Data-driven modelling is essential in aquaculture, especially for complex systems where internal environmental conditions and reaction mechanisms are difficult to describe accurately. However, the black-box nature and high data dependency of traditional data-driven models limit their practical applicability. To address these challenges, we propose a physics-informed spatial self-attention gated recurrent (PSAG) unit model that integrates process data with domain-specific physical constraints. The spatial self-attention (SSA) module extracts key features from the process data through convolutional operations weighted by attention scores, which are then passed to the gated recurrent unit (GRU) for spatial prediction. The model was validated using data from an aquaculture biofilter system. Results showed that the spatial self-attention GRU framework performs well under conditions of limited data and significant distribution shifts, and that the inclusion of physical constraints could further improve predictive accuracy.
Prediction of key parameters in aquaculture biofilters using a physics-informed spatial self-attention gated recurrent unit model
Expert Systems With Applications, Vol.320, p.132221
15/07/2026
2
- Prediction of key parameters in aquaculture biofilters using a physics-informed spatial self-attention gated recurrent unit model
- Lingwei Jiang (Author) - University of Surrey, School of Chemistry & Chemical EngineeringMingwei Jia (Author) - Zhejiang University of TechnologyBing Guo (Author) - University of Surrey, Mechanical Engineering SciencesDaoliang Li (Author) - China Agricultural UniversityTao Chen (Corresponding Author) - University of Surrey, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering
- Expert Systems With Applications, Vol.320, p.132221
- Elsevier; OXFORD
- 17
- 27/03/2026
- 15/07/2026
- 24/03/2026
- 32373186, National Natural Science Foundation of China (China, Beijing) - NSFC202106350010, University of Surrey (United Kingdom, Guildford)
- This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant No. 32373186], and the China Scholarship Council in partnership with the University of Surrey [Grant No. 202106350010]. The authors would also like to express their sincere gratitude to Professor Luis Ricardez-Sandoval and Dr Gabriel Patron at the University of Waterloo for their help with the RAS simulation platform used in this study.
- 991112795202346; WOS:001732540000001
- © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies. For the purpose of open access, the authors have applied a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising.
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering
- English
- Journal article