A perfectly stirred, constant-volume tank has two input streams, both consisting of the same liquid. The temperature and flow rate of each of the streams can vary with time. Tl Stream 1 ------,1 wl '+' T2 Stream 2 w2 T3 Stream 3 w3 Figure E2.1 (a) Derive a dynamic model that will describe transient operation. Make a degrees of freedom analysis assuming that both Streams 1 and 2 come from upstream units (i.e., their flow rates and temperatures are known functions of time). (b) Simplify your model, if possible, to one or more differential equations by eliminating any algebraic equations. Also, simplify any derivatives of products of variables. Notes: w; denotes mass flow rate for stream i. Liquid properties are constant (not functions of temperature).
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Textbook Solutions for Process Dynamics and Control
Question
The liquid storage tank shown in Fig. E2.13 has two inlet streams with mass flow rates w1 and w2 and an exit stream with flow rate w3. The cylindrical tank is 2.5 m tall and 2 m in diameter. The liquid has a density of 800 kg/m3. Normal operating procedure is to fill the tank until the liquid level reaches a nominal value of 1.75 m using constant flow rates: w1 = 120 kg/min, w2 = 100 kg/min, and w3 = 200 kg/min. At that point, inlet flow rate w1 is adjusted so that the level remains constant. However, on this particular day, corrosion of the tank has opened up a hole in the wall at a height of 1 m, producing a leak whose volumetric flow rate q4 (m3/min) can be approximated by where h is height in meters. (a) If the tank was initially empty, how long did it take for the liquid level to reach the corrosion point? (b) If mass flow rates w1, w2, and w3 are kept constant indefinitely, will the tank eventually overflow? Justify your answer.
Solution
(a) If the tank was initially empty, the time it took for the liquid level to reach the corrosion point can be calculated by first determining the volumetric flow rate at h = 1 m, based on Eq. E2.13: q4 = 9 h2 = 9 (1)2 = 9 m3/min. The volumetric flow rate of the two inlet streams is w1/? and w2/?. The total volumetric flow rate into the tank is thus: q_in = w1/? + w2/? = (120 kg/min)/(800 kg/m3) + (100 kg/min)/(800 kg/m3) = 0.225 m3/min
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