07.

02
Trapezoidal Rule for Integration-More Examples
Chemical Engineering
Example 1
In an attempt to understand the mechanism of the depolarization process in a fuel cell, an
electro-kinetic model for mixed oxygen-methanol current on platinum was developed in the
laboratory at FAMU. A very simplified model of the reaction developed suggests a
functional relation in an integral form. To find the time required for 50% of the oxygen to be
consumed, the time, T  s  is given by
0.6110  6 6.73 x  4.3025  10 7 
T    dx
1.2210 6  2.316  10 11 x
 

a) Use single segment Trapezoidal rule to find the time required for 50% of the oxygen
to be consumed.
b) Find the true error, E t , for part (a).
c) Find the absolute relative true error, t , for part (a).

Solution
 f  a   f  b 
a) I  b  a  , where
 2 
6
a  1.22  10
b  0.61  10 6
 6.73 x  4.3025  10 7 
f ( x)    
 2.316  10 11 x 
 6.731.22  10 6   4.3025  10 7 
f 1.22  10    
6
  3.0581 10
11

 2.316  10 1.22  10 
11 6



f 0.61  10 6
  
 
 6.73 0.61  10 6  4.3025  10 7 
  3.2104  10
11


11

2.316  10 0.61 10 6
 

I  0.61  10 6  1.22  10 6   
  3.0582  1011   3.2104  1011  

 2 
 1.9119  10 5 s

07.02.1
07.02.2 Chapter 07.02

b) The exact value of the above integral is,

 6.73 x  4.3025  10 7
0.6110  6 
T    dx
1.2210 6  2.316  10 11 x
 
 1.9014  10 5 s
so the true error is
E t  True Value  Approximat e Value
 1.9014  10 5  1.9119  10 5
 1056.2
c) The absolute relative true error, t , would then be
True Error
t   100
True Value
 1056.2
  100
1.9014  10 5
 0.55549 %

Example 2
In an attempt to understand the mechanism of the depolarization process in a fuel cell, an
electro-kinetic model for mixed oxygen-methanol current on platinum was developed in the
laboratory at FAMU. A very simplified model of the reaction developed suggests a
functional relation in an integral form. To find the time required for 50% of the oxygen to be
consumed, the time, T  s  is given by

0.6110  6 6.73 x  4.3025  10 7 

T    dx
1.2210 6  2.316  10 11 x
 

a) Use two- segment Trapezoidal rule to find the time required for 50% of the oxygen to
be consumed.
b) Find the true error, E t , for part (a).
c) Find the absolute relative true error, t , for part (a).
Solution

ba  n 1  
a) I  f ( a )  2  f (a  ih)  f (b)
2n   i 1  
n2
a  1.22  10 6
b  0.61  10 6
 6.73 x  4.3025  10 7 
f ( x)    
 2.316  10 11 x 
ba
h
n
0.61  10 6  1.22  10 6

2
Trapezoidal Rule-More Examples: Chemical Engineering 07.02.3

 0.30500  10 6

f  x0   f 1.22  10 6 
 6.731.22  10 6   4.3025  10 7 
f 1.22  10    
6
  3.0581 10
11

 2.316  10 1.22  10 
11 6

f  x1   f 1.22  10 6  0.30500  10 6 

 f 0.91500  10 6 
f  0.91500   
 
 6.73 0.915  10 6  4.3025  10 7 
  3.1089  10
11


11
2.316  10 0.915  10 6
  

f  x 2   f  x n   f 0.61 10 6

 6.73 0.61  10 6   4.3025  10 7 
f  0.61  10    
6
  3.2104  10
11

 2.316  10  0.61 10 
11 6

0.61 10 6  1.22  10 6   21  6 
I
2 2
 f 1 .22  10 6
  2  f  a  ih    f  0 .61  10 
  i 1  

 0.61  10 6
4
   
f 1.22  10 6  2 f 0.915  10 6  f 0.61  10 6   

 0.61  10 6
4
 
 3.0581 1011  2  3.1089  1011  3.2104  1011  
 1.9042  10 5 s
b) The exact value of the above integral is,
 6.73 x  4.3025  10 7
0.6110  6 
T    dx
1.2210  2.316  10 11 x
6
 
 1.90140  10 5 s
so the true error is
E t  True Value  Approximat e Value
 1.90140  10 5  1.9042  10 5
 282.12
c) The absolute relative true error, t , would then be
True Error
t   100
True Value
 282.12
  100
1.9014  10 5
 0.14838 %

Table 1 Values obtained using multiple-segment Trapezoidal rule for

0.6110  6  6.73 x  4.3025  10 7 
T    dx
1.2210  6  2.316  10 11 x
 
07.02.4 Chapter 07.02

n Value Et t % a %
1 191190 1056.2 0.55549 ---
2 190420 282.12 0.14838 0.40711
3 190260 127.31 0.066956 0.081424
4 190210 72.017 0.037877 0.029079
5 190180 46.216 0.024307 0.013570
6 190170 32.142 0.016905 0.0074020
7 190160 23.636 0.012431 0.0044740
8 190150 18.107 0.0095231 0.0029079