Research
Process tomography as a tool for research
ITS provides ready to use process tomography equipment which can aid research and development across many fields of process research.
The technology is delivered through three elements
- Process sensor
- Data acquisition system
- Software to drive DAS and analyse / export results
ITS is a spin off company from Manchester University and has close links with tomography research groups around the world. ITS is pleased to support research groups at all levels of their work and has worked with many research teams around the world.
Frequently working with these groups has helped extend the performance envelope of ITS’s technology and the company welcomes enquires and dialogue with different research teams.
Our interaction can encompass:
- sensor development for unusual process conditions
Sensors have been developed for high pressure applications (such as autoclaves), operation in harsh environments (such as paper mills, mines, explosive atmospheres, proximity to radiation fields)
- development of new measurement protocols for particular research objectives
ITS has developed new measurement protocols for research into brain scanning, soil deposition and other specialised areas
- delivery of data in a variety of outputs
ITS data can be viewed using ITS’s tomography toolsuite for process visualisation and statistical analysis. In addition data can be exported in bitmap or CVS format for use with a wide range of software tools, such as Excel, AVS, Maya-Vi, Spy-glass, Matlab, Slicer-dicer, Eidors and so on.
For references on research that has been published using ITS equipment please check our reference list.
For a technical specification on ITS products please check our product literature.
ITS research programme
For more than 10 years ITS has had an ongoing commitment to research and development of process tomography technology and applications.
Over the years ITS has improved the performance of its key measurement platforms (p2000 and m3000) as well as the utility of its operating software and performance of its reconstruction algorithms.
Particular projects that have been completed include:
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development of ITS linear probe
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development of multi-modality hardware
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data fusion of ECT and ERT contemporaneous data streams
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development of acoustics platform
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application of multivariate statistical tools to tomography and other process data streams
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development of rapid tomography measurement platforms
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application of process tomography to full scale pressure vessels
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foreign body detection in consumer products
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development of intrinsically safe module allowing deployment of process tomography sensors in explosive atmospheres
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software validation and quality management systems development providing validation framework (including CFR 21 Part 11) to deploy equipment in life sciences manufacturing
ITS has also been pleased to licence and purchase intellectual property where this helps accelerate the commercial deployment of process tomography.
Over the years, ITS has worked with academic and industrial partners in publicly funded projects. Our project partners have included:
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BHRG
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BP
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Malvern Instruments
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Pfaudler-Balfour
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Rosenmund Guedu
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Syngenta
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University of Leeds
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University of Manchester
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Caledonian University
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ITS has also worked with a range of companies on a private basis.
ITS is pleased to interact with companies and institutions through
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customer workshops
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research consortia (such as VCIPT)
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feasibility studies
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full research projects
