JP5825293B2 - Operation confirmation method for abnormal situation automatic detection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for confirming whether or not an abnormal situation automatic detection device that automatically detects an abnormal situation in a molten metal handling facility operates normally.

  In a molten metal handling facility such as a refining factory or a casting factory that handles molten metal, abnormal situations such as abnormal leakage or dripping of molten metal may occur. For example, in a continuous casting facility for molten steel, a breakout may occur in which a thin portion of a solidified shell of a slab is broken and internal molten steel leaks out. When a breakout occurs, it is necessary to stop casting, and it takes a lot of time and labor to process the leaked molten steel, and to restore machinery and equipment damaged by contact with the leaked molten steel. The occurrence of out needs to be detected as soon as possible and reliably.

  Therefore, abnormal situations such as abnormal leakage of molten metal and abnormal dripping are automatically detected without depending on human visual monitoring. For example, in Patent Document 1, a CCD camera that images the periphery of the mold outlet is arranged, and the imaging screen is divided into a plurality of sections to perform image processing, thereby monitoring local changes on the surface of the slab, A method for detecting a breakout has been proposed. Specifically, the average brightness of each image area is calculated, and this is compared with a threshold value as a criterion for determining whether breakout has occurred, thereby determining whether breakout has occurred.

  In the case of such a breakout detection method using a CCD camera, the CCD camera is often installed in an inferior environment near the mold of a continuous casting machine. It was easy to wake up. Therefore, conventionally, an operation check test is periodically performed to determine whether or not a breakout has occurred by shining light on the CCD camera.

JP 10-71453 A

However, in the above operation confirmation test, it could not be said that sufficient operation confirmation was made. That is, when a breakout actually occurs, it operates normally and detects the occurrence of a breakout, but when a breakout has not occurred, it may malfunction if a breakout has occurred. For this reason, there is a problem in that casting is stopped every time a malfunction occurs and downtime occurs.
Therefore, the present invention solves the problems of the prior art as described above, and more reliably confirms that the abnormal situation automatic detection device that automatically detects the abnormal situation in the molten metal handling facility operates normally. It is an object of the present invention to provide an operation confirmation method capable of performing the above.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an aspect of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, the operation confirmation method of the abnormal situation automatic detection device according to one aspect of the present invention is an operation for confirming whether or not the abnormal situation automatic detection device that automatically detects an abnormal situation in the molten metal handling facility operates normally. In the confirmation method, the abnormal situation automatic detection device captures an operating state of the molten metal handling facility with an imaging device, discriminates the color of each pixel constituting the obtained image, and based on the discrimination result Calculating the number of pixels representing a specific color included in the predetermined area of the image, and determining that the operating state of the molten metal handling facility is abnormal when the number exceeds a predetermined reference number. When the molten metal handling facility is less than the reference number, it is determined that the operating state of the molten metal handling facility is normal, and the number of pixels representing the specific color exceeds the reference number. Projecting the light of the specific color onto the image pickup device to pick up an image, and causing the abnormal state automatic detection device to make a determination, and the number of pixels representing the specific color is equal to or less than the reference number And a normal situation determination step of projecting and imaging the light of the specific color onto the imaging device and causing the abnormal situation automatic detection device to make a determination.

  In the operation confirmation method of the abnormal state automatic detection device, a jig having a light transmitting portion that transmits the light of the specific color and a light shielding portion that blocks the light of the specific color is used as a light source of the light of the specific color. By arranging between the imaging device and blocking a part of the light of the specific color from the light source by the light-shielding part, and projecting the other part transmitted through the light-transmitting part to the imaging device. The number of pixels representing the specific color may be adjusted.

At this time, by adjusting at least one of the cross-sectional area of the translucent portion and the position of the jig between the light source of the light of the specific color and the imaging device, the number of pixels representing the specific color Can be adjusted.
The translucent part may be a through hole formed in the jig.
The jig may be a plate surface of the plate-like member having the translucent part, and a cylindrical body that surrounds the translucent part is fixed substantially perpendicularly. The jig may be arranged toward the light source.

  The operation check method of the abnormal situation automatic detection device according to the present invention projects the light of a specific color onto the imaging device so that the number of pixels representing the specific color exceeds the reference number, and the abnormal situation automatic detection device Make a determination to confirm that an abnormal situation is to be determined when an abnormal situation is to be determined, and project light of a specific color to the imaging device so that the number of pixels representing the specific color is equal to or less than the reference number. Since it is possible to confirm that it is determined to be a normal situation when an abnormal situation automatic detection device is to be imaged and should be determined to be a normal situation, an abnormal situation in a molten metal handling facility is automatically detected. It is possible to more reliably confirm that the abnormal situation automatic detection device operates normally.

It is a figure explaining the structure of the abnormal condition automatic detection apparatus. It is a figure explaining the method of monitoring the operation state of a continuous casting installation using the abnormal condition automatic detection apparatus of FIG. It is a figure explaining one Embodiment of the operation confirmation method of the abnormal condition automatic detection apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining the method of confirming operation | movement of an abnormal condition automatic detection apparatus using a plate-shaped jig | tool.

An embodiment of an operation confirmation method for an abnormal situation automatic detection device according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.
First, the abnormal situation automatic detection device will be described. The abnormal condition automatic detection device of this embodiment is suitably installed in a molten metal handling facility such as a refining factory or a casting factory that handles molten metal, and the operation state of the facility is a CCD (charge-coupled device) camera. That the abnormal situation such as abnormal leakage of molten metal, abnormal dripping, etc. occurred in the molten metal handling equipment by image processing using the imaging device such as It is a device that automatically detects without relying on visual monitoring.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the abnormal situation automatic detection device of the present embodiment performs image processing on an imaging device 10 such as a CCD camera that images the operating state of a molten metal handling facility, and an image captured by the imaging device 10. An image processing device 12 for analysis. The image processing apparatus 12 determines the color of each pixel constituting the obtained image, calculates the number of pixels representing a specific color included in a predetermined area of the image based on the determination result, and the number is When the predetermined reference number is exceeded, it is determined that the operating state of the molten metal handling facility is abnormal, and when it is less than the reference number, the operating state of the molten metal handling facility is determined to be normal. Etc. are performed.

  In the abnormal situation automatic detection device of the present embodiment, since the imaging device 10 is also used for monitoring the operating state, the image signal of the imaging device 10 is also input to the monitoring display device 16 via the distributor 14. It has become so. Further, when it is determined that an abnormal situation has occurred as a result of image processing and analysis by the image processing device 12, a warning device 22 such as Patlite (registered trademark) sends a sound or light to the operator of the molten metal handling facility. An alarm is issued using.

  Next, a method for monitoring the operation state of a continuous casting facility, which is an example of a molten metal handling facility, will be described using the abnormal situation automatic detection device of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, in the continuous casting facility, molten steel (molten metal) stored in the ladle 24 is injected from the long nozzle 26 into the tundish 28 and further from the tundish 28 to the mold 30 through the immersion nozzle 29. Injected.

  The molten steel injected into the mold 30 is cooled from the periphery thereof, a solidified shell is formed on the surface to form a slab, and the molten steel is guided by the guide roll 32 in a state where the inside is melted and gradually conveyed while being conveyed downstream. It will be cooled. And finally, it is sequentially extracted from the guide roll 32 as a completely solidified slab, cut out to a predetermined length by a gas cutter or the like (not shown) on the downstream side, and then carried out.

  In this continuous casting facility, an abnormal situation automatic detection device for automatically detecting abnormal situations such as abnormal leakage of molten metal and abnormal dripping is installed. The imaging apparatus 10 of the abnormal situation automatic detection apparatus is installed at a position where, for example, a segment portion below the mold 30 can be imaged, and the imaging apparatus 10 detects, for example, a breakout B that occurs below the mold 30. It is like that. Breakout B is an example of abnormal leakage of molten steel in a continuous casting facility, and is a phenomenon in which the solidified shell is broken at a portion below the mold 30 and the molten steel leaks from the inside of the slab.

  Note that the imaging range of the imaging apparatus 10 is not particularly limited, and may be set so that a portion where an abnormal situation such as abnormal leakage or abnormal dropping of molten metal may occur is captured. In addition, a plurality of imaging devices 10 may be installed to image a plurality of imaging ranges, or a plurality of imaging devices 10 may image one imaging range. Further, as described above, the imaging device 10 is also used for monitoring the operation state of the continuous casting facility.

  An image obtained by imaging with the imaging device 10 is sent to the image processing device 12 for image processing and analysis. The contents of image processing and analysis are as follows. The color of each pixel constituting the image is discriminated, and the number of pixels representing a specific color among the pixels included in the predetermined region of the image is calculated based on the discrimination result. When the calculated number exceeds a predetermined reference number, it is determined that “breakout B has occurred (abnormal situation)”, and when the calculated number is equal to or less than the reference number, “breakout B has occurred. "Not done (normal situation)".

  There is no particular limitation on what area the predetermined area of the image is set in, and it is set as appropriate in advance. The specific color is determined and set in advance to a color substantially the same as the color of the molten steel based on an image obtained by actually capturing a breakout. When determining whether or not a pixel color is a specific color, the three primary colors R, G, and B may be used individually for comparison between the pixel color and the specific color, or other than the primary colors An intermediate color or the like may be used.

  Specifically, the color of the molten steel in the image obtained at the time of actual breakout is divided into the above three primary colors and intermediate colors, etc., and the luminance value for each color is obtained, and the specific color is obtained from these luminance values. Define As an example, the luminance of a specific color when separated into three primary colors is 95% for R, 70% for G, and 5% for B, respectively. In monitoring the actual operation state, the luminance value for each color for determining that the color of the pixel constituting the captured image is the same color as the specific color is the luminance value of the specific color. An allowable range of ± some% (for example, ± 5%) may be set.

  Then, the number of pixels of a specific color existing in a predetermined area of the image obtained by capturing an image at the actual breakout is stored as basic data for determining the breakout. When a breakout is determined and detected based on the basic data, for example, 90% of the number of pixels of a specific color existing in the predetermined area obtained as basic data according to each facility. The number considering any safety factor such as 80% or the like is set as the reference number and used for the actual breakout determination.

  In this way, since the breakout can be automatically detected by the abnormal situation automatic detection device, the occurrence of the breakout can be found at the initial stage of steel leakage. Therefore, since it is possible to immediately take countermeasures at the time of breakout such as reducing the casting speed, it is possible to reduce the degree of operation troubles in the continuous casting equipment, and to restart the operation at an early stage.

  Next, an operation confirmation method for confirming that the above-described abnormal situation automatic detection apparatus operates normally will be described. Since the imaging device 10 such as a CCD camera is often installed in a poor environment near the mold 30, deterioration with time is likely to occur, and malfunctions and malfunctions are likely to occur. For this reason, it is preferable to regularly check the operation of whether or not to recognize that a breakout has occurred by projecting light of a specific color from the light source to the imaging device 10.

  In that case, whether or not to determine that “a breakout has occurred” is determined when light of a specific color is projected onto the imaging device 10 so that the number of pixels representing the specific color exceeds the reference number. When confirming (abnormal situation determining step) and projecting light of a specific color onto the imaging device 10 so that the number of pixels representing the specific color is equal to or less than the reference number, “no breakout has occurred. It is confirmed (normal state determination step).

  When light of a specific color is projected onto the imaging device 10 and imaged so that the number of pixels representing the specific color exceeds the reference number, it is determined that “breakout has occurred”, and the number of pixels representing the specific color is the reference. If it is determined that “breakout has not occurred” when light of a specific color is projected onto the imaging device 10 so that the number is less than or equal to the number, the automatic abnormality detection device has no problem and operates normally. It can be confirmed that it is in a state.

  If such an operation check is performed periodically and it is confirmed that the abnormal state automatic detection device is operating normally, the abnormal state automatic detection device cannot detect a breakout or the normal state is erroneously detected. Thus, it is possible to substantially prevent the occurrence of a so-called erroneous detection that determines that a breakout has occurred. In addition, since the reference number can be set as appropriate, there is a problem that breakout cannot be detected when the amount of abnormal leakage of molten steel is small, and breakout is detected only when the amount of abnormal leakage is large. Hard to occur.

〔Example〕
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. A portion of the slab where breakout is likely to occur (for example, a portion immediately below the mold) is set as an imaging range, and a CCD camera or the like is imaged at a position away from the portion (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as “slab position”), for example, 3000 mm. The apparatus 10 is installed and imaging is performed. Then, in the initial stage where breakout occurs, it is assumed that the ejected molten steel is scattered in a 300 mm square range (hereinafter referred to as “breakout range”).

At this time, if the imaging range of the imaging device 10 is X mm square, and the number of pixels of the imaging device 10 is Y ² pixels of Y pixels, Xmm corresponds to Y pixels, so one side of the breakout range The length of 300 mm is determined to correspond to 300 × Y / X pixels by proportional calculation. Therefore, the number of pixels exceeding (300 × Y / X) ² (corresponding to the reference number which is a constituent requirement of the present invention) out of Y ² pixels constituting the captured image represents a specific color. In this case, it is determined that the breakout is in the initial stage.

Therefore, when the operation check of the abnormal situation automatic detection device is performed, the light source 1 that emits the light of the specific color is used to project the light of the specific color onto the image pickup device 10 and capture the image. Processing and analysis are performed to determine whether the situation is abnormal or normal. At this time, light of a specific color is projected onto the image pickup device 10 while adjusting the number of pixels representing the specific color among the Y ² pixels constituting the captured image, which is the reference number (300 × Y / X) An abnormal situation is determined when more than ² pixels represent a specific color, and a normal situation is determined when (300 × Y / X) ² or fewer pixels represent a specific color. Confirm.

  Although the light projection method for adjusting the number of pixels representing a specific color is not particularly limited, a jig that blocks a part of the specific color light emitted from the light source 1 and transmits the other part is used. There is a method of adjustment. For example, a plate-shaped jig 3 having a translucent part 5 that transmits light of a specific color from the light source 1 and a light-shielding part 6 that blocks light of the specific color is used as the light source 1 of the specific color light and the imaging device 10. Are disposed between the light source 1 and the light of a specific color emitted from the light source 1, a part of which is blocked by the light shielding unit 6, and only the light of the specific color that has passed through the light transmitting unit 5 is projected onto the imaging device 10. Is done. Therefore, by adjusting at least one of the cross-sectional area of the translucent portion 5 and the position of the plate-shaped jig 3 between the light source 1 and the imaging device 10 for the light of a specific color, the pixel representing the specific color is adjusted. The number can be adjusted.

  Although the structure of the light transmission part 5 and the light-shielding part 6 is not specifically limited, A part is formed with the transparent material (resin, glass, etc.) which transmits the light of a specific color among plate members, and other parts Is formed of an opaque material that blocks light of a specific color, whereby the target plate-like jig 3 can be obtained. Alternatively, if a through-hole is formed in a plate-like member made of an opaque material that blocks light of a specific color, the through-hole forms a light-transmitting portion 5 and the plate-like portion forms a light-shielding portion 6. A shaped jig 3 can be obtained.

  The cross-sectional shape of the translucent part 5 is not particularly limited, and may be a square as shown in FIG. 4, but may be, for example, a circle, an ellipse, a triangle, or a rectangle (rectangle, etc.). Further, like the jig 3 shown in FIG. 4, the cylindrical body 7 surrounding the light transmitting portion 5 may be fixed substantially perpendicularly to the plate surface of the plate-like member of the plate-like jig 3. The plate-like jig 3 having such a cylindrical body 7 may be arranged with the cylindrical body 7 facing the light source 1 of light of a specific color. Or you may use the container which accommodates the light source 1 of the light of a specific color instead of the plate-shaped jig | tool 3. As shown in FIG. If the light source 1 of light of a specific color is accommodated in the container, the light of the specific color from the light source 1 passes through a light transmitting portion such as a through-hole formed in the container and is projected onto the imaging device 10.

  The size of the cross-sectional area of the translucent part 5 and the position of the plate-like jig 3 between the light source 1 and the imaging device 10 for the light of a specific color are determined as follows according to the reference number. The That is, the size of the cross-sectional area of the translucent part 5 can be changed in proportion to the distance from the imaging device 10 as shown in FIG. For example, in the example of FIG. 3, when the plate-like jig 3 is disposed at a position 150 mm from the imaging device 10, the translucent size obtained by proportional calculation from the imaging range and breakout range at the slab position. If the part 5 (in the example of FIGS. 3 and 4, a 15 mm square square translucent part 5) is provided in the plate-like jig 3, light is transmitted only through the part corresponding to the breakout range at the slab position. The number of pixels representing a specific color can be used as the reference number.

  When actually confirming the operation of the abnormal condition automatic detection device, the cross-sectional area of the translucent portion 5 of the plate-shaped jig 3 is large so that a slightly larger number of pixels than the reference number represents a specific color. The position at which the sheath plate-like jig 3 is arranged is adjusted so that the imaging device 10 emits light of a specific color and makes a determination, and a slightly smaller number of pixels than the reference number represents the specific color. Further, the size of the cross-sectional area of the translucent portion 5 of the plate-like jig 3 and the position where the plate-like jig 3 is arranged are adjusted to cause the imaging device 10 to project light of a specific color and make a determination. .

  For example, when the reference number is 3000, the imaging device 10 emits light of a specific color so that 3150 pixels representing a specific color, for example, 5% represent a specific color, and makes a determination. The light of a specific color is projected to the imaging device 10 so that the pixel of the color represents a specific color. At this time, if it is determined that “breakout has occurred” in the former and “breakout has not occurred” in the latter, it can be determined that the abnormal state automatic detection device is operating normally. .

  In addition to projecting the specific color light only near the center of the lens of the imaging device 10 and performing the above-described operation check, project the specific color light at a plurality of positions other than near the center such as the upper right corner and the lower left corner. Thus, it is preferable to perform the operation check. This is because the breakout does not always occur at the center of the imaging range of the imaging device 10.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Light source 3 Plate-shaped jig | tool 5 Translucent part 6 Light-shielding part 7 Cylindrical body 10 Imaging device 12 Image processing apparatus B Breakout

Claims (5)

An operation confirmation method for confirming whether or not an abnormal situation automatic detection device that automatically detects an abnormal situation in a molten metal handling facility operates normally,
The abnormal situation automatic detection device captures the operating state of the molten metal handling facility with an imaging device, determines the color of each pixel constituting the obtained image, and based on the determination result, determines the predetermined image The number of pixels representing a specific color included in the region is calculated, and when the number exceeds a predetermined reference number, it is determined that the operation state of the molten metal handling facility is an abnormal situation, and the number is less than the reference number. In some cases, the operation state of the molten metal handling equipment is determined to be normal,
An abnormal situation determination step of projecting and imaging light of the specific color on the imaging device so that the number of pixels representing the specific color exceeds the reference number, and causing the abnormal situation automatic detection device to make a determination; A normal situation determination step of projecting and imaging the light of the specific color on the imaging device such that the number of pixels representing the specific color is equal to or less than the reference number, and causing the abnormal situation automatic detection device to make a determination; An operation confirmation method for an abnormal situation automatic detection device.   A jig having a light-transmitting part that transmits the light of the specific color and a light-blocking part that blocks the light of the specific color is disposed between the light source of the specific color light and the imaging device, and the light source The number of pixels representing the specific color is adjusted by blocking a part of the light of the specific color from the light by the light shielding unit and projecting the other part transmitted through the light transmitting unit to the imaging device. The operation confirmation method of the abnormal condition automatic detection device according to claim 1, wherein:   The number of pixels representing the specific color is adjusted by adjusting at least one of the cross-sectional area of the translucent portion and the position of the jig between the light source of the light of the specific color and the imaging device. The operation confirmation method for an abnormal situation automatic detection device according to claim 2.   The operation check method for an abnormal condition automatic detection device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the light transmitting part is a through hole formed in the jig.   The jig is formed by fixing a cylindrical body surrounding the translucent portion substantially vertically to a plate surface of the plate-like member having the translucent portion, and the cylindrical body is used as a light source for the light of the specific color. The operation confirmation method for an abnormal condition automatic detection device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the jig is arranged toward the surface.

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