Digital twins in process engineering: An overview on computational and numerical methods

Abstract

A digital twin (DT) is an automation strategy that combines a physical plant with an adaptive real-time simulation environment, where both are connected by bidirectional communication. In process engineering, DTs promise real-time monitoring, prediction of future conditions, predictive maintenance, process optimization, and control. However, the full implementation of DTs often fails in reality. To address this issue, we first examine various definitions of DTs and its core components, followed by a review of its current applications in process engineering. We then turn to the computational and numerical challenges for building the simulation environments necessary for successful DTs implementation • Explore the potential and realization of digital twins in process engineering. • Discuss computational tools for digital twins. • Link computational tools to engineering tasks.