Figure 1 shows a three-tank system. All the flow rates are in volumetric and the cross-sectional areas of the three tanks are A1, A2, and A3 respectively. The flow rate Fs is constant and does not depend on h, while all other effluent flow rates are proportional to the corresponding hydrostatic liquid pressures that cause the flow.
i. Determine the mathematical equation of the total mass balance in each tank (9 marks, C4)
ii. Determine the state variables of the system (3 marks, C4)
F1
Tank 1
A1
F2
Fs
Tank 2
h3A3
Tank 3
Figure 1: A three-tank system