CHAPTER # 6

RESPONSE OF FIRST-ORDER
SYSTEMS IN SERIES
 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
• Very often, a physical system can be represented by several first-order
processes connected in series.
• To illustrate this type of system, consider the liquid-level systems
shown in Fig. 6–1 in which two tanks are arranged so that the outlet
flow from the first tank is the inlet flow to the second tank.
• Two possible piping arrangements are shown in Fig. 6–1 .
• In Fig. 6–1 a the outlet flow from tank 1 discharges directly into the
atmosphere before spilling into tank 2, and the flow through
depends only on . The variation in in tank 2 does not affect the
transient response occurring in tank 1. This type of system is referred
to as a non-interacting system.
 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
• In contrast to this, the system shown in Fig. 6–1 b is said to be
interacting because the flow through now depends on the
difference between and . . We will consider first the non-
interacting system of Fig. 6–1 a.
 NONINTERACTING SYSTEM
• As in the previous liquid-level example, we shall assume the liquid to
be of constant density, the tanks to have uniform cross-sectional area,
and the flow resistances to be linear.
• Our problem is to find a transfer function that relates to q, that
is, .
• The approach will be to obtain a transfer function for each tank,
• and , by writing a transient mass balance around each tank;
these transfer functions will then be combined to eliminate the
intermediate flow and produce the desired transfer function.
 NONINTERACTING SYSTEM
• A balance on tank 1 gives

• A balance on tank 2 gives

 NONINTERACTING SYSTEM
• The flow-head relationships for the two linear resistances are given by
the expressions
 NONINTERACTING SYSTEM
Combining Eqs. (6.1) and (6.3) in exactly the same manner as was done
in Chap. 5 and introducing deviation variables give the transfer function
for tank 1.

Where,
 NONINTERACTING SYSTEM
In the same manner, we can combine Eqs. (6.2) and (6.4) to obtain the
transfer function for tank 2

Where,
 NONINTERACTING SYSTEM
• Having the transfer function for each tank, we can obtain the overall
transfer function by multiplying Eqs. (6.5) and (6.6) to
eliminate

• Notice that the overall transfer function of Eq. (6.7) is the product of
two first-order transfer functions, each of which is the transfer
function of a single tank operating independently of the other.
 NONINTERACTING SYSTEM
• In the case of the interacting system of Fig. 6–1 b, the overall transfer
function cannot be found by simply multiplying the separate transfer
functions; this will become apparent when the interacting system is
analyzed later.
Example 6.1

Two noninteracting tanks are connected in series as shown in Fig. 6–1a.

The time constants are Sketch the response
of the level in tank 2 if a unit-step change is made in the inlet flow rate
to tank 1.
The transfer function for this system is found directly from Eq. (6.7);
thus
Example 6.1.
Hand written notes of derivation of
=n # 6.10 are already provided
• For a unit-step change in Q, we obtain

• Inversion by means of partial fraction expansion gives

• Substituting in the values of

Example 6.1.
• A plot of this response is shown in Fig. 6–2 . Notice that the response
is S-shaped and the slope at the origin is zero. If the change in
flow rate were introduced into the second tank, the response would
be first-order and is shown for comparison in Fig. 6–2 by the dotted
curve.
Exampe 6.1.
 INTERACTING SYSTEMS
• To illustrate an interacting system, we will derive the transfer function
for the system shown in Fig. 6–1 b. The analysis is started by writing
mass balances on the tanks as was done for the noninteracting case.
The balances on tanks 1 and 2 are the same as before and are given
by Eqs. (6.1) and (6.2).
 INTERACTING SYSTEMS
• However, the flow-head relationship for is now

• The flow-head relationship for is the same as before [Eq. (6.4)].

 INTERACTING SYSTEMS
• A simple way to combine Eqs. (6.1), (6.2), (6.4), and (6.13) is to first
express them in terms of deviation variables, transform the resulting
equations, and then combine the transformed equations to eliminate
the unwanted variables.
• At steady state, Eqs. (6.1) and (6.2) can be written
 INTERACTING SYSTEMS
• Subtracting Eq. (6.14) from Eq. (6.1) and Eq. (6.15) from Eq. (6.2) and
introducing deviation variables give

• Expressing Eqs. (6.13) and (6.4) in terms of deviation variables gives

 INTERACTING SYSTEMS
• Transforming Eqs. (6.16) through (6.19) gives
 INTERACTING SYSTEMS
• The analysis has produced four algebraic equations containing five
unknowns:
• These equations may be combined to eliminate and to
arrive at the desired transfer function: