Tank (TL)

Thermal liquid container with variable fluid volume

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Libraries:
Simscape / Fluids / Thermal Liquid / Tanks & Accumulators

Description

The Tank (TL) block models a thermal liquid container with a variable fluid volume. The absolute pressure of the tank fluid volume is assumed constant and equal to the value specified in the block dialog box. In the special case that the tank pressurization is equal to atmospheric pressure, the block represents a vented tank.

The tank can exchange energy with its surroundings, allowing its internal temperature and pressure to evolve over time. Heat transfer occurs via convection, as liquid enters or exits the chamber, and conduction, as thermal energy flows through the tank walls and the liquid itself at the tank inlets.

Tank Schematic

The tank can have up to six input ports, A through F. The pressure at the tank inlets is the sum of the constant tank pressurization specified in the block dialog box and the hydrostatic pressure due to the inlet height.

The tank model accounts for heat transfer through the tank wall, associated with thermal conserving port H. The temperature defined at this port is the temperature of the tank fluid volume.

Tank Volume

The tank fluid volume is computed from the total fluid mass at each time step:

$$V=\frac{M}{\rho },$$

where:

• V is the tank fluid volume.

• M is the tank fluid mass.

• ρ is the tank fluid density.

Mass Balance

The mass conservation equation in the tank fluid volume is

$$\dot{M}={\dot{m}}_A+{\dot{m}}_B+{\dot{m}}_C+{\dot{m}}_D+{\dot{m}}_E+{\dot{m}}_F,$$

where:

• $$\dot{M}$$ is the change in fluid mass.

• $${\dot{m}}_{\eta }$$ denotes the mass flow rates into the tank fluid volume through port η.

Momentum Balance

The momentum conservation equation in the tank fluid volume for port η with $$\eta \text{=A,B,C,D,E,F}$$ is

$$p_{\eta }+p_{dyn}=p_{Ref}+\rho g\left(y-y_{\eta }\right),$$

where:

• p_η is the fluid pressure at inlet η.

• p_Ref is the constant tank pressurization.

• p_dyn is the dynamic pressure:

  $$p_{dyn}=\{\begin{array}{ll}0,\hfill & {\dot{m}}_{\eta }\ge 0\hfill \\ \frac{{\dot{m}}_{\eta }^2}{2{\rho }_{\eta }{S}_{IA}^2},\hfill & {\dot{m}}_{\eta }<0\hfill \end{array}$$

  When the flow direction is into tank, the incoming jet dissipates into the large fluid volume, loses momentum, and causes p_dyn to be 0. When the fluid flows out of the tank, the fluid in the volume accelerates into the port and causes p_dyn to be greater than 0.

• ρ_η is the liquid density at port η.

• S_IA is the tank inlet area.

• g is the gravitational constant.

• y is the tank level, or height, relative to the tank bottom.

• y_η is the tank inlet elevation relative to the tank bottom.

Energy Balance

The energy conservation equation in the tank fluid volume is

$$M\left(C_p-h\alpha \right)\dot{T}={\varphi }_A+{\varphi }_B+{\varphi }_C+{\varphi }_D+{\varphi }_E+{\varphi }_F-\left({\dot{m}}_A+{\dot{m}}_B+{\dot{m}}_C+{\dot{m}}_D+{\dot{m}}_E+{\dot{m}}_F+M\alpha \dot{T}\right)h+Q,$$

where:

• C_p is the fluid thermal capacity.

• α is the fluid isobaric bulk modulus.

• T is the fluid temperature.

• Φ_η denotes the energy flow rates into the tank through port η.

• h is the fluid enthalpy.

• Q is the thermal energy flow rate into the tank through port H.

Examples

Engine Cooling System

Model an engine cooling system with an oil cooling circuit.

• Open Model

Aircraft Fuel Supply System with Three Tanks

Model an aircraft fuel supply system consisting of three tanks and an engine.

• Open Model

Photovoltaic Thermal (PV/T) Hybrid Solar Panel

Model the cogeneration of electrical power and heat using a hybrid PV/T solar panel. The generated heat is transferred to water for household consumption.

• Open Model

Assumptions and Limitations

• The tank pressure is constant and uniform throughout the tank volume. The tank elevation head affects only the inlet pressure calculations.

• Fluid momentum is lost at the tank inlet due to the sudden expansion into the tank volume.

• When you set the Pressurization specification parameter to Variable pressure, the block assumes that variation in pressure occurs slowly and there is no pressure derivative in the mass and energy balance equations.

Ports

Conserving

A — Liquid port

thermal liquid

Tank inlet.

B — Liquid port

thermal liquid

Optional tank inlet.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set Number of inlets to 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.

C — Liquid port

thermal liquid

Optional tank inlet.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set Number of inlets to 3, 4, 5, or 6.

D — Liquid port

thermal liquid

Optional tank inlet.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set Number of inlets to 4, 5, or 6.

E — Liquid port

thermal liquid

Optional tank inlet.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set Number of inlets to 5, or 6.

F — Liquid port

thermal liquid

Optional tank inlet.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set Number of inlets to 6.

H — Heat transfer

thermal liquid

Heat transfer at the tank wall.

Input

P — Tank pressure, MPa

physical signal

Tank pressure, specified as a physical signal input, in MPa.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set Pressurization specification to Variable pressure.

Output

V — Liquid volume, m^3

physical signal

Liquid volume inside the tank in m^3, specified as a physical signal.

L — Liquid level, m

physical signal

Liquid level inside the tank in m, specified as a physical signal.

T — Fluid temperature, K

physical signal

Tank fluid temperature in K, specified as a physical signal.

Parameters

Number of inlets — Number of inlet ports

1 (default) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Number of inlet ports. Setting this parameter to 2 or more exposes additional input ports.

Pressurization specification — Tank pressure specification method

Atmospheric pressure (default) | Specified pressure | Variable pressure

Method to specify the tank pressure. To define a non-atmospheric constant pressure, set this parameter to Specified pressure and specify the value with the Tank pressurization parameter. To specify a variable tank pressure, set this parameter to Variable pressure and supply the tank pressure as a physical signal at port P.

Tank pressurization — User-defined tank pressure

0.101325 MPa (default) | positive scalar

User-defined tank pressure.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Pressurization specification to Specified pressure.

Tank volume parameterization — Tank area characteristics

Constant cross-section area (default) | Tabulated data - volume vs. level

Specifies tank area characteristics. This parameter is used to determine the fluid level in the tank. If you would like to model a tank with a variable cross-sectional area, you can provide data for tank volume and fluid level with the Tabulated data - volume vs. level option.

Tank cross-sectional area — Tank cross-sectional area

1 m^2 (default) | positive scalar

Tank cross-sectional area.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Tank volume parameterization to Constant cross-section area.

Liquid level vector — Vector of tank fluid levels

[0, 3, 5] m (default) | 1-by-n vector

Vector of tank fluid levels for the tabular parameterization of a non-constant tank area. The values in this vector correspond one-to-one to values in the Volumetric flow rate vector parameter. Its elements are listed in ascending order. The elements must be positive and the first element must be 0.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Tank volume parameterization to Tabulated data - volume vs. level.

Liquid volume vector — Vector of tank fluid levels

[0, 4, 6] m^3 (default) | 1-by-n vector

Vector of tank fluid levels for the tabular parameterization of a non-constant tank area. The values in this vector correspond one-to-one to values in the Volumetric flow rate vector parameter. Its elements are listed in ascending order. The elements must be positive and the first element must be 0.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Tank volume parameterization to Tabulated data - volume vs. level.

Inlet height — Height of inlet port

0.1 m (default) | positive scalar

Height of inlet port. The value must be greater than or equal to 0.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Number of inlets to 1.

Inlet cross-sectional area — Cross-sectional area of the port inlet

0.01 m^2 (default) | positive scalar

Cross-sectional area of the port inlet. This value must be greater than 0.

Height vector for inlets A and B — Vector of port heights for multiple enabled ports

[.1, .1] m (default) | 1-by-n vector

Vector of port heights for multiple enabled ports. If you have two or more ports enabled, the Inlet height parameter becomes a vector of values that correspond to the height of each inlet port, starting with port A. The parameter name and vector length depend on the value of the Number of inlets parameter. The default height for each inlet is .1 m. Each element of this vector must be greater than or equal to 0.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Number of inlets to 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.

Cross-sectional area vector for inlets A and B — Vector of inlet areas for two enabled ports

[.01, .01] m^2 (default) | 1-by-n vector

Vector of cross-sectional areas for multiple enabled ports. If you have two or more ports enabled, the Inlet cross-sectional area parameter becomes a vector of values that correspond to the cross-sectional area of each inlet, starting with port A. The parameter name will include all enabled ports. Each element of this vector must be greater than 0.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Number of inlets to 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.

Liquid level below inlet height — Whether to be notified of low tank levels

Error (default) | Warning | None

Whether to be notified if the tank fluid level falls below the port inlet height during simulation. Set this parameter to Warning if you would like to receive a warning when this occurs during simulation. Set the parameter to Error if you would like the simulation to stop when this occurs.

Liquid volume above max capacity — Whether to be notified of high tank volume

None (default) | Warning | Error

Whether to be notified if the tank fluid volume rises above the tank maximum capacity during simulation. Set this parameter to Warning if you would like to receive a warning when this occurs during simulation. Set the parameter to Error if you would like the simulation to stop when this occurs.

Maximum tank capacity — Fill limit of the tank

10 m^3 (default) | positive scalar

Fill limit of the tank.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Liquid volume above max capacity to either:

• Warning

• Error

Gravitational acceleration — Acceleration of gravity constant

9.81 m/s^2 (default) | positive scalar

Constant for the acceleration of gravity.

Extended Capabilities

C/C++ Code Generation
Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.

Version History

Introduced in R2016a

R2023b: Specify variable pressure

You can now specify variable tank pressurization for the Tank (TL) block. When you set Pressurization specification to Variable pressure, the block uses the values from the physical signal at port P in the dynamic pressure equation.