Digital twins in Power-to-X technologies for improving conversion processes of renewable energies
A digital twin bi-directionally links a physical plant to a real-time simulation, enabling safer, more efficient and sustainable operations. In Power-to-X (PtX) technologies, digital twins are designed to operate reactors autonomously, converting renewable energy such as wind into chemical fuels that can be stored for later use. This is particularly important in offshore scenarios, where optimal operation is more challenging due to fluctuating conditions and the need for real-time adjustments.
To advance digital twins for PtX processes, the CSC group (Dr. Ion Victor Gosea and Prof. Dr. Peter Benner) and the PSE group (Luisa Peterson and Prof. Dr. Kai Sundmacher) are collaborating as part of the SmartProSys Cluster of Excellence Initiative on advanced computational tools. Conventional models based on physical principles are often too slow for real-time optimization and control, so surrogate models are used instead. These models approximate detailed simulations at much lower computational cost, allowing effective reactor management even under fluctuating power conditions.
Luisa Peterson, Ion Victor Gosea, Peter Benner, Kai Sundmacher, Digital twins in process engineering: An overview on computational and numerical methods,Computers & Chemical Engineering,Volume 193, 2025, 108917, ISSN 0098-1354
