Projects:2020s1-2561 LabView Code for Digilent AD2 Instruments

Introduction:

The Digilent Analog Discovery 2 is a low cost device containing two 14 bit 100 MSPS ADC’s and two14 bit 100 MSPS DACs, 16 bidirectional digital IO’s and a Xilinx Spartan 6 (XC6SLX16-1L) FPGA. During 2019, student's produced hardware to interface with the Digilent AD2 for a low cost Impedance Analyser and Transfer Function analyser up to 1 MHz for University Laboratory Use. However, the project was incomplete and the Labview software, hardware and signal processing will need to be improved to provide a functional and accurate device. The accuracy will be improved using software simulations in AWRDE of the hardwave to determine input impedance and stray capacitance which can then be used to produce more accurate data.

That hardware is being adapted to drive mains voltage relays, to turn a load On and Off, and by measuring the voltage change determine the impedance (resistance and inductance) of the mains at the mains frequency under normal operating conditions.

The aim of this project is to firstly improve and adapt the existing LabVIEW code to obtain an accurate impedance analyser. The second task is to then change the LabVIEW code to control the mains voltage relay and measure the voltage drop and phase shift due to the load being switched On and Off and thus calculate the mains impedance. The outcomes from this project will be very useful for ECE laboratories at the University.