Method for selecting replacement component for powertrain

Abstract

A method for selecting a replacement component for a powertrain, the powertrain including at least one motor configured to drive a fluid moving device in a fluid control system, the method including receiving data related to the powertrain, comprising at least nameplate data and power assembly operation data related to operation characteristics of a power assembly in the fluid control system; creating a digital twin model of the power assembly; identifying system requirements of the fluid control system; obtaining technical information related to the plurality of potential replacement components from the database; digitally evaluating the use of each of the potential replacement components within the powertrain by using a digital twin model in combination with technical information and system requirements; a replacement component is selected from the plurality of potential replacement components based on the digital evaluation.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The technology disclosed herein relates generally to power assemblies comprising electric motors in fluid control systems. In particular, it relates to means and methods for selecting replacement components for such power assemblies. BACKGROUND

[0002] Electric motors are commonly used in power assemblies of fluid control systems, such as pump and fan applications. An example of such an application is a cooling and ventilation system of a building, a factory or another type of facility. Such cooling and ventilation systems can be large and complex, and comprise a large number of electric motors driving several fluid moving devices, such as pumps, fans, blowers, compressors and the like. In view of the large number of active components in a large cooling and ventilation system, significant energy savings can be achieved by replacing components of a power assembly that are inefficient or not dimensioned for the application with more suitable components. SUMMARY

[0003] It is a main object of embodiments herein to provide, in at least some aspects, improved methods and means for selecting at least one replacement component for a power assembly in a fluid control system. A specific object is to provide means and methods that facilitate selection of replacement components for a power assembly in a large and complex fluid control system, such as in a cooling and ventilation system of a large facility. In particular, it is an object to provide such means and methods that can result in significant energy savings within a fluid control system.

[0004] According to a first aspect, at least the main object is achieved by a computer implemented method for selecting at least one replacement component for a power assembly, wherein the power assembly comprises a plurality of components, the plurality of components comprising at least one electric motor configured to drive a fluid moving device in a fluid control system, such as a fan, a blower, a compressor or a pump. The method comprises:

[0005] receiving data related to the power assembly, comprising at least nameplate data of the at least one electric motor and power assembly operation data related to operational characteristics of the power assembly within the fluid control system;

[0006] creating a digital twin model of the power assembly based at least on the received data related to the power assembly;

[0007] identifying system requirements of the fluid control system;

[0008] obtaining technical information related to a plurality of potential replacement components for the power assembly from a database;

[0009] digitally evaluating, by use of the digital twin model in combination with the obtained technical information and the identified system requirements, use of each of the potential replacement components within the power assembly;

[0010] selecting at least one replacement component from a plurality of potential replacement components based on the digital assessment.

[0011] The proposed method uses a digital twin of a power assembly used in a fluid control system to simulate and assess the use of several replacement components within the power assembly, and to select a suitable replacement component based thereon. In this way, a large number of potential replacement components can be quickly assessed without physical testing, also for complex systems comprising a large number of components. This enables replacement of oversized or inefficient electric motors in large and complex fluid control systems, resulting in significant energy savings at low cost. In particular, in cooling systems of large facilities, such as large buildings, warehouses, server rooms, chemical plants or factories, energy saving advantages can be achieved.

[0012] The proposed method is particularly useful for identifying and replacing or supplementing at least one electric motor of a power assembly, so that a more efficient power assembly can be achieved.

[0013] In this context, a replacement component can be understood as a component to be replaced or supplemented to an existing component of a power assembly. Thus, a replacement component can be an additional component retrofitted to a power assembly. The replacement component may, for example, comprise a variable speed drive (VSD) retrofitted to a power assembly, wherein an existing electric motor of the power assembly is reconfigured to be controlled by the VSD. The replacement component can also comprise a VSD-driven electric motor, i.e. an electric motor comprising a VSD for replacing an existing electric motor.

[0014] In addition to the nameplate data of the at least one electric motor, the nameplate data can preferably comprise nameplate data of the fluid moving device. This enables a more accurate digital twin model to be created.

[0015] Optionally, the power assembly operation data comprises one or more of: load data of the at least one electric motor, average load on the at least one electric motor, speed data of the at least one electric motor, average speed of the at least one electric motor, long-term peak output power of the at least one electric motor, short-term peak output power of the at least one electric motor, and / or operating time of the at least one electric motor. Typically, for directly started electric motors, the load data and operating time can be sufficient, while for electric motors driven by a variable speed drive, the speed data and operating time can be sufficient.

[0016] Optionally, the identification of the system requirements comprises analyzing the power assembly operation data. This can be a sufficiently accurate way to identify the system requirements.

[0017] Optionally, the method further comprises:

[0018] receiving sensor data related to one or more of a pressure, a flow rate, a density, and / or a viscosity of a fluid within a fluid control system,

[0019] wherein the identification of the system requirement is based on the sensor data.

[0020] The sensor data can enable a more accurate assessment of potential replacement components within the powertrain of the fluid control system.

[0021] Optionally, the method further comprises:

[0022] receiving information related to a flow control mechanism within the fluid flow system,

[0023] wherein the numerical assessment of the use of each of the potential replacement components is based at least on the received information related to the flow control mechanism.

[0024] The flow control mechanism has a direct influence on the flow rate within the fluid control system. Furthermore, the flow control mechanism contributes to an understanding of mass-based information, such as whether the flow rate within the fluid control system is expected to be constant or varying. By accessing this information, potential efficiency gains that can be achieved by changing the flow control mechanism can be assessed, such as gains obtained by changing the rotational speed of an electric motor instead of using throttling to regulate the flow.

[0025] Optionally, the numerical assessment of the use of each of the potential replacement components comprises, for each potential replacement component:

[0026] estimating at least one powertrain characteristic associated with the use of the potential replacement component within the powertrain,

[0027] assessing whether the estimated at least one powertrain characteristic meets at least one pre-set selection criterion,

[0028] wherein the selection of the at least one replacement component is based on the assessed at least one selection criterion.

[0029] In this way, a number of criteria related to, for example, energy efficiency and / or operational limitations and requirements can be defined and used in the assessment, allowing for the selection of a suitable replacement component.

[0030] Optionally, the numerical assessment of the use of each of the potential replacement components comprises, for each potential replacement component:

[0031] estimating an energy efficiency associated with the use of the potential replacement component within the powertrain,

[0032] wherein the selection of the at least one replacement component is based on the estimated energy efficiency.

[0033] Optionally, the numerical evaluation of the use of each of the potential replacement components comprises, for each potential replacement component:

[0034] estimating a reliability associated with the use of the potential replacement component within the powertrain,

[0035] wherein the selection of the at least one replacement component is based on the estimated reliability.

[0036] Both energy efficiency and reliability are important powertrain characteristics, which can be used to evaluate the use of potential replacement components within the powertrain.

[0037] Optionally, the method further comprises:

[0038] identifying a component of the powertrain to be replaced or supplemented by the at least one replacement component.

[0039] In some examples, a plurality of components to be replaced or supplemented can be identified, such as if the powertrain comprises more than one electric motor.

[0040] Optionally, the component to be replaced or supplemented is an electric motor configured to run at a fixed speed. This can be a direct on-line (DOL) motor. Significant energy savings can be achieved by supplementing such motors with a variable speed drive (VSD), i.e. by retrofitting a VSD and changing the control mechanism of an existing motor, or by replacing it with a VSD driven motor.

[0041] Optionally, the identification of the component to be replaced or supplemented comprises:

[0042] selecting a first electric motor of the powertrain;

[0043] comparing the average output power of the first electric motor with the nominal output power of the first electric motor to obtain a first comparison result;

[0044] identifying the first electric motor as the component to be replaced or supplemented if the first comparison result meets a preset first criterion.

[0045] This procedure can be repeated for all electric motors of the powertrain. This allows identifying the electric motor of the powertrain that is associated with the most power loss and selecting it as the component to be replaced or supplemented.

[0046] Optionally, the plurality of potential replacement components comprises at least one variable speed drive (VSD). Significant energy savings can typically be achieved by supplementing an existing DOL motor driving a fluid moving device with a VSD.

[0047] Optionally, the receiving of the powertrain operation data comprises obtaining the measurement data over a time period representative of the fluid control system. In this way, it can be ensured that relevant data is used in the evaluation.

[0048] According to a second aspect, there is provided an electronic control unit comprising processing circuitry configured to perform the method of the first aspect.

[0049] According to a third aspect, there is provided a computer program comprising computer code which, when run on processing circuitry of a control unit, causes the control unit to perform the method of the first aspect.

[0050] According to a fourth aspect, there is provided a computer program product comprising a computer program of the third aspect and a computer readable storage medium on which the computer program is stored.

[0051] Other objects, features and advantages of the accompanying claims will become apparent from the following detailed disclosure, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings.

[0052] Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined in this specification. All references to a / an / the item, apparatus, component, means, module, act, etc. are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one and only one instance of the item, apparatus, component, means, module, act, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The actions of any of the methods disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed unless explicitly stated. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0053] The inventive concept will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0054] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a powertrain according to an embodiment;

[0055] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method according to an embodiment;

[0056] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method according to an embodiment;

[0057] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method according to an embodiment,

[0058] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating functional units of a control unit according to an embodiment;

[0059] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating functional units of a control unit according to an embodiment; and

[0060] Figure 7 shows one example of a computer program product comprising a computer readable means according to an embodiment.

[0061] These accompanying figures are schematic and not drawn to scale. Detailed Implementation

[0062] The inventive concept will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, some embodiments of which are illustrated. However, the inventive concept can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the inventive concept to those skilled in the art. Similar numerals refer to similar elements throughout the description.

[0063] Figure 1 A fluid control system 110 is schematically illustrated, wherein a fluid mobile device 102 (such as a fan, blower, pump, compressor, or the like) is driven by an electric motor 101 of a powertrain 100. By way of example, the fluid control system 110 may be a ventilation and / or cooling system, a fluid handling system, or another type of system in which fluid is circulated from one location to another by means of one or more fluid mobile devices. Although in Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a single powertrain 100, but the fluid control system 110 may include several similar powertrains. Similarly, although a single electric motor 101 and a single fluid mobile device are illustrated within the powertrain 100, the powertrain may include two or more electric motors and / or two or more fluid mobile devices. For example, a single electric motor may be configured to drive several fluid mobile devices, or several electric motors may be provided to drive a single fluid mobile device.

[0064] The fluid mobile device 102 is configured to move fluid within the conduit 111 of the fluid control system 110, such as Figure 1 The arrow in the diagram is used to illustrate this. Pipe 111 can be formed. Figure 1 The illustrated closed loop is for circulating fluid, or it can be an open loop for transferring fluid from one location to another. Pipeline 111 may include a single loop, or it may include multiple loops. At least one sensor 113 may be provided within the fluid control system 110, such as one or more sensors configured to measure the pressure, flow rate, density, and / or viscosity of the fluid.

[0065] The electric motor 101 may be a direct-start (DOL) motor, i.e., an electric motor configured to operate at a fixed speed. In this case, the fluid flow within the fluid control system 110 is regulated by pressure and / or flow control within the fluid control system rather than by the electric motor. The fluid control system 110 may therefore include at least one valve 112 capable of controlling the pressure and / or flow within the fluid control system 100, such as by throttling. At least one valve 112 may, for example, include an adjustable throttle valve. Significant energy savings may be available by finding a suitable replacement component 103 to replace or supplement the electric motor 101, such as a variable speed drive (VSD) to supplement an existing electric motor or another electric motor driven by a VSD to replace an existing electric motor. When the powertrain includes several motors, one or more of these motors may be replaced and / or supplemented by suitable replacement components. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the pressure and / or flow within the fluid control system 100 by throttling as is done with a DOL motor; the throttle valve can remain fully open, and the motor speed is used to control the fluid flow within the fluid control system 110.

[0066] Figure 2 The illustration shows a method according to this disclosure, wherein a powertrain 100 (such as...) Figure 1 The illustrated powertrain 100 selects at least one replacement component 103. This method can be performed in an electronic control unit 1, which is communicatively connected to the powertrain 100 and can also receive data from various sensors (such as at least one sensor 113) within, for example, a fluid control system 110, and / or from one or more fluid control devices (such as from at least one valve 112) within the fluid control system 110. The electronic control unit 1 is also communicatively connected to a database 150, which includes technical information t1, t2, ..., tn related to n potential replacement components, including at least one replacement component 103.

[0067] The method includes the following actions:

[0068] Action 201: Receive data related to the powertrain 100, including at least nameplate data of at least one electric motor 101 and powertrain operating data related to the operating characteristics of the powertrain 100 within the fluid control system 110. The nameplate data of at least one electric motor 101 may include, for example, the rated power of the electric motor 101, i.e., the nominal output power of the electric motor 101. The nameplate data may also include the nominal speed, nominal current, voltage, shaft height, and / or efficiency class of at least one electric motor 101. Preferably, the powertrain-related data also includes the nameplate data of the fluid moving device 102. The nameplate data of the fluid moving device 102 depends on the type of fluid moving device. For example, for a pump, the nameplate data may include data related to nominal and / or minimum and / or maximum values ​​of head, flow rate, power, efficiency, voltage, etc. Powertrain operating data may include, for example, one or more of the following: load data for at least one motor 101, average load on at least one motor 101, speed data for at least one motor 101, average speed of at least one motor 101, long-term peak output power of at least one motor 101, short-term peak output power of at least one motor 101, and / or operating time of at least one motor 101, such as annual operating time. For DOL motors, powertrain operating data may include at least average load and / or load histogram and annual operating time. For VSD driven motors, powertrain operating data may include at least average speed and / or speed histogram and annual operating time.

[0069] Powertrain operating data may also include data related to the fluid mobile device 102, such as flow rate data, operating time, etc., when such data is available. Powertrain operating data may pertain to the operation of the powertrain during a defined period of interest, such as a period representing typical operation of the powertrain 100 within the fluid control system 110. For example, powertrain operating data may pertain to the operation of the powertrain 100 over the past year, past month, past week, or similar periods. Powertrain operating data may include measurement data collected over a period representing the fluid control system. For pump or fan applications, powertrain operating data may include at least a flow rate histogram and annual operating time of the fluid mobile device 102.

[0070] Action 202 (optional): Receive sensor data relating to one or more of the following: pressure, flow rate, density, and / or viscosity of the fluid within the fluid control system 110. This sensor data may be received directly or indirectly from at least one sensor 113 of the fluid control system 110. Alternatively or additionally, data relating to, for example, the type of fluid within the fluid control system 110 may be received from another source, allowing viscosity and / or density to be determined based thereon.

[0071] Action 203 (optional): Receive information relating to the flow control mechanism within the fluid control system 110. This information may, for example, include the operating characteristics of at least one valve 112 within the fluid control system 110. Information relating to the flow control mechanism may also be included in the nameplate data of the fluid moving device 102, such as data relating to a fan damper or compressor guide vanes. Information relating to the flow control mechanism may also include information about bypass control within the fluid control system 110 and similar information.

[0072] Action 204: Create a digital twin model of the powertrain 100 based at least on the received data related to the powertrain 100, namely, nameplate data and powertrain operating data. The digital twin model is a digital representation of the powertrain 100 used in the fluid control system 110. It can be used to simulate and evaluate the replacement of components within the powertrain 100.

[0073] Action 205: Identify the system requirements of the fluid control system 110. System requirements can be determined in various ways, depending on what data is available. For example, if no information related to the flow control mechanism is available, and no sensor data from the fluid control system 110 is available, system requirements can be determined solely by the received data related to the powertrain 100. However, a more accurate determination of system requirements can be achieved when information related to the flow control mechanism and / or sensor data from the fluid control system 110 is available. In some examples, system requirements can be identified solely based on powertrain operating data related to the operation of at least one electric motor 101. Therefore, identifying system requirements may include analyzing powertrain operating data, such as electric motor operating data. More detailed system requirements may be identified when information related to the fluid moving device 102 and / or the flow control mechanism and / or sensor data is available. For pump applications, system requirements may include values ​​related to pump head, pump capacity, pump power, etc.

[0074] Action 206 (optional): Identify the powertrain 100 component to be replaced or supplemented by at least one replacement component 103.

[0075] Action 207: Obtain technical information t1, t2, ..., tn related to multiple potential replacement parts for the powertrain from database 150. The technical information t1, t2, ..., tn may be information corresponding to nameplate data of the multiple potential replacement parts and / or additional technical information available in database 150. The multiple potential replacement parts may preferably include at least one variable speed drive (VSD). It may be a VSD combined with an electric motor, and / or it may be a VSD of an existing electric motor to supplement the powertrain 100.

[0076] Action 208: A digital assessment of the use of each potential replacement component within the powertrain 100 is performed by combining the obtained technical information and identified system requirements with a digital twin model. In this action, the obtained technical information related to the potential replacement component and the identified system requirements are used as inputs to the digital twin model. Therefore, the use of several different potential replacement components can be simulated to determine, for example, the energy efficiency and failure-to-progress (PF) curves associated with each potential replacement component. If action 203, which involves receiving information related to the flow control mechanism, has already been performed, the digital assessment can also be based at least on the received information related to the flow control mechanism.

[0077] Action 209: Select at least one replacement part from multiple potential replacement parts based on numerical evaluation.

[0078] The system requirements identified in Action 205 can be used to narrow down the number of potential replacement parts to be evaluated in Action 208. For example, only potential replacement parts expected to meet the system requirements can be selected for evaluation. When the part to be replaced is an electric motor, only potential replacement parts that meet certain predefined requirements relative to, for example, nominal output power, shaft height, starting current, starting torque, peak power, etc., can be selected for evaluation. In other cases, all potential replacement parts in the database can be evaluated, and the most suitable replacement part can be selected using selection criteria after evaluation.

[0079] like Figure 3 As illustrated, the action 208 of digitally evaluating the use of each potential replacement component for each potential replacement component may include:

[0080] Action 208a: Estimate at least one powertrain characteristic associated with the use of a potential replacement component within powertrain 100.

[0081] Action 208b: Assess whether at least one estimated powertrain characteristic meets at least one preset selection criterion.

[0082] The action 209 of selecting at least one replacement component can be based on at least one evaluation criterion. In other words, an evaluated potential replacement component can only be selected as replacement component 103 if at least one selection criterion is met. Multiple selection criteria can be defined. As discussed above, selection criteria related to nominal output power, shaft height, starting current, starting torque, etc., can be defined. Moreover, as further discussed below, selection criteria regarding simulated energy efficiency and reliability associated with potential replacement components can be defined.

[0083] Action 208, which digitally evaluates the use of each potential replacement component, may additionally or alternatively include estimating the energy efficiency associated with the use of the potential replacement component within the powertrain 100 for each component. In these cases, action 209, which selects at least one replacement component, may be based on the estimated energy efficiency. For example, the most energy-efficient replacement component identified in the evaluation may be selected. Thus, at least one selection criterion may include a criterion related to the estimated energy efficiency. Energy efficiency may be determined, for example, based on the power factor of the potential replacement component when used within the powertrain 100. For example, load data of at least one electric motor 101 included in the powertrain operation data received in action 201 may be used to determine the power factor of the potential replacement component using a digital twin model.

[0084] The action 208 of digitally evaluating the use of each potential replacement component may additionally or alternatively include, for each potential replacement component, simulating a PF curve associated with the use of the potential replacement component within the powertrain 100. The PF curve is used to determine the reliability and performance of the equipment over time and may be used to identify when preventative maintenance should be performed. In this method, the PF curve associated with using a specific replacement component to drive at least one existing fluid moving equipment 102 may be simulated within the digital evaluation. At least one selection criterion may include criteria related to the PF curve, such as the estimated amount of time between detecting a potential failure (P) and an actual functional failure (F), sometimes referred to as the PF interval. For example, at least one selection criterion may define a minimum PF interval.

[0085] If the component to be replaced has been defined before initiating the method of selecting a replacement component, the action 206 identifying the component of powertrain 100 to be replaced or supplemented by at least one replacement component 103 can be omitted. When the powertrain includes several electric motors, action 206 may include identifying multiple components to be replaced or supplemented, such as several electric motors, or it may include identifying the electric motor that would result in the maximum energy gain if replaced or supplemented. Figure 4 As illustrated, action 206, which identifies the component to be replaced or supplemented, may include the following actions:

[0086] Action 206a: Select the first electric motor 101 of the powertrain 100.

[0087] Action 206b: The average output power of the first motor 101 is compared with the nominal output power of the first motor 101 to obtain a first comparison result. The average operating power and the nominal output power are respectively included in the powertrain operating data and nameplate data received in action 201.

[0088] Action 206c: If the first comparison result meets a preset first criterion, the first motor 101 is identified as a component to be replaced or supplemented. The preset first criterion can be set based on the efficiency curve of the motor. The power conversion efficiency of a motor is typically relatively stable, down to 50% of the nominal output power, and decreases relatively rapidly when the load is below 50% of the nominal output power. Therefore, when the average output power of the first motor 101 is less than 50% of the nominal output power listed in the nameplate data, it can preferably be considered that the preset first criterion is met, thereby indicating that the motor 101 is operating in a non-optimal power range, resulting in reduced efficiency.

[0089] 206a to 206c can be repeatedly operated on all electric motors in the powertrain. One or more electric motors can be replaced or added.

[0090] Example

[0091] The selection of replacement parts for the powertrain 110 according to the first example will now be described. According to this example, the motor 101 to be replaced is first selected based on nameplate data and operating data of the motor 101 in the fluid control system 110. The operating data includes output power measurements for a selected time period. The time-averaged output power is determined using data related to the output power and compared to the nominal output power of the motor 101 determined by the nameplate data. Depending on the difference, a replacement motor with a smaller nominal output power and / or a smaller shaft height may be considered. For example, if the time-averaged output power is less than 50% of the nominal output power, the motor 101 may be considered for replacement with a replacement motor with a smaller nominal output power and / or a smaller shaft height. User input may be used to determine whether a reduction in shaft height is permissible. If a reduction in shaft height is permissible, a suitable replacement part can be selected from a subset of potential replacement parts that have the desired smaller shaft height and also meet selection criteria related to, for example, nominal output power. If a reduction in shaft height is not permissible, a suitable replacement part can be selected from another subset of potential replacement parts that have the same shaft height as the current motor 101 and meet selection criteria related to, for example, nominal output power.

[0092] If the time-average output power is 50% or greater than the nominal output power, the motor 101 can be replaced with a motor having the same or greater nominal output power and the same shaft height as the current motor 101.

[0093] Selection criteria may define that the nominal output power of the replacement motor should be greater than the average measured or estimated input power of the fluid mobile device 102, and greater than the long-term maximum output power of the existing motor 101, as determined by powertrain operating data. For example, selection criteria may define that the nominal power of the replacement motor should be at least 1.2 times the average measured or estimated input power of the fluid mobile device 102.

[0094] Figure 5 The components of the electronic control unit 1 according to the embodiment are schematically illustrated according to the number of functional units. The processing circuit system 510 is provided using one or more of a suitable central processing unit (CPU), multiprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor (DSP), etc., and is capable of executing computer programs stored in product 720 (such as...). Figure 7 The software instructions shown (e.g., in the form of storage medium 530) are also included. The processing circuitry system 510 may also be provided as at least one application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or field-programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0095] Specifically, the processing circuitry 510 is configured to cause the control unit 1 to perform a set of operations or actions, as described above. For example, the storage medium 530 may store the set of operations, and the processing circuitry 510 may be configured to retrieve the set of operations from the storage medium 530 to cause the control unit 1 to execute the set of operations. The set of operations may be provided as an executable instruction set. The processing circuitry 510 is thus arranged to perform the methods disclosed herein.

[0096] Storage medium 530 may also include a persistent storage device, such as any one or a combination of magnetic storage, optical storage, solid-state storage, or even remotely mounted storage.

[0097] The control unit 1 may also include a communication interface 520 for communicating with other entities, functions, nodes, and devices through a suitable interface. Therefore, the communication interface 520 may include one or more transmitters and receivers, including analog and digital components.

[0098] The processing circuitry system 510 controls the general operation of the control unit 1, for example, by sending data and control signals to the communication interface 520 and the storage medium 530, by receiving data and reports from the communication interface 520, and by retrieving data and instructions from the storage medium 530. Other components of the control unit 1 and their related functionalities are omitted to avoid obscuring the concepts presented herein.

[0099] Figure 6 The components of the control unit 1 according to an embodiment are schematically illustrated according to multiple functional modules. Figure 6 Control unit 1 includes multiple functional modules:

[0100] The receiving module 610 is configured to receive powertrain-related data, including at least nameplate data of at least one electric motor 101, and preferably nameplate data of the fluid moving device 102 and powertrain operation data related to the operating characteristics of the powertrain 100 within the fluid control system 110.

[0101] The creation module 620 is configured to create a digital twin model of the powertrain 100 based at least on received data related to the powertrain 100;

[0102] The identification module 630 is configured to identify the system requirements of the fluid control system 110;

[0103] Module 640 is configured to obtain technical information t1, t2, ..., tn related to multiple potential replacement parts for the powertrain from database 150;

[0104] Evaluation module 650 is configured to digitally evaluate the use of each potential replacement component within powertrain 100 by combining it with the obtained technical information and identified system requirements using a digital twin model; and

[0105] Selection module 660 is configured to select at least one replacement part 103 from a plurality of potential replacement parts based on digital evaluation.

[0106] Control unit 1 may also include multiple optional modules (not shown) configured to perform the above-mentioned reference. Figures 2 to 4 The described actions. Generally, each functional module 610 to 660 can be implemented in hardware or software. Preferably, one or more or all functional modules 610 to 660 can be implemented by a processing circuit system 510, possibly cooperating with a communication interface 520 and a storage medium 530. The processing circuit system 510 can therefore be arranged to retrieve instructions provided by the functional modules 610 to 630 from the storage medium 530 and execute these instructions to perform any action of the control unit 1 disclosed herein.

[0107] Figure 7 An example of a computer program product 720 including a computer-readable device 740 is shown. A computer program 730 may be stored on this computer-readable device 740, which can cause the processing circuitry system 510 and its operatively coupled entities and devices (such as a communication interface 520 and a storage medium 530) to perform the methods according to the embodiments described herein. The computer program 730 and / or the computer program product 720 can therefore provide means for performing any action of the control unit 1 disclosed herein.

[0108] exist Figure 7 In the example, computer program product 720 is illustrated as an optical disc, such as a CD (Compact Disc), DVD (Digital Universal Disc), or Blu-ray disc. Computer program product 720 can also be implemented as a memory, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and more particularly, can be implemented as a non-volatile storage medium for devices in external memory, such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or flash memory, such as compact flash memory. Therefore, although computer program 730 is schematically shown herein as a track on the depicted optical disc, computer program 730 can be stored in any manner suitable for computer program product 720.

[0109] The inventive concept has been described above primarily with reference to several embodiments. However, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, other embodiments besides those disclosed above are also possible within the scope of the inventive concept as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for selecting at least one replacement component (103) for a powertrain (100), wherein the powertrain includes a plurality of components, the plurality of components including at least one electric motor (101), the at least one electric motor (101) being configured to drive a fluid moving device (102) in a fluid control system (110), the method comprising: Receive (201) data related to the powertrain, the data related to the powertrain including at least nameplate data of the at least one electric motor and powertrain operation data related to the operating characteristics of the powertrain within the fluid control system; (204) Create a digital twin model of the powertrain based at least on the received data related to the powertrain; The system requirements of the fluid control system described in (205) are as follows; Technical information (t1, t2, ..., tn) related to multiple potential replacement parts for the powertrain is obtained from the database (150) (207); The use of the digital twin model is digitally evaluated (208) by combining it with the obtained technical information and the identified system requirements; Based on the numerical evaluation, at least one replacement component is selected (209) from the plurality of potential replacement components.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powertrain operating data includes one or more of the following: load data of the at least one electric motor, average load on the at least one electric motor, speed data of the at least one electric motor, average speed of the at least one electric motor, long-term peak output power of the at least one electric motor, short-term peak output power of the at least one electric motor, and / or operating time of the at least one electric motor.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the identifier (205) includes analyzing the powertrain operating data.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims further includes: Receive (202) sensor data relating to one or more of the pressure, flow rate, density, and / or viscosity of the fluid within the fluid control system. The identifier (205) therein is based on the sensor data.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims further comprises: Receive (203) information related to the flow control mechanism within the fluid flow system. The digital evaluation (208) is based at least on the information received in relation to the flow control agency.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein for each potential replacement component, the digital evaluation (208) comprises: Estimate (208a) at least one powertrain characteristic associated with the use of the potential replacement component within the powertrain. The assessment (208b) determines whether the at least one powertrain characteristic estimated in the assessment meets at least one preset selection criterion. The selection (209) therein is based on the at least one selection criterion that has been evaluated.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein for each potential replacement component, the digital evaluation (208) comprises: Estimate the energy efficiency associated with using the potential replacement components within the powertrain. The selection (209) mentioned therein is based on the estimated energy efficiency.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims further comprises: The component of the powertrain identified (206) is to be replaced or supplemented by the at least one replacement component.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the component to be replaced or supplemented is an electric motor configured to operate at a fixed speed.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the identification (206) of the component to be replaced or supplemented comprises: Select the first electric motor of the powertrain described in (206a); The average output power of the first motor is compared with the nominal output power of the first motor (206b) to obtain a first comparison result; If the first comparison result meets the preset first standard, then the first motor is identified (206c) as the component to be replaced or supplemented.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of potential replacement components includes at least one variable speed drive.

12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein receiving the powertrain operating data includes obtaining measurement data over a time period representing the fluid control system.

13. A control unit (1) including a processing circuit system (510) configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A computer program (730) comprising computer code, which, when run on a processing circuitry (510) of a control unit (1), causes the control unit (1) to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

15. A computer program product (720) comprising the computer program according to claim 14 and a computer-readable storage medium (740) storing the computer program (730) thereon.

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