OIL FREE COMPRESSOR TEST CELL
Overview
Used as a research and development tool for oil free compressor technology, this system allows full control and monitoring of the unit under test through an intuitive software interface. By utilizing National Instruments FieldPoint hardware and the LabVIEW software development environment, Simplicity AI were able to deliver a system tailored to their clients specific requirements within a short time scale.
Hardware
The compressor under test is driven by a high frequency invertor which is controlled via an RS-485 modbus link to the control PC. Temperature, pressure and flow transducers monitor the compressor, its water cooling systems and air flow. The National Instruments FieldPoint system handles all 4-20mA and 0-10V signal inputs, as well as providing volt free and 0-10V control outputs for valves.Software
Control & Monitoring Software (Click to enlarge)
A software application written using National Instruments LabVIEW provides engineers with a high level of control and detailed data monitoring from a single control PC, outside of the test cell. Historical data logging is provided to track operator actions and compressor conditions for offline performance analysis. An operator configurable alarm system provides alerts on parmeters which are out of range and can shutdown the invertor if damage to the unit under test is imminent. Simplicity AI worked closely with the compressor test engineers to ensure that the software operation and user interface layouts exactly matched their requirements.
Benefits
An integrated GUI provides a simplified single point of control for the complete test cell area. If parameters fall outside of limits the operator is informed or auto shutdown initiated, thereby preventing damage to the UUT.What Next?
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