JP2000146170A - Method for detecting oil type of combustor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively prevent an accident caused by an erroneous use of gasoline by mounting a gas sensor directly or through a duct at an opening provided at a top plate of a space opposed to an exposed oil surface of kerosene to be supplied to a combustor. SOLUTION: A space 7 opposed to an exposed kerosene surface of a channel 5 is an upper space of an oil tank 11 formed with the groove-like channel 5 on a bottom plate 11a. Even if a communicating part 8 for setting the same pressure of the space 1 as that of an exterior exhausts the air when the oil level is raised in the channel 5 or the like or sucks the air when the level is lowered, the part 8 constitutes a substantially sealed space without replacing the air of the space 7 in a short time by a flow of the air of the exterior of the tank 11. A gas sensor 3 is mounted directly at an opening 9 of a top plate 7a or an end of a duct 7b rising from a peripheral edge of the opening 9. The sensor 3 constitutes a sensor portion of a semiconductor element, and is set so that a detected output of gasoline is present stronger than that of the kerosene.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an oil detecting method using a gas sensor to prevent gasoline from being accidentally used in a combustor using kerosene.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, in a combustor using a liquid fuel such as petroleum, the type of oil to be used is determined from the difference in the ignition temperature of the fuel, and it is rare that a different fuel oil can be burned. Most of the Japanese household combustors use kerosene as fuel, while factories use light oil or heavy oil. However, some countries do not have this type of kerosene in foreign countries, and there are appliances that use gasoline in their home combustors, so use Japanese-made kerosene combustors in these countries. Occasionally, gasoline is used to cause accidents.

[0003] In Japan, kerosene is sold at gas stations for automobiles. In some cases, gasoline is mistakenly sold as kerosene. In addition, foreigners who come to Japan who do not know the existence of kerosene More and more people are buying and using gasoline. It is extremely dangerous to use flammable gasoline in a combustor using kerosene, since a fire accident will definitely occur.

As a measure against misuse of gasoline,
The applicant focused on the difference between the vapor pressures of gasoline and kerosene.If the gasoline was erroneously burned using gasoline, the difference in the vapor pressure would be noticeable when the temperature of the appliance rose, so this difference was detected. They are proposing to extinguish the combustor.
(See actual fair 1-38413)

On the other hand, city kitchens and propane gas are used in home kitchens, and there is a danger of gas explosion if the gas is released due to the extinguishment of the flame. 2. Description of the Related Art A safety device that emits an alarm sound to notify a user when an alarm is detected has become widespread. The gas sensor used here has been selected to have a strong sensor sensitivity when exposed to city gas or propane gas, but this type of gas sensor may be able to increase sensitivity to gasoline vapor. .

[0006]

The method proposed by the applicant for detecting the difference between the vapor pressures of gasoline and kerosene can detect this difference remarkably when the temperature of the appliance rises due to the start of combustion. There is a configuration in which the automatic fire extinguisher of the combustor is activated by the detection signal. However, when the automatic fire extinguishing system is activated, the temperature of the appliance is already high and gasoline is burning, so the fire extinguishing system may not operate properly, albeit slightly. Therefore, a reliable combination with an automatic fire extinguisher is required, but the fire extinguishing performance when gasoline is used is still insufficient, and 100% safety cannot be guaranteed.

Further, when using a gas sensor, gasoline can be detected at normal temperature. In a laboratory, it is possible to select and confirm gasoline vapor and kerosene vapor by selecting a material and a sensor temperature. It has become However, since the fuel is supplied to the combustor as a liquid in an actual combustor, it is not yet known how the gas sensor can be used.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention specifies the use of gasoline by using a gas sensor. The present invention relates to a sensor unit 1 which varies the detection output by the action of flammable gas contained in air, And a gas sensor 3 having an output terminal 2 for extracting a variable output of the gas. The gas detection characteristic of the sensor unit 1 is to enhance the detection output of gasoline than kerosene and to supply kerosene to the combustor 4. A space 7 is formed in the flow path 5 or the oil storage tank 6 so as to look at the kerosene oil surface. The space 7 is almost sealed even if it has a communication portion 8 with the outside air. An opening 9 for attaching the gas sensor 3 directly or via a duct 7b is provided in 7a, and the gas sensor 3 vaporizes and diffuses into the space 7 that gasoline is mixed with the oil type supplied to the combustor 4. Gasoline It proposes a oil type detecting method of a combustor detected by the gas.

The space 7 having the opening 9 to which the gas sensor 3 is attached is formed in a flat shape having a width wider than the height, and the flat space 7 is arranged substantially horizontally, and the opening 9 is formed flat. It is formed near the center of the top plate 7a of the space 7 so that when the combustor 4 falls, kerosene collects at the lower end of the space 7 so that the oil level of the kerosene in the space 7 does not reach the opening 9. Thus, even if the combustor 4 which might fall was overturned, the influence on the gas sensor 3 could be eliminated.

Further, a perforated plate 10 is arranged in a gas flow path leading to the sensor section 1 through an opening 9 provided in a top plate 7a of the space 7, and splashes of kerosene flowing into the space 7 are blocked by the perforated plate 10. In addition, since the gas sensor 3 is prevented from reaching the gas sensor 3, the perforated plate 10 can prevent the kerosene oil surface from waving and splashing when the combustor 4 moves, as well as when the combustor 4 falls, The performance of the gas sensor 3 could be maintained.

[0011]

According to the present invention, the gas sensor 3 is selected so that the detection output of kerosene vapor is small and the detection output of gasoline vapor is particularly large. When the gas sensor 3 detects the oil type, the gas sensor 3 supplies the gas to the combustor 4. A space 7 is formed on the exposed oil surface of the kerosene to be formed. The space 7 is a closed space that is not affected by the flow of external air while allowing air to flow therethrough. It proposes a method of detecting the oil type of the fuel supplied to the combustor 4 by attaching the gas sensor 3 to the opening 9 provided directly or via the duct 7b. Even if the fuel to be used is a liquid, the oil type can be detected by using the gas sensor 3.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described with reference to an embodiment of an oil burner of the up-and-down type shown in the figure. 4 is a combustor for burning kerosene, and 5 is a flow path for supplying kerosene to the combustor 4. The flow path 5 is formed in a groove shape in the bottom plate 11a of the oil tank 11, and supplies kerosene to an oil reservoir 11b located at a lower portion of the combustion section 4. Numeral 12 denotes a core storage cylinder erected from the oil tank 11, 1
Reference numeral 3 denotes a combustion wick attached to the wick housing tube 12, and 14 denotes a wick housing tube 1.
2, a combustion cylinder 15 forming the combustion portion of the combustor 4 is located above the core housing cylinder 12.

Reference numeral 16 denotes an oil tank 11 using a cap with a valve.
And 11c is an oil receiver into which kerosene flows from the cartridge tank 16. The flow path 5 is formed between the oil receiver 11c and the oil reservoir 11b. It is supplied to the reservoir 11b. Then, the combustion cylinder 1 is moved up by the
The fuel is sucked up by the combustion wick 13 projecting downward from the lower part 5 and burned by the combustion cylinder 15.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a space in which the kerosene oil surface of the flow channel 5 is exposed. In the embodiment, the space corresponds to an upper space of the oil tank 11 in which the groove-shaped flow channel 5 is formed in the bottom plate 11a. 8
Is a communication part that makes the space 7 and the outside have the same pressure. The communication part 8 discharges air when the oil level of the flow path 5 or the like rises and sucks air when the oil level lowers. A substantially closed space is formed such that the air in the space 7 is not replaced in a short time by the flow of air outside the tank 11.

7a is an oil tank 1 in the embodiment shown in FIG.
The top plate of the space 7 constituted by the upper plate 1 is a top plate 7a.
The gas sensor 3 is attached directly to the opening 9 of the top plate 7a, or is attached to the tip of a duct 7b rising from the periphery of the opening 9. .

The basic structure of the gas sensor 3 of the embodiment is a sensor of a conventionally known catalytic combustion type or semiconductor type, and is used as a gas leak alarm of city gas or propane gas in a familiar place. It is an inexpensive sensor.
Specifically, the sensor unit 1 is formed of a platinum-based oxidation catalyst element or a semiconductor element mainly containing tin oxide as a main component.
When the sensor section 1 comes into contact with the flammable gas, the resistance value or the current value changes. This is detected by the output terminal 2 to know the presence of the flammable gas.

In the case where an oxidation catalyst element is used for the sensor section 1, the catalyst or carrier has a flammable gas selection characteristic, or a bias current is applied to an output terminal 2 made of a resistance material to set the temperature of the catalyst. In this case, when the combustible gas is touched, the oxidation reaction is promoted, and this temperature rise is detected as a change in the resistance value of the output terminal 2. Sensors that detect with this type of resistance provide temperature compensation by constructing a bridge circuit by combining an element with no catalyst on the carrier and an element with catalyst attached to the carrier, and use both bias currents. Even if it is changed at the same time, the output becomes the same when there is no flammable gas, and when the atmosphere becomes the target flammable gas atmosphere, the output greatly changes and this can be detected.

The gas sensor 3 shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 constitutes the sensor unit 1 with a semiconductor element. The sensor unit 1 is made of a sintered body of a metal oxide semiconductor containing tin oxide as a main component. An output terminal 2 composed of two electrodes made of a platinum-based material in a coil shape is embedded therein. Reference numeral 17 denotes a heating element base that heats and holds the sensor section 1 to a predetermined temperature, and 18 denotes a gas permeable coating that covers the entire sensor section 1 attached to the heating element base 17. Characteristics of the heating element base 17
By changing the set temperature, the detection output of gasoline is set to appear stronger than kerosene.

That is, when a voltage is applied between the two output terminals 2, oxygen in the atmosphere is adsorbed as negative ions on the tin oxide which is a semiconductor constituting the sensor unit 1 in a state where there is no flammable gas. Becomes difficult to flow. On the other hand, if the combustible gas is adsorbed on the sensor unit 1 in the flammable gas atmosphere, the adsorbed combustible gas reacts with the oxygen adsorbed on the tin oxide. It is easier to flow. For this reason, if the resistor 19 is arranged in the circuit of the two output terminals 2 as shown in FIG. 6, the presence of combustible gas can be known from the voltage change across the resistor 19.

Since the gas sensor used in the gas leak alarms of city gas and propane gas as described above is a sensor for detecting combustible gas, it can directly detect liquid kerosene or gasoline as it is. In the past, there has been no case in which it was used to detect misuse of gasoline in oil combustors. The applicant has previously focused on the difference in vapor pressure between gasoline and kerosene, and has proposed a mechanism to detect this mechanically.In general, kerosene combustors and gasoline without accidents have been proposed. There is a device that can burn,
Satisfactory results have not yet been obtained.

The present invention proposes a method for detecting the difference between kerosene and gasoline in fuel supplied to an oil combustor using an inexpensive gas sensor for combustible gas. A known gas sensor is used which has improved detection performance, especially for vaporized gasoline, by a method most suitable for the gas sensor 3 to be used. The kerosene to be supplied to the combustor 4 does not constitute the entire path by the fuel pipe, but forms a flow path 5 or an oil storage tank 6 where the kerosene oil surface is exposed in the middle, and is wide enough to look at the oil surface of this kerosene. A space 7 is provided, and a gas sensor 3 is attached to an inside of the space 7 from an opening 9 provided in a top plate 7 a of the space 7. Since the gas sensor 3 can detect gasoline vaporized and diffused in the space 9, a method for indirectly detecting whether gasoline is mixed with fuel flowing through the flow path 5 is proposed.

In addition, this type of gas sensor has a large influence on the mechanism of detecting combustible gas due to the presence of oxygen gas in the air, and cannot be used in a completely enclosed space. On the other hand, if the air is frequently replaced, gasoline vaporized and diffused from the kerosene oil surface of the flow path 5 and the oil storage tank 6 does not reach the gas sensor 3 and the presence of gasoline cannot be detected. In the present invention, a communication portion 8 is provided to make the space 7 and the outside have the same pressure, and the flow of air is restricted by the communication portion 8 to form a substantially sealed space. The gas reaches the gas sensor 3 attached to 7a, and the presence of gasoline can be detected.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, reference numeral 20 denotes an oil amount controller having a constant oil level function, which is attached in the middle of a fuel pipe piped from a separate oil tank to the combustor. The gas sensor 3 is attached to the opening 9 provided in the top plate 7a of the oil storage tank 6 configured as described above, and since the kerosene is vaporized and diffused in the upper space 7 of the oil amount controller 20 constituting the constant oil level device. If gasoline is mixed with the fuel sent to the combustor 4, it can be reliably detected.

In the gas sensor 3 used in the above-described detection method, there is no particular problem when there is no risk of overturning in a large combustor or the like.
Then there is always the risk of falling. Since the gas sensor 3 used for a gas leak detector for home use is prerequisite for use in air where oxygen is present, if kerosene as a liquid adheres, the gas sensor 3 immediately loses its detection ability. Therefore, in the case of the combustor 4 which can be moved in this way, using the gas sensor 3 for detecting gasoline contained in kerosene is inferior in reliability.

That is, the flow path 5 is connected to the bottom plate 11 c of the oil tank 11.
The space 7 can be substantially constituted by the upper space of the oil tank 11 when it is constituted by the groove for guiding the fuel provided in the fuel tank 11, but when the oil tank 11 is small and the opening 9 approaches the combustor 4, During use of the combustor 4, the kerosene oil surface of the flow path 5 may wave and splash on the gas sensor 3, and the gas sensor 3 may not be able to detect gasoline due to the attached fuel. Reference numeral 21 denotes an oil-proof plate attached from the top plate 7a to the inside of the oil tank 11.
If the gas sensor 3 detects the gasoline vapor diffused into the space 7 partitioned by the oil-proof plate 21 by forming the communication portion 8 also in 1, even if the flow path 5 is wavy and kerosene droplets fly. Gasoline can be accurately detected without adhering to the gas sensor 3.

If the lower surface of the oil-proof plate 21 is inclined and one of the communication portions 8 is formed at the lowermost portion, even if kerosene intrudes into the oil-proof plate 21, the flow from the communication portion 8 is prevented. It can be returned to the road 5 and works effectively when the oil-proof plate 21 is provided.

On the other hand, if the duct 7b is extended from the opening 9 provided on the top plate 7a of the space 7 and the gas sensor 3 is attached to the tip of the duct 7b, even if fuel splashes reach the opening 9, the gas sensor 3 Is difficult to reach. For this reason, the detection accuracy of the gas sensor 3 is not degraded, and it is possible to prevent the possibility that the output increases and the malfunction occurs like gasoline due to the attachment of kerosene.

On the other hand, if the configuration is such that the kerosene does not adhere to the gas sensor 3 even when the combustor 4 falls down, the gas sensor 3 can be used. Therefore, it can also be realized by specifying the shape of the space 7. That is, the space 7 having the opening 9 to which the gas sensor 3 is attached is formed in a flat shape having a width wider than the height,
The space 7 is arranged in a substantially horizontal state during normal use, and a method is proposed in which the gas sensor 3 is attached to the flat plate 7 at substantially the center of the top plate 7a to detect the oil type.

In the case of the space 7 having this shape, if the space 7 falls down together with the combustor 4, the kerosene leaking from the flow path 5 and the oil storage tank 6 is located at an end of the space 7 below. Since it does not reach the gas sensor 3 attached in the center almost, the kerosene does not adhere to the gas sensor 3,
If the combustor 4 is raised, the gas sensor 3 operates normally and can detect the difference between kerosene and gasoline.

Also, when the combustor 4 is used while being moved, the exposed oil surface of the flow path 5 and the oil storage tank 6 undulates and splashes of kerosene are scattered, and the gas sensor 3 on the top plate 7a of the space 7 There is a risk of adhesion. 10 is an opening 9 of the top plate 7a of the space 7
The perforated plate 10 is disposed in the vicinity of the perforated plate 10 and the perforated plate 10 is disposed in the flow path 5 or the flow path of the diffused fuel gas from the kerosene oil surface of the oil storage tank 6 to the gas sensor 3. Adheres to the gas sensor 3 and stops
The kerosene no longer adheres to the gas sensor 3.

Reference numeral 22 denotes an automatic fire extinguisher attached to the core raising / lowering device 14 of the combustor 4. The original purpose is that when a strong vibration is applied to the combustor 4, the vibrating weight detects this, and the core lowering spring is used. Is operated to forcibly move the combustion wick 13 to the fire extinguishing position to extinguish the combustor 4. A solenoid 22a acts on an interlocking portion between the vibrating weight and the core lowering spring to move the combustion core 13 to the fire extinguishing position.

When the gas sensor 3 detects gasoline vapor, the solenoid 22a operates to hold the combustion wick 13 at the fire extinguishing position, so that the combustor 4 cannot be used. Gasoline vapor can be detected at normal temperature. However, if gasoline is slightly mixed in kerosene, the combustor 4 starts burning and the temperature near the flow path 5 rises to promote vaporization. There are times when 3 detects this. At this time, the combustion wick 13 is lowered by the operation of the solenoid 22a in place of the vibrating weight, and the combustor 4 is automatically extinguished.
The currently used automatic fire extinguisher 22 does not become extinguishable when gasoline is slightly mixed in kerosene, and the combustor 4 can extinguish the fire, so that safety can be maintained.

In the embodiment of the oil amount controller 20 shown in FIG. 7, a fuel cut-off pin 20a is attached to the oil amount controller 20, and when the gas sensor 3 detects gasoline vapor, the fuel cut-off pin is turned off. By adding a structure that pushes the pin 20a, kerosene is not sent to the combustor, and the combustor cannot fire or extinguishes fire to maintain safety.

[0034]

According to the present invention, the use of gasoline which is mistaken for kerosene supplied to the combustor by utilizing the gas sensor 3 used for gas leak detectors of city gas and propane gas in ordinary households can be utilized. It proposes a method for detecting the use of kerosene mixed with gasoline, and this method is much easier and cheaper than detecting the type of liquid kerosene or gasoline in the liquid state. The difference can be detected, and an accident due to misuse of gasoline can be reliably prevented for the first time.

More specifically, the flow path 5 having an open oil surface
The gas sensor 3 is mounted on the top plate 7a of the space 7 looking into the oil level of the oil storage tank 6, but since the oil level is open, kerosene or kerosene droplets may be emitted if the equipment falls down. If it adheres to the sensor, the sensor is basically a sensor for detecting gas, so that it malfunctions and cannot be detected. Therefore, it is generally considered that the sensor cannot be used for the combustor 4. By specifying the shape of, such a trouble can be prevented, and the detection of gasoline by the gas sensor 3 is ensured.

Furthermore, when the unit is integrated with the movable combustor 4 without being in an abnormal state such as a fall of the appliance, the oil surface of the kerosene is wavy when moving and the droplets are sprayed on the gas sensor 3 because the oil surface is open. In this case, the gas sensor 3 may malfunction and become undetectable. In the present invention, since the perforated plate 10 is arranged between the opening 9 and the sensor unit 1 when the gas evaporated from the open oil surface, the droplets that have flown out from the open oil surface of the flow path 5 and the oil storage tank 6 are collected by the perforated plate 10. The gas sensor does not reach the sensor unit 1 because it is blocked, and the gas sensor operates reliably when the combustor 4 starts to be used.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of an embodiment of the present invention realized in a core-up and down type oil combustor.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of another embodiment of a core-bottom type oil combustor different from FIG.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an oil tank main body used in the core-vertical type oil combustor shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part showing an embodiment of a gas sensor used in the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top view showing a sensor portion of the gas sensor shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is an electric circuit for driving the gas sensor shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of main parts when applied to an oil amount controller according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sensor part 2 Output terminal 3 Gas sensor 4 Combustor 5 Flow path 6 Oil storage tank 7 Space 7a Top plate 7b Duct 8 Communication part 9 Opening 10 Perforated plate

Claims (3)

[Claims] A gas sensor having a sensor unit for varying a detection output by the action of a flammable gas contained in air and an output terminal for extracting a variable output of the sensor unit.
The gas detection characteristics of the sensor unit 1 enhance the gasoline detection output more than kerosene, and the flow path 5 or the oil storage tank 6 for supplying kerosene to the combustor 4 has a space 7 that looks into the kerosene oil surface. The space 7 has a communication portion 8 with the outside air, and is configured to be almost sealed, and the gas sensor 3 is attached to the top plate 7a of the space 7 directly or via a duct 7b. A method for detecting the oil type of a combustor, wherein an opening 9 is provided, and the gas sensor 3 detects that gasoline is mixed with the oil type supplied to the combustor 4 by vaporizing gasoline vaporized and diffused into the space 7. 2. A space 7 having an opening 9 to which the gas sensor 3 is attached is formed in a flat shape having a width wider than a height, and the flat space 7 is arranged substantially horizontally.
An opening 9 is formed near the center of the top plate 7 a of the flat space 7, and when the combustor 4 falls, kerosene gathers at the lower end of the space 7, and the oil level of the kerosene in the space 7 decreases. The method for detecting oil type of a combustor according to claim 1, wherein the oil type is not reached. 3. A perforated plate 10 is arranged in a gas flow path leading to the sensor section 1 through an opening 9 provided in a top plate 7a of a space 7,
The method for detecting oil type of a combustor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the splash of kerosene flowing into the space (7) is blocked by the perforated plate (10) and does not reach the gas sensor (3).