Laboratories
The PRH 2.1 partners with laboratories dedicated to teaching and researching in the departments of Automation and Systems (DAS), Chemical Engineering (EQA) and Mechanical Engineering (EMC). The laboratories have areas reserved for the participants of the program.
LIN (Instrumentation Laboratory):
Occupying an area of 67 m², the laboratory has a SMAR plant for control of flow, pressure, temperature and other quantities, making use of intelligent sensors and actuators that are all integrated with an Industrial Foundation Fieldbus network. This lab provides services for teaching and researching in the area of instrumentation and industrial networks.
LEEM (Experimental Laboratory for Multiphase Flow):
Develops research that focus on the development of instrumentation and control systems for processes that involve multiphase flow.
.
LCA (Automation and Control Laboratory):
This lab is divided in two areas:
- The first area has 100 m², dedicated primarily to research involving hardware and electronic/mechanical devices. The lab provides infrastructure for research in control and automation engineering with diverse applications, including oil and gas (separation of oil and gas, multiphase flow measurement), mobile robotics (including robotic soccer), etc. This lab has a number of workbenches with Supervision Software and Programmable Logic Controllers, and 15 computer workstations.
- The second area has 40 m², dedicated primarily to teaching, with diverse processes of laboratorial scale (temperature control, velocity and position, lighting, flow, PH, level, pressure, and a small oil well, among others). This equipment is used mostly for teaching purposes, in the undergraduate and graduate programs, with particular focus on techniques for process control. About 10 computer workstations are available.
LCP (Process Control Laboratory):
This lab is part of the infrastructure of the Chemical Engineering Department, which hosts a distillation column jointly with the Department of Automation and Systems Engineering. The distillation column is for ethanol and water applications, having a distributed heating structure and being equipped with automated instrumentation operated with a Foundation Field-bus network and a supervisory control system based on the OPC technology. The distillation column occupies an area of approximately 60 m², being used for academic training and research in process control.
LABMETRO (Metrology and Automation Laboratory):
This laboratory is part of the infrastructure of the Mechanical Engineering Department, being dedicated to the development and application of Mechanical Metrology, including research and development of new methods for measurement and other metrological aspects having an impact on the quality of production processes. It occupies a physical area of 900 m². The main equipment includes: an optical system for people recognition from 3D human faces; a sensor for measuring the concentration of gases dissolved in transformer oil; an optical system for measuring residual stresses; workbenches for testing compressors; measurement instruments dedicated to quality control; optical sensors for measuring electrical quantities, etc.
