MEEN 364

Lecture 10, 11, 7

Parasuram
August 19, 2001

HANDOOUT E.9 - EXAMPLES ON FLUID, THERMAL AND MIXED

SYSTEMS
Example 1: A thermal system
The following figure shows a simple model of an industrial furnace. A packing of
temperature T1 is being heated in the furnace by an electric heater supplying heat at the
rate Qi(t). The temperature inside the furnace is T2, the walls are at temperature T3 and
the ambient temperature is Ta. The thermal capacitances of the packing, the air inside the
furnace and the furnace walls are Ch1, Ch2 and Ch3 respectively. Derive the state-variable
equations for this system assuming that the heat is transferred by convection only, with
the convective heat transfer coefficients hc1 (air-packing), hc2 (air-inside walls) and hc3
(outside walls-ambient air).

T3, Ch3

Ta

T2, Ch2

T1, Ch1
Qi(t)

The rate of heat transfer, Q between a solid wall and a fluid flowing over it is given by
Q = hc A(Tw T f ),

(1)

where hc is the convective heat transfer coefficient, A is the area of heat transfer and Tw
and Tf represent the wall and fluid temperatures respectively.
Using the above relations for the packing, we have
Q1 = m1c1

dT1
dT
= C h1 1 = hc1 A1 (T2 T1 ).
dt
dt

(2)

MEEN 364
Lecture 10, 11, 7

Parasuram
August 19, 2001

Similarly applying the relation for the furnace, we have

Q2 = m 2 c 2

dT2
dT
= C h 2 2 = Qi (t ) hc1 A1 (T2 T1 ) hc 2 A2 (T2 T3 ).
dt
dt

(3)

Applying the relation given by equation (1) to the walls, we get

Q3 = m3 c3

dT3
dT
= C h 3 3 = hc 2 A2 (T2 T3 ) hc 3 A3 (T3 Ta ).
dt
dt

(4)

Equations (2), (3) and (4) represent the governing differential equations of motion for the
above-defined system.
State-space representation
Let the states of the system be defined as
T1 = x1 ,
T2 = x 2 ,

(5)

T3 = x3 .
Substituting the above relation in equation (2), we have
dT1
= hc1 A1 (T2 T1 ),
dt
.
h A
h A
x1 = c1 1 x1 + c1 1 x 2 .
C h1
C h1

C h1

(6)

Similarly substituting the relations given by equation (5) in equation (3), we have
dT2
= Qi (t ) hc1 A1 (T2 T1 ) hc 2 A2 (T2 T3 ),
dt
.
h A h A
h A
h A
1
x 2 = c1 1 x1 c1 1 + c 2 2 x 2 + c 2 2 x3 +
Qi (t ).
Ch2
Ch2
Ch2
Ch2
Ch2
Ch2

(7)

Substituting the relations given by equation (5) in equation (4), we get

dT3
= hc 2 A2 (T2 T3 ) hc 3 A3 (T3 Ta ),
dt
.
h A h A
h A
h A
x 3 = c 2 2 x 2 c 2 2 + c 3 3 x 3 + c 3 3 Ta .
C h3
C h3
C h3
C h3
C h3

(8)

MEEN 364
Lecture 10, 11, 7

Parasuram
August 19, 2001

Rewriting equations (6), (7) and (8) in matrix format, we have

hc1 A1

. C h1
x. 1 h A
x 2 = c1 1
. Ch2
x3

0

hc1 A1

C h1
x 0
1 1
h A h A
hc 2 A2
c1 1 + c 2 2
x2 +
Ch2
Ch2
Ch2
x Ch2
h A
hc 2 A2
h A 3 0
c2 2 + c3 3

C h3
C h 3
C h3

0
Q (t )
0 i .
Ta

hc 3 A3
C h 3

Example 2: A mixed system

A simplified sketch of a computer tape drive is shown below. Write the equations of
motion in terms of the parameters listed below.

Free body diagram of the take-up capstan

T

J1, B1

Tm
r1

MEEN 364
Lecture 10, 11, 7

Parasuram
August 19, 2001

where J1 is the inertial of the motor, B1 is the motor damping constant, Tm is the torque
developed by the motor, T is the tension in the string.
Writing the torque balance equation, we have
J1

d 1
+ B1
dt

Tr1 = Tm .

(9)

But from the figure it can be concluded that

.

T = B( x 2 x 1 ) + k ( x 2 x1 ).

(10)

We also know that the torque developed by the motor is proportional to the armature
current. Hence
Tm = k t i a .

(11)

Substituting the equations (10) and (11) in equation (9), we have

d 1
J1
+ B1 1 Tr1 Tm = 0,
dt
.
.
d 1
J1
+ B1 1 Br1 ( x 2 x1 ) kr1 ( x 2 x1 ) k t ia = 0.
dt

(12)

Free body diagram of the idler wheel

T2

J2, B2

r2
F

Writing the Torque balance equation, we get

J2

d 2
+ B 2
dt

+ T2 r2 Fr2 = 0.

(13)

But again,
.

T2 = B( x 2 x1 ) + k ( x 2 x1 ).

(14)

MEEN 364
Lecture 10, 11, 7

Parasuram
August 19, 2001

Substituting equation (14) in equation (13), we get

d 2
+ B2 2 + T2 r2 Fr2 = 0,
dt
.
.
d 2
J2
+ B2 2 + Br2 ( x 2 x1 ) + kr2 ( x 2 x1 ) Fr2 = 0.
dt
J2

(15)

From the figure, the following relation can be concluded,

.

x1 = r1 1 ,

(16)

x 2 = r2 2 .
Equations (12), (15) and (16) represent the governing differential equation of motion.
State-space representation
Let the states of the system be defined as
x1 = X 1 ,

1 = X2,
x2 = X 3 ,

(17)

= X 4.

Substituting the above relation in equation (16), we have

.

x1 = r1 1 ,
.

X 1 = r1 X 2 .

(18)

x 2 = r2 2 ,
.

X 3 = r2 X 4 .

(19)

Substituting the relation given by equation (17) in equation (12), we have

J1

d 1
+ B1
dt

Br1 ( x 2 x1 ) kr1 ( x 2 x1 ) k t ia = 0,

J 1 X 2 + B1 X 2 Br1 (r2 X 4 r1 X 2 ) kr1 ( X 3 X 1 ) k t ia = 0,

.

X2 =

k
kr1
B + Br12
kr
Br r
X1 1
X 2 + 1 X 3 + 1 2 X 4 + t ia .
J1
J1
J1
J1
J1

(20)

Substituting the relation given by equation (17) in equation (15), we have

5

MEEN 364
Lecture 10, 11, 7

J2

d 2
+ B 2
dt

Parasuram
August 19, 2001
.

+ Br2 ( x 2 x1 ) + kr2 ( x 2 x1 ) Fr2 = 0,

J 2 X 4 + B2 X 4 + Br2 (r2 X 4 r1 X 2 ) + kr2 ( X 3 X 1 ) Fr2 = 0,

kr2
Br1 r2
kr2
B2 + Br22
r
X4 =
X1 +
X2
X3
X 4 + 2 F.
J2
J2
J2
J2
J2
.

(21)

Rewriting equations (18), (19), (20) and (21) in matrix format, we have
0
.
X. 1 kr1
X 2 J1
. = 0
X. 3
X 4 kr2

J 2

r1
B1 + Br12

J1
0
Br1 r2
J2

0
kr1
J1
0
kr
2
J2

0
Br1 r2
J1
r2
B2 + Br22

J2

0
X 1 k
t
X 2 + J1
X 3 0

X 4 0

0
i
a .
0 F
r2
J 2

(22)

Example 3: A fluid system

Introduction
Fluid capacitor
A fluid capacitor is shown in the following figure

P1

Qc

Pr
Cf

The pressure in a fluid capacitor must be referred to a reference pressure Pr. The volume
flow rate Qc is given by
Qc = C f

dP1r
, where Cf is the fluid capacitance.
dt

Fluid inertor
The symbolic diagram of a fluid inertor is shown in the following figure.
QI

P1

P2

MEEN 364
Lecture 10, 11, 7

Parasuram
August 19, 2001
I

The elemental equation for the inertor is

dQI
, where I is the fluid inertance. For frictionless incompressible flow in a
dt
L
uniform passage having cross sectional area A and length L, the inertance I =
,
A
where is the mass density of the fluid.
P12 = I

Fluid resistor
The symbolic diagram of a fluid resistor is shown below.
QR

P1

P2

Rf
The elemental equation of an ideal resistor is
P12 = R f QR .
Problem: Develop the input-output differential equation relating the output pressure to
the input pressure for the fluid system shown below.

For the fluid resistor, we have

P12 = R f QR .

(23)

MEEN 364
Lecture 10, 11, 7

Parasuram
August 19, 2001

For the inertor, we get

P23 = I

dQR
.
dt

(24)

For the fluid capacitor,

QR = C f

dP3r
.
dt

(25)

Writing the pressure balance equation, we have

Ps = P1r = P12 + P23 + P3 r
dQR
+ P3r
dt
dP
d 2 P3 r
Ps = R f C f 3r + C f I
+ P3r ,
dt
dt 2
d 2 P3r
dP
Cf I
+ R f C f 3 r + P3r = Ps .
2
dt
dt
Ps = R f QR + I

(26)

Equation (26) represents the governing differential equation of motion for the fluid
system shown.
State-space representation
Let the states of the system be defined as
P3r = x1 ,
dP3r
= x2 .
dt

(27)

From the above relation, we get

.

x1 = x 2 .

(28)

Substituting the relation given by equation (27) in equation (26), we have

d 2 P3r
dP
Cf I
+ R f C f 3r + P3r = Ps ,
2
dt
dt
.

C f I x 2 + R f C f x 2 + x1 = Ps ,

MEEN 364
Lecture 10, 11, 7
.

x2 =

Parasuram
August 19, 2001

Rf
1
1
x1
x2 +
Ps .
Cf I
I
Cf I

(29)

Rewriting equations (28) and (29) in matrix format, we get

. 0
x. 1 = 1
x 2 C I
f

1
0
R f x1 + 1 P .
s

I x 2 C f I

(30)

Assignment
1) The sewage system leading to a treatment plant is shown. The variables qA and qB are
input flow rates into tanks 1 and 2 respectively. Pipes 1, 2 and 3 have resistances as
shown. Derive the state equations.
qA

qB

Tank 1

A1
h1

A2
h2

R1

q1

R2

Pipe 1

Tank 2

Pipe 2
q2

q3

R3
Pipe 3

2) The temperatures of the side surfaces of the composite slab shown below areT1 and T2.
The other surfaces are perfectly insulated. The cross sectional areas of the two parts of
the slab are A1 and A2 and their conductivities are k1 and k2 respectively. The length of
the slab is L.
a) Find the equivalent thermal resistance of the slab and express it in terms of the
thermal resistances of the two parts.

A1
T1

k1

T2

k2

MEEN 364
Lecture 10, 11, 7

Parasuram
August 19, 2001
A2

L
3) Write the equations of motion for the hanging crane shown below. Assume that the
driving force on the hanging crane is provided by the motor mounted on the cab with one
of the support wheels connected directly to the armature shaft. The motor constants are
Ke, Kt and the circuit driving the motor has a resistance Ra and no inductance. The wheel
has a radius r.

10