Petroleum Engineering Department Flow Loop Experiment

PETROLEUM ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT FLOW LOOP EXPERIMENT

EXPERIMENT #T-2 COMPUTER DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM

OBJECTIVE

To get familiar with a computer data acquisition system

INTRODUCTION TO DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM

Data acquisition is the process of sampling signals that measure real world physical conditions and converting the resulting samples into digital numeric values that can be manipulated by a computer. Data acquisition systems (abbreviated with the acronym DAS or DAQ ) typically convert analog waveforms into digital values for processing. The components of data acquisition systems include:

Sensors that convert physical parameters to electrical signals.

Signal conditioning circuitry to convert sensor signals into a form that can be converted to digital values.

Analog-to-digital converter (ADC): An electronic device that converts analog signals to an equivalent digital form. The analog-to-digital converter is the heart of most data acquisition systems.

Digital-to-Analog Converter (D/A): An electronic component found in many data acquistion devices that produce an analog output signal.

Data acquisition applications are controlled by software programs developed using various general purpose programming languages such as BASIC, C, Fortran, Java, Lisp, Pascal.

Specialized software tools used for building large-scale data acquisition systems include EPICS. Graphical programming environments include ladder logic, Visual C++, Visual Basic, MATLAB and LabVIEW.

LABVIEW

What is NI LabVIEW? LabVIEW is a highly productive graphical development environment with the performance and flexibility of a programming language, as well as high-level functionality and configuration utilities designed specifically for measurement and automation applications.

In general-purpose programming languages, the code is as much of a concern as the application. You must pay close attention to the syntax (commas, periods, semicolons, square brackets, curly brackets, round brackets, etc.). In contrast, with LabVIEW you use icons to represent functions, and you wire them together to determine the flow of data through your program, similar to creating flowcharts. It has all the breadth and depth of a general-purpose programming language, but it is easy to use, increasing your productivity by decreasing the time required to develop your applications.

You can easily divide measurement and automation application into three main parts: acquisition, analysis, and presentation of data. LabVIEW provides a seamless way to acquire your data, perform necessary analysis on that data, and present the information in a chosen format. Throughout the seminar, we touch upon each of these three components of a measurement and automation application.

Each program in LabVIEW is called a virtual instrument, or VI. The VI serves as the primary building block of a LabVIEW application, and you can use it to modularize your code for efficient design, clear and concise documentation, and simplified maintenance. Each LabVIEW VI is made up of three main components: the Front Panel, Block Diagram, and the Palettes.

In the coming slides, we continue our discussion of the actual development environment of LabVIEW.

LabVIEW programs are called virtual instruments (VIs).

Each VI contains three main parts:

• Front panel – How the user interacts with the VI

• Block diagram – The code that controls the program

• Icon/connector – The means of connecting a VI to other Vis and the graphical representation of the VI

In LabVIEW, you build a user interface by using a set of tools and objects. The user interface is known as the front panel. You then add code using graphical representations of functions to control the front panel objects. The block diagram contains this code. In some ways, the block diagram resembles a flowchart.

You interact with the front panel when the program is running. You can control the program, change inputs, and see data updated in real time. Controls are used for inputs such as adjusting a slide control to set an alarm value, turning a switch on or off, or stopping a program. Indicators are used as outputs. Thermometers, lights, and other indicators display output values from the program. These may include data, program states, and other information.

Every front panel control or indicator has a corresponding terminal on the block diagram. When you run a VI, values from controls flow through the block diagram, where they are used in the functions on the diagram, and the results are passed into other functions or indicators through wires.

COMPACT FIELD POINT

Intelligent controller: run the application and handle the network communication single-ended analog current input channels