A MOBILE VIRTUAL INTERFACE FOR THE MONITORING AND CONTROL OF CHEMICAL ANALYSIS SYSTEMS: APPLICATION TO A WORT FERMENTATION PROCESS

摘要

A mobile virtual interface for rule net-based distributed control systems is proposed. It is applied to the monitoring of a chemical analysis system coupled with a wort fermentation process. A complete description of both the chemical and the informatics system is presented. This interface offers the possibility of accessing the process not only from the control room at a determined site through specific software, but from any Internet-connected PC and using a standard browser. Moreover, this approach allows for the utilization of a mobile device (PDA, phone), which permits the user to take full control on the process, even moving along the brewing plant as required. The evolution of the results obtained in the FIA (Flow Injection Analysis) monitoring (and consequently of the process) can be analyzed by means of this interface; on the other hand, the process itself can be directly controlled through the modification of the different working parameters, even from a remote location. This enhances the reliability of this approach since, if the expert system detects an anomalous situation, the operator is immediately notified and can therefore react properly wherever he/she may be.