Chapter 4

Mass and Energy Balances

In this chapter we will apply the conservation of mass and conservation of energy laws to
open systems or control volumes of interest. The balances will be applied to steady and
unsteady system such as tanks, turbines, pumps, and compressors.

4.1 Conservation of Mass

The general balance equation can be written as

Accumulation = Input + Generation - Output - Consumption

The terms (Generation - Consumption) are usually combined to call Generation with
positive value for net generation and negative value for net consumption.

Let
mcv = total mass (kg) of A within the system at any time.
min = rate (kg/s) at which A enters the system by crossing the boundaries.
mout = rate (kg/s) at which A leaves the system by crossing the boundaries.
rgen = rate (kg/s) of generation of A within the system by chemical reactions.
rcons = rate (kg/s) of consumption of A within the system by chemical reactions.

Then the mass balance on species A can be written as

dmcv
= min + rgen − mout − rcons (4.1-1)
dt

If there is no chemical reaction, the mass balance equation is simplified to

dmcv
= min − mout (4.1-2)
dt

Example 4.1-1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Balance on an interest earning checking account during month of February

Withdrawn = $525.00
Deposit = $1000.00
Interest = $3.00
Fees = $5.00
Solution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Accumulation = $1000 + $3 - $525 - $5 = $477.00 /month (February)

4-1
Example 4.1-2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Snake-Eyes Maggoo is a man of habit. For instance, his Friday evenings are all alike-into the
joint with his week’s salary of $180, steady gambling at “2-up” for two hours, then home to
his family leaving $45 behind. Snake-Eyes’ betting pattern is predictable. He always bets in
amounts proportional to his cash at hand, and his losses are also predictable - at a rate
proportional to his cash at hand. This week Snakes-Eyes received a raise, so he played for
three hours, but as usual went home with $135. How much was his raise?
Solution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Step #1: Define the system.

System: Snake-Eyes’ money.

Step #2: Find equation that contains M, Snake-Eyes’ money.

We can make a balance on his money.

Step #3: Making a balance on Snake-Eyes’ money.

dmcv
= − output
dt

where output = loss at any time = kmcv, k = proportional constant, hence

dmcv
= − kmcv (E-1)
dt

Step #4: Specify the boundary conditions for the differential equation.

The constant k can be obtained by integrating the differential equation from t = 0

when Snake-Eyes usually starts with $180 to t = 2 hours when Snake-Eyes has $135 left.

135
ln = − 2k or k = 0.14384 /hour
180

Step #5: Solve the resulting equation and verify the solution.

Equation (E-1) is integrated again from t = 0, mcv = mo to t = 3 hours, M = $135

mo = 135 exp( 3k) = 135 exp( 3 × 0.14384) = $207.85

So, Snake-Eyes’ raise is $207.85 - $180.00 = $27.85

4-2
Example 4.1-3. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A tank contains 2 m3 of pure water initially as shown in Figure E4.1-3. A stream of brine
containing 25 kg/m3 of salt is fed into the tank at a rate of 0.02 m3/s. Liquid flows from
the tank at a rate of 0.01 m3/s. If the tank is well mixed, what is the salt concentration
(kg/m3) in the tank when the tank contains 4 m3 of brine.

F i , ρ Ai V(t = 0) = 2 cubic meter

Fi = 0.02 m3 /s
ρ Ai = 25 kg/m3
ρA
F , ρA
Figure E4.1-3 A tank system with input and output.

Solution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Step #1: Define the system.

System: salt and water in the tank at any time.

Step #2: Find equation that contains ρA, the salt concentration in the tank at any time.
The salt balance will contain ρA.

Step #3: Apply the salt balance around the system.

d (Vρ A )
= FiρAi - FρA = 0.5 – 0.01ρA (E-1)
dt

where V is the brine solution in the tank at any time. Need another equation to solve
for V and ρA.

dV
= Fi – F = 0.02 – 0.01 = 0.01 m3/s (E-2)
dt

Step #4: Specify the boundary conditions for the differential equation.

At t = 0, V = 2 m3, ρA = 0, at the final time t, V = 4 m3

Step #5: Solve the resulting equations and verify the solution.
Integrate Eq. (E-2)

V t
dV = 0.01 dt , to obtain V = 2 + 0.01t
2 0

When V = 4 m3, t = 200 sec

4-3
The LHS of Eq. (E-1) can be expanded to

dρ A dV
V + ρA = 0.5 – 0.01ρA
dt dt

Hence

dρ A
(0.01t + 2) + 0.01ρA = 0.5 - 0.01ρA
dt

The above equation can be solved by separation of variables

dρ A dt
=
0.5 − 0.02 ρ A 0.01t + 2

1 1
- ln (0.5 – 0.02ρA) = ln(0.01t + 2) + C1
0.02 0.01

1
- ln (0.5 – 0.02ρA) = ln(0.01t + 2) + C (E-3)
2
at t = 0, ρA = 0, hence

1
- ln(0.5) = ln(2) + C (E-4)
2

Eq. (E-3) - Eq. (E-4)

1 0.5 − .02 ρ A 0.01t + 2

- ln = ln
2 .5 2

1 - 0.04ρA = (1 + 0.005 t)-2

Finally

25
ρA = 25 - (E-5)
(1 + 0.005t ) 2

at t = 200 sec
4-4
 25
ρA = 25 - 2
= 18.75 kg/m3
(1 + 0.005 × 200)

Verify the solution

At t = 0, from (E-5); ρA = 0, as t → ∞, ρA = 25 kg/m3

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following example requires numerical integration.

Example 4.1-4. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A gas storage tank with a floating roof receives a steady input of 540 m3/h of a natural gas.
The rate of withdrawal of gas from the tank, Fw (m3/min), varies more or less randomly
during the day and is recorded at 10-min intervals. At 8:00 A.M. one morning the volume of
stored gas is 3.00x103 m3. The withdrawal rate data for the next 4 h for Fw are as follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.4 (at 8:00), 11.9, 12.1, 11.8, 11.5, 11.3, 11.4, 11.1, 10.6, 10.8, 10.4, 10.2
10.2, 9.8, 9.4, 9.5, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.3, 9.6, 9.6, 9.4, 9.9, 9.8 (at 12:00)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The temperature and pressure of the inlet, stored, and outlet gases are equal and nearly
constant throughout the given time period.
Calculate the stored gas volume at noon, using Simpson’s rule to evaluate the
integral.
Solution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Step #1: Define the system.

System: gas in the storage tank.

Fi , ρi

F i = 540 m3 /min ρ
60
FW , ρ

Step #2: Find equation that contains V, the stored gas volume at any time.

The mass balance will contain V.

Step #3: Apply the gas mass balance around the system.

d ( ρV ) 540
= ρ iF i − ρ F w = ρ − ρ Fw (E-1)
dt 60

Since the temperature and pressure of the inlet, stored, and outlet gases are equal and
nearly constant throughout the given time period, ρ = ρi, Eq. (E-1) becomes

4-5
 dV
= 9 − Fw (E-2)
dt

Step #4: Specify the boundary condition for the differential equation.

At t = 0 (8:00 AM), V = 3.00x103 m3.

Step #5: Solve the resulting equation and verify the solution.

Integrate Eq. (E-2) to obtain

t
V = 3.00×103 + 9.00t - Fw dt (E-3)
0

t 240
at t = 240 min, Fw dt = Fw dt
0 0

Simpson’s Rule - Odd number of equally spaced data points, h = interval between
successive x values.

x2 h
f ( x ) dx ≈ y1 + 4 yi + 2 yi + y n
x1 3 i = 2 , 4 ,... i =3, 5,...

240
Fw dt = Width×Average Height
0
1
= 240× [ 11.4+ 4 (11.9 + 11.8 + 11.3 + 11.1 + 10.8 + 10.2
6 × 12
+ 9.8 + 9.5 + 9.4 + 9.3 + 9.6 + 9.9)

+ 2 (12.1 + 11.5 + 11.4 + 10.6 + 10.4 + 10.2

+ 9.4 + 9.3 + 9.5 + 9.6 + 9.4) + 9.8]

240
Fw dt = 2488 m3
0

V = 3.00×103 + 9.00×240 - 2488 = 2672 m3

Verify the solution: at t = 0, from Eq. (E-3) V = 3.00×103 m3

4-6
Example 4.1-5. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Water is flowing through a large circular conduit with inside radius R and a velocity
profile given by the equation

2
r
v(fps) = 8 1 −
R
Determine the mass flow rate through the pipe and the average water velocity in the 2.0 ft
pipe.

r
6 ft 2 ft

Solution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Since v is a function of r, we first need to determine the mass flow rate through the
differential area dA = 2πrdr

d m = (ρv)(dA) = (ρv)( 2πrdr)

The mass flow rate through the area πR2 is then obtained by integrating over the area

2
R r
m = 2πρ 8 1− rdr (E-1)
0 R

r
Let z = dr = Rdz, equation (E-1) becomes
R
1
z2 z4
m = 16πρR2
1

0
(1 − z ) zdz
2
m = 16πρR2 2
−
4 0

m = 4πρR2 = 4π×62.4×32 = 7057 lb/s

The average velocity in the 2-ft pipe is

m 7057
vave = = = 36 ft/s
ρπR 2
62.4 × π × 12

4-7
Water Treatment
Nature has been purifying (reclaiming) and recycling sewage for years using lakes, streams,
and rivers. Dependable, clean water is crucial to maintaining the growth, economy and
lifestyle of people living in urban areas. In arid Southern California where most of the water
must be imported from Northern California, water reclamation is one of the methods used by
the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County to meet the demand for water. In fact, the
Districts’ water reclamation and recycling system is one of the largest in the world.

The San Jose Water Reclamation Plant at Whittier, California, receives wastewater from all
of Los Angeles county and treats 100 million gallons of water per day. The main part of the
plant is the primary, secondary, and tertiary refinement systems as shown in Figure 2.4-1.

Primary Secondary Tertiary

Chemical Air Chemical

addition compressor addition Chlorine SO2

Primary Aeration Final

settling tank settling
tank tank Chlorine
contact
Gravity
tank
Primary filter
Influent solids Filter
pumps Waste backwash
activated recovery
solid tank to joint
water pollution
control plant

Figure 4.1-1 Schematic of the San Jose Creek Water Reclamation Plant

The raw sewage enters the primary tanks with the addition of a polymer to help coagulate the
solids. The major solids settle out and drain to an outlet to a joint water pollution control
plant. The mixture then proceeds to the secondary refinement system where microorganisms
are added to the slurry and air pumped to the bottom of the tank to aerate the system. The
microbes break down the solids in the “activated slurry” with a residence time of about 4 to 6
hours. Most of the microorganisms are reused, and the slurry proceeds to the final settling
tanks. The partially clarified water then passes through chlorinators and coagulant injectors
and finally proceeds through a series of sand, gravel and coal filter, by gravity, to chlorine
contact tanks. After the chlorine disinfects the water, sulfur dioxide is introduced to de-
chlorinate the water before reuse. Water leaving the reclamation plants is carefully monitored
to meet State and Federal drinking water standards.

4-8
Example 4.1-6.1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Figure E4.1-6 shows the schematic of a process for treating residential sewage. In this
simplified process, sewage at a rate of 5000 gal/min is pumped into a well-mixed aeration
tank where the concentration of bacteria CB,aration is maintained at 0.2 lb/gal. The treated
sewage is then pumped to a settling tank where the bacterial is separated and recycled back to
the aeration tank. The treated sewage leaving the settling tank has no bacteria in it while the
recycle sewage contains a bacterial concentration of 1.0 lb/gal. Both the aeration and the
settling tanks have the same volume of 5×106 gallons. You can assume the liquid (sewage)
density remains constant throughout the process and neglect the mass loss due to the
generation of CO2 leaving the aeration tank.
1) If 5000 gal/min of sewage enters and leaves the treatment facility, determine the two
volumetric flow rates Qtreated and Qrecycle.
2) If the recycle pump fails so that the flow rate through the process pump is reduced to
5000 gal/min, determine the time it takes before the sewage treated by the process is unsafe
to release. A minimum level of 0.1 lb/gal of bacteria in the aeration tank is necessary to
assure safe levels of sewage in the discharge.

Air
Sewage CO2
Qin Process pump
Qtreated Settling
Aeration tank tank Qout

Air Recycle pump

Qrecycle
Figure E4.1-6 A process for treating residential sewage.

Solution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1) Determine the two volumetric flow rates Qtreated and Qrecycle.

Let choose the system to be the aeration tank since we have the most information about this
unit. Applying the conservation of mass to the aeration tank at steady-state yields

Qinρin + Qrecycleρrecycle = Qtreatedρtreated

Since the densities are equal, we have

5000 + Qrecycle = Qtreated (E-1)

A steady-state bacteria balance around the aeration tank yields

QinCB,in + QrecycleCB,recycle = QtreatedCB,treated

Qrecycle(1.0) = Qtreated(0.2)
1
Duncan and Reimer, Chemical Engineering Design and Analysis,
4-9
Substituting Qrecycle = 0.2Qtreated into equation (E-1) gives

5000 + 0.2Qtreated = Qtreated Qtreated = 6250 gal/min

Qrecycle = 0.2Qtreated = 1250 gal/min

2) The time it takes before the sewage treated by the process is unsafe to release

Applying the conservation of bacteria to the aeration tank yields

d
(VCB) = QinCB,in − QtreatedCB
dt

In this equation, V is the volume of the aeration tank, and CB is the bacteria concentration
inside the tank.

Since Qin = Qtreated, V is a constant, therefore,

dC B Q
= − treated CB
dt V

V
The ratio gives the average time a molecule resides in the tank and is called the
Qtreated
residence time of water in the tank

V Fluid volume
= = residence time = τ (E-2)
Qtreated Volumetric flow rate

Equation (E-2) can be written as

dC B C
=− B
dt τ

Separating the variables and integrating over the limits

0.1 dC B 1 t
=− dt
0.2 C
B τ 0

Upon integrating and substituting the limits, we obtain

0 .1 t 5 × 10 6
ln =− t = τ ln(2) = ln(2) = 693 min.
0 .2 τ 5000

4-10