Next generation Digital Twins to support Optimisation, Construction and Operation of surface and subsurface radioactive waste management facilities (DITOCO2030)
Objectives
Lay-out the path on how to close the R&D gap between the currently fragmented digital twins (DT) of individual disciplines, common data environments and decision-making platforms to better understand the opportunities and limitations of DT in their deployment in whole life cycle of waste management.
Description of the WP
The nuclear sector is now at the doorstep of adopting new technologies for its safety-critical and societally important endeavours. A DT of an intermediate storage facility, or a subsurface facility for radioactive waste disposal is a virtual replica of the physical facility that is created using carefully selected and appropriate results needed for decision-making. At present, differently structured data, heterogeneous transfer methods, and proprietary software applications prevent the digital continuity of this information from the appointed to the appointing party. One of the biggest challenges is to harmonize the various objectives and issues of DT (long-term safety, operational phase, design and optimization, communication…) and federate in an interoperable way all the dedicated disciplines and knowledge in a DT.
Cross-industrial cooperation for next-generation DT in the nuclear sector can yield significant benefits in terms of innovation, safety, and efficiency. The vision of this WP is to establish a shared understanding of the specific requirements from various disciplines within a Digital Twin (DT) framework. The WP will identify the major challenges to tackle and set key performance indicators to identify the expertise and capacity that is needed to address the RD&D challenges. The added value lies in the evidence-based i) identification and management of risks, ii) performance assessment of safety margins, iii) optimization of design configurations, iv) calculation of costs to completion, v) engagement improvement with stakeholders.
As of today, there is no universally applicable Digital Twin (DT) in existence. However, there is an expectation that significant steps can be taken toward realizing this vision within the framework of EURAD-2 DITOCO work. This progress will involve the progress towards a more aligned markup language and an open standard for nuclear waste management. Achieving this goal necessitates a collaborative international effort, and cross-industrial cooperation, EURAD-2 is ideally positioned to facilitate the development required for this purpose.
Outcomes
Given the strategic nature of this study, the anticipated outcomes are high-level and equally beneficial for all three identified drivers:
Establishment of a Glossary: A glossary will be created, defining DT for use in nuclear waste management and cross-referencing with other industrial sectors. (KM)
Clear Definition of Objectives: A precise definition of the goals that digital twins are meant to achieve. (Scientific Insight)
Use Cases: Demonstrations of how DT support the evaluation, implementation, maintenance, and optimization of facility designs. This is accomplished by leveraging structured and unified information and evaluating results from various disciplines through a shared coordination platform. Close cooperation with other WPs (WP3, 13, 16, 18) will provide up-to-date information about recent developments related to the safety of the radioactive waste management systems. (Implementation Safety, Scientific Insight)
Key Requirement Identification: Identification of essential requirements for digital twins, translated into measurable qualitative and quantitative performance targets. (Scientific Insight)
Consensus Documentation/Position(white) Papers: The consensus reached among stakeholders will be documented in position papers outlining the specific needs of individual disciplines within the DT framework. This will serve to facilitate effective decision-making during the planning, construction, and operation of radioactive waste management facilities, as well as in communication. (all)
Guidance on Standards and Methods: Recommendations will be provided regarding international standards, methodologies, and markup languages to guide the implementation of DT in this context. (all)
