JP2006313036A - Ignition failure detection device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To properly cope with an ignition failure by rapidly detecting the ignition failure occurring when an ignition device in a gas burning apparatus is deteriorated and to improve safety. <P>SOLUTION: This ignition failure detection device 100 is adapted to detect an ignition failure of a gas burning apparatus 3 and is provided with: a gas flow detection means 11 for detecting a gas flow rate of the gas burning apparatus 3; and an ignition failure determination means 12 for determining the occurrence of an ignition failure from history of the gas flow rate detected by the gas flow detection means 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ignition failure detection device that detects an ignition failure of a gas combustion device.

  The gas combustion device is provided with an ignition device, and when the user turns the operation knob, gas flows out and sparks are generated to ignite the gas. When the ignition device deteriorates, it becomes difficult to generate a spark even if the operation knob is turned, and the operation knob is turned many times for ignition. After that, as time passes and deterioration progresses, it is a normal pattern that when the user finally becomes unable to ignite automatically, the user makes a repair request as a failure.

  However, as described above, if the automatic ignition is difficult, the use is continued, it is likely to cause a gas leak, which is not preferable for safety. Accordingly, there has been an increasing demand for more quickly detecting deterioration and failure of the ignition device so that it can be dealt with accurately.

  The present invention has been proposed in view of the above, and it is possible to quickly detect an ignition failure that occurs when an ignition device in a gas combustion device deteriorates and to deal with it accurately, thereby improving safety. An object of the present invention is to provide an ignition failure detection device.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is an ignition failure detection device for detecting an ignition failure of a gas combustion device, a gas flow rate detecting means for detecting a gas flow rate of the gas combustion device, and the gas And an ignition failure determination means for determining whether or not there is an ignition failure from the history of the gas flow rate detected by the flow rate detection means.

  Further, in the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the configuration of the invention described in claim 1 described above, the ignition failure determination means includes an ignition normal gas flow pattern registered in advance and an initial gas flow rate. It is characterized in that it is determined whether or not there is an ignition failure by comparing with a history of gas flow rate detected over a predetermined time from the rising point of.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first or second aspect of the invention described above, the gas flow rate detection means is an electronic gas meter that detects the gas flow rate at regular time intervals. It is characterized by that.

  According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in addition to the configuration of the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, the ignition failure determining means recognizes an ignition operation from a history of gas flow rate, and the first ignition is performed. It is characterized in that it is determined that the ignition is defective when the ignition operation is repeatedly generated within a certain time from the operation.

  In addition to the configuration of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4 described above, the invention according to claim 5 is such that when the number of times that the ignition failure determination means determines that there is an ignition failure is a predetermined number or more, An informing means for informing that the ignition device of the gas combustion device is abnormal is provided.

  In the ignition failure detection device of the present invention, since it is determined whether or not there is an ignition failure from the history of the gas flow rate of the gas combustion device, the ignition failure that occurs when the ignition device in the gas combustion device is deteriorated. Can be promptly detected and dealt with accurately, and safety can be improved.

  In addition, it is determined whether or not there is an ignition failure by comparing a gas flow rate pattern registered in advance with a normal gas flow pattern and a history of gas flow rates detected over a predetermined time from the rising point of the first gas flow rate. Therefore, the determination can be performed reliably and accurately.

  In addition, since the gas flow rate is detected using an electronic gas meter that detects at regular time intervals, the instantaneous rise of the gas flow rate at the time of ignition can be reliably recognized, and ignition is based on that. Defects can be detected with high accuracy.

  Furthermore, the ignition operation is recognized from the history of the gas flow rate, and when the ignition operation is repeatedly generated within a certain time from the first ignition operation, it is determined that the ignition is defective, so the ignition failure is accurately detected. be able to.

  In addition, when the number of times it is determined that the ignition is defective is equal to or greater than the predetermined number of times, a notification that the ignition device of the gas combustion device is abnormal is made, so that the ignition failure can be dealt with at an appropriate timing. And safety can be sufficiently improved.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an ignition failure detection device according to the present invention. The ignition failure detection device 100 of the present invention is a device that detects an ignition failure of the gas combustion device 3. For example, an electronic device disposed in the gas pipe 4 between the high-pressure gas container 1 and the gas combustion device 3 in the house 2. Built in a gas meter 5. Examples of the gas combustion device 3 include a gas stove, an instantaneous gas water heater, a gas water heater, and the like.

  This ignition failure detection device 100 determines whether or not there is an ignition failure from the gas flow rate detection means 11 for detecting the gas flow rate of the gas combustion device 3 and the history of the gas flow rate detected by the gas flow rate detection means 11. A failure determination unit 12 and a notification unit 13 for notifying that the ignition device of the gas combustion device 3 is abnormal when the number of times that the ignition failure determination unit 12 determines that the ignition failure is a predetermined number or more. ing.

  The gas flow rate detection means 11, ignition failure determination means 12 and notification means 13 are provided in a microcomputer provided inside the electronic gas meter 5 or a microcomputer externally attached to the electronic gas meter 5, and are stored in a memory. The CPU includes a function for operating the CPU according to the software according to the invention.

  When the user turns the operation knob 3a of the gas combustion device 3 in the house 2, the LP gas supplied from the high-pressure gas container 1 flows out in the gas combustion device 3 according to the ignition operation, and the gas combustion device A spark is generated by an ignition device (not shown) provided in 3, and the LP gas is ignited by the spark and combustion starts. The electronic gas meter 5 detects the gas flow rate at that time.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a measurement principle by an electronic gas meter utilized as a gas flow rate detecting means. The electronic gas meter 5 obtains the gas flow rate as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, opposed ultrasonic sensors 51 and 52 are provided in a gas flow path 50 formed inside the electronic gas meter 5 so as to be diagonally opposed, and the gas flow from upstream to downstream is provided. Ultrasonic arrival time T1 and arrival time T2 from downstream to upstream are measured.

On the other hand, the arrival times T1 and T2 include the sound velocity C, the gas flow rate U, the distance (propagation distance) L between the ultrasonic sensors 51 and 52, the straight line connecting the ultrasonic sensors 51 and 52, and the direction in which the gas flows. The angle θ formed is expressed by the following formulas (1) and (2).

From the above equations (1) and (2), the gas flow velocity U can be obtained by the following equation (3).

  As can be seen from the above equation (3), the gas flow velocity U can be obtained using L and θ which are the installation conditions of the ultrasonic sensors 51 and 52 without being influenced by the sound velocity or temperature.

The gas flow rate Q can be obtained by the following equation (4) using the gas flow velocity U and the cross-sectional area S of the gas flow path 50. This gas flow rate Q is not an integrated value but an instantaneous flow rate at the time of measurement.

  The gas flow rate detection means 11 obtains this gas flow rate Q at regular time intervals, and stores and accumulates the data in the memory in time series.

  FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams showing a gas flow rate detection history. FIG. 3A shows a case where ignition is normal, and FIG. 3B shows a case where ignition is poor. 3A and 3B, the horizontal axis represents time t, and the vertical axis represents the gas flow rate Q. The plots in the figure are measurement data at regular time intervals, and the broken lines are assumed lines connecting the plots. When the user turns the operation knob 3a of the gas combustion device 3 to perform an ignition operation, the electronic gas meter 5 detects the gas flow rate Q accordingly.

  As described above, the gas flow rate detection means 11 obtains the gas flow rate Q measured by the electronic gas meter 5 at regular time intervals, and stores and accumulates the data in time series. In the detection history of the gas flow rate Q, when ignition is normally performed, as shown in FIG. 3A, the gas flow rate Qa that rises during the ignition operation and the opening degree of the operation knob 3a thereafter are determined. And a gas flow rate Qb flowing stably. On the other hand, in the case of poor ignition, as shown in FIG. 3B, the gas flow rate Qc that rises during the ignition operation, the gas flow rate Qd that flows according to the opening of the operation knob 3a, and the user notices the poor ignition. Then, the gas flow rate Qe that falls due to the closing of the operation knob 3a appears. Since the user performs the ignition operation several times, the gas flow rates Qc, Qd, and Qe appear repeatedly according to each of the ignition operations.

  The stable gas flow rate Qb at the time of normal ignition as shown in FIG. 3A has a width depending on the opening of the operation knob 3a, but is patterned including the width, The gas flow pattern at the time of normal ignition is registered in the memory in advance.

  The ignition failure determination unit 12 determines whether or not there is an ignition failure from the history of the gas flow rate detected by the gas flow rate detection unit 11. That is, whether the ignition normal gas flow pattern registered in advance and the history of the gas flow rate Q detected over a predetermined time (for example, 15 seconds) from the rising point of the first gas flow rate are not good. Determine whether or not.

  Further, as another determination method by the ignition failure determination means 12, the history of the gas flow rate Q is used, the rising Qc of the gas flow rate Q is recognized from the history and recognized as the ignition operation, and within a certain time from the first ignition operation. When the ignition operation repeatedly occurs, it may be determined that the ignition is defective. For example, when the ignition operation occurs three times within 5 seconds from the first ignition operation, it is determined that the ignition is defective.

  When the number of times that the ignition failure determination unit 12 determines that the ignition failure is poor is a predetermined number of times, for example, 3 times or more, the above-mentioned notification unit 13 is abnormal in the ignition device of the gas combustion device 3 by blinking the lamp 13a or the like. Notification to that effect. When this lamp 13a is arranged in the gas combustion device 3, the user can know the abnormality and can promptly contact the gas management center. Further, if the notification means 13 notifies the gas management center directly of the ignition failure via the communication line, the gas management center can respond more promptly.

  As described above, in the ignition failure detection device 100 according to the present invention, the gas flow rate Q of the gas combustion device 3 is detected at regular time intervals using the electronic gas meter 5. The instantaneous gas flow rate can be obtained, and the instantaneous rise Qc of the gas flow rate Q at the time of ignition can be reliably recognized. Therefore, it is possible to accurately detect the ignition failure based on that. Note that in a conventional gas meter using a diaphragm, the gas flow rate is an integrated value, and therefore the rising Qc of the gas flow rate Q cannot be detected, and the ignition failure cannot be detected.

  Further, in the present invention, it is determined from the history of the gas flow rate Q whether or not there is an ignition failure. Therefore, the ignition failure that occurs when the ignition device in the gas combustion device 3 deteriorates can be detected quickly and accurately. It can be dealt with and safety can be improved.

  In addition, a pre-registered normal gas flow pattern for ignition is compared with a history of the gas flow rate Q detected over a predetermined time from the first rising time of the gas flow to determine whether or not the ignition is defective. Since it did in this way, discrimination | determination can be performed reliably and exactly.

  In addition, the ignition operation is recognized from the history of the gas flow rate Q, and when the ignition operation is repeatedly generated within a certain time from the first ignition operation, it is determined that the ignition is defective, so the ignition failure is accurately detected. can do.

  In addition, when the number of times that the ignition failure is determined is equal to or greater than the predetermined number of times, the ignition device of the gas combustion device 3 is notified that the ignition device is abnormal, so that the ignition failure is dealt with at an appropriate timing. And safety can be sufficiently improved.

  In the above description, LP gas flows through the gas combustion device 3, but the present invention can be similarly configured even when other gas other than LP gas, such as city gas, flows.

It is explanatory drawing of the ignition failure detection apparatus of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the measurement principle by the electronic gas meter utilized as a gas flow rate detection means. It is a figure which shows the detection log | history of a gas flow rate, (a) has shown the case where ignition is normal, (b) has each shown the case where ignition is poor.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 High pressure gas container 2 House 3 Gas combustion apparatus 3a Operation knob 4 Gas piping 5 Electronic gas meter 11 Gas flow rate detection means 12 Ignition failure discrimination means 13 Notification means 13a Lamp 50 Gas flow path 51 Ultrasonic sensor 52 Ultrasonic sensor 100 Ignition Defect detection device

Claims (5)

In the ignition failure detection device that detects the ignition failure of the gas combustion equipment,
A gas flow rate detecting means for detecting a gas flow rate of the gas combustion device;
From the history of the gas flow rate detected by the gas flow rate detection means, an ignition failure determination means for determining whether or not there is an ignition failure;
An ignition failure detection device comprising:   The ignition failure determination means compares the gas flow pattern in the normal ignition state registered in advance with the history of the gas flow rate detected over a predetermined time from the rising point of the first gas flow rate to determine whether the ignition failure is present. The ignition failure detection device according to claim 1, which determines whether or not.   The ignition failure detection device according to claim 1, wherein the gas flow rate detection means is an electronic gas meter that detects a gas flow rate at regular time intervals.   The ignition failure determining means recognizes an ignition operation from a history of gas flow rate, and determines that it is an ignition failure when the ignition operation repeatedly occurs within a predetermined time from the first ignition operation. The ignition failure detection device according to any one of the preceding claims.   Any one of Claim 1 to 4 provided with the alerting | reporting means which alert | reports that the ignition device of a gas combustion apparatus is abnormal when the frequency | count that the said ignition failure discrimination means discriminate | determined that it is an ignition failure is more than predetermined number. The ignition failure detection device according to item.

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