Automation and Control of Off-Planet Oxygen Production Processes

W. J. Marner
Instrument Research Group
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
California Institute of Technology
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, California 91109
U.S.A.
J. W. Suitor
Thermal Power Conversion Group
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
California Institute of Technology
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, California 91109
U.S.A.
Larry C. Schooley
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
The University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona 85721
U.S.A.
Email: Schooley@ECE.Arizona.Edu
François E. Cellier
Institute of Computational Science
ETH Zürich
CH-8092 Zürich
Switzerland
Email: FCellier@Inf.ETHZ.CH

Abstract

This paper addresses several aspects of the automation and control of off-planet production processes. First, a general approach to process automation and control is discussed from the viewpoint of translating human process control procedures into automated procedures. Second, the control issues for a specific process, namely the automation and control of off-planet oxygen processes, are discussed. Sensors, instruments, and components are defined and discussed in the context of off-planet applications, and the need for smart components is clearly established. Finally, the automation issues and operational philosophies required in such a plant are summarized.

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