Methodology and application of digital twin-driven diesel engine fault diagnosis and virtual fault model acquisition

Digital real-time fault diagnosis is an effective way to ensure the reliable long-term operation of the diesel engine, but there is still a lack of systematic methods with high integrity and practicability. Therefore, a digital twin-driven diesel engine fault diagnosis method based on the combination of the classification algorithm and the optimization algorithm is proposed and a case study of fuel injection system fault diagnosis is used to illustrate and verify the proposed method. This method closely links the physical system, virtual model, database, and diagnosis system through data transmission and the diagnostic process consists of three parts: classification, diagnosis, and decision. The fault classification part can preliminarily lock the possible types and degrees of faults, and point out the key classification features for each fault type by using classification algorithms such as Random Forest. The fault diagnosis part can diagnose and reproduce the diesel engine faults by using an optimization-simulation joint calculation model, where the virtual model variables and optimization algorithm are determined according to the possible fault types, and the optimization target depends on the importance of classification features. Then the maintenance decision can be made according to the fault detailed information. The proposed method reduces the requirement of covering the fault degree of the database, and the obtained fault model provides the possibility for subsequent online optimization and also facilitates the development of intelligent engine management.