SOFTWARE SENSORS IN BIOPROCESS ENGINEERING

This paper deals with the design of 'software sensors' in bioprocess e ngineering. At first, it is shown, through an illustrative example, th at a 'software sensor' which associates a sensor (hardware) and an est imation algorithm (software)-in order to provide on line estimation of unmeasurable variables-is a useful tool in bioprocess monitoring and control. Then, the possible design techniques appropriate to bioproces ses are presented; they hardly depend on the properties of the bioproc ess model. Only the estimation methods based on reliable mass balance models with time varying kinetics parameters are considered. In order to aid the designer in his task, without requiring a deep knowledge of the underlying estimation theory, a knowledge based software, named B IOESTIM, is presented the facilities offered by this software, which i ncludes expertise in system analysis and estimation theory, show it is a powerful tool in Computer Aided Estimation of bioprocesses. (C) 199 7 Elsevier Science B.V.