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Emptying time of cylinder-cone vessel

Short answer

Emptying time integrates -A(h)dh = Cd a sqrt(2g) sqrt(h) dt. Cylindrical part (6 m to 4 m): t1=135.3 s; conical frustum (4 m to 0): t2=280.9 s; total t≈416 s (6.9 min).

Find the time of emptying of cylindrical vessel attached with conical vessel as shown in the figure below. Orifice of diameter 10 cm is at the bottom of the tank. Take discharge coefficient as 0.6. There is no inflow into the tank. [Figure: cylindrical top portion 2 m diameter and 2 m high on top of a conical frustum 4 m high tapering to a 1 m diameter at the bottom where the orifice is]

Given (assumed from the figure): cylinder 2 m diameter, 2 m high on top of a conical frustum 4 m high tapering from 2 m diameter (top) to 1 m diameter (bottom); orifice d=0.10d = 0.10 m at the bottom; Cd=0.6C_d = 0.6. Initially full, so the head above the orifice is H=4+2=6H = 4 + 2 = 6 m.

   |<--2 m-->|
   |         |  2 m
   |_________|
    \       /
     \     /  4 m (frustum)
      \___/
       o  <- orifice 10 cm (bottom dia 1 m)

Orifice area a=π4(0.1)2=0.007854a = \dfrac{\pi}{4}(0.1)^2 = 0.007854 m².

k=Cd a2g=0.6×0.007854×4.4294=0.020873 m5/2/sk = C_d\,a\sqrt{2g} = 0.6\times 0.007854\times 4.4294 = 0.020873\ \text{m}^{5/2}/\text{s}

Rate equation: −A(h) dh=kh dt  ⇒  t=1k∫A(h)hdh-A(h)\,dh = k\sqrt{h}\,dt\;\Rightarrow\; t = \dfrac{1}{k}\displaystyle\int\dfrac{A(h)}{\sqrt h}dh.

Time to lower 6 m to 4 m (cylinder, A=πA = \pi m²)

t1=Ak⋅2(6−4)=3.1416×2×0.44950.020873=135.3 st_1 = \frac{A}{k}\cdot 2\left(\sqrt{6} - \sqrt{4}\right) = \frac{3.1416\times 2\times 0.4495}{0.020873} = 135.3\ \text{s}

Time to lower 4 m to 0 (frustum)

At height hh above the orifice, the diameter is D=1+h/4D = 1 + h/4 (1 m at h=0h = 0, 2 m at h=4h = 4), so

A(h)=π4(1+h4)2=π4(1+0.5h+0.0625h2)A(h) = \frac{\pi}{4}\left(1 + \frac{h}{4}\right)^2 = \frac{\pi}{4}\left(1 + 0.5h + 0.0625h^2\right) t2=π4k∫04(h−1/2+0.5h1/2+0.0625h3/2)dh=π4k[2h1/2+13h3/2+0.025h5/2]04=π4k[4+2.667+0.8]=0.7854×7.4670.020873=280.9 s\begin{aligned} t_2 &= \frac{\pi}{4k}\int_0^4\left(h^{-1/2} + 0.5h^{1/2} + 0.0625h^{3/2}\right)dh\\ &= \frac{\pi}{4k}\left[2h^{1/2} + \frac{1}{3}h^{3/2} + 0.025h^{5/2}\right]_0^4\\ &= \frac{\pi}{4k}\left[4 + 2.667 + 0.8\right] = \frac{0.7854\times 7.467}{0.020873} = 280.9\ \text{s} \end{aligned}

Total time

t=t1+t2=135.3+280.9=416.3 s≈6.94 mint = t_1 + t_2 = 135.3 + 280.9 = 416.3\ \text{s} \approx 6.94\ \text{min}

Answer: time of emptying ≈416\approx 416 s (about 6 min 56 s).

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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