Transfer Functions and

State Space Models

BITS Pilani Pratik N Sheth
Department of Chemical Engineering
Pilani Campus
Lecture Contents

Transfer Functions
Development for Blending process
Stirred Tank Heating Process

Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

 BITS Pilani
Pilani Campus

Transfer Functions
Transfer Function

An algebraic expression of the dynamic model between

selected input and output of the process
Convenient representation of a linear, dynamic model.
A transfer function (TF) relates one input and one
output:

x (t ) y (t )
system x y
X (s) Y (s)
input output
forcing function response
cause effect
Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
Definition of Transfer Function

Let G(s) denote the transfer function between an input,

x, and an output, y. Then, by definition

Y (s)
G (s) =
X (s)
where:
Y ( s ) = L y ( t )
X ( s ) = L x ( t )

Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Development of Transfer
Function
Dynamic Model for Blending Process

Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Blending Process

Transient Mass Balance

rate of accumulation rate of rate of

= (2-1)
of mass in the tank mass in mass out

Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Blending Process

Transient Mass Balance

rate of accumulation rate of rate of
= (2-1)
of mass in the tank mass in mass out

d (V )
= w1 + w2 w (2-2)
dt

d (Vx )
= w1x1 + w2 x2 wx (2-3)
dt

Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Blending Process

For constant density

d (V )
= w1 + w2 w (2-2)
dt
d (Vx )
= w1x1 + w2 x2 wx (2-3)
dt
dV
= w1 + w2 w (2-12)
dt
d (Vx )
= w1x1 + w2 x2 wx (2-13)
dt
dx dV
V + x = w1 x1 + w2 x2 wx (2-15)
dt dt
Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
Blending Process

dx dV
V + x = w1 x1 + w2 x2 wx (2-15)
dt dt
Substitution of the mass balance in (2-12) for dV/dt in (2-15)
gives:
dx
V + x ( w1 + w2 w ) = w1 x1 + w2 x2 wx (2-16)
dt

dV 1
= ( w1 + w2 w ) (2-17)
dt
dx w1 w2
= (1 )
x x + ( x2 x ) (2-18)
dt V V

Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Degree of freedom analysis
dV 1
= ( w1 + w2 w ) (2-17)
dt
dx w1 w2
= (1 )
x x + ( x2 x ) (2-18)
dt V V

No. of Variables: 7

No. of Equations: 2
NF = 5
Can we have one more equation possible?

Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

 Development of Transfer
Function
Assumptions
Constant volume and Constant Density
Stream 2 is Pure A
w1 is constant

dV 1
= ( w1 + w2 w ) (2-17)
dt 0 = w1 x1 + w2 w x
dx w1 w
= ( x1 x ) + 2 ( x2 x ) (2-18)
dt V V

0 = w1 + w2 w dx w1 w wx
= x1 + 2
dt V V V
dx w1
= (x1 x ) + w2 w2 x
dt V V V dx
V = w1 x1 + w2 wx
dx w1 w (w + w2 )x dt
= x1 + 2 1
dt V V V
Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
Development of Transfer
Function
Assumptions
Constant volume and Constant Density
Stream 2 is Pure A
w1 is constant

dx
V = w1 x1 + w2 wx 0 = w1 x1 + w2 w x
dt
d (x x )
V = w1 ( x1 x1 ) + (w2 w2 ) w ( x x )
dt
V d ( x x ) w1 1
= ( x1 x1 ) + (w2 w2 ) ( x x )
w dt w w

dx
= K1 x1 + K 2 w2 x
dt
Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
Development of Transfer
Function
Applying Laplace Transforms

dx
= K1 x1 + K 2 w2 x
dt
sX ( s) = K1 X 1( s) + K 2W2( s) X ( s)

(s + 1)X ( s) = K1 X 1( s) + K 2W2( s)
X ( s ) = G1 ( s) X 1( s) + G2 ( s )W2( s)
K1
K1 K2 G1 ( s ) =

X (s) =
X 1 (s) + W2( s) (s + 1)
(s + 1) (s + 1)
K2
G2 ( s ) =
(s + 1)

Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Example 4.1

(a) Steady state exit concentration from MB

Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Example 4.1

(b) Exit composition response W2( s) = 0

For step increase in x1 (0.05
0.075) V w 1
= ; K1 = 1 ; K 2 =
w w w
K1 K2 2 900 600 1
X ( s ) =
X 1 (s) + W2( s) = ; K1 = ; K2 =
(s + 1) (s + 1) 602 602 602
= 2.99 min; K1 = 0.9967; K 2 = 0.001661
Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
 Example 4.1

(b) Exit composition response W2( s) = 0

For step increase in x1 (0.05
0.075) V w 1
= ; K1 = 1 ; K 2 =
0.9967 0.025 w w w
X ( s ) = X 1( s) X 1( s) =
(2.99s + 1) s
=
2 900
; K1 =
600
; K2 =
1
0.9967 0.025 0.02492 602 602 602

X (s) = =
(2.99s + 1) s s(2.99s + 1) = 2.99 min; K1 = 0.9967; K 2 = 0.001661
Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
Example 4.1

(b) Exit composition response

For step increase in x1 (0.05
0.075)

0.9967 0.025 0.02492

t

X ( s ) = = x(t ) = 0.024921 e 2. 99

(2.99s + 1) s s(2.99s + 1)

t

x(t ) = 0.0531 + 0.024921 e 2.99


Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
Output

0.09

0.08

0.07

0.06

0.05

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

 BITS Pilani
Pilani Campus

Stirred Tank Heating Process

STHP: Constant Holdup

Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

STHP: Constant Holdup

Assumptions
Perfect mixing; thus, the exit temperature T is also the temperature of the tank contents.
The liquid holdup V is constant because the inlet and outlet flow rates are equal.
The density and heat capacity C of the liquid are assumed to be constant. Thus, their
temperature dependence is neglected.
Heat losses are negligible.

For a pure liquid at low or moderate pressures,

the internal energy is approximately equal to the enthalpy, Uint = H , and H depends only
on temperature.
Consequently, in the subsequent development, we assume that Uint = H and where the
caret (^) means per unit mass.
A differential change in temperature, dT, produces a corresponding change in the internal
energy per unit mass,

dU int = dH = CdT (2-29)

Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

STHP: Constant Holdup

The total internal energy of the liquid & rate of internal energy
accumulation in the tank is
U int = VU int (2-30)

dU int dT
= VC (2-31)
dt dt

dU int )
dt
( )
= wH + Q (2-10)

Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

STHP: Constant Holdup

Enthalpy per unit mass

(
H = C T Tref ) (2-33)

H i = C (Ti Tref ) (2-34)

dU int )
dt
(
= wH + Q ) (2-10)

( )
wH = w C Ti Tref w C T Tref
( ) (
) (2-35)

dT
V C = wC (Ti T ) + Q (2-36)
dt
Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
Degree of freedom analysis for
STHP
dT
V C = wC (Ti T ) + Q (2-36)
dt

No. of Variables: 4
No. of Equations: 1
NF = 3

Dr Pratik N Sheth, Dept of Chemical Engg, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Recall the previous dynamic model, assuming constant
liquid holdup and flow rates:
dT
V C = wC (Ti T ) + Q (1)
dt
Suppose the process is initially at steady state:

T ( 0 ) = T , Ti ( 0 ) = Ti , Q ( 0 ) = Q ( 2)
where T steady-state value of T, etc. For steady-state
conditions:
0 = wC (Ti T ) + Q (3)

Subtract (3) from (1):

dT
V C = wC (Ti Ti ) (T T ) + ( Q Q ) (4)
dt
26
But,
dT d (T T )
= because T is a constant (5)
dt dt

Thus we can substitute into (4-2) to get,

dT
V C = wC (Ti T ) + Q (6)
dt
where we have introduced the following deviation
variables, also called perturbation variables:

T T T , Ti Ti Ti , Q Q Q (7)

Take L of (6):

V C sT ( s ) T ( t = 0 ) = wC Ti( s ) T ( s ) Q ( s ) (8)
27
Evaluate T ( t = 0 ) .

By definition,T T T . Thus at time, t = 0,

T ( 0) = T (0) T (9)

But since our assumed initial condition was that the

process was initially at steady state, i.e., T ( 0 ) = T it
follows from (9) that T ( 0 ) = 0.
Note: The advantage of using deviation variables is that
the initial condition term becomes zero. This simplifies
the later analysis.

Rearrange (8) to solve for T ( s ) :

K 1
T ( s) = Q ( s ) + Ti( s ) (10)
s +1 s +1
28
where two new symbols are defined:
1 V
K and (11)
wC w

Transfer Function Between Q and T

SupposeTi is constant at the steady-state value. Then,
Ti ( t ) = Ti Ti( t ) = 0 Ti( s ) = 0. Then we can substitute into
(10) and rearrange to get the desired TF:

T ( s ) K
= (12)
Q ( s ) s + 1

29
Transfer Function Between T and Ti:
Suppose that Q is constant at its steady-state value:

Q ( t ) = Q Q ( t ) = 0 Q ( s ) = 0

Thus, rearranging

T ( s) 1
= (13)
Ti( s ) s + 1

Comments:
1.The TFs in (12) and (13) show the individual effects of Q
and Ti on T. What about simultaneous changes in both
Q and Ti ?

30
 Answer: See (10). The same TFs are valid for
simultaneous changes.

Note that (10) shows that the effects of changes in

both Q and Ti are additive. This always occurs for
linear, dynamic models (like TFs) because the
Principle of Superposition is valid.

2. The TF model enables us to determine the output

response to any change in an input.
3. Use deviation variables to eliminate initial conditions for
TF models.

31