A machine learning and CFD modeling hybrid approach for predicting real-time heat transfer during cokemaking processes

As the development of green energy and smart industries progresses, concerted efforts are being directed towards the transformation of coking industries. Effective management of heat transfer during the coking process is essential to fortify energy consumption management and augment the quality of coke produced. However, the process during cokemaking is a complex thermochemical conversion process where even minor deviations in operating conditions can lead to instability. Additionally, due to the environmental and chemical conditions inside the coke oven, temperature measurements during operation are difficult. As the fields of Industry 4.0 continue to evolve, numerous industries have begun to leverage intelligent strategies to enhance advanced process management. The digital twin (DG) technique stands as a pivotal technology in the realm of industrial transformation, paving the way for a smarter future. However, given the inherent difficulty in real-time data collection for process operations, the challenge of achieving synchronization becomes increasingly prevalent in the development of DG for the smart coking process. As a result, predicting changes in coal temperature during the cokemaking process is crucial. Currently, computer technology allows for the simulation of complex chemical processes. While some numerical models describe the cokemaking process, these models are limited by the time-consuming characteristic and computing resources. To address this issue, this study proposed a Machine Learning (ML) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) hybrid model for real-time prediction of heat transfer during the cokemaking process. A CFD model was built based on an industrial-scale coke oven, with cokemaking process data generated through CFD simulation serving as input for the ML models. This study used a total of nine ML models, including ensemble and deep learning models. The hyperparameters of each model were optimized by Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), and JAYA algorithms to identify the optimal model structure. Both simulation and empirical experimentation using a coke oven, coupled with industrial data verification, have substantiated the superiority of the proposed model. It simulates the heat transfer during the coking process with high accuracy and efficiency, thereby demonstrating its capacity to significantly reduce energy consumption within the coking industry.