Process Simulation using

MATLAB
Most chemical process models are nonlinear and
rarely have analytical solutions. However, numerical
solutions ca be easily obtained using MATLAB

Simulation of Nonlinear Models

Example: Two interacting tank in series with outlet flowrate
being function of the square root of tank height.
F

F2

F1

F1 = R1 h1 - h2

F2 = R2 h2

Parameter values

ft 2.5
R1 = 2.5
min

5 ft 2.5
R2 =
6 min

Input variable F = 5 ft3/min

A1 = 5ft 2

A2 = 10 ft 2

 Modeling equations : material balance

d ( r A1h1 )
= r F - r F1
dt

d ( r A2 h2 )
= r F1 - r F2
dt

dh1 F - R1 h - h
2
f (h , h , F )
dt A1 A1 1
= 1 1 2

f
h
h
F
,
,
dh
R
R

(
)
2
1
2
2 1 2

h
h
h
1
2
2

dt A2
A2

Steady-state height values : solve algebraic equations

F R1
A1 A1
R1
A2

h1 - h2 = 0

h1 - h2 -

R2
A2

h2 = 0

Using MATLAB fsolve routine

h1s = 10, h2s = 6

 Question
What are the responses of tank height if the initial heights are
h1(0)=12 ft and h2(0)=7 ft ?
Assume the system is at steady-state initially. What are the
responses of tank height if
F changes from 5 to 7 ft3/min at t = 0
F has periodic oscillation of F = 5 + sin(0.2t)
F changes from 5 to 4 ft3/min at t = 20

Solve differential equations using MATLAB ode45 routine or

Simulink dee

h1(0)=12 ft and h2(0)=7 ft

12

F = 5 + sin(0.2t)
12

h1
h2

11

11

10

height

height

10

h1

h2

8
7
7

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

50

100

time

150

time

F changes from 5 to 7 ft3/min at t = 0

F changes from 5 to 4 ft3/min at t = 20

20

11

18

10

h1

h2

16

height

height

8
14

12

7
6

10

20

40

60

80

100

time

120

140

160

180

200

20

40

60

80

time

100

120

140 150

Linear State-Space Model

General dynamic models consist of a set of ODEs

x& = f ( x, u )
A linear model is a subset of the general modeling equation.
The form of linear model is called as a state-space model.

x& = A x + Bu
x : state vector (its elements are referred to as state variables)
u : input vector of manipulated variables
Matrices A and B are constant matrices

Example: Consider two tanks in series where the flow out of the
first tank enters the second tank. Assume the flow out of each
tank is a linear function of the tank height
F

F1 = R1 h1

Objective: develop a model to

describe how h2 change with
time, given the input flowrate F

F1

F2 = R2 h2
F2

Material balance

dh1 F R1
=
- h1
dt
A1 A1
dh2 R1
R
=
h1 - 2 h2
dt
A2
A2

 Write the modeling equations in matrix form

R1

&
A1
h1

=
&
h2 R1
A
2

0
1
h
1 + A1 F
R2 h2
-
0
A2

x& = A x + B u
Additional equation associated with a state-space model

y = C x + Du
y : vector of output variables
Output variables are typically a subset of x. They are variables
that can be measured or are of particular interest in a
simulation study
Ex: Both tank height are outputs

1 0 h1
y=
= Cx

0 1 h2

( D = 0)

General form of State-Space Model

General form
dx1
= a11 x1 + a12 x2 + L + a1n xn + b11u1 + L + b1m u m
dt
M
M
dxn
= an1 x1 + an 2 x2 + L + ann xn + bn1u1 + L + bnm um
dt
y1 = c11 x1 + c12 x2 + L + c1n xn + d11u1 + L + d1m u m
M

n state variables (x)

m input variables (u)
r output variables (y)

yr = cr1 x1 + cr 2 x2 + L + crn xn + d r1u1 + L + d rm um

Matrix form
x&1 a11 a12
M = M
M

x&n an1 an 2
y1 c11 c12
M = M
M

yr cr1 cr 2

L a1n x1 b11 b12

O M M + M
M

L ann xn bn1 bn 2
L c1n x1 d11 d12
O M M + M
M

L crn xn d r1 d r 2

L b1m u1
O M M

L bnm um
L d1m u1
O M M

L d rm um

x& = A x + Bu
y = Cx + Du

Simulation of State-Space Models

ODE(ode45)MATLAB

Step 1: sys = ss(A, B, C, D)

Step 2: (the following functions assume a deviation variable form)
[y,t,x] = initial(sys,x0)
sys ()
x0

[y,t,x] = step(sys)
sys

[y,t,x] = impulse(sys)
sys

dimension of y : T x r x m
T = length of t
r = number of outputs
m = number of inputs

[y,t,x] = lsim(sys,u,t,x0)
sys t u
x0

Simulation Using Simulink

Simulation of state-space models using Simulink

(assume a deviation variable form)

State-Space
(Continuous)

 A, B, C, D

 Mux ()
Demux () (Signal Routing)

Mux:

Demux:

Exercise

State-space model, zero initial condition

x&1 -0.5 -0.8 x1 1 -1 u1

+
x& = 0.8

u
x
0
0
2
2
2
2
y1 2 6 x1
y = 1 -1 x
2
2
Find the responses for
unit step input of u1
unit step input of u2
u1 = sin(t)

Using
MATLAB functions
Simulink