A schema for generic process tomography sensors

A schema is introduced that aims to facilitate the widespread exploitation of the science of process tomography (PT) that promises a unique multidimensional sensing opportunity. Although PT has been developed to an advanced state, applications have been laboratory or pilot-plant based, configured on an end-to-end basis, and limited typically to the formation of images that attempt to represent process contents. The schema facilitates the fusion of multidimensional internal process state data in terms of a model that yields directly usable process information, either for design model confirmation or for effective plant monitoring or control, here termed a reality visualization model (RVM). A generic view leads to a taxonomy of process types and their respective RVM. An illustrative example is included and a review of typical sensor system components is given.