Question

A vertical cylindrical tank 10 ft in diameter, has an inflow line of 0.3 ft inside diameter and an outflow line of 0.4 ft inside diameter. Water is flowing in the inflow line at a velocity of 5 ft/s and in the outflow line at a velocity of 2 ft/s. Is the level in the tank rising or decreasing? With what speed (ft/sec)?

Answer 1

Answer:

$\frac{dh}{dt} = 1.3 \times 10^{-3} \frac{ft}{s}$, level is rising.

Explanation:

Since liquid water is a incompresible fluid, density can be eliminated of the equation of Mass Conservation, which is simplified as follows:

$\dot V_{in} - \dot V_{out} = \frac{dV_{tank}}{dt}$

$\frac{\pi}{4}\cdot D_{in}^2 \cdot v_{in}-\frac{\pi}{4}\cdot D_{out}^2 \cdot v_{out}= \frac{\pi}{4}\cdot D_{tank}^{2} \cdot \frac{dh}{dt} \\D_{in}^2 \cdot v_{in} - D_{out}^2 \cdot v_{out} = D_{tank}^{2} \cdot \frac{dh}{dt} \\\frac{dh}{dt} = \frac{D_{in}^2 \cdot v_{in} - D_{out}^2 \cdot v_{out}}{D_{tank}^{2}}$

By replacing all known variables:

$\frac{dh}{dt} = \frac{(0.3 ft)^{2}\cdot (5 \frac{ft}{s} ) - (0.4 ft)^{2} \cdot (2 \frac{ft}{s} )}{(10 ft)^{2}}\\\frac{dh}{dt} = 1.3 \times 10^{-3} \frac{ft}{s}$

The positive sign of the rate of change of the tank level indicates a rising behaviour.