A Digital Twin Based System for Diagnosing and Controlling the Power-generating Boiler Unit State

The purpose of the work is to elaborate a methodological approach, mathematical and algorithmic support, and software for developing a digital twin of a power-generating steam boiler and working out on this basis a system for online monitoring, diagnostics and control of the power facility state. The digital twin technology involves interdisciplinary modeling and integration of the results obtained from numerical modeling of structural elements and physical processes in a system based on data exchange between system components. The approach is based on the development of an all-variable dynamic mathematical model of the boiler unit, including the steam-water path heating surfaces, auxiliary equipment of the boiler fuel preparation system, and the gas-air path. The specific feature of the boiler unit mathematical model is the use of the linearization method, when the working processes are considered in quasi-stationary manner in small deviations from the original stationary mode, and their inertia is described by first-order inertial dynamic sections. The technical and economic efficiency of the presented approach is demonstrated on the example of operational assessment and diagnostics of the slagging and contamination processes on the TPE-216 power-generating steam boiler heating surfaces depending on various boiler operating parameters, as well as when burning off-design coals. The proposed approach is a versatile tool for producing, on its basis, digital twins and prototypes of various main and auxiliary thermal power equipment of thermal power plants for solving problems relating to equipment operation, design, repair, and adjustment.