Digital Redundance for Compact Subsea Electro-Hydrostatic Actuators Using Sensor Fusion

Abstract

Compact electro-hydrostatic actuators (EHAs) offer a promising solution for subsea production with their cost-effective and energy-efficient design, combining the benefits of electromechanical and electro-hydraulic systems. However, adapting these compact EHAs to fit within the limited space of traditional subsea systems poses a challenge, particularly in maintaining system reliability. This study introduces a Digital Twin (DT), composed of a physical EHA model and multiple Kalman Filters for parameter estimation, aimed at creating digital redundancies for critical sensors. The effectiveness of this approach was validated using co-simulation with Dymola software, where a simulation model emulated both the Plant (Real Twin), as a Modelica model, And a mathematical model as a software object (Digital Twin). The results demonstrate reliable digital redundancies for position and load measurements, with minor deviations that are within acceptable limits.