JP5388868B2 - Steam trap malfunction detection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a steam trap malfunction detection device capable of detecting and displaying malfunction of a steam trap.

  In power plants, factories, and various plants, a large amount of steam is used for heating and heating, and a steam trap is generally provided at the end of the steam pipe. Since the steam trap has a valve inside, if the valve portion is clogged with rust or the like in the pipe, it causes malfunction. There are various patterns of malfunctions in the steam trap, but typical cases are cases where the valve remains closed and drainage cannot be discharged, and cases where the valve remains open and steam is discharged. . Especially in the case where drainage is not discharged, the accumulation of drainage in the steam pipe results in a drop in the steam pipe temperature, which greatly affects the operation. Therefore, it is important to check the operating state of the steam trap.

  If the drain is not discharged, the temperature of the steam trap or the front and rear pipes connected to the steam trap is lowered. Therefore, the malfunction of the steam trap can be found by measuring these temperatures. As a method for measuring the temperature, there is a method of using a temperature detector such as a thermocouple, but a method of touching the steam trap or the pipe before and after the steam trap with a hand is simple and has been often used. Although this method is simple and can be implemented immediately on site, it may be difficult to confirm depending on the location of the steam trap, there is a risk of burns, and if there are many steam traps, it takes a lot of time for confirmation. Cost. Note that the vapor trap is sometimes called a drain trap.

  Several devices for detecting malfunction of the steam trap have been proposed. For example, a temperature display device has been proposed in which a thin plate made of a shape memory alloy is attached to a steam trap or a pipe before and after the steam trap, and the temperature is detected from a change in the shape of the thin plate accompanying a temperature change (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Further, since the temperature display device can only display whether the temperature is higher or lower than the temperature at a predetermined temperature as a boundary, it cannot be clearly determined whether the steam trap is operating normally. In addition, a temperature indicator that can display not only the intermediate temperature has been proposed. This temperature indicator uses a spiral bimetal to detect and display the temperature, and an example incorporated in a steam trap is disclosed as an example (see, for example, Patent Document 2). The present applicant has invented a method using a thermo label as a method for detecting the operation of a steam trap and has filed a patent application (see Patent Document 3).

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-211941 JP 2005-257625 A JP 2008-64209 A

  It is needless to say that the method or apparatus for detecting the operation state of the steam trap can detect both of these states because the malfunction of the steam trap causes the discharge of steam in addition to the inability to drain the drain. Although a method using a thermolabel is a simple method, there is a concern about deterioration. The method of using the spiral bimetal described in Patent Document 2 is a preferable method that is highly reliable and capable of detecting both the inability to discharge drain and the blowing of steam. Depending on the model, it is difficult to install, and in the case of a steam trap that has already been installed, the installation may require significant improvements.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an easy-to-use steam trap malfunction detection device that is simple in construction and easy to install, and that can easily detect the malfunction of the steam trap.

The present invention according to claim 1 is a lever that is fixed to the outer wall surface of the steam trap or the front and rear pipes connected to the steam trap and whose other part is displaced by heat received from the outer wall surface of the steam trap or the front and rear pipes, and a lever. An enlargement device that uses the principle of leverage to enlarge the displacement amount of the tip of the bimetal, a pointer or indicator that indicates the displacement amount of the bimetal enlarged by the enlargement device, and a position of the guide or indicator A steam trap malfunction detection device comprising: a display device corresponding to the operating state of the steam trap or the temperature of the steam trap or the front and rear pipes.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the steam trap malfunction detection device according to the first aspect, wherein the lever includes a plurality of levers, and a plurality of levers are disposed so as to further increase the displacement amount of one lever. The lever is arranged in the vertical direction .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the steam trap malfunction detecting device according to the first or second aspect , the expansion device further includes a gear device formed by combining two or more gears, and the lever is interposed therebetween. One gear of the gear device is driven, and the displacement amount of the tip end portion of the bimetal is increased by both the lever device and the gear device .

Steam trap malfunction detecting apparatus according to the present invention, only the end portion of the bimetal is fixed to the outer wall surface of the front and rear piping connected to the steam trap or steam trap, and the displacement amount of the bimetal of the tip portion which is displaced in response to temperature Since the image is magnified by an enlarging device using this principle and directly displayed on the display device, a malfunction of the steam trap can be immediately recognized. Since the structure is simple and the bimetal is fixed to the outer wall surface of the front and rear pipes connected to the steam trap or the steam trap, it can be easily installed and used. In addition, since a bimetal is used, it is highly reliable, and further equipped with a magnifying device that enlarges the amount of displacement of the bimetal.

Further, according to the present invention, since a plurality of levers are arranged in the vertical direction so as to further increase the amount of displacement of one lever, a large displacement can be realized in a small space, and the apparatus can be made compact. be able to. As a result, it can be installed in a small installation space.

Further, according to the present invention, since the displacement amount of the tip end portion of the bimetal can be enlarged by both the lever gear device, the slight displacement amount of the bimetal can be greatly enlarged.

It is a figure which shows the state which mounted | wore the steam trap 1 with the steam trap malfunction detection apparatus 10 of 1st Embodiment of this invention, (a) is a side view, (b) is a front view. It is a figure for demonstrating the expansion mechanism of the expansion apparatus 14 of the steam trap malfunction detection apparatus 10 of FIG. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the vapor trap malfunction detection apparatus 50 of 2nd Embodiment of this invention, (a) is a side view, (b) is a front view.

  1A and 1B are views showing a state in which the steam trap malfunction detection device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is mounted on the steam trap 1, wherein FIG. 1A is a side view and FIG. 1B is a front view. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an enlargement mechanism of the enlargement device 14 of the steam trap malfunction detection device 10.

  The steam trap malfunction detection device 10 is attached to the outer surface of the steam trap 1, the steam pipe 2 connected to the steam trap 1, and the drain pipe 3, and the temperature of the steam trap 1, steam pipe 2, drain pipe 3 is indirectly passed through the bimetal. And detecting the operation state of the steam trap 1 on the basis of this temperature, the bimetal 12, an enlargement device 14 for enlarging the amount of displacement of the tip of the bimetal 12, and a display device 16 for displaying the operation state. Including. FIG. 1 is an example in which a steam trap malfunction detection device 10 is attached to a steam trap 1.

  The bimetal 12 has a thin rectangular plate shape and is attached so as to be in close contact with the outer wall surface 5 of the outer lid 4 above the steam trap 1. Only one end 18 of the bimetal 12 is firmly fixed to the outer wall surface 5 with a band (not shown), and other portions are free with respect to the outer wall surface 5. The bimetal 12 has a wide usable temperature range and a proportional temperature range as known in the art, and various bimetals are commercially available. Therefore, a bimetal suitable for the temperature may be selected as appropriate, and a bimetal having a large bending resistance coefficient may be used. Large displacement is preferable. If an example of the outer wall temperature of the steam trap 1 or the steam pipe 2 or the drain pipe 3 is shown, when the operation of the steam trap 1 is normal, about 80 to 100 ° C., and when the drain is accumulated due to the malfunction of the steam trap 1, 20 to 20 On the other hand, when the steam is blown off due to the malfunction of the steam trap 1, the temperature is about 110 to 130 ° C. In such a temperature range, one bimetal 12 can be used. When the bimetal 12 is attached, it is important that the bimetal 12 is closely attached to the outer wall surface of the steam trap 1, the steam pipe 2, or the drain pipe 3 so that the thermal conductivity is not lowered. The shape of the bimetal 12 is not limited to a rectangular flat plate shape, and may be a U-shape.

  The attachment position of the bimetal 12 may be the steam pipe 2 and the drain pipe 3 before and after connecting to the steam trap 1 in addition to the steam trap 1, and a place where the temperature greatly changes depending on the operating state of the steam trap 1 is preferable. When attaching to the steam pipe 2 and the drain pipe 3 from this point, a position as close to the steam trap 1 as possible is preferable, and the steam pipe 2 is more preferable than the drain pipe 3. Further, since it is important that the bimetal 12 is attached in close contact with the outer wall surface from the viewpoint of thermal conductivity, the attachment position of the bimetal 12 should be determined in consideration of this point.

  The steam trap 1 is not limited to a specific steam trap, but is applicable to various steam traps such as a bucket steam trap, a mechanical steam trap such as a float steam trap, and a thermostatic steam trap such as a bimetal steam trap. can do.

  The magnifying device 14 is a device for enlarging the height of the distal end portion 24 of the bimetal 12 that is displaced by heat and transmitting it to the display device 16. Here, the amount of displacement of the bimetal 12 is enlarged using a lever. . The magnifying device 14 includes levers 20 and 22 provided in two upper and lower stages, a connecting plate 26 that connects the tip 24 of the bimetal 12 and one end of the lever 20, the other end of the lever 20, and one end of the lever 22. And a connecting plate 28.

  The lever 20 has an elongated plate shape and is arranged in parallel with the bimetal 12 at a predetermined interval. One end of the lever 20 is rotatably connected to one end of the connecting plate 26 via a support pin 30, and the other end of the connecting plate 26 is connected rotatably to a bimetal tip 24 via a support pin 32. Has been. Similarly, the lever 20 and the lever 22 are rotatably connected by a connecting plate 28 via support pins 34 and 36. The lever 20 has a support pin 38 fixed at a position close to the connecting plate 26. The support pin 38 is rotatably supported by a frame (not shown), and the lever moves with the support pin 38 as a fulcrum. Similarly, this 22 also has a support pin 40 serving as a fulcrum at a position close to the connecting plate 28.

FIG. 2A shows a state where the bimetal 12 is not displaced. The distance between the outer wall surface 5 of the end portion upper end and the outer lid 4 of the lever 22 is H _0. FIG. 2B shows a state in which the bimetal 12 receives heat from the outer lid 4 and the tip 24 is displaced by δh. At this time, the displacement amount δh of the bimetal 12 is ΔH = H ₁ −H ₀ by the magnifying device 14. Expanded to Thus, the displacement amount of the bimetal 12 can be easily expanded by using the levers 20 and 22. As shown in the present embodiment, when two levers 20 and 22 are used and arranged in two upper and lower stages, the mounting space is small, and mounting is possible even in a narrow place. Of course, this number may be one or three or more. The lever has a simple structure and high reliability, and the expansion device 14 using the lever is inexpensive and can be said to be an excellent expansion device.

  As an enlargement device, a lever or a snap mechanism is used in addition to the lever, and this is interlocked with the bimetal 12, a load is applied to the snap or the spring mechanism by the displacement of the bimetal 12, and the compression of the snap or the spring is released. The amount of displacement may be increased. Further, another enlargement device may be used, and a compact device that is simple in structure, inexpensive, and compact is preferable. In the second embodiment, another enlargement device is shown.

  The display device 16 is a device that displays the displacement amount of the bimetal 12 enlarged by the enlargement device 14 so as to be visible. The indicator 42 that moves in conjunction with the enlargement device 14 and the display board 44 that displays the operating state of the bimetal 12. including. In the present embodiment, the pointer 42 is used by coloring the tip of the lever 22 as a pointer. Of course, a separate indicator may be provided at the tip of the lever 22.

  The display plate 44 is provided with a window 46 through which a pointer 42 can be visually recognized. Three scales 48 indicating the operating state of the steam trap are engraved on the side of the window 46. The bottom graduation 48a shows a closed state without draining, the central graduation 48b shows a normal state, and the top graduation 48c shows a state in which the steam trap is blown off. When the steam trap is malfunctioning and the valve is closed, the drain condensed with steam cannot be discharged, and the temperature of the steam trap body 1 decreases. In this state, the displacement amount of the bimetal 12 is small and the pointer 44 is also positioned below. On the other hand, when the steam trap is malfunctioning and the valve remains open, the steam is sprayed, and the steam trap body 1 is constantly heated with steam and maintains a high temperature. In this state, the displacement amount of the bimetal 12 is large, and the pointer 44 is positioned above. When the steam trap is operating normally, the steam trap body 1 is at an intermediate temperature, and the pointer 44 is also in the middle. The scale 48 may be displayed so as to have a certain width, and may be color-coded instead of the scale. Moreover, you may display temperature.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vapor trap malfunction detection device 50 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a side view and (b) is a front view. The same members as those in the steam trap malfunction detection device 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

  Similarly to the steam trap malfunction detection apparatus 10 shown in the first embodiment, the steam trap malfunction detection apparatus 50 of the second embodiment indirectly detects the temperature with the bimetal 12 and displays the operation status of the steam trap based on this temperature. Display on the device 52. Similarly to the steam trap malfunction detection device 10 shown in the first embodiment, the steam trap malfunction detection device 50 enlarges the amount of displacement of the tip 24 of the bimetal 12 and displays it on the display device 52.

  The display device 52 uses the gear device 62 to rotate the display device 54 to display the operating state of the steam trap 1. The display device 52 includes a rectangular parallelepiped display 54 in a side view, different colors are given to adjacent side surfaces 56 and 58 of the display 54, and one side where the side surfaces 56 and 58 meet becomes an index 60. The gear device 62 includes a rack 64 and a pinion 66, and the indicator 54 is mounted on the rotation shaft 68 of the pinion 66 so that the center coincides with the rotation shaft 68 of the pinion 66, and rotates together with the pinion 66. To do. The length of the diagonal line of the display unit 54 is several times the diameter of the pinion 66, and the distance that the pinion 66 moves is several times larger and appears as the movement distance of the index 60. A rack 64 is disposed on the pinion 66 so as to mesh with the pinion 66, and the rack 64 is held by a guide (not shown) so as to be vertically movable. The bimetal 12 is located below the rack 64, the bimetal 12 is in close contact with the outer wall surface 6 of the steam pipe 2 connected to the inlet of the steam trap 1, and only one end 18 is fixed to the steam pipe 2.

  From the above configuration, the steam trap malfunction detection device 50 receives heat from the outer wall surface 6 of the steam pipe 2, and the rack 64 is pushed upward when the distal end portion 24 of the bimetal 12 curves upward. As a result, the pinion 66 meshing with the rack 64 rotates counterclockwise, and the indicator 54 mounted on the same axis also rotates counterclockwise. At this time, the display 54 enlarges and displays the displacement amount of the bimetal 12. In this way, the gear device 62 and the display 54 cooperate to function as an enlargement device that enlarges the amount of displacement of the bimetal 12. Further, since the indicator 54 has different colors on the side surfaces 56 and 58 with the index 60 as a boundary, the position of the index 60 displayed on the window 46 of the display board 44 is clear. The indicator 54 may have a columnar shape, and a line may be provided in the indicator 60 portion as a pointer, or a pointer may be provided in this portion.

The bimetal 12 is displaced so as to draw a circle around the one end 18 that is a fixed point. For this reason, when the rack 64 is fixed to the bimetal 12, the distance between the rack 64 and the pinion 66 is increased according to the amount of the bimetal 12 curved upward, and the meshing becomes worse. However, in this embodiment, since the bimetal 12 and the rack 64 are in contact with each other without being bonded, the distance between the rack 64 and the pinion 66 is always kept constant, and the movement is stabilized.

  As is well known, a gear device formed by combining two or more gears can easily change the speed by changing the diameter of the gears. Such a gear device may be used as an enlargement device. In addition, in the steam trap malfunction detection device 50 of the second embodiment, the expansion device 14 shown in the first embodiment may be attached and the rack 64 may be moved by the lever 22. Thereby, the slight displacement of the bimetal 12 can be further enlarged.

  As explained in the first and second embodiments, the vapor trap malfunction detection device according to the present invention is simple in construction, easy to install, and further requires no power supply or wiring, so it can be easily used in the field. can do. The steam trap malfunction detection device according to the present invention has an enlargement device that enlarges the amount of displacement of the bimetal, so that even if the device is miniaturized, the display is easy to see and easy to use. Furthermore, since the apparatus can be made compact, it can be manufactured at low cost. Since the steam trap malfunction detection device according to the present invention is basically a device that detects the temperature via a bimetal and displays it on the display device, it detects the temperature of various devices or pipes other than the steam trap. It can also be used as a display device and as an abnormality monitoring detection device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Steam trap 2 Steam piping 3 Drain piping 5 Outer wall surface of outer lid 6 Outer wall surface of steam piping 10 Steam trap malfunction detection device 12 Bimetal 14 Enlargement device 16 Display device 18 Bimetal one end 20 Lever 22 Lever 24 Bimetal tip 42 Pointer 44 Display board 48 Scale 50 Steam trap malfunction detection device 52 Display device 54 Display device 60 Index 62 Gear device 64 Rack 66 Pinion

Claims (3)

A bimetal that is fixed only to the outer wall surface of the steam trap or the front and rear pipes connected to the steam trap and displaces the other part by the heat received from the outer wall surface of the steam trap or the front and rear pipes;
A magnifying device having a lever and using the lever principle to enlarge the displacement of the tip of the bimetal;
A display or indicator that indicates the displacement amount of the bimetal expanded by the expansion device, and a display plate that displays the operating state of the steam trap or the temperature of the steam trap or the front and rear pipes corresponding to the position of the pointer or index Equipment,
A steam trap malfunction detection device comprising: 2. The steam trap malfunction according to claim 1 , wherein the lever includes a plurality of levers, and the plurality of levers are arranged in a vertical direction so as to further increase a displacement amount of one lever. Detection device. The magnifying device further includes a gear device formed by combining two or more gears, drives one gear of the gear device through the lever, and the tip of the bimetal is driven by both the lever and the gear device. steam trap malfunction detecting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that to increase the displacement of the parts.

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