Data reduction in the ITMS system through a data acquisition model with self-adaptive sampling rate

Long pulse or steady state operation of fusion experiments require data acquisition and processing systems that reduce the volume of data involved. The availability of self-adaptive sampling rate systems and the use of real-time lossless data compression techniques can help solve these problems. The former is important for continuous adaptation of sampling frequency for experimental requirements. The latter allows the maintenance of continuous digitization under limited memory conditions. This can be achieved by permanent transmission of compressed data to other systems. The compacted transfer ensures the use of minimum bandwidth. This paper presents an implementation based on intelligent test and measurement system (ITMS), a data acquisition system architecture with multiprocessing capabilities that permits it to adapt the system’s sampling frequency throughout the experiment. The sampling rate can be controlled depending on the experiment’s specific requirements by using an external dc voltage signal or by defining user events through software. The system takes advantage of the high processing capabilities of the ITMS platform to implement a data reduction mechanism based in lossless data compression algorithms which are themselves based in periodic deltas

Event Recognition Using Signal Spectrograms in Long Pulse Experiments

As discharge duration increases, real-time complex analysis of the signal becomes more important. In this context, data acquisition and processing systems must provide models for designing experiments which use event oriented plasma control. One example of advanced data analysis is signal classification. The off-line statistical analysis of a large number of discharges provides information to develop algorithms for the determination of the plasma parameters from measurements of magnetohydrodinamic waves, for example, to detect density fluctuations induced by the Alfvén cascades using morphological patterns. The need to apply different algorithms to the signals and to address different processing algorithms using the previous results necessitates the use of an event-based experiment. The Intelligent Test and Measurement System platform is an example of architecture designed to implement distributed data acquisition and real-time processing systems. The processing algorithm sequence is modeled using an event-based paradigm. The adaptive capacity of this model is based on the logic defined by the use of state machines in SCXML. The Intelligent Test and Measurement System platform mixes a local multiprocessing model with a distributed deployment of services based on Jini

A versatile trigger and synchronization module with IEEE1588 capabilities and EPICS support.

Event timing and synchronization are two key aspects to improve in the implementation of distributed data acquisition (dDAQ) systems such as the ones used in fusion experiments. It is also of great importance the integration of dDAQ in control and measurement networks. This paper analyzes the applicability of the IEEE1588 and EPICS standards to solve these problems, and presents a hardware module implementation based in both of them that allow adding these functionalities to any DAQ. The IEEE1588 standard facilitates the integration of event timing and synchronization mechanisms in distributed data acquisition systems based on IEEE 803.3 (Ethernet). An optimal implementation of such system requires the use of network interface devices which include specific hardware resources devoted to the IEE1588 functionalities. Unfortunately, this is not the approach followed in most of the large number of applications available nowadays. Therefore, most solutions are based in software and use standard hardware network interfaces. This paper presents the development of a hardware module (GI2E) with IEEE1588 capabilities which includes USB, RS232, RS485 and CAN interfaces. This permits to integrate any DAQ element that uses these interfaces in dDAQ systems in an efficient and simple way. The module has been developed with Motorola's Coldfire MCF5234 processor and National Semiconductors's PHY DP83640T, providing it with the possibility to implement the PTP protocol of IEEE1588 by hardware, and therefore increasing its performance over other implementations based in software. To facilitate the integration of the dDAQ system in control and measurement networks the module includes a basic Input/Output Controller (IOC) functionality of the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) architecture. The paper discusses the implementation details of this module and presents its applications in advanced dDAQ applications in the fusion community

Performance of a LiBr water absorption chiller operating with plate heat exchangers

This paper studies the performance of a lithium bromide water absorption chiller operating with plate heat exchangers (PHE). The overall heat transfer coefficients in the desorber, the condenser and the solution heat recoverer are calculated using the correlations provided in the literature for evaporation, condensation and liquid to liquid heat transfer in PHEs. The variable parameters are the external driving temperatures. In the desorber, the inlet temperature of the hot fluid ranges from 75°C to 105°C. In the condenser and the absorber, the inlet temperature of the cooling water goes from 20°C to 40°C. The coefficient of performance (COP) obtained ranges from 0.5 to 0.8 for cooling duties ranging from 2 kW to 12 kW. The chiller response to different hot fluid temperatures and circulated mass flow rates is also presented. The performance and the internal parameters of the chiller at part load are, therefore, calculated. A higher efficiency results when the solution pumped from the absorber to the desorber decreases. The heat transfer analysis of the PHEs is also presented. The overall heat transfer coefficient in the desorber, equal to 790 W/m²K at the design conditions, is also analysed at part load. The condenser performance can be represented by a similar relationship found in conventional air cooled condensersThis work was partially funded by CICYT Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (CLIMABCAR project no. DPI 2003-01567)Publicad

Service-oriented architecture of adaptive, intelligent data acquisition and processing systems for long-pulse fusion experiments

The data acquisition systems used in long-pulse fusion experiments need to implement data reduction and pattern recognition algorithms in real time. In order to accomplish these operations, it is essential to employ software tools that allow for hot swap capabilities throughout the temporal evolution of the experiments. This is very important because processing needs are not equal during different phases of the experiment. The intelligent test and measurement system (ITMS) developed by UPM and CIEMAT is an example of a technology for implementing scalable data acquisition and processing systems based on PXI and CompactPCI hardware. In the ITMS platform, a set of software tools allows the user to define the processing algorithms associated with the different experimental phases using state machines driven by software events. These state machines are specified using the State Chart XML (SCXML) language. The software tools are developed using JAVA, JINI, an SCXML engine and several LabVIEW applications. Within this schema, it is possible to execute data acquisition and processing applications in an adaptive way. The power of SCXML semantics and the ability to work with XML user-defined data types allow for very easy programming of the ITMS platform. With this approach, the ITMS platform is a suitable solution for implementing scalable data acquisition and processing systems based on a service-oriented model with the ability to easily implement remote participation applications

On the pressure drop in plate heat exchangers used as desorbers in absorption chillers

The influence of the pressure drop in Plate Heat Exchangers (PHE) in the boiling temperature of LiBr H₂O and NH₃ H₂O solutions is studied. For the NH₃H₂O solution, the pressure drop-temperature saturation relationship estates that high pressure drops can be allowed in the solution with negligible changes in the saturation temperature, and in the PHE performance. Besides, in the case of the LiBr H₂O solution, as the working pressure is usually very low, the analysis of the pressure drop must be taken as a main limiting parameter for the use of Plate Heat Exchangers as vapour generators. In this case, the pressure drop may considerably change the boiling temperature of the solution entering the heat exchanger and therefore a higher heating fluid temperature may be required. A guideline to design these systems is proposedThis work has been partly supported by the ‘‘Ayuda a grupos” of CAM under the project numbers CCG07 UC3M/AMB 3412 and CCG08 UC3M/AMB 4227Publicad

Determination of field capacity and yield mapping in olive harvesting using remote data acquisition

Sensors, communication systems and geo-reference units are required to achieve an optimized management of agricultural inputs with respect to the economic and environmental aspects of olive groves. In this study, three commercial olive harvesters were tracked in Spain and Chile using remote and autonomous equipment to determine their time efficiency and field capacity. An experimental methodology for analyzing the data to determine the field capacity and efficiency is proposed, which, along with a conventional methodology, was used to analyze the data to determine field capacity and efficiency. The results of both methodologies are compared to validate the suitability of the experimental methodology. Furthermore, a yield monitor was developed and evaluate using one of the tested olive harvesters. The results show that yield monitoring of olives is possible, but further research is needed to archieve a more reliable methodology

Optique: Zooming in on Big Data

Despite the dramatic growth of data accumulated by enterprises, obtaining value out of it is extremely challenging. In particular, the data access bottleneck prevents domain experts from getting the right piece of data within a constrained time frame. The Optique Platform unlocks the access to Big Data by providing end users support for directly formulating their information needs through an intuitive visual query interface. The submitted query is then transformed into highly optimized queries over the data sources, which may include streaming data, and exploiting massive parallelism in the backend whenever possible. The Optique Platform thus responds to one major challenge posed by Big Data in data-intensive industrial settings

Asymptotically Matched Spacetime Metric for Non-Precessing, Spinning Black Hole Binaries

We construct a closed-form, fully analytical 4-metric that approximately represents the spacetime evolution of non-precessing, spinning black hole binaries from infinite separations up to a few orbits prior to merger. We employ the technique of asymptotic matching to join a perturbed Kerr metric in the neighborhood of each spinning black hole to a near-zone, post-Newtonian metric farther out. The latter is already naturally matched to a far-zone, post-Minkowskian metric that accounts for full temporal retardation. The result is a 4-metric that is approximately valid everywhere in space and in a small bundle of spatial hypersurfaces. We here restrict our attention to quasi- circular orbits, but the method is valid for any orbital motion or physical scenario, provided an overlapping region of validity or buffer zone exists. A simple extension of such a metric will allow for future studies of the accretion disk and jet dynamics around spinning back hole binaries

Environmental effects on associations of dwarf galaxies

We study the properties of associations of dwarf galaxies and their dependence on the environment. Associations of dwarf galaxies are extended systems composed exclusively of dwarf galaxies, considering as dwarf galaxies those galaxies less massive than $M_{\star, \rm max} = 10^{9.0}$ ${\rm M}_{\odot}\,h^{-1}$. We identify these particular systems using a semi-analytical model of galaxy formation coupled to a dark matter only simulation in the $\Lambda$ Cold Dark Matter cosmological model. To classify the environment, we estimate eigenvalues from the tidal field of the dark matter particle distribution of the simulation. We find that the majority, two thirds, of associations are located in filaments ($\sim 67$ per cent), followed by walls ($\sim 26$ per cent), while only a small fraction of them are in knots ($\sim 6$ per cent) and voids ($\sim 1$ per cent). Associations located in more dense environments present significantly higher velocity dispersion than those located in less dense environments, evidencing that the environment plays a fundamental role in their dynamical properties. However, this connection between velocity dispersion and the environment depends exclusively on whether the systems are gravitational bound or unbound, given that it disappears when we consider associations of dwarf galaxies that are gravitationally bound. Although less than a dozen observationally detected associations of dwarf galaxies are currently known, our results are predictions on the eve of forthcoming large surveys of galaxies, which will enable these very particular systems to be identified and studied.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA