MODELLING

MODELLING EXAMPLES IN
DEMONSTRATING
EXAMPLES FOR APPLICATION OF
PRINCIPLES OF
DISTRIBUTED MODELLING TO
PARAMETER SYSTEMS DISTRIBUTED
PARAMETER SYSTEMS
Example 7: Material Flow in a Long-pipe
Example 8: Material Flow in a Plug-flow
Reactor
Example 9: Energy flow in a Long-pipe
Example 10: Energy Flow in a Plug-flow
Reactor
Example 11: Heat Conduction in Solids
Example 12: Heat Transfer in Extended Surfaces
  Fluid is flowing through a constant-diameter
cylindrical pipe sketched in the Figure below.
 The flow is turbulent and therefore we can assume
plug-flow conditions i.e. that is each “slice” of
liquid flows down the pipe as a unit.
EXAMPLE 7: MASS  There are no radial gradients in velocity or nay other
properties. However, axial gradients can exist.
FLOW THROUGH
 Density and velocity can change as the fluid flows
A PIPE
along the axial – horizontal (x-direction.)
 There are now two independent variables: time, t
and position, x.
 Density and velocity or any available dependent
variable are functions of both t and x:  (t, x) and
(t, x)
EXAMPLE 7: MASS Flow through a Pipe
FLOW THROUGH  Now we would apply the total continuity Equation
A PIPE (i) (see Lesson 2 Note) to a system that consists of a
small “slice” – the system is now a microscopic one
 The differential element of thickness dx is located at
an arbitrary position x down the pipe and has an
area equal to the cross-sectional area of the pipe, A
(ft2 of m2)
  Applying Continuity equation, we have:

EXAMPLE 7: MASS
FLOW THROUGH
A PIPE
 So bringing all the terms together using our
simple formula:

(45)
  Simplifying (45), we obtain:

(46)

(47)
EXAMPLE 7: MASS
FLOW THROUGH
Equation (47) is the transient model equation for a
A PIPE simple flow in pipe.
The modelling in this example demonstrate the
application of total continuity equation to a
microscopic system.
Next, we would consider the application of component
continuity equation (law) to microscopic system
  Instead of an ordinary cylindrical pipe as in
the previous example, supposed it is now a
tubular reactor in which a 1st-order reaction
involving reactant A going into product B
EXAMPLE 8: takes place with the reaction:
MATERIAL FLOW  As a slice of materials move from the length
IN A TUBULAR of the reactor, the concentration of reactant A,
REACTOR CA decreases as A is consumed. Density, ,
velocity,  and concentration CA can all vary
with time and spatial position, x.
 The plug-flow condition is assumed i.e. radial
gradient is negligible (no radial gradient in
velocity, density and concentration).
  The concentration of reactant A fed into the
reactor at position x = 0 is defined as:

 The concentration of reactant A fed into the

EXAMPLE 8: reactor at position x = L is defined as:
MATERIAL FLOW
IN A TUBULAR  We can now apply component continuity
REACTOR equation (ii) to a small differential size of
width dx as shown in the figure below:
 The Flow Analysis
 The flow type in the reactor can be divided into
2:
 Bulk flow (due to molecular movement)
EXAMPLE 8:  Diffusive flow (due to concentration gradient in
MATERIAL FLOW the axial direction)
IN A TUBULAR  Note that the diffusive flow is usually much less
REACTOR important than the bulk flow in most practical
systems, but we will include it in our modelling
to see its contribution.
 Let’s define the diffusive flux of A, NA (in
moles of A per unit time per unit area) given by
the FICK’s Law as
 (48)

 Where, D is the diffusion coefficient due to

both diffusion and turbulence in the fluid flow
and it’s known as Eddy diffusivity (measured in
EXAMPLE 8: m2/s).
MATERIAL FLOW  Applying component continuity equation, we
IN A TUBULAR have:
REACTOR
  Rate of formation of A inside:

 Time rate of change of moles of A inside:

EXAMPLE 8:
MATERIAL FLOW  Bringing all the terms together, we have:
IN A TUBULAR
REACTOR
  Simplifying, it becomes:

(49)

 Substituting for NA in (49), we have

EXAMPLE 8:
MATERIAL FLOW
IN A TUBULAR (50)
REACTOR
 Eqn. (50) is the transient model equation for the
plug-flow tubular reactor with 1st-order
reaction.
 The steady state derivation of (50) is
  At steady state, the time-derivative term
(51)
becomes zero, i.e.

EXAMPLE 8:
MATERIAL FLOW
IN A TUBULAR (52)
REACTOR
 Equation (52) is the steady state model
equation for the plug-flow tubular reactor.
 Equation (52) can be generalized for any type
of reactions (order, n >1) and a situation of
non-constant temperature reaction rate, k.
  Let us return to the plug-flow rector in Example
8 and now keep track of temperature changes as
the fluid flow down the pipe.
 We will again uphold the assumptions earlier
made in example 8 (plug-flow conditions,
EXAMPLE 9: though this is a very poor assumption in some
APPLICATION OF strongly exothermic system if the pipe diameter
ENERGY is not kept small)
water
EQUATION TO
MICROSCOPIC
SYSTEM

water
  Supposed the reactor with a cooling jacket is as
shown in the figure above
 Heat can be transferred from the process fluid
reactants and the products alike at temperature T
to the metal wall of the reactor at temperature TM.
EXAMPLE 9:  The heat is subsequently transferred to the
APPLICATION OF cooling water.
ENERGY  For the complete description of the system, we
EQUATION TO will need energy equation for the process fluid,
MICROSCOPIC the metal wall and the cooling water.
SYSTEM Process Fluid:
 Consider a differential portion of the process fluid
as our micro system, so that we can derive each
of the term of the general equation (iii)
  Plug-flow conditions assumption also holds.

EXAMPLE 9:
APPLICATION OF
ENERGY
EQUATION TO
MICROSCOPIC
SYSTEM  Where
  There will also be heat conduction

EXAMPLE 9:  where
APPLICATION OF
ENERGY  qx is defined by Fourier’s Law as
EQUATION TO
MICROSCOPIC
SYSTEM  where

 Bringing all the terms together using

EXAMPLE 9:  Simplifying, we have
APPLICATION OF
ENERGY
EQUATION TO (53)
MICROSCOPIC
SYSTEM
(54)
  Using definition for qx and simplifying, we have

(55)

EXAMPLE 9:
APPLICATION OF  Equation (55) is the transient model equation for
ENERGY the energy model in microscopic system (tubular
EQUATION TO reactor)
MICROSCOPIC  The steady state version of (55) for a constant,
SYSTEM kT is

(56)
  Assumptions
 Ts is constant
 Porosity of bed,  is constant
 No radial gradient in temperature and
EXAMPLE 10: concentration
AN ADIABATIC  Axial dispersion is negligible
PLUG FLOW  Constant fluid velocity in the bed
TUBULAR  The heat exchange between the fluid and
REACTOR catalyst is ideal
  Material and energy balance are involved in
this problem
 Define porosity as
EXAMPLE 10:
(57)
AN ADIABATIC
PLUG FLOW  Taking material balance around the system,
TUBULAR we have
REACTOR

(58)
  Substituting rate eqn. in (57), it becomes

(59)

 Simplifying, Eqn. (59) becomes

EXAMPLE 10:
AN ADIABATIC
(60)
PLUG FLOW
TUBULAR Energy Equation
REACTOR  Taking the energy balance in the simplest form,
we have
EXAMPLE 10:
 Accumulation of heat is by both the fluid and
AN ADIABATIC
catalyst and is given by
PLUG FLOW
TUBULAR
REACTOR
 There are also Qin and Qout of the system
 Bringing all the terms together, we have
 (61)

EXAMPLE 10:  Simplifying (61), we obtain

AN ADIABATIC
PLUG FLOW
TUBULAR (62)
REACTOR
 In practice, the equation is not as complex as this
 Tc is a new variable introduced which may not be equal to
Tf. In reality Tc is never equal to Tf but such approximation
can be made for simplification.
  In cases where such approximation cannot be
made, then we need a third equation to relate Tc
and Tf together.

EXAMPLE 10:
Tc
AN ADIABATIC Tf
PLUG FLOW
TUBULAR
 So, the heat transfer from Tf to Tc is given by
REACTOR
(63)
  Similar assumptions as in the plug-flow
conditions are assumed here also without need
for repetitions.
EXAMPLE 11:
 The simple figure showing the differential
HEAT
element for the modelling is given below
CONDUCTION IN
SOLIDS

(A) LONG BAR

WITH HEATING  The differential heat balance around the
ELEMENT elemental part is given as
EXAMPLE 11:  Where H is given as energy per unit volume
HEAT
CONDUCTION IN  Bringing all the terms together, we have
SOLIDS
(64)
(A) LONG BAR
(65)
WITH HEATING
ELEMENT  Using the definition of qx in (65) and assume
constant  and Cp, we obtain
(66)
 (67)
 Where

EXAMPLE 11:
HEAT
CONDUCTION IN
SOLIDS  Equation (67) is the transient model equation for
one-dimensional heat conduction in solids with
(A) LONG BAR external heating
WITH HEATING  In 3-dimensional heat flow, Eqn. (67) is
ELEMENT generally written as (68)

 where (69)
  Consider a sphere of radius R and a differential
element of thickness dr and distance r from the
centre of the sphere as shown below.
EXAMPLE 11:
HEAT
CONDUCTION IN
SOLIDS

(B) THROUGH A  Applying the energy equation as before, the

SPHERE integral heat balance around the system is given
by
(70)
  Simplifying (70) we have

(71)
EXAMPLE 11:
HEAT  Substituting for qr and As in (71), we obtain
CONDUCTION IN
SOLIDS
(72)
 In a more standard form, (72) is expressed as

(B) THROUGH A (73)

SPHERE
 Eqn. (73) is the transient equation for heat
conduction in a sphere
  Consider a flange of uniform cross-
sectional area
 Flange is an annulus (with a hole in it in the
middle) with constant thickness.
EXAMPLE 12:
 The cross-sections of a flange are as shown
HEAT TRANSFER
below
IN EXTENDED
SURFACE

(A) A UNIFORM
FLANGE
  For this problem, we intend to obtain the
temperature distribution within the flange
 We consider an element of the flange distance r
from common centre and of thickness dr.
EXAMPLE 12:
 There are two functional area:
HEAT TRANSFER
IN EXTENDED  Conduction area – this area is within the flange.
It is the curved surface area of the encompassing
SURFACE
cylinder of radius r and of thickness l equal to the
thickness of the flange. This area is given by
(A) A UNIFORM
FLANGE (74)
 Convection area – this is the flat surface on the
flange. This area is defined as
(75)
  The heat balance around the flange is given by
(76(i))

EXAMPLE 12:
HEAT TRANSFER (76(ii)
IN EXTENDED )
SURFACE
(76(iii))

(A) A UNIFORM  Note: In calculating the convection area,

FLANGE remember that there are two faces involved.
 Writing the complete energy balance equation,
we have
 (77)

EXAMPLE 12:  Substituting for Acond and Aconv in (77) and

HEAT TRANSFER simplifying , we have
IN EXTENDED
(78)
SURFACE
 Equation (78) is the transient equation for the
(A) A UNIFORM Flange (Fin or extended surface) of constant
FLANGE thickness problem.
 The steady state form of (78) can be derived
simply by setting the time-derivative term to zero
 (79)

EXAMPLE 12:  Eqn. (79) is therefore the steady state model

HEAT TRANSFER equation for the Flange problem
IN EXTENDED CLASS WORK 2
SURFACE  Using the substitution, , show that
Eqn. (79) can be derived as
(A) A UNIFORM
FLANGE (80a)

 Or
(80b)
  In the previous Fin or Flange problem, the
Flange was upright of uniform thickness
throughout.
 Suppose we taper the Flange such that the angle
EXAMPLE 12:
is 2 at the tip.
HEAT TRANSFER
 This taper section run throughout the entire
IN EXTENDED
SURFACE annulus. We are thus interested in constructing
heat balance for the tapered Fin.

(B) A TAPERED  x
FIN
b x tan

r
  The effective areas are:
 Aconduction: the curved surface area whose
thickness and of radius .
EXAMPLE 12:
HEAT TRANSFER
 The convection will be from the slant height on
IN EXTENDED the sides of the tapered fin.
SURFACE

(B) A TAPERED
x
FIN
  Conducting the heat balance around the Fin, we have

(81)
EXAMPLE 12:  Substituting for Acond and Aconv in (81), we have
HEAT TRANSFER
(82)
IN EXTENDED
SURFACE  Equation (82) is the transient Equation for the heat
transfer in a tapered Fin
(B) A TAPERED CLASS WORK 3
FIN  Using in Eqn. (82), show that the steady
state equation for the tapered Fin problem is given by
 , Find P(x), Q(x) and a?
  In all the modelling scenarios in this Section,
all the transient model equations resulted
therefrom are characterized by partial
differential equations.
 The steady-state model from the obtained
transient models are described by second-
SUMMARY order ordinary differential equations.