Estimating a property of a batch process using a non-parametric model

摘要

A method and apparatus that generates an estimate of a property of a batch process uses a non-parametric model to generate a plurality of rate of reaction estimates 158 associated with the batch process. Each rate of reaction estimate may correspond, for example, to a particular time during the batch process. The plurality of rate of reaction estimates are then integrated to generate an estimate of a property of the batch at a particular time 162. The non-parametric model is a non-mathematical model and may be a neural network which is trained using a determined training record for the batch process. Differences between the actual and modelled properties of the batch process may be used to improve the model.