Lecture: 28

TRANSPORTATION LAG

TRANSPORTATION LAG
DEFINITION AND SYNONYMS :

It is a phenomenon that is often present in flow

systems.
It is the Delay (in terms of time) for a particle of fluid
to flow from the entrance of the pipe (any closed
channel) to the exit.

Synonyms for this term are Dead time, and distance

velocity lag.

What is the NEED?

TRANSPORTATION LAG
EXAMPLE :

consider the system shown in Fig.1, in which a liquid

flows through an insulated tube of uniform crosssectional area A and length L at a constant
volumetric flow rate q.
The density p and the heat capacity C are constant.
The tube wall has negligible heat capacity, and
the velocity profile is flat (plug flow).
Cross-sectional area = A

x(t)
q

y(t)
q
Figure 1: System with transportation lag

TRANSPORTATION LAG
WHAT IS REQUIRED?

The temperature x of the entering fluid varies with

time, and

it is desired to find the response of the outlet

temperature y(t) in terms of a transfer function.
Cross-sectional area = A

x(t)
q

y(t)
q
Figure 1: System with transportation lag

TRANSPORTATION LAG
STEADY STATE CONDITION:

As usual, it is assumed that the system is initially at

steady state;
for this system, it is obvious that the inlet
temperature equals the outlet temperature; i.e.,

xs y s

.(1)

Cross-sectional area = A

x(t)
q

y(t)
q
Figure 1: System with transportation lag

TRANSPORTATION LAG
TRANSIENT (UN-STEADY STATE) CONDITION:

If a step change were made in x(t) at t = 0, the

change would not be detected at the end of the tube
until sec later,

where is the time required for the entering fluid to

pass through the tube.

This simple step response is shown in Fig.2(a).

If the variation in x(t) were some arbitrary function,
as shown in Fig. 2(b),

the response y(t) at the end of the pipe would be

identical with x(t) but again delayed by units of time.

The transportation lag parameter is simply the time

needed for a particle of fluid to flow from the entrance
of the pipe to the exit, and it can be calculated from
the expression

TRANSPORTATION LAG
TRANSIENT (UN-STEADY STATE) CONDITION:

AL

..(2)

Figure 2: Response of transportation lag to various inputs

TRANSPORTATION LAG
Relation b/w y(t) and x(t):

It can be seen from Fig.2, that the relationship

between y(t) and x(t) is:

y (t ) x(t )

Subtracting Eq.(1) from Eq. (3) and introducing the

deviation variables X=x-xs and Y=y-ys, gives:

Y (t ) X (t )

..(3)

..(4)

If the Laplace transform of X(t) is X(s), the Laplace

transform of X(t -) is e-sX(s).

This result follows from the theorem on translation of

a function, Eq.(4) becomes

Y ( s ) e s X ( s )
Y ( s)
e s
X ( s)

..(5)

TRANSPORTATION LAG
APPLICATIONS:

The transportation lag is quite common in the

chemical process industries.

where a fluid is transported through a pipe.

the presence of a transportation lag in a control

system can make it much more difficult to control.

In general, such lags should be avoided if possible by

placing equipment close together.

They can seldom be entirely eliminated.