Abstract
This work proposes a soft sensor based on a phenomenological model for online estimation of the density and viscosity of a slurry flowing through a pipe-and-fittings assembly (PFA). The model is developed considering the conservation principle applied to mass and momentum transfer and considering frictional energy losses to include the variables directly affecting slurry properties. A reported proposal for state observers with unknown inputs is used to develop the first block of the observer structure. The second block is constructed with two options for evaluating slurry viscosity, generating two possible estimator structures, which are tested using real data. A comparison between them indicates different uses and capabilities according to available process information.
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The authors thank Colciencias and SUMICOL (Suministros de Colombia S.A.) for their support and financing for this project.
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Jenny L. Diaz C. received the B. Sc. degree in chemical engineering and the M. Sc. degree in engineering with an emphasis on chemical engineering from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Colombia in 2014 and 2016, respectively. Currently, she is a Ph. D. degree candidate in automatic at Universitat Politcnica de Catalunya, Spain.
Her research interests include modeling of chemical processes, estimation and control theory and large-scale systems management.
Diego A. Muñoz received the B. Sc. degree in chemical engineer from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Colombia in 2004, the M. Sc. degree in mathematics from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Colombia in 2006, and the Ph. D. degree in engineering from RWTH Aachen University of Technology, Germany in 2015. Currently he holds a full professor position at Engineering School, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Venezuela, performing both research activities and teaching in the undergraduate and graduate programs.
His research interests include process optimization, modelling and control.
Hernan Alvarez received the B. Sc. degree in chemical engineer from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Colombia in 1991, the M. Sc. degree in Systems Engineering from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Colombia in 1995, and the Ph. D. degree in control systems engineering from Instituto de Automática of Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Argentina in 2000. Currently, he holds a full professor position at Faculty of Mines, Processes and Energy School, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, performing both research activities and teaching in the undergraduate and graduate programs.
His research interests include chemical process modelling and control.
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Diaz C., J.L., Muñoz, D.A. & Alvarez, H. Phenomenological Based Soft Sensor for Online Estimation of Slurry Rheological Properties. Int. J. Autom. Comput. 16, 696–706 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11633-018-1132-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11633-018-1132-0