Data acquisition, computer-controlled automated

The automation concept implemented at Conroe is called computer production control (CPC).2 CPC systems are driven by a general purpose process-control computer (48-K core memory) centrally located and programmed to monitor production and equipment operations and perform oil and gas accounting. As shown in Fig. 11, the computer is connected to a supervisory control system with a computer interface unit (CIU) to provide remote data acquisition and control function capability. 

The state-of-the-art laboratories are equipped with the latest models of analytical instruments and computer systems, while others may have older, less sophisticated equipment or a mix of modern and outdated instruments. The goal of production laboratories is to analyze samples in the fastest possible manner. To be competitive, laboratories must have fully automated analytical systems allowing unattended sequential analysis of samples and computerized output of analytical results. Data acquisition computers, programmed with specialty software, control analytical instruments, collect the raw data, and convert them into analytical results. These computers are typically interfaced with the LIMS, which networks different laboratory sections into a single computer system and transforms analytical results into laboratory reports. 

The reactor system is automated with a computer HP 9816 and a data acquisition and control unit HP 3497A of Hewlett Packard. The programme a.o. checks if all variables are within preset safety limits. In case of emergency the programme switches the gas feed from H2 to N2 and stops the liquid feed. The key variables are the temperatures in the catalyst bed, the gas and the liquid inlet temperatures as well as the gas and the liquid outlet temperatures and fiirther the reactor pressure, the inlet and the outlet gas flow rates and the liquid feed flow rate. They are temporarily stored in the computer memory and later transferred on floppy disk. The temperatures at all other locations are monitored and recorded with a Philips PM 8237A multipoint data recorder. 

Apparatus. Since all the polymer modification reactions presented in this paper involved gas consumption, an automated gas consumption measuring system was designed, fabricated and used to keep constant pressure and record continuously the consumption of gas in a batch type laboratory scale reactor. Process control, data acquisition, and analysis was carried out using a personal computer (IBM) and an interface device (Lab-master, Tecmar Inc.). 

Determination of critical assets that might be subject to malevolent acts that could result in undesired consequences What are the malevolent acts that could reasonably cause undesired consequences on these assets electronic, computer, or other automated systems that are utilized by the public water system (e.g., Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)) the use, storage, or handling of various chemicals the operation and maintenance of such systems... 

The control system of the freeze-drying unit provides control, monitoring and documentation of the process. Such a system must be reliable and comply with GM P and GAMP (Good Automation Manufacturing Practice) demands with respect to computer validation. It should be SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) compatible. A possible hardware architecture is shown in Figure 2.55.1. 

The term computer system can define any of the following desktop systems client or of the following desktop systems client or server systems automated process control and laboratory systems host-based systems data acquisition and analysis systems and all associated software. The associated software comprises application software or firmware, system software, and computer system supporting documentation. ... 

Computer software and hardware are also important to the modem SIMS laboratory for automated instrument control, data acquisition, data display, interpretation, and quantitation. 

An automatic sequencing instrument has been developed that uses the chain-terminator method. To avoid the use of radioactive labels, a different color fluorescent dye is attached to the primer in each of the four reactions used to synthesize the DNA fragments. The mixture of fragments from all four reactions is then analyzed using electrophoresis in a single lane. A fluorescent spot appears for each polynucleotide of increasing size. The 3 -terminal base for each spot can be determined by the color of the fluorescence. The detection system is computer controlled, and the acquisition of data is automated. A schematic representation... 

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) provides an excellent platform to carry out these measurements. The computer-controlled HPLC with automated sample handling, injection and computerised data acquisition and processing makes possible the measurement of hundreds of samples per week without too much manual work. The measurements are made by running overnight and at weekends so this requires... 

Data interpretation and processing can be complicated. In addition, software to handle hyphenated methodologies are still under development, and many laboratories find it more convenient to write their own software. As a result, most hyphenated polymer separation instrumentation are limited presently to research laboratories rather than to plant environments. Continued developments in digital electronics, laser-based detector technology, and computer data acquisition and processing will result eventually in easy to use, automated hyphenated instrumentation for process and quality control. 

The MudPlT approach is not without problems. A fully automated procedure as described requires (almost) continuous MS data acquisition for more than 15 hours, resulting in several thousands of mass spectra that put high demands on computers and bioinformatics. The procedure is limited by the ability of the mass spectrometer to rapidly switch between MS and MS-MS analysis under DDA control. With current technology, certainly not all peptides present can be analysed with both modes (Ch. 17.7.2). The power of the approach is greatly enhanced by performing a protein prefractionation, either by RPLC [8, 45] or by means of a protein-specific enrichment technique such as AfC (Ch. 17.4.1). 

Sophisticated computer-based data monitoring systems may be installed, with which preventive maintenance is planned by trend logging (This type of system is commonly referred to as a building management system (BMS), building automation system (BAS) or system control and data acquisition (SCADA) system.)... 

Reproducible timing is fundamental to flow analysis and is most effectively achieved by automation, which also allows unattended operation. An on-board computer can be used to control pumps, injection devices and ancillary devices such as switching valves and also for system operation, data acquisition and processing. 

Hence, computers allow the ready automation of laboratory processes such as data acquisition and treatment, result delivery and process control. This great potential is further Increased by the possibility of linking computers to one another (intelligent instruments) and by the use of workstations, expert systems and data banks, ail of which are commented on In some detail below. 

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