Digital twin of a marine diesel engine

Considering the high operating costs of a marine two-stroke engine, any kind of testing needs to be planed carefully. A cost-effective alternative for a brought field of testing activities is a digital twin based on a hardware in the loop (HIL) system. This set-up provides the possibility to perform tests on the original engine control system (ECS) with very low operation expenses and minimal risks. New ECS generations inlcude also smart signal monitoring. As a consequence, within the HIL system, a sensor or actor has to be replaced by a appropriate signal treatment by use of hardware and software. Combined with this signal conditioning, off-the-shelf hardware can be used for the simulation input and output. With the use of field programmable gate array (FPGA) and real-time technology, the ECS signals are interacting with a real-time software model of the engine and peripheral systems. This model needs top be validated in continuous iterations with measurement data from the field. Furthermore every new generation of ECS contains new and more complex software functionality and enhanced hardware. The modular set-up of the real-time software model and the hardware components on the HIL system allow to fulfill the needs of every new ECS with a fast reaction time. These adaptations are downward compatible for continuous support of the older generation ECS. This prevents also an early obsolescence of the HIL system. The HIL set-up allows the operator to run and test an ECS set-up with original software, configuration settings and hardware. Additionally it minimizes differences in utilization between virtual and real world. Designed as a mobile unit, it is a versatile testing installation which is as well an adequate tool for troubleshooting and education. It provides a higher level of safety, reduces the testing hours on the engine and avoids the risk of costly shut-downs and test interrupts.