::: Compressor’s thermal breaker test system
::: CHALLENGE :::
Develop a robust and reliable system capable of performing continuous tests on thermal protectors for compressors.
::: SOLUTION :::
Using the Compact FieldPoint along with LabVIEW Real-Time to create a data acquisition system able to meet all project requirements.
::: Description :::
Embraco, a Whirlpool’s compressor division company in Brazil, and world leader in the manufacture of compressors for refrigeration, needed a data acquisition system to perform life tests in thermal protectors used in its compressors.
The thermal breakers are protective elements to protect the compressor in case of overcurrent. During the life test they are tested during 15 days, subject to extreme conditions, installed at compressors with a locked rotor.
During the 15 days of testing sets of compressor/thermal breakers needed to be continuously monitored by measuring and recording temperature in the compressor and the number of actuations of the thermal breaker, as well as the time in which it remained switched on and off. Furthermore, the system should be able to test multiple compressors at the same time, beginning and ending at no simultaneous pattern, resulting in a situation where the test system should not be interrupted at any time, because there would always be some compressor in test. The system should also allow the export of test results for a proprietary software client responsible for the generation of test reports.
To meet all these requests it was chosen the use of Compact FieldPoint National Instruments, due to the fact that this hardware has a real-time operating system that ensures the reliability of running without failures or crashes caused by the operating system. Another great advantage of using this hardware is maintenance, since, if there is a defect in a signal conditioning module, it can be hot swap, without the need to shut down the system.
The application was developed with LabVIEW Real-Time which allowed the development of a robust software that met all test requirements. For the monitoring of the tests we used the Web server built-in the Compact Fiedlpoint, which allows for monitoring and parameterization of test via a Web browser. The test results, after being stored in the Compact Fieldpoint memory are transferred via FTP to a corporate server.
For more information on this application or others developed by DAQSYS, contact by phone +55 (41) 9967-6977 or info@daqsys.com.br.
