fuel cell
systems.
(vi) Magneto hydrodynamic electricity generation.
164. What are the important operational
performance parameters in design of fuel firing
equipment ?
Fuel flexibility, electrical load following capability, reliability,
availability, and maintenance ease.

165. What is the difference between total moisture

and inherent moisture in coal ?
The moisture content of the bulk as sampled is referred to as
total moisture, and that of the air dried sample is called
inherent moisture.
166. Proximity analysis of coal provides data for a
first, general assessment of a coal’s quality and type.
What elements it reports ?
Moisture, volatile matter, ash and fixed carbon.
167. Ultimate analysis of coal is elementary analysis.
What it is concerned with ?
Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulphur in coal on a weight
percentage basis.
168. Explain the difference between AFBC, BFBC,
PFBC and PCFB in regard to fluidised bed
technologies.
AFBC (Atmospheric fluidised bed combustion) process
consists of forming a bed of inert materials like finely sized
ash or ash mixed with sand, limestone (for sulphur removal),
and solid fuel particles in a combustor and fluidising it by
forcing combustion air up through the bed mixture. The gas
flows thorugh bed without disturbing particles significantly
but gas velocity is high enough to support the total weight of
bed (fluidisation). At slightly higher velocity excess gas passes
through the bed as bubbles (fluidised bed) and gives the bed
the appearance of a boiling liquid.
Bubbling fluidised bed combustion (BFBC) has a defined
height of bed material and operates at or near atmospheric
pressure in the furnace.
Pressurised fluidised bed combustion (PFBC) system operates
the bed at elevated pressure. Exhaust gases have sufficient
energy to power a gas turbine, of course, gases need to be
cleaned.
In fluidised combustion, as ash is removed some unburned
carbon is also removed resulting in lower efficiency. In
circulating fluidised bed combustion (CFBC) system, bed is
operated at higher pressure leading to high heat transfer,
higher combustion efficiency, and better fuel feed. Circulating

fluidised beds operate with relatively high gas velocities and

fine particle sizes. The maintenance of steady state conditions
in a fast fluidised bed requires the continuous recycle of
particles removed by the gas stream (circulating bed). The
term circulating bed is often used to include fluidised bed
systems containing multiple conventional bubbling beds
between which bed material is exchanged.
169. What for Schmidt plot for is used in heat
transfer problems ?
Schmidt plot is a graphical method for determining the
temperature at any point in a body at a specified time during
the transient heating or cooling period.
170. In which reactor the coolant and moderator are
the same ?
Pressurised water reactor.
171. Which reactor has no moderator ?
Fast breeder reactor.
172. What are thermal neutrons ?
Thermal neutrons are slow neutrons (having energy below 1
eV) which are in thermal equilibrium with their surroundings.
173. What is big advantage of fast breeder reactor ?
It has rapid self breeding of fissile fuel during the operation of
the reactor, and thus, it offers about sixty times the output
with same natural uranium resources through ordinary nonbreeder
nuclear reactor.
174. What is the purpose of biological shield in
nuclear plants ?
Biological shield of heavy concrete prevents exposure to
neutrons, beta rays and gamma rays which kill living things.
175. Which two elements have same percentage in
proximate and ultimate analysis of coal?
Moisture and ash.

176. On which analysis is based the Dulong’s formula

for the heating value of fuel ?
On ultimate analysis.
177. Which element causes difference in higher and
lower heating values of fuel ?
Hydrogen.
178. Which heating value is indicated by a
calorimeter and why ?
Gross heating value because steam is condensed and heat of
vapour formed is recovered.
179. State the difference between ultimate and
proximate analysis of coal ?
In ultimate analysis, chemical determination of following
elements is made by weight: Fixed and combined carbon, H,
O, N, S, water and ash. Heating value is due to C, H and S.
In proximate analysis following constituents are mechanically
determined by weight. Moisture, volatile matter, fixed carbon
and ash. Heating value is due to fixed carbon and volatile
matter.
180. What is fuel ratio ?
Fuel ratio is the ratio of its % age of fixed carbon to volatile
matter.
181. How the analyses and calorific values of fuels
can be reported ?
It may be reported as
(a) as received or fired (wet) basis
(b) dry or moisture free basis
(c) combustible or ash and moisture free basis
182. What is the difference between nuclear fission
and fission chain reaction.
The process of splitting of nucleus into two almost equal
fragments accompanied by release of heat is nuclear fission.
Self sustained, continuing, sequence of fission reactions in a
controlled manner is fission chain reaction.

183. Explain difference between fissile and fertile

materials.
The materials which can give nuclear fission e.g. U 35, Pu 39,
U 33 are fissile materials. Fertile material itself is not
fissionable, but it can be converted to a fissionable material by
irradiation of neutrons in a nuclear reactor.
184. What do you understand by fuel cycle in nuclear
plants ?
Fuel cycle a series of sequential steps involved in supplying
fuel to a nuclear power reactor. The steps include : Mining,
refining uranium, fabrication of fuel elements, their use in
nuclear reactor, chemical processing to recover remaining
fissionable material, re-enrichment of fuel from recovered
material, refabrication of new fuel elements, waste storage etc.
185. What is heavy water and what is its use in
nuclear plants ?
Water containing heavy isotopes of hydrogen (Deuterium) is
known as heavy water. Heavy water is used as a moderator.
Heavy water has low cross section for absorption of neutrons
than ordinary water. Heavy water slows down the fast
neutrons and thus moderates the chain reaction.
186. What is a converter reactor ?
A reactor plant which is designed to produce more fuel than it
consumes. The breeding is obtained by converting fertile
material to fissile material.
187. Explain nuclear reactor in brief.
A plant which initiates, sustains, controls and maintains
nuclear fission chain reaction and provides shielding against
radioactive radiation is nuclear reactor.
188. What is the difference between conversion and
enrichment ?
Ans:
The process of converting the non fissile U 38 to fissile U-
35 is also called “Conversion”. The material like U 38 which
can be converted to a fissile material by the neutron flux is

called “fertile material”. The conversion is obtained within

the nuclear reactor during the chain reaction.
Enrichment is the process by which the proportion of fissile
uranium isotope (U-35) is increased above 0.7% (original %
in natural uranium).
The concentration of U-35 in the uranium hexafluoride is
increased from the 0.7% in natural uranium to to 4%. This
is called enrichment and is accomplished in an enrichment
plant.
189. Disposal of radioactive waste materials and
spent fuel is a major and important technology. How
the waste radioactive material is disposed off ?
Nonusable fission products are radioactive and take
short/medium/long time for radioactive decay to reach safe
level of radioactivity. Accordingly three methods of disposal
are :
(a) Zero or low radioactivity material is dispersed or stored
without elaborate shielding.
(b) Medium radioactivity material is stored for short duration
of about 5 years to allow decay of radioactivity.
(c) High radioactive material. They are stored in water for
several months to permit radioactive decay to an accepetable
low level.
190. Which nuclear reactor uses water as a coolant,
moderator and reflector ?
Pressurised water reactor.
191. Which reactor produces more fissionable
material than it consumes ?
Breeder reactor.
192. Which reactor uses natural uranium as fuel ?
Gas cooled reacator.
193. Which reactor uses heavy water as moderator ?
CANDU.
194. Which reactor requires no moderator ?
Breeder reactor.

195. Which reactor uses primary coolant as fluoride

salts of lithium, beryllium, thorium and uranium ?
Molten salt breeder reactor.
196. Why an increase in area is required to produce
an increase of velocity in case of supersonic flow ?
Increase in area for increase in velocity for supersonic flow is
required because the density decreases faster than velocity
increases at supersonic speeds and to maintain continuity of
mass, area must increase.
197. Under what circumstances would there be an
increase in pressure in a divergent nozzle ?
For subsonic flow at inlet section of a diffuser a lower velocity
and higher pressure will exist at the exit section. For
supersonic isentropic flow at the inlet section a higher velocity
and lower pressure will exist at the exit but if a shock wave
occurs in the diffuser then a higher pressure will exist at the
exit.
198. Why water can’t be used as refrigerant for small
refrigerating equipment ?
The refrigerant should be such that vapour volume is low so
that pumping work will be low. Water vapour volume is
around 4000 times compared to R- for a given mass.
199. Which parameter remains constant in a
throttling process ?
Enthalpy.
200. What is the difference between isentropic
process and throttlinglprocess ?
In isentropic process, heat transfer takes place and in
throttling process, enthalpy before and after the process is
same.

BASIC MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Interview Questions :-
1. What parameters influence the tool life ?
1. Tool material
2. Work material
3. Speed, feed and depth of cut
4. Tool geometry work system
5. Cutting fluid
6. Built up edge
7. Vibration behaviour of the machine tool.

2. Mention the function of intermediate stage in a

generalised measurement system.
Amplify signal without affecting its waveform
Remove unwanted noise signals that tend to obscure the
input
Capable of doing other conditioning like
differentiation/integration, A/D conversion etc.
3. What is a signal flow graph ?
A signal flow graph of a system is a graphical model in which
nodes represent the system variables and directed branches
between the nodes represent relationship between the
variables. In a signal flow graph, a forward path originates
from the input mode and terminates at output mode without
encountering any mode more than once.
4. Explain the difference between rotational and
irrotational flow.
In rotational flow the vorticity is non zero and in irrotational
flow it is zero. In irrota¬tional flow the net rotation of a fluid
element about its own mass centre is zero as it moves from
one place to another. For it, dv/dx = du/dy.
5. Define the term stability of a feed back control
system ?
A system is said to be stable if the output of a system after
fluctuations, variations or oscilla-tions, settles at a reasonable
value for any change in input.
6. What is meant by precision ?
Precision is defined as the ability of instrument to reproduce a
certain set of readings within a given accuracy.
7. What is boundary layer ?
Boundary layer is the fluid layer in the neighbourhood of a
solid boundary where the effects of fluid friction are
predominant.
8. On what account the boundry layer exists ?
Boundary layer m fluid flow exists on account of fluid density.

9. Explain the difference between laminar flow and

turbulent flow.
In laminar flow the fluid particles move along smooth, regular
paths which can be pre¬dicted in well advance. Turbulent
flow is characterised by random and erratic movements of
fluid particles resulting in formation of eddies. For flow to be
laminar in a pipe, the Reynold’s number is less than 2000 and
for flow to be turbulent it is greater than 4000.
10. What is the difference between path line and
stream line ?
A path line is a curve traced by a single fluid particle during its
motion. A stream line is an imaginary line drawn in a flow
field such that a tangent drawn at any point on this line
represents the direction of the velocity vector. There is no flow
across the stream line.
11. What is the difference between steady and
unsteady flow ?
In steady flow the velocity at a given point does not change
with time whereas in unsteady flow it changes with time.
12. What is stagnation point and stagnation pressure
?
A stagnation point is one at which velocity is zero. Stagnation
pressure is the sum of static pressure and dynamic pressure.
13. What is the hydraulic-grade line ?
It is the line which shows tne variation of piezometric head.
14. Under what condition the thickness of thermal
boundary layer and hydrody-namic boundary layer
is same ? When Prandtl number is equal to unity.
15. What keeps the shaft in floating condition in
hydrodynamic journal bearing ?
Hydrodynamic pressure developed in the lubricant.
16. Why the elements of higher pairs must be force
closed ?
This is necessary to provide completely constrained motion.

17. What is the value of coefficient of friction for ball

bearing ?
Ans: 0.1 to 0.25.
18. Why belts are subject to creep ?
Due to uneven extension and contraction of belt.
19. What is the ratio of damping coefficient to critical
damping coefficient called ?
Damping factor.
20. In which type of lubrication the starting friction
is low ?
In hydrostatic lubrication.
21. Whether Bernoulli’s equation is applicable for
streamline straight and rotational flows ?
Ans: Yes.
22. When a plate slides over a parallel plate, what is
the relationship between vis¬cous force and the
lubricant thickness ?
They are directly proportional.
23. How the stability of empty ship increased.
By adding ballasts at the bottom level.
24. Define Froude number.
It is the square root of ratio of inertia force to gravity force.
25. What for Maning’s formula used ?
It is used to determine velocity of flow in pipe.
26. What is the maximum efficiency of power
transmission through a pipe ?
66.67%.
27. What is the necessary and sufficient condition for
bodies in floatation to be in stable equilibrium ?
Centre of gravity of body should be located below metacentre.
28. Under what condition the thermal boundary
layer thickness will be equal to the hydrodynamic
boundary layer thickness ?
When Prandtl number is unity.
29. How laminar boundary layer thickness varies on
a flat plate ?
It is proportional to the square root of the distance from the
leading edge.
30. Name the axial flow reaction turbine with
adjustable vanes.
Kaplan turbine.
31. Define the degree of reaction of a turbomachine.
It is the ratio of total pressure change in the rotor to that in
the stage.
32. What is meant by relative stability ?
If the system is found to be stable, then it is necessary to know
the stable strength or degree of stability which is called
relative stability. Phase margin and gain margins are the
measures of relative stability.
33. On what factors the efficiency of a centrifugal
pump depends ?
The efficiency of a centrifugal pump depends on size, speed
and type number.
34. Define transducer ?
Transducer is an element which converts the signal from one
physical form to another without changing the information
content of the signal.
35. A 200 mm impeller of centrifugal pump develops
discharge head of 2 kg/cm2. If discharge head is
required as 8 kg/cm2, what should be diameter of
impeller. Ans: 400 mm.

36. Why thin-plate orifice is frequently

recommended for flow measurement in most of the
cases ?
It is recommended because of its high accuracy, low cost, and
extreme flexibility.
37. How the water flow from a hydrant in a city water
system measured ?
It can be measured by allowing the flow of water from a
hydrant and noting down the horizontal distance (x) where jet
strikes the ground and the vertical distance (y) of outlet from
ground.
Then flow = area of hydrant x
38. For the same size, length and condition of pipe,
how the friction head loss changes if pipe size is
varied.
Under same flow conditions the friction head loss increases as
the size change to the 4.8th power.
39. How does the capacity changes in pipe flow with
increase in pipe diameter if head is constant ?
At constant head, capacity is proportional to d25. .
40. How does the head change in pipe flow with
change in diameter, if capacity is constant.
At constant capacity, head is proportional to
41. How head varies in pipe flow with change in flow,
if pipe diameter is same.
At constant diameter, head is proportional to (flow)2.
42. Give some properties of errors ?
Errors give the difference between the measured-value and
the true value
Accuracy of a measurement system is measured in terms of
error
A study of error helps in finding the reliability of the
results.

43. Define the term contraction coefficient.

The ratio of area of jet (contracted) and the cross section of
the orifice.
44. What for pycnometer is used ?
Pycnometer is used to measure specific gravity of the liquid.
45. How may types of bonded strain gauges used ?
Fine wire strain gauge
Metal foil strain gauge
Piezo resistive gauge.
46. Name various functional elements of an
instrumental system ?
(1) Primary sensing element
(2) Variable conversion (or) transducer element
(3) Variable manipulation element
(4) Data transmission element
(5) Data processing element
(6) Data presentation element
(7) Data storage and playback element.
47. Name the three stages of a generalised measuring
system.
(i) Sensing and converting the input to a convenient and
practicable form.
(ii) Processing/manipulating the measured variable.
(iii) Presenting the processed measured variable in
quantitative form.
48. How is a Pelton turbine braked ?
A pelton wheel is braked by a nozzle directing a jet on the back
of the buckets.
49. What is static pressure ? How is it measured.
The pressure caused on the walls of a pipe due to a fluid at
rest inside the pipe or due to the flow of a fluid parallel to
walls of the pipe is called static pressure. This static pressure
is measured by inserting a pressure measuring tube into the

pipe carrying the fluid so that the tube is at right angle to the
fluid flow path.
50. What are the requirements of a control system ?
Stability, accuracy and speed of response are the three
requirements of control system.
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING Questions Answers PDF ::
51. What is the difference between weir, and submerged weir.
Any obstruction of a streamflow over which water flows is
weir. When the downstream water level rises over the weir
crest, it is called submerged weir.
52. What is the difference between spillway and siphon
spillway ?
Spillway is an essential part of a large dam and provides an
efficient and safe means of releasing flood water that exceeds
the design capacity of the reservoir.
Siphon spillway is spillway designed to discharge water in a
closed conduit under negative pressure.
53. What is the difference between culverts, stilling basin, and
standpipe ?
Culverts are built at the points of lowest valley to pass water
across the embankments of highways or railroads.
Stilling basin is transitional energy dissipating structure to
avoid the damaging process by a highly accelerated spilled
water.
Standpipe is used principally for alleviating the transient
pressures in large pipeline system. It also works as a pressure
relief valve for the upstream pipe during the turbine shut off.
54. What do you understand by run-of-river scheme in hydro
power generation ?
A scheme in which the discharge is varying and only that
much water can be utilised for conversion as available in the
river.
55. What is the difference between firm power and secondary
power in hydro power plants ?
The approximate constant and continuous power which is

assured at power station and would be available throughout

the year is called firm power.
In run-of-the river schemes which are generally designed for
% availability of water, the firm power would be available for
at least % of the years during the life of the scheme. However
in some years discharge in the river may be more than %
availability discharge and some extra power known as
secondary power can be generated.
56. What is the criterion for determining economic diameter
of power tunnel ?
The economic diameter of a power tunnel is determined such
that the total value of following two factors is least
(i) annual loss of revenue on account of power head lost due to
friction.
(ii) recurring annual expenditure.
57. What are the three functions served by a surge tank in a
hydro plant ?
The three functions served by a surge tank are
(i) flow regulation – act as a reservoir for acceptance or
delivery of water to meet requirements of load changes.
(ii) water-hammer relief or pressure regulation.
(iii) improvement in speed regulation.
58. What is the criterion to determine the economic diameter
of penstock ?
The economic diameter of a penstock required to carry a
discharge is the one at which annual costs due to the greater
investment do not exceed the annual value of resulting
increment energy output.
5. If jet ratio for a pelton wheel is 12 then number of buckets
should be …. ?
0.5 x 12+ 15 = 21.
60. What is the difference between anti-friction and
hydrostatic bearings ?
In anti-friction bearings rolling components are introduced
between the sliding surfaces. In hydrostatic bearings lubricant
is supplied at a high pressure to a pocket in the bearing.

61. What is inviscid fluid ?

It is the frictionless fluid.
62. State law of conservation of momentum ?
The ratio of change of momentum of a mass of fluid is equal to
the vector sum of all external forces acting on it.
63. Define turbulent flow ?
Flow in which adjacent layers mix continuously, so that the
flow pattern is unsteady, full of eddies, and apparently
without any mathematically expressible regularity.
64. Define Reynold’s law of similitude ?
Two geometrically similar flow systems subject only to friction
and inertia forces are dy¬namically similar if both have the
same ‘Reynolds’ number.
65. What is the difference between boundary lubrication and
fluid film lubrication ?
In boundary lubrication condition the ratio of thickness of
lubrication film to surface roughness (CLA value) is less than 1
and for fluid film lubrication condition this ratio is greater
than 5 and less than 100.
66. A bearing in which hydrodynamic pressure is generated
due to rotation of jour¬nal is called… ?
Journal bearing.
67. For a journal running in a bearing clockwise at steady
state, where will be the minimum clearance ?
To the left of the load line.
68. Out of impulse and reaction type hydraulic turbines,
which has higher specific speed ?
Reaction turbine.
69. What is order of the system.
The order of the system is the order of the highest derivative
of the ordinary differential equation with constant coefficients
which defines the system mathematically.

70. What is Bode plot ?

Bode plot is a logarithmic plot used to represent transfer
functions. The Bode plot consists of two plots namely.
(i) The plot of magnitude in db (on linear scale) vs. frequency
to (on log scale)
(ii) The plot of phase angle in degrees (on linear scale) vs.
frequency co (on log scale)
71. Navier stokes equation represents the conservation of
which quantity ?
Momentum.
72. What are the characteristics of precision ?
(i) If a number of measurements are made on same true value,
the degree of closeness of these measurements gives precision
(ii) It is a measure of the degree of repeatability or
reproducibility of the measuring system.
73. What is meant by loading ?
During the act of measurement the measuring instrument
takes energy from the signal source or measured medium and
thus the signal source is altered. This effect is called loading.
74. Give two uses of Bode plots.
(i) They are the logarithmic plots used to represent transfer
functions
(ii) They are used in the calculation of gain margin and phase
margin.
75. What is the name of nondimensional group for ratio of
inertia force to gravity force.
Froude number.
76. The head loss in a fully developed laminar flow in a
circular pipe due to friction is directly proportional to … ?
Square of mean velocity.
77. For what type of flow, the streamlines, pathlines and
streaklines are virtually identical ?
Steady flow.

78. How the streamlines and equipotential lines are related in

a flow field ?
They are orthogoial everywhere in the flow field.
79. Under what kind and condition of a fluid the velocity
potential exists ?
Irrotational flow.
80. Where should centre of gravity of a body lie for it
to float in stable equilibrium ?
e.g. should be located below the metacentre.
81. For fully developed flow through a pipe, what is
the ratio of maximum to average velocity ?
Ans: 2.
82. Out of centrifugal, axial and positive
displacement pumps, which has maximum specific
speed and which has minimum ?
Axial pump has maximum specific speed and reciprocating
pump has minimum.
83. Specific speed of a turbine is 800. What type of
turbine is this ?
Kaplan turbine.
84. In which type of lubrication system the starting
friction is low ?
Hydrostatic lubrication.
85. At which point the cavitation is most likely to
occur in a hydel plant ?
At turbine rotor exit.
86. What is the difference between lower pair and
higher pair ?
In a kinematic pair, if the elements have surface contact when
in motion, the pair is called lower pair and if elements have
line or point contact the pair is called higher pair.

87. What do you understrand by inversions and how

many inversions are possible in a kinematic chain
having ‘n’ links ?
Inversions are different mechanisms obtained by fixing
different links in a kinematic chain but keeping relative
motions of links unchanged with respecat to one another. A
kinematic chain with ‘n’ links can have ‘n’ inversions.
88. What is the difference between basic kinematic
chain and compound kinematic chain ? What is the
criteria for a chain to be constrained ?
A basic kinematic chain consists of four kinematic links and a
compound kinematic chain is a constrained chain of more
than four links. A chain is constrained if no. of binary joints
and half of number of higher pairs is equal to 3/2 of no. of
links minus 2.
89. What is the difference between a machine and a
mechanism ?
A mechanism consists of links forming a constrained
kinematic chain. Its function is ba¬sically to transmit or
modify motion. A machine is a mechanism but here we are
concerned with forces to be transmitted and it is used to
modify mechanical work.
90. In which type of motion, acaceleration is directly
proportional to displacement ?
SHM.
91. What is the function of a transducer element ?
The function of a transducer element is to sense and convert
the desired input into a more convenient and practicable form
to be handled by measurement system.
92. What is the direction of tangential acceleration ?
The direction of tangential acceleration may be same or
opposite to that of angular velocity.
93. What is the number of degrees of freedom
constrained in each case by the kinematic pairs.
(i) Itevolute pair, (ii) cylindrical pair, (iii) Screw pair, (iv) Spherical pair.

Ans: (i) Revolute pair—single degree of freedom.

(ii) cylindrical pair—two degrees of freedom.
(iii) Screw pair—one degree of freedom.
(iv) spherical pair—three degrees of freedom.

94. What is the purpose of D-slide valve in steam

engines ?
It controls the piston position for cut off of steam, for release
of steam and compression position for steam in cylinder.
95. What is the purpose of Corliss valve in place of
D’-slide valve in steam engine ?
Corliss valve reduces condensation, provides independent
control on admission, cut off, release and compression, and
reduces driving power requirements.
96. On what factor the size of cam depends ?
Size of cam depends on base circle.
97. If base circle diameter of cam increases, what
happens to pressure angle ?
It decreases.
98. If angular speed of cam is increased two times,
how much jerk will be increased ?
Eight times.
99. Define primary and secondary transducers ?
A primary transducer senses a physical phenomena and
converts it to an analogous output.
The analogous output is then converted into an electrical
signal by secondary transducer.
100. What is the relationship between (i) axes of
spin, precession, and applied gyroscopic torque and
(ii) in between their planes ?
The axes of spin, precession, and applied gyroscopic torque
are contained in two planes perpendicular to each other, and
planes of spin, precession, and applied gyroscopic torque in
the three planes perpendicular to one another.
150 TOP PIPING Engineering
Interview Questions and
Answers pdf
PIPING Engineering Interview Questions
and Answers pdf :-
1 . What is preferred location for drain?
ANS: Must be located at the bottom section of drum.
2 . What are the steps in selection of valve?
ANS: What to handle, liquid, gas or powder, fluid nature,
function, construction material, disc type, stem type, how to
operate, bonnet type, body ends, delivery time, cost, warranty.

3. What are functions of valves?

ANS: Isolation, regulation, non-return and special purposes.
4. What are isolating valves?
ANS: Gate, ball, plug, piston, diaphragm, butterfly, pinch.
5. What are regulation valves?
ANS: Globe, needle, butterfly, diaphragm, piston, pinch.
6. What are non-return valves?
ANS: check valve,
7. What are special valves?
ANS: multi-port, flush bottom, float, foot, pressure relief,
breather.
8. What materials are used for construction of
valves?
ANS: Cast iron, bronze, gun metal, carbon steel, stainless
steel, alloy carbon steel, polypropylene and other plastics,
special alloys.
9. What is trim?
ANS: Trim is composed of stem, seat surfaces, back seat
bushing and other small internal parts that normally contact
the surface fluid.
10. Which standard specifies trim numbers for
valve?
ANS: API 600.
11. What are wetted parts of valve?
ANS: All parts that come in contact with surface fluid are
called wetted parts.
12. What is wire drawing?
ANS: This term is used to indicate the premature erosion of
the valve seat caused by excessive velocity between seat and
seat disc, when valve is not closed tightly.

13. What is straight through valve?

ANS: Valve in which the closing operation of valve is achieved
by 90 degrees turn of the closing element.
14. What pressure tests are carried out on valves?
ANS: Shell-hydrostatic, seat-hydrostatic, seat-pneumatic
15. What are available valve operators?
ANS: Hand-lever, hand-wheel, chain operator, gear operator
etc.
16. What is the full form of ASME?
ANS: American Society for Mechanical Engineers.
17. Which Piping code is used for Power piping and
which code is used for Process Piping design?
ANS:
Power Piping: ASME B 31.1
Process Piping: ASME B 31.3
18. What are the main differences between ASME B
31.1 and ASME B 31.3?
ANS: The main differences are listed below:
Material allowable stresses are different in both codes.
Stress increases due to occasional loads are different in
each code.
B 31.3 neglects torsion while calculating sustained stresses,
but B 31.1 includes it.
Sustained stress calculation is specific in B 31.1 but
undefined for B 31.3.
B 31.1 intensifies torsion but B31.3 does not intensify it.
19. How to calculate the basic allowable stress for a
material?
ANS: The basic allowable stress is defined in respective code.
For example as per B 31.3 the basic allowable stress for a
material is the minimum of the following:
1/3rd of tensile strength at design temperature.
2/3rd of yield strength at design temperature.

100% of average stress for a creep rate of 0.01% per 1000

hours.
67% of average stress for rupture at the end of 100000 hours.
80% of minimum stress for ruptures at the end of 100000
hours.
For austenitic stainless steel or nickel alloys the lower of yield
strength and 90% of yield strength at temperature.
For structural grade materials 0.92 times of the lowest value
of point (a) to (f)
20. What is the main difference between Constant
and Variable Spring Hanger? When to use these
hangers?
ANS:
In Constant Spring hanger the load remains constant
throughout its travel range. But In variable spring hanger
the load varies with displacement.
Spring hangers are used when thermal displacements are
upwards and piping system is lifted off from the support
position. Variable spring hanger is preferable as this is less
costly.
Constant springs are used:
When thermal displacement exceeds 50 mm
When variability exceeds 25%
Sometimes when piping is connected to strain sensitive
equipment like steam turbines, centrifugal compressors etc
and it becomes very difficult to qualify nozzle loads by
variable spring hangers, constant spring hangers can be
used.
21. What do you mean by variability? What is the
industry approved limit for variability?
ANS: Variability= (Hot Load-Cold load)/Hot load = (Spring
Constant × displacement)/Hot load.
Limit for variability for variable spring hangers is 25%.
22. What are the major parameters you must
address while making a Spring Data-sheet?
ANS: Major parameters are: Spring TAG, Cold load/Installed
load, Vertical and horizontal movement, Piping design

temperature, Piping Material, Insulation thickness, Hydrotest

load, Line number etc.
23. How to calculate the height of a Variable Spring
hanger?
ANS: Select the height from vendor catalog based on spring
size and stiffness class.
For base mounted variable spring hanger the height is
mentioned directly. It is the spring height.
For top mounted variable spring hanger’s ass spring height
with turnbuckle length, clamp/lug length and rod length.
24. Can you select a proper spring hanger if you do
not make it program defined in your software?
What is the procedure?
ANS: In your system first decide the location where you want
to install the spring. Then remove all nearby supports which
are not taking load in thermal operating case. Now run the
program and the sustained load on that support node is your
hot load. The thermal movement in that location is your
thermal movement for your spring. Now assume variability
for your spring. So calculate
Spring constant = (Hot load × variability)/displacement. Now
with spring constant and hot load enter any vendor catalog to
select spring inside the travel range.
25. What is the software available for performing
piping stress analysis?
ANS: Caesar II, AutoPipe etc.
26
What are the types of compressors?
ANS: Positive Displacement, Centrifugal and Axial, rotary
screw, rotary vane, rotary lobe, dynamic, liquid ring
compressors.
27
What are types of compressor drives?
ANS: Electric motor, gas turbine, steam turbine and gas
engine.

How Centrifugal compressors work?

ANS: High-speed impellers increase the kinetic energy of the
gas, converting this energy into higher pressures in a
divergent outlet passage called a diffuser. Large volume of gas
at moderate pressure.
29
What are types of steam turbine and why are they popular?
ANS: Condensing and non-condensing, Popular because can
convert large amounts of heat energy into mechanical work
very efficiently.
30
Where gas turbine drive is used?
ANS: Desserts and offshore platforms where gas is available,
for gas transmission, gas lift, liquid pumping, gas re-injection
and process compressors.
31
What are the auxiliary equipments of compressor?
ANS: Lube oil consoles, Seal oil consoles, Surface condensers,
Condensate pump, Air blowers, Inlet air filters, waste heat
system, compressor suction drum, knock out pot, Pulsation
dampner, volume bottles, Inter and after coolers.
32
What are the types of seal oil system?
ANS: Gravity and pressurized.
33
What factors to be considered while designing compressor
housing?
ANS: Operation, Maintenance, Climate conditions, Safety,
Economics.
34
What are the compressor housing design points?
ANS: Floor elevation, building width, building elevation, hook
centerline elevation.

35
What are the types of compressor cases?
ANS: Horizontal split case, Vertical split case.
36
How to located temperature and pressure instruments?
ANS: Temperature in liquid space, at down-comer side and
pressure in vapour space, in area except down-comer sector.
37
What are necessary parts of inlet line of compressor?
ANS: Block Valve, Strainer, Break out flanges in both inlet and
outlet to remove casing covers, Straightening vane in inlet line
if not enough straight piece in inlet line available, PSV in
interstage line and in discharge line before block valve.
38
What points to be considered for reciprocating compressor
piping layout?
ANS: High pulsation, simple line as low to grade as possible
for supporting, analog study, all branches close to line support
and on top, Isolate line support from adjacent compressor or
building foundations
39
What are the types of compressor shelters?
ANS: On ground with no shelter, Open sided structure with a
roof,
Curtain wall structure (Temperate climates), Open elevated
installation, Elevated multi-compressor structure.
40
What are drum internals?
ANS: Demister pads, Baffles, Vortex breakers, Distribution
piping.
41
What are drum elevation requirements?
ANS: NPSH, minimum clearance, common platforming,
maintenance, operator access.

42
What are drum supports?
ANS: Skirt for large drums, legs, lugs, saddles for horizontal
drums.
43
What are necessary nozzles for non-pressure vessel?
ANS: Inlet, outlet, vent, manhole, drain, overflow, agitator,
temperature element, level instrument, and steam-out
connection.
44
What are necessary nozzles for pressure vessel?
ANS: Inlet, outlet, manhole, drain, pressure relief, agitator,
level gauge, pressure gauge, temperature element, vent and
for steam-out.
45
What is preferred location for level instrument nozzles?
ANS: Away from the turbulence at the liquid outlet nozzle,
although the vessel is provided with a vortex breaker,
instrument should be set in the quiet zone of the vessel for
example on the opposite side of the weir or baffle or near the
vapor outlet end.
46
What is preferred location for process nozzles on drum?
ANS: Minimum from the tangent line.
47
What is preferred location for steam out nozzle on drum?
ANS: At the end opposite to the maintenance access.
48
What is preferred location for vent?
ANS: AT the top section of drum at the end opposite the
steam out connection.
49
What is preferred location for pressure instrument nozzle on
drum?

ANS: Must be anywhere in the vapor space, preferable at the

top section of drum
50
What is preferred location for temperature instrument?
ANS: Must be in liquid space, preferably on the bottom
section of drum.
51
What are various temporary closures for lines?
ANS: Line blind valve, line blind, spectacle plate, double block
and bleed, blind flanges replacing a removable spool.
52
Why horizontal displacement is specified in data-sheet? What
will you do if the angle due to displacement is more than 4
degree?
ANS: For bottom mounted springs it is mentioned to avoid
large spring bending by frictional force and displacement. So
that additional measures can be taken to lower frictional force
by providing PTFE/graphite slide plate.
For top mounted spring hangers horizontal displacement is
mentioned to check angularity of 4 degree to reduce
transmission of horizontal force to piping systems as spring
hangers are designed to take the vertical load only.
If angle becomes more than 4 degree due to large horizontal
movement then install the spring hanger in a offset position
so that after movement the angle becomes less than 4 degree.
53
Which spring will you select for your system: Spring with low
stiffness or higher stiffness and why?
ANS: Springs with lower stiffness provides less load variation
for same travel. So this spring is a better choice than a spring
hanger with higher stiffness.
54
What do you mean by Stress? What are the types of Stresses
that are generated in a Piping?
ANS: Whenever a force is applied to any object it applies a
reaction force against the deformation by that force. That

reaction force per unit area is the measure for the generated
stress.
There has to be an external force to create stress. In a piping
system there are various reasons for the generation of stress
like Piping Weight, Internal and External pressure, Change in
temperature, Seismic and Wind forces, PSV reaction force etc.
The stresses generated in a piping system are as follows:
Axial Stresses
Tangential or Hoop stress
Longitudinal Stress
Radial Stress
Expansion Stress
Stress due to occasional events like Seismic and Wind effects.
55
What factors to consider for site selection?
ANS: District classification, Transportation facilities,
Manpower availability, industrial infrastructure, community
infrastructure, availability of raw water, effluent disposal,
availability of power, availability of industrial gas, site size and
nature, ecology and pollution.
56
Why Stress Analysis is required?
ANS: Ensure reliability and safety of working by
Limiting Stresses (sustained, expansion, hydro-test,
occasional) within code allowable.
Limiting nozzle load and moments connected to equipment
(Pump/Vessel/Heat Exchanger etc) within allowable values.
Reducing damaging effects of dynamic loads.
Avoiding leakage at joints.
Limiting sagging and displacements within allowable limits.
Avoiding high loads on supporting structures.
57
What is the difference between Stress and Pressure?
ANS: Stress is generated because of internal resistance force.
Pressure is generated because of external force.
Pressure can be a cause to generate stress.

58
Where jacked screwed flange is used?
ANS: For spectacle discs, one flange is jacked screw flange.
This flange has two jacked screws 180 degree apart which are
used to create sufficient space between flange for easy
removal and placement of line blind or spectacle blind.
59
What is double block and bleed?
ANS: Two valves with bleed ring in between with a bleed valve
connected to the hole of bleed ring.
60
Where blind flange is used?
ANS: It is used with view to future expansion of the piping
system, or for cleaning, inspection etc.
61
What are crude oil ranges?
ANS: Crude oil BP Range: 100F-1400F, lightest material:
below 100F, Heavier materials- upto 800F, Residue above
800F.
62
What is batch shell process?
ANS: feed, heat, condense, heat more, condense, low quality.
63
What are types of towers?
ANS: Stripper, Vacuum tower, trayed, packed towers.
64
What is chimney tray?
ANS: It’s a solid plate with central chimney section, used at
draw-off sections of the tower.
65
What factors to consider while setting tower elevation?
ANS: NPSH, Operator access, Maintenance access, Minimum
clearance, re-boiler type , common area, type of support,

Tower dimensions, type of head, bottom outlet size,

foundation details, minimum clearances.
66
How to located tower maintenance access nozzles?
ANS: At bottom, top and intermediate sections of tower, must
not be at the down-comer section of tower and in front of
internal piping.
67
How to located feed nozzle?
ANS: Must be oriented in specific area of tray by means of
internal piping.
68
What are the steps in selection of valve?
ANS: What to handle, liquid, gas or powder, fluid nature,
function, construction material, disc type, stem type, how to
operate, bonnet type, body ends, delivery time, cost, warranty.
69
What are functions of valves?
ANS: Isolation, regulation, non-return and special purposes.
70
What are isolating valves?
ANS: Gate, ball, plug, piston, diaphragm, butterfly, pinch.
71
What are regulation valves?
ANS: Globe, needle, butterfly, diaphragm, piston, pinch.
72
What are non-return valves?
ANS: check valve.
73
What are special valves?
ANS: multi-port, flush bottom, float, foot, pressure relief,
breather.

74
What materials are used for construction of valves?
ANS: Cast iron, bronze, gun metal, carbon steel, stainless
steel, alloy carbon steel, polypropylene and other plastics,
special alloys.
75
What is trim?
ANS: Trim is composed of stem, seat surfaces, back seat
bushing and other small internal parts that normally contact
the surface fluid.
76
Which standard specifies trim numbers for valve?
ANS: API 600.
77
What are wetted parts of valve?
ANS: All parts that come in contact with surface fluid are
called wetted parts.
78
What is wire drawing?
ANS: This term is used to indicate the premature erosion of
the valve seat caused by excessive velocity between seat and
seat disc, when valve is not closed tightly.
79
What is straight through valve?
ANS: Valve in which the closing operation of valve is achieved
by 90 degrees turn of the closing element.
80
What pressure tests are carried out on valves?
ANS: Shell-hydrostatic, seat-hydrostatic, seat-pneumatic
81
What are available valve operators?
ANS: Handlever, handwheel, chain operator, gear operator,
powered operator likes electric motor, solenoid, pneumatic

hydraulic operators, Quick acting operators for nonrotary

valves (handle lift).
82
What are ball valve body types?
ANS: Single piece, double piece, three piece, the short pattern,
long pattern, sandwich and flush bottom design.
83
What are two types of ball valve?
ANS: Full port design and regular port design, according to
type of seat, soft seat and metal seat.
84
Why ball valves are normally flanged?
ANS: Because of soft seat PTFE which can damage during
welding.
85
What are butterfly valve types?
ANS: Double flange type, wafer lug type and wafer type.
86
What are types of check valve?
ANS: Lift check valves and swing check valves.
87
What are non-slam check valves?
ANS: Swing check valve, conventional check valve, wafer
check valve, tilting disc check valve, piston check valve, stop
check valve, ball check valve.
88
Where stop check valve is used?
ANS: In stem generation by multiple boilers, where a valve is
inserted between each boiler and the main steam header. It
can be optionally closed automatically or normally.
89
Where diaphragm valves are used?

ANS: Used for low pressure corrosive services as shut off

valves.
90
What is Barstock Valve?
ANS: Any valve having a body machined from solid metal
(barstock).
Usually needle or globe type.
91
What is BIBB Valve?
ANS: A small valve with turned down end, like a faucet.
92
What is Bleed Valve?
ANS: Small valve provided for drawing off liquid.
93
What is BlowDown Valve?
ANS: Refers to a plug type disc globe valve used for removing
sludge and sedimentary matter from the bottom of boiler
drums, vessels, driplegs etc.
94
What is Breather Valve?
ANS: A special self acting valve installed on storage tanks etc.
to release vapour or gas on slight increase of internal pressure
(in the region of ½ to 3 ounces per square inch).
95
What is Drip Valve?
ANS: A drain valve fitted to the bottom of a droplet to permit
blowdown.
96
What is Flap Valve?
ANS: A non return valve having a hinged disc or rubber or
leather flap used for low pressure lines.
97
What is Hose Valve?

ANS: A gate or globe valve having one of its ends externally

threaded to one of the hose thread standards in use in the
USA. These valves are used for vehicular and firewater
connections.
98
What is Paper-Stock Valve?
ANS: A single disc single seat gate valve (Slide gate) with knife
edged or notched disc used to regulate flow of paper slurry or
other fibrous slurry.
99
What is Root Valve?
ANS: A valve used to isolate a pressure element or instrument
from a line or vessel, or a valve placed at the beginning of a
branch form the header.
100
What is Slurry valve?
ANS: A knife edge valve used to control flow of non-abrasive
slurries.
101
What is Spiral sock valve?
ANS: A valve used to control flow of powders by means of a
twistable fabric tube or sock.
102
What is Throttling valve?
ANS: Any valve used to closely regulate flow in the just-open
position.
103
What is Vacuum breaker?
ANS: A special self-acting valve or any valve suitable for
vacuum service, operated manually or automatically, installed
to admit gas (usually atmospheric air) into a vacuum or lowpressure
space. Such valves are installed on high points of
piping or vessels to permit draining and sometimes to prevent
siphoning.

104
What is Quick acting valve?
ANS: Any on/off valve rapidly operable, either by manual
lever, spring or by piston, solenoid or lever with heat-fusible
link releasing a weight which in falling operates the valve.
Quick acting valves are desirable in lines conveying flammable
liquids. Unsuitable for water or for liquid service in general
without a cushioning device to protect piping from shock.
105
What is diverting valve?
ANS: This valve switch flow from one main line to two
different outlets. WYE type and pneumatic control type with
no moving part.
106
What is sampling valve?
ANS: Usually of needle or globe pattern, placed in branch line
for the purpose of drawing all samples of process material
through the branch.
107
What are blow off valve?
ANS: It is a variety of globe valve confirming with boiler code
requirements and specially designed for boiler blow-off
service. WYE pattern and angle type, used to remove air and
other gases from boilers etc.
108
What is relief valve?
ANS: Valve to relieve excess pressure in liquids in situations
where full flow discharge is not required, when release of
small volume of liquid would rapidly lower pressure.
109
What is safety valve?
ANS: Rapid opening (popping action) full flow valve for air
and other gases.
110
What is foot valve?

ANS: Valve used to maintain a head of water on the suction

side of sump pump, basically a lift check valve with integrated
strainer.
111
What is float valve?
ANS: Used to control liquid level in tanks, operated by float,
which rises with liquid level and opens the valve to control
water level. It can also remove air from system, in which case,
air flows out of system in valve open condition, but when
water reaches valve, float inside valve raises to close the valve
and stop flow of water. Used in drip legs.
112
What are flush bottom valves?
ANS: Special type of valves used to drain out the piping,
reactors and vessels, attached on pad type nozzles.
113
What are types of flush bottom valves?
ANS: Valves with discs opening into the tank and valves with
disks into the valve.
114
What are the uses of three-way valve?
ANS: Alternate connection of the two supply lines to a
common delivery vise versa, isolating one safety valve,
division of flow with isolation facility.
115
What are uses of four way valve?
ANS: Reversal of pump suction and delivery, By pass of
strainer or meter, reversal of flow through filter, heat
exchanger or dryer.
116
What is metal seated lubricated plug valve?
ANS: A plug valve with no plastic material, where grease is
applied to contacting surfaces for easy operation.

117
What are three patterns of plug valve design?
ANS: Regular pattern, short pattern and ventury pattern.
118
What is regular pattern plug valve?
ANS: Rectangular port, area almost equal to pipe bore,
smooth transition from round body to rectangular port, for
minimum pressure loss.
119
What are short pattern plug valve?
ANS: Valves with face to face dimension of gate valve, as a
alternative to gate valve.
120
What are ventury pattern plug valve?
ANS: Change of section through the body throat so graded to
have ventury effect, minimum pressure loss.
121
What are inverted plug design valve?
ANS: Plug valve with taper portion up of plug. For 8” and
higher size.
122
What is pressure balanced plug valve?
ANS: With holes in port top and bottom connecting two
chambers on top and bottom of plug, to reduce turning effort.
123
What are Teflon sleeved plug valve?
ANS: PTFE sleeve between plug and body of valve, low
turning effort, minimum friction, temperature limitation, anti
static design possible.
124
What are permasil plug valve?
ANS: Plug valves with Teflon seat instead of sleeves, for on-off
applications, can handle clean viscous and corrosive liquids,

Graphite seat for high temperature applications. Drip tight

shut off not possible.
125
What are eccentric plug valve?
ANS: Off center plug, corrosive and abrasive service, on off
action, moves into and away from seat eliminating abrasive
wear.
126
What is dimensional standard for plug valve?
ANS: API 599.
127
What is pinch valve?
ANS: Similar to diaphragm valve, with sleeves of rubber or
PTFE, which get squeezed to control or stop the flow, Cast
iron body, for very low service pressures like isolation of hose
connections, manufacture standard.
128
What is needle valve?
ANS: Full pyramid disc, same design as globe valve, smaller
sizes, sw or threaded, flow control, disc can be integral with
stem, inside screw, borged or barstock body and bonnet,
manufacturers standard.
129
How to install a globe valve?
ANS: Globe valve should be installed such that the flow is
from the underside of the disk, Usually flow direction is
marked on the globe valve.
130
What are globe valve port types?
ANS: Full port: More than 85% of bore size, Reducer port:
One size less than the connected pipe.
131
What are globe valve disk types?

ANS: Flat faced type for positive shutoff, loose plug type for
plug renewal or needle type for finer control.
132
What are characteristics of globe valve stem?
ANS: Always rising design, with disk nut at the lower end and
handwheel at upper end.
133
What are types of globe valve?
ANS: Angle globe valve, plug type disc globe valve, WYE-body
globe valve, composite disc globe valve, double disc globe
valve.
134
What is angle globe valve?
ANS: Ends at 90 degree to save elbow, higher pressure drop.
135
Where plug type disc globe valve is used?
ANS: For severe regulating service with gritty liquids such as
boiler feedwater and for blow off service.
136
Where WYE body globe valve is used?
ANS: In line ports with stem emerging at 45 degree, for
erosive fluids due to smoother flow pattern.
137
What is double disc globe valve?
ANS: Has two discs bearing on separate seats spaced apart, on
a single shaft, for low torque, used for control valves.
138
What are port types for gate valves?
ANS: Full port and reduced port. Default is reduced bore. Full
port has to be specified in bom.
139
How to close a gate valve?
ANS: Turn the hand-wheel in clockwise direction.

140
What is lantern ring?
ANS: It’s a collection point to drain off any hazardous seepage
or as a point where lubricant can be injected; it is in the
middle of packing rings.
141
What are types of gate valves?
ANS: Solid plane wedge, solid flexible wedge, split wedge,
double disc parallels seats, double disc wedge, single disc
single seat gate or slide, single disc parallel seats, plug gate
valve.
142
What are the types of bonnets?
ANS: Bolted bonnet, bellow sealed bonnet, screwed on
bonnet, union bonnets, A U-bolt and clamp type bonnet,
breech-lock bonnet, pressure seal bonnet.