CHEN 502: Process Dynamics and Control

Lecture 4: Linearization

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA

2015/2016 SESSION
 What is Linearization?
The process of approximating nonlinear systems with
linear ones

When a variable appears multiplied ONLY by a constant, the

expression is LINEAR

When a variable is multiplied by itself or another variable, it is

NONLINEAR

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4 ; 4 2 ; 34
2

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 Linearization contd
Consider the following non-linear differential
equation:

= ()

Expanding the function f(x) using Taylors series
about 0 , we have
0 2 0 2
= 0 + + +
0 1! 2 0 2!
0
...+ +...
0 !

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 Linearization contd
Neglecting the terms of order two and above,
we have the approximation as:

0 + ( 0 )

0
With an associated error of:
2 0 2
=
2 2!
0

Thus the approximation is satisfactory only when is very close to 0 making the value
of the error, I, very small

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 Linearization contd
Thus,

= ()

Becomes,

= 0 + ( 0 )
0
Which is the linearized approximation of the

nonlinear differential equation

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 Linearization contd: Example 1
A typical liquid storage process is shown below where
qi and q are volumetric flow rates. A mass balance yields

d V
qi q
dt

If is constant and V = Ah
dh
A qi q
dt
Assuming that q Cv h

dh
A qi C v h A nonlinear model (1)
dt
Objective: Linearize the above model 6
 Linearization contd
The only nonlinear term is . Take the
Taylor series expansion of the term around 0 :
d
= 0 + 0 +
dh =0
d2 0
+
dh2 =0 2!
Truncating at the second term, we have:
d
= 0 + 0
dh =0

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 Linearization contd

= 0 + 0 (2)
2 0
Substituting (2) into the nonlinear model (1),

= 0 0
2 0
A linear model

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 Linearization contd
For a nonlinear system of more than one variable,
1
= 1 1 , 2

2
= 2 1 , 2

the Taylors series expansion about (10 , 20 ) becomes:

1 1 , 2 = 1 10 , 20 +
1 1 10 1 2 20
+
1 ( , ) 1! 2 ( , ) 1!
10 20 10 20
2
2 1 (1 10 )2 2 1 2 20
+ 2 + 2 +...+
1 ( , ) 2! 2 ( , ) 2!
10 20 10 20
1 1 10 1 2 20
+ + ...
1 ( , ) ! 2 ( , ) !
10 2 0 10 2 0

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 Linearization contd
and:
2 1 , 2 = 2 10 , 20 +
2 1 10 2 2 20
+
1 ( , ) 1! 2 (10 ,20 )
1!
10 20
2
2 2 (1 10 )2 2 2 2 20
+ + +
12 (10 ,20 ) 2! 22 (10 ,20 ) 2!


2
1 10
...+ +
1 !
(10 ,20 )

2 2 20
+...
2 !
(10 ,20 )

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 Linearization contd
Thus,
1
= 1 1 , 2

2
= 2 1 , 2

Becomes,
1 1 1 10 1 2 20
= 1 10 , 20 + +
1 ( , ) 1! 2 ( , ) 1!
10 20 10 2 0

2 2 1 10 2 2 20
= 2 10 , 20 + +
1 ( , ) 1! 2 ( , ) 1!
10 20 10 20

Which is the linearized approximation of the nonlinear

differential equations 1 and 2

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