JPH04203806A - Gas shut-off valve device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a safe electrical energization for a solenoid coil and eliminate a non-safety characteristic of a safety device by a method wherein a gas shielding valve device is provided with a sensor circuit for sensing a broken line of the gas shut-off valve. CONSTITUTION:When a solenoid coil 5 is in its normal state, the solenoid coil 5 is connected to a released power supply 15 through sensor resistors R30 and R31 of a disconnection delection circuit 30. When the solenoid coil 5 is electrically energized, a sensing current I3 is flowed. When a broken line state occurs in the solenoid coil 5, potentials at both ends of the sensing resistor R31 becomes zero and a transistor Q30 is not electrically conductive and then it becomes OFF state. At this time, a plus potential is applied to an anode A of a diode D from a closed power supply 16 through a detecting resistor R32. Subsequently, the diode D receiving the plus potential electrically conducts between the anode A and the cathode K and then a signal for instructing a shut-off valve drive circuit to stop output of an operating current is inputted to an input port P3 of a control means 12. The control means 12 receives this signal as a disconnection detection signal and then the disconnection of the solenoid coil 5 is detected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION The present invention relates to a safety device for piping systems supplying gaseous fuel.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 3, in this type of gas cutoff valve device, a yoke 6 is airtightly attached to a gas passage 11, and a control circuit B receiving an external metering signal is operated by a control means S. , a valve-closing current was supplied from the power source E to the electromagnetic coil 5 of the gas cutoff valve G. This valve-closing current excites the electromagnetic coil 5 to move the plunger 1 upward, causing the valve 2 fixed at its tip to come into close contact with the valve seat 10 provided in the gas passage 11, thereby stopping the gas supply from the gas passage 11. It was blocked.

For example, it is installed in the pipe shaft of an apartment complex (not shown below), and gas is piped to each unit from a gas passage 11 branched from the gas main pipe, and the gas passing through the gas cutoff valve G is passed through the gas passage. 11 was further branched to supply each chamber.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the conventional configuration described above, if the NN coil 5 were to break, the gear knob and contact state would become unstable at the broken part, and sparks would occur when the valve closing current was supplied. or If the location where this gas leakage abnormality occurs in the valve-closing current supply is unfortunately a branch pipe within the pipe shaft, the gas leaking from the branch pipe will fill the narrow pipe shaft in a short period of time. If the spark occurs here, this device, which should be a safety device, uses the spark as an ignition source, causing a problem that cannot be overlooked, resulting in a gas explosion or fire.

Therefore, the present invention aims to ensure the safety of the gas cutoff valve device itself.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the means for solving the problems of the present invention includes a gas cutoff valve that receives power to an electromagnetic coil to open and shut off a gas passage, and a gas cutoff valve that opens and closes the gas passage from the outside. It is equipped with a cutoff valve drive circuit that receives an instruction and outputs the operating current, and a disconnection detection circuit that detects conduction of the electromagnetic coil and instructs to stop outputting the operating current when the electromagnetic coil is disconnected.

Effect: With the above means, the gas cutoff valve device of the present invention allows the disconnection detection circuit to operate (a) constantly, or (Il+) intermittently at predetermined time intervals, and the cutoff valve drive circuit to receive instructions to open and close the gas cutoff valve from the outside. or (c), the latter of (11) above, the presence or absence of conduction of the electromagnetic coil is detected. When the electromagnetic coil is disconnected, an output stop instruction signal is output to the cutoff valve drive circuit, and the cutoff valve drive circuit stops outputting the operating current of the electromagnetic coil. In this way, gas explosions and fires caused by the gas cutoff valve device as a safety device can be prevented.

In addition, when the cutoff valve drive circuit receives an instruction to open or close the gas cutoff valve from the outside and the disconnection detection circuit detects conduction of the electromagnetic coil, an operating current is applied to the electromagnetic coil, the gas cutoff valve operates, and the gas The passage is opened and blocked to ensure safety in the event of gas supply abnormalities such as gas leaks.

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the gas cutoff valve device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Figure 2 shows a gas cutoff valve G used in the gas cutoff valve device of the present invention.
In this embodiment, a magnetic plunger 1 has a valve part 2 at one end.
is fixed and slidably inserted into an electromagnetic coil 5 consisting of a coil pobin 4 that supports the coil 3. The other end of the plunger 1 coaxially faces a core piece 8 supported by a permanent magnet 7 fixed to a yoke 6, and is biased toward a valve seat 10 by a spring 9. Also, yoke 6
is airtightly attached to the gas passage 11. The figure shows the open state of the valve portion 2, where the permanent magnet 7 excites the core piece 8, the magnetic force of the core piece 8 is greater than the counterforce of the spring 9, and the plunger l is attracted to the core piece 8 and self-retained.

After uncovering the above configuration, next is the gas passage! 1 will be explained. Closing current as one of the operating currents in the electromagnetic coil 5 1. When , the closing current 11 causes the electromagnetic coil 5 to have a magnetic field in the opposite direction to the magnetic field of the permanent magnet 7, and excites the plunger 1. Due to this magnetic field in the opposite direction, the attraction force between the plunger 1 and the core piece 8 becomes weaker, and the anti-ta force of the spring 9 becomes stronger.

Then, the plunger 1 and the core piece 8 are separated, and the valve portion 2 is brought into close contact with the valve seat 10, thereby blocking the gas passage 11.

After this, even if the closing current I is cut off, since the plunger 1 is separated from the core piece 8, the attraction force of the plunger 1 due to the magnetic force of the core piece 8 is weak, making it impossible to re-adsorb the two, and the valve part 2 10 and maintains the cut-off state.

The operation of reopening the blocked gas passage 11 will be explained. Closing current ■ to electromagnetic coil 5.

Open current in the opposite direction 1. (one of the operating currents), the electromagnetic coil 5 creates a magnetic field in the same direction as the magnetic field of the permanent magnet 7, and excites the plunger l.

Also, the open current I2 is the closed current 1. Bigger, Nfa
The magnetic force of the plunger 1 created by the coil 5 and the permanent magnet 7 overcomes the repulsive force of the spring 9, and the plunger 1 moves downward and is attracted to the core piece 8, opening the gas passage 11. The plunger l is attracted and held on the core piece 8 by the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 7 with an attractive force greater than the repulsive force of the spring 9, and this state is maintained even if the open current I2 is cut off thereafter.

The respective energization states when the gas passage 11 is shut off and opened are as shown within the dashed-dotted lines.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the gas cutoff valve device of the present invention, including an electromagnetic coil 5 of a gas cutoff valve G, a cutoff valve drive circuit 20 surrounded by a broken line, a disconnection detection circuit 30 surrounded by a broken line, and a gas passage 1]
Closing power supply 16 and open power supply # as a power supply for cutting off and opening
15. The cutoff valve drive circuit 20 receives a measurement signal sent from a weighing device of a gas meter (not shown) and a valve opening signal sent from a remote control unit. Further, a control means 12 for controlling opening and closing of the gas cutoff valve G;
The transistor Q becomes conductive in response to the valve closing signal of the control means 12.
20. Transistors Q21 and Q22 conductive with the valve opening signal
etc. The disconnection detection circuit 30 includes a detection resistor R30,
It includes R31, R32, a diode D, a transistor Q30, etc.

Next, the operation of blocking the gas passage 11 with the above configuration will be explained. When gas is abnormally used and an abnormal metering signal is input to the control means 12, and when the electromagnetic coil 5 is normal, a valve closing instruction signal is output from the output port P1. This valve closing instruction signal biases the emitter and base of the transistor Q20 in the forward direction, causing conduction between the emitter and collector of the transistor Q20, and the electromagnetic coil 5 is connected to the closing terminal 11 and the closing current 1 flows. This closing current I closes the gas cutoff valve G as described above, and the gas passage 11 is cut off. Next, the operation of opening and restoring the blocked gas passage 11 will be explained. When the control means 12 receives a valve opening signal from a remote control unit (not shown) and the electromagnetic coil 5 is normal, a valve opening instruction signal is output from the output port P2. This valve opening instruction signal forward biases between the emitter and base of transistor Q21, and
The emitter and collector of 21 are electrically connected. Subsequently, the base and emitter of the transistor Q22 are also biased in the forward direction, the collector and emitter of the transistor Q22 become conductive, and the electromagnetic coil 5 is connected to the open current #15, so that the open current I2 flows. This opening current (2) opens the gas cutoff valve G as described above, and the gas passage 11 is opened.

Next, the operation of detecting a disconnection of the electromagnetic coil 5 by the disconnection detection circuit 30 will be described. When the electromagnetic coil 5 is normal,
The electromagnetic coil 5 is connected to the detection resistors R30 and R of the disconnection detection circuit 30.
31 is connected to the open power source 15, and when the electromagnetic coil 5 is conductive, a detection current I3 flows. - detection resistor R30,
R31 is set to a particularly high resistance value compared to the coil resistance of the electromagnetic coil 5.

Therefore, the detection current I, is the open current ■2, the closing current I,
It is particularly small compared to , does not affect the opening/closing operation of the electromagnetic coil 5, and suppresses unnecessary power consumption. When the detection current I3 flows through the detection resistor R31, a potential difference occurs between both ends thereof. This potential difference forward biases the transistor Q30 between its base and emitter.
0's collector emitter and rim are conductive. Then, a negative potential is applied to the anode A of the diode D connected to the transistor Q30, and the diode D becomes non-conductive.

Therefore, the control means 12 determines that the electromagnetic coil 5 is normal because a signal instructing the cutoff valve drive circuit to stop outputting the operating current is not input to the input boat P3.

In addition, when a disconnection occurs in the magnetic coil iii, the detection current I3 does not flow through the detection resistors R30 and R31, and the detection resistor R
The potential across the transistor Q31 becomes O, and the transistor Q30 is not conductive and is in an off state. At this time, unlike the normal state, a positive potential is applied to the anode A of the diode D from the closing voltage a16 via the detection resistor R32. The detection resistor R32, like the detection resistors R30, 31, etc., is set to a particularly high resistance value to suppress unnecessary power consumption. Subsequently, the diode D receiving the positive potential is
Conductivity is established between the anode A and the cathode, and a signal is input to the input port P3 of the control means 12 to instruct the cutoff valve drive circuit to stop outputting the operating current. The control means 12 receives this signal as a wire breakage detection signal and detects a wire breakage in the electromagnetic coil 5.

Next, the operation when the control means 12 receives the disconnection detection signal will be described. When Nm coil 5 is disconnected,
In the conventional device, the control means 12 outputs an operating current from the output ports P1 and R2 based on the measurement signal and the valve opening signal, but the gas cutoff valve G cannot be opened or closed, and it may be dangerous depending on the state of the disconnection part. Generates a spark. Therefore, when the electromagnetic coil 5 receives a disconnection detection signal and the electromagnetic coil 5 is disconnected, the control means 12 is controlled so as not to output an operating current even if it receives a metering signal or a valve opening signal. When the electromagnetic coil 5 is disconnected, the gas passage 11 cannot be shut off or opened, thereby preventing a gas explosion or fire caused by the safety device itself.

Therefore, in order to quickly recover from the failure of this device itself and resume its normal function, the control means 12 performs the following alarm operation. That is, if a disconnection occurs while the gas cutoff valve G is in an open state, a disconnection alarm is issued to notify the user that the gas passage 11 cannot be shut off in the event of an abnormal gas leak. Further, after the control means 12 receives the measurement signal and detects a gas leakage abnormality, it takes a higher level of action different from the above-mentioned action and strongly informs that the gas cannot be shut off. For example, if the action is simply a display, this action also involves emitting a horn sound. In addition, it is possible to prompt the user to quickly take measures to restore the functionality of the device. Additionally, by avoiding the risk of wire breakage, it is now possible to safely install the system in airtight areas where leaked gas is likely to fill up.

Note that the disconnection detection operation is performed intermittently and for a short period of time at predetermined intervals. #15.16 can also prevent battery consumption when using batteries.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above explanation, the gas cutoff valve device of the present invention is equipped with a disconnection detection circuit for the gas cutoff valve to ensure safe energization of the electromagnetic coil, and eliminates the risk of being unsafe as a safety device. can be eliminated.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the gas cutoff valve device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the same gas cutoff valve, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional gas cutoff valve device. 5... Electromagnetic coil, G... Gas cutoff valve, 20... Cutoff valve drive circuit, 30...
Disconnection detection circuit, 11...Closing current (operating current)
, ■2...Open current (operating current).

Claims (1)

[Claims] The gas cutoff valve receives power to the electromagnetic coil to open and shut off the gas passage, the cutoff valve drive circuit receives instructions to open and close the gas cutoff valve from the outside and outputs its operating current, and detects continuity in the electromagnetic coil and detects disconnection. A gas cutoff valve device including a disconnection detection circuit that sometimes instructs to stop outputting the operating current.