Real-time Helium Monitoring and Alarm System Based on Epics and Phoebus/Alarms

Abstract

The Space Environment Simulation and Research Infrastructure (SESRI) is one of the key technologies driving the development of the space industry. The micromechanical analysis subsystem is an important part of SESRI. Helium plays an important role in the start-up, operation, and testing of some of the equipment in the micromechanical analysis subsystem. Once a leak occurs, it is often undetectable to the experimenters. In order to solve the problem of undetectable helium leaks, this paper designs a real-time helium monitoring and alarm system based on Phoebus/Alarms. The monitoring system uses the analog acquisition module of a Siemens CPU S7-300 PLC to collect the analog signals from the helium detector and transmits the corresponding helium measurements to the Input and Output Control (IOC) via the s7nodave device support module. The IOC publishes the data to the Phoebus/Alarms monitoring component via the EPICS Channel Access protocol for visual interface display and OPI human-machine interaction. The system has been tested and found to have good stability and anti-interference properties. It has achieved real-time monitoring and alarming of the helium concentration values in the micromechanical analysis subsystem to meet the monitoring and alarming requirements of the project.