ChE 374

Examples

1
 Using Newton’s 2nd law to determine the terminal
velocity of a free falling body near the earth’s surface

FU

FD 2
The mathematical model for this case is derived by
expressing the acceleration as a time rate of
change of velocity (a = dv/dt)

dv F
= (4)
dt m
Where v is the velocity in m/s and t is time in seconds (s)

Now, let’s express the net force in terms of measurable variables

and parameters.

F = FD + FU (5)

g = 9.81 m/s2
The downward force due to gravity FD = mg
m = mass (kg)
3
Air resistance

A simple formulation for the air resistance is to assume that

it is linearly proportional to velocity (linear approximation)

FU = − cv (6)

c = proportionality constant
(drag coefficient kg/s)
Accounts for properties of the falling body
e.g. shape, surface roughness, etc.

4
The net force is the difference between the
downward force and the upward force

dv F mg − cv
= =
(8)

dt m m
or
dv c
=g− v (9)
dt m
A mathematical model which relates to the acceleration of a
falling object to Forces acting on it !!! 5
If the paratrooper is initially at rest (v = 0 at t = 0), we can
use calculus to find the solution of:

dv c
=g− v
dt m
as

v(t ) =
gm
c
(
1− e ( − c / m )t
) (10)

Where:
v(t ) ≡ dependent variable
t ≡ the independent variable
c, m ≡ parameters
g ≡ the forcing function
6
Example # 1

Analytical solution to the falling paratrooper

Problem statement
A parachutist of mass 68.1 kg jumps out of a stationary helicopter. Use the
equation developed (equation 10) to compute the velocity prior to opening the
parachute. The drag coefficient is equal to 12.5 kg/s.

Solution:

The velocity at any time is given by

v(t ) =
gm
c
(1 − e − ( c / m )t
)

Inserting parameters in the model v(t ) =

9.81(68.1)
12.5
(1 − e − (12.5 / 68.1)t )

v(t ) = 53.39 (1 − e −0.18355t )

7
 We can use the model to compute v at different times
t, s v, m/s
0 0.00
2 16.40
4 27.77
6 35.64
8 41.10
10 44.87
12 47.49
50 53.38
Terminal
Net force=0 ∞ 53.39 Velocity
a=0 8
 Plot of velocity vs. time
60
Terminal velocity
50
40
v , m /s

30
20
10
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
t, s

9
 v(t ) =
gm
c
(1− e − ( c / m )t
)
• The equation is called an analytical or exact
solution because it satisfies the original
differential equation exactly.
• Many mathematical models cannot be
solved exactly
• Alternative is to develop a numerical solution
that approximates the exact solution !!!

10
 Numerical Methods
• Numerical methods are techniques by
which a mathematical problem is re-
formulated so that it can be solved by
arithmetic operations !!!!

Let’s reformulate the paratrooper problem so that it can be solved

by arithmetic operations !!!

11
Approximation for the time rate change of velocity

v(ti +1 )

Δv v(ti +1 ) − v(ti )
v(ti ) =
Δt ti +1 − ti

ti ti +1

dv Δv v(ti +1 ) − v(ti )
≅ = (11)
dt Δt ti +1 − ti
12
 v(ti +1 ) − v(ti ) c
= g − v(ti )
ti +1 − ti m

i+1

⎡ c ⎤
v(ti +1 ) = v(ti ) + ⎢ g − v(ti ) ⎥ ( ti +1 − ti ) (12)

⎣ m ⎦

Thus the differential equation has been transformed into an equation that can
be solved algebraically at different times using the slope and previous values of
v and t
13
Example # 2

Numerical solution of the falling paratrooper problem

Problem statement:

• Perform the same computation as in example #1 but

use equation (12) to compute the velocity

Solution:

At the start of the computation (ti = 0), the velocity of the paratrooper is zero.
Using this information and parameter values from example #1, equation (12) can
be used to compute the velocity at ti+1 = 2s:

⎡ 12.5 ⎤
v = 0 + ⎢9.8 − (0) ⎥ (2 − 0) = 19.60 m/s
⎣ 68.1 ⎦

14
 ⎡ 12.5 ⎤
v = 19.60 + ⎢9.8 − (19.60) ⎥ ( 4 − 2 ) = 32.00 m/s
⎣ 68.1 ⎦

t,s 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 inf

v, 0.00 19.60 32.00 39.85 44.82 47.97 49.96 53.39

m/s

15
Comparison of analytical and
numerical solutions
60
Approximate ,numerical solution
50

40
v, m/s

30

20 Exact analytical solution

Analytical Solution
10 Numerical Solution

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
t, s 16
 Matlab solution: Interactive
Let’s use matlab to solve the falling paratrooper
problem : Example # 1 Analytical solution

v(t ) =
gm
c
(
1− e ( − c / m )t
) Eq. (10)

>> g = 9.81;
>> m = 68.1;
>> c = 12.5;
>> tf = 2;
>> v=g*m/c*(1-exp(-c/m*tf))
v=
16.4217
>>

17
 Matlab solution : m-file
Open the matlab editor with a file named
analytic_sol.m
>> edit analytic_sol.m
>>

18
 Type the following code:
g=9.81;
m=68.1;
c=12.5;
tf=2;
v=g*m/c*(1-exp(-c/m*t))

Save the program (analytic_sol.m)

Go back to the command window and run the program.

>> analytic_sol

v=

16.4217 19
Rewrite the program to include user input
g=9.81;
m=input(‘mass = (kg): ‘);
c=12.5;
tf=2;
v=g*m/c*(1-exp(-c/m*t))

Save the program as analytic_sol2.m and go back to the command prompt.

>> analytic_sol2
mass (kg):
v=
17.3597
>>
20
 Numerical solution g=9.81;
m=input(' mass (kg): ');
c=12.5;
⎡ c ⎤
v (ti +1 ) = v(ti ) + ⎢ g − v(ti ) ⎥ ( ti +1 − ti ) ti=0;
⎣ m ⎦ tf=2;
vi=0;
dt=0.1;
t = ti;
v = vi;
h = dt;
while (1)
if t + dt > tf
Save the file as numer_sol.m h = tf - t;
end
>> numer_sol dvdt = g - (c / m ) * v;
v = v + dvdt * h;
mass (kg): 100 t = t + h;
if t >= tf, break, end
velocity (m/s): end
17.4559 disp('Velocity (m/s):')
disp(v)
21
A proper function
% ************************************************* %************************
% function to compute the velocity of a falling % function to compute the
% paratrooper % derivative
% %------------------------------
%************************************************** function dy = fun(t,v,m,c)
function euler = fun(dt,ti,tf,yi,m,c) g = 9.81;
t = ti; dy = g - (c/m )* v;
y = yi; end
h = dt;
while (1)
if t + dt > tf >> m=68.1;
h = tf - t; >> c=12.5;
end >> ti=0;
dydt = dy(t, y, m, c ); >> tf=2.0;
y = y + dydt * h; >> vi=0;
t = t + h; >> dt=0.1;
if t >= tf, break, end >> euler(dt,ti,tf,vi,m,c)
end
euler = y;
22
end