Developing an IoT-Enabled Digital Twin for Enhanced Industrial Refrigeration System Management

Industrial refrigeration systems play a pivotal role in ensuring the quality and safety of products across various sectors. These systems are fundamental in maintaining precise temperature conditions, thereby enabling large-scale industrial applications that require low-temperature environments. The introduction of Digital Twin (DT) technology, a virtual representation of a physical system created using real-world data, has revolutionized the management of these complex systems. By integrating the Internet of Things (IoT) with DT, the capability to simulate, monitor, and control real-world entities through a virtual model is significantly enhanced. This integration facilitates real-time data synchronization, remote monitoring and control, predictive analysis, and improved decision-making. Despite the extensive research on implementing DT across the product life cycle, there is a noticeable gap in studies focusing on DT modeling of existing complex systems. This paper aims to address this gap by outlining key considerations for creating a Digital Twin Model (DTM) for existing industrial refrigeration systems. By leveraging DT for system changes, process optimization, and material efficiency, engineers can anticipate potential issues in the virtual realm before they manifest physically, thereby reducing costs, enhancing safety, and improving system efficiency. This paper explores the potential of DT in optimizing the operational efficiency, safety, and sustainability of industrial refrigeration systems.