Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
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Industry 4.0 - how to build a digital twin Chris Steele, head of information management and analytics at Black & Veatch Europe, runs through the steps required to create a water utility digital twin. The Knowledge Innovation Zone A digital twin is an integrated digital representation of physical assets which provides historical, current and predictive analysis in near real-time. What separates the digital twin from a traditional model is that the twin is in constant dialogue with its physical coun- terpart through combining information technology (IT) and operations technol- ogy (OT) enabling its users to simulate and scenario options before actioning them in the real world. The most widely known use of a digital twin is probably the system developed by GE to support users of its GE90 jet engine, or McLaren for their ability to place drivers at the heart of their virtual car to test multiple racing scenarios. For a water utility a digital twin offers the prospect of helping enhance cus- tomer experience, without increasing bills to fund improvements, by optimis- ing performance of existing assets and increasing the efficiency with which they are operated and maintained. A digital twin supports this by facilitating systems thinking - combining multiple internal and external data sources across the asset base with predictive analytical techniques served through multiple functional views. This enables improved insights that sup- port better decisions, leading to better outcomes in the physical world. For example: l A digital twin can support water quality and supply teams by integrating weath- er and raw water quality data with asset availability from SCADA across the network - creating a predictive view of operating scenarios and performance deterioration; and root cause identifica- tion allowing users to intervene before a reactive event occurs. l A digital twin will take near real-time condition performance data from criti- cal sludge treatment assets to predic- tively determine maintenance activities; giving biosolids teams the ability to plan for alternative disposal or planned operating regimes to ensure maximum generation capability. Outside of the operational phases of the asset lifecycle a digital twin will be able to dynamically inform risk-based investment decisions that support carbon sustainability, improved catchments and resilience planning for the availability and carriage of water. A digital twin for the water industry, and infrastructure sector more broadly, is a fledgling concept. The scope will change over time as business outcomes, technologies and processes evolve making the correct architecture of the twin key to facilitating new requirements and integra- tions. The digital twin Black & Veatch is creating with Anglian Water, however, offers the clearest roadmap to-date for the creation of this powerful resource. Anglian Water's digital twin will be made up of the following components, developed in alignment with the Gemini Principles ensuring purpose, trust and function - which form the framework for the future development of a digital twin of the UK's critical national infrastructure. l Sensors — Sensors and/or instruments distributed throughout the asset base will provide the data that will enable the twin to capture real-time perfor- mance of the physical assets, systems and processes and the context they operate within the real world. 26 | DECEMBER 2019 | WWT | www.wwtonline.co.uk A digital twin offers the prospect of optimising asset performance and increasing the efficiency with which they are maintained.