High Channel Measurement System for Rocket Propulsion Testing
What is the customer’s measurement task?
This customer is a well-known German research institute in the aerospace sector. The measurement task is to acquire and store signals from a newly developed rocket propulsion system. For this purpose, the customer needs a system with a high number of channels to record all data. The customer uses the acquired data for further development and optimization steps. Like that, the institute can guarantee the highest safety standards for all involved parties while playing a major role in shaping the aerospace sector of tomorrow.
The System Components
Which configuration provided the right system?
The ideal setup for our customer consists of a DEWE3-RM16 with ten exchangeable TRION/TRION3 modules. As this configuration already suggests, the customer has retained the option of further scaling. In the current expansion stage, 64 channels are installed. The customer uses the nine TRION3-1820-MULTI-8 modules to measure a variety of different signals such as pressure, vibration, temperature, flow, and more. With the TRION-TIMING-V3 module, the customer acquires a timing signal provided by a timing generator for the entire test stand to synchronize any hardware – including the measurement system. The system includes 21 modular smart interfaces – MSI2-CH-5 – to acquire signals from charge sensors. Furthermore, the customer uses DEWETRON’s in-house measurement software OXYGEN.
Which signals/physical units does the customer want to measure?
The customer measures all signals that can be detected on rocket propulsion systems. Signals such as pressure, flow, temperature, vibration, and charge are measured on the 64 installed channels.
Why was OXYGEN the right choice? Does the customer use additional software options?
OXYGEN is the perfect choice for our customer for several reasons. First, the software easily integrates into the existing test bench environment through a wide variety of interfaces such as RDP and SCPI. Second, OXYGEN not only stores all the raw data in DEWETRON’s own .dmd format but makes the data also available in a file format compatible with Dynaworks which was requested by the customer. A third point, which is important for the customer, is synchronization: OXYGEN offers modern possibilities like PTP IEEE 1588 and IRIG to establish perfect synchronization to the rest of the test environment.
How does further data processing look like?
Our customer uses Dynaworks for the analysis of the data. Therefore, OXYGEN already provides the acquired data from the measurement system in an accurate file format for further processing.
Where does the customer want to use the system?
The system is permanently installed in the customer’s test bench environment.
How does the customer want to access the system?
The customer remotely operates the measurement system via RDP (Windows Remote Desktop). The tests themselves run automatically. In this process, the test stand operates via SCPI. IRIG and PTP optionally ensure time synchronization.
Which sampling rate does the customer need?
The customer distinguishes between fast and slow channels. A sampling rate of 1 kHz is slow and a sampling rate of more than 20 kHz is fast. With the help of the channel-wise sample rate selection function, the customer can easily implement this requirement.
What about the bandwidth?
The bandwidth is low according to the application. The customer sets the desired value perfectly thanks to the onboard filtering in the FPGA of the TRION3-1820-MULTI-8 module.
Does the application require sensor power supply?
Some of the sensors must be supplied with voltage. Here, the customer uses the internal supply provided by the TRION3-1820-MULTI-8 module. Thus, the customer can freely select the sensor supply within a range from 0 V to 24 V.
Why did the customer choose DEWETRON equipment over other products?
DEWETRON has a long experience in the field of measurement technology for aerospace. Thanks to a collaboration with NASA that started in DEWETRON’s early days, the sector has received a lot of attention from the very beginning and has been greatly expanded over the years. Today, as a result, we have the privilege of supporting leading organizations worldwide with their projects and have built up a great deal of expertise. Apart from experience, DEWETRON’s technology was crucial as well. On the one hand, the fact that all required measurement variables can be recorded with only one measurement hardware was decisive – this contributes to the fact that the system can be operated even more easily by employees. On the other hand, the fast possibility of channel expansion was another important aspect for the customer, as this ensures flexibility for further projects in the future.
Meet our expert to talk about this application
Sven Deckert – Senior Sales Manager at DEWETRON – guided the customer through the entire project with advice and assistance. He is very passionate about challenges in the mobility sector no matter whether four, two, or – like for this application – even no tires. Click here to connect with him on LinkedIn.
EMAIL: [email protected]
PHONE: +49 7181 2698111
