All-Russian Research Institute of Chemical Technologies, Moscow, Russia:

S. A. Lavrikov, Leading Researcher
M. L. Kotsar, Head of Laboratory, e-mail: kotsar@vniiht.ru

JSC “Chepetsky Mechanical Plant”, Glazov, Russia:
A. V. Andreev, Head of a Shop
A. A. Chernyshev, Head of a Group

Automatically-controlled trial stand for working through optimum control modes of zirconium iodide refining in metal devices was constructed on the base of a shaft resistance furnace and a Ts-40M (Ц-40М) metallic devices with further putting into operation at the JSC “Chepetsky Mechanical Plant”. Hardware and software of the automatically-controlled stand are based on the CompactRIO equipment and LabView graphical software made by National Instruments company (USA). The software consists of programs for computer, CompactRIO 9073 controller and reconfigurable chassis with FPGA chip. There are considered the problems of replication of the furnaces automated control solutions, including changes in the hardware and software structure in order to the furnaces control system total cost cut down. There is offered an approach to the software replication in the LabVIEW environment with consecutive increasing the number of resistance furnaces. It is based on copying the LabVIEW project for one furnace, creating stand-alone applications running under a WINDOWStype operating system followed by their integration into the program of the branch foreman using the WINDOWS API library. Such approach simplifies the replication process in case of the consecutive putting into operation new resistance furnaces and does not disturb the common working rhythm of the plant department. The proposed and realized automation system unites a group of resistance furnaces and Ts-40M devices under the control of a single remote computer and several operator terminals nearby the furnaces. Operating experience of the first group of computer-aided control furnaces allowed to make some changes in the furnaces control system aimed at improvement of the equipment operation stability as well as zirconium output from machines. These includes modernization of the power supply to the furnaces and the development of the information part of the system with installation of a separate server computer for the process data backup.

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