Reconciliation of process flow rates by matrix projection. Part I: Linear case

Abstract Flow rate measurements in a steady‐state process are reconciled by weighted least squares so that the conservation laws are obeyed. A projection matrix is constructed which can be used to decompose the linear problem into the solution of two subproblems, by first removing each balance around process units with an unmeasured component flow rate. The remaining measured flow rates are reconciled, and the unmeasured flow rates can then be …