JP2024049999A - Sensor Device - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] Suppressing an increase in the ambient temperature of a pressure sensor. [Solution] The sensor device 1 comprises a main body 10 having a first passage 13 extending in the vertical direction and through which steam flows upward, a second passage 16 connected to the side of the first passage 13 and for retaining condensed liquid of the gas that has passed through the first passage 13, and a pressure sensor 50 communicating with the condensed liquid in the second passage 16 and detecting the pressure of the steam. The second passage 16 is formed so as to suppress the condensed liquid from flowing back into the first passage 13. [Selected Figure] Figure 3

Description

The technology disclosed herein relates to a sensor device.

For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a sensor device is known that is attached to a pipe through which a gas such as steam flows and detects the pressure of the gas. This sensor device includes a gas passage into which gas flows from the pipe, and a pressure sensor that communicates with the gas passage. In this sensor device, the gas that flows into the gas passage exchanges heat with the outside and becomes condensed liquid. Therefore, the gas that flows into the gas passage communicates with the pressure sensor via the condensed liquid. This allows the pressure sensor to detect the gas pressure without coming into direct contact with the high-temperature gas. Therefore, a pressure sensor with a low heat resistance temperature can be used.

International Publication No. 2015/105102

In a steam system in which the above-mentioned sensor device is installed, for example, if the pressure in the piping drops due to a gas pressure fluctuation or an operation stoppage, the pressure in the gas passage also drops, and there is a risk that condensate that has accumulated in the gas passage will flow into the piping. If operation is then restarted, gas will again flow into the gas passage and become condensate, which will accumulate. If this occurs repeatedly in a short period of time, there is a risk that the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor will gradually rise and exceed the heat resistance temperature.

The technology disclosed herein has been developed in light of these issues, and its purpose is to suppress an increase in the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor.

The sensor device of the present disclosure comprises a main body and a pressure sensor. The main body has a first passage extending in the vertical direction and through which gas flows upward, and a second passage connected to the side of the first passage and for retaining condensed liquid of the gas that has passed through the first passage. The pressure sensor is connected to the condensed liquid in the second passage and detects the pressure of the gas. The second passage is formed to prevent the condensed liquid from flowing back into the first passage.

The sensor device described above can suppress the rise in the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a sensor device. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the rod-shaped portion of the main body. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the head portion of the main body. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a head portion of a main body according to the first modification. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a head portion of a main body according to the second modification.

An exemplary embodiment is described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

The sensor device 1 of this embodiment is attached to a pipe through which steam flows in a steam system, and detects both the temperature and pressure of the steam. Steam is an example of a gas.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sensor device 1 is equipped with a wireless communication device 2 having an antenna 3 for communication. The sensor device 1 includes a main body 10, a temperature sensor 40 (resistance temperature detector), a pressure sensor 50, and a mounting member 60.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, inside the main body 10, a first passage 13 and a second passage 16 are formed as gas passages. In detail, the main body 10 has a rod-shaped portion 11 and a head 12. The rod-shaped portion 11 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction. One end (upper end side) of the rod-shaped portion 11 is fitted into and connected to the head 12. A communication device 3 is attached to the top of the head 12. In other words, the sensor device 1 is attached to the piping with the axis of the rod-shaped portion 11 extending in the vertical direction.

The first passage 13 extends vertically and is a passage through which gas flows upward. The second passage 16 is connected to the side of the first passage 13 and is a passage in which condensed liquid of gas that has passed through the first passage 13 accumulates. In other words, the second passage 16 is located downstream of the first passage 13. The first passage 13 is formed in the rod-shaped portion 11, and the second passage 16 is formed in the head portion 12.

The first passage 13 has a spiral passage 14 (a spiral passage) and a straight passage 15. Note that since the upper end side of the rod-shaped portion 11 is fitted into the head portion 12, the spiral passage 14 appears to be formed across the head portion 12.

The spiral passage 14 and the straight passage 15 are passages that extend in the axial direction (up and down) inside the rod-shaped portion 11. The first passage 13 opens at the lower end surface 11a (axial end surface) of the rod-shaped portion 11. The spiral passage 14 is formed in approximately the upper half of the rod-shaped portion 11, with one end communicating with the second passage 16 via the connection port 13a and the other end communicating with the straight passage 15. The straight passage 15 is formed near the lower end of the rod-shaped portion 11 and is formed continuously with the upstream side of the spiral passage 14. In other words, one end of the straight passage 15 communicates with the spiral passage 14 and the other end communicates with the opening in the lower end surface 11a.

The inner peripheral surface 11b of the rod-shaped portion 11 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a cylindrical insert 25 is inserted into the rod-shaped portion 11. The insert 25 is formed to be shorter in length than the rod-shaped portion 11, and is located in approximately the upper half of the rod-shaped portion 11.

The insert 25 has a spiral groove 28 (spiral groove) formed on the outer circumferential surface 27. The spiral groove 28 extends in the axial direction (vertical direction) on the outer circumferential surface 27 of the insert 25, and is formed over the entire length of the insert 25. Note that the spiral groove 28 in this embodiment is formed to have a rectangular vertical cross section. Here, the vertical cross section refers to a cross section of the spiral groove 28 cut parallel to its axial direction (longitudinal direction).

The outer diameter of the insert 25 is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the rod-shaped portion 11. In other words, the insert 25 is inserted into the rod-shaped portion 11 with the outer peripheral surface 27 in contact with the inner peripheral surface 11b of the rod-shaped portion 11. In the rod-shaped portion 11, the spiral passage 14 is formed by the inner peripheral surface 11b of the rod-shaped portion 11 and the spiral groove 28 of the insert 25. In other words, in the sensor device 1 of this embodiment, the insert 25 is inserted into the rod-shaped portion 11 of the main body 10 to form the spiral passage 14 between the inner peripheral surface 11b of the rod-shaped portion 11.

In addition, the spiral passage 14 of this embodiment has a downwardly sloping descending portion 14b midway, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 2. Specifically, the spiral passage 14 alternates between ascending portions 14a that slope upward toward the second passage 16 and descending portions 14b that slope downward toward the second passage 16. In other words, the spiral groove 28 is formed in the insert 25 so that such ascending portions 14a and descending portions 14b are alternately formed. Note that the structure of the spiral groove 28 is not limited to this. For example, the spiral groove 28 may have a structure that does not have a descending portion and is composed only of an ascending portion.

The head portion 12 is provided with a temperature sensor 40 and a pressure sensor 50. The temperature sensor 40 has a sheath tube 41 that detects the temperature of the steam in the straight passage 15 (i.e., in the first passage 13). The sheath tube 41 is formed in a long and thin cylindrical shape (rod shape) and is inserted into the first passage 13 of the rod-shaped portion 11. The sheath tube 41 is formed to be thinner than the straight passage 15.

A portion of the sheath tube 41 in the axial direction (vertical direction) is a temperature sensing part 41b that detects the temperature of the steam. The temperature sensing part 41b is located near the tip 41a (lower end) of the sheath tube 41. The sheath tube 41 is inserted into the first passage 13 with the tip 41a and the temperature sensing part 41b located within the straight passage 15 (first passage 13).

The base end of the sheath tube 41 is inserted through the inner circumference of the insert 25 and fitted with a clearance fit. In this way, the base end of the sheath tube 41 is fixed by the insert 25. In other words, the insert 25 constitutes a fixing member that fixes the base end of the sheath tube 41.

The sensor device 1 also has a seal member 33 provided in the first passage 13. The seal member 33 prevents steam condensate generated in the first passage 13 or steam condensate in the liquid retention section 18 of the second passage 16 (described below) from flowing down along the outer surface of the sheath tube 41 to the temperature sensing section 41b. Hereinafter, this condensate may be referred to as drain.

The seal member 33 is made of metal and formed into a cylindrical shape, and is inserted into the straight passage 15 (rod-shaped portion 11). The seal member 33 is provided in a position downstream of the temperature-sensing portion 41b in the straight passage 15. The sheath tube 41 is inserted through the inner periphery of the seal member 33. The inner periphery 34 of the seal member 33 is in contact with the outer surface of the sheath tube 41 so as to prevent the drain from flowing upstream along the outer surface of the sheath tube 41. The outer diameter of the seal member 33 is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the rod-shaped portion 11, and the outer periphery 35 is in contact with the inner periphery 11b of the rod-shaped portion 11.

In this way, the seal member 33 seals the straight passage 15 liquid-tight. In other words, the straight passage 15 is divided by the seal member 33 into a downstream passage 15a and an upstream passage 15b in which the temperature-sensing part 41b is located. This makes it possible to prevent drainage from flowing from the downstream passage 15a to the upstream passage 15b. This makes it possible to prevent low-temperature drainage from adhering to the temperature-sensing part 41b, improving the accuracy of steam temperature detection by the temperature-sensing part 41b.

The sensor device 1 also includes a holding member 36 that holds the tip 41a side of the sheath tube 41 and suppresses vibration of the sheath tube 41. The holding member 36 is made of metal and formed into a cylindrical shape, and is inserted into the opening of the lower end surface 11a of the rod-shaped portion 11. In this way, the holding member 36 holds the tip 41a of the sheath tube 41 and closes the opening of the lower end surface 11a.

The second seal member 33 and the retaining member 36 are inserted into the rod-shaped portion 11 until they abut against the stepped portions 11d and 11e formed on the inner circumferential surface 11b of the rod-shaped portion 11. In other words, the insertion positions of the second seal member 33 and the retaining member 36 are restricted by the stepped portions 11d and 11e.

The lower end surface of the holding member 36 is located inward from the lower end surface 11a of the rod-shaped portion 11. Therefore, a space 11f is formed at the lower end of the rod-shaped portion 11. In addition, since the tip 41a of the sheath tube 41 is inserted halfway into the holding member 36, a space 11g that communicates with the outside is formed on the inner periphery of the holding member 36. By providing such spaces 11f and 11g, steam flowing through the piping can easily flow to the tip 41a of the sheath tube 41. In addition, the fastener 21 provided on the rod-shaped portion 11 prevents the holding member 36 from slipping out to the outside.

Steam inlets 19, 20 are provided in the peripheral wall of the straight passage 15. Specifically, the inlet 19 is provided on the side of the rod-shaped portion 11 corresponding to the downstream passage 15a. Multiple inlet holes 19 are provided in the circumferential direction of the rod-shaped portion 11. The inlet holes 19 are provided near the seal member 33 and are configured to allow drainage accumulated on the upper surface of the seal member 33 to be discharged. The inlet hole 20 is provided on the side of the rod-shaped portion 11 corresponding to the upstream passage 15b. Multiple inlet holes 20 are provided in the circumferential direction of the rod-shaped portion 11. Some of the inlet holes 20 are provided on the sides of the temperature-sensing portion 41b, so that steam flowing in from the inlet holes 20 directly hits the temperature-sensing portion 41b, improving the accuracy of steam temperature detection.

The second passage 16 receives steam from the first passage 13 and retains the condensate of the steam that has flowed in. The second passage 16 is formed to prevent the retained condensate from flowing back into the first passage 13.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the second passage 16 has a connection passage 17 and a liquid retention section 18. The liquid retention section 18 retains the condensed liquid and is connected to the pressure sensor 50. In other words, the liquid retention section 18 is a portion of the gas passage downstream of the first passage 13, more specifically the spiral passage 14, where the pressure sensor 50 is connected to the condensed liquid. The connection passage 17 connects the liquid retention section 18 to the connection port 13a of the first passage 13.

In the second passage 16, the bottom 18a of the liquid retention section 18 is located below the connection port 13a. More specifically, the connection passage 17 and the liquid retention section 18 are formed in a coaxial cylindrical shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the first passage 13. In other words, the second passage 16 is a cylindrical passage extending horizontally as a whole. The diameter of the connection passage 17 is smaller than the diameter of the liquid retention section 18. Thus, in the second passage 16, the bottom 18a of the liquid retention section 18 is located below the connection port 13a, i.e., the connection passage 17. The downstream end of the liquid retention section 18, i.e., the downstream end of the second passage 16, is blocked by the blocking member 12a.

The pressure sensor 50 is provided in the head 12 in communication with the second passage 16, more specifically, the liquid retention portion 18. The pressure sensor 50 detects the pressure of the steam in the second passage 16. Specifically, the pressure sensor 50 is housed in a metal mounting case 51. The mounting case 51 housing the pressure sensor 50 is screwed into a screw hole 52 that communicates with the liquid retention portion 18 and attached. The screw hole 52 is located above the liquid retention portion 18 in the head and extends in the vertical direction. The pressure sensor 50 communicates with the liquid retention portion 18 through a communication hole in the mounting case 51. In this way, the pressure sensor 50 communicates with the condensed liquid in the liquid retention portion 18, and the surrounding components of the pressure sensor 50, such as the mounting case 51, can be cooled by the condensed liquid. This suppresses the rise in the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor 50.

The sensor device 1 has a head 12 fastened to the underside of the communication device 2 by a bolt 4. In the sensor device 1, signals related to the temperature and pressure detected by the temperature sensor 40 and pressure sensor 50 are sent to the communication device 2 via electric wires (not shown). In the communication device 2, the signals sent from the temperature sensor 40 etc. are processed and transmitted to an external device via the antenna 3.

The rod-shaped portion 11 of the main body 10 is provided with a mounting member 60 for mounting the sensor device 1 to a pipe. The sensor device 1 is fixed to the pipe by the mounting member 60 with the lower end side of the rod-shaped portion 11 inserted into the pipe. At that time, the sensor device 1 is fixed with the axis of the rod-shaped portion 11 extending in the vertical direction. With the sensor device 1 fixed in this way, the lower end side of the rod-shaped portion 11, i.e., the part of the rod-shaped portion 11 where the straight passage 15 is provided, is exposed to the steam in the pipe.

In the sensor device 1 configured in this manner, steam in the pipe flows from the inlet 20 into the upstream passage 15b and remains there. This causes the temperature of the steam to be detected by the temperature-sensing portion 41b of the sheath tube 41. The steam in the pipe also flows from the inlet 19 into the downstream passage 15a, passes through the spiral passage 14, and then flows into the second passage 16. Here, the steam flows through the spiral passage 14, which increases the flow distance of the steam, i.e., the contact area of the steam in the gas passage. This allows the temperature of the steam to be reduced. In other words, while the steam exchanges heat with the rod-shaped portion 11 in the first passage 13 and gradually reduces its temperature, the amount of temperature reduction of the steam increases as the contact area between the steam and the rod-shaped portion 11 increases.

The steam whose temperature has been reduced in the first passage 13 can flow into the connecting passage 17 and condense. The condensed liquid of this steam accumulates in the liquid retention section 18. Here, the pressure sensor 50 is connected to the liquid retention section 18. In other words, the liquid retention section 18 is located near the pressure sensor 50. Therefore, the surrounding components of the pressure sensor 50, such as the mounting case 51, can be cooled by the condensed liquid. This keeps the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor 50 below the heat resistance temperature of the pressure sensor 50. The pressure sensor 50 detects the pressure of the steam that has flowed from the first passage 13 into the second passage 16. As described above, the temperature of the steam that has flowed from the first passage 13 into the second passage 16 has been reduced, so this also keeps the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor 50 below the heat resistance temperature. Therefore, measurement errors due to abnormally high temperatures of the pressure sensor 50 are reduced.

When the pressure in the piping drops due to steam pressure fluctuations or the steam system being shut down, the pressure in the first passage 13 and the second passage 16 also drops. Even in this case, the lowest part 18a of the liquid retention section 18 is located below the connection port 13a, so as shown in FIG. 3, the condensate that has been retained in the liquid retention section 18 continues to retain in the liquid retention section 18 without flowing back into the first passage 13. Therefore, the operation of the steam system can be resumed with condensate retained in the liquid retention section 18. Therefore, even in such a case, the rise in the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor 50 can be suppressed, and the ambient temperature can be kept below the heat-resistant temperature.

As described above, in the sensor device 1, the second passage 16 is formed to prevent the accumulated condensed liquid from flowing back into the first passage 13. Specifically, the second passage 16 has a liquid retention section 18 that retains the condensed liquid and communicates with the pressure sensor 50, and a connection passage 17 that connects the liquid retention section 18 to the connection port 13a of the first passage 13. The lowest part 18a of the liquid retention section 18 is located below the connection port 13a. Therefore, even if the pressure of the piping decreases, it is possible to prevent the condensed liquid in the liquid retention section 18 below at least the connection port 13a from flowing back into the first passage 13. In other words, it is possible to continue to appropriately secure the condensed liquid in the liquid retention section 18. This makes it possible to suppress an increase in the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor 50. As a result, it is possible to reduce measurement errors due to abnormally high temperatures of the pressure sensor 50.

More specifically, the connection passage 17 and the liquid retention portion 18 are formed in a cylindrical shape that is coaxial with each other and extends in a direction perpendicular to the first passage 13. The diameter of the connection passage 17 is smaller than the diameter of the liquid retention portion 18. Therefore, with a simple configuration, the lowest portion 18a of the liquid retention portion 18 can be positioned below the connection port 13a (i.e., the connection passage 17). In addition, since the connection passage 17 and the liquid retention portion 18 are formed in a cylindrical shape that is coaxial with each other, they are relatively easy to process.

<<Variation 1>>
A first modified example of the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. In this modified example, the configurations of the connection passage 17 and the liquid retention portion 18 are changed in the sensor device 1 of the above embodiment. Here, differences from the above embodiment will be described.

The second passage 16 of this modified example is formed to prevent the accumulated condensed liquid from flowing back into the first passage 13, as in the previous embodiment. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the second passage 16 has a connection passage 17A and a liquid retention section 18. The liquid retention section 18 retains the condensed liquid and communicates with the pressure sensor 50. The connection passage 17A connects the liquid retention section 18 to the connection port 13a of the first passage 13. In the second passage 16 of this example, the lowermost portion 18a of the liquid retention section 18 is also located below the connection port 13a.

More specifically, the liquid retention section 18 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the first passage 13, i.e., horizontally, as in the previous embodiment. The connection passage 17A is formed coaxially with the liquid retention section 18 and is formed in a tapered shape whose diameter increases from the connection port 13a to the liquid retention section 18. In other words, the second passage 16 is a passage extending horizontally as a whole. In this example, the downstream end of the connection passage 17A (i.e., the end of the connection passage 17A on the liquid retention section 18 side) has a smaller diameter than the liquid retention section 18. Thus, in the second passage 16, the lowest part 18a of the liquid retention section 18 is located below the connection port 13a, or more specifically, the connection passage 17.

Even in this modified example, when the pressure in the first passage 13 and the second passage 16 drops, the bottom 18a of the liquid retention section 18 is located below the connection port 13a, so that backflow of the condensate into the first passage 13 is suppressed. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the condensate continues to be retained in the liquid retention section 18. This makes it possible to appropriately suppress the rise in the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor 50 even if steam flows into the second passage 16 due to the restart of operation, etc.

In addition, because the connection passage 17A is tapered, as shown in FIG. 4, condensed liquid accumulates not only in the liquid retention portion 18 but also in part of the connection passage 17A. Therefore, the components surrounding the pressure sensor 50 are further cooled by the condensed liquid, and the rise in the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor 50 can be further suppressed. The other configurations, actions, and effects are the same as those of the above embodiment.

<<Variation 2>>
A second modification of the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. In this modification, the configurations of the connection passage 17 and the liquid retention portion 18 are changed in the sensor device 1 of the above embodiment. Here, differences from the above embodiment will be described.

The second passage 16 of this modified example is also formed to prevent the accumulated condensed liquid from flowing back into the first passage 13, as in the above embodiment. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the second passage 16 has a connection passage 17B and a liquid retention section 18A. The liquid retention section 18A retains the condensed liquid and communicates with the pressure sensor 50. The connection passage 17A connects the liquid retention section 18A to the connection port 13a of the first passage 13. In the second passage 16 of this example, the bottom portion 18b of the liquid retention section 18A is also located below the connection port 13a.

More specifically, the connection passage 17B and the liquid retention portion 18A are formed as coaxial cylinders extending diagonally downward from the connection port 13a. In other words, the second passage 16 is a cylindrical passage extending diagonally downward from the first passage 13 as a whole. In this example, the diameter of the connection passage 17B is approximately the same as the diameter of the liquid retention portion 18A. Thus, in the second passage 16, the bottom portion 18b of the liquid retention portion 18A is positioned below the connection port 13a, or more specifically, the connection passage 17B.

Even in this modified example, when the pressure in the first passage 13 and the second passage 16 drops, the bottom 18b of the liquid retention section 18A is located below the connection port 13a, so that the backflow of the condensate into the first passage 13 is suppressed. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the condensate continues to be retained in the liquid retention section 18A. This makes it possible to appropriately suppress the rise in the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor 50 even if steam flows into the second passage 16 due to the restart of operation, etc.

In addition, since the connection passage 17B is formed in a cylindrical shape that is coaxial with and has approximately the same diameter as the liquid retention portion 18A, as shown in FIG. 5, condensed liquid accumulates not only in the liquid retention portion 18A but also in part of the connection passage 17B. Therefore, the components surrounding the pressure sensor 50 are further cooled by the condensed liquid, and the rise in the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor 50 can be further suppressed. The other configurations, actions, and effects are the same as those of the above embodiment.

Other Embodiments
As described above, the above embodiment has been described as an example of the technology disclosed in this application. However, the technology in this disclosure is not limited to this, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, replacements, additions, omissions, etc. are appropriately performed. In addition, it is also possible to combine the components described in the above embodiment to form a new embodiment. In addition, among the components described in the attached drawings and detailed description, not only components essential for solving the problem but also components that are not essential for solving the problem in order to exemplify the technology may be included. Therefore, the fact that these non-essential components are described in the attached drawings and detailed description should not immediately lead to the determination that these non-essential components are essential.

For example, the shapes of the connection passages 17, 17A, 17B and the liquid retention portions 18, 18A are not limited to those described above, and may be any shape as long as the lowermost portions 18a, 18b of the liquid retention portions 18, 18A are positioned below the connection port 13a.

The temperature sensor 40 may also be omitted. In other words, the sensor device 1 may only detect the steam pressure.

In addition, in the first passage 13, the spiral passage 14 may be omitted and the straight passage 15 may be lengthened to increase the contact area of the steam.

Of course, the sensor device 1 can also detect condensable gases other than steam.

The technology disclosed herein can be summarized as follows:

[1] The sensor device 1 includes a main body 10 having a first passage 13 extending in the vertical direction and through which steam flows upward, a second passage 16 connected to the side of the first passage 13 and for retaining the condensed liquid of the gas that has passed through the first passage 13, and a pressure sensor 50 that communicates with the condensed liquid in the second passage 16 and detects the pressure of the gas. The second passage 16 is formed to prevent the condensed liquid from flowing back into the first passage 13.

According to this configuration, the pressure sensor 50 is provided in communication with the condensate in the second passage 16, so that the surrounding components of the pressure sensor 50 are cooled by the condensate. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the rise in the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor 50 due to steam. Therefore, it is possible to reduce measurement errors due to abnormally high temperatures of the pressure sensor 50. Here, even if the pressure in the first passage 13 and the second passage 16 drops due to, for example, the system being stopped, the condensate in the second passage 16 is prevented from flowing back into the first passage 13. In other words, the condensate can be kept retained in the second passage 16. Therefore, the cooling effect of the condensate on the surrounding components of the pressure sensor 50 is maintained. Therefore, even if steam flows into the second passage 16 due to the subsequent resumption of operation, it is possible to appropriately suppress the rise in the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor 50.

[2] In the sensor device 1 described in [1], the second passage 16 has liquid retention sections 18, 18A that retain the condensed liquid and communicate with the pressure sensor 50, and connection passages 17, 17A, 17B that connect the liquid retention sections 18, 18A to the connection port 13a of the first passage 13. The lowest parts 18a, 18b of the liquid retention sections 18, 18A are located below the connection port 13a.

With this configuration, steam flowing from the first passage 13 into the second passage 16 condenses into condensed liquid, which accumulates in the liquid retention sections 18, 18A. Even if the pressure in the first passage 13 and the second passage 16 drops, the lowest parts 18a, 18b of the liquid retention sections 18, 18A are located below the connection port 13a, so the condensed liquid in the liquid retention sections 18, 18A continues to accumulate in the liquid retention sections 18, 18A without flowing back into the first passage 13. This makes it possible to suppress an increase in the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor 50.

[3] In the sensor device 1 described in [1] or [2], the connection passage 17 and the liquid retention portion 18 are formed in a cylindrical shape that is coaxial with each other and extends in a direction perpendicular to the first passage 13. The diameter of the connection passage 17 is smaller than the diameter of the liquid retention portion 18.

With this configuration, even if the pressure in the first passage 13 and the second passage 16 drops, the condensate can be retained in the area of the liquid retention section 18 that is located below the connection port 13a. This makes it possible to suppress an increase in the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor 50. In addition, since the connection passage 17 and the liquid retention section 18 are formed in a coaxial cylindrical shape, they are relatively easy to process.

[4] In the sensor device 1 described in any one of [1] to [3], the liquid retention portion 18 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the first passage 13. The connection passage 17A is formed coaxially with the liquid retention portion 18 and is formed in a tapered shape whose diameter increases from the connection port 13a to the liquid retention portion 18.

With this configuration, even if the pressure in the first passage 13 and the second passage 16 drops, the condensate can be retained not only in the area located below the connection port 13a in the liquid retention section 18, but also in the area located below the connection port 13a in the connection passage 17A. This enhances the cooling effect of the condensate on the components surrounding the pressure sensor 50. This further suppresses the rise in the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor 50.

[5] In the sensor device described in any one of [1] to [4], the connection passage 17B and the liquid retention section 18A are formed in a coaxial cylindrical shape extending obliquely downward from the connection port 13a.

With this configuration, even if the pressure in the first passage 13 and the second passage 16 drops, the condensate can be retained not only in the area located below the connection port 13a in the liquid retention section 18A, but also in the area located below the connection port 13a in the connection passage 17B. This enhances the cooling effect of the condensate on the components surrounding the pressure sensor 50. This further suppresses the rise in the ambient temperature of the pressure sensor 50.

As explained above, the technology disclosed herein is useful for sensor devices.

1 Sensor device 10 Body 13 First passage 13a Connection port 16 Second passage 17 Connection passage 17A Connection passage 17B Connection passage 18 Liquid retention portion 18A Liquid retention portion 18a Bottom portion 18b Bottom portion 50 Pressure sensor

Claims (5)

a main body having a first passage extending in a vertical direction and through which a gas flows upward, and a second passage connected to a side portion of the first passage and for retaining condensate of the gas that has passed through the first passage;
a pressure sensor communicating with the condensate in the second passage and detecting a pressure of the gas;
The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the second passage is formed to prevent the condensed liquid from flowing back into the first passage. 2. The sensor device according to claim 1,
the second passage includes a liquid retention portion for retaining the condensed liquid and communicating with the pressure sensor, and a connection passage connecting the liquid retention portion to a connection port of the first passage,
A sensor device characterized in that a lowermost portion of the liquid retention portion is located below the connection port. The sensor device according to claim 2,
the connecting passage and the liquid retention portion are formed in a cylindrical shape that is coaxial with each other and extends in a direction perpendicular to the first passage,
A sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the connecting passage is smaller than the diameter of the liquid retaining portion. The sensor device according to claim 2,
The liquid retention portion is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the first passage,
The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the connection passage is formed coaxially with the liquid retaining portion and is tapered so that its diameter increases from the connection port toward the liquid retaining portion. The sensor device according to claim 2,
The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the connection passage and the liquid retention portion are formed in a coaxial cylindrical shape extending obliquely downward from the connection port.

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