Manual for Non-Interacting Tanks System

Aim: To study the dynamic response of the second order critically damped system consisting
of a set of non-interacting tanks to a step change in the input.

Apparatus:

1. A reservoir containing the process fluid,

2. A constant overhead tank with two outlets in order to maintain a steady flow of fluid.
3. Two test tanks with a single outlet each.
4. A collection tank for collecting liquid from the second tank and transferring it again to
the reservoir.
5. Linear resistances in the form of a capillary for each outlet.
6. A pump and a regulator system to control to the flow rate.
7. Stopwatch and measuring cylinder.

Procedure:

1. Firstly, all the resistances blocking the outlet flows are removed to allow filling up of
the tanks.
2. The reservoir is filled with a sufficient quantity of fluid, say Ethylene glycol.
3. The constant overhead tank is then filled up with the liquid using a pump and a
regulator system (One may keep the flow rate level in the regulator to the maximum
as the test liquid is substantially viscous.)
4. While the test tanks get filled up with the liquid, care is taken to keep the liquid level
in the overhead tank constant and sufficiently high. (Essentially, an overflow
condition must be maintained however, in scenarios when it is not achievable, efforts
must be directed to maintain a steady level).
5. Sufficient time is allowed for both the tanks to reach a steady state. This is verified by
marking the levels on the scale (on the individual tanks) and waiting for a minimum
of 2-3 minutes. If the level of any of the tanks drops by more than 0.1 cm, a steady
state has not been reached.
6. Under the steady state condition, the flow rate of each of tanks is measured which
includes not only the test tanks but also the constant overhead tank. The total inlet
flow rate for the first tank is the sum of the flow rates of the two inlets discharging
into the tanks. Further, the fluid collected for the measurement of the flow rate is
poured back into the respective tanks to maintain the steady state.
 7. After ensuring that the steady state has reached, liquid levels in both the tanks are
noted.
8. At time, t=0, one of the inlets to the first test tank is blocked and the stopwatch is
started simultaneously. One can even block both the inlets.
9. The time taken by the liquid levels in both the tanks to drop by 0.5 or 1 cm is noted
down.
10. Adequate time is allowed for the liquid levels in both the tanks to attain the steady
state. The steady state levels are again noted down.
11. The corresponding outlet flow rates are again measured as described in step 6.

Theory:

In chemical processes, many a times, a physical system can be represented by a combination

of simple first order systems. A simple liquid level tank which consists of an inlet, outlet and
a resistance is an example of the first order system. The system studied in this experiment is
merely an extension of this concept. A system of non-interacting tanks includes a set of tanks
in which outlet flow from the first tank discharges freely into an atmosphere before entering
into the second tank. As shown in the following figure, the flow through resistance R1
depends only on h1. In other words, the variations in h2 (tank 2) does not influence the
response given by tank 1.

Fig: Schematic diagram of the non-interacting tanks set-up.

The flow-head relationships are given by the following relations,

h1 h2
=q1 = , q2 (1)
R1 R2

The transfer function for tank 1, tank 2 and for the overall system are described by,
 Q1 ( s ) 1 H (s) R2 H (s) 1 R2
= = , 2 = & 2 (2)
Q( s ) τ 1s + 1 Q1 ( s ) τ 2 s + 1 Q( s ) τ 1s + 1 τ 2 s + 1

When the above system is subjected to a step change of the order A, in time domain the
response can be obtained by the following equation,

 τ τ  e −t /τ1 e −t /τ 2  
H 2 (t ) =
AR2 1 − 1 2  −   (3)
 τ1 − τ 2  τ 2 τ1 

Equation (1) can be used to calculate the resistances R1 and R2 since the flow rates are known
(measured during the experiment). The individual tank time constants are given by,

=τ 1 A=
1 R1 ,τ 2 A2 R2 (4)

Where A1 and A2 are the tank cross sectional areas. The step change A in equation (3) is
nothing but the difference between initial steady state and final steady state flow rates to the
first tank.

Observations:

Initial steady state height of tank 1=h1= _____cm

Initial steady state height of tank 2=h2= _____cm

Total input flow rate to tank 1at steady state=q1total= q11+ q12= _____ cm3/s

Input flow rate to tank2=q2= _____ cm3/s

Calculations:
h
Resistance to the flow through tank 1= R= = _____ s / cm 2
1
1
q 1
h2
Resistance to the flow through tank 1= R=
2 = _____ s / cm 2
q2
τ 1 A=
Time constant of tank 1== 1 R1 _____ s

τ 2 A=
Time constant of tank 1== 2 R2 _____ s

Where, A1 and A2 are the areas of tank 1 and tank 2 respectively, A=

1 A=
2 100cm 2

Theoretical Height of tank 1 is calculated with the aid of the following equation,

  t 
h1the =h1ini − AR1 1 − exp  −   , (5)
  τ1  
Theoretical height of tank 2 can be estimated using the following equation,
 t t 
the= h2 ini − A  1 − (1 + ) exp( − ) 
h2(6)
 τ τ 
where A is the step change given to the system by blocking either one or both inlets of tank 1,
=
t is the experimental time and the overall time constant given by τ τ 1τ 2 ____ s.
=

The above equation is valid for the critically damped system and hence, one can use an
alternate model equation as well, described as follows,
 τ τ  e − t /τ1 e − t /τ 2 
h2the =
h2ini − AR2 1 − 1 2  −   (7)
 τ1 − τ 2  τ 2 τ1 
Finally, the damping factor is calculated by using the following relation,

τ1 + τ 2
ξ= (8)
2 τ 1τ 2

Observation Table:

Observed height of Observed height of

Time (s) 1st Tank(cm) 2nd Tank (cm)
Plots:

Plot the experimental dynamic response together the 2nd order model response in order to
observe the deviation/concurrence etc. (for tank 2). Also, plot the first order response
concurrence with the experimental observations of tank 1.

Results:
Time constants for tank 1 and tank 2 respectively are:

τ1= _____s; τ2= _____s; ξ = ______

Expectations/Conclusions:

It is expected to plot the experimental and theoretical dynamic responses for the liquid level
in tank 2 on the same graphical scale. If there exists a considerable difference between the
two, you must explain why the model fails. One may also check whether τ 1 ~ τ 2 and how

close is our system to the critically damped system. One of the important points of
observation is to comment on how the dynamic response is different from 1st order system.
Moreover, one must discuss the prominent factors responsible for the deviation.

Questions to ponder about:

1. Can you comment on the nature of the experimental results? What makes you certain
that the response is of 2nd order?
2. Can you suggest any method to improve the concurrence between theoretical and
experimental observations?
3. How can you confirm that the system is a critically damped/underdamped/over
damped system? What are the criteria for the same?
4. What is the significance of the resistances R1 and R2? How different are the flow-head
relationships for the interacting tank system?
5. Which term in the above system suggests that there exists interaction between the two
tanks?