PROBLEMS

af af
6.1. Determine the transfer function H s / Q s for the liquid-level system shown in Fig.
P6.1. Resistances R1 and R2 are linear. The flow rate from tank 3 is maintained
constant at b by means of a pump; i.e., the flow rate from tank 3 is independent of
head h. The tanks are noninteracting.

Solution Problem 6.1 Figure P6.1

h1 h
q1 = , q2 = 2 , q0 = b
R1 R2

Deviation variables:

Q = q − qs , Q1 = q1 − q1s , Q2 = q2 − q2 s

H = h − hs

For tank 1 result of volumetric balance is:

dQ1
Q − Q1 = A1 R1 (1)
dt

Transform of (1) is:

Q( s ) − Q1 ( s ) = A1 R1sQ1 ( s )

Q1 ( s ) 1
=
Q( s ) ( A1 R1s + 1)

For tank (2) result of volumetric balance is:

 dQ2
Q1 − Q2 = A2 R2 (2)
dt

Transform of (2) is:

Q1 ( s ) − Q2 ( s ) = A2 R2 sQ2 ( s )

Q2 ( s ) 1
=
Q1 ( s ) ( A2 R2 s + 1)

For tank (3), volumetric balance:

dh
q2 − b = A3
dt

dhs
q2 s − b = A3 (at steady state)
dt

d (h − hs )
q2 − q2 s = A3
dt

dH
Q2 = A3 (3)
dt

Transform of (3) is:

Q2 ( s ) = A3 sH ( s )

H ( s) 1
=
Q2 ( s ) A3 s

H ( s ) Q1 ( s ) Q2 ( s ) H ( s ) ⎛ 1 ⎞⎛ 1 ⎞⎛ 1 ⎞
= =⎜ ⎟⎜ ⎟⎜ ⎟
Q( s ) Q( s ) Q1 ( s ) Q2 ( s ) ⎝ A1 R1s + 1 ⎠ ⎝ A2 R2 s + 1 ⎠ ⎝ A3 s ⎠

H ( s) 1
=
Q( s ) ( A1 R1s + 1) ( A2 R2 s + 1)( A3 s )
6.2. The mercury thermometer in Chap. 5 was considered to have all its resistance in the
convective film surrounding the bulb and all its capacitance in the mercury. A more
detailed analysis would consider both the convective resistance surrounding the bulb
and that between the bulb and mercury. In addition, the capacitance of the glass bulb
would be included. Let
Ai = inside area of bulb, for heat transfer to mercury
Ao = outside area of bulb, for heat transfer from surrounding fluid
m = mass of mercury in bulb
mb = mass of glass bulb
C = heat capacity of mercury
Cb = heat capacity of glass bulb
hi = convective coefficient between bulb and mercury
ho = convective coefficient between bulb and surrounding fluid
T = temperature of mercury
Tb = temperature of glass bulb
Tf = temperature of surrounding fluid
Determine the transfer function between Tf and T. What is the effect of the bulb
resistance and capacitance on the thermometer response? Note that the inclusion of the
bulb results in a pair of interacting systems, which give an overall transfer function
somewhat different from that of Eq. (6.24).

Sketch of the system:

Energy Balance on the Glass Bulb
dTb
mb cb = h0 A0 (T f − Tb ) − hi Ai (Tb − T )
dt
dT
mb cb bs = h0 A0 (T fs − Tbs ) − hi Ai (Tbs − Ts ) at steady state
dt
dT ′
mb cb b = h0 A0 (T f′ − Tb′ ) − hi Ai (Tb′ − T ′ ) (1) subtracting
dt
similarly, an Energy Balance on the Mercury
dT ′
mc = hi Ai (Tb′ − T ′ ) (2)
dt
Transforming (1):
mb cb sTb′( s ) = h0 A0 (T f′ ( s ) − Tb′( s ) ) − hi Ai (Tb′( s ) − T ′( s ) )
collecting terms:
Tb′( s ) [ mb cb s + h0 A0 + hi Ai ] = h0 A0T f′ ( s ) + hi AT
i
′( s ) (3)
Transforming (2):
( mcs + hi Ai ) T ′( s ) = hi AT ′
i b (s) (4)
Combining (3) and (4) to eliminate Tb′( s ) :
( mcs + hi Ai )
T ′( s ) [ mb cb s + h0 A0 + hi Ai ] = h0 A0T f′ ( s) + hi AT
i
′( s )
hi Ai
Tb′ ( s )

Collecting terms:
⎡⎛ mc ⎞ ⎤
T ′( s ) ⎢⎜ s + 1⎟ ( mb cb s + ( h0 A0 + hi A ) ) − hi Ai ⎥ = h0 A0T f′ ( s )
⎣⎢⎝ hi Ai ⎠ ⎦⎥
Expanding:
⎡⎛ mc ⎞ ⎛ mc ( h0 A0 + hi A ) ⎞ ⎤
T ′( s ) ⎢⎜ ⎟ ( mb cb ) s + ⎜ mb cb + ⎟ s + h0 A0 ⎥ = h0 A0T f′ ( s )
2

⎢⎣⎝ hi Ai ⎠ ⎝ hi Ai ⎠ ⎥⎦
Rearranging:
T ′( s ) 1 1
= =
T f′ ( s ) ⎡ ⎤ ⎛ mc ⎞
τ iτ i s 2 + ⎜ τ i + τ i + ⎟ s +1
⎛ mc ⎞ ⎛ mb cb ⎞ 2 ⎢⎢⎛ mc ⎞ ⎛ mb cb ⎞ mc ⎥⎥ ⎝ h0 A0 ⎠
⎜ ⎟⎜ ⎟s + ⎜ ⎟+⎜ ⎟+ s +1
⎝ hi Ai ⎠ ⎝ h0 A0 ⎠ ⎢⎝ hi Ai ⎠ ⎝ h0 A0 ⎠ h0 A0 ⎥
τi τo ⎢ τ τo ⎥
⎣ i ⎦

⎛ 1 ⎞
τ o = ( Bulb Resistance )( Bulb Capacitance ) = ⎜ ⎟ ( mb cb ) … Interacting system slows
h A
⎝ o o⎠
the response down.
6.3. There are N storage tanks of volume V arranged so that when water is fed into the
first tank, an equal volume of liquid overflows from the first tank into the second tank,
and so on. Each tank initially contains component A at some concentration Co and is
equipped with a perfect stirrer. At time zero, a stream of zero concentration is fed into the
first tank at a volumetric rate q. Find the resulting concentration in each tank as a
function of time.

Solution
All tanks initially at Co
@ t = 0, Cin = 0
Balance on Tank 1
dC1
qCin − qC1 = V
dt
qC0 − qC0 = 0 initial steady state
dC1′
qC′in − qC1′ = V where C′in = Cin − C0 and C1′ = C1 − C0
dt
Transforming:
V
C′in ( s ) − C1′( s ) = τ sC1′( s ) where τ =
q
Rearranging:
C1′( s ) 1
=
C′in ( s ) τ s + 1
−C0
C′in ( s ) =
s
−C0
∴ C1′( s ) =
s (τ s + 1)
and
⎛ −τt ⎞
′
C1 (t ) = C0 ⎜ e − 1⎟ Tank 1
⎝ ⎠
Tank 2
C0
C2′ ( s ) 1 ⎤ −C0 −C0 τ C0
= → C2′ ( s ) = = + +
) ( )
⎥
C1 ( s ) τ s + 1 ⎦
′ s (τ s + 1) (
2 2
s s+ 1 s+ 1
τ τ
t t
− C0 −
C2′ (t ) = −C0 + C0 e τ
+ te τ
Tank 2
τ
Generalizing:
⎡ 1 1 ⎤
⎢ −1 1 τ τ ⎥
n −1
Cn′ ( s ) = C0 ⎢ + + +… +
&
⎢⎣
s (
s+ 1
τ s+ 1 ) ( )
2
(
s+ 1
n ⎥

τ ⎥⎦ )
(
τ
⎡ −
t
t −t t n −1 ⎡ 1 ⎤ −τt ⎤
Cn′ (t ) = C0 ⎢ −1 + e τ + e τ + … + n −1 ⎢ ⎥e ⎥
⎢⎣ τ τ ⎣⎢ ( n − 1) !⎦⎥ ⎥⎦
or,
⎡ n k −1 −
t
⎤
⎢ ⎛ t ⎞ e τ
Cn′ (t ) = C0 ∑ ⎜ ⎟ − 1⎥
⎢ k =1 ⎝ τ ⎠ ( k − 1) ! ⎥
⎣⎢ ⎦⎥
6.4.
(a) Find the transfer functions H2 / Q and H3 / Q for the three-tank system shown in Fig.
P6.4 where H2 , H3 and Q are deviation variables. Tank 1 and Tank 2 are interacting.
af a f af
(b) For a unit-step change in q (i.e., Q = 1 / s ), determine H3 0 , H3 ∞ , and sketch H3 t
versus t.

Figure P6.4
Part a)
Tanks 1 and 2 are interacting:
H 2 (s) R2 2 H (s)
= = = 2
Q( s ) τ 1τ 2 s + (τ 1 + τ 2 + A1 R2 ) s + 1 4s + 6s + 1 Q( s )
2 2

where τ 1 = A1 R1 = τ 2 = A2 R2 = 2
Q2 ( s ) H 2 ( s ) 2
= = 2
Q( s) R2 4s + 6s + 1

H 3 ( s) R 4
= 3 =
Q2 ( s ) 2 s + 1 2s + 1

H 3 ( s ) H 3 ( s ) Q2 ( s ) 4 H 3 ( s)
= * = =
Q( s ) Q2 ( s ) Q ( s ) ( )
( 2s + 1) 4s 2 + 6s + 1 Q( s)
Part b)
H 3 (0) = 0 by definition, deviation variable
H3 H (∞ ) 1
H 3 (∞ ) → = Q3 → 1= 3 , since Q= , Q3 (∞ ) = 1 ∴ H 3 (∞ ) = 4
R3 4 s
6.5. Three identical tanks are operated in series in a noninteracting fashion as shown in
Fig. P6.5. For each tank, R = 1, τ = 1. If the deviation in flow rate to the first tank is an
impulse function of magnitude 2, determine
af
(a) An expression for H s where H is the deviation in level in the third tank.
(b) Sketch the response H at f .
(c) Obtain an expression for H t . af

Figure P6.5
For the three tank system, all noninteracting:
H 3 ( s) R3 1
= = since τ 1 = τ 2 = τ 3 = 1
Q( s ) (τ 1s + 1)(τ 2 s + 1)(τ 3 s + 1) ( s + 1)3

t2 exp(-t)
Q(t ) = 2δ (t ) 0.6

Q( s) = 2
0.5

2
H 3 (s) =
( s + 1)
3
0.4

H 3 (t ) = t 2 e −t
0.3

0.2

0.1

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
t
6.6. In the two-tank mixing process shown in Fig. P6.6, x varies from 0 lb salt/ft 3 to 1 lb
salt/ft 3 according to a step function. At what time does the salt concentration in tank 2
reach 0.6 lb salt/ft 3 ? The holdup volume of each tank is 6 ft 3 .

Figure P6.6
C ( s)
=
1
=
1 6 4
x( s ) (τ s + 1) 2
( 2 s + 1)
2 .

1
x( s ) =
s
1 0.25 A B C
C ( s) = = = + +
s ( 2 s + 1) s ( s + 0.5 ) s ( s + 0.5 ) s + 0.5
2 2 2

A =1
B = −0.5 0.7
Cross-multiplying and collecting coefficients: 0.6

0.25 = ( s + 0.5 ) A + Bs + C ( s + 0.5 )

2
0.5

s2 : 0 = A + C C = −1 0.4
C1

1 0.5 1 0.3
C ( s) = − −
s ( s + 0.5 ) s + 0.5
2
0.2
C (t ) = 1 − 0.5te −t /2 − e− t /2 = 1 − e− t /2 (1 + 0.5t ) = C (t ) 0.1

Now we need the time when C(t)=0.6: 0

0.6 = 1 − e − t /2 (1 + 0.5t ) 0 1 2 3 4 5
e − t /2
(1 + 0.5t ) = 0.4 t

We can solve this by trial and error, or use Excel goal seek, or use MATLAB:
e − y (1 + y ) = 0.4 solve for y,
y=2
0.5t = 2
t = 4 min
 af af
6.7. Starting from first principles, derive the transfer functions H1 s / Q s and
af af
H2 s / Q s for the liquid level system shown in Fig. P6.7. The resistances are linear
and R1 = R2 = 1. Note that two streams are flowing from tank 1, one of which flows
into tank 2. You are expected to give numerical values of the parameters in the
transfer functions and to show clearly how you derived the transfer functions.

Figure P6.7

A mass balance about each tank gives:

dh1 dh h h 3
A1 = 2 1 = q − q1 − qa = q − 1 − 1 = q − h1 (1)
dt dt R1 Ra 2

dh2 dh2 h h
A2 = = q1 − q2 = 1 − 2 = h1 − h2 (2)
dt dt R1 R2

At steady state the time derivatives are zero and the above may be written:

0=qs-1.5h1s (3)

0=h1s-h2s (4)

Subtracting Equations (3) and (4) from Equations (1) and (2), respectively, and defining
the following deviation variables gives:

Q=q-qs, H1=h1- h1s , H2=h2- h2s

H1 ( s ) 2/3
= (5)
Q( s ) ( 4 / 3)s + 1
H 2 ( s) 1
= (6)
H1 ( s ) s + 1

Multiplying Equations (5) and (6) gives the desired transfer function:

H 2 ( s) 2/3
= (7)
Q( s ) (( 4 / 3)s + 1)( s + 1)