CHM 220 Introduction to Modeling w/ Differential Equations

2nd Semester, AY 2016-2017

Modeling Problem Set 2

1. Water is perfectly stirred in an open vessel of volume V. Both the water and the surroundings
are at a temperature of 20oC.
At time t = 0 the supply and discharge lines of the vessel are opened and from that time on a
stream of water with a volumetric flow rate V and a temperature of 70oC flows into the
perfectly stirred vessel. A flow of equal volumetric flow rate flows out of the vessel.
As the water in the vessel heats up, more heat will be lost to the surroundings which is at a
constant temperature Ta.
a) Set up a thermal energy balance for the water in the vessel.
b) Determine the temperature in the tank as a function of time.
c) Determine the temperature of the water at steady state.

2. A closed cylindrical vessel (diameter 0.44 m; height 0.68 m) is completely filled with water (
= 103 kg/m3; cp = 4.2x103 J/kg-K).The water is perfectly stirred. The volume of the stirrer may
be neglected. The power delivered by the stirrer to the water may also be neglected.

Initially, the temperature of the water is 100oC. The water loses heat to the surroundings. The
temperature of the surroundings is 20oC. The overall heat transfer coefficient, averaged over
the total vessel area, is U = 25 W/m2K. Assume that the heat capacity of the water is
independent on the temperature.
(a) How long does it take for the water temperature to decrease to 50oC?

Subsequently, the heating element present in the vessel is switched on. This element has a
power Q = 5000 W.
(b) How long does it take for the water to reach a temperature of 100oC again?

3. A sports hall contains 12,000 m3 air ( = 1.2 kg/m3; cp = 1000 J/kg K). This air is being heated.
The heat losses of the air are caused by:
• heat transfer through the windows (area 400 m2; overall heat transfer coefficient U = 5
W/m2 K), and
• cold air continuously flowing into the hall (V = 3 m3/s) and an equal amount of warm air
flowing out off the hall.
Heat losses through the walls and the roof may be neglected.
 (a) What should be the minimum power of the heating system in order to keep the temperature
in the hall 30oC higher than the temperature of the surroundings?
If the air in the hall initially has the same temperature as the surroundings (5oC), (b) what is
the time required for heating this air to 15oC? [Only half of the power of the heating system
calculated in (a) is available. The other half is needed to heat the floor, walls, etc. of the hall.]

4. In an open vessel (diameter = 0.45 m), 70 liters of water (density  = 1000 kg/m3, heat capacity
cp = 4000 J/kg-K) is perfectly stirred. The agitator is a Rushton turbine which delivers a
mechanical power of 5.0 W. Initially, the water, the vessel and the surroundings all have a
temperature of 293 K.
a. What is the increase in temperature of the water as a result of stirring for half an hour?
(Note: Heat-exchange between the water and the surroundings may be neglected.)
b. At a certain time (say t = 0) the supply and discharge lines are opened and from that time
on water with a volumetric flow rate of 1 liter/s and a temperature of 343 K flows through
the perfectly stirred vessel. How long does it take for the water to reach a temperature of
318 K? (Note: Heat-exchange with the vessel and the surroundings may still be neglected.)
c. Once the water has reached a temperature of 318 K, the supply and discharge are stopped,
but the agitator keeps stirring. The water will slowly release heat to the surroundings. This
heat flow H depends on the difference between the water temperature T and the
temperature of the surroundings Ta according to Newton’s Law of Cooling. Derive the
expression for the water temperature T as a function of time t.