Proposal
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A Software Platform to Accelerate the Implementation of Process Digital Twins
Bert Downs
Supervised by Tim Walmsley, Jason Kurz, Mark Apperley
March 2025
Abstract
Digital Twins are a transformative technology in industrial chemical processes, offering significant potential to enhance efficiency, reliability, and sustainability. This research proposes a software engineering approach to the design and application of Digital Twins, focusing on reducing development costs and increasing their value to industry. Leveraging the Ahuora Digital Twin Platform, the project aims to standardize workflows, integrate advanced modeling techniques, and explore applications that enable dynamic simulation, machine learning, and real-time control. Key challenges in interoperability, scalability, and adaptability will be addressed, contributing to the broader adoption of Digital Twins in New Zealand's process industries. Through case studies and theoretical analysis, this work seeks to establish a generalizable framework for Process Digital Twin development, bridging the gap between academic research and industrial practice.
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Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my supervisors, Tim Walmsley, Jason Kurz, Brent Young, and Mark Apperley, for their guidance and support throughout this project. I would also like to thank the Ahuora project team for their assistance and feedback. Finally, I would like to thank my family and friends for their encouragement and support.
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List of Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|---|
| IDAES-PSE | Institute for the Design of Advanced Energy Systems - Process Simulation Environment |
| SCADA | Supervisory Data Acquisition and Control |
| PYOMO | PYthon Optimisation MOdelling language |
| PDE | Partial Differential Equation |
| RBF | Radial Basis Function |
| RBON | Radial Basis Operator Network |
| PYSMO | Python-based Surrogate Modelling Objects |
| OMLT | Optimization and Machine Learning Toolkit |
| AML | Algebraic Modelling Language |
| DEXPI | Data Exchange in the Process Industry |
| FMU | Functional Mock-up Unit |
| OPC UA | Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture |
| MQTT | Message Queuing Telemetry Transport |
| RDF | Resource Description Framework |
| OWL | Web Ontology Language |
| SHACL | Shapes Constraint Language |
| JSON-LD | JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data |
| NGSI-LD | Next Generation Service Interface for Linked Data |
| PID | Proportional-Integral-Derivative (Control) |
| MPC | Model Predictive Control |
| AR | Augmented Reality |
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Children