JPH1194613A - Device for identifying kind of gas, gas meter incorporating the same, and gas combustor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect the kind of a gas that is used actually. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a gas passage 12 having an orifice 11 of a fixed bore therein and a pressure sensor 13 provided on the downstream side from the orifice 11 to detect pressure within the gas passage 12. Au ultrasonic sensor 14 is provided on the downstream side from the orifice 11 in such a way as to bypass the flow of gas while facing the orifice 11, and a processing circuit 15, to which the outputs of the ultrasonic sensor 14 and the pressure sensor 13 are input to process the outputs is provided. Thereby, identification of the kind of a gas can be automated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gas type discriminating device for preventing a gas accident from occurring, and a gas meter and a gas combustor incorporating the gas type discriminating device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various safety devices have been used in order to prevent a highly dangerous gas accident from occurring. Among them, a gas shut-off device that detects an abnormal use of a gas or a gas leak and shuts off the gas has attracted attention. Have been. In particular, a built-in microcomputer with a battery power supply that monitors the gas flow rate with a flow sensor built into the gas meter, determines the gas usage state with a microcomputer, and shuts off the gas with a gas shut-off valve built into the gas meter in case of abnormal use Gas shut-off device (hereinafter abbreviated as microcomputer gas shut-off device)
Because of its advantages such as safety, ease of gas piping, and low price,
Initiatives aimed at disseminating all households have been implemented. In addition, a centralized monitoring type microcomputer meter having a function of a microcomputer gas shutoff device and being able to be used as a telemeter for centrally monitoring gas flow rate information measured by a flow rate sensor using a telephone line or the like has been promoted.

[0003] In the gas combustor, a safety device such as a frame rod for detecting the presence or absence of combustion by applying a voltage during the combustion flame of the gas and a thermocouple for detecting the presence or absence of combustion by detecting the combustion temperature of the gas. In recent years, CO in exhaust gas
The current situation is to provide a safety device such as a CO sensor that detects the generated concentration to prevent gas accidents.

However, in the gas meter and the gas combustor, the structure and settings (for example, the type of gas nozzle, the setting of the gas pressure, the setting of the combustion damper, etc.) differ depending on the type of gas actually used. It is necessary to match the type of gas used by humans when setting up the market. At present, there is no means for manually adjusting the type of gas to be used with a gas meter or a gas combustor, and if a mismatch occurs due to a human work error, it is not inevitable that an accident will occur.

In a conventional gas meter, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, a magnet 2 provided in a measuring section 1 of a gas meter and rotating when a gas flows, uses a signal for turning on and off a reed switch 3-A provided in a determination circuit 3 to control the gas flow rate. Detect. The judging circuit 3 judges the abnormal use of the gas, and the gas shutoff valve 5 provided in the gas passage 4 shuts off the gas passage in the event of an abnormality to ensure safety.

In a gas combustor currently used, a combustion signal of a frame rod or the like 7 provided in a gas burner section 6 is input to a judgment circuit 8 as shown in FIG. In the event of an abnormality, the gas passage is shut off by a gas solenoid valve or the like 10 provided in the gas passage 9 to ensure safety.

[0007]

However, with the conventional configuration, the type of gas actually used and the adaptation of the gas meter and the gas combustor must rely on human beings, and a gas accident due to incompatibility of the gas type must be performed. There was a big problem that eradication was impossible.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has a gas passage provided with an orifice having a constant inner diameter, and a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure downstream of the orifice. An ultrasonic sensor is provided downstream of the orifice so as to cross the gas flow, and a processing circuit for inputting and processing the output of the ultrasonic sensor and the output of the pressure sensor is provided. It is provided in the passage. According to the present invention, the determination of the type of gas is automated without relying on humans to improve safety,
By incorporating the gas type discriminating device in a gas meter or a gas combustor, a gas accident due to a difference in gas type can be prevented beforehand.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention has a gas passage provided with an orifice having a constant inner diameter, a pressure sensor for detecting pressure downstream of the orifice, An ultrasonic sensor is provided on the downstream side so as to face the gas flow, and an output of the ultrasonic sensor and a processing circuit for inputting and processing the output of the pressure sensor are provided. Utilizing the fact that the correlation between the output signal of an ultrasonic sensor provided to oppose the flow of gas passing through the orifice and the gas pressure detected by the pressure sensor differs depending on the type of gas, Can detect the type of gas.

The invention according to claim 2 is a gas meter incorporating the gas type discriminating apparatus.

The invention according to claim 3 is a gas combustor incorporating the gas type discriminating apparatus.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a gas type discriminating apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. A pressure sensor 13 for detecting pressure downstream of the orifice 11 in a gas passage 12 having an orifice 11 having a constant inner diameter;
And an ultrasonic sensor 14 is disposed downstream of the orifice 11 so as to cross the gas flow.
And a processing circuit 15 for inputting and processing the output of the ultrasonic sensor 14 and the output of the pressure sensor 13.

Next, FIG. 2 shows an output signal of the ultrasonic sensor 14 provided to oppose the flow of gas passing through the orifice 11 having a constant inner diameter and a pressure sensor 13 in the first embodiment. 4 shows an example of a correlation between gas pressures. According to FIG. 2, when the gas pressure of the pressure sensor 13 is detected, the output signal of the ultrasonic sensor 14 generates the output of the characteristic line A or B in the graph. At this time, if the determination value C is provided in the processing circuit, it is possible to automatically detect whether the gas type is A or B.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 shows a gas meter having a built-in gas type discriminating apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The gas type discriminating device Z according to claim 1 of the present invention is built in a gas passage 15, and the result of the gas type discriminating process of the gas type discriminating device Z is output to a judgment circuit 16 built in the gas meter. And the type of gas can be automatically determined. In the event of a mismatch, the gas passage can be shut off by the gas shutoff valve 5 provided in the gas passage 15 to ensure safety. . In a gas meter having a function of automatically setting the type of gas, the setting of the gas type of the gas meter can be automatically changed based on the processing result of the gas type determination.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 4 shows a gas combustor incorporating a gas type discriminating apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The gas type discriminating device Z according to claim 1 of the present invention is built in the gas passage 17, and the result of the gas type discriminating process of the gas type discriminating device Z is output to a judgment circuit 18 built in the gas combustor. It is possible to automatically judge whether the gas type is compatible with the gas combustor, and in the event of a mismatch, the gas shutoff valve 10 provided in the gas passage 17 shuts off the gas passage to ensure safety. You can do it.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, the adaptation of the gas meter or the gas combustor to the type of gas actually used, which has been a conventional problem, can be automatically performed. Accidents due to non-conformity can be prevented beforehand.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a gas type discriminating apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram showing a difference between gas types in a correlation between outputs of a pressure sensor and an ultrasonic sensor of the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a gas meter including a gas type discriminating apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a gas combustor incorporating a gas type discriminating apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a conventional gas meter.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a conventional gas combustor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Orifice of constant inner diameter 12 Gas passage 13 Pressure sensor 14 Ultrasonic sensor 15 Processing circuit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A gas passage having an orifice having a constant inner diameter, a pressure sensor for detecting pressure downstream of the orifice, and an ultrasonic sensor downstream of the orifice passing a gas flow. A gas type discriminating device provided oppositely and provided with a processing circuit for inputting and processing the output of the ultrasonic sensor and the output of the pressure sensor. 2. A gas meter comprising the gas type discriminating device according to claim 1 in a gas passage. 3. A gas combustor having the gas type discriminating apparatus according to claim 1 built in a gas passage.