JP2009115404A - Automatic reset operation method for gas cut-off device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic reset operation method for a gas cut-off device improving safety when automatic reset operation at the occurrence of gas cut-off by a seismoscope sensor is based on detection not by an earthquake but by temporary impact. <P>SOLUTION: Automatic reset operation at the occurrence of gas cut-off by the seismoscope sensor is started when receiving signals of vibration abnormality from a plurality of seismoscope sensors installed in adjacent areas, and if there is no abnormality of a flow measuring part, the seismoscope sensors and pressure sensors after opening a passage, reuse is permitted as it is, while when not receiving the signals, automatic reset operation is not started, and an informing part informs the outside to that effect. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gas shut-off when an abnormality occurs in a gas meter and an automatic return operation method for opening the gas thereafter.

  Conventionally, in this type of automatic shut-off operation method for gas shut-off devices, whether or not an auto-return operation after shut-down due to an abnormality occurs depends on the cause of the shut-off or the occurrence of an earthquake having a seismic intensity of a predetermined level or higher. The determination was made only by confirming no abnormality at each abnormality confirmation site (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In FIG. 3, the flow path 1 through which the gas flows, the flow rate measuring unit 2 that measures the flow rate of the flow path, the shut-off valve 3 that opens and closes the flow path, the drive unit 4 that drives the shut-off valve 3 to open and close, A seismic sensor 5 for detecting an earthquake having a pressure, a pressure sensor 6 for detecting a pressure drop in the flow path 1, and the flow path 1 by shutting off the flow path 1 upon receipt of an abnormality detection signal and the automatic return operation after the shut-off. It consists of the control part 8 which outputs the signal which performs opening, and the structure of the gas meter 10 which comprises the above inside.

  The operation based on the automatic return operation method having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 4. Is detected, the drive unit 4 is operated by the control unit 8 to close the shut-off valve 3, and the gas flow path 1 is shut off.

Thereafter, as an automatic return operation, in order to check the state of each abnormality confirmation part, the drive unit 4 is operated to open the shut-off valve 2 of the channel 1 in the shut-off state to open the gas, and the flow measuring unit 2 Then, the presence or absence of each abnormality of the seismic sensor 5 and the pressure sensor 6 is confirmed for a predetermined time. If no abnormality is detected, the shut-off valve 3 is kept open to complete the automatic return operation.
JP 2005-188925 A

  However, in the conventional method, the vibration abnormality of the seismic sensor is detected in the seismic sensor unit, the flow path or the flow path in addition to the case where the vibration abnormality is detected because an earthquake having a seismic intensity of a predetermined level or more has occurred. It is assumed that a vibration abnormality is detected because a sudden impact is applied to the connected gas piping.

  In other words, although it depends on the structure and characteristics of the seismic sensor, in the case of a relatively inexpensive and simple structure, a sudden shock may be detected as a vibration abnormality.

  Originally, in the case of an earthquake with a seismic intensity greater than the desired level to be detected, if there is no abnormality in the seismic sensor and other abnormality confirmation parts after the earthquake has stopped, there is no problem with the opening of the gas because there is very little influence from the earthquake. However, in the case of a sudden impact, it cannot be denied that the reliability of the seismic sensor and other anomaly confirmation sites has been impaired depending on the magnitude of the impact force due to the sudden impact. Therefore, it cannot be determined that the detection is normal, and the automatic return operation may cause a safety problem.

In order to solve the above problems, the automatic shutoff operation method of the gas shutoff device according to the present invention is an external device for transmitting occurrence information of an earthquake having a seismic intensity of a predetermined level or more when the cause of the shutoff is a vibration abnormality detected by a seismic sensor In order to check the state of each abnormality confirmation part as an automatic return operation when there is an external receiving part that can receive the signal from Open the gas, check the flow measuring unit, the seismic sensor, and the pressure sensor for the specified time, and if no abnormality is detected, keep the shut-off valve open and automatically return Complete driving. On the other hand, automatic return operation is not performed when there is no reception.

  In addition, the external receiver shall be able to receive radio waves belonging to the low-frequency band by radio as earthquake occurrence information with a seismic intensity greater than a predetermined level, thereby taking into account the avoidance of wired trouble and the certainty of radio wave reception performance To do.

  In addition, as an automatic return operation when it is shut down by detecting vibration abnormality of the seismic sensor, the external receiver can receive detection of vibration abnormality of multiple seismic sensor installed in adjacent areas, When there is a plurality of such receptions, it is determined that the earthquake has occurred, and when there is no reception thereof, it is determined that there is no occurrence of the earthquake, thereby distinguishing the earthquake from a sudden impact. It can be done more accurately. Further, the notification unit notifies that the automatic return operation has not been performed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to improve safety when the detection of the vibration abnormality by the seismic sensor is not due to an earthquake having a seismic intensity greater than or equal to the original value but due to a sudden impact. In other words, considering the possibility that the reliability of the seismic sensor and other parts may be lost due to an unexpected impact of an unexpected impact force, the automatic recovery operation is not performed, and it can be blocked by another cause other than an earthquake. It can be notified that there is.

  A first invention includes a flow path through which a gas flows, a flow rate measurement unit that measures the flow rate of the flow path, a shut-off valve that opens and closes the flow path, a drive part that drives the shut-off valve to open and close, and a predetermined amount or more Seismic sensor for detecting an earthquake having a seismic intensity, pressure sensor for detecting a pressure drop in the flow path, an external receiver for receiving information on occurrence of an earthquake having a seismic intensity exceeding a predetermined level, and anomaly detection In the control unit that outputs a signal to open the flow path by the automatic return operation after the interruption of the flow path due to receiving the signal of the flow, when the flow rate abnormality is detected in the flow measurement section, or the seismic When the abnormal vibration is detected by the sensor or when the abnormal pressure is detected by the pressure sensor, the shut-off valve is closed by the operation of the driving unit according to the signal from the control unit, and the flow path is shut off. And the seismic sensor As an automatic return operation in the case of interruption due to detection of vibration abnormality, when the occurrence information of an earthquake having a seismic intensity of a predetermined level or more is received at the external receiving unit, a signal from the control unit When the shut-off valve is opened by operation and the flow measuring unit, the seismic sensor, and the pressure sensor detect that there is no abnormality for a predetermined time, the shut-off valve continues to open, and any abnormality is detected. Is detected, the shutoff valve is closed by the operation of the drive unit to shut off the flow path. On the other hand, if the external reception unit does not receive the signal, the automatic return operation is not performed.

  In the second aspect of the invention, the external receiving unit can receive radio waves belonging to a low frequency band by radio as earthquake occurrence information having a seismic intensity greater than or equal to a predetermined level.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, as an automatic return operation when the vibration is detected by detecting a vibration abnormality of the seismic sensor, the external receiving unit has a plurality of sensations that act in conjunction with the seismic sensor installed in an adjacent area. The detection of the vibration abnormality of the seismic sensor can be received, and when there are a plurality of receptions, it is determined that the earthquake has occurred, and when there is no reception, it is determined that the earthquake has not occurred.

  4th invention alert | reports to the exterior, when not performing an automatic return driving | operation.

  A fifth invention is a gas shut-off device that performs automatic return after gas shut-off using the automatic return operation method of the first to fourth inventions.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a gas shut-off device that realizes an automatic return operation method according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the method.

  In FIG. 1, 1 is a flow path through which gas flows, 2 is a flow measurement unit that measures the flow rate of the flow path 1 and outputs a signal when the flow rate is abnormal, 3 is a shut-off valve that opens and closes the flow path 1, and 4 is a shut-off valve Drive unit 3 for opening / closing driving, 5 is a seismic sensor that detects earthquake vibration and outputs a signal when the vibration is abnormal, 6 is a pressure sensor that detects a pressure drop in the flow path 1 and outputs a signal when the pressure is abnormal , 7 is an external receiver that receives vibration abnormality signals of a plurality of seismic sensor sensors that operate in the same manner as the seismic sensor 5 installed in an adjacent area, and 8 outputs an abnormality signal from each abnormality confirmation part. , A control unit for outputting a signal for performing an opening operation of the shut-off valve 3 as a shut-off operation of the shut-off valve 3 and an automatic return operation after the shut-off, 9 is a notifying unit for notifying the outside when the automatic return operation is not performed, It is a gas meter which constitutes inside.

  In FIG. 2, while the abnormality is always detected, when the flow rate is abnormal in the flow measurement unit 2, the vibration is abnormal in the seismic sensor 5, or the pressure is abnormal in the pressure sensor 6, When driven, the shut-off valve 3 operates to shut off the flow path 1 and stop the passage of gas.

  At that time, the abnormal time in the seismic sensor 5 is classified as a constant K = 1.

  As the automatic return operation after the shut-off, if the constant K ≠ 1, after a predetermined time has elapsed, the shut-off valve 3 is operated by driving the drive unit 4 to open the flow path 1, and again with the flow rate measurement unit 2 to sense vibration The presence or absence of abnormality in the vessel sensor 5 and the pressure sensor 6 is confirmed. If there is no abnormality, the shut-off valve 3 is left open.

  On the other hand, if the constant K is not 1, if there is a signal from the outside to the external receiving unit 7, the presence or absence of abnormality in each abnormality confirmation part is confirmed in the same manner as described above. 3 is an open state.

  When the external receiving unit 7 does not receive an external signal, the notification unit 9 notifies the outside without moving to the automatic return operation.

  According to the present embodiment, when an earthquake with a seismic sensor 5 is interrupted and an earthquake having a seismic intensity of a predetermined level or more has occurred, the earthquake stops, and if there is no abnormality in the structure of the gas meter 9, automatic It is assumed that the opening of gas can be resumed as a return operation.

  However, if the seismic sensor 5 shuts off and an earthquake with a seismic intensity greater than the specified level has not occurred, it is assumed that an impact similar to that of an earthquake has been applied to the gas meter 9, and automatic recovery is performed. Do not drive.

  That is, it cannot be determined whether or not the abnormality confirmation of each abnormality confirmation part performed at the start of the automatic return operation is accurately detected due to the impact.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the start of the automatic return operation is selected depending on whether the gas passage as a safety device is due to an earthquake or a single impact on the gas meter. It combines the convenience and safety of automatic return.

The block diagram of the gas interruption | blocking apparatus in the 1st Embodiment of this invention The flowchart of the automatic return driving | operation method in the 1st Embodiment of this invention Configuration diagram of conventional gas shut-off device Conventional automatic return operation method flowchart

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Flow path 2 Flow measurement part 3 Shut-off valve 4 Drive part 5 Seismic sensor 6 Pressure sensor 7 External receiving part 8 Control part 9 Notification part 10 Gas meter

Claims (5)

A gas flow path, a flow rate measuring unit for measuring the flow rate of the flow path, a shutoff valve for opening and closing the flow path, a drive part for opening and closing the shutoff valve, and an earthquake having a seismic intensity greater than or equal to a predetermined level. A sensor for detecting a seismic sensor, a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure drop in the flow path, an external receiving unit for receiving information on occurrence of an earthquake having a seismic intensity of a predetermined level or more from the outside, and receiving an abnormality detection signal. In the control unit that outputs a signal to open the flow path by the automatic shut-off operation after the interruption of the flow path or after the interruption, when the flow measurement unit detects a flow abnormality or the vibration sensor detects abnormal vibration Or when a pressure abnormality is detected by the pressure sensor, the shut-off valve is closed by the operation of the drive unit according to a signal from the control unit to shut off the flow path and Of sensor vibration As an automatic return operation in the case of shutting off by an outing, when the occurrence information of an earthquake having a seismic intensity of a predetermined level or more is received by the external receiving unit, the shutting off by the operation of the driving unit by a signal from the control unit When the valve is opened and the flow measuring unit, the seismic sensor, and the pressure sensor detect that there is no abnormality for a predetermined time, the shutoff valve continues to open, and if any abnormality is detected, A gas shut-off device characterized in that the shut-off valve is closed by an operation of a drive part to shut off the flow path, and when there is no reception at the external receiving part, no automatic return operation is performed. Automatic return operation method. The method of claim 1, wherein the external receiving unit can receive radio waves belonging to a low frequency band by radio as earthquake occurrence information having a seismic intensity greater than or equal to a predetermined level. As an automatic return operation when the vibration is detected by detecting the vibration of the seismic sensor, the external receiving unit is operated with vibrations of a plurality of seismic sensors that operate in the same manner as the seismic sensor installed in an adjacent area. The gas shut-off characterized in that it is determined that the earthquake has occurred when there are a plurality of receptions, and that there is no occurrence of the earthquake when there is no reception thereof. Automatic return operation method of the device. An automatic return operation method for a gas shut-off device, comprising a notification unit that notifies the outside when the automatic return operation is not performed. A gas shut-off device that performs automatic return after gas shut-off using the automatic return operation method according to any one of claims 1 to 4.