Projects
Case Study - Hydro International
An Automated Profibus Hydrobrake Test Rig
Challenge
The world's largest "vortex flow control" tester and manufacturer required the automation of their Hydro-Brake® Flow Control test rig, allowing the ability to provide several different test procedures and be able to simulate a range of weather profiles. Austin Consultants provided a LabVIEW software system, which was able to control the flow rate into the system, to allow the simulation of various storm weather profiles by setting the pump inverter frequency with respect to time.
The system then monitored the flow rates and water levels at several positions throughout the test rig using continuous data acquisition across the profibus network. We then created a simple to use, tailored user interface for the software, which was able to plot the storm profiles from the acquired results and evaluate the rigs flow over a V-notched weir, allowing the computer to calculate an intelligent flow steady-state diagnosis in real-time.
The Test Rig included
- The creation of a universal profibus LabVIEW Driver
- Use of LabVIEW control through an OPC server
- A Moeller Pump inverter
- SMAR LD303 Pressure transducers (from Smar uk ltd)
- Endress and Hauser Flow Meters
