Design and construction of pneumatic transfer system controller unit for Ghana MNSR

Abstract

Pneumatic Transfer System (PTS) is an auxiliary system of Ghana Research Reactor-1 (GHARR-1) used to transfer sample capsule in and out of the reactor irradiation sites. The PTS’ controller unit design and construction were carried out because the original transfer system was not designed to operate in cyclic NAA. To address these situations, a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) has been used to design and construct a control unit to facilitate a cyclic neutron activation analysis (CNAA) application for GHARR1. The design has been simulated successfully using a LOGO Soft Comfort software, version 8. The constructed control unit has been tested experimentally using 220 AC volts electric bulbs to represent solenoid valves. The results show that the sample-IN and sample-OUT bulbs come ON and go OFF to represent the solenoid valves opening and closing for sample transfer. The study has shown that the computer based PLC controller unit for PTS is capable of facilitating both cyclic and conventional NAA application for the GHARR-1