Using FPGA reconfigurable integrated circuits for monitoring, controlling and managing industrial processes in potentially explosive atmospheres

Abstract

The implementation of calculation architectures, data acquisition and processing systems, VLSI type integrated circuits within driving systems shows and increased trend in the industry, due to the advantages of such circuits compared to microcontrollers and ASIC’s. In the first part of the paper is presented functional aspects of reconfigurable integrated circuits for monitoring, controlling and managing industrial processes. Compact RIO is a device developed by National Instruments and which is intended for monitoring and controlling industrial processes. This is also an “embedded” type system, which comprises a FPGA device, a processor with real-time operating system (RTOS) and various input-output modules which have to be attached by the user. Applications using such devices, usually also use an HMI (human machine interface) for creating a graphical interface with the user. The second part of the paper is allocated for establishing the requirements for using of such system in the explosive atmospheres. The practical achievement consists in the construction of a wirelessly PC-controlled robot and the analysis of measurements achieved, respectively data acquired from sensors and video recordings. Among conclusions is highlighted the opportunities brought by the use of the intrinsic safety and flame proof types of protection.