A New High-Speed Control Interface

for an Electrical Capacitance Tomography System

Malcolm Byars1, John D Pendleton2 and Don Goodeve2

1 Process Tomography Ltd (PTL), 86, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5BB UK mbyars@tomography.com

2 Software Consultant to PTL

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the development of a new high-speed control and communications interface for an Electrical Capacitance Tomography (ECT) system. The new interface design is based on the use of an industry-standard ethernet link and an embedded PC within the capacitance measurement unit, controlled by custom software running under the Linux operating system. The new digital interface, ethernet link and control software have been successfully tested and integrated into a modified PTL capacitance measurement unit. The paper describes the design philosophy used in the new interface and gives some examples of the improvements achievable compared with the previous design.