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Chapter 2

1. Mathematical models represent systems using equations based on conservation laws of mass, energy, and chemical components to improve process understanding, design, and operation. 2. Models of stirred tank processes consider mass and energy balances with assumptions of perfect mixing and constant holdup, density, and heat capacity. 3. Example models demonstrate the unsteady-state mass and component balances for a blending process and enthalpy balance for a stirred-tank heating process.

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13 views

Chapter 2

1. Mathematical models represent systems using equations based on conservation laws of mass, energy, and chemical components to improve process understanding, design, and operation. 2. Models of stirred tank processes consider mass and energy balances with assumptions of perfect mixing and constant holdup, density, and heat capacity. 3. Example models demonstrate the unsteady-state mass and component balances for a blending process and enthalpy balance for a stirred-tank heating process.

Uploaded by

Ellen Tannasya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mathematical Modeling of

Chemical Processes
Chapter 2

Mathematical Model (Eykhoff, 1974)


“a representation of the essential aspects of an existing
system (or a system to be constructed) which
represents knowledge of that system in a usable form”

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but


no simpler.
Uses of Mathematical Modeling
• to improve understanding of the process
• to optimize process design/operating conditions
Chapter 2

• to design a control strategy for the process


• to train operating personnel
Conservation Laws
Theoretical models of chemical processes are based on
conservation laws.

Conservation of Mass
 rate of mass  rate of mass  rate of mass 
Chapter 2

 = −  (2-6)


accumulation   in   out 

Conservation of Component i
rate of component i  rate of component i 
 = 
 accumulation   in 

rate of component i  rate of component i 


− +  (2-7)
 out   produced 
Conservation of Energy
The general law of energy conservation is also called the First
Law of Thermodynamics. It can be expressed as:
rate of energy  rate of energy in  rate of energy out 
 = − 
 accumulation   by convection   by convection 
Chapter 2

net rate of heat addition   net rate of work 


   
+  to the system from  + performed on the system  (2-8)
 the surroundings   by the surroundings 
   

The total energy of a thermodynamic system, Utot, is the sum of its


internal energy, kinetic energy, and potential energy:

Utot = Uint + U KE + U PE (2-9)


Chapter 2 Example 1: A Blending Process
The unsteady-state mass balance and component balance:

dV 1
= ( w1 + w2 − w ) (2-17)
dt 
Chapter 2

dx w1 w2
= ( x1 − x ) + ( x2 − x ) (2-18)
dt V  V
Chapter 2 Example 2: Stirred-Tank Heating Process

Figure 2.3 Stirred-tank heating process with constant holdup, V.


Stirred-Tank Heating Process (cont’d.)

Assumptions:

1. Perfect mixing; thus, the exit temperature T is also the


Chapter 2

temperature of the tank contents.


2. The liquid holdup V is constant because the inlet and outlet
flow rates are equal.
3. The density  and heat capacity C of the liquid are assumed to
be constant. Thus, their temperature dependence is neglected.
4. Heat losses are negligible.
Stirred-Tank Heating Process (cont’d.)

Enthalpy balance:
Chapter 2

dT
V C = wC (Ti − T ) + Q (2-36)
dt
Exercise 1
The liquid storage tank 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
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
A process tank has two input streams—Stream 1 at mass flow rate w1 and Stream
2 at mass flow rate w2. The tank’s effluent stream, at flow rate w, discharges
through a fixed valve to atmospheric pressure. Pressure drop across the valve is
proportional to the flow rate squared (w = C.h0.5). The cross-sectional area of the
tank, A, is 5 m2, and the mass density of all streams is 940 kg/m3.
a. Draw a schematic diagram of the process and write an appropriate dynamic
model for the tank level. What is the corresponding steady-state model?
b. At initial steady-state conditions, with w1 = 2.0 kg/s and w2 = 1.2 kg/s, the
tank level is 2.25 m. What is the value of the valve constant (give units)?
c. A process control engineer decides to use a feed forward controller to hold the
level approximately constant at the set-point value (hsp = 2.25 m) by
measuring w1 and manipulating w2. What is the mathematical relation that
will be used in the controller? If the w1 measurement is not very accurate and
always supplies a value that is 1.1 times the actual flow rate, what can you
conclude about the resulting level control?
Exercise 2

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