A digital model creates added value Optimizing processes and exploiting potential

System models are digital representations of real devices, facilities, and processes. This allows for better understanding and analysis of systems, resulting in more targeted and efficient development.

info graphic differentiating digital model, digital shadow and digital twin

If you want to know what would be possible without having to carry out a lot of time-consuming measurements, you need a digital system model. This makes it possible to simulate physical processes on a computer, enabling targeted and efficient optimization not only of the design, but also of operation and process control in particular. For example, a heat pump can be designed more efficiently or it is possible to calculate how a local energy community can be optimally networked and regulated.

The further development of the digital model is the Digital Twin. Here, an automated real-time data exchange is established between the real object and the model. This opens up numerous potentials in the application of the model throughout the entire product lifecycle.

Laptop Screen zeigt Systemmodell

System Modeling

System models describe real facilities and processes as digital replicas. This allows for the quick and easy simulation of physical dynamics, enabling a better understanding and optimization of system behavior.

Female researcher checking digital twin in laboratory

Digital Twins

A digital twin monitors, analyzes, and optimizes a process during operation, throughout the entire product lifecycle. This enables numerous new application possibilities of digital models in products and systems.

The quality of a system model depends on how faithfully reality is represented. It's not about achieving the highest accuracy (as higher accuracy often means slower, more error-prone, and harder to interpret), but rather about capturing the physically and technically relevant aspects for the specific use case. This step requires a lot of experience.

The Competence Center for Fluid Mechanics and Numerical Methods has over 20 years of experience in modeling physical systems and processes. The journey of System Modeling began with Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems. Today, the research group in System Modeling, Digital Twins creates digital models and twins for various applications, from flow and energy systems to mechanical systems and medical technology applications. In this process, the modeling language Modelica™ is utilized to develop and apply dynamic system models.

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