Error Estimation in

Chemical
Engineering
Presented By:

2017-CH-14
2017-CH-16
2017-CH-24
2017-CH-26
2017-CH-34
2017-CH-52
INTRODUCTION

› What is Error?
› Errors, Precision & Accuracy
› Why we study Errors?
SOURCES OF ERRORS

› Round Off Error

Caused by representing a number approximately.
1
3
0.333333

› Truncation Error
Error caused by truncating or approximating a mathematical procedure.
SOURCES OF ERRORS
Example of Truncation Error
Using finite rectangles to approximate an integral
SOURCES OF ERRORS
› Example of Truncation Error
Use two rectangles of equal width to approximate the area under the curve for:
f ( x)  x 2 over the interval [3,9]

90

 x dx
y = x2
60
2

30
3

0 x
0 3 6 9 12
SOURCES OF ERRORS
› Example of Truncation Error
Integration Example

9
Choosing a width of 3, we have
  (6  3)  ( x 2 ) (9  6)
2 2
x dx ( x )
x 3 x 6
3

 (32 )3  (6 2 )3
 27  108  135
Actual value is given by
9
 93  33 
9
 x3 
 x dx      234
2

3
 3 3  3 
Truncation error is then
234  135  99
TYPES OF ERRORS

True Error

Percentage
Approximate Relative True
Error
Error

Errors
Relative
Percentage
Approximate
True Error
Error

Approximate
Error
ABSOLUTE RELATIVE ERROR

How is Absolute Relative

Error used as a stopping
criterion?
PROBLEM
Determining rate constant and order of reaction LOG(C A ) VS LOG(-R A )

Reaction: 0.6

y = 1.957x + 2.4758 0.4

2A R 0.2

0
Without Rounding off values: -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0
-0.2
Vo Ca Xa -ra Log(Ca) Log(- -0.4
ra)
-0.6
10 0.0857 0.250219 2.502187 -1.06702 0.39832

3 0.0667 0.499625 1.498875 -1.17587 0.175765

1.2 0.05 0.666667 0.8 -1.30103 -0.09691 Cao 0.1

0.5 0.0334 0.79952 0.39976 -1.47625 -0.3982
V 0.1

K 309.6189

n 1.957
PROBLEM
With Rounding off values:

Log( LOG(CA) VS LOG(-RA)

Vo Ca Xa -ra Log(Ca) -ra)

10 85.7 0.25 2500 1.932981 3.39794 4

3.5 y = 1.9559x - 0.3931
3 66.7 0.5 1500 1.824126 3.176091 3
2.5
1.2 50 0.667 800 1.69897 2.90309 2
1.5
0.5 33.4 0.8 400 1.523746 2.60206 1
0.5
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

Cao 0.1

V 0.1

K 360

n 1.957
PROBLEM
Interpretation:

Arrhenius Equation
k=koe^(-E/RT)
APPLICATIONS
Error Estimation in Measurements

› Uncertainty Analysis & Error Analysis

› Systematic Error
› Identification of Systematic Error
› Random Error
› Identification of Random Error
APPLICTIONS

Design Failure due to Incorrect Error Estimation

› Boiler Failure of steam power plant.

› The destruction of bridges, railway tracks.

› Minor error in Pharmaceuticals
Conclusion!