Design and Operation of the Data Acquisition and Reduction System Used in the Applied Mechanics Division for Mechanical Tests and the Post Accident Heat Removal Experiments

摘要

This paper describes the design and use of a powerful data acquisition system based on a multi-user minicomputer. The system acquires data simultaneously from a number of different types of instruments and front-end microcomputers, performs some signal processing and generates alarm levels to the experimental plant, while running one or more programs (remote consoles) to provide presentations of the collected data in graphical form, or to support assignments of alarm values. A data base has been created and general programs for data manipulation, plotting and mathematical analysis have been written and documented. This work continues to provide more specialized computation for new applications. Essentially no knowledge of computers is required for data acquisition, file management and initiation of programs. This paper is divided into four parts: laboratory environment; system configuration; software potential; and basic criteria for reliable use of the system.