CHE 555 NUMERICAL METHODS & OPTIMIZATION

ASSIGNMENT 2

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS

This is a group assignment (3 members) which has to be submitted within 1 week after
receiving the assignment. Standardize all the calculation up to 4 decimal points.

Question 1

The concentration of E.coli bacteria in a pool is monitored after storm:

t(hrs) 2 6 10 14 18 22
c(CFU/100mL) 1470 1200 880 780 530 440

The time is measured in hours following the end of the storm and the unit CFU is a colony
forming unit. Use this data to estimate:

a) the concentration at the end of the storm (t=0)

b) the time at which the concentration will reach 150 CFU/100mL.

Note that the choice of model should be consistent with the fact that negative concentrations
are impossible and that the bacteria concentration always decreases with time.

(20 marks)

Question 2

A specific enzyme acts as catalyst in the fermentation of reactant A. The kinetics of the
fermentation at this enzyme concentration is given by:

enzyme 0.1C A
A R , rA mol/litermin
1 0.5C A

C AO (1 A )
Where C A and the space time of plug flow reactor is given as
(1 A )
Af
d A
C AO
0
rA
.

Af
d A
a) Find the area under the curve, presented by
0
rA
using Simpsons 3/8 Rule and

Multiple Trapezoidal Rule (n>5) at a given enzyme concentration in the aqueous feed
stream for 90% conversion of reactant A when the initial concentration of reactant A is
2 mol/liter.

b) Determine the space time needed for that conversion using Simpsons 3/8 Rule and
Multiple Trapezoidal Rule (n>5)

(20 marks)

Question 3

Using Matlab command of trapz; prove your answer for multiple Trapezoidal Rule (n>5) in
question 2 (a).

(10 marks)