A soft-sensing methodology applicable to batch processes operated under changeable initial conditions is presented. These cases appear when the raw materials specifications differ from batch to batch, different production scenarios should be managed, etc. The proposal exploits the capabilities of the machine learning techniques to provide practical soft-sensing approach with minimum tuning effort in spite of the fact that the inherent dynamic behavior of batch systems are tracked through other online indirect measurements. Current data modelling techniques have been also tested within the proposed methodology to demonstrate its advantages. Two simulation casestudies and a pilot-plant case-study involving a complex batch process for wastewater treatment are used to illustrate the problem, to assess the modelling approach and to compare the modelling techniques. The results reflect a promising accuracy even when the training information is scarce, allowing significant reductions in the cost associated to batch processes monitoring and control.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.