Highly accurate ADC modules for RTD temperature sensors in flight test data acquisition programs

The Aerospace Instrumentation (AI) group of Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions division has introduced two analog-to-digital-conversion (ADC) module variants for use with resistance temperature detector (RTD) sensors used in flight test and monitoring programs to accurately measure the temperature of engines and Source: Curtiss-Wrightother critical components. The ability to connect to multiple RTDs from a single highly accurate ADC module enables flight test instrumentation (FTI) engineers to save valuable weight, slot count and cost when configuring their FTI data acquisition unit (DAU).

The new AXN/ADC/406 module is designed for use with Curtiss-Wright’s AXN family of DAUs, while the ARTD-416A-1 is optimized for use with Curtiss-Wright’s TTC family of ADAUs. Both variants can acquire sensor data from up to 16 RTD channels on a single module. Unlike legacy products that restrict all channels on similar cards to the same RTD type, the AXN/ADC/406 and ARTD-416A-1 enable different RTD types to be supported on each channel. These ADCs can be configured as either two-wire or three-wire and provide maximum sampling rates of 6.25 ksps per channel with a measurement bandwidth of 1.5625 kHz. With a temperature input range of -200° C to 850° C, these two compact modules deliver extremely high accuracies:

• Typical 0.25° C between -50° C and 250° C for PT-100 with 2.5 mA excitation
• Typical 0.4° C between -200° C and 660° C for PT-100 with 1.5 mA excitation
• Typical 0.25° C between -50° C and 250° C for PT-1000 with 2.5 mA excitation
• Typical 0.4° C between -200° C and 660° C for PT-1000 with 1.5 mA excitation

Axon AXN/ADC/406 and ADAU ARTD-416A-1 performance features

• Programmable dual range, constant current excitation per channel
• Short on any channel does not affect others
• 16-bit simultaneous sampling on each channel
• Three filter tap points per channel, each with configurable filtering type and filter cutoff settings
• User-defined linearization and error compensation across the entire measurement chain
• Software support:
  • User interface for setup and management of data acquisition, network switches, recorders and ground stations in an integrated environment
    • AXN/ADC/406: DAS Studio 3
    • ARTD-416A-1: TTCWare

Curtiss-Wright’s Axon chassis, Axon user modules and Axonite remote housing are designed to work with Curtiss-Wright’s aerospace instrumentation products including TTC DAU, TTC MnACQ, TTC MnHSD and KAM-500 DAU family of data acquisition systems, high-speed cameras, data recorders, switches and IADS display and analysis software. Axon modules and chassis, now available in 6, 9 and 16-slot configurations, enable FTI engineers to quickly configure and deploy the vast amounts of data acquisition required to support demanding flight test, missile test and space developmental/operation flight instrumentation programs. These systems are ideal for use in flight test, system monitoring, power system upgrades or life extension programs.