Mathematical Modeling of Fluid Systems

Nader Sadegh
George .W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering Georgia Institute of technology

Fluid Systems
As the most versatile medium for transmitting signals and power fluid (gas or liquid) have wide usage in industry. In engineering terms
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hydraulic describes fluid systems that use liquids (e.g., oil or water) pneumatic applies to those using air or other gases.

Why Model Fluid Systems?

Hydraulic systems is used in machine tool applications, aircraft control systems, where high power to weight ratio, accuracy and quick response is required.
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Industrial processes often involve systems consisting of liquid-filled tanks connected by pipes having orifices, valves, and other flow restricting devices. Therefore, it is important to develop a systematic method to mathematically model different types of fluid systems.

Example of Fluid Circuit

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Fluid Power Sources

Pressure Source: Cetrifugal Pump Flow Source: Gear Pump
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Basic Fluid Elements

There are 3 basic elements in fluid systems: 1. Fluid Capacitor
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2. Inertor (long pipe) 3. Fluid Resistor

Fluid Capacitor
A fluid capacitor is an energy storage element, analogous to capacitor in electrical systems. Fluid Capacitance: C = Change in Stored Fluid Volume

Change in Fluid Pressure

qC PC

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C=

Vc Pc

1 & Pc = q c C

Vc=stored fluid (m3) qc=volumetric flowrate (m3/sec) Pc=Pressure (N/m3)

Liquid Tank
Flowrate= rate of change of volume

& & q c = V c = A hc
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1 & hc = q c A

qc A hc

Or equivalently, in terms of pressure

& g q Pc = c A

Pc

Capacitance: C=A (head), C=A/g (pressure) A=cross-sectional area (m2)

Fluid Inertance
Fluid inertance is due to fluid inertia such as that in a long pipe. It is define as

I=
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Pressure Differenti al Rate of Change of Flowrate

qI PI

1 & qI = PI I

Long pipe: I=L/A, =fluid density, L=pipe length, A=cross-sectional area If head differential (hI=PI/g) is used instead of PI then, I=L/gA, I.e., dqI/dt=(gA/L)hI

Fluid Resistance
A fluid resistor is a dissipative fluid element representing a valve or other flow restricting connections. Fluid Resistance: Laminar Flow: hR=RqR hR Turbulent flow: hR=f(qR) R=df(qR)/dqR qR hR qR

R=

Change in Pressure (or Head) Change in Flowrate

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Mathematical Modeling
1. Identify the basic elements within the system and write the corresponding constitutive relationship (i.e., elemental equation) for each element with respect to a certain equilibrium level (Usually nonzero)
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2. Write the applicable interconnection equations, such as pressure or flow balance equations. 3. Assemble the resulting equations to form a system of ordinary differential equations with the same number of unknown variables as the number of equations. 4. Apply Laplace transform if transfer function or further reduction of the equations are required.

Modeling of Liquid-Level Systems

We will go over the following text examples in class: 1. Example problem on page 187, Fig. 5-2 2. Liquid-level system with interaction, page 189, Fig. 5-5.
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3. Liquid-Level System including a long pipe (inertance effect) to be discussed in class (next slide) 4. Linerization of nonlinear systems (section 54). Examples 5-3 and 5-4.

Example of Inertance Effect

Derive a diff. Eq. relating the output flowarate qo to the input flowrate qi
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Q+qi H+hc C
A

H+ho L

Q+qo

Tank model: Cdhc/dt=qi-qo, Valve: ho=Rqo Long Pipe: Idqo/dt=hc-ho=hc-Rqo, I=inertance=L/gA Substituting for hc from the 2nd eq. Into 1st gives:

& IC && o + RC q o + q o = q i q

Mathematical Modeling of Hydraulic Systems

Hydraulic systems are used in many real-world systems including machine tool applications, aircraft control systems, automobiles
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They have high power to weight ratio, and fast starting, stopping, and reversal actions. They often operate under a wide pressure range (145psi-5000psi). Power/weight ratio can be increased by increasing operating pressure

Example of a Hydraulic Circuit

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Basic Lump Elements of Hydraulic Systems

Resistors: are used to model pressure drop due to an orifice, friction, leakage, etc. Hydraulic resistors are often nonlinear Capacitors: are used to model the compressibility of a hydraulic fluid. Assuming an incompressible fluid, fluid capacitance may be ignored Inertance: is often insignificant thus ignored

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Modeling an Orifice
q p
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Laminar (low p): q= p/R, R=flow resistance Turbulent (high p) qp1/2

Power Steering Model

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Hydraulic Servomotor/Amplifier
Modeling objective: relate output y to input x: Basic flow-pressure relationship: q1=C(ps-p1)1/2x
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p0

ps

p0

q2=C(p2-p0)1/2x C: constant Assuming turbulent (high pressure differential) flow

y p2 p1 q2 q1

Simple Model
Assume: Incompressible flow q1=q2=Ady/dt No fluid leakage q1=q2 also implies that ps-p1=p2-p0ps=p1+p2 Letting p=p1-p2 then p1 and p2 can be expressed as
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p1=(ps+ p)/2, and p2=(ps- p)/2. Thus

q1 = C p s p1 x = C ps p x = f ( x, p ) 2 x = 0, p = 0 gives ps 2
& y = K1 x A

Linearizing about
q1 = K 1x , K1 = C

A more realistic Model

We assume incompressible fluid (q1=q2) but allow: Fluid leakage Load inertia and damping
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p0

ps

p0

q1=qL+Av qL=flow leakage =p/R, R=flow resistance (laminar)

q2

q1 p1

p2

Mechanical subsystem: F=Ap =mdv/dt+bv

Overall Mathematical Model

Hydraulic subsystem: q1= p/R +Av p=R(K1x-Av) Mechanical subsystem: F=Ap =mdv/dt+bv Overall input-output model:
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mdv/dt+(b+A2R)v=ARK1x
Step response

Note: As R then v(K1/A)x And T0

vss= ARK1/(b+A2R)

T=m/(b+A2R)