Developing of a microprocessor system for automating a thermal absorption calorimeter

Abstract

A microprocessor-based system for automating the Therma 1 Absorption Calorimeter has been developed. The system is based on the Z-80 microprocessor and runs at a speed of 2MHz. It features an in-built Read Only Memory (ROM) for storing the monitor program and a Random Access Memory (RAM) for storing the captured data. The system is successfully interfaced to the Calorimeter, controlling the opening and closing of the shutter window and sampling data from four different material plate. Sample plates of steel, copper, aluminium and brass materials, both paint-coated and uncoated are prepared and data of the variation of temperature with time of the plate sampled using the system. The sampled data is uploaded to a fully developed system using a data upload port developed to support communication between the system and a microcomputer via an In-Circuit-Emulator. The data is subjected to calibration equations using a Micro-soft MSWORKS software. The temperature/time distribution curves are obtained, from which the thermal absorption coefficients of the black coating material on the sample plates are derived.