JP2010181356A - Flow measuring device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To support an instrument with a billing system of high need, to simplify registration of an instrument, and to improve determination accuracy as much as possible if the instrument is difficult to identify while a plurality of instruments are working. <P>SOLUTION: A flow measuring device 1 includes a flow measuring means 3, an application discrimination means 9 for identifying at least one or more instruments for specific application based on measurements of a used flow quantity from the flow measuring means 3 of the instrument connected on the downstream, and a flow quantity accumulating means 10 for obtaining an accumulated flow quantity for each application based on the identification results. The flow quantities are accumulated by a plurality of discrimination means for each gas application. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a flow rate measuring device having a plurality of appliance usage determining functions.

  In general, a gas meter with a gas flow meter is installed at the entrance of a gas supply line in each household.

  When implementing the instrument-specific charges in a conventional gas meter, using an integrating device connected to the gas meter, obtain the integrated flow rate when used for a specific time and the specific range when the flow rate is used, The charge system is determined by the integrated value.

  An example of the fee system will be described based on FIG.

  A predetermined discount flow rate category and a predetermined discount time zone are set in advance, and the gas rate of the flow rate corresponding to the discount flow rate category and the discount time zone is targeted for discount. That is, the part divided by the oblique lines in FIG.

  However, in this method, the specific determination of the appliance is ambiguous, and it is difficult to make a convenient and convenient fee setting such as charging a fee for the specific appliance (for example, patent document) 1).

  Therefore, as a method for discriminating a specific instrument, as shown in FIG. 10, a gas flow rate change pattern when a certain gas instrument is activated, and a reference value (pattern table) for performing pattern matching based on the pattern. For each gas appliance, this pattern table is prepared for a series of gas flow rate change patterns generated along with the combustion control of the gas appliance, and the total number of gas appliances used in each household. There are things prepared for the number.

Then, the matching is extracted while constantly comparing the change in the flow rate value measured by the flow meter of the gas meter with these pattern tables, and the appliance is specified (for example, refer to Patent Document 2).
JP 2002-71421 A JP 2003-149027 A

  However, in the above-described configuration, it is necessary to register the flow patterns of all the instruments, and it is difficult to realize in practice.

  Moreover, although the appliance is discriminated by matching the flow rate change pattern, it is difficult to determine when a plurality of appliances are moved simultaneously.

  In such a case, there is a high probability that the instrument will fail to be identified, but that part will be left unattended and the accuracy of identifying the flow rate used by the instrument will be reduced, and the reliability of instrument identification will be reduced. Had the problem that opacity remained.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem, corresponds to a device with a high need for fee measures, simplification of device registration, and when it is difficult to determine the device while multiple devices are operating However, it aims at providing the technique which makes it possible to make the determination precision of flow volume as high as possible.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, the flow measurement device of the present invention discriminates the use of a flow rate measuring means and a device of a specified application among the devices connected downstream from the measurement value from the flow rate measurement means. A plurality of appliance use discriminating means, and having flow rate integrating means for obtaining an integrated flow rate for each use based on a discrimination result of any one of the appliance use discriminating means. Integration is performed.

  The flow measurement device of the present invention interpolates with the second determination logic when it is impossible to determine with the determination logic in the first application-specific determination means for some reason, or when the flow integration by application cannot be performed, Even if an unexpected flow rate waveform is generated, a certain guarantee of the integrated flow rate can be guaranteed.

  The first invention includes a flow rate measuring means and a plurality of appliance use determining means for determining the use of the appliance specified in the appliance connected downstream from the measurement value from the flow rate measuring means. Because of the configuration having the flow rate integration means for obtaining the integrated flow rate for each application based on the determination result of one of the appliance application determination means, the gas use flow rate is integrated in the category of application, even if multiple instruments are used. Even if the instrument is ambiguous, there is no significant error in the accuracy of the discrimination.

  In particular, in the first invention, the second invention uses the first discrimination method preferentially in the application-specific discrimination, and the second discrimination method is not effective for some reason. Therefore, this is a configuration in which discrimination is performed, and even when it is difficult to determine with the first determination method, it can be supplemented with the second determination method, so that it is possible to prevent an increase in the determination error due to an error. it can.

  In the third invention, in particular, in the second invention, the second discrimination method in the use-specific discrimination means is a configuration in which a predetermined division is provided by the time and flow value of the used flow rate, and the division and the use are associated with each other. Even if it is difficult to make a judgment by changing the waveform, it is possible to integrate the flow rate according to the application because it is classified according to the application.

  In the fourth aspect of the invention, in particular, the flow rate measuring means according to any one of the first to third aspects of the invention uses an ultrasonic flowmeter as the instantaneous flow rate measuring means, so that instantaneous measurement at a constant time can be easily performed. Can do.

  In particular, the fifth aspect of the invention provides a gas business operator by constructing a gas supply system using a flow rate measuring device in which the flow rate measuring means of any one of the first to fourth aspects of the invention is connected to a household gas supply pipe. Will be able to use the new price menu prepared by, and to expand sales of gas and gas appliances.

(Embodiment 1)
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a flow rate measuring device, which is provided in the middle of a gas supply pipe, and one or more gas appliances A, B, and C installed in each customer's house are connected to the downstream pipe. Yes.

The flow rate measuring device 1 includes a gas shut-off valve 2 connected to a gas pipe, a flow rate measuring unit 3, a display unit 4 for calculating a signal from the flow rate measuring unit 3 to display a used gas flow rate, an earthquake, etc. A seismic device 5 for detecting the vibration of the gas, a calculation means 6, an instrument application registration means 7, a difference detection means 8, an application determination means 9, and a flow rate integrating means 10 for discriminating gas appliances, A control circuit 11 that performs overall control processing of functions and the like, and a battery (not shown) serving as a power source thereof are incorporated.

  The appliance usage registration means 7 includes a starting appliance discrimination value as a discrimination criterion for determining whether or not a flow rate change has occurred, a discrimination value for a series of combustion states of gas appliances belonging to the required usage, and a classification for each use described later. Classification criteria are recorded.

  The device registration means for storing and holding recorded data uses, for example, a semiconductor memory, but it can be a magnetic recording medium or the like as long as it can add and rewrite records.

  Note that the flow rate measuring means 3 uses an ultrasonic type measuring means, but other measuring methods can be used as long as they can be continuously measured in a constant cycle in a short time such as a full dick method. Is possible.

  The operation will be described below.

  First, an example of measurement by the ultrasonic method will be described with reference to FIG.

  A pair of ultrasonic transmitters / receivers 13 and 14 are arranged on the upstream side and the downstream side of the measurement channel 12, and are set so that the ultrasonic waves are propagated so as to cross the flow obliquely.

  Then, ultrasonic waves are alternately transmitted and received between the ultrasonic transmitters / receivers 13 and 14, and the ultrasonic propagation time difference between the forward direction and the reverse direction with respect to the flow of the fluid is measured at regular intervals, and output as a propagation time difference signal. have. In response to this propagation time difference signal, the calculation means (not shown) calculates the flow velocity and flow rate of the fluid to be measured.

  More specifically, the arithmetic expression is as follows.

  In FIG. 2, L is a measurement distance, and the angle formed by the ultrasonic wave propagation path with respect to the fluid flow direction is φ, t1 is the transmission time from the upstream, t2 is the transmission time from the downstream, and C is the velocity of sound. Is obtained by V = L / 2 cos φ (1 / t1-1 / t2), and the flow rate can be calculated by multiplying this by the cross-sectional area of the measurement flow path 12 and a certain correction coefficient.

  Although the measurement time interval can be set within a range where ultrasonic waves can be transmitted and received, in this embodiment, the measurement is performed at intervals of 2 seconds.

  Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the time interval in terms of the measurement principle. Some gas appliances start up in less than 2 seconds, so reducing the measurement time interval is advantageous in terms of instantaneous instrument discrimination. However, if the measurement interval is shortened, there is a problem that the consumption of the battery increases, and the measurement interval equivalent to the membrane method used in the conventional gas meter is a two-digit order second interval. Then, it becomes difficult to make a judgment by looking at the difference in flow rate change of the algorithm, and the time interval is measured as a well-balanced time in terms of cost and performance of instrument discrimination.

  Next, the procedure for determining the operating state of the gas appliance will be described with reference to FIG.

  As described above, the gas flow rate is measured every 2 seconds, the data is sent to the calculation means, and the flow rate value is differentiated and output as the difference data of the flow rate every 2 seconds.

  This difference data is sent to the difference detection means, and is compared with the threshold value for operation discrimination registered in the appliance usage registration means.

  If the difference value exceeds the threshold value, it is determined that the instrument has been activated. When a change is detected, in order to further determine which gas appliance has been activated, the application discriminating means compares the activation instrument discriminating value of the gas appliance registered in the appliance application registration means and discriminates the activation appliance.

  FIG. 4 shows changes in the gas flow rate and changes in the difference value when an actual gas appliance is used.

  In FIG. 4, the solid line shows the gas flow rate value measured by the flow rate measuring means and the broken line shows the differential value at that time, that is, the difference value every 2 seconds.

  The difference value is expressed with a peak on the plus side when the gas appliance is started, and is expressed with a peak on the minus side when the gas appliance is stopped.

  In the above embodiment, if the difference value is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, it is assumed that there is a change as shown in FIG. However, in the case of discrimination for limited instruments registered in advance, the processing speed is fast, and the difference value data from the calculation means can be used as is, and comparison with the change point discrimination value data of all the gas appliances can be made within 2 seconds. If so, it is also possible to determine the changed gas appliance or state directly from the difference value.

  Next, a method for integrating the gas flow rate for each application will be described based on the result of appliance discrimination.

  When the integrated flow rate is accumulated in advance for each application by the integrated flow rate means, a grouping is performed as to where the flow rate of which instrument is integrated.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when attention is paid to the integrated flow rate for heating applications, fan heaters and stoves are grouped as heating system appliances.

  In that case, since it is only necessary to determine the appliances grouped in the heating system, it is not necessary to specify other appliances.

  In particular, when distinguishing between hot water heaters and heating appliances that have high needs in charge measures, there are not many activation profiles, so it is easy to record a small number of parameters to be set in advance.

  In other words, a post-registration operation for discriminating the appliance by obtaining the integrated flow rate for each application is not necessary.

  In the case where the flow rate change does not move as registered, such as when two instruments are activated simultaneously, the device cannot recognize the change state of the flow rate, but cannot perform subsequent processing, and cannot be distinguished. Can be assumed.

  In this embodiment, when the device cannot be recognized even though the flow rate has changed, as shown in the flow of FIG. 6, the use is discriminated using the second logic different from the first logic described above. To do.

  This will be described with reference to FIGS.

  When there is a change over a certain flow rate, the operation of the instrument is the same as the first logic, but the second logic does not refer to the waveform pattern at the time of activation.

  Therefore, even if it is a change such as the simultaneous activation as described above, there is no problem in the determination.

  In the second logic, as shown in FIG. 7, the appliance is distinguished by the absolute value of the flow rate used and the duration of the flow rate, and the state change of the flow rate applicable to the usage of the appliance is added as the integrated flow rate of the corresponding usage. Sure.

  As an example, FIG. 8 illustrates a classification method using the second logic when the appliance A and the appliance B are activated at the same time and cannot be determined by the first logic.

  Since the starting flow rate Qa of the device A is in the range of Qa1 and Qa2, and its duration Ta exceeds the duration defined by the second judgment logic, it is not regarded as the flow rate of the device A, and the shaded portion Integrated flow rate is required.

  Compared to the first logic, because the device is not specified, the discrimination accuracy when the device is used alone is inferior, but it cannot be discriminated at startup, so it is avoided that the flow rate cannot be integrated. Can be used as a complement in the first logic.

  In this embodiment, it is also possible to calculate an arbitrary charge for each use according to the setting of the gas company by providing a charge calculation means (not shown) for the individual flow rate so that an individual charge can be charged. Is possible.

  In addition, as an example of services that can be provided, it is conceivable to apply a discount system only to heaters as a new gas charge system, which gives consumers a sense of cheaper gas prices and increases the length of heaters. By using the time, it is possible to expand the gas sales of the gas company and further increase the sales of equipment.

  As described above, the flow rate measuring device of the present invention discriminates the use of the flow rate measuring means and the appliance connected to the downstream side of the flow rate measuring means from the measured value from the flow rate measuring means, and the appliance assumed in advance based on the discrimination result. When the flow rate is integrated by a plurality of means, and for some reason it cannot be determined by the discrimination logic in the first flow rate integration means. When the flow rate integration for each application becomes impossible, the second flow rate integration means interpolates, so that even if an unexpected flow rate waveform is generated, a certain guarantee of the integrated flow rate for each application can be ensured.

Configuration diagram of a flow rate measuring device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention Configuration diagram of flow rate measurement unit in the first embodiment Flow chart of discriminating operation in the first embodiment Explanatory drawing of the flow volume and calculation value in the first embodiment Conceptual diagram of flow rate integration by application in the first embodiment Flow chart of discriminating operation in the first embodiment Flow chart of discriminating operation in the first embodiment Flow rate conceptual diagram in the first embodiment Discrimination method conceptual diagram of conventional flow measurement devices Discrimination method data structure diagram of conventional flow measurement device

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Flow measuring device 3 Flow measuring means 6 Calculation means 7 Instrument use registration means 9 Use discriminating means 10 Flow integrating means 12 Measurement flow path 13, 14 Ultrasonic transceiver

Claims (5)

Any one of the above-mentioned appliances, comprising: a flow rate measuring means; and a plurality of appliance use determining means for discriminating use of an appliance specified for use in an appliance connected downstream from a measurement value from the flow rate measuring means. A flow rate measuring device having flow rate integration means for obtaining an integrated flow rate for each application based on the determination result of the application determination means. The apparatus is configured to use the first determination method preferentially in the determination by use of the instrument possessed by the flow rate integration means, and perform the determination by the second determination method when the first determination method is not effective for some reason. 1. The flow rate measuring device according to 1. 3. The flow rate measuring device according to claim 2, wherein the second discrimination method has a configuration in which a predetermined division is provided by the time and flow value of the used flow rate, and the division and the usage are associated with each other. The flow rate measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the flow rate measuring unit uses ultrasonic waves. A gas charge calculation system that calculates a gas charge based on the integrated flow rate information of the flow rate integration means according to claim 1.