Temperature-Rise Tests for Circuit Breakers and Switchgears

Task

Software design and development for the control of a high current source (Ruhstrat) and a 100-channel DMM.

Requirements

  • Unattended test run
  • Measurement and evaluation of up to 100 thermocouples
  • Controlling the high current source with digital signals and a 4-20mA output
  • Monitoring the actual current flow
  • Acquisition of the current limit concerning a specified temperature rise.
  • Comprehensive graphical and tabular data visualisation during and after test run
  • Saving the acquired measurement data as spreadsheet ASCII file
  • Protocol creation and printout
  • Manual operation mode for hardware check
LabVIEW Application

Solution

Software development and programming in LabVIEW (National Instruments). Controlling a 3706 Switch System (Keithley Instruments) using an ethernet connection to acquire up to 100 thermocouples and to control the high current source (Ruhstrat). Very comfortable data visualization and protocol creation.