JP2004333411A - Water leak detection device and method of water supply system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a water leak detection device and a method of a water supply system capable of detecting simultaneously generation of water leak at the earthquake generation time, and coping quickly with the water leak. <P>SOLUTION: This device is constituted of a flowmeter 4 and an emergency shutdown valve 5 installed on a water supply pipe 3, a seismo-sensor 6 installed in a building, a detection device 8 for detecting the water leak by receiving an output from the flowmeter 4 and the seismo-sensor 6, and a shutdown control device 7 for controlling the emergency shutdown valve 5 by the output from the detection device 8. When determined as the water leak by the detection device 8, a valve shut signal is outputted from the shutdown control device 7 to the emergency shutdown valve 5, and the water supply pipe is shut down. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for detecting water leakage in a water supply facility in a building.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a method for detecting water leakage from a water supply facility installed in a washroom, a cooking place, or the like in a building, for example, there is a method using a flow meter for managing the amount of water used, and the first method is as follows. In a state where all water taps in the building are closed, movement of a pointer in a minimum unit called a pilot lamp attached to the flow meter is detected. If the pilot lamp is rotating, it means that water has leaked somewhere in the water supply facility in the building. This is a function of a generally used flow meter, and can detect even a small amount of water leakage.
[0003]
In the second method, the water meter is visually inspected for water consumption by a waterworks bureau every fixed period (for example, every two months). However, the water consumption measured by the water meter sharply increases compared to the previous water consumption. If this occurs, the user or a waterworks official will artificially judge that a leak has occurred.
[0004]
The third method is that if a water leak occurs due to an abnormality in the water supply equipment such as a flushing failure in a washroom or a break in a water supply pipe, a certain amount of water continuously flows out, so that the flow rate measured value of the flow meter changes. It is expected that a constant flow condition will not occur. Therefore, when this constant flow state continues for a certain period, it is possible to determine water leakage. In this case, the continuation time for determining the water leakage is set in advance in accordance with the section of the constant flow value (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0005]
In a fourth method, when the flow value measured by the flow meter exceeds a preset normal maximum flow value with respect to the same water leakage in the above-described third method, it is determined to be water leakage (for example, Patent Document 2).
[0006]
On the other hand, in particular, as a countermeasure for the case where the water supply equipment is damaged by the earthquake and water leakage occurs due to the effect, as a fifth method, a shutoff valve provided with a seismic sensor is installed in the water pipe, and An earthquake is detected by a shaker, and if an earthquake is detected, the shut-off valve is closed regardless of whether or not water leakage has occurred (for example, see Patent Document 3).
[0007]
As a sixth method, a flow meter, a vibration sensor, and a shutoff valve are provided, and the seismic intensity of the earthquake is measured by the vibration sensor. For example, a water pipe is cut off at a seismic intensity of 6 or more, and an abnormal level is judged at a seismic intensity of 5 or more and less than 6 or less. When the measured flow rate is equal to or higher than a predetermined flow rate, the water pipe is shut off (for example, see Patent Document 4).
[0008]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-5-93635 [Patent Document 2]
JP-A-10-299037 [Patent Document 3]
JP-A-9-242918 [Patent Document 4]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-372442
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
If the water supply equipment inside the building is damaged due to the shaking of the earthquake, water leakage may occur, and the water leakage may damage the building or the equipment in the building due to flooding or the like. In the case of a larger earthquake, there is a possibility that the building or facilities in the building may be seriously damaged due to breakage of the water supply pipe, collapse of the water supply tank, and the like. In addition, if the discovery is delayed, the damage may be further increased. Especially in the case of an earthquake, prompt detection of water leakage and shutoff of the water supply pipe are required.
[0010]
That is, it is desired that the leak detection is performed in real time, and it is an issue how quickly the leak can be detected after the earthquake. However, any conventional detection method using a flow meter requires a determination time, and thus does not satisfy the real-time property required for detecting occurrence of water leakage due to an earthquake.
[0011]
In the fifth and sixth methods using seismic sensors and seismic intensity sensors, water supply pipes can be shut off almost in real time in the event of an earthquake, but there is no basis for setting the earthquake level to close the shutoff valve. It is a conservative and uncertain method, and the condition for closing the shut-off valve does not include detection of the occurrence of water leakage, and it may not be possible to deal with water leakage.
[0012]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for detecting water leakage in a water supply facility, which can solve the inconvenience of the conventional example described above, can detect the presence or absence of water leakage in the event of an earthquake in real time, and can quickly cope with the water leakage.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention firstly provides, as an apparatus, a flow meter and a shutoff valve installed in a water supply pipe, a seismic sensor installed in a building, and an output from the flow meter and the seismic sensor. The gist of the present invention is that it comprises a detection device for detecting water leakage through the air and a shutoff control device for controlling a shutoff valve based on an output from the detection device.
[0014]
Second, the flow rate is measured at a fixed unit time interval by a flow meter, and a leak is determined by a detection device based on the integrated flow value and a shaking detection signal from an earthquake sensor from the seismic sensor. When it is determined that the shutoff control device outputs a valve close signal to the shutoff valve to shut off the water supply pipe, thirdly, the change amount of the integrated flow rate value measured at a fixed unit time interval by the flow meter is determined. Fourth, the detection device determines that the water leakage has occurred when the determination value based on the predetermined value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Fourth, the certain unit time is a generally assumed duration of an earthquake.
[0015]
According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, the flow meter constantly measures the integrated flow value at a constant unit time interval, and if a change occurs in the integrated flow value, the change can be detected immediately. In addition, the occurrence of water leakage can be detected in real time, and prompt measures can be taken against water leakage.
[0016]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above operation, when the determination value based on the change amount of the integrated flow rate value is equal to or more than a predetermined value, the detection device determines that the water leaks, so that the determination is reliable.
[0017]
According to the present invention as set forth in claim 4, in addition to the above-described operation, the predetermined time during which the integrated flow rate value is measured is set to the normally assumed duration of the earthquake. Can be detected reliably.
[0018]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a detection control block diagram showing an embodiment of a water leak detection device for water supply equipment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of control of a detection method of the same. A flow meter 4 and an emergency shutoff valve 5 are disposed in a water supply pipe 3 disposed between the two, and a seismic sensor 6 for detecting a shaking during an earthquake is disposed at an appropriate place in the building 2.
[0019]
Further, a detecting device 8 for detecting water leakage in the building 2 by receiving outputs from the flow meter 4 and the seismic sensor 6 and a shutoff control device 7 for controlling the emergency shutoff valve 5 based on the output from the detecting device 8 Is installed in the detection device 8, a flow signal containing an integrated flow value measured at a constant unit time interval from the flow meter 4 and a shaking detected by an earthquake or the like from the seismic sensor 6. A shaking detection signal as a content is input, and a valve closing signal is output from the shutoff control device 7 to the emergency shutoff valve 5 when the detection device 8 determines that water leakage has occurred.
[0020]
Here, the certain time during which the integrated flow rate value is measured is a normally assumed duration of the earthquake, for example, 30 seconds or 60 seconds. Note that the detection device 8 and the cutoff control device 7 can be separately installed for water leakage determination, but are already installed in the building 2 for controlling the vibration damping device 10 as shown in FIG. In this case, the controller 9 and the seismic sensor 6 connected thereto can be used.
[0021]
Next, a method of shutting off the water supply pipe 3 when an earthquake occurs will be described with reference to FIG. Flowmeter 4, the integrated flow rate value Q _n of tap water flowing through the water supply pipe 3 at time t _n is measured and measuring an integrated flow rate value further time interval Delta] t. These measurement and measurement time are stored in the sensing device 8 and stored measured is continuously integrated flow value Q _n during this time the flow rate for each time interval Delta] t.
[0022]
Incidentally time _{t n-1} ~t _n and between _{t n ~t} n _{+ 1} flow rate between Delta] Q _n and Delta] Q _{n + 1} is determined by the following equation. _{ΔQ n = Q n -Q n-} 1, ΔQ n + 1 = Q n + 1 -Q n
[0023]
Then, for example, in between times t _n ~t _n + _1, if an earthquake occurs, the shake detection signal from the seismic sensor 6 is input to the detector 8, is stored for each the sensing device 8 time interval Δt performing leakage determination by the integrated flow rate value Q _n based. In this determination operation, Q _judge = ΔQ _{n + 1} −ΔQ _n is obtained from the flow value ΔQ _n before the earthquake and the flow value ΔQ _{n + 1} after the earthquake. If the water supply facility in the building 2 is damaged due to the earthquake and water leakage occurs, the flow rate value after the earthquake increases as compared to before the earthquake, so that ΔQ _{n + 1} is predicted to be larger than ΔQ _n . Therefore, in the case of Q _judge > 0, it is determined that water leakage has occurred immediately after the occurrence of the earthquake, the detection device 8 outputs the signal to the shutoff control device 7, and the shutoff control device 7 outputs a valve closing signal to the emergency shutoff valve 5. This is closed and the water supply pipe 3 is shut off.
[0024]
By the way, when the occurrence time of the earthquake is after t _n + Δt / 2, the increase in the flow rate is not reflected on ΔQ _{n + 1} , and an erroneous determination may be made. In such a case, the flow rate value ΔQ _{n + 2} between times t _{n + 1 and} t _{n + 2} is determined, and Q _judge is determined by the following equation: Q _judge = ΔQ _{n + 2} −ΔQ _n If Q _judge > 0, it is determined that water leakage has occurred.
[0025]
Data storage, if the time is between _{t n ~t} n _{+ 1,} it is sufficient to store the integrated flow rate value of the previous time _{t n-1} and _{t n.}
[0026]
The present invention can be applied to water leak detection in a time zone such as midnight or early morning where there is almost no possibility of using water. In this case, the output from the seismic sensor 6 is unnecessary, and the time interval is set to a long one, for example, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and the like. By measuring the value, it can be used for daily water leakage determination and the practicality can be improved.
[0027]
Then, if it is determined that the water leaks, the water is output to the emergency shutoff valve 5 and closed, and the water supply pipe 3 is shut off. Further, information on the emergency shutoff of the water supply pipe 3 is also transmitted to a resident or a building manager through a network in the building.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the water leakage detection device and method of the water supply equipment of the present invention constantly measures the flow rate in the water supply pipe at regular time intervals and stores the flow rate in the detection device. When a water leak occurs, it is immediately determined in real time whether or not water leakage has occurred. Therefore, secondary disasters such as property loss and facility function loss due to flooding can be prevented, and recovery work and rescue activities can be smoothly performed.
[0029]
Further, in a building where a water supply tank is installed, the water in the water supply tank can be stored without damaging it, so that it can be effectively used as emergency drinking water even if the supply of water is stopped after an earthquake.
[0030]
Furthermore, by implementing the test at normal times other than during an earthquake, it is possible to detect water leaks early, thereby eliminating damage caused by leaks and wasting water charges.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a detection control block diagram showing an embodiment of a water leakage detection device for water supply equipment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of detection control showing an embodiment of a water leakage detection method for a water supply facility of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of another example showing an embodiment of a device and a method for detecting water leakage in a water supply facility of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Water main pipe 2 ... Building 3 ... Water supply pipe 4 ... Flow meter 5 ... Emergency shut-off valve 6 ... Seismic sensor 7 ... Shut-off control device 8 ... Detecting device 9 ... Control device 10 ... Vibration control device

Claims (4)

A flow meter and shut-off valve installed in the water supply pipe, a seismic sensor installed in the building, a detecting device that receives the output from the flow meter and the seismic sensor to detect water leakage, and a shut-off valve based on the output from the detecting device And a shut-off control device for controlling the water leakage. The flow meter measures the integrated flow value at a fixed unit time interval, and uses this integrated flow value and the shake detection signal from the seismic sensor to detect a shaking caused by an earthquake, etc. A water leak detection method for a water supply facility, wherein a valve closing signal is output from a control device to a shutoff valve to shut off a water supply pipe. 3. The method for detecting water leakage in a water supply facility according to claim 2, wherein when the judgment value based on the change amount of the integrated flow rate value measured at predetermined unit time intervals by the flow meter is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, the detection device judges the water leakage. 4. The method for detecting water leakage in a water supply facility according to claim 2, wherein the certain unit time is a duration of an earthquake that is normally assumed.

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