Problem: [ChE Boards April 2012] A factory room 200 ft × 45 ft × 12 ft receives through the ventilators 10000 ft3/min of fresh

air,
which contains 0.04% CO2 by volume. The helper enters at 7:00AM. A half-hour later the CO2 content has risen to 0.12%.

1. What value of CO2 content is to be anticipated at 12:00PM?

2. How much fresh air must be admitted per minute to insure that the CO2 shall never rise above 0.10%?

Solution:

V = 108000 ft3
ri = ro = 10000 ft3/min

t = 0 (7:00AM) Ci = 0.0004 Q = 0.0004(108000) = 43.2 ft3

t = 30 min (7:30AM) Co = 0.0012 Q = 0.0012(108000) = 129.6 ft3
t = 300 min (12:00PM) Co = ? Q = Co(108000)

1.

accumulation = inlet – outlet + generation – consumption

𝑑𝑄
= 𝑟𝑖 𝐶𝑖 − 𝑟𝑜 𝐶𝑜 + 𝐺
𝑑𝑡

𝑑𝑄 𝑄

m
= 10000(0.0004) − 10000 ( )+𝐺

er as
𝑑𝑡 108000

co
𝑑𝑄 5𝑄

eH w
=4− +𝐺
𝑑𝑡 54

o.
𝑑𝑄 5𝑄

rs e +
𝑑𝑡 54
=4+𝐺
ou urc
The last equation above is a linear DE of the form 𝑦 ′ + 𝑝(𝑥) ∙ 𝑦 = 𝑞(𝑥). Here y = Q, x = t, p(x) = 5/54, and q(x) = 4 + G. Solving for
the integrating factor I,

𝐼(𝑥) = 𝑒 ∫ 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥
o
aC s

𝐼(𝑡) = 𝑒 ∫ 𝑝(𝑡)𝑑𝑡 = 𝑒 ∫(5⁄54)𝑑𝑡 = 𝑒 5𝑡⁄54

vi y re

Thus, the general solution to the DE is

𝑦𝐼(𝑥) = ∫ 𝑞(𝑥) ∙ 𝐼(𝑥)𝑑𝑥 + 𝐶

ed d

𝑄𝑒 5𝑡⁄54 = ∫(4 + 𝐺)𝑒 5𝑡⁄54 𝑑𝑡 + 𝐶

ar stu

4 + 𝐺 5𝑡 ⁄54
𝑄𝑒 5𝑡⁄54 = 𝑒 +𝐶
5⁄54
sh is

At (t, Q) = (0, 43.2),

Th

4 + 𝐺 5(0)⁄54
43.2𝑒 5(0)⁄54 = 𝑒 +𝐶
5⁄54

54
43.2 = (4 + 𝐺) + 𝐶
5

54
43.2 = 43.2 + 𝐺+𝐶
5

54
𝐺+𝐶 =0 [𝐄𝐪. 𝟏]
5

At (t, Q) = (30, 129.6),

4 + 𝐺 5(30)⁄54
129.6𝑒 5(30)⁄54 = 𝑒 +𝐶
5⁄54

2084.388 = 173.699(4 + 𝐺) + 𝐶
https://www.coursehero.com/file/46646767/ChE-Board-Exam-Question-CO2-in-Room-Problempdf/
 2084.388 = 694.796 + 173.699𝐺 + 𝐶

1389.592 = 173.699𝐺 + 𝐶 [𝐄𝐪. 𝟐]

Solving Equations 1 and 2 simultaneously,

G = 8.530 ft3/min
C = –92.128

4 + 8.530 5𝑡 ⁄54
𝑄𝑒 5𝑡⁄54 = 𝑒 − 92.128
5⁄54

𝑄𝑒 5𝑡⁄54 = 135.324𝑒 5𝑡⁄54 − 92.128

At t = 300 min,

𝑄𝑒 5(300)⁄54 = 135.324𝑒 5(300)⁄54 − 92.128

𝑄 = 135.324 ft 3

𝑄 135.324
𝐶𝑜 = = = 0.001253 or 0.1253%

m
𝑉 108000

er as
2.

co
eH w
At Co = Cmax = 0.0010, dC/dt = dQ/dt = 0. Hence,

o.
𝑑𝑄
= 𝑟𝑖 𝐶𝑖 − 𝑟𝑜 𝐶𝑜 + 𝐺

rs e 𝑑𝑡
ou urc
0 = 𝑟𝑖 (0.0004) − 𝑟𝑖 (0.0010) + 8.530

𝑟𝑖 = 14216.67 ft 3 ⁄min
o

Problem: A room 30 by 30 by 10 ft receives 900 ft3/min of fresh air, 0.04% CO2. If the CO2 content rises from 0.04% to 0.12% in ½
aC s

hr after a crowd enters the room, what CO2 content is to be expected 3 hr after the crowd enters? Assume that the crowd breathes
vi y re

CO2 into the air at a constant rate.

Solution:
ed d

V = 9000 ft3
ri = ro = 900 ft3/min
ar stu

t=0 Ci = 0.0004 Q = 0.0004(9000) = 3.6 ft3

t = 30 min Co = 0.0012 Q = 0.0012(9000) = 10.8 ft3
t = 180 min Co = ? Q = Co(9000)
sh is

𝑑𝑄
= 𝑟𝑖 𝐶𝑖 − 𝑟𝑜 𝐶𝑜 + 𝐺
𝑑𝑡
Th

𝑑𝑄 𝑄
= 900(0.0004) − 900 ( )+𝐺
𝑑𝑡 9000

𝑑𝑄
= 0.36 − 0.1𝑄 + 𝐺
𝑑𝑡

𝑑𝑄
+ 0.1𝑄 = 0.36 + 𝐺
𝑑𝑡

𝐼(𝑡) = 𝑒 ∫ 𝑝(𝑡)𝑑𝑡 = 𝑒 ∫ 0.1𝑑𝑡 = 𝑒 0.1𝑡

𝑄𝑒 0.1𝑡 = ∫(0.36 + 𝐺)𝑒 0.1𝑡 𝑑𝑡 + 𝐶

0.36 + 𝐺 0.1𝑡
𝑄𝑒 0.1𝑡 = 𝑒 +𝐶
0.1
https://www.coursehero.com/file/46646767/ChE-Board-Exam-Question-CO2-in-Room-Problempdf/
 At (t, Q) = (0, 3.6),

0.36 + 𝐺 0.1(0)
3.6𝑒 0.1(0) = 𝑒 +𝐶
0.1

3.6 = 3.6 + 10𝐺 + 𝐶

0 = 10𝐺 + 𝐶 [𝐄𝐪. 𝟏]

At (t, Q) = (30, 10.8),

0.36 + 𝐺 0.1(30)
10.8𝑒 0.1(30) = 𝑒 +𝐶
0.1

216.924 = 72.308 + 200.855𝐺 + 𝐶

144.616 = 200.855𝐺 + 𝐶 [𝐄𝐪. 𝟐]

Solving Equations 1 and 2 simultaneously,

G = 0.7577 ft3/min
C = –7.577

m
0.36 + 0.7577 0.1𝑡

er as
𝑄𝑒 0.1𝑡 = 𝑒 − 7.577
0.1

co
eH w
𝑄𝑒 0.1𝑡 = 11.177𝑒 0.1𝑡 − 7.577

o.
At t = 180 min,

rs e 𝑄𝑒 0.1(180) = 11.177𝑒 0.1(180) − 7.577

ou urc
𝑄 = 11.177 ft 3

11.177
o

𝐶𝑜 = = 0.00124 or 0.124%
9000
aC s
vi y re
ed d
ar stu
sh is
Th

https://www.coursehero.com/file/46646767/ChE-Board-Exam-Question-CO2-in-Room-Problempdf/

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