Thismonograph focuses on the mathematical modeling of distributed parameter systemsin which mass/energy transport or wave propagation phenomena occur and whichare described by partial differential equations of hyperbolic type. The case oflinear (or linearized) 2 x 2 hyperbolic systems of balance laws isconsidered, i.e., systems described by two coupled linear partial differentialequations with two variables representing physical quantities, depending onboth time and one-dimensional spatial variable.

Basedon practical examples of a double-pipe heat exchanger and a transportationpipeline, two typical configurations of boundary input signals are analyzed: collocated, wherein both signals affect the system at the samespatial point, and anti-collocated, inwhich the input signals are applied to the two different end points of thesystem.

Theresults of this book emerge from the practical experience of the author gainedduring his studies conducted in the experimental installation of a heatexchange center as well as from his research experience in the field of mathematicaland computer modeling of dynamic systems. The book presents valuable resultsconcerning their state-space, transfer function and time-domain representations,which can be useful both for the open-loop analysis as well as for theclosed-loop design.

Thebook is primarily intended to help professionals as well as undergraduate andpostgraduate students involved in modeling and automatic control of dynamicsystems.