Cabalejo,Jackylou Porcare BSCHE 5

CHE516N Dynamics and Control Processes

[Problem 2.4] Consider a liquid flow system consisting of a sealed tank with noncondensible gas above the liquid as shown in the figure below. Derive an unsteady state model relating the liquid level h to the input flow rate qi. Is the operation of this system independent of the ambient pressure Pa? What about for the system open to the atmosphere? Assumptions: i. The gas obeys ideal gas law. A constant amount of mg/M moles of gas are present in the tank. The operation is isothermal. A square root relation holds for flow through the valve.

ii. iii.

Solution: Mass Balance over the tank: Accumulation = Input Output + generation - consumption

Assume constant density and mg:

Since it is assumed that given that a square root relation holds for flow through the valve, we can express q as;

Also, the gas in the tank obeys Ideal gas law where n= mg/M V = A(H-h) Thus,
( )

Substitute these expressions to the mass balance equation gives an unsteady-state model for the system; ( )

Since the model contains Pa term, this indicates that the system is not independent of the ambient pressure Pa.

On the other hand, when the system is open to the atmosphere the gas pressure will be equal to the atmospheric/ambient pressure hence,

Thus, the model reduces to;

For this case, the system is independent of the ambient pressure.