Fermentation Vessel Control

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Fermentation Vessel Control Automation
Team Dec06-07
April 21, 2006
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Client

• Stephanie Loveland
• ISU Department of Chemical and Biological
  Engineering

Faculty Advisor
Dr. Degang Chen
Team Members
Andrew Arndt, Adam Daters, Brad DeSerano, Austin
Striegel
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Agenda

• Introduction
• Acknowledgements
• Problem Statement
• Assumptions and Limitations
• Intended Users and Uses
• Functional Requirements
• Technology Considerations
• Detailed Design
• Closing Summary

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Acknowledgements

• Stephanie Loveland - of Iowa State University
  Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
  for providing finances, design specifications,
  and requirements for this project
• Dr. Degang Chen - of Iowa State University for
  technical and practical advice

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Definitions
COM Serial communications port DAQ Data
acquisition Flash Animated graphics technology
and format from Macromedia, which can be viewed
with a web browser plug-in GUI Graphical user
interface I/O Input/Output LabVIEW Laboratory
Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench PCI
Peripheral component interconnect PPM Parts per
million PXI PCI extensions for
instrumentation RPM Rotations per minute RS232
Standard for serial cable interface SCC
Signal conditioning system offered by National
Instruments SLM Standard liters per minute USB
Universal serial bus VI (virtual instruments)
Sub-unit program in LabVIEW that represents the
appearance and function of a physical implement
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Problem Statement (1/3)
A mock fermentation vessel is available for use
by senior chemical engineering students to
conduct experiments in their final laboratory
course. Currently, archaic methods are used to
record data
Current Mock Fermentation Vessel Layout
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Problem Statement (2/3)
The objective of this project is to design,
update, and install new equipment and software
for the mock fermentation vessel apparatus to
become automated and computer controlled.
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Problem Statement (3/3)
Software must also be developed to gather data
from the equipment and allow for smooth,
efficient operation by the user. The software
must be designed in LabVIEW to take readings from
the equipment. A user interface needs be
developed so that the students can do several
different functions with the information
streaming in from the lab metering equipment.
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Assumptions (1/2)

• The end-user of this project will be someone who
  is familiar with the fermentation process
• Only one experiment will be conducted at a time
• Environmental stability of 2059 Sweeney will be
  maintained
• All new components and cables will be paid for
  by the client
• The end-user understands basic computer
  terminology (double-click, scroll, etc)
• All laboratory components will operate within
  their given rated power values

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Assumptions (2/2)

• A computer will be supplied by the client with
  LabVIEW and Excel already installed
• An extra PCI slot will be available on the
  computer for data acquisition card
• The data acquisition card will supply its own
  clock

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Limitations (1/2)

• File format type is in Excel Format
• Software shall be written using LabVIEW
• One sample per second must be recorded from each
  specified device
• Maximum flow rate for the air/nitrogen must be
  less than 6 SLM
• Motor speed must be kept less than 600 RPM
• Safety glasses must be worn at all times when
  working in 2059 Sweeney

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Limitations (2/2)

• No more than 4 significant digits stored upon
  measurement
• The voltage signals from the stirrer motor
  control must be electrically isolated
• The oxygen concentration meter must read from 0
  to 9.5 PPM dissolved oxygen
• The oxygen concentration meter must be a benchtop
  unit

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Intended Users

• Senior level students in the Department of
  Chemical and Biological Engineering as well as
  faculty within the department
• The users must have knowledge of safety
  procedures and requirements while conducting
  experiments within the lab
• Students will need to have been exposed to the
  concepts that the lab is designed to simulate

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Intended Uses

• The intended use of this project is to automate
  the collection of data from the mock fermentation
  vessel apparatus
• The automation process will yield data in a
  real-time display as well as saved file format
  for further data analysis by the users
• The end system is not intended to be used on any
  other equipment that is not supported

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Functional Requirements (1/3)

• Data Acquisition
• Obtain measurements of speed, torque,
  air/nitrogen gas flow, and oxygen concentration
  from the appropriate measurement devices
• Apply proper filtering on the equipment output,
  to obtain accurate measurements

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Functional Requirements (2/3)

• Data Collection
• Record measurements every second
• Store measurement information into a Microsoft
  Excel file format for user download

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Functional Requirements (3/3)

• Software interaction
• Develop software using LabVIEW
• Display real-time information in a GUI
• Easy to use
• Contains a user manual detailing operation

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Technology Considerations (1/4)

• Data Acquisition Board
• Signal Conditioning
• Oxygen Concentration Meter

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Technology Considerations (2/4)
Data Acquisition Board

• USB DAQ
• Inexpensive and Easy Connection
• No Signal Conditioning Capability

• PXI DAQ System
• High Resolution/High Sampling Rate
• High Cost
• Signal Conditioning Capability

• PCI DAQ Board
• Moderate Resolution Sampling Rate
• Moderate Cost
• Signal Conditioning Capability

Technology Selected PCI DAQ Board
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Technology Considerations (3/4)
Signal Conditioning

• No Signal Conditioning
• Less Cost
• Unable to interface directly with DAQ board

• Signal Conditioning
• Isolation requirements met for Stirrer Motor
  Control
• Easy interface with DAQ Board
• Extra cost of Signal Conditioning Carrier Box

Technology Selected Signal Conditioning
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Technology Considerations (4/4)
Oxygen Concentration Meter

• Omega DOB-930
• 100 data point logging
• RS232 Interface
• Limited support and availability

• Thermo Electron Orion 3-Star
• 200 data point logging
• RS232 Interface
• 3-year Extended Warranty and availability up to
  5 years

Technology Selected Thermo Electron Orion 3-Star
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Detailed Design (1/14)
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Detailed Design (2/14)
Oxygen Concentration Meter

• Thermo Electron Orion 3-Star
• Full Scale Measurement of Dissolved Oxygen
  (0-9.5 PPM)
• RS232 Bidirectional Interface
• 3-year Extended Warranty and availability up to
  5 years

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Detailed Design (3/14)
Oxygen Concentration Meter Interface

• Onboard RS232 Connection port for data
  acquisition
• Meter will be configured to transfer data
  continuously to the PC
• Data will be acquired using the onboard COM
  port of the computer supplied

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Detailed Design (4/14)
Mass Gas Flow Meter Meter

• Omega FMA-5610
• Full Scale Measurement of Gas Flow from 0 to 10
  SLM
• Analog 4-20mA Output Signal

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Detailed Design (5/14)
Mass Gas Flow Meter Interface

• 9-Pin D Connector Pins 8-9 current output
• SCC-CI20 will be used to convert 4-20mA signal
  to 0-5V signal
• SCC Module will be plugged into the signal
  conditioning carrier for interface with the DAQ
  board

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Detailed Design (6/14)
Mass Gas Flow Meter Interface
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Detailed Design (7/14)
Signal Conditioning Carrier Unit

• SCC Carrier SC-2345
• Direct Cabling to the M-Series DAQ Board
• Housing for up to 20 SCC Modules
• Powered by DAQ Board with 5V Signal

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Detailed Design (8/14)
Signal Conditioning Carrier Unit Interface

• The Signal Conditioning Carrier Unit will
  connect to the DAQ board via a 68 pin shielded
  connector cable

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Detailed Design (9/14)
Stirrer Motor Control

• Glas-Col GKH-Stir Tester
• Two Analog voltage outputs (0-5V)
• Scaled voltages to represent torque and speed
• Operates with a floating ground at 70-90V
• 60V fast transient spikes on voltage lines

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Detailed Design (10/14)
Stirrer Motor Control Interface

• 4 pin terminal connection (Differential
  Voltage)
• SCC-AI04 will be used to isolate the analog
  input up to 300V
• Voltages will be measured differentially to
  protect against transient spikes
• SCC Module will be plugged into the signal
  conditioning carrier for interface with the DAQ
  board

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Detailed Design (11/14)
Data Acquisition Card

• NI PCI-6221 M-Series DAQ Board
• 16 Analog Inputs, 2 Analog Outputs, 24 Digital
  I/O Lines, 2 Counters/Timers
• 16 Bit Resolution Accuracy of 70µV
• Sampling Rate 250 kilo-samples/sec

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Detailed Design (12/14)
Data Acquisition Card Interface

• Will connect with the Signal Conditioning
  Carrier via the 68 pin shielded cable
• Will supply internal clock for data acquisition
  of signals
• 6 Channels of Analog Inputs will be used for
  acquiring mass gas flow, torque, and speed
• Express VIs in LabVIEW will define the
  operation of the DAQ card

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Detailed Design (13/14)
Software Interfacing

• Design GUI for ease of data gathering and running
  of experiment.
• Different visual cues will direct action on part
  of the user. Examples Pull down menus, push
  buttons, and white space for cursor entering.
• First screen of GUI consists of initialization of
  experiment.

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Detailed Design (14/14)
Software Interfacing

• Page two of GUI consists of four live actions
  graphs that display real time data.
• A toggle switch at top will enable users to start
  and stop gathering data.
• An optional pop up screen might be implemented at
  end of experiment. The pop-up will display all
  experiment results and conclusions.

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Closing Summary
A mock fermentation vessel is available for use
by senior chemical engineering students to
conduct experiments in their final laboratory
course. This vessel currently uses archaic
methods to operate the equipment and to collect
data. The objective of this project is to design
an automated system to collect the necessary data
for the user. This system will involve the use
of a data acquisition card to interface with the
current lab equipment, and LabVIEW software will
be used to collect the data. A user interface
will be created that is simple enough for most
users to operate, and will be dynamic enough to
display the appropriate information to the user
as well as store the information to a file for
later analysis. When completed, the entire
system should allow end users complete access to
data collection from all laboratory equipment.
This will ensure a deeper more complete
understanding of the fermentation process, and
will culture a better environment for learning.
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Questions ?