MIXING

TANKS
INTRODUCTION 01 02 EXAMPLES

PROBLEMS 03
INTRODUCTION
A typical mixing tank problem deals with the amount of salt in
a mixing tank. Salt and water enter the tank at a certain
rate, are mixed with what is already in the tank, and the
mixture leaves at a certain rate. We want to write a
differential equation to model the situation, and then
solve it.
 The independent variable will be the time, t, in some appropriate unit (seconds,
minutes, etc). It may not be so obvious what to use for a dependent variable: the
concentration of salt in the liquid, or the amount of salt. It is usually simpler to use the
amount, Q (again, in appropriate units such as kilograms). Then the basic principle
determining the differential equation is

��
=    ������������� �� �������� ���� ���� �� ����� �������� − ������������� �� ������� ���� ���� �� ����� ������
��

Since salt is not created or destroyed in this process, the change in the amount of salt
in the tank comes from the balance between what enters and what leaves.
 Example 1:
Initially a tank contains 10000 litres of brine with a salt
concentration of 1 kg salt per 100 litres. Brine with 2 kg salt per
100 litres enters the tank at a rate of 20 litres per second. The
well-st irred mi x t u r e l e a v e s a t t h e s a me r a t e . F i n d t h e
concentration of salt as a function of time.
 SOLUTION
Let Q be the amount (in kg) of salt in the tank, and t the time in seconds, with t=0 initially. We
have Q(0) = 1/100 (10000) = 100 kg.

The rate at which salt enters is 20 (2/100) = 0.4 kg/sec. The rate at which salt leaves is 20 C(t),
where C(t) is the concentration of salt in the tank at time t. Now C(t) = Q(t)/V(t) where V(t) is the volume
of liquid in the tank. Since liquid leaves at the same rate as it enters, the volume is a constant (10000
litres). So the differential equation is

This is a first-order linear equation. The integrating is factor, and the general solution is
:

Substituting the initial condition t=0, Q = 100, the answer is

Note what happens as : . Q = 200 is an equilibrium solution: at this

value of Q, dQ/dt = 0, so Q would stay constant at this value.
 Example 2:
Take the same setup as in the previous example, but the
mixture leaves the tank at only 10 litres per second. Of course
the tank will eventually fill up, but we want to know the amount
of salt at any time before this.
 SOLUTION
This time instead of being constant, the volume V(t) is a function of time: V(t) = 10000 + 10 t.
The differential equation is

The integrating factor is . The general solution is

and using the initial condition we get

 Example 3:
A large tank holds 300 gallons of brine solution with 40 lbs.
of salt. A concentration of 2 lbs/gal is pumped in a rate of 4
gal/min. The concentration living the tank is pumped out at
a rate of 3 gal/min. How much salt is in the tank after 12
minutes?
 SOLUTION
��
= ���� �� − ���� ���
��

��� ��� ���

Rate in= (2 ���) (4���) = 8 ���

� ��� 3� ���
Rate out= (300+� (3 ���)= 300+� ���

�� 3
��
= 8- (300+�)A

Note: A(0)= 40
�� 3 �� 3
��
= 8- (300+�)A ��
+ (300+�)A = 8

3
µ(t)= exp( ꭍ(300+�dt) u= 300+t du= dt
= exp (3 ln (300+t)
= exp (ln (300+t)3
= (300+t)3
 �� 3
(300+t)3 ��
+ (300+t)3(300+�)A = 8 (300+t)3

�
��
[(300+t)3A] = 8 (300+t)3
�
ꭍ��[(300+t)3A]dt = ꭍ8 (300+t)3dt
(300+t)3A = 8 [(300+t)4/4] + C
(300+t)3A = 2 [(300+t)4] + C

2  300+� 4
3
300+t A �
300+t
3 = 300+t
3 + 300+t
3

A(t)= 600 + 2t + C(300+t)-3

A(0)= 40
600 + C(300)-3= 40
(300)3 [C(300)-3]= -560(300)3
C= -1.512×1010
How much salt is in the tank after 12 minutes?

A(t)= 600 + 2t -1.512×1010 (300+t)-3

A(12)= 600 + 2(12) -1.512×1010 (300+12)-3
A(12)= 624 -1.512×1010 (312)-3
A(12)= 126.12 lbs of salt
 PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED
1. A tank contains 100L of brine with 15kg. of dissolved salt. Pure water enters the tank at a rate
of 10L/min. The solution is kept thoroughly mixed and drains from the tank at the same rate.
How much salt is in the tank after t minutes?

2. A tank originally contains 100gal of brine solution containing 20lbs of salt. At t=0, pure water is
poured into the tank at a rate of 5gal/min, while the stirred mixture levels the tank at same rate.
Find the amount of salt in the tank at t= 25 mins.

3. A tank contains 1,500L of water and 20 kg of dissolved salt. Fresh water is entering the tank
at 15 L/min (the solution stays perfectly mixed), and the solution drains at a rate of 10 L/min.
How much salt is in the tank at t minutes and at 10 minutes?

4. A tank initially contains 40 pounds of salt dissolved in 600 gallons of water. Starting at t(0)=0,
water that contains 1/2 pound of salt per gallon is poured into the tank at the rate of 4 gal/min
and the mixture is drained from the tank at the same rate, find a differential equation for the
quantity Q(t) of salt in the tank at time t>0, and solve the equation to determine Q(t).

5. A 120-gallon tank holds purified water. Salt water with 1.5 lbs of salt per gallon leaks into the
tank at 2 gallons per minute. The mixture in the tank is constantly (perfectly) mixed, and it
flows out of the tank at 3 gallons per minute. Write a model S(t) for the amount of salt in the
tank (measured in lbs) after t minutes.
THANKS FOR
LISTENING!
RESOURCES
• Libretexts. (2020, May 14). 4.2: Cooling and Mixing. Retrieved July 18, 2020, from
https://math.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Differential_Equations/Book:_Elementary_Differential_Equations_with_Boundar
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E-HJBFSzCVs_GPVGrLG4UdBRrPc1xVYqsfCbDgxYOWP_lXDCkAU

• Israel, R. (1997, September 12). Mixing Problems. Retrieved July 18, 2020, from
http://www.math.ubc.ca/~israel/m215/mixing/?fbclid=IwAR2GXkPmWR2WOFjZGRIb7egf0yYvIvJbOjSvnYkIerBmKet3z8bp
mf0MBwU

• King, K. (2018, June 12). Mixing problems for differential equations - Krista King Math: Online math tutor. Retrieved July 20,
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equations?fbclid=IwAR3iovnCDNJUodej80oTglLX7pQ3AY7kLiIiBh_5g3mkkoG8uU6SDu62ULs

• Greshann, Marina. (2014). Mixture Problem Example. Retrieved July 20, 2020, from
http://www.math.utah.edu/~madrian/MixtureProbSoln.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0VoKt5y5H_dP0HsFJgW2afl0i_lt0iJhPTkoPlqjjg-
Lqkb1puw0QZf60