Digital Twin Virtual Sensors for Real-Time Asset Damage Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital twin technologies are limited by the number, type, and location of physical sensor installations, leading to high costs and inadequate real-time analysis, which hinders effective monitoring and diagnosis of physical assets, especially in complex or hard-to-reach locations, and generic algorithms become inadequate under changing conditions.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses a reduced number of physical sensors and employs virtual sensors to simulate real-world forces on a digital twin, enabling real-time data processing and damage assessment through advanced rainflow counting algorithms, allowing for virtual sensors to be placed anywhere without additional costs, including inaccessible locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If physical sensors are installed to monitor physical assets, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but hardware costs and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital twin (virtual copy) of the physical asset that replicates its behavior and response to forces. Virtual sensors are placed on the digital twin to obtain measurements without installing physical sensors on the actual asset, thereby achieving measurement precision while avoiding hardware costs and maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate system consisting of a reduced set of physical sensors that measure real-world forces, which are then applied to the digital twin. This intermediary approach allows indirect measurement of asset conditions through force application and virtual sensing, reducing the need for extensive physical sensor installation
2Measurement precision
If more physical sensors are installed to cover all locations, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The digital twin serves as a virtual replica where sensors can be placed anywhere without physical constraints. This allows comprehensive monitoring coverage of all asset locations including hard-to-reach areas, while avoiding the installation complexity that would arise from placing physical sensors everywhere
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from physical space to virtual/digital space for sensor deployment. By moving the sensing function to the digital domain through the digital twin, the system achieves comprehensive spatial coverage without the physical installation constraints and complexities
3Ease of manufacture
If generic mathematical algorithms are used for digital conversion, then ease of manufacture is improved, but adaptability deteriorates when conditions change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic simulation model that can adapt to changing conditions. The digital twin responds dynamically to applied forces and can be reconfigured as asset conditions change, unlike static generic algorithms. This allows the system to maintain ease of implementation while gaining adaptability through its dynamic nature
Solution Approach 2:
The simulation model allows parameter changes to reflect different asset conditions, deterioration states, and operational scenarios. By modifying input parameters and force conditions in the digital twin, the system adapts to changing real-world conditions without requiring complete algorithm replacement
4Productivity
If sensor data is collected in real-time, then productivity of monitoring is improved, but loss of time for data processing increases due to vast data volume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information needed for monitoring by applying measured forces to the digital twin and observing its response. Rather than processing all raw sensor data, the system extracts relevant diagnostic information through the virtual model, reducing processing time while maintaining real-time capability
Solution Approach 2:
By copying the asset's behavior in a virtual environment, the system processes information more efficiently. The digital twin synthesizes the effect of multiple sensors and provides integrated diagnostic information, reducing the time needed to analyze vast amounts of raw sensor data
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are devices and methods for monitoring a physical asset in real-time based on simulated data being transformed and applied to a virtual asset corresponding to the physical asset. In one example, the method includes receiving a data stream acquired from a structure of an asset being monitored, determining an accumulated damage amount to the asset based on the received information, the determining including performing an incremental rainflow counting algorithm on the received data stream from the asset being monitored, stress transfer function evaluations, and damage calculations with S-N curves, and outputting information concerning the accumulated damage amount of the asset for display on a display device.