JP6636669B1 - Filter inspection system, filter inspection method, and filter assembly regeneration method - Google Patents

Abstract

A filter for collecting particulate matter contained in exhaust gas of a diesel engine is accurately and efficiently inspected in a short time. A filter inspection system according to an embodiment is a filter inspection system for inspecting a filter for collecting particulate matter contained in exhaust gas of a diesel engine, wherein a temperature of the filter is set to an ambient temperature. A temperature changing device 11 for heating or cooling the filter 1300 so as to be higher or lower than a predetermined temperature, and a measuring device 12 for measuring a temperature distribution on an exhaust gas passage surface of the heated or cooled filter 1300. Prepare. [Selection diagram] FIG.

Description

  The present invention relates to a filter inspection system, a filter inspection method, and a filter assembly regeneration method, and more particularly, to a filter inspection system and a filter inspection for inspecting a filter that collects particulate matter contained in exhaust gas of a diesel engine. A method and a filter assembly regeneration method for regenerating a filter assembly having the filter.

  Conventionally, as described in Patent Literature 1, a ceramic filter partitioned by a porous partition, a converter (oxidation catalyst) arranged upstream of the filter, and a filter and a converter are housed. 2. Description of the Related Art A filter assembly (exhaust gas purification device) including a tubular housing (case) is known.

  The filter is called a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) or the like, and traps particulate matter (PM) contained in exhaust gas of a diesel engine.

  Also known is a DPR (Diesel Particulate active-reduction) having a function of burning particulate matter in order to avoid clogging of the filter with the collected particulate matter.

  However, even in the case where the particulate matter is burned, soot and ash (ash) gradually accumulate in the filter and eventually cause the filter to be clogged.

  Since the filter is an expensive component, the need for regeneration is high. Therefore, a used filter assembly is removed from a vehicle, the filter is washed, and the filter assembly is regenerated.

JP-A-2006-186234

  When regenerating the filter assembly, it is necessary to inspect the filter to determine the extent of damage (such as erosion) to the filter or to confirm that clogging has been cleared after cleaning the filter. is there. Conventionally, inspection personnel have inspected the presence or absence of erosion etc. by inserting an elongated rod called a check rod at random into the eyes of a filter.

  However, in the above-mentioned conventional inspection method, not all eyes of the filter are inspected, so that the inspection accuracy is not always sufficient. In addition, there is a problem that a long time is required for the inspection.

  The present invention has been made based on the above technical recognition, and can accurately and efficiently inspect a filter for trapping particulate matter contained in exhaust gas of a diesel engine in a short time. It is an object to provide a filter inspection system and a filter inspection method.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a filter assembly regeneration method capable of efficiently providing a highly reliable regeneration filter assembly.

The filter inspection system according to the present invention,
A filter inspection system for inspecting a filter that collects particulate matter contained in exhaust gas of a diesel engine,
A temperature changing device that heats or cools the filter, so that the temperature of the filter is higher than or lower than a predetermined temperature from the ambient temperature.
A measuring device for measuring the temperature distribution of the exhaust gas passage surface of the heated or cooled filter,
It is characterized by having.

Further, in the filter inspection system,
The temperature changing device may supply hot air or cold air toward the exhaust gas passage surface.

Further, in the filter inspection system,
The temperature change device may supply cool air when the ambient temperature is equal to or higher than a reference temperature, and may supply hot air when the ambient temperature is lower than the reference temperature.

Further, in the filter inspection system,
When a converter is provided adjacent to the exhaust gas inflow side of the filter, the temperature changing device may supply hot air or cold air to the converter.

Further, in the filter inspection system,
The measuring device may measure a temperature distribution on an exhaust gas outflow surface of the filter.

Further, in the filter inspection system,
When a converter is not provided adjacent to the exhaust gas inflow side of the filter, a rectifying device is provided between the temperature changing device and the filter and rectifies hot air or cold air supplied from the temperature changing device. May be further provided.

Further, in the filter inspection system,
The measurement device further includes a determination unit that determines the quality of the filter based on the temperature distribution,
The determination unit may determine that the filter is defective when the temperature distribution is not uniform.

The filter inspection method according to the present invention,
A filter inspection method for inspecting a filter that collects particulate matter contained in exhaust gas of a diesel engine,
Heating or cooling the filter, such that the temperature of the filter is higher than or lower than a predetermined temperature from ambient temperature,
Measuring the temperature distribution of the exhaust gas passage surface of the heated or cooled filter,
Determining the quality of the filter based on the temperature distribution,
It is characterized by having.

The filter assembly regeneration method according to the present invention includes:
A filter assembly regeneration method for regenerating a filter assembly having a filter for trapping particulate matter contained in exhaust gas of a diesel engine, comprising:
A first inspection step of inspecting a filter of the used filter assembly based on a temperature distribution of an exhaust gas passage surface of the filter;
Cleaning the filter if the result of the inspection in the first inspection step is good;
Rinsing the washed filter;
It is characterized by having.

Further, in the filter assembly regeneration method,
The first inspection step includes:
Heating or cooling the filter, such that the temperature of the filter is higher than or lower than a predetermined temperature from ambient temperature,
Measuring the temperature distribution of the exhaust gas passage surface of the heated or cooled filter,
Determining the quality of the filter based on the temperature distribution,
May be included.

Further, in the filter assembly regeneration method,
Drying the rinsed filter;
A second inspection step of inspecting the dried filter by differential pressure measurement;
A third inspection step of inspecting the filter based on a temperature distribution of an exhaust gas passage surface of the filter when a result of the inspection in the second inspection step is good;
May be further provided.

Further, in the filter assembly regeneration method,
The third inspection step includes:
Heating or cooling the filter, such that the temperature of the filter is higher than or lower than a predetermined temperature from ambient temperature,
Measuring the temperature distribution of the exhaust gas passage surface of the heated or cooled filter,
Determining the quality of the filter based on the temperature distribution,
May be included.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the filter which collects the particulate matter contained in the exhaust gas of a diesel engine can be accurately and efficiently inspected in a short time.

  Further, according to the present invention, a highly reliable reproduction filter assembly can be efficiently provided.

5 is an overall flowchart illustrating a method of regenerating a filter assembly according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an overall flowchart for explaining a method of regenerating a filter assembly according to the embodiment, following FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a used filter assembly removed from a vehicle. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the filter of the filter assembly shown in FIG. (A) is a figure which shows the exhaust gas inflow surface of the converter of a filter assembly, (b) is a figure which shows the exhaust gas outflow surface of the filter of a filter assembly. It is a figure showing the schematic structure of the filter inspection system concerning an embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a temperature distribution on an exhaust gas outflow surface of a normal filter displayed on a display unit of the measurement device. It is a figure showing the temperature distribution of the exhaust gas outflow surface of the abnormal filter displayed on the display of the measuring device. It is a figure showing the schematic structure of the filter inspection system concerning the modification of an embodiment. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a filter inspection method according to the embodiment. It is a side sectional view showing the schematic structure of the filter drying system concerning an embodiment. It is a top view of a lid of an accommodation device in a filter drying system concerning an embodiment. It is a side sectional view showing the schematic structure of the filter drying system concerning modification 1 of an embodiment. It is a side sectional view showing the schematic structure of the filter drying system concerning modification 2 of an embodiment. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a filter drying method according to the embodiment. 14B is a flowchart following FIG. 14A for explaining the filter drying method according to the embodiment. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a stiffener arrangement method according to the embodiment. It is a top view of the stiffener before it is divided | segmented into partial stiffeners. It is a top view of the partial stiffener formed by dividing a stiffener. (A) is a plan view of an upper holding portion of the jig, and (b) is a side view of the upper holding portion. (A) is a plan view of a lower clamping portion of the jig, and (b) is a side view of the lower clamping portion. (A) is a plan view showing a state where two partial stiffeners are temporarily connected to each other via a jig, and (b) is a side view showing the state. It is a side view which shows the state which welded between two partial stiffeners. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the coupling stiffener according to the embodiment, which is arranged so as to surround the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical housing. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the regenerated filter assembly.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each of the drawings, components having the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals.

<Configuration of filter assembly>
First, the configuration of a filter assembly to be reproduced will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a used filter assembly 1000. FIG. 4 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the filter 1300 of the filter assembly 1000. FIG. 5A shows an exhaust gas inflow surface 1300a of the converter 1200, and FIG. 5B shows an exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b of the filter 1300.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the filter assembly 1000 includes a cylindrical housing 1100, a converter 1200, a filter 1300, annular stiffeners 1410 and 1420, and a cylindrical insulator (insulated cover) 1500.

  The cylindrical housing 1100 is a metal cylindrical member made of stainless steel or the like. The cylindrical housing 1100 houses the converter 1200 and the filter 1300.

  As shown in FIG. 3, an annular flange portion 1110 and a flange portion 1120 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical housing 1100 along the center axis direction. Specifically, the flange portion 1110 and the flange portion 1120 are welded to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical housing 1100. A stiffener 1410 is arranged inside the flange portion 1110 (that is, the flange portion 1120 side), and a stiffener 1420 is arranged inside the flange portion 1120 (that is, the flange portion 1110 side).

  The flange portion 1110 and the stiffener 1410 are made of metal such as iron or stainless steel, and have a plurality of bolt holes (not shown) at corresponding positions. Similarly, the flange portion 1120 and the stiffener 1420 are provided with a plurality of bolt holes (not shown) at corresponding positions. When the filter assembly 1000 is mounted on a vehicle, the flange 1110 and the stiffener 1410 are fastened together with the vehicle-side flange and the gasket by bolts inserted into the bolt holes. The flange portion 1120 and the stiffener 1420 are also fastened together with a member (not shown) on the exhaust side by a bolt inserted into the bolt hole.

  By providing the stiffeners 1410 and 1420, the fastening pressure of the bolt is evenly applied to the flange portions 1110 and 1120, and airtightness is ensured. This prevents or suppresses exhaust gas that has not passed through the filter from leaking to the outside when the filter assembly is mounted on the vehicle.

  A tubular insulator 1500 is provided between the stiffener 1410 and the stiffener 1420 so as to cover the outer peripheral surface of the tubular housing 1100.

  The insulator 1500 is made of metal such as stainless steel, and is provided with a heat insulating material (not shown) on at least a part of the inner peripheral surface, and functions as a heat insulating cover. The insulator 1500 is configured such that a half member obtained by dividing a cylindrical member along the axial direction is disposed so as to surround the cylindrical housing 1100, and the two half members are connected to each other with bolts and nuts. I have. The insulator 1500 is provided so as not to slide on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical housing 1100 due to frictional force between the insulator 1500 and the cylindrical housing 1100.

  By the way, when manufacturing a new filter assembly, the stiffeners 1410 and 1420 are set in the cylindrical housing 1100. Then, the flange portion 1110 and the flange portion 1120 are welded to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical housing 1100 so as to sandwich the set stiffeners 1410 and 1420.

  Next, converter 1200 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5A, the converter 1200 has a plurality of catalyst supporting walls 1210 for supporting an oxidation catalyst, and the plurality of catalyst supporting walls 1210 form a plurality of flow paths FC. ing. The hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide contained in the exhaust gas passing through the flow path FC are changed into harmless carbon dioxide and water by the oxidation catalyst supported on the catalyst supporting wall 1210. In addition, a diesel oxidation catalyst (Diesel Oxidation Catalyst: DOC) etc. are used as an oxidation catalyst.

  Next, the filter 1300 will be described. This filter 1300 is configured to collect particulate matter (PM) contained in exhaust gas of a diesel engine. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the filter 1300 has a plurality of flow paths formed by a plurality of cell walls 1310 made of ceramic. These channels include a sealed channel SFC1 and a sealed channel SFC2. The sealed flow path SFC1 has an exhaust gas inflow side opened and an exhaust gas outflow side sealed with a plugging portion 1330. Conversely, in the sealed flow path SFC2, the exhaust gas outflow side is opened, and the exhaust gas inflow side is sealed with a plugging portion 1320.

  The sealing flow path SFC1 and the sealing flow path SFC2 communicate with each other by a pore (not shown) of the cell wall 1310. As shown in FIG. 4, the particulate matter PM cannot pass through the cell wall 1310 and does not leak to the outside. The filter assembly 1000 may have a function of burning the particulate matter PM. However, the unburned residue of the particulate matter PM accumulates as ash (A) A in the interior of the sealed channel SFC1. The exhaust gas from which the particulate matter PM has been removed passes through the cell wall 1310 and flows out of the open end of the sealed flow path SFC2 to the outside.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the filter 1300 has an exhaust gas inflow surface 1300a into which exhaust gas discharged from the diesel engine flows, and an exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b from which exhaust gas from which particulate matter has been removed flows out. FIG. 5B shows a part of the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b. In the following description, the exhaust gas inflow surface 1300a and the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b are collectively referred to as an “exhaust gas passage surface”.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the filter assembly 1000, the converter 1200 is provided adjacent to the filter 1300 on the exhaust gas inflow surface 1300a side.

  Note that the configuration of the filter assembly 1000 described above is merely an example, and a filter assembly having another configuration (for example, one having no converter) may be targeted for regeneration.

<< Regeneration method of filter assembly >>
Next, a regeneration method of the filter assembly 1000 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

  First, the used filter assembly 1000 is removed from a vehicle such as a truck equipped with a diesel engine (step S1).

  After step S1, the filter 1300 is inspected by measuring the temperature distribution (step S2). Hereinafter, this step is also referred to as a first inspection step or a pre-cleaning inspection step. In this step, the filter 1300 of the used filter assembly 1000 is inspected based on the temperature distribution of the exhaust gas passage surface (the exhaust gas inflow surface 1300a or the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b) of the filter 1300. By this inspection, it is possible to inspect the filter 1300 for clogging or presence / absence of melting. The inspection method in this step will be described in more detail later.

  If the result of the inspection in step S2 is good (S3: Yes), the stiffeners 1410 and 1420 and the insulator 1500 are removed from the cylindrical housing 1100 (step S4). In this way, by executing the present step after performing the inspection in step S2, it is possible to avoid wasting the removal work in the present step when the inspection result is not good and the filter is discarded.

  In step S4, the stiffeners 1410 and 1420 interfere with the flange portions 1110 and 1120 and cannot be removed from the cylindrical housing 1100 as they are, and thus are removed from the cylindrical housing 1100 by cutting and dividing. Further, the insulator 1500 is removed from the cylindrical housing 1100 by removing a bolt and a nut for fastening the two half members.

  On the other hand, if the result of the inspection in step S2 is not good (S3: No), the filter assembly is discarded (step S5).

  After step S4, the filter 1300 is washed (step S6). Hereinafter, this step is also referred to as a cleaning step. In the cleaning process, the filter assembly 1000 (ie, the cylindrical housing 1100, the converter 1200, and the filter 1300) from which the stiffeners 1410 and 1420 and the insulator 1500 have been removed in Step S4 is put into a cleaning tank, and the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank is circulated. Is used to wash the filter 1300.

  After the washing step of step S6, the washed filter 1300 is rinsed (step S7). Hereinafter, this step is also referred to as a rinsing step. In the rinsing step, the filter 1300 is rinsed by spraying water from a shower nozzle installed above the washing tank to the filter 1300 in the washing tank. After watering, the remaining washing liquid or ash may be blown off by air blow, and then rinsed with running water for finishing.

  After the rinsing step of Step S7, the filter 1300 is dried (Step S8). Hereinafter, this step is also referred to as a drying step. By drying the filter 1300 in the drying step, the subsequent inspection step (steps S9 and S11) can be performed. The details of the drying method will be described separately.

  After the drying step of step S8, the dried filter 1300 is inspected by measuring a differential pressure (step S9). Hereinafter, this step is also referred to as a second inspection process. In the second inspection step, the presence or absence of clogging of the filter 1300 is determined by measuring the difference (differential pressure) between the pressure on the exhaust gas inflow surface 1300a side and the pressure on the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b side of the filter 1300. inspect.

  When the result of the inspection by the differential pressure measurement is good (S10: Yes), the process proceeds to the filter inspection by the temperature distribution measurement (step S11). On the other hand, when the inspection result is not good (S10: No), the cleaning is suspected to be insufficient, so the flow returns to the cleaning step of step S6, and the filter 1300 is cleaned again.

  After step S10, an inspection by temperature distribution measurement is performed on the filter 1300 having a good inspection result in step S9 (step S11). Hereinafter, this step is also referred to as a third inspection process. The second inspection step and the third inspection step are also collectively referred to as an inspection step after cleaning. According to this step, it is possible to inspect whether the filter 1300 is clogged or melted. The filter inspection method in this step is the same as the inspection method in the first inspection step.

  When the result of the inspection by the temperature distribution measurement is good (S12: Yes), the process proceeds to step S14, and when the inspection result is not good (S12: No), the filter assembly is discarded (step S13).

  If the inspection result in the third inspection step is good, the stiffener and the insulator are set in the cylindrical housing 1100 storing the cleaned filter (step S14). Hereinafter, this step is also referred to as a setting step. In this step, by replacing the stiffener (more precisely, a combined stiffener described later), it is possible to prevent or suppress the exhaust gas that has not passed through the filter from leaking to the outside of the filter assembly. The replacement of the stiffener will be described later in detail as a stiffener arrangement method.

  The used filter assembly 1000 can be regenerated through the above process flow. The regenerated filter assembly (regenerated filter assembly 1000R described later) is supplied to the market as a refurbished product, or is attached to a vehicle such as a truck.

  According to the filter assembly regenerating method according to the present embodiment, by performing an inspection by differential pressure measurement and an inspection by temperature distribution measurement on the washed and dried filter 1300, the inspection accuracy of the filter is improved, Failure of the regenerated filter assembly can be avoided as much as possible. That is, the filter clogging can be detected only by the inspection based on the differential pressure measurement, but it is difficult to detect that the sealing flow paths SFC1 and SFC2 of the filter 1300 penetrate due to erosion. Further, it may be difficult to detect a state in which clogging occurs uniformly in the exhaust gas passage surface only by inspection using temperature distribution measurement. However, by performing both the inspection based on the differential pressure measurement and the inspection based on the temperature distribution measurement as described above, the accuracy of the pass / fail determination of the filter can be improved.

  Note that the above-described method of regenerating the filter assembly is merely an example. For example, the step of removing the stiffeners 1410 and 1420 and the insulator 1500 from the cylindrical housing 1100 (Step S4) may be performed between Step S1 and Step S2. Alternatively, step S4 may be performed immediately before step S14.

  Further, the order of performing the second inspection step and the third inspection step may be interchanged.

  When the inspection after the filter cleaning (Steps S9 and S11) is not performed, the setting step (Step S14) may be performed after the rinsing step (Step S7).

  Further, the configuration of the filter assembly 1000 targeted in the filter assembly regeneration method is merely an example, and a filter assembly having another configuration may be targeted. For example, a filter assembly that does not have a converter, such as a filter assembly 1000A described below, may be the target of regeneration.

<< Filter inspection system >>
Next, the filter inspection system 10 used in the first inspection step (Step S2) and the third inspection step (Step S11) in the above-described filter assembly regeneration method will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the filter inspection system 10 according to the present embodiment includes a temperature change device 11 and a measurement device 12.

  First, the temperature changing device 11 of the filter inspection system 10 will be described.

  The temperature changing device 11 is configured to heat or cool the filter 1300 such that the temperature of the filter 1300 is higher or lower than the ambient temperature by a predetermined temperature or more.

  When a part of the filter 1300 is eroded, the amount of temperature change in the eroded part is different from the amount of temperature change in other parts that are not eroded. That is, when a part of the filter 1300 is melted and melted down, the sealing passages SFC1 and SFC2 penetrate in that part due to the loss of the plugging portions 1320 and 1330 and the like. As a result, the warm air or the cool air passes through the through flow path formed by the erosion, so that the amount of temperature change is larger than that in the normal non-defective region.

  In addition, the filter 1300 that has melted off due to partial melting may block the open ends of the sealed flow paths SFC1 and SFC2. In this case, since hot air or cold air does not flow in the closed portion, the amount of temperature change is smaller than in other normal regions.

  As described above, whether the both ends of the sealed flow paths SFC1 and SFC2 are opened or closed due to the erosion, the amount of temperature change is different from that of other normal parts. It should be noted that the same is true not only for the case of heating with hot air but also for the case of heating the filter with an electric heating device.

  From the viewpoint of inspection efficiency, it is preferable to heat or cool the filter 1300 using hot air or cold air. That is, the temperature changing device 11 heats or cools the filter 1300 by supplying hot air or cold air toward the exhaust gas passage surface (the exhaust gas inflow surface 1300a in the present embodiment) of the filter 1300. In this case, for example, a spot air conditioner can be applied as the temperature changing device 11. By using warm air or cool air, the filter 1300 can be efficiently heated or cooled in a short time. Thereby, the inspection efficiency can be further improved. Although the efficiency is low, the filter 1300 may be heated using an electric heating device such as a hot plate.

  The temperature change device 11 may supply cool air when the ambient temperature is equal to or higher than the reference temperature, and may supply hot air when the ambient temperature is lower than the reference temperature. For example, in the summer time, cool air is supplied to the filter 1300, and in the winter time, hot air is supplied to the filter 1300. Thereby, a temperature difference between the filter 1300 and the surroundings can be easily generated. That is, it is possible to reduce the time required for the temperature difference required for the pass / fail judgment to occur, and as a result, it is possible to further improve the inspection efficiency.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the temperature changing device 11 supplies hot air or cold air to the converter 1200. This allows the air rectified by the plurality of flow paths FC of converter 1200 to hit filter 1300, so that filter 1300 can be uniformly heated or cooled. As a result, the inspection accuracy (judgment accuracy) of the filter inspection can be improved.

  Next, the measuring device 12 of the filter inspection system 10 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the measurement device 12 includes an imaging unit 121, a display unit 122, a storage unit 123, and a determination unit 124.

  The imaging unit 121 is configured using an infrared image sensor, and measures a temperature distribution on an exhaust gas passage surface of the filter 1300 heated or cooled by the temperature changing device 11. In the present embodiment, the measuring device 12 measures the temperature distribution of the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b of the filter 1300.

  The display unit 122 includes a display such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, and displays a temperature distribution (thermography) measured by the imaging unit 121. 7 and 8 show examples of a screen displayed on the display unit 122 and showing the temperature distribution of the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b. FIG. 7 shows the case of a normal filter 1300, and FIG. 8 shows the case of an abnormal filter. In the case of a normal filter, the temperature distribution on the exhaust gas passage surface is uniform, whereas in the case of an abnormal filter, the temperature distribution on the exhaust gas passage surface has spot regions S1 and S2 indicating erosion.

  The storage unit 123 stores image data indicating the temperature distribution measured by the imaging unit 121. The storage unit 123 includes a nonvolatile semiconductor memory such as a NAND flash memory, a hard disk drive, and the like.

  The determination unit 124 determines the quality of the filter 1300 based on the temperature distribution measured by the imaging unit 121. Specifically, the determining unit 124 determines that the filter 1300 is abnormal when the temperature distribution is not uniform. For example, as described with reference to FIG. 8, when a spot area having a higher or lower temperature than other areas exists in the temperature distribution of the filter, the filter 1300 is determined to be abnormal. By determining the quality of the filter by the determination unit 124, an objective and uniform quality determination can be performed.

  Note that the number of spot regions when performing the abnormality determination may be set as appropriate according to the reference for the regeneration filter assembly. Further, the filter may be determined to be abnormal if the temperature distribution of the filter is mottled, not limited to the case where the spot area exists.

  The determination unit 124 is realized, for example, by executing a predetermined program on a CPU. In addition, the determination unit 124 may be realized by hardware using an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or the like.

  The determination unit 124 may be configured to determine the quality of the filter using a learned model constructed by machine learning such as deep learning. Instead of the determination unit 124, a person may determine the quality of the filter by looking at the temperature distribution displayed on the display unit 122. In this case, the measurement device 12 may not include the determination unit 124.

  According to the filter inspection system 10 described above, the filter is heated or cooled such that the temperature of the filter is separated from the ambient temperature by a predetermined value or more, and the temperature distribution of the heated or cooled filter on the exhaust gas passage surface is measured. Thus, the filter 1300 can be inspected accurately and efficiently in a short time. Further, compared to the conventional inspection using a check bar, it is possible to reduce the variation in the inspection result by the inspector.

  Note that the filter inspection system 10 according to the present embodiment is not limited to inspecting the filter 1300 stored in the cylindrical housing 1100, but may be used to inspect the filter 1300 removed from the cylindrical housing 1100. Good.

  Further, the filter inspection system 10 according to the present embodiment may be used for inspection in a scene other than the regeneration method of the filter assembly 1000 described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. For example, it may be used for pre-shipment inspection of a new filter.

(Modified example of filter inspection system)
With reference to FIG. 9, a filter inspection system 10A according to a modification of the present embodiment will be described.

  The filter inspection system 10A according to the present modification is different from the above-described filter inspection system 10 in that a filter assembly 1000A having no converter is inspected. That is, as shown in FIG. 9, the filter assembly 1000A has a cylindrical housing 1100A, which stores the filter 1300, but does not store the converter 1200.

  As shown in FIG. 9, a filter inspection system 10A according to the present modification includes a temperature changing device 11, a measuring device 12, and a rectifying device 13. The temperature changing device 11 and the measuring device 12 are the same as those of the filter inspection system 10, and thus the detailed description is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the rectifying device 13 is provided between the temperature changing device 11 and the filter assembly 1000A (filter 1300), and rectifies hot air or cold air supplied from the temperature changing device 11. For example, the rectifying device 13 is structurally configured to have a plurality of linear flow paths similarly to the converter 1200. In addition, a well-known wind rectification unit may be used as the rectification device 13.

  According to the filter inspection system 10A according to the present modification, the filter can be inspected accurately and efficiently in a short time, similarly to the above-described embodiment. In addition, by providing the rectifier 13, even if the filter assembly does not have a converter, the filter can be inspected without lowering the accuracy of the pass / fail determination.

<< Filter inspection method >>
Next, a filter inspection method according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. The method is performed in steps S2 and S11 of the method of regenerating the filter assembly described with reference to FIGS.

  First, the temperature changing device 11 heats or cools the filter 1300 so that the temperature of the filter 1300 is higher or lower than the ambient temperature by a predetermined temperature or more (step S21). For example, the temperature changing device 11 supplies hot air or cold air to the exhaust gas passage surface of the filter 1300 for about 10 seconds. The supply time depends on the amount of hot air or cold air and the temperature thereof. For example, the temperature of the warm air or the cool air is a temperature 3 ° C. to 20 ° C. (eg, 5 ° C.) away from the ambient temperature.

  Next, the measuring device 12 measures the temperature distribution on the exhaust gas passage surface of the filter 1300 heated or cooled in step S21 (step S22).

  Next, the determination unit 124 determines the quality of the filter 1300 based on the temperature distribution measured in step S22 (step S23).

  According to the above-described filter inspection method, the filter 1300 can be inspected accurately and efficiently in a short time.

  According to the filter inspection system and the filter inspection method described above, the filter can be inspected accurately and efficiently in a short time. In addition, by applying the filter inspection method according to the present embodiment to the filter assembly regeneration method, the filter assembly regeneration method can be made more efficient, and a highly reliable regeneration filter assembly can be provided. That is, a highly reliable regeneration filter assembly can be efficiently provided.

<< Filter drying system >>
Next, a filter drying system used in the drying step (step S8) in the above-described filter assembly regeneration method will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 11 is a side sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the filter drying system 20 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 12 is a plan view of the lid 212 of the storage device 21.

  As described in detail below, the filter drying system 20 according to the present embodiment is configured to efficiently dry the washed and rinsed filter 1300 in a short time.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the filter drying system 20 includes a storage device 21, a heating device 22, a discharge device 23, temperature sensors 241, 242, and a determination unit 25. Hereinafter, each component will be described in order.

  The storage device 21 has a tubular (cylindrical or square tubular) main body 211 in which the filter 1300 is disposed, and a lid 212 attached to an open end of the main body 211. In the present embodiment, the cylindrical main body 211 is arranged so that the central axis is along the vertical direction, and the opening end of the main body 211 is open upward. Here, a cylindrical drum can is used as the storage device 21. The shape of the storage device 21 is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a rectangular tube or a box.

  As shown in FIG. 11, a side opening 211a is provided on a side surface of the main body 211. The warm air of the heating device 22 is supplied into the main body 211 through the side opening 211a.

  The lid 212 is an annular member having an inner surface 212a and an outer surface 212b, as shown in FIG. For example, it is formed by processing a lid of a drum can. A plurality of bolt holes 212h corresponding to the bolt holes of the flange portion 1110 of the cylindrical housing 1100 are provided at the inner end of the lid portion 212. The lid 212 is configured to close an open end of the main body 211 together with an adapter 232 described later.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the accommodation device 21 accommodates a cylindrical housing 1100 (filter 1300). In the present embodiment, the storage device 21 stores the filter 1300 in a vertical direction (that is, such that the directions of the sealed flow paths SFC1 and SFC2 are vertical). More specifically, the exhaust gas inflow surface 1300a faces the inner surface 212a of the lid 212 with the converter 1200 interposed therebetween.

  The cylindrical housing 1100 is fixed to the lid 212. More specifically, the flange portion 1110 of the cylindrical housing 1100 is fixed to the adapter 232 of the discharge device 23 with a bolt and a nut (not shown) across the lid portion 212. That is, the lid 212 is sandwiched between the flange 1110 of the cylindrical housing 1100 and the flange 232 a of the adapter 232.

  Note that the cylindrical housing 1100 may be fixed to the lid 212 in a mode other than the above. For example, the cylindrical housing 1100 may be suspended from the lid 212 by a catenary such as a rope.

  The heating device 22 is a device for increasing the temperature inside the storage device 21. The heating device 22 is, for example, a heater that supplies warm air, and supplies warm air to the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b of the filter 1300. The drying time can be shortened by increasing the temperature and the amount of hot air.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the heating device 22 is disposed outside the housing device 21 and supplies warm air to the inside of the housing device 21 through the side opening 211 a of the main body 211. More specifically, the heating device 22 supplies warm air to the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, the housing device 21 further includes a wind direction changing unit 213 that changes the wind direction of the warm air supplied into the housing device 21 from the side opening 211a upward. Thereby, more warm air from the outside of the storage device 21 can be applied to the filter 1300, and the drying efficiency of the filter can be improved.

  Note that the heating device 22 may be disposed inside the storage device 21. In this case, it is preferable to arrange the heating device 22 so that water drops dropped from the filter 1300 do not fall on the heating device 22.

  Further, the heating device 22 is not limited to a hot air heater, and may be a convection stove or the like. In this case, it is preferable to arrange a convection stove inside the storage device 21. At this time, a side opening 211a may be provided on the side surface of the main body 211 as described above, or an opening may be provided on the bottom surface of the main body 211 so that the main body 211 is not closed. It may be installed on a pedestal (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 11, the discharge device 23 includes a suction unit 231, an adapter 232, and a connection pipe 233.

  The suction unit 231 suctions the air in the filter 1300 and discharges the air to the outside of the storage device 21. In the present embodiment, the suction unit 231 sucks the air in the filter 1300 from the exhaust gas inflow surface 1300a side of the filter 1300.

  The suction unit 231 is configured by an ejector that sucks air in the filter 1300 using a driving gas, and includes an introduction pipe 231a that introduces a driving gas (compressed air or the like) and a discharge pipe that discharges the sucked gas. 231b. The gas sucked from the filter 1300 may include a substance derived from the cleaning liquid. The use of an ejector as the suction unit 231 has an advantage that the pump can be prevented from being damaged by such a substance as compared with a case where a vacuum pump or the like is used. Note that the present invention is not limited to the case where an ejector is used as the suction unit 231, and a vacuum pump and a blower may be applied.

  The adapter 232 is a bowl-shaped member attached to the outer surface 212b of the lid 212. The adapter 232 is provided with a circular flange portion 232a. The flange portion 232a is provided with a bolt hole (not shown) corresponding to the bolt hole 212h of the lid portion 212. The bolt holes of the flange portion 232a, the bolt holes 212h of the lid portion 212, and the bolt holes of the flange portion 1110 of the cylindrical housing 1100 communicate with each other and are fastened by bolts and nuts.

  The connection pipe 233 connects the suction unit 231 and the adapter 232. The air collected through the bowl-shaped adapter 232 passes through the connection pipe 233 and is discharged to the outside via the suction unit 231.

  The temperature sensors 241, 242 are sensors that measure temperature. More specifically, the temperature sensor 241 measures the temperature T1 of the air sucked by the suction unit 231, and the temperature sensor 242 measures the temperature T2 of the air inside the storage device 21. The types of the temperature sensors 241 and 242 are not particularly limited, as long as they can measure up to the upper limit temperature (for example, 200 ° C.) of the hot air supplied from the heating device 22.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the temperature sensor 241 is provided on the connection pipe 233, and the temperature sensor 242 is provided on the inner surface 212a of the cover 212. The arrangement of the temperature sensors 241, 242 is not limited to this. For example, the temperature sensor 241 may be provided inside the adapter 232 or in the suction unit 231. However, considering that the temperature of the air decreases when flowing through the connection pipe 233, it is preferable that the temperature sensor 241 be provided at a position near the filter 1300. Further, the temperature sensor 242 may be provided, for example, on the inner peripheral surface of the main body 211 in addition to the lid 212.

  Here, a method of determining completion of the drying process by the temperature sensors 241, 242 will be described. As the filter 1300 dries, the temperature T1 of the air sucked by the suction unit 231 rises. More specifically, as the drying of the filter 1300 progresses, the moisture in the air sucked from the filter 1300 decreases, and the heat removal effect of the heat of vaporization decreases, so that the temperature T1 measured by the temperature sensor 241 becomes To rise.

  When the drying of the filter 1300 is substantially completed, the temperature T1 of the air sucked by the suction unit 231 almost reaches the temperature T2 in the storage device 21. Therefore, by monitoring the temperature T1 measured by the temperature sensor 241 and the temperature T2 measured by the temperature sensor 242, it can be determined whether or not the drying of the filter 1300 has been completed.

  In the present embodiment, when the temperature T1 substantially reaches the temperature T2, the determination unit 25 determines that the drying of the filter 1300 has been completed. The determination unit 25 is realized, for example, by executing a predetermined program on a CPU. In addition, the determination unit 25 may be realized by hardware using an FPGA, an ASIC, or the like. The determination as to whether or not the drying of the filter has been completed may be made by a person instead of the determination unit 25.

  The temperature sensor 242 is not indispensable for determining the completion of the drying process, and may be omitted according to the required determination accuracy. When the temperature sensor 242 is omitted, the determination unit 25 determines that the drying of the filter 1300 has been completed when the temperature T1 substantially reaches a predetermined temperature. As the predetermined temperature, for example, the temperature of hot air supplied from the heating device 22 or the temperature obtained by adding a predetermined value to the outside air temperature is used.

  As described above, in the filter drying system 20 according to the present embodiment, the heating device 22 raises the temperature in the storage device 21 that stores the filter 1300, and the discharging device 23 sucks the air in the filter 1300. Then, it is discharged to the outside of the storage device 21. Thereby, the washed and wet filter can be efficiently dried in a short time.

  Further, by drying the filter 1300, the filter 1300 can be inspected after cleaning (the above-described steps S9 and S11). As a result, it is possible to prevent or suppress the occurrence of problems such as clogging after the regenerated filter assembly is mounted on the vehicle.

  Further, in this embodiment, the heating device 22 supplies warm air to the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b side, and the discharge device 23 sucks air in the filter 1300 from the exhaust gas inflow surface 1300a side. In this manner, by blowing hot air to one end face of the filter 1300 and sucking air from the other end face of the filter 1300, the hot wind causes the sealed flow paths SFC1 and SFC2 of the filter 1300 to move at a relatively high speed. , The filter 1300 can be dried in a shorter time.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as described above, the heating device 22 is arranged outside the housing device 21 and hot air is supplied into the housing device 21 via the side opening 211a of the main body 211. At the same time, the filter 1300 is disposed vertically in the storage device 21 and supplies warm air to the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b located below. Thereby, drying of the filter 1300 is promoted by the warm air supplied into the storage device 21 from the side opening 211a, and it is possible to prevent water droplets dropped from the filter 1300 from falling on the heating device 22. .

(Modification 1 of filter drying system)
With reference to FIG. 13A, a filter drying system according to a first modification of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 13A is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a filter drying system 20A according to Modification 1 of the present embodiment.

  The filter drying system 20A is different from the filter drying system described above in that the filter 1300 is accommodated in the accommodation device 21 in a horizontal direction instead of a vertical direction (that is, such that the directions of the sealed flow paths SFC1 and SFC2 are horizontal). Different from 20.

  As shown in FIG. 13A, the filter drying system 20A according to this modification includes a storage device 21A, a heating device 22A, a discharge device 23, temperature sensors 241, 242, and a determination unit 25. Since the configuration other than the storage device 21A and the heating device 22A is the same as that of the filter drying system 20, the detailed description is omitted.

  The accommodation device 21A has a main body 211 and a lid 212, similarly to the accommodation device 21 described above. In the present modification, the rectangular cylindrical main body 211 is disposed so that the central axis is along the horizontal direction, and the opening end of the main body 211 is not on the upper side but on the side (right side in FIG. 13A). It is open. The cylindrical housing 1100 is fixed to the lid 212 sideways.

  The filter 1300 is disposed in the main body 211 so that the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b faces the opposite side (left side in FIG. 13A) of the main body 211.

  The heating device 22A is disposed inside the storage device 21A as shown in FIG. 13A. The heating device 22A is a warm air heater, a convection stove, or the like, similarly to the heating device 22 described above. In the case of a hot air heater, the heating device 22A supplies hot air to the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b of the filter 1300.

  According to this modification, the same effects as those of the filter drying system 20 according to the embodiment can be obtained. Further, by disposing the heating device 22A inside the accommodation device 21A, the size of the filter drying system can be reduced.

  In addition, it is not limited to the above, and the heating device 22A may be arranged outside the storage device 21A. In this case, for example, an opening is provided on the side (left side in FIG. 13A) of the main body 211, and warm air supplied from the heating device 22A is introduced into the main body 211 through the opening.

  Further, cylindrical housing 1100 may be arranged laterally on the inner surface of main body 211 or may be arranged laterally on a base (not shown) provided in main body 211.

  The filter drying system according to the embodiment and the first modification has been described.

  The filter 1300 may be housed in the housing devices 21 and 21A such that the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b faces the inner surface 212a of the lid 212. In particular, in the case of a filter assembly having no converter 1200 like the filter assembly 1000A, the filter 1300 may be disposed in the main body 211 so that the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b faces the inner surface 212a of the lid 212. .

  Therefore, generally speaking, the filter 1300 includes the main body 211 such that one end face (first end face) of the exhaust gas inflow surface 1300a and the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b faces the inner surface 212a of the lid 212. Is placed within. In other words, the filter 1300 is arranged such that the other end surface (second end surface) of the exhaust gas inflow surface 1300a and the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b faces downward. The second end surface is a surface opposite to the first end surface. In the present embodiment, the first end surface is the exhaust gas inflow surface 1300a, and the second end surface is the exhaust gas outflow surface 1300b.

  Alternatively, a plurality of filters may be housed in the housing devices 21 and 21A, and the plurality of filters may be dried at one time. Thereby, the filter drying step can be performed more efficiently.

(Modification 2 of filter drying system)
Next, a filter drying system according to a second modification of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 13B. FIG. 13B is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a filter drying system 20B according to Modification 2 of the present embodiment.

  The filter drying system 20B differs from the aforementioned filter drying systems 20 and 20A in that a thermostat is used as a storage device.

  As shown in FIG. 13B, the filter drying system 20B according to this modification includes a storage device 21B, a heating device 22B, a discharge device 23, and temperature sensors 241, 242.

  The storage device 21 </ b> B has a thermostat 214 and a caster unit 215. The filter 1300 is arranged inside the thermostat 214. The temperature inside the thermostat 214 is kept at a predetermined temperature (set temperature) by the heating device 22B. A plurality of casters 215 are provided on the lower surface of the thermostat 214 and are used when moving the storage device 21B.

  An outside air introduction hole H1 is provided on an outer wall of the constant temperature bath 214, and external air is taken into the constant temperature bath 214 through the outside air introduction hole H1.

  In this modification, as shown in FIG. 13B, a plurality of cylindrical housings 1100 (filters 1300) are accommodated in the thermostat 214. More specifically, each cylindrical housing 1100 is supported by a support base 216. The support 216 has a top plate 216a and a plurality of legs 216b. The top plate portion 216a has an opening in the center region in the same manner as the above-mentioned lid portion 212, and an inner end of the opening corresponds to a bolt hole of the flange portion 1110 of the cylindrical housing 1100. A plurality of bolt holes (not shown) are provided. Then, the cylindrical housing 1100 is fixed to the support base 216 by fixing the flange portion 1110 to the adapter 232 of the discharge device 23 with the bolt and nut sandwiching the top plate portion 216a.

  In this modification, as shown in FIG. 13B, the cylindrical housing 1100 is arranged upside down (that is, the filter 1300 is located above the converter 1200). The present invention is not limited to this, and the cylindrical housing 1100 may be fixed to the support base 216 so that the filter 1300 is located below the converter 1200.

  As shown in FIG. 13B, a temperature sensor 241 is provided for each discharge device 23 associated with the cylindrical housing 1100 (filter 1300). This makes it possible to determine for each filter whether or not the filter has dried.

  A temperature sensor 242 is provided in the thermostat 214. By controlling the heating device 22B based on the temperature T2 measured by the temperature sensor 242, the temperature in the thermostat 214 is maintained at a desired temperature (set temperature). The position where the temperature sensor 242 is provided is not limited to the position shown in FIG. 13B.

  The heating device 22B is a hot-air heater provided between the inner wall and the outer wall of the thermostat 214. The heating device 22B sends warm air into the constant temperature bath 214 via an air circulation hole H2 provided in the inner wall of the constant temperature bath 214.

  As shown in FIG. 13B, the discharge device 23 is provided for each filter housed in the housing device 21B. Each discharge device 23 has the suction unit 231, the adapter 232, and the connection pipe 233 as described in the above-described filter drying systems 20 and 20A, and sucks the air inside the associated filter, and It is configured to discharge outside 21B.

  In this modification, as shown in FIG. 13B, the suction unit 231 is provided outside the thermostat 214, the connection pipe 233 penetrates the side wall of the thermostat 214, and connects the suction unit 231 and the adapter 232. I have. Note that the configuration is not limited to this as long as the discharge gas is discharged to the outside of the thermostat 214, and the suction unit 231 may be arranged in the thermostat 214.

  The configuration of the constant temperature bath 214 described above is only an example. The configuration is not limited to the above configuration as long as a filter can be disposed inside and a constant temperature bath in which the internal temperature is maintained at a predetermined temperature.

  Although not shown, the filter drying system 20B may include a determination unit similar to the determination unit 25 described above. In this case, the determination unit is communicably connected to the plurality of temperature sensors 241 and 242, and when the temperature T1 corresponding to a certain filter almost reaches the temperature T2 in the thermostat 214, the filter is dried. It is determined that the process has been completed. Such determination of completion of drying for each filter is not limited to being automatically performed by the determination unit, and may be performed by a person.

  According to the second modification described above, the temperature in the storage device 21B that stores at least one filter 1300 is increased by the heating device 22B, and the air in the filter 1300 is sucked by the discharge device 23, and the storage device 21B ( It is discharged outside the thermostat 214). Thereby, at least one filter that has been washed and wet can be efficiently dried in a short time.

  Further, according to the second modification, since the heating device 22B is provided inside the storage device 21B, the size of the filter drying system can be reduced. Alternatively, a filter drying system of the same size allows more filters to be dried at one time.

  In addition, according to the second modification, the drying process of a plurality of filters can be performed collectively, so that the filter drying process can be performed more efficiently.

  The filter drying systems according to the embodiment and the first and second modified examples have been described above.

  In the above-described embodiment and the modified example, the cylindrical housing 1100 is arranged in the housing devices 21, 21 </ b> A and 21 </ b> B. However, the cylindrical housing 1100 </ b> A may be arranged in the housing device 21 instead of the cylindrical housing 1100. .

  In addition, the arrangement of the cylindrical housings (filters) is not limited to the vertical or horizontal orientation as described above, and may be arranged in an oblique direction.

  When the filter can be easily taken out from the cylindrical housing, the filter may be taken out from the cylindrical housing and the filter alone may be arranged inside the accommodation device 21.

<< Filter drying method >>
Next, the filter drying method according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 14A and 14B. The method is performed in step S8 of the method of regenerating the filter assembly described with reference to FIGS.

  In the following description, a filter drying method using the filter drying system 20 according to the embodiment will be described, but the same applies to a case where the filter drying system 20A according to the modification is used.

  First, the filter 1300 and the discharge device 23 are attached to the lid 212 of the storage device 21 (Step S81). In the present embodiment, after the filter assembly 1000 and the adapter 232 of the discharge device 23 are arranged so as to sandwich the lid 212, the bolt hole of the flange 1110 of the filter assembly 1000, the bolt hole 212h of the lid 212, and the adapter 232 The filter 1300, the lid 212, and the adapter 232 are fastened to each other by bolts and nuts.

  Thereafter, the lid 212 is attached to the main body 211 of the housing device 21 so that the filter 1300 is housed in the main body 211 (step S82).

  After step S82, the heating device 22 is operated to increase the temperature inside the storage device 21 that stores the filter 1300 (step S83). In the present embodiment, a hot air heater as the heating device 22 is operated to supply hot air into the storage device 21.

  After step S83, the discharge device 23 is operated to suck the air in the filter 1300 and discharge it to the outside of the storage device 21 (step S84). In the present embodiment, a driving gas such as compressed air is supplied to the ejector via the introduction pipe 231a. By this step, the hot air in the main body 211 passes through the filter 1300 at a relatively high speed, so that the filter 1300 can be dried efficiently.

  After step S84, it is determined whether the temperature of the air sucked by the discharge device 23 has reached the temperature inside the storage device 21 (step S85). In the present embodiment, the determination unit 25 determines whether the temperature T1 measured by the temperature sensor 241 has reached the temperature T2 measured by the temperature sensor 242. When the temperature T1 has almost reached the temperature T2 (S85: Yes), it is determined that the drying of the filter 1300 has been completed, and the process proceeds to step S86.

  Note that, as the temperature inside the storage device 21, a predetermined temperature such as the temperature of hot air supplied from the heating device 22 may be used instead of the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 242.

  In step S86, the operation of the heating device 22 is stopped.

  After step S86, it is determined whether the temperature inside the storage device 21 has decreased to a predetermined temperature (step S87). The predetermined temperature is, for example, a temperature obtained by adding a predetermined value to the outside air temperature.

  When it is determined that the temperature inside the storage device 21 has decreased to the predetermined temperature (S87: Yes), the operation of the discharge device 23 is stopped (Step S88). By stopping the operation of the heating device 22 and operating the discharging device 23 for a while, the temperature of the heated filter can be rapidly reduced.

  According to the filter drying method according to the present embodiment, the washed filter can be efficiently dried in a short time.

  Note that the above filter drying method is merely an example. For example, step S83 and step S84 may be performed in reverse order. Further, instead of the determination in step S87, it may be determined whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since execution of step S86, and step S88 may be performed when the predetermined time has elapsed.

  The filter drying method of the filter drying system 20B according to Modification 2 is almost the same as the above method as described below.

  First, the cylindrical housing 1100 is fixed to the support base 216. Thereby, the cylindrical housing 1100 and the discharge device 23 are connected. Thereafter, the heating device 22B is operated to increase the temperature in the thermostat 214 to a predetermined temperature. Note that the higher the temperature in the thermostat 214, the shorter the time required for drying the filter. On the other hand, if the temperature is too high, the catalyst may be damaged. Therefore, it is preferable that the temperature in the thermostat 214 be in a proper range (for example, 160 ° C. to 180 ° C.).

  Thereafter, the discharge device 23 is operated to suck the air in the filter 1300 and discharge the air to the outside of the storage device 21B. By discharging the air in the filter 1300 to the outside, the filter 1300 can be efficiently dried in a short time.

  Thereafter, the same determination as in step S85 is performed. That is, it is determined whether or not the temperature T1 measured by the temperature sensor 241 has reached the temperature T2 measured by the temperature sensor 242. When the temperature T1 has almost reached the temperature T2, it is determined that the drying of the filter has been completed. When it is determined that all the filters contained in the thermostat 214 have been dried, the operation of the heating device 22B is stopped. In addition, even after the drying is completed, the discharging device 23 may be continuously operated until the temperature in the thermostat 214 decreases to a predetermined temperature in order to quickly lower the temperature of the heated filter.

  According to the filter drying system and the filter drying method according to the present embodiment described above, the cleaned filter can be efficiently dried in a short time.

  Further, by applying the filter drying method according to the present embodiment to the filter assembly regenerating method, the filter drying step is shortened, so that the filter assembly regenerating method can be made more efficient. Furthermore, since the post-washing inspection step can be performed by drying the filter, a highly reliable regenerated filter assembly can be provided.

<< Stefner arrangement method >>
Next, a stiffener arrangement method according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. This stiffener arrangement method is a method for arranging an annular stiffener (more precisely, a joint stiffener equivalent to a stiffener) between a flange portion 1110 and a flange portion 1120 provided in a cylindrical housing 1100 that stores a filter 1300. It is. The method is performed in step S14 of the method for regenerating a filter assembly described with reference to FIGS.

  In the following, the tubular housing 1100 will be described as a placement target of the stiffener, but the above-described tubular housing 1100A may be placed.

  First, the flange portions 1110 and 1120 of the cylindrical housing 1100 are laser-cleaned (step S141). As a result, rust and the like are removed, and the flatness of the flange portions 1110 and 1120 can be secured, and leakage of exhaust gas can be prevented or suppressed. Further, according to the laser cleaning using a laser cleaner (laser rust removing device), it is possible to prevent the ceramic filter from being damaged as compared with a case where a rust removing agent or a cup brush is used, and foreign substances enter the filter during the cleaning. This can prevent the performance of the filter from deteriorating.

  Next, the annular stiffener 1600 is divided to form a plurality of partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R (Step S142). Hereinafter, this step is also referred to as a partial stiffener forming step. FIG. 16 shows a plan view of the stiffener 1600 before division, and FIG. 17 shows a plan view of the partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R. As shown in FIG. 16, the metal stiffener 1600 is provided with eight bolt holes BH1 to BH8. The bolt holes are provided at positions corresponding to the bolt holes provided in the flange portions 1110 and 1120. Note that the number of bolt holes is merely an example, and other numbers may be used.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the stiffener 1600 is divided into two along the cutting line CL to form the partial stiffener 1600L and the partial stiffener 1600R. After cutting, it is preferable to remove burrs on the cut surface using a metal file or the like. Note that the present invention is not limited to the case where the stiffener 1600 is divided into two, and may be divided into three or more to form three or more partial stiffeners.

  Next, the plurality of partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R are annularly combined so as to surround the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical housing 1100, and are temporarily connected to each other via the jig 2000 (step S143). Hereinafter, this step is also referred to as a temporary connection step. Here, partial stiffener 1600L and partial stiffener 1600R are annularly combined so as to surround the outer peripheral surface between flange 1110 and flange 1120 provided on the outer peripheral surface of cylindrical housing 1100 along the central axis direction. Temporarily connected to each other via the tool 2000.

  When the partial stiffener 1600L and the partial stiffener 1600R are combined, it is preferable that the front surface and the back surface be aligned so that the original stiffener 1600 is restored.

  The jig 2000 used in the temporary connection step includes an upper clamping portion 2100 and a lower clamping portion 2200. Here, the jig 2000 will be described with reference to FIGS. 18 (a) and (b) and FIGS. 19 (a) and (b). FIGS. 18A and 18B are a plan view and a side view of the upper sandwiching portion 2100, respectively. FIGS. 19A and 19B are a plan view and a side view of the lower sandwiching portion 2200, respectively.

  As shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, the upper sandwiching portion 2100 includes a connecting member 2110 and a bolt 2120 provided on the connecting member 2110. The bolt 2120 is provided to be orthogonal to the main surface of the plate-like connecting member 2210. In the present embodiment, the bolt 2120 is inserted into the through hole of the connection member 2110 and is fixed to the connection member 2110.

  The lower sandwiching portion 2200 has a connecting member 2210 and a nut 2220 as shown in FIGS. The nut 2220 can be screwed with the bolt 2120.

  The connection member 2110 has alignment holes AH1 and AH2. The connection member 2210 is provided with positioning holes AH3, AH4, and AH5. When the bolt 2120 is inserted into the positioning hole AH4, the positioning hole AH1 and the positioning hole AH3 overlap with each other in a plan view (that is, as viewed in the thickness direction of the connecting members 2110 and 2210), and the positioning hole is formed. AH2 and the alignment hole AH5 overlap. A positioning pin LP (to be described later) is inserted into the positioning holes overlapped in this manner.

  As shown in FIGS. 18A and 19A, the planar shape of the connection members 2110 and 2210 is preferably the same arc shape as the shape of the partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R. By matching the shapes of the connecting members 2110 and 2210 with the shapes of the partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R, when the connecting members 2110 and 2210 sandwich the connecting portions of the partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R, the connecting members 2110 and 2210 are partially connected. The pressure is sufficiently applied evenly to the stiffeners 1600L and 1600R. Thereby, planarization between partial stiffener 1600L and partial stiffener 1600R can be further achieved.

  The connecting members 2110 and 2210 may be obtained by cutting a stiffener (not shown) prepared separately from the one for manufacturing the partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R. Thereby, the bolt hole of the stiffener can be used as a through hole for inserting the bolt 2120 and the positioning holes AH1 to AH5. Further, the planar shape of connecting members 2110, 2210 can be the same arc shape as the shape of partial stiffeners 1600L, 1600R.

  Further, the size (length) of the connection members 2110 and 2210, the number of positioning holes, and the like can be appropriately changed according to the size of the target stiffener, the number of bolt holes, and the like. When the number of bolt holes (for example, 10) of the stiffener 1600 is large, the connecting members 2110 and 2210 may be lengthened, or the number of positioning holes may be increased.

  The temporary connection step using the jig 2000 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIGS. 20A and 20B show a state where the partial stiffener 1600L and the partial stiffener 1600R combined so as to surround the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical housing 1100 are temporarily connected to each other via a jig 2000. As shown, the partial stiffener 1600L and the partial stiffener 1600R are temporarily connected by two jigs 2000.

  In the temporary connection step, the first partial stiffener and the second partial stiffener (here, partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R) adjacent to each other among the plurality of partial stiffeners formed in the partial stiffener forming step are replaced with the first partial stiffeners. Upper sandwiching portion 2100 and lower sandwiching portion 2200 are arranged so as to sandwich the stiffener and the second partial stiffener. At this time, in this embodiment, the bolt 2120 of the upper sandwiching portion 2100 is connected to the bolt hole BH1 (BH5) formed by combining the partial stiffener 1600L and the partial stiffener 1600R and the connecting member of the lower sandwiching portion 2200. 2210 is inserted through the positioning hole AH4.

  After arranging the upper sandwiching portion 2100 and the lower sandwiching portion 2200 as described above, the connection member 2110, the partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R, and the connection member 2210 are fastened by screwing the nut 2220 to the bolt 2120. . In this way, the first partial stiffener and the second partial stiffener are temporarily connected via the connecting member 2110 and the connecting member 2210.

  By the way, when the nut 2220 is screwed into the bolt 2120, if the tightening torque is too small, it is not possible to sufficiently flatten the space between the partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R. On the other hand, if the tightening torque is too large, the connecting members 2110 and 2210 are warped around the bolt 2120, so that the partial stiffener 1600L and the partial stiffener 1600R cannot be sufficiently flattened. Therefore, it is desirable that the tightening torque has a magnitude within an appropriate range (for example, about 20 N · m).

  As shown in FIGS. 20 (a) and 20 (b), before screwing nut 2220 to bolt 2120, positioning holes provided in connecting member 2110 and partial stiffeners 1600L, 1600R are provided. The positioning hole may be communicated with the positioning hole provided in the connection member 2210, and the positioning pin LP may be inserted into the communication hole. Specifically, the positioning pin LP on the left side in FIG. 20B is inserted into the positioning hole AH2, the bolt hole BH6, and the positioning hole AH5. The right positioning pin LP is inserted into the positioning hole AH1, the bolt hole BH4, and the positioning hole AH3. The left positioning pin LP is inserted into the positioning hole AH2, the bolt hole BH6, and the positioning hole AH5.

  By screwing the nut 2220 to the bolt 2120 with the positioning pin LP inserted into the positioning hole in this way, the accuracy of the mounting position of the jig 2000 can be improved. As a result, it is possible to further flatten and round the coupling stiffener 1600B described later.

  After performing the temporary connection process as described above, the plurality of partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R are joined to form an annular combined stiffener 1600B (step S144). Hereinafter, this step is also referred to as a joining process. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 21, the partial stiffener 1600L and the partial stiffener 1600R are joined by welding to form an annular joint stiffener 1600B. FIG. 21 is a side view showing a state where a gap between partial stiffener 1600L and partial stiffener 1600R is welded. Reference symbol WP indicates a welded portion.

  As a welding method, for example, semi-automatic welding such as CO2 welding is used. It should be noted that rust prevention coating may be performed on the welded portion WP. Further, the joining method of the partial stiffener is not limited to welding, and a metal adhesive or the like may be used.

After the joining step, the jig 2000 is removed from the joining stiffener 1600B (step S145). In order to avoid deformation of the joint stiffener 1600B, it is preferable to remove the jig 2000 after the welded portion WP has cooled. For example, the jig 2000 is removed 5 minutes or more after welding.
FIG. 22 shows a plan view of the coupling stiffener 1600B from which the jig 2000 has been removed. The coupling stiffener 1600B is arranged to surround the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical housing 1100.

  The coupling stiffener 1600B has bolt holes corresponding to the bolt holes of the flange portions 1110 and 1120, like the stiffeners 1410 and 1420 before replacement. As shown in FIG. 23, two coupling stiffeners 1600B are manufactured, one of which is arranged adjacent to the flange portion 1110 and the other is arranged to be adjacent to the flange portion 1120.

  After the jig 2000 is removed, a new insulator 1700 is placed in the cylindrical housing 1100 as shown in FIG. Specifically, two half members (not shown) are arranged so as to surround the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical housing 1100 between the flange portion 1110 and the flange portion 1120, and are fastened to each other with bolts and nuts. FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view of the regenerated filter assembly 1000R. Instead of using a new insulator 1700, the used insulator 1500 removed in step S4 may be reused.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 23, the configuration of the regeneration filter assembly 1000R reproduced by the above method will be described.

  The regeneration filter assembly 1000R includes a tubular housing 1100, a cleaned filter 1300R stored in the tubular housing 1100, an annular coupling stiffener 1600B disposed between the flange portions 1110 and 1120, An insulator 1700 covering the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical housing 1100. The regeneration filter assembly 1000R may further include a converter 1200 as shown in FIG.

  Two connecting stiffeners 1600B are provided adjacent to the flange portions 1110 and 1120, respectively, and the insulator 1700 is provided between the connecting stiffeners 1600B. The coupling stiffener 1600B is configured such that a plurality of partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R are combined and joined to form one annular stiffener.

  In coupling stiffener 1600B, partial stiffener 1600L and partial stiffener 1600R are joined at a cut surface passing through bolt holes BH1 and BH5 of coupling stiffener 1600B.

  According to the stiffener arrangement method according to the present embodiment described above, a new stiffener (combined stiffener 1600B) can be arranged in the cylindrical housing 1100 that stores the cleaned filter 1300R. Thus, in a state where the regeneration filter assembly 1000R is attached to the vehicle, a sufficient pressure is uniformly applied to the gasket interposed between the flange portion on the vehicle side and the flange portion 1110, and airtightness can be secured. Will be possible. As a result, it is possible to prevent or suppress the exhaust gas not passing through the filter 1300 and containing the particulate matter from leaking out.

  For this reason, by applying the stiffener arrangement method according to the present embodiment to the filter assembly regeneration method, a highly reliable regeneration filter assembly can be provided.

  Further, according to the stiffener arrangement method according to the present embodiment, the partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R are temporarily connected via the jig 2000, and the partial stiffeners 1600L and the partial stiffeners 1600R are flattened. 1600L and partial stiffener 1600R are joined. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent or suppress a situation in which a gap is generated between the coupling stiffener 1600B and the flange portions 1110 and 1120 when the regeneration filter assembly is mounted on the vehicle, and the airtightness is reduced.

  In the above-described partial stiffener forming step, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the stiffener 1600 is divided such that the cutting line CL passes through the bolt holes BH1 and BH5 of the stiffener 1600. By doing so, when the jig 2000 is attached to the partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R in the temporary connection step (step S143), the bolt holes BH1 and BH5 re-formed by combining the partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R. The connection member 2110 and the connection member 2210 of the jig 2000 can press the partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R from both the front and back surfaces with a sufficient pressure (surface pressure) evenly. As a result, the steps on the surfaces of the partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R are further reduced, and further planarization can be achieved.

  The above-described stiffener arrangement method is merely an example, and various changes may be made. For example, the laser cleaning step of the flange portion (step S141) may be performed after any step in the flowchart shown in FIG.

  In the above example, the bolt 2120 is inserted into the bolt holes BH1 and BH5 formed by combining the partial stiffener 1600L and the partial stiffener 1600R, but is not limited thereto. That is, if connecting member 2110 crosses the boundary between partial stiffener 1600L and partial stiffener 1600R, bolt 2120 may be inserted into another bolt hole.

  In the above example, the connection members 2110 and 2210 and the partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R are fastened using the bolt 2120 and the nut 2220. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The member 2210 may be pressed from both sides to flatten the partial stiffeners 1600L and 1600R.

  Based on the above description, those skilled in the art may be able to conceive additional effects and various modifications of the present invention, but aspects of the present invention are limited to the above-described individual embodiments and modifications. Not something. Components of different embodiments and modified examples may be appropriately combined. Various additions, changes, and partial deletions can be made without departing from the concept and spirit of the present invention derived from the contents defined in the claims and equivalents thereof.

10, 10A Filter inspection system 11 Temperature changing device 12 Measuring device 121 Imaging unit 122 Display unit 123 Storage unit 124 Judging unit 13 Rectifying device 20, 20A, 20B Filter drying systems 21, 21A, 21B Housing device 211 Main unit 211a Side opening Part 212 Cover part 212a Inside surface 212b Outside surface 212h Bolt hole 213 Wind direction changing part 214 Thermostat 215 Caster part 216 Support base 216a Top plate part 216b Legs 22, 22A, 22B Heating device 23 Discharge device 231 Suction unit 231a Introducing tube 231b Discharge tube 232 Adapter 232a Flange 233 Connection tube 241, 242 Temperature sensor 25 Judgment unit 1000, 1000A Filter assembly 1000R Regeneration filter assembly 1100, 1100A Cylindrical housing 1110, 1120 Lunge part 1200 Converter 1210 Catalyst supporting wall 1300, 1300R Filter 1300a Exhaust gas inflow surface 1300b Exhaust gas outflow surface 1310 Cell wall 1320, 1330 Sealing part 1410, 1420 Jig 2100 Upper sandwiching portion 2110 Connecting member 2120 Bolt 2200 Lower sandwiching portion 2210 Connecting member 2220 Nut A Ash AH1 to AH5 Alignment holes BH1 to BH8 Bolt hole CL Cutting line FC Channel H1 Outside air introduction hole H2 Air circulation hole LP Positioning pin PM Particulate matter S1, S2 Spot area SFC1, SFC2 Sealed channels T1, T2 Temperature WP Welded part

Claims (9)

A filter inspection system for inspecting a filter that collects particulate matter contained in exhaust gas of a diesel engine,
A temperature changing device that supplies hot air or cold air toward the exhaust gas passage surface of the filter , so that the temperature of the filter is higher than or lower than a predetermined temperature from the ambient temperature.
A measuring device for measuring the temperature distribution of the exhaust gas passage surface to which the hot or cold air is supplied ,
Equipped with a,
A filter inspection system , wherein the temperature changing device supplies cold air when the ambient temperature is equal to or higher than a reference temperature, and supplies hot air when the ambient temperature is lower than the reference temperature . The filter inspection system according to claim 1 , wherein when a converter is provided adjacent to an exhaust gas inflow side of the filter, the temperature changing device supplies hot air or cold air to the converter. . The filter inspection system according to claim 2 , wherein the measuring device measures a temperature distribution on an exhaust gas outflow surface of the filter. When a converter is not provided adjacent to the exhaust gas inflow side of the filter, a rectifying device is provided between the temperature changing device and the filter and rectifies hot air or cold air supplied from the temperature changing device. The filter inspection system according to claim 1 , further comprising: The measurement device further includes a determination unit that determines the quality of the filter based on the temperature distribution,
The filter inspection system according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit determines that the filter is defective when the temperature distribution is not uniform. A filter inspection method for inspecting a filter that collects particulate matter contained in exhaust gas of a diesel engine,
A supply step of supplying hot air or cold air toward the exhaust gas passage surface of the filter , so that the temperature of the filter is higher than or lower than a predetermined temperature from the ambient temperature.
Measuring the temperature distribution of the exhaust gas passage surface to which the hot or cold air is supplied ,
Determining the quality of the filter based on the temperature distribution,
Equipped with a,
In the supply step, a cooling air is supplied when the ambient temperature is equal to or higher than a reference temperature, and a hot air is supplied when the ambient temperature is lower than the reference temperature . A filter assembly regeneration method for regenerating a filter assembly having a filter for trapping particulate matter contained in exhaust gas of a diesel engine,
A first inspection step of inspecting a filter of the used filter assembly based on a temperature distribution of an exhaust gas passage surface of the filter;
Cleaning the filter if the result of the inspection in the first inspection step is good;
Rinsing the washed filter;
Equipped with a,
The first inspection step includes:
A first supply step of supplying hot air or cold air toward an exhaust gas passage surface of the filter, such that the temperature of the filter is higher than or lower than a predetermined temperature from an ambient temperature.
Measuring the temperature distribution of the exhaust gas passage surface to which the hot or cold air is supplied,
Determining the quality of the filter based on the temperature distribution,
Including
In the first supply step, a cool air is supplied when the ambient temperature is equal to or higher than a reference temperature, and a hot air is supplied when the ambient temperature is lower than the reference temperature . Drying the rinsed filter;
A second inspection step of inspecting the dried filter by differential pressure measurement;
A third inspection step of inspecting the filter based on a temperature distribution of an exhaust gas passage surface of the filter when a result of the inspection in the second inspection step is good;
The method according to claim 7 , further comprising: The third inspection step includes:
A second supply step of supplying hot air or cold air toward an exhaust gas passage surface of the filter , such that the temperature of the filter is higher than or lower than a predetermined temperature from the ambient temperature.
Measuring the temperature distribution of the exhaust gas passage surface to which the hot or cold air is supplied ,
Determining the quality of the filter based on the temperature distribution,
Only including,
Wherein in the second feed step, if the ambient temperature is above the reference temperature, by supplying cold air, when the ambient temperature is lower than the reference temperature, according to claim 8, wherein the supplying hot air Filter assembly regeneration method.