A flow rate soft sensor for pumps with complex characteristics

Flow rate soft sensors have become an important alternative for costly hardware flow meters, as they can estimate the flow rate with sufficient precision from easily measurable variables by using models and state estimation algorithms. This paper addresses the fundamental challenge that arises from ambiguous estimation problems, where the measured variable corresponds to two or more possible flow rate values. We develop and implement a decision algorithm that yields correct results in an industrial setup with substantial measurement noise. The results demonstrate a reliable flow rate estimation, providing a viable solution for real-time flow monitoring in centrifugal pumps with complex characteristics.