Parallel Preprocessing in a Nuclear Data Acquisition System

The appearance of microprocessors and large memory chips has somewhat modified the spectrum of tools usable by the data acquisition system designer. This is particular true in the nuclear research field where the data flow has been continuously growing as a consequence of the increasing capabilities of new detectors. This paper deals with the insertion, between a data acquisition system and a computer, of a preprocessing structure based on microprocessors and large capacity high speed memories. The results shows a significant improvement on several aspects in the operation of the system with returns paying back the investments in 18 months.