The Model and Physics
A recipe for the NN model approach does not offer explicit
new theoretical substance but ...
The softsensor
described was built and tested at a large copper concentrator in Chile.
A similar project is underway at Fort Knox. The NN approach did create a
numerical model that converged to a solution. The computer algorithm derived
a mathematical function to describe the relationship between cyclone feed
flow, density, new feed and cyclone particle size. However, the model results
do not shed any theoretical light on the subject of vortex behavior. The
NN "learns physics" but only as a numbers game.
To design a successful network requires a good understanding of the underlying
theory of what is being modeled. This understanding will allow for correct
selection of the required secondary measurements and proper evaluation of
the required variance in the training data.