JP2010110047A - Monitor for uninterruptible power supply unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a monitor for UPS, which estimates the capacity of a storage battery that an unmonitored UPS includes. <P>SOLUTION: This monitor monitors uninterruptible power supply units, which have storage batteries installed in the same arrangement area, and records deterioration data, which show the transition of capacity to the passage period after installation of the storage batteries, in a database, and estimates the capacity of uninterruptible power supply units that are installed in the same arrangement area as the above uninterruptible power supply units and are not monitored by the monitor, based on the deterioration data and the passage period after installation of the storage battery. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a monitoring device for an uninterruptible power supply, and more particularly to estimation of a storage battery capacity of the uninterruptible power supply.

  An uninterruptible power supply (hereinafter referred to as “UPS”) supplies power from a built-in storage battery in the event of a sudden power outage or momentary voltage drop. It supplies power without interruption. It is also known that lead storage batteries widely used for UPS have a life-span, and their capacity decreases with the passage of time after installation. The lifetime is generally several years, but it is not constant because it varies depending on the usage frequency of the storage battery and the installation environment. If the storage battery is not replaced after the end of its life, the UPS will not function when a power failure occurs, resulting in damage due to the computer being stopped.

  For this reason, conventionally, it has been urged to replace the storage battery by providing a function for outputting a storage battery replacement warning on the display panel of the UPS main body, or by connecting the UPS and the service center via a wide area network for remote monitoring. ing. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system in which a UPS and a service center are connected via a communication line to acquire information related to a storage battery, and the service center prompts replacement.

JP2002-287857

  However, in the above conventional technology, when the user who uses the UPS is not interested in the maintenance of the storage battery and is not aware of the warning about the replacement of the storage battery, or when the user dislikes the cost increase and does not introduce the remote monitoring service. The ratio of monitoring to the total number of UPS delivered by the manufacturer did not reach 100%. Also, if the UPS user who is missing from the monitoring is not conducting the self-inspection, even if the UPS does not function because the storage battery is not replaced, if the damage is significant, the information of the supplier will be spread and the result In particular, there was a case that led to a decline in the brand image of manufacturers.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a UPS monitoring device that can estimate the capacity of a storage battery of a UPS that is not monitored.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention monitors at least one uninterruptible power supply device among a plurality of uninterruptible power supply devices having storage batteries installed in the same distribution area, and has a capacity with respect to an elapsed period after the installation of the storage battery. In a monitoring device for an uninterruptible power supply that records deterioration data representing changes in the database, the capacity of the storage battery of the uninterruptible power supply that is not monitored by the monitoring device is represented by the deterioration data and the elapsed period after installation of the storage battery. It estimates based on.

  In general, specifications in Japan for lead-acid batteries used in UPS are defined by JIS C8701, JIS C8702, JEM TR204, and JEM TR215. According to them, factors that greatly affect the deterioration of the storage battery are the ambient temperature of the storage battery, the number of times of charging / discharging the UPS and the depth of discharge, that is, the frequency of use due to a power failure. Among them, the deterioration due to the ambient temperature of the storage battery is based on Arrhenius' law that the grid of the electrode plate in the storage battery is corroded at a rate twice as high as every 10 ° C. However, the deterioration rate is less than 25 ° C. Almost no change, and when the temperature exceeds 25 ° C., the deterioration rate increases.

  However, in the case of a large UPS installed in an electric room of a facility such as a hospital, it is generally arranged in a room where air conditioning equipment is installed, and the temperature is kept below 25 ° C. The influence of deterioration due to the ambient temperature of the storage battery is small. Therefore, in the case of a storage battery that is air-conditioned, the influence of deterioration due to the frequency of use increases. Since UPS is a facility that functions in the event of a power failure, the frequency of use is considered to depend on the state of power infrastructure development in the area where it is installed, and the frequency trend is somewhat similar in the same distribution area. Conceivable.

  According to the present invention, even if a user who uses a UPS does not introduce a remote monitoring service or does not carry out a self-inspection, if there is a UPS monitored in the same distribution area, the manufacturer can reduce the capacity of the storage battery. Since it is possible to estimate, it is possible to perform sales activities that encourage replacement of storage batteries, and to prepare replacement parts that are assumed to cause UPS output stoppage accidents, thereby improving maintenance capability and product brand. In addition, as capacity estimation, for example, when estimating the capacity of an unsupervised UPS storage battery when 14 months have elapsed from the time of installation, when 14 months have elapsed since the installation of monitored UPS degradation data A method of applying the capacity as it is can be taken. At this time, it is preferable that the installation time is the same UPS. Moreover, the installation season may be the same, and in this case, deterioration data from several years ago may be used. It is desirable that the UPS battery type is the same.

  In this case, the standard deterioration data representing the transition of the capacity with respect to the unused period of the storage battery is recorded in the database, and the ratio of the elapsed period to the change in the same capacity of the deterioration data and the standard deterioration data is obtained. It can also be configured to estimate a period until the capacity of the storage battery of the uninterruptible power supply that is not monitored becomes a certain capacity from the ratio.

  Thereby, it is possible to estimate a period until the capacity of the UPS storage battery that is not monitored reaches a certain capacity. That is, for example, in the degraded data, the elapsed period in which the capacity decreases from 80% to 60% with respect to the rated capacity is 14 months, and in the standard degraded data, the elapsed period in which the capacity decreases from 80% to 60% is 18 months. In some cases, the ratio of elapsed time is 14 ÷ 18≈0.778. Here, assuming that the period until the capacity of an unsupervised UPS storage battery reaches 50% is assumed, if the elapsed period until the capacity reaches 50% in the standard deterioration data is 84 months, 84 × 0 It is estimated that the capacity will be 50% in 65 months. The standard deterioration data is a record of changes in the capacity of the storage battery with respect to spontaneous discharge, and is obtained during a performance test of the storage battery and is a record for each type of storage battery.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the UPS monitoring apparatus which can estimate the capacity | capacitance of the storage battery which UPS which is not monitored has can be provided.

  Embodiments of a maintenance management system using a UPS monitoring apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration example of a UPS maintenance management system according to the present embodiment. The distribution area where the UPS is installed includes a distribution substation 2, a power supply bus 4, an emergency power interruption circuit breaker 6, a regional distribution distribution line 8, and a distribution line 8. There are buildings 9, 10, and 11 to which power is supplied. The buildings 9, 10, and 11 are different facilities such as hospitals, respectively. In this embodiment, the same configuration is used, and the configuration of the building 9 will be described below.

  The building 9 includes a transformer 14 that converts the voltage of the distribution line 8 into a voltage corresponding to loads 12 and 13 such as a computer, and a UPS 15 provided between the transformer 14 and the load 12. The UPS 15 is configured to supply power to the load 12 instead when the supply of power from the distribution substation 2 stops or decreases.

  In this embodiment, it is assumed that the buildings 9 and 11 have introduced the monitoring service of the maintenance service company 24 and the building 10 has not introduced the monitoring service. Information recorded in the UPS 15 of the building 9 is stored in a service person of the maintenance service company 24 using a portable terminal 26 such as a notebook personal computer, an information terminal 28 such as a personal computer of the maintenance service company 24, a communication line 34, and a wide area network. The information is transmitted to the remote monitoring center 32 via 30. Information recorded in the UPS 23 of the building 11 is transmitted to the remote monitoring center 32 via the communication line 34 and the wide area network 30.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal system configuration of the UPS 15. The UPSs 19 and 23 have the same configuration. In general, there are three types of UPSs, a constant commercial power supply method, a line interactive method, and a constant inverter power supply method. In this embodiment, the most common continuous power supply method will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the UPS 15 includes a converter 36, an inverter 38, a storage battery 40 that is a lead storage battery, a recording device 42, a communication device 44 such as a router, and an interface 46 such as an Ethernet (registered trademark) communication port. Is provided. When the power from the distribution line 8 is supplied via the transformer 14, that is, when commercial power is energized, the converter 36 converts the power from alternating current to direct current and supplies it to the inverter 38 or the storage battery 40. .

  The storage battery 40 obtains power from the converter 36 and charges it when commercial power is energized, and discharges and supplies DC power to the inverter 38 when power from the distribution line 8 is not supplied, that is, during a power failure. To do. The inverter 38 obtains electric power from the converter 36 when the commercial electric power is energized, and obtains electric power from the storage battery 40 at the time of a power failure, converts it from direct current to alternating current, and supplies it to the load 12.

  The recording device 42 acquires and records the capacity and recording date of the storage battery 40 as facility operation information described later. The capacity is determined by the product of the discharge current and the time taken for the terminal voltage of the storage battery to reach the end-of-discharge voltage by discharging a constant ratio of the current to the rated capacity of the storage battery. The communication device 44 is connected to the wide area network 30 and transmits facility operation information of the recording device 42 to the remote monitoring center 32. The interface 46 performs relay for the portable terminal 26 to acquire the equipment operation information of the recording device 42.

  FIG. 3 is a configuration example of the remote monitoring center 32 and the arithmetic processing unit 50 which are the characteristic parts of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the remote monitoring center 32 includes a communication device 48 such as a router, an arithmetic processing device 50, a display device 52 such as a display, an equipment management information database 54, a deterioration initial information database 56, and equipment operation. An information database 58, a deterioration prediction information database 60, and an input / output terminal 62 for browsing or editing information of each database are provided, and each database has a function as a storage unit of the arithmetic processing unit 50. The communication device 48 is connected to the UPS 23 of the building 11 and the information terminal 28 of the maintenance service company 24 via the wide area network 30 and the communication line 34.

  In the equipment management information database 54, equipment management information of UPS 15, 19, and 23 is recorded using the input / output terminal 62. In the deterioration initial information database 56, deterioration initial information of the UPS 15, 19, 23 is recorded using the input / output terminal 62. In the equipment operation information database 58, the equipment operation information of the UPSs 15 and 23 transmitted via the wide area network 30 is recorded by the arithmetic processing device 50. In the deterioration prediction information database 60, deterioration prediction information for the UPS 19 is calculated and recorded by the processing device 50.

  The processing device 50 includes a processing unit 64, a transmission / reception processing unit 66, an input / output processing unit 68, and a display processing unit 70. The transmission / reception processing unit 66 has a function of transmitting / receiving information to / from the wide area network 30 via the communication device 48. The input / output processing unit 68 has a function of inputting / outputting information to / from the input / output terminal 62. The display processing unit 70 has a function of displaying information on the display device 52. The processing unit 64 includes an equipment operation information acquisition unit (automatic) 72, an equipment operation information acquisition unit (manual) 74, a deterioration prediction unit 76, and a deterioration prediction information generation unit 78.

  The equipment operation information acquisition unit (automatic) 72 has a function of acquiring the equipment operation information of the UPS 23 via the wide area network 30 and recording it in the equipment operation information database 58. The equipment operation information acquisition unit (manual) 74 has a function of acquiring the equipment operation information of the UPS 15 via the mobile terminal 26, the information terminal 28, and the wide area network 30 and recording it in the equipment operation information database 58.

  The deterioration prediction unit 76 has a function of calculating deterioration prediction information for the future of the UPS 19 based on information recorded in the facility operation information database 58 and the deterioration initial information database 56 and recording it in the deterioration prediction information database 60. The deterioration prediction information generation unit 78 has a function of creating a future deterioration prediction of the UPS 19 based on information recorded in the facility management information database 58 and the deterioration prediction information database 56.

  Each unit included in the arithmetic processing unit 50 is developed by a maintenance management program stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) (not shown) or a HD (Hard Disk) (not shown) in a RAM (Random Access Memory) (not shown). It is executed by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that does not.

  FIG. 4 is a configuration example of facility management information recorded in the facility management information database 54. In the facility management information, information related to UPS including UPS 15, 19, and 23 managed by the remote monitoring center 32 is recorded for each power distribution area. The equipment management information includes the UPS identification number managed by the remote monitoring center 32, the UPS storage battery type, the installation facility including the buildings 9, 10, and 11, the UPS start-up date, the UPS storage battery replacement date, the UPS Is composed of information on the distribution substation to which is connected and the distribution line to which the UPS is connected. Each piece of facility management information is information input by the manufacturer when the UPS is installed and when the storage battery is replaced, and is recorded regardless of whether or not the monitoring service is introduced.

  FIG. 5 is a configuration example of deterioration initial information recorded in the deterioration initial information database 56. In the deterioration initial information, the transition of the storage battery capacity with respect to the unused period of the UPS 15, 19, 23 managed by the remote monitoring center 32 is recorded. The initial deterioration information is acquired by the manufacturer for each model by performing a performance test of the storage battery, and is input by the manufacturer when the UPS is installed, and is recorded regardless of whether the monitoring service is introduced.

  FIG. 6 is a configuration example of facility operation information recorded in the facility operation information database 58. In the facility operation information, the transition of the storage battery capacity with respect to the elapsed period after installation is recorded for the UPSs 15 and 23 monitored by the remote monitoring center 32.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing equipment operation information acquisition processing performed by the equipment operation information processing unit (automatic) 72. The facility operation information processing unit (automatic) 72 determines whether or not one month has passed since the previous processing by using a counter owned by itself (step 1). If the result of Step 1 has elapsed, the transmission of the equipment operation information is requested to all UPS recording devices 42 connected to the wide area network 30 including the UPS 23 (Step 2).

  As a result of step 2, the equipment operation information is transmitted from the recording device 42 of each UPS to the arithmetic processing unit 50 of the remote monitoring center 32, and the equipment operation information acquisition unit (automatic) 72 includes the UPS included in the transmitted equipment operation information. The recognition number is compared with the UPS recognition number recorded in the facility management information database 54 to confirm that they match (step 3). As a result of step 3, if both match, the storage battery capacity and the recording date are newly recorded in the equipment operation information database 58 in the transmitted equipment operation information (step 4).

  As a result of step 4, the elapsed time is calculated from the operation start date or the storage battery replacement date among the facility management information recorded in the facility management information database 54 and the record date acquired this time, and the facility operation information database 58 is obtained. The elapsed period is recorded in (Step 5). Steps 3, 4, and 5 described above are executed for all UPS recording devices 42 connected to the wide area network 30.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing equipment operation information acquisition processing performed by the equipment operation information processing unit (manual) 74. The equipment operation information processing unit (manual) 74 determines whether or not the equipment operation information is transmitted from the portable terminal 26, that is, the arithmetic processing unit 50 of the remote monitoring center 32 has received the equipment operation information. (Step 21). As a result of step 21, the UPS recognition number included in the received facility operation information is collated with the UPS recognition number recorded in the facility management information database 54 to confirm that they match (step 22).

  As a result of step 22, when both match, the capacity of the storage battery and the recording date are newly recorded in the equipment operation information database 58 among the received equipment operation information (step 23). As a result of step 23, the elapsed time is calculated from the operation start date or the storage battery replacement date of the facility management information recorded in the facility management information database 58 and the record date acquired this time, and the facility operation information database 58 The elapsed period is recorded (step 24). The flowchart shown in FIG. 8 is performed each time a service person of the maintenance service company 24 acquires and transmits equipment operation information from the UPS 15 using the portable terminal 26.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a storage battery deterioration prediction process performed by the deterioration prediction unit 76. The deterioration predicting unit 76 determines whether or not one month has passed since the previous process by using a counter owned by the deterioration predicting unit 76. (Step 31). If one month has passed as a result of step 31, it is determined whether or not there is a UPS that is connected to the distribution line 8 to which the UPS 19 is connected and that is monitored by the remote monitoring center 32 and has equipment operation information (step 31). 32).

  As a result of step 32, if there is a UPS having equipment operation information, the elapsed period ratio R is calculated from the equipment operation information and the initial deterioration information of the UPS (step 33). Regarding the ratio R, for example, in the equipment operation information, the period in which the capacity is degraded from 80% to 60% is 14 months, and in the initial degradation information, the period in which the capacity is degraded from 80% to 60% is 18 months. In some cases, the ratio R is R = 14 ÷ 18≈0.778. When there are a plurality of UPSs that hold facility operation information, R is the average value of the calculated ratios.

  If the result of step 32 is that there is no UPS that holds the equipment operation information, the remote monitoring center 32 determines whether or not there is a UPS that holds the equipment operation information for the distribution substation connected to the capacity prediction target UPS ( Step 34). That is, in step 34, a UPS that is monitored in a wider range is searched.

  As a result of step 34, if there is a UPS having equipment operation information, an elapsed period ratio R is calculated from the equipment operation information and deterioration initial information of the UPS (step 35). In addition, when there are a plurality of UPSs that hold facility operation information, R is the average value of the calculated ratios. As a result of step 34, when there is no UPS having the equipment operation information, information indicating that the capacity cannot be predicted for the capacity prediction target UPS is recorded (step 36).

  When passing through step 33 or step 35, the deterioration prediction of the capacity prediction target UPS from the initial deterioration information of the capacity prediction target UPS and the operation management date of the facility management information and the ratio R calculated in step 33 or step 35. A numerical value is calculated and the result is recorded in the deterioration prediction information database 60 (step 37). Note that when R≈0.778 and the elapsed time until the capacity reaches 50% is 84 months in the deterioration initial information, the prediction period until the capacity deteriorates to 50% for the target UPS is 84 × 0. .778≈65 months. The above steps are performed for all unmonitored UPSs.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the deterioration forecast. The deterioration prediction information generation unit 78 in the processing unit 50 of the remote monitoring center 32 is recorded in the facility management information database 54 for all UPSs including the UPS 19 that does not have facility operation information in the remote monitoring center 32. The deterioration forecast shown in FIG. 10 is created from the operation start date and the deterioration prediction information recorded in the deterioration prediction information database 60.

  FIG. 11 is an example of a graph showing the transition of the storage battery capacity of this example. In FIG. 11, the vertical axis represents the ratio when the rated capacity of the UPS storage battery is 100%, and the horizontal axis represents the UPS usage period. According to Japanese Industrial Standards JIS C8701 and JIS C8702, for lead-acid batteries used in UPS, the change in capacity during use is generally assumed to be as shown in FIG. 11, and when the capacity deteriorates to 50% of the rated capacity. Is the life of the storage battery. The graph of FIG. 11 is a transition obtained when a certain use condition is continued, and the length of the period for reaching the life varies depending on the use environment.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, even if the UPS 19 has not been monitored or has not been independently inspected, if there are UPS 15 and 23 monitored in the same distribution area, The capacity of the storage battery can be estimated on the manufacturer side. As a result, sales activities that encourage replacement of the storage battery, preparation of replacement parts assuming that a UPS output stoppage accident occurs, etc. can be achieved, and the maintenance capability and product brand can be improved. Further, when a manufacturer delivers a large number of UPSs to a power distribution area, it is possible to efficiently predict deterioration.

  Although the present embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the present embodiment and can be applied by appropriately changing the configuration. For example, in this embodiment, the equipment operation information of the UPSs 15 and 23 is collected via the wide area network 30, but it is not always necessary to go through the network, and the equipment operation information recorded on the UPS regularly by hand. You may investigate and collect. Moreover, when equipment operation information is accumulated for several years, for example, capacity prediction can also be performed using it.

  In addition, regarding the UPS, the constant inverter power supply method has been described in the present embodiment, but the present invention can be applied to a constant commercial power supply method and a line interactive method.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the maintenance management system of UPS. It is a figure which shows the system configuration | structure inside UPS. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the arithmetic processing unit of a remote monitoring center. It is a figure which shows the structural example of equipment management information. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the deterioration initial information of the storage battery of UPS. It is a figure which shows the structural example of equipment operation information. It is a flowchart which shows the acquisition process of the installation operation information of the UPS monitored. It is a flowchart which shows the acquisition process using the portable terminal of the equipment operation information of UPS monitored. It is a flowchart which shows the capacity | capacitance prediction process of a storage battery. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a deterioration forecast. It is an example of the graph which shows transition of storage battery capacity.

Explanation of symbols

2 Distribution substation 4 Bus 6 Breaker 8 Distribution line 9, 10, 11 Building 12, 13, 16, 17, 20, 21 Load 14, 18, 22 Transformer 15, 19, 23 UPS
24 Maintenance service company 26 Mobile terminal 28 Information terminal 30 Wide area network 32 Remote monitoring center 34 Communication line 36 Converter 38 Inverter 40 Storage battery 42 Recording device 44, 48 Communication device 46 Interface device 50 Arithmetic processing device 52 Display device 54 Facility management information database 56 Deterioration initial information database 58 Equipment operation information database 60 Deterioration prediction information database 62 Input / output terminal 64 Processing section 66 Transmission / reception processing section 68 Input / output processing section 70 Display processing section 72 Equipment operation information acquisition section (automatic)
74 Equipment operation information acquisition part (manual)
76 Deterioration prediction unit 78 Deterioration prediction information generation unit

Claims (2)

Monitor at least one uninterruptible power supply device among a plurality of uninterruptible power supply devices having storage batteries installed in the same power distribution area, and record deterioration data representing a change in capacity with respect to an elapsed period after the installation of the storage battery in a database In the uninterruptible power supply monitoring device,
A monitoring apparatus for an uninterruptible power supply, wherein the capacity of a storage battery of the uninterruptible power supply that is not monitored by the monitoring apparatus is estimated based on the deterioration data and an elapsed period after the installation of the storage battery. In the uninterruptible power supply monitoring apparatus according to claim 1,
Furthermore, the database is recorded with standard deterioration data representing the transition of capacity with respect to the unused period of the storage battery,
The ratio of the elapsed period to the change in the same capacity of the deterioration data and the standard deterioration data is obtained, and the capacity of the storage battery of the uninterruptible power supply that is not monitored from the standard deterioration data and the ratio becomes a certain capacity. A monitoring device for an uninterruptible power supply characterized by estimating the period of time.

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