Computer automation and software upgrade of gas sensor characterization system

• Main Author: Chua, Angus Ee Tark.
• Other Authors: Tan Ooi Kiang
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering::Computer hardware, software and systems
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/16752
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The Gas Sensor Characterization System (GSCS) is a computer based program that is designed to acquire and log data readings from the sensors being tested in order to study sensor behaviours and properties under the influence of different experimental conditions. The GSCS comprises of both hardware instruments and a software application program called LabVIEW. Measurement data from the hardware instruments used are fed into the computer, and will be acquired and analyzed into useful data for users to study. The current Final Year Project (FYP) student is not the original designer of the GSCS. The GSCS was first designed in 1995, and had undergone various modifications and upgrades over the years by different FYP students. For the current FYP student, his task was to restructure and upgrade the GSCS from LabVIEW v 7.1 to LabVIEW v 8.5, as well as to improve the GSCS efficiency and features. In order to fulfil the project requirements, the student had to learn about advanced LabVIEW development techniques and structures to understand and improve upon the existing GSCS design. In addition, the student also needed to learn about the set-up and operating procedures of various measuring instruments connected to the GSCS program via the RS 232 serial ports and IEEE-488 GPIB interface bus.