The design for automation of pelletforming process in MPI system

1
The design for automation of pellet-forming
process in MPI system

2
Outline

• Introduction
• The design requirements of pellet-forming
  automation
• The software composition of pellet-forming
  process automation
• The hardware composition of pellet-forming
  process automation
• Summaries

3
Introduction

• As we know,pellet fueling is considered one of
  the most important methods to control the plasma
  density profile and improve the confinement of
  plasma.Fig.1 is the sketch map of MPI(multi shot
  pellet injector)system in HL-2A. In the ever
  fusion experiments at SWIP. Pellet forming is
  carried out through adjusting relative devices by
  specified staff in site , which will make every
  pellet-forming process some slight distinguishes
  and result in pellet difference in shape, size
  and intensity.

4
Fig. 1 The main interface of the MPI
system
5

• In the intervals of HL-2A discharge, specified
  people have to go site to accomplish the
  pellet-forming process, that wastes human power
  and increases the hidden danger at the same time
  .So it is necessary to develop a remote control
  system to perform the pellet-forming process,
  which has the features of real-time, credibility
  and being easy to operate and maintain.

6
The design requirements of pellet-forming
automation

• Automation of pellet-forming process is
  accomplished by regulating five electromagnetic
  valves to on and off position and by
  adjusting the duration of the valve status. For
  the stability and safety of the pellet-forming
  system, the remote control system must have the
  functions of monitoring and actuating the
  electromagnetic valve status.

7

• During the pellet-forming process, the second
  measures the supply time and freezing time of
  fuel gas, which needs the automation system
  execute the real time control for the objects,
  and regulate and display the freezing time
  according to the different pellet materials.
  Because we want to remote control the process, we
  require a beautiful interface to make operation
  and observation easy.According to the
  requirements,we developed the following
  interface,see fig.2.

8
Fig. 2 The main control interface for MPI system
9
The software composition of pellet-forming
process automation

• The software system consists of two parts one is
  system management the other is graphic display
  of real time data and run status. It was
  developed on the windows 98 /2000/Windows NT
  Chinese operating system and utilized the
  kingview as base to program. The kingview is a
  kind of knowledge ware, which can establish a
  man-machine interface of industry control objects
  based on the popular PC.

10

• 1.The system management means that the control
  software can manage the parameters in the
  pellet-forming process flexibly. It allows system
  parameters to be changed in accordance with the
  actual condition .For example the supply time of
  fuel gas can be adjusted for their different
  characters. (In the actual operation, the supply
  time of methane is 16s and hydrogen is about 9s).

11

• This function can be implemented by
  programming.Fig.3 is a section of code to show
  the method of program.

Fig.3 program to control the fuel gas supply time
12

• 2. In order to display the status of
  electromagnetic valves and their status keeping
  time in the remote computer in time and
  credibility, and ensure that the program can be
  performed correctly at the same time, it is
  necessary that the software can develop a
  visualized graphic interface. When the
  pellet-forming system is in operation, all the
  objects that are monitored can be displayed not
  only with characters in real time but also with
  different colors synchronously, which will make
  user know the device situation more intuitively.
  Please refer to Fig.4.

13

(a)
(b)
Fig.4 the control interfaces for fuel gas
supply system
14
The hardware composition of pellet-forming
process automation
Fuel gas supply system in multi-shot
pellet injector is shown in Fig5 .as follows

Fig5.fuel gas supply system
15

• 1hydrogen generator,
• 2gas storage balloon,
• 3vacuum pump,
• 4pressure stabilizer,
• 5gun barrels,
• 6needle-valve,
• 7gate valve

16

• The hardware system consists of one industrial
  computer, 32-channel isolated digital output
  card, a few of OMRON relays and external DC power
  supply.
• The industrial computer will execute the
  functions of monitoring, display and control for
  the electromagnetic valves digital signals .

17

• The board card PCL-734 offer 32 isolated digital
  output channels on a PC add-on card .its isolated
  output channels provide 1000V of protection, each
  I\O channel corresponds to a bit in a PC I\O
  port, this makes the PCL-734 very easy to
  program. We control the PCL-734s operation by
  writing data to the PCs I\O port addresses.

18

• If the external voltage (5 to 40v) is connected
  to each isolated output channel, its isolated
  digital output will turn on .The PCL-734s output
  signals will be feed to the relays to actuate the
  electromagnetic valves and control their
  status-keeping time.

19
summaries

• It has been proved that this design is feasible
  and successful. The automation system can meet
  the demand from physics experiment perfectly and
  realize the remote control of fuel gas supply and
  freezing process. This saves human resource and
  increases the efficiency of pellet- forming.
  Fig.6 shows the solid methane pellet photographed
  by CCD.

20
Fig.6 photo of the solid methane pellet
21
Thanks!

• I would like to thank my colleagues for their
  selfless support and help.

THANK YOU !