JP2020051879A - Leakage sensor device using electrolysis - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a leakage sensor device using electrolysis which can separately detect water and a chemical solution when detecting a liquid leakage using an electrolysis phenomenon, can determine the type of the detected liquid leakage, and can make the liquid reusable.SOLUTION: The leakage sensor device according to the present invention includes: a leakage sensor 10 having a first electrode 11 and a second electrode 12 made of conductive metal and facing each other across a predetermined space; a voltage/current amplification unit 20 for making a voltage or a current variable and applying the current or the voltage to the electrodes of the leakage sensor 10; a current detection unit 30 for detecting a current value flowing between the electrodes of the leakage sensor 10; and a control unit 40 for adjusting the voltage applied between the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 of the leakage sensor 10 and outputting the voltage while gradually increasing the level of the voltage from a level not higher than a set reference decomposition voltage of an electrolyte, and detecting a current flowing between the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 of the leakage sensor 10 to determine the presence or absence of a liquid leakage L and the type of the liquid leakage.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a leak sensor device, and more specifically, to detect a leak using an electrolysis phenomenon, but it is possible to distinguish between water and a chemical solution and detect the detected leak. The present invention relates to a leak sensor device using electrolysis, which can not only determine the type of but also be reusable, not disposable.

In general, a leak sensor is a sensor that senses a leak such as water or a chemical solution, and various types of sensors, such as a film sensor using a cable-like or electrode-like pattern, are disclosed.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the leak sensor 1 is provided in a band shape on the ground E at the lower end of a storage tank T in which a chemical solution is stored, and detects a leak generated from the storage tank T.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the leak sensor 1 is a film sensor, two electrodes 3 and 4 are printed and formed in parallel on a film layer 2 at a predetermined interval. The liquid leak L located between the electrodes 3 and 4 is sensed via the drive circuit 5.

However, the conventional leak sensor 1 having such a configuration cannot distinguish whether the type of the leaked liquid L is water or a chemical solution.

In this case, there was an error that rainwater was mistakenly sensed as a chemical solution.

Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, a leak sensor for sensing a chemical solution has been proposed.

The chemical solution sensing leak sensor applies a chemical coating to the surface of the sensor 1 so that only a specific chemical solution can be sensed, and when the chemical solution is contacted, the chemical reacts to form a coating layer. Sensing is performed using the principle of being destroyed.

However, this type of leak sensor for chemical solution sensing is a non-reusable, disposable sensor that performs sensing function while the coating layer is destroyed, and is not competitive in terms of expensive product cost. Significantly inferior.

Also, conventional film-type leak sensors are mounted on the ground, are susceptible to noise rising from the ground, and frequently generate false alarms due to malfunctions due to the high resistance of the sensor itself. I do.

Furthermore, among the conventional leak sensors, a leak sensor that has a large number of sensing holes and detects leaking liquid flowing through the holes has to detect a small amount of leaking liquid due to a large interval between the sensing holes. There is a problem that can not be.

Korean Laid-Open Patent No. 10-2016-86598 Korean Laid-Open Patent No. 10-2014-0059313

The present invention has been devised to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to use electrolysis in which the detection of leakage is detected using the electrolysis phenomenon of leakage. It is to provide a leak sensor device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a leak sensor using electrolysis that senses a leak but can distinguish between water and a chemical solution and can determine the type of the detected leak. Equipment.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a leak sensor device using electrolysis that detects a chemical solution leak but is not disposable but can be reused.

The present invention for achieving the above-described object has a leak sensor in which a first electrode and a second electrode, which are conductive metals, are arranged to face each other at a predetermined interval, and a voltage and a voltage are applied to the electrodes of the leak sensor. A voltage / current amplifying unit for variably applying a current, a current sensing unit for detecting a value of a current flowing between the electrodes of the leak sensor, and an application between a first electrode and a second electrode of the leak sensor. The leaked voltage is adjusted and output. The voltage starts to be lower than the set reference decomposition voltage of the electrolyte solution and is sequentially increased and output step by step, and flows between the first electrode and the second electrode of the leak sensor. A control unit that detects current and determines the presence or absence of liquid leakage and the type of liquid leakage, wherein the control unit detects a leakage of the leakage sensor, and the amount of detected current is a specific electrolytic solution. Is equivalent to the reference decomposition voltage of If increased, characterized in that it is determined that the leakage of the corresponding chemical solution.

Further, according to the present invention, the reference decomposition voltage is set using the surface area of the first electrode and the second electrode, the type of liquid leakage, and the concentration of liquid leakage as basic variables.

Further, according to the present invention, the material of the first electrode and the second electrode of the leak sensor is stainless steel or carbon resistant to corrosion.

As described above, the present invention has a merit that the detection of a leak can be detected with high accuracy by a new type of sensing method using the electrolysis phenomenon of the leak.

In addition, the present invention has an advantage that it detects a liquid leak, but can separately detect water and a chemical solution, and can determine the type of the detected liquid leak.

Further, the present invention detects a leakage of a chemical solution, but has the advantage that it is not disposable but can be reused and cost can be reduced.

Furthermore, the present invention measures the leakage using the difference in the decomposition voltage of rainwater or a chemical solution, but the detection method is also not affected by power supply noise from the ground because the detection method is also based on the measurement by the current. There is an advantage.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a leak sensor according to an example. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a conventional leak sensor. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a leak sensor to which the present invention is applied. 1 is a circuit block diagram of a leak sensor device using electrolysis according to the present invention. 3 is a flowchart of control according to the present invention. 4 is a graph showing a relationship between an electrolysis voltage and a current according to the present invention.

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

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a leak sensor to which the present invention is applied.

As shown in FIG. 1, a leak sensor 10 to which the present invention is applied is:
A first electrode 11 and a second electrode 12, which are conductive metals, are arranged facing each other at a predetermined interval.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 may be formed in a strip shape arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval, and the first electrode 11 and the second electrode A base member 13 for fixing the electrodes 11 and 12 may be further formed at the lower end of the electrode 12, but is not essential.

Further, the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 can be applied not only to a strip-shaped sensor but also to an electrode of a liquid leak pointer sensor and an electrode of a water level level sensor.

The leak sensor 10 having such a configuration senses the liquid L contacting the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12, and this sensing method is included in the liquid L as in the related art. Instead of using a simple conduction phenomenon in which a current flows through the electrodes 11 and 12 due to the conductive material being used, the leaked liquid L is electrolyzed using the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12, This is a method of detecting liquid leakage using a current value generated at this time.

The electrolysis voltage will be described to help understanding of the present invention.

First, the decomposition voltage refers to a voltage to be applied between two electrodes, that is, a positive electrode and a negative electrode, to cause electrolysis. It depends on the type of electrolyte.

In the case of water, the electrolysis voltage is theoretically 1.23 V or higher, but in actuality, electrolysis is possible only when a voltage of 1.6 V or higher is applied due to the catalytic action and ionization action of the electrode. become.

As described above, when the reference decomposition voltage V1 at which the electrolysis starts is applied to the electrode, the current rapidly increases as shown in FIG.

The present invention utilizes such an electrolysis phenomenon, and pays attention to the fact that the reference decomposition voltage V1 fluctuates when an ionized substance is contained in the electrolytic solution. This is so that it can be determined.

The decomposition voltage according to the type of the electrolytic solution is, for example, as shown in Table 1 below.

Therefore, the present invention variably applies a decomposition voltage (hereinafter, also referred to as “reference decomposition voltage V1” for each electrolytic solution) to the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12, and reacts with this to apply the voltage to the electrodes. Using the amount of change in the flowing current, it is possible to determine the type of leakage as well as to detect leakage.

The amount of current for each electrolyte (leak) according to the reference decomposition voltage V1 is the surface area S1S2 of the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12, the type of electrolyte (leak), and the electrolyte (leak). And the surface area S1S2 of the electrode, the type of the electrolytic solution and the concentration of the electrolytic solution are used as set values of the basic variables.

The material of the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 of the leak sensor 10 includes stainless steel (SUS) or carbon that is resistant to corrosion.

FIG. 4 is a circuit block diagram of a leak sensor device using electrolysis according to the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the leak sensor device using the electrolysis voltage according to the present invention,
The leak sensor 10 having the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12, the voltage / current amplifying unit 20, the current sensing unit 30, the control unit 40, the alarm device driving unit 50, and the communication unit 60 Prepare.

The voltage / current amplifier 20 variably applies a voltage and a current to the leak sensor 10.

The voltage / current amplifying unit 20 applies the control output of the control unit 40 to the first electrode 11 via the transistor R1 after the amplifier OP is input and follows the resistance R1.

The current sensing unit 30 detects the value of the current flowing between the electrodes of the leak sensor 10, and controls the value of the current flowing through the leak sensor 10 by using a shunt resistor SR connected to the second electrode 12. Input to the section 40.

The controller 40 adjusts and outputs a voltage applied between the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 of the leak sensor 10, and starts from a theoretical decomposition voltage of water and sets a set electrolysis. The reference decomposition voltage of the liquid is sequentially increased and output step by step. The current flowing between the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 of the leak sensor 10 is detected to determine the presence or absence of the liquid L.

The control unit 40 detects the liquid L detected by the leak sensor 10 in comparison with the surface areas S1 and S2 of the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 in a state where electrolysis has not occurred. When the current value is small, it is determined that the leaked liquid L is water.

However, when the leak current is detected by the leak sensor 10 and the detected current value is increased by an amount corresponding to the reference decomposition voltage of the specific electrolytic solution in a state where electrolysis is occurring, the corresponding chemical solution is detected. It is determined that the leaked liquid is L.

Further, when the liquid leak L is detected, the control unit 40 shuts off the supply of power to the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 to protect the leak sensor 10, An accompanying alarm is issued, and the leak information is transmitted to the external control room server 80 via the network 70.

The alarm device driving unit 50 emits an alarm sound accompanying the occurrence of liquid leakage based on the output of the control unit 40.

The communication unit 60 is connected to a central control room server 80 via a network 70, and transmits the leak detection information of the control unit 40 to the control room server 80.

The overall operation of the leak sensor device using electrolysis according to the present invention having such a configuration will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, when power is supplied, the control unit 40 applies a voltage of 1.23 V DC to the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 of the leak sensor 10 via the voltage / current amplifying unit 20 to control the sensor. The status is checked (initialized) (step S10).

Next, the voltage applied to the leak sensor 10 is sequentially increased to the set reference decomposition voltage of the electrolytic solution and output step by step. In response to this, the current flowing through the leak sensor 10 is detected by the current sensing unit 30. (Step S20).

Here, if no current value is detected through the current sensing unit 30, the steps S10 and S20 are repeatedly performed.

However, if a current value is detected via the current sensing unit 30 in the liquid leak detection (step S20), the control unit 40 determines that the liquid is a leak L. If the value is determined to be a current value that is smaller than the surface area S1, S2 of the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12, this indicates that the electroconductive material has not been electrolyzed. Is determined to be flowing water.

In addition, when the detected current value rises by the amount corresponding to the reference decomposition voltage V1 of the specific electrolytic solution, it is determined that electrolysis has occurred, and that the chemical solution is the leaked liquid L. (Step S30).

As described above, when the leakage L is detected, the control unit 40 shuts off the supply of power to the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 in order to protect the leak sensor 10.

In addition, an alarm signal accompanying the detection of the leaked liquid L is output to the alarm drive unit 50, but the alarm signal may be transmitted only when a chemical solution is detected by setting (step S40).

Further, the control unit 40 determines the type of the leaked liquid L based on the reference decomposition voltage V1, calculates information on the leaked amount, and transmits such information via the network 70 via the communication unit 60. It is transmitted to the control room server 80 to enable remote control.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Leak sensor 11 1st electrode 12 2nd electrode 20 Voltage / current amplification part 30 Current sensing part 40 Control part 50 Alarm drive part 60 Communication part

Claims (3)

A leak sensor (10) in which a first electrode (11) and a second electrode (12), which are made of a conductive metal, are arranged to face each other at a predetermined interval;
A voltage / current amplifying unit (20) for variably applying a voltage and a current to the electrode of the leak sensor (10), and
A current sensing unit (30) for detecting a current value flowing between the electrodes of the leak sensor (10);
The voltage applied between the first electrode (11) and the second electrode (12) of the leak sensor (10) is adjusted and output, starting from below the set reference decomposition voltage of the electrolyte. The current is sequentially increased and output step by step, and a current flowing between the first electrode (11) and the second electrode (12) of the leak sensor (10) is detected to detect the presence or absence of a leak (L) and the leak. A control unit (40) for determining the type of
With
The controller (40) detects a leakage of the chemical solution when the detected current value increases by an amount corresponding to a reference decomposition voltage of a specific electrolyte when detecting the leakage of the leak sensor (10). A leak sensor device using electrolysis, which is determined to be a liquid (L). The setting of the reference decomposition voltage is based on the surface area (S1) (S2) of the first electrode (11) and the second electrode (12), the type of the leaked liquid (L), and the concentration of the leaked liquid (L). The leak sensor device using electrolysis according to claim 1, wherein the leak sensor device is used. The material of the first electrode (11) and the second electrode (12) of the leak sensor (10) is stainless steel or carbon which is resistant to corrosion. Leak sensor device.