Cyber-physical framework to enhance water-efficiency in the process industry

Substantial water consumption for industrial purposes and resource scarcity issues pave the way for water-efficient practices in the industrial sector. The aim of this study is to design and develop a modular, scalable and novel Water-specific Cyber-Physical System (WaterCPS) framework that enables real-time monitoring, cognitive assessment, automated optimisation of water use and reuse practices. The framework is validated and demonstrated across the production chain of the BASF Antwerp chemical industrial site. To the authors’ knowledge, few published documents report the CPSs demonstration in real production environments, such as manufacturing, energy and water sector. Therefore, WaterCPS framework integrates a Real-Time Monitoring (RTM) platform for cyber-secure data acquisition and communicates with the developed Digital Twins of intelligence services for dynamic process modelling and simulation, AI-based descriptive and predictive analysis, near-real-time life cycle assessment and optimisation through APIs. It is validated by demonstrating a real-time actuation loop at the BASF Antwerp chemical industrial site for water treatment and management. The treatment train Ultrafiltration−Closed Circuit Reverse Osmosis (UF−CCRO) is monitored through the RTM platform. The WaterCPS services enable the network’s simulation and data analysis, leading to automatic calculation of key parameters, e.g. UF critical flux, UF permeability and CCRO tank level. Based on degradation indicators, the WaterCPS autonomously initiates corrective actions, e.g. intensive backwash cycles and flow rate adjustments, ensuring stable and optimised performance. WaterCPS offers an integrated digital framework that bridges the physical and cyber environments, providing a novel solution to enhance water efficiency in real-time and accelerate the industrial digital transformation.