Report adapted for on-line use

Industrial Automation
and Optimisation

OUR POINT OF VIEW

THE DIGITAL TWIN
This paper reflects our point of view on the
digital twin used in process and manufacturing
industries.

It describes what a digital twin is, how it is created,

and what some of the applications might entail.
WHAT IS A DIGITAL TWIN?
The aptly named “digital twin” refers to a digital
representation of a physical plant or complex piece
of equipment. It is sometimes also referred to as a
virtual plant.
The most common parts of a plant to be modeled
include:
• Mechanical devices such as valves, pipelines,
tanks, heat exchangers, filters, etc.
• Electrical equipment such as motors, heaters,
etc.
• Chemical reactions virtually to iron out any bugs and to develop optimal
operating procedures.
There is no limit to the types of equipment or
processes that can be modeled, as long as a set of The plant could be pre-commissioned virtually
equations exist or can be developed to describe the by determining more accurate initial tuning
object’s physical properties and behavior. parameters. This reduces material wastage, and
reduces factory testing, start-up and commissioning
The digital twin exists as a software model, loaded
times.
onto suitably powerful hardware to execute the
complex calculations that make the model work. A digital twin can also be used to train operators
and maintenance personnel ahead of actual plant
With the advent of Cloud computing models can be
start-up to improve familiarity with dynamic
stored in the Cloud for easy scaling up and down.
operating conditions under various scenarios.
The Cloud also provides access to the models as
Operating safety is also enhanced.
long as a suitable Internet connection is available.

WHY USE DIGITAL TWINS? MAIN BENEFITS

The primary reasons for developing a digital twin
are to reduce cost, improve quality and safety, and
to reduce project development and delivery times.
Changes can be made digitally to determine how
plants react under certain conditions. For example,
a pump’s size could be increased or decreased in the
software model to test the effects on a particular
process. This type of experimental change in the
physical world is costly, and takes time to implement
and analyze.
The control strategy for a plant could also be tested
99 Flexible and cost-effective experimentation
with plant configurations
99 Shortened test-cycle times
99 Shortened plant commissioning and start-up
times
99 Improved quality
99 Improved plant performance
99 Improved operator efficiency
99 Safer plant operations through training

Moore | 2
THE BASICS OF MODELING
At a basic level model components are represented
through simple mathematical functions.
For example:
Let’s assume that a tank has a volume of 10 m3, and
that the flow rate into the tank is 1 m3 per hour.
The volume in the tank is thus calculated by the time
elapsed, multiplied by the flow rate. Any outflow
would be subtracted to obtain the total volume in
the tank. The tank level can then be inferred.
This simple representation is known as a “mass
balance” approach. The total mass of material in the
system is the sum total of inflows, less any outflows.
In many circumstances this simple approach would
suffice to get a basic understanding of the behavior
of a plant. Multiple tanks could be connected to
simulate the cascade effect of material flowing from
one tank into the next.
At times a more sophisticated model is required.
In advanced models plant components are
represented by the interaction of thermodynamic
equations.
These models take into account:
• The relevant physical properties of each piece
of equipment
• The temperatures, pressures and viscosities of
the materials flowing into and out of each device
• Dynamic responses of moving elements, such as
valves, pumps, etc.
• The chemical and physical properties of process
materials, such as vapor flash points, etc.
The more effort expended, i.e. accuracy of
equations, computing power, configuration time,
etc., the more accurate the digital twin becomes.
SOFTWARE SELECTION
The primary consideration is the selection of the
modeling software package. There are several off-
the-shelf products available on the market, each
with their own unique configuration philosophy.
Package selection should be driven by balancing the
intention of the model with the available budget.
The accuracy of the models vary broadly in line with
the price tag. High-fidelity models provide highly
accurate models, but come with a higher price tag,
and require more configuration effort.
At the lower end of the spectrum packages are
available using the mass-balance approach. These
are less expensive and much easier to configure.
However, they are also a lot less accurate in
predicting plant behavior.
Some of the key software features to look out for
include:
• Extensive library objects across most industries
• A graphical interface to select and configure
model components
• The ability to speed up models’ clocks. This is
helpful if a particular process takes a long time
to complete
• The ability to take snapshots of the model under
various conditions. These can then be loaded
again so the model resumes from a specific set
of preconditions
• A communications interface (OPC) that enables
writing to, and reading from the models
APPROACH TO A MODELING PROJECT
Models are data hungry. The more data available,
the more accurate the model, provided the
modeling software is able make use of the data.
Typical data sources include:
• Plant functional description
• P&IDs
• Process flow diagrams:
ෙෙ Pipe dimensions and properties
ෙෙ Vessel sizes and dimensions
ෙෙ Pressures, temperatures, flow rates
ෙෙ Equipment and pipe material types
ෙෙ Etc.
• Other data:
ෙෙ Raw-material chemical compositions
ෙෙ Any other data that may have significant
impact on the model
Once all these documents have been analyzed the
appropriate library objects are selected from the
relevant industry and libraries.
Objects are then linked together using connectors
or pipe objects, and user parameters are configured
for each library component.
This is an iterative process whereby components are
incrementally added and tested for accuracy and
response. Ideally flows, temperatures, pressures
and chemical compositions should be checked
regularly to ensure the model is on track. Regular
checks facilitate debugging, and flag up unexpected
behaviors.
Parameters could also be trended to monitor
behavior and responses over time.
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HOW LONG DOES A MODEL TAKE TO CONCLUSION
DEVELOP? The digital twin is an excellent way of developing a
If the documentation outlined above is readily tool that mimics real-world plant behaviors.
availability then robust working models could be Using the digital twin makes it possible:
available within a few weeks. • Test new plant strategies in software
The model can then be tweaked over time to • Rapidly understand the interaction between
increase functionality and improve model accuracy. major plant components
Project duration is significantly influenced by: • Test control strategies
• Interfaces with external software packages • Train operator and maintenance staff
• The intention of the model. For example, if an A twin can be created within a few weeks, assuming
operator training simulator is required then the appropriate documentation is in available.
much time would be spent understanding the
training approach and needs, and developing If you’re considering a digital twin then feel free to
various training scenarios contact us. Our experienced engineers would be
happy to discuss your requirements and give advice
• The size and complexity of the plant. A large on the best way forward.
plant of a few thousand inputs and outputs
would take several months to model
USING MODELS IN THE REAL WORLD
There are three main components to consider when
controlling a plant in the real world:
1. The physical plant itself
2. The PLC or DCS controllers that are controlling
the plant
3. The operator stations used to interact with the
plant
Moore’s approach to developing a working digital
model of the plant and control system is as follows:
Develop a digital twin for the plant.
1. Virtualize the PLC and DCS controllers, and then
interface them with the digital twin
2. The PLC and DCS code for the plant controllers
is used as -is, so that functionally the model and
physical plant have identical control strategies.
Most PLC and DCS vendors have software tools
available off the shelf that facilitate creation of
virtual or ‘soft’ controllers
3. The controllers now control the digital twin as
though it were the physical plant
4. Having the plant controllers hooked to the digital
twin allows us to test the controller algorithms
to ensure there are no anomalies, and that
sequences and operations are executed in
accordance with the control narrative
5. Use the operator-station graphics software as-
is, so that the simulator is a true representation
of the real operating environment

Moore | 4
 Key Clients: Contact us:
South Africa:
Head Office (Johannesburg)
info@moore.co.za
Tel: +27 (11) 466 1673

(Vanderbijlpark) - Tel: +27 (16) 932 4471

(Secunda) - Tel: +27 (17) 631 2744
(Westville) - Tel: +27 (31) 003 3100

USA (Houston)
info@moore-us.com
Tel: +1 832-299-6759

Europe (London)
info@moore-eme.com
Tel: +44 777 265 1605

Singapore
info@moore-sg.com
Tel: +65 6742 0776

Moore is an equal-opportunities employer.

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61511 certified.

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