Abellar, Rodgie John

Aries, Allen Jerry

Borlan, Randolph
Yanson, Edsel
Problem:
A well stirred storage vessel contains 10000 kg of solution of a dilute methanol solution (wA =
0.05 mass fraction alcohol). A constant flow of 500 kg/min. of pure water is suddenly introduced into the
tank and a constant rate of withdrawal of 500 kg/min is started. These two flows are continued and remain
constant. Assuming that the densities of the solutions are the same and that the total contents of the tank
remain constant at 10,000 kg of solution, calculate the time for the alcohol content to drop to 1wt%.

Solution:

Pure water

Methanol Solution

10,000 kg Methanol Solution, wA,0 = 0.05

Methanol Balance:

, no Methanol entering the vessel

Analytical Solution:

Abellar, Rodgie John

Aries, Allen Jerry
Borlan, Randolph
Yanson, Edsel

The particular solution to the DE is

Numerical Solution (Runge-Kutta Method):

Let

For an accurate result, we take

With the aid of MS Excel:
n
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22

t
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
5.5
6.0
6.5
7.0
7.5
8.0
8.5
9.0
9.5
10.0
10.5
11.0

wA
0.050000
0.048765
0.047561
0.046387
0.045242
0.044125
0.043035
0.041973
0.040937
0.039926
0.038940
0.037979
0.037041
0.036126
0.035234
0.034364
0.033516
0.032688
0.031881
0.031094
0.030327
0.029578
0.028847

k1
-0.001250
-0.001219
-0.001189
-0.001160
-0.001131
-0.001103
-0.001076
-0.001049
-0.001023
-0.000998
-0.000974
-0.000949
-0.000926
-0.000903
-0.000881
-0.000859
-0.000838
-0.000817
-0.000797
-0.000777
-0.000758
-0.000739
-0.000721

k2
-0.001234
-0.001204
-0.001174
-0.001145
-0.001117
-0.001089
-0.001062
-0.001036
-0.001011
-0.000986
-0.000961
-0.000938
-0.000914
-0.000892
-0.000870
-0.000848
-0.000827
-0.000807
-0.000787
-0.000768
-0.000749
-0.000730
-0.000712

k3
-0.001235
-0.001204
-0.001174
-0.001145
-0.001117
-0.001090
-0.001063
-0.001036
-0.001011
-0.000986
-0.000961
-0.000938
-0.000915
-0.000892
-0.000870
-0.000849
-0.000828
-0.000807
-0.000787
-0.000768
-0.000749
-0.000730
-0.000712

k4
-0.001219
-0.001189
-0.001160
-0.001131
-0.001103
-0.001076
-0.001049
-0.001023
-0.000998
-0.000973
-0.000949
-0.000926
-0.000903
-0.000881
-0.000859
-0.000838
-0.000817
-0.000797
-0.000777
-0.000758
-0.000739
-0.000721
-0.000703

wA+1
0.048765
0.047561
0.046387
0.045242
0.044125
0.043035
0.041973
0.040937
0.039926
0.038940
0.037979
0.037041
0.036126
0.035234
0.034364
0.033516
0.032688
0.031881
0.031094
0.030327
0.029578
0.028847
0.028135

Abellar, Rodgie John

Aries, Allen Jerry
Borlan, Randolph
Yanson, Edsel
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64

11.5
12.0
12.5
13.0
13.5
14.0
14.5
15.0
15.5
16.0
16.5
17.0
17.5
18.0
18.5
19.0
19.5
20.0
20.5
21.0
21.5
22.0
22.5
23.0
23.5
24.0
24.5
25.0
25.5
26.0
26.5
27.0
27.5
28.0
28.5
29.0
29.5
30.0
30.5
31.0
31.5
32.0

0.028135
0.027441
0.026763
0.026102
0.025458
0.024829
0.024216
0.023618
0.023035
0.022466
0.021912
0.021371
0.020843
0.020328
0.019827
0.019337
0.018860
0.018394
0.017940
0.017497
0.017065
0.016644
0.016233
0.015832
0.015441
0.015060
0.014688
0.014325
0.013972
0.013627
0.013290
0.012962
0.012642
0.012330
0.012025
0.011729
0.011439
0.011157
0.010881
0.010612
0.010350
0.010095

-0.000703
-0.000686
-0.000669
-0.000653
-0.000636
-0.000621
-0.000605
-0.000590
-0.000576
-0.000562
-0.000548
-0.000534
-0.000521
-0.000508
-0.000496
-0.000483
-0.000471
-0.000460
-0.000448
-0.000437
-0.000427
-0.000416
-0.000406
-0.000396
-0.000386
-0.000376
-0.000367
-0.000358
-0.000349
-0.000341
-0.000332
-0.000324
-0.000316
-0.000308
-0.000301
-0.000293
-0.000286
-0.000279
-0.000272
-0.000265
-0.000259
-0.000252

Interpolating the 63rd and 64th iteration for

-0.000695
-0.000677
-0.000661
-0.000644
-0.000628
-0.000613
-0.000598
-0.000583
-0.000569
-0.000555
-0.000541
-0.000528
-0.000515
-0.000502
-0.000489
-0.000477
-0.000466
-0.000454
-0.000443
-0.000432
-0.000421
-0.000411
-0.000401
-0.000391
-0.000381
-0.000372
-0.000363
-0.000354
-0.000345
-0.000336
-0.000328
-0.000320
-0.000312
-0.000304
-0.000297
-0.000290
-0.000282
-0.000275
-0.000269
-0.000262
-0.000256
-0.000249

-0.000695
-0.000678
-0.000661
-0.000645
-0.000629
-0.000613
-0.000598
-0.000583
-0.000569
-0.000555
-0.000541
-0.000528
-0.000515
-0.000502
-0.000490
-0.000477
-0.000466
-0.000454
-0.000443
-0.000432
-0.000421
-0.000411
-0.000401
-0.000391
-0.000381
-0.000372
-0.000363
-0.000354
-0.000345
-0.000336
-0.000328
-0.000320
-0.000312
-0.000304
-0.000297
-0.000290
-0.000282
-0.000275
-0.000269
-0.000262
-0.000256
-0.000249

-0.000686
-0.000669
-0.000653
-0.000636
-0.000621
-0.000605
-0.000590
-0.000576
-0.000562
-0.000548
-0.000534
-0.000521
-0.000508
-0.000496
-0.000483
-0.000471
-0.000460
-0.000448
-0.000437
-0.000427
-0.000416
-0.000406
-0.000396
-0.000386
-0.000376
-0.000367
-0.000358
-0.000349
-0.000341
-0.000332
-0.000324
-0.000316
-0.000308
-0.000301
-0.000293
-0.000286
-0.000279
-0.000272
-0.000265
-0.000259
-0.000252
-0.000246

0.027441
0.026763
0.026102
0.025458
0.024829
0.024216
0.023618
0.023035
0.022466
0.021912
0.021371
0.020843
0.020328
0.019827
0.019337
0.018860
0.018394
0.017940
0.017497
0.017065
0.016644
0.016233
0.015832
0.015441
0.015060
0.014688
0.014325
0.013972
0.013627
0.013290
0.012962
0.012642
0.012330
0.012025
0.011729
0.011439
0.011157
0.010881
0.010612
0.010350
0.010095
0.009846

approximately gives

The time for the ethanol content in the tank to drop to 1wt. % is 32.2 min (by means of analytical
solution) or approximately 32.0 min (Runge-Kutta,
).