JP2001305005A - Ultrasonic leakage detector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic leakage detector accurately detecting the directivity of ultrasonic microphones and accurately detecting the leakage position. SOLUTION: This ultrasonic leakage detector is provided with the ultrasonic microphones 6, 7 and 8 having directivity, a signal processing circuit 11 processing electrical signals detected by the ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, and 8, a display part 12 and a headphone 14 outputting the signals processed by the signal processing circuit 11, a light source 9 arranged in the center of the ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, and 8 and radiating an optical beam in the same direction as the directivity of the ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, and 8, and a probe 2, at least, having the ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, and 8, and the light source 9. A spot of the optical beam radiated from the light source 9 indicates the center of the directivity of the ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, and 8 relative to a facility to be measured so that the directivity of the ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, and 8 can be accurately detected to accurately detect the leakage position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic leak detecting device used for detecting a leak position of various facilities such as a fluid piping system and a closed container which are installed in many plants and factories.

In equipment such as plants and factories, it is very important to periodically detect the presence or absence of leakage in order to obtain the maximum production volume with the minimum energy consumption and maintain the highest production quality. . When equipment leaks,
Since an ultrasonic wave is generated from a leak location, the position of the leak can be detected by detecting the ultrasonic wave with an ultrasonic leak detection device using an ultrasonic microphone having directivity.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional ultrasonic leak detector is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-253377. The ultrasonic leak detection device disclosed here is a portable probe,
An ultrasonic microphone having directivity, a signal processing circuit that processes an electric signal detected by the ultrasonic microphone,
And an output unit for visually outputting the signal processed by the signal processing circuit.

This ultrasonic leak detection device is used by holding the probe with one hand and gradually changing the direction of the probe, that is, gradually changing the direction of the ultrasonic microphone having directivity. When the fluid leaks from the equipment to be measured to the outside, when the pointing direction of the ultrasonic microphone approaches the direction of the leak position, the ultrasonic waves emitted from the leak position are converted into electrical signals by the ultrasonic microphone. The electric signal is detected, amplified and processed by a signal processing circuit, and visually output to an output unit. And
Since the output value of the output unit becomes maximum when the pointing direction of the ultrasonic microphone coincides with the leak position, the leak position can be detected based on the pointing direction of the ultrasonic microphone at this time.

[0005]

However, the above-described conventional ultrasonic leak detecting device has a problem that the leak position must be detected again when the leak position is repaired because the leak position cannot be recorded. Was. Therefore, a technical problem of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic leak detection device capable of recording a leak position.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems The technical means of the present invention taken to solve the above technical problem is to process an ultrasonic microphone having directivity and an electric signal detected by the ultrasonic microphone. A signal processing circuit, an output unit for visually and / or audibly outputting a signal processed by the signal processing circuit, a camera for displaying an image in the direction of the ultrasonic microphone, and at least the ultrasonic microphone And a probe provided with the camera.

[0007]

According to the above-mentioned technical means of the present invention, when the output value of the output unit becomes maximum, the image of the directivity direction of the ultrasonic microphone is projected by the camera, thereby recording the leakage position. it can. Further, a light source that emits a light beam in the same direction as the directing direction of the ultrasonic microphone may be provided in the probe. In this case, since the spot of a light beam such as a laser beam emitted from a light source such as a laser pointer indicates the pointing direction of the ultrasonic microphone with respect to the equipment to be measured, when the output value of the output unit is maximized. The leak position can be accurately detected by the spot of the light beam. Therefore, by projecting the spot of the light beam at the time when the output value of the output section becomes the maximum with a camera, an accurate leakage position can be recorded.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an ultrasonic leak detection device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electric circuit of the ultrasonic leak detection device of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is another ultrasonic leak detection device of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the detection device, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. First, a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The probe 2 of the ultrasonic leak detection device 1 has a cylindrical front end 3, a center 4 having a substantially square cross section and a tapered front and rear end, and a rear section 5 having a substantially square cross section. Consisting of The outer diameter of the rear part 5 is large enough to be gripped by one hand.

At the tip 3 of the probe 2, ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, 8 having directivity for detecting ultrasonic waves emitted from equipment to be measured, and directional directions of the ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, 8 And a light source 9 such as a laser pointer for emitting a light beam in the same direction. The ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, 8 are located at the vertices of an equilateral triangle, and the light source 9 is located at the center of the ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, 8 (the center of gravity of the equilateral triangle). A camera 10 such as a CMOS camera for displaying an image in the same direction as the directing directions of the ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, 8 is provided in a tapered portion on the distal end side of the central portion 4 of the probe 2.

A signal processing circuit 11 is provided in a central portion 4 and a rear portion 5 of the probe 2. A display unit 12 such as a liquid crystal panel configuration for visually displaying a signal processed by the signal processing circuit 11 and an operation unit 13 having a plurality of push button keys are arranged on one side surface of the outer surface of the central unit 4. Set up. An output terminal 15 for audibly outputting a signal processed by the signal processing circuit 11 to the headphone 14 or the like on the rear portion 5;
And an input / output terminal 17 for connection with the like. The display unit 12 and the headphones 14 form an output unit.

The signal processing circuit 11 comprises an amplifying section 21, a filter section 22, a detecting section 23, a rectifying section 24, an auto volume control section 25, a laser driving section 26, a storage section 27, and a CPU (central processing section) 28. . The ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, and 8 include an amplifying unit 21, a filter unit 22,
Display unit 1 through detection unit 23, rectification unit 24, and CPU 28
Connect to 2. The detection unit 23 and the CPU 28 are connected to the headphones 14 through the auto volume control unit 25 and the output terminal 15. Further, the CPU 28 is connected to the light source 9 through the laser driving unit 26 and
Through the personal computer 16. The camera 10 and the operation unit 13 are connected to the CPU 28.

When detecting the leakage position of the equipment to be measured,
The rear part 5 of the probe 2 is gripped with one hand, and the power switch of the operation unit 13 is pressed with, for example, a thumb to turn it on. When the power switch is turned on, a light beam such as a laser beam is emitted from the light source 9 such as a laser pointer via the laser driving unit 26. Since the spot of the light beam indicates the directional direction of the ultrasonic microphone to the equipment to be measured, the directional directions of the ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, and 8 can be accurately detected.

The direction of the ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, 8 having directivity is gradually changed by gradually changing the direction of the tip 3 of the probe 2 toward the equipment. When the fluid leaks from the equipment to be measured, when the directivity of the ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, 8 approaches the direction of the leak position, the ultrasonic waves radiated from the leak position are transmitted to the ultrasonic microphone 6 , 7, and 8 as an electric signal and sent to the signal processing circuit 11.

The electric signals detected by the ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, 8 are amplified by an amplifier 21, detected by a detector 23 through a filter 22, and rectified by a rectifier 24.
Are processed by the CPU 28 and displayed on the display unit 12. Further, the electric signal detected by the detection unit 23 is narrowed down to a certain level or more by the automatic volume control unit 25 and output to the headphones 14 through the output terminal 15. With this auto volume control unit 25,
It can protect your ears from abnormal sounds caused by sudden air blows.

When the directivity of the ultrasonic microphones 6, 7, 8 coincides with the leak position, the sensitivity becomes maximum. Therefore, the leak position can be accurately detected by the output value of the display unit 12 and the headphone 15 and the spot of the light beam. Then, the leak position can be recorded accurately by projecting the leak position together with the spot of the light beam by the camera 10. The video of the camera 10 is stored in the storage unit 27 and output to the personal computer 16 or the like through the input / output terminal 17.

Next, a second embodiment in which a camera is detachably mounted on a probe will be described with reference to FIGS. The probe 32 of the ultrasonic leak detection device 31 has a pistol shape,
It comprises an upper part 33 having an elliptical vertical section and a lower part 34 having a substantially rectangular cross section. A rubber cap 36 is detachably fitted to the left end 35 of the upper part 33. Cap 36
Has an opening at the left end. The outer diameter of the lower part 34 is large enough to be gripped by one hand.

An ultrasonic microphone (not shown) having directivity for detecting ultrasonic waves emitted from the equipment to be measured is provided at the left end 35 of the upper part 33, as in the first embodiment.
And a light source (not shown) for emitting a light beam in the same direction as the directing direction of the ultrasonic microphone.
The ultrasonic microphone is located at the apex of the regular hexagon, and the light source is located at the center of the six ultrasonic microphones (center of gravity of the regular hexagon).

A camera 37, such as a digital camera, for displaying an image in the direction of the ultrasonic microphone is fixed to a mounting member 39 with screws 38, and the mounting member 39 is mounted on a mounting plate 40 fixed to the upper part 33 of the probe 32 with screws 41. The camera 37 is removably disposed on the probe 32 by fixing the camera 37. In FIG. 3, the camera 37 can be disposed on the probe 32 by inclining left and right in FIG. 3 by rotating the mounting member 39 around the screw 41 and fixing it to the mounting plate 40.

In the probe 32, a signal processing circuit (not shown) similar to that of the first embodiment is provided. A display unit (not shown) such as a liquid crystal panel configuration for visually displaying a signal processed by the signal processing circuit is provided on the right end surface 42 of the upper part 33, similarly to the first embodiment, and a plurality of push button keys. An operation unit (not shown) having the configuration is provided. However, the power switch 43
Is provided at the upper left end of the lower part 34. An output terminal 44 for audibly outputting a signal processed by the signal processing circuit to a headphone or the like, and an input / output terminal 45 for connecting to a personal computer or the like are provided in the upper part 33.

When detecting the leakage position of the equipment to be measured,
The cap 36 is removed, the lower portion 34 of the probe 32 is grasped with one hand, and the power switch 43 is pressed, for example, with an index finger to turn it on. The operation until the leakage position is detected after the power switch 43 is turned on is the same as in the first embodiment. When the sensitivity of the ultrasonic microphone is maximized, the angle of the camera 37 is adjusted if necessary, and the leak position is projected on the camera 37 together with the light beam spot. If the surrounding noise is high, it is possible to detect an accurate leak sound by fitting the cap 36 to the left end 35 of the upper portion 33 and bringing the probe 32 close to the leak position or pressing the probe 32 to the leak position. it can.

[0021]

The present invention has the following specific effects. As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided an ultrasonic leak detection device capable of recording a leak position by projecting an image of a directivity direction of an ultrasonic microphone with a camera when an output value of an output unit is maximized. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an embodiment of an ultrasonic leak detection device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electric circuit of the ultrasonic leak detection device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an external view showing another embodiment of the ultrasonic leak detection device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 31 Ultrasonic leak detection device 2, 32 Probe 6, 7, 8 Ultrasonic microphone 9 Light source 10, 37 Camera 11 Signal processing circuit 12 Display unit 13 Operation unit 14 Headphones 16 Personal computer 21 Amplification unit 22 Filter unit 23 Detection unit 24 Rectification unit 25 Auto volume control unit 26 Laser drive unit 27 Storage unit 28 CPU 43 Power switch

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic microphone having directivity,
A signal processing circuit for processing an electric signal detected by the ultrasonic microphone, an output unit for visually and / or audibly outputting the signal processed by the signal processing circuit, and an image of a direction of the ultrasonic microphone An ultrasonic leak detection device, comprising: a camera for projecting the image; and a probe provided with at least the ultrasonic microphone and the camera. 2. The ultrasonic leak detection device according to claim 1, wherein a light source that emits a light beam in the same direction as the directing direction of the ultrasonic microphone is provided on the probe.