Topic 5: Engineering Calculus

Differentiation and Integration in Chemical Engineering

It is rare for a system to maintain itself constant and unchanged. When a car speeds down
a motorway, its distance from its starting point, its velocity and its acceleration, amongst
many other factors, vary with time. If wind strikes the side of a building, it is highly unlikely
the force will be constant for a long period of time. When a reaction proceeds,
concentrations and rates of reaction change. And so on.
How do we represent changes with time? How do we find the
maximum and minimum value for a variable? In the 17th century,
Isaac Newton developed calculus to answer these questions.
Through integration and differentiation, naval engineers were able to
develop revolutionary methods for safer navigation; civil engineers
were able to build taller and more complex structures
Chemical Engineering, like any other mathematics-related field,
relies heavily on the use of integration and differentiation. These are
extensively used in thermodynamics, reaction kinematics, diffusion problems, heat transfer
problems, or, in other words, any problem involving a change.

Example
A reaction produces two isomers of the same compound in no particular ratio, such that
the concentration (in mol dm-3) of each isomeric product is given by:
() = 5 2
() = 6 + 3
where x(t) represents the concentration of isomer x with respect to time, and y(t) represents
the concentration of isomer y with respect to time.
Find the individual (for each isomer) and overall (compound regardless of isomerism) rates
of formation at time t = 3.7 seconds.

Solution
Rate of formation of isomer x:

()

= 25. At t = 3.7 seconds, x(3.7) = 92.5 mol dm-3 s-1.

Rate of formation of isomer y:

()

= 6. At t = 3.7 seconds, y(3.7) = 6 mol dm-3 s-1 (it is

independent of time).
Overall rate of formation of the compound: 6 + 92.5 = 98.5 mol dm -3 s-1.

Example (this example touches the next chapter, differential equations)

A first-order reaction is a reaction that only depends on one of the reactants and follows a
linear relationship with its concentration.
The reaction A + B => C is first-order such that the rate of reaction is given by r = k[A]. Find
the half-life of reactant A if the value for k is 0.5 s-1.
Hint: the rate of reaction is another way of calling the rate of loss of reactant A.

Solution
If the rate of reaction is another way of calling the rate of loss of reactant A, then =
[]

Hence, -

= [].

Using separation of variables:

Integrating yields: 1/2

0

= ln
=

1/2
0

0
1/2

[]
.

1
[]

[]
[]

= .

[] = 0 1/2

= 1/2

= 1/2

Remembering that half-life is the time taken for a compound to reach half of its initial value of
1
concentration, 2 0 = 1/2 . Therefore:
ln 2 = 1/2
Since k = 0.5 s-1, then 1/2 =

ln 2

ln 2
0.5

= 1.39 .

Questions

1. Solve 5+2
Solution
1 5+2

+
5

2. Solve

7+8

2 2 +11+5

Solution

7 + 8
3
1
1
=
+
= 3 ln( + 5) + ln(2 + 1) +
( + 5)(2 1)
+5
2 + 1
2

2. Solve 3 4
Solution
: 3 4 =

= 3 2 = 2

Multiply by:
1
3 2
3

3 4
Rewrite in terms of Z:
1 1

= ln()
3
3
Substitute back:
1
ln( 3 4) +
3

3. Solve 3 sin()
Solution
: = 3 , = sin()
So
= 3 3 , = cos()

Use integration by part formula: =

3 cos() + 3 3 cos(x)
Once again we part the integration:
: = 3 , = cos()
So
= 3 3 , = sin()
3. 3 cos() = 3 3 sin() 3 3 3 sin()

Overall we have:
3 sin() = 3 cos() + 3[ 3 sin() 3 3 sin() ]
Rearrange to get:
10 3 3 sin() = 3 [3 sin() cos()]
1
3 3 sin() = 3 [3 sin() cos()]
4

4. The American Heart Association journal (http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/41/4/651)

states that when an alternating current of high frequency is applied to the thorax, the
first derivative of the impedance to this current is affected by the cardiac cycle
resulting in a characteristic wave form. If the impedance is given by:
() = ()3 .
Find the derivative.
Note: the generalised power rule for derivatives is given by:
()()

= ()() [ln(()). ()]

Solution
()() = ()() [ln(()). ()]
=(sin )3 .

[ln(sin ) . 3]

Differentiate linearly the brackets

(sin )3 . [3 ln() + 3.

[ln()]

3()3 . ln() + 3()3 [

()]

Apply the product and log rule . [ln(())] = () . (())

3()3 . ln() + 3()3 [

1
. ]

Factorise the common terms:

3()3 [ln() + ]