PLANETARY SOIL WATER ANALYZER (PSWA) PROTOTYPE
dc.contributor.author | Cashin, William F. | |
dc.contributor.author | Anderson, Duwayne M. | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2016-06-15T20:57:37Z | |
dc.date.available | 2016-06-15T20:57:37Z | |
dc.date.issued | 1982-09 | |
dc.identifier.issn | 0884-5123 | |
dc.identifier.issn | 0074-9079 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10150/613296 | |
dc.description | International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / September 28-30, 1982 / Sheraton Harbor Island Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California | en_US |
dc.description.abstract | A microprocessor-based differential scanning calorimeter is being designed for eventual use in planetary soil water analysis. The uniqueness of this effort is in the use of the microprocessor as an integral section of the system control loops, instead of as merely an auxilary processor of output data. The use of differential scanning calorimetry is advantageous in determining water content of soil samples. The basic idea is to use two matched ovens, one with a soil sample included. The average temperature of the ovens is forced to track a desired programmed temperature (normally a slow ramp) with one control loop, while a second control loop forces the oven temperatures to be equal, even during a transition. The power necessary to keep the temperatures equal is monitored, containing information as to the transition energy, and thus the water content at programmed water transition temperatures. This approach uses the microprocessor to close both of the loops, taking oven sensor temperatures as an input, and providing power duty cycles as outputs. In actuality, two microprocessors are used - a slave to accumulate and process sensor information, and a master to generate the loop control, output data control, and temperature program control. The PSWA performance is compared to a state-of-the-art commercial instrument using analog loop control. The major advantage of the microprocessor loop control utilized in the PSWA is the capability of remote operation, including remote alignment and adjustment. Further advantages include accommodation of oven changes with software reprogramming, a flexible single oven capability, correction for system nonlinearities using software, and auto gain and auto zero control for the sensor circuitry. The analog loop control approach has somewhat better sensitivity, resolution, and noise performance. The current phase of the development of the PSWA is a feasibility study and circuit design, performed for the Planetary Geology Program Office, NASA Headquarters. The next developmental phases would include breadboarding, software design, testing, and evaluation. In conclusion, this instrument is a significant advance in the state-of-the-art for automatic water measurements, and will be of great value in further planetary exploration. | |
dc.description.sponsorship | International Foundation for Telemetering | en |
dc.language.iso | en_US | en |
dc.publisher | International Foundation for Telemetering | en |
dc.relation.url | http://www.telemetry.org/ | en |
dc.rights | Copyright © International Foundation for Telemetering | en |
dc.title | PLANETARY SOIL WATER ANALYZER (PSWA) PROTOTYPE | en_US |
dc.type | text | en |
dc.type | Proceedings | en |
dc.contributor.department | Ball Aerospace Systems Division | en |
dc.contributor.department | State University of New York | en |
dc.identifier.journal | International Telemetering Conference Proceedings | en |
dc.description.collectioninformation | Proceedings from the International Telemetering Conference are made available by the International Foundation for Telemetering and the University of Arizona Libraries. Visit http://www.telemetry.org/index.php/contact-us if you have questions about items in this collection. | en |
refterms.dateFOA | 2018-06-18T09:42:50Z | |
html.description.abstract | A microprocessor-based differential scanning calorimeter is being designed for eventual use in planetary soil water analysis. The uniqueness of this effort is in the use of the microprocessor as an integral section of the system control loops, instead of as merely an auxilary processor of output data. The use of differential scanning calorimetry is advantageous in determining water content of soil samples. The basic idea is to use two matched ovens, one with a soil sample included. The average temperature of the ovens is forced to track a desired programmed temperature (normally a slow ramp) with one control loop, while a second control loop forces the oven temperatures to be equal, even during a transition. The power necessary to keep the temperatures equal is monitored, containing information as to the transition energy, and thus the water content at programmed water transition temperatures. This approach uses the microprocessor to close both of the loops, taking oven sensor temperatures as an input, and providing power duty cycles as outputs. In actuality, two microprocessors are used - a slave to accumulate and process sensor information, and a master to generate the loop control, output data control, and temperature program control. The PSWA performance is compared to a state-of-the-art commercial instrument using analog loop control. The major advantage of the microprocessor loop control utilized in the PSWA is the capability of remote operation, including remote alignment and adjustment. Further advantages include accommodation of oven changes with software reprogramming, a flexible single oven capability, correction for system nonlinearities using software, and auto gain and auto zero control for the sensor circuitry. The analog loop control approach has somewhat better sensitivity, resolution, and noise performance. The current phase of the development of the PSWA is a feasibility study and circuit design, performed for the Planetary Geology Program Office, NASA Headquarters. The next developmental phases would include breadboarding, software design, testing, and evaluation. In conclusion, this instrument is a significant advance in the state-of-the-art for automatic water measurements, and will be of great value in further planetary exploration. |