JP2002243575A - Ultrasonic leak detector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic leak detector capable of easily marking a leakage position of a facility. SOLUTION: This ultrasonic leak detector 1 comprises an ultrasonic microphone having directivity 7; a signal processing circuit 14 for processing an electric signal detected by the microphone 7; a display part 16 and headphone 19 for outputting a signal processed by the signal processing circuit 14; a light source 8 for emitting an optical beam in the same direction as the directing direction of the microphone 7; a camera 9 for projecting the image of the same direction as the directed direction of the microphone 7; a spray can 31 as marker means for marking the leakage position of the facility, and a probe 2 comprising at least the microphone 7 and spray can 31 arranged thereon. Ink is sprayed to the leakage position of the facility from the injection nozzle 36 of the spray can 31, whereby the leakage position can be easily marked.

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 the 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]

In the leak position detection by the above-mentioned conventional ultrasonic leak detection device, when the leak position is detected, a tag for indicating the leak is attached to the leak position of the equipment. Although this mark is used to repair the leaked position, there is a problem that the work of attaching the leaked tag is troublesome. Therefore, a technical problem of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic leak detection device that can easily mark a leak position of equipment.

[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 section for visually and / or audibly outputting a signal processed by the signal processing circuit, a marker means for marking a leak position of equipment, at least the ultrasonic microphone and the marker means And a probe disposed therein.

[0007]

According to the above-mentioned technical means of the present invention, when the output value of the output section becomes maximum, a mark is provided at the leak position of the equipment by the marker means, thereby marking the leak position. Can be easily attached.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows an external view of an ultrasonic leak detecting device of the present invention, FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an electric circuit of the ultrasonic leak detecting device of the present invention, and FIG. 3 shows an AA end view of FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. The probe 2 of the ultrasonic leak detector 1 has a pistol-shaped upper section 3 having an elliptical vertical section, a lower front section 4 having a cylindrical cross section, and a lower rear section 5 having a substantially rectangular cross section. The outer diameter of the front lower part 4 and the rear lower part 5 is large enough to be gripped by one hand.

At the left end 6 of the upper part 3, as shown in FIG.
An ultrasonic microphone 7 having directivity for detecting ultrasonic waves emitted from the equipment to be measured, a light source 8 such as a laser pointer for emitting a light beam in the same direction as the direction of the ultrasonic microphone 7, Is arranged. The ultrasonic microphone 7 is located at the vertex of a regular hexagon, and the light source 8 is located at the center of the six ultrasonic microphones 7 (center of gravity of the regular hexagon).
Located in.

A camera 9 such as a digital camera for displaying an image in the directional direction of the ultrasonic microphone 7 is fixed to a mounting member 11 with screws 10, and a mounting member 12 is fixed to a mounting plate 12 fixed to the right side of the upper part 3 with screws 13. By fixing 11, the camera 9 is removably arranged on the probe 2. The camera 9 can be disposed on the probe 2 by inclining left and right in FIG. 1 by rotating the mounting member 11 around the screw 13 and fixing it to the mounting plate 12.

A spray can 31 as a marker means is accommodated in the lower front part 4 from the lower end opening, and is closed with a cap 32. The upper part of the peripheral wall of the lower front part 4 has a spray opening
Has a finger insertion opening 34 on the rear side. Finger insertion opening 34
Then, for example, by inserting an index finger and pressing the operation button 35 of the spray can 31, ink is ejected from the ejection nozzle 36 of the spray can 31 through the ejection opening 33 of the lower front part 4 to the leak position of the equipment.

A signal processing circuit 14 is provided in the probe 2. As shown in FIG. 4, a display unit 16 such as a liquid crystal panel for visually displaying a signal processed by the signal processing circuit 14 and an operation unit having a plurality of push button keys are provided on the right end surface 15 of the upper part 3. And 17 are provided. A power switch 18 is provided at the upper left end of the lower rear portion 5. An output terminal 20 for audibly outputting a signal processed by the signal processing circuit 14 to the headphones 19 and the like, and an input / output terminal 22 for coupling to a personal computer 21 and the like are provided in the upper part 3.

The signal processing circuit 14 includes an amplifier 23, a filter 24, a detector 25, a rectifier 26, an automatic volume controller 27, a laser driver 28, a storage unit 29, and a CPU (central processing unit) 30. . The ultrasonic microphone 7 includes an amplifier 23, a filter 24, and a detector 2
5. Connected to the display unit 16 through the rectifying unit 26 and the CPU 30. The detection unit 25 and the CPU 30 are connected to the headphones 19 through the automatic volume control unit 27 and the output terminal 20. The CPU 30 is connected to the light source 8 through the laser driving unit 28 and is connected to the personal computer 21 through the input / output terminal 22. The camera 9 and the operation unit 17 are connected to the CPU 30.

In detecting the leak position of the equipment to be measured,
The rear lower part 5 of the probe 2 is grasped with one hand, and the power switch 18 is pressed with, for example, an index finger to turn it on. And
When the double circle key of the operation unit 17 is pressed, the laser drive unit 28
A light beam such as a laser beam is emitted from a light source 8 such as a laser pointer via the. Since the spot of the light beam indicates the directional direction of the ultrasonic microphone 7 to the equipment to be measured, the directional direction of the ultrasonic microphone 7 can be accurately detected.

By gradually changing the direction of the left end 6 of the upper part 3 of the probe 2 toward the equipment,
The directional direction of the ultrasonic microphone 7 having directivity is gradually changed. When the fluid leaks from the equipment to be measured, when the direction of the ultrasonic microphone 7 approaches the direction of the leak position, the ultrasonic waves radiated from the leak position are converted into electric signals by the ultrasonic microphone 7. It is detected and sent to the signal processing circuit 14.

The electric signal detected by the ultrasonic microphone 7 is amplified by the amplifier 23,
The signal is detected by the detection unit 25 through 4, rectified by the rectification unit 26, processed by the CPU 30, and displayed on the display unit 16.
The electric signal detected by the detection unit 24 is narrowed down by an auto volume control unit 27 to a signal equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and is output to the headphones 19 through the output terminal 20. With this automatic volume control unit 26, it is possible to protect the ear from abnormal sounds caused by sudden air blow or the like.

When the directional direction of the ultrasonic microphone 7 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 16 and the headphones 19 and the spot of the light beam. Then, the front lower part 4 of the probe 2 is grasped with one hand, for example, an index finger is inserted through the finger insertion opening 34 and the operation button 35 of the spray can 31 is pressed, and ink is ejected from the ejection nozzle 36 of the spray can 31.
By injecting into the leak position of the equipment through the injection opening 33 of the above, the leak position is marked. Then, if necessary, the angle of the camera 9 is adjusted, and the leak position marked with this mark is projected on the camera 9 to record an accurate leak position. The video of the camera 9 is stored in the storage unit 29 and output to the personal computer 21 or the like through the input / output terminal 22.

[0018]

The present invention has the following specific effects. As described above, according to the present invention, when the output value of the output unit is maximized, by marking the leakage position of the equipment with the marker means, it is possible to easily mark the leakage position with the ultrasonic leakage. A detection device can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external 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 a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 ultrasonic leak detection device 2 probe 7 ultrasonic microphone 8 light source 9 camera 14 signal processing circuit 16 display unit 17 operation unit 18 power switch 19 headphones 21 personal computer 23 amplifying unit 24 filter unit 25 detecting unit 26 rectifying unit 27 auto volume control unit 28 laser drive unit 29 storage unit 30 CPU 31 spray can 33 ejection opening 34 finger insertion opening 35 operation button 36 ejection nozzle

Claims (1)

[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 a marker for marking a leak position of the equipment And a probe provided with at least the ultrasonic microphone and the marker means.