JPWO2018185927A1 - Liquid leak detection device - Google Patents

Abstract

In the liquid leak detection device 30, the first temperature sensor 11 detects a temperature that is higher than the ambient temperature by a predetermined value, and the second temperature sensor 12 detects the ambient temperature of the liquid chromatograph 1. When the liquid leaks, both the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12 come into contact with the leaking liquid. The controller 22 detects a liquid leak based on a change in the temperature difference ΔT detected by the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12. Therefore, liquid leakage can be detected regardless of the temperature of the liquid leaking in the column oven 8. In addition, liquid leakage can be detected with a simple configuration in which the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12 are provided.

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid leakage detection device for detecting liquid leakage in an analyzer.

  In an analyzer such as a liquid chromatograph, liquid leakage may occur inside the apparatus. When a liquid leak occurs, the liquid may adversely affect the device. Therefore, an analyzer having a mechanism for detecting a liquid leak occurring inside the apparatus has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1 below).

  As such a mechanism, for example, it is considered to use a mechanism for detecting liquid leakage by detecting a temperature change in the apparatus. For example, a mechanism is conceivable in which two temperature detection sensors are provided inside the apparatus and liquid leakage is detected based on the temperatures detected by these sensors.

  Specifically, for example, two sensors are arranged in the atmosphere inside the apparatus, and one of the sensors is configured to detect a temperature obtained by adding a predetermined numerical value to the ambient temperature (self-heating). In the case where liquid leakage occurs, it may be configured to be immersed in the liquid.

  With such a configuration, when no liquid leakage occurs, both the two sensors are arranged in the atmosphere. Further, when a liquid leak occurs, one sensor (a self-heating sensor) is immersed in the liquid, and the other sensor is disposed in the atmosphere.

As a result, in a normal state (a state in which no liquid leakage occurs), there is a difference by a predetermined numerical value between the temperature values detected by the two sensors. On the other hand, when a liquid leak occurs, one sensor (a sensor that generates heat) is immersed in the liquid, so that a difference occurs in the temperature value detected by the two sensors. Therefore, it is possible to detect liquid leakage based on a change in the difference between the temperature values detected by the two sensors.
If the liquid leakage detection mechanism is configured in this manner, the liquid leakage in the apparatus can be detected with a simple configuration.

Japanese Patent No. 4093099

However, when the liquid leakage detection mechanism is configured as described above, depending on the temperature of the leaking liquid, even if a liquid leakage occurs in the apparatus, the liquid leakage may not be detected. Specifically, if the temperature of the liquid leaking in the device is the same temperature as the temperature of the sensor that self-heats or a temperature close to the temperature of the sensor that self-heats, the difference between the temperature values detected by the two sensors Almost no change occurs. For this reason, liquid leakage may not be detected.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid leakage detection device that can detect liquid leakage with high accuracy while having a simple configuration.

(1) A liquid leakage detection apparatus according to the present invention is a liquid leakage detection apparatus for detecting liquid leakage in an analyzer. The liquid leak detection device includes a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, and a liquid leak detection unit. The first temperature sensor is heated to a temperature higher than the ambient temperature or self-heats. The second temperature sensor measures an ambient temperature of the first temperature sensor. The liquid leak detection unit detects a liquid leak based on temperatures measured by the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, respectively. When the liquid leaks, both the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor come into contact with the leaked liquid.

  According to such a configuration, when the liquid leaks, both the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor that heat or self-heat to a temperature higher than the ambient temperature are in contact with the leaked liquid. And a liquid leak detection part detects a liquid leak based on the temperature measured by the 1st temperature sensor and the 2nd temperature sensor, respectively.

For example, when the temperature of the leaking liquid is the same as the temperature of the first temperature sensor or close to the temperature of the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor comes into contact with the leaking liquid. A change occurs in the temperature measured by the sensor. Therefore, if the liquid leak detection unit detects a liquid leak based on a change in temperature difference measured by each of the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, the temperature of the leaked liquid is equal to the temperature of the first temperature sensor. Even when the temperature is close to the same temperature or the temperature of the first temperature sensor, the liquid leakage can be detected.
In addition, liquid leakage can be detected with a simple configuration in which two temperature sensors are provided.
As described above, according to the liquid leakage detection apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to detect liquid leakage with high accuracy while having a simple configuration.

(2) The liquid leak detection device may further include a third temperature sensor. The third temperature sensor measures the ambient temperature of the first temperature sensor and does not come into contact with the leaked liquid. The liquid leak detection unit may detect a liquid leak based on temperatures measured by the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the third temperature sensor, respectively.

According to such a configuration, the liquid leakage detection unit detects the liquid leakage based on the temperature measured by the third temperature sensor in addition to the temperatures measured by the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, respectively. To detect.
Therefore, the liquid leak can be detected with higher accuracy.

  According to the present invention, even if the temperature of the leaking liquid is the same temperature as the temperature of the first temperature sensor or close to the temperature of the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor contacts the leaking liquid. Therefore, a change occurs in the temperature measured by the second temperature sensor. Therefore, the liquid leakage can be detected with high accuracy by the liquid leakage detection unit. In addition, liquid leakage can be detected with a simple configuration in which two temperature sensors are provided.

It is the schematic which showed the structure of the liquid chromatograph provided with the liquid leak detection apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed schematically the temperature measured by the 1st temperature sensor and 2nd temperature sensor of a liquid leak detection apparatus. It is the schematic which showed the structure of the liquid chromatograph provided with the liquid leak detection apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed schematically the temperature measured by the 1st temperature sensor of the liquid leak detection apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention, a 2nd temperature sensor, and a 3rd temperature sensor.

1. Configuration of Liquid Chromatograph FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a liquid chromatograph 1 including a liquid leak detection device 30 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

The liquid chromatograph 1 includes a flow path 2. Further, in the flow path 2, a storage unit 3, a pump 4, a sample introduction unit 5, a separation column 6, and a detector 7 are arranged in this order in the inflow direction.
The reservoir 3 stores a liquid serving as a mobile phase.
The sample introduction unit 5 is, for example, an autosampler.
The separation column 6 is accommodated in the column oven 8 and heated.

A detection sensor 9 for detecting the internal temperature is provided in the column oven 8. A heater (not shown) is provided in the column oven 8, and the operation of the heater is controlled so that the temperature detected by the detection sensor 9 becomes a constant value.
The detector 7 detects the sample component separated by the separation column 6.

  In the liquid chromatograph 1, the mobile phase is sent from the reservoir 3 to the flow path 2 by the operation of the pump 4, and a liquid flow is generated in the flow path 2. A sample is injected from the sample introduction unit 5 into the flow path 2. The sample is transported to the separation column 6 by the mobile phase, separated into components, and introduced from the separation column 6 to the detector 7. Then, the detector 7 detects the sample component.

  In this liquid chromatograph 1, liquid leakage may occur in the apparatus. In particular, liquid leakage may occur in the column oven 8 due to poor connection of piping. Therefore, the liquid chromatograph 1 is provided with a mechanism for detecting liquid leakage in the column oven 8 as follows.

2. Liquid Leak Detection Device A tray 10, a first temperature sensor 11, and a second temperature sensor 12 are provided in the column oven 8.

  The tray 10 is provided on the bottom wall of the column oven 8. A pipe (not shown) is connected to the tray 10 and is configured so that liquid flows through the pipe when a liquid leak occurs.

  The first temperature sensor 11 is disposed in the tray 10. The first temperature sensor 11 is, for example, a thermistor. The first temperature sensor 11 detects (measures) a temperature higher than the ambient temperature by a predetermined value due to self-heating. The first temperature sensor 11 may detect a temperature that is higher than the ambient temperature by a predetermined value when heated. In this example, the first temperature sensor 11 is configured to detect a temperature that is approximately 20 ° C. higher than the ambient temperature.

  The second temperature sensor 12 is disposed in the tray 10 and is spaced from the first temperature sensor 11. The second temperature sensor 12 is, for example, a thermistor. The second temperature sensor 12 detects (measures) the ambient temperature of the first temperature sensor 11.

In a state where no liquid leakage occurs in the column oven 8, the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12 are disposed in the air. On the other hand, when liquid leakage occurs in the column oven 8, the first sensor 11 and the second sensor 12 come into contact with the liquid flowing into the tray 10 (leaked liquid).
The liquid chromatograph 1 includes a display unit 21 and a control unit 22.
The display unit 21 is configured by, for example, a liquid crystal display.

  For example, the control unit 22 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 22 is electrically connected to the first temperature sensor 11, the second temperature sensor 12, and the display unit 21. The control unit 22, the tray 10, the first temperature sensor 11, and the second temperature sensor 12 constitute a liquid leak detection device 30. The control unit 22 is an example of a liquid leak detection unit.

3. Detection of Liquid Leakage FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing temperatures measured by the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12 of the liquid leak detection device 30. In FIG. 2, the temperature measured by the first temperature sensor 11 is shown as the first temperature, and the temperature measured by the second temperature sensor 12 is shown as the second temperature.
In the liquid leak detection device 30, the control unit 22 detects a liquid leak based on the temperatures measured by the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12.

  Specifically, the second temperature sensor 12 detects the temperature in the column oven 8 in a state where no liquid leakage occurs in the column oven 8. That is, the second temperature sensor 12 detects 15 ° C. The first temperature sensor 11 detects 35 ° C. in order to detect a temperature that is higher than the ambient temperature by a predetermined value (about 20 ° C.). For this reason, in a state where no liquid leakage occurs in the column oven 8, the difference between the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 12 (the absolute value of the difference). ) ΔT is about 20 ° C.

  The control unit 22 compares the difference ΔT between the first temperature and the second temperature with a threshold value, and determines that liquid leakage has occurred when ΔT becomes smaller than the threshold value (liquid leakage is detected). To detect). In other words, the control unit 22 does not determine liquid leakage when ΔT is larger than the threshold value. In this example, in a normal state (a state in which no liquid leakage occurs), ΔT is about 20 ° C., which is larger than the threshold value. Therefore, the control unit 22 does not determine the liquid leakage.

  FIG. 2A shows the measurement temperatures when the temperature in the column oven 8 is 15 ° C. and the liquid at 35 ° C. leaks. In this case, both the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12 are in contact with the liquid at 35 ° C. As a result, the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12 each detect 35 ° C. That is, the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 11 remains unchanged at 35 ° C., and the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 12 changes from 15 ° C. to 35 ° C.

  Thereby, the difference ΔT between the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 12 becomes 0 (almost 0), which is smaller than the threshold value. The controller 22 determines that liquid leakage has occurred because ΔT has become smaller than the threshold value. And the control part 22 displays on the display part 21 that the liquid leak has generate | occur | produced, and alert | reports the generation | occurrence | production of a liquid leak.

  Moreover, in FIG.2 (b), each temperature measured when the temperature in the column oven 8 is 15 degreeC and a 60 degreeC liquid leaks is shown. In this case, both the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12 are in contact with the 60 ° C. liquid. As a result, the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12 each detect 60 ° C. That is, the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 11 changes from 35 ° C. to 60 ° C., and the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 12 changes from 15 ° C. to 60 ° C.

  Thereby, the difference ΔT between the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 12 becomes 0 (almost 0), which is smaller than the threshold value. The controller 22 determines that liquid leakage has occurred because ΔT has become smaller than the threshold value. And the control part 22 displays on the display part 21 that the liquid leak has generate | occur | produced, and alert | reports the generation | occurrence | production of a liquid leak.

  Moreover, in FIG.2 (c), each temperature measured when the temperature in the column oven 8 is 15 degreeC and a 5 degreeC liquid leaks is shown. In this case, both the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12 are in contact with the liquid at 5 ° C. As a result, the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12 each detect 5 ° C. That is, the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 11 changes from 35 ° C. to 5 ° C., and the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 12 changes from 15 ° C. to 5 ° C.

  Thereby, the difference ΔT between the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 12 becomes 0 (almost 0), which is smaller than the threshold value. The controller 22 determines that liquid leakage has occurred because ΔT has become smaller than the threshold value. And the control part 22 displays on the display part 21 that the liquid leak has generate | occur | produced, and alert | reports the generation | occurrence | production of a liquid leak.

Thus, in the liquid leakage detection device 30, the control unit 22 determines the liquid leakage based on the detection results of the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12 that come into contact with the liquid at the time of the liquid leakage. Therefore, the liquid leak can be detected regardless of the temperature of the leaking liquid.
4). Effect

  According to the present embodiment, in the liquid leakage detection device 30, the first temperature sensor 11 detects a temperature that is a predetermined value (about 20 ° C.) higher than the ambient temperature, and the second temperature sensor 12 is the liquid chromatograph 1. Detect ambient temperature. When the liquid leaks, both the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12 come into contact with the leaking liquid. The controller 22 detects liquid leakage based on the temperatures detected (measured) by the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12.

Specifically, the control unit 22 compares the difference ΔT between the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 12 with a threshold, and ΔT is less than the threshold. If it becomes smaller, it is determined that liquid leakage has occurred (liquid leakage is detected). That is, the control unit 22 detects liquid leakage based on the change in ΔT.
Therefore, liquid leakage can be detected regardless of the temperature of the liquid leaking in the column oven 8.
In addition, liquid leakage can be detected with a simple configuration in which the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12 (two temperature sensors) are provided.
Thus, according to the liquid leak detection device 30, it is possible to detect the liquid leak with high accuracy while having a simple configuration.

5. Second Embodiment Hereinafter, a configuration of a liquid leakage detection device 30 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. In addition, about the structure similar to 1st Embodiment, description is abbreviate | omitted by using the code | symbol similar to the above.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the liquid chromatograph 1 including the liquid leak detection device 30 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In the first embodiment described above, the liquid leak detection device 30 includes two temperature sensors, the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12, as temperature sensors. And the control part 22 detects a liquid leak based on the detection result of these temperature sensors.

  On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the liquid leak detection device 30 includes a third temperature sensor 13 in addition to the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature sensor 12 as a temperature sensor. And the control part 22 detects a liquid leak based on the detection result of these three temperature sensors.

Specifically, the third temperature sensor 13 is disposed in the column oven 8 at a distance from the tray 10. The third temperature sensor 13 detects the temperature in the column oven 8. The third temperature sensor 13 does not contact the leaked liquid even when the liquid leaks.
The controller 22 is electrically connected to the third temperature sensor 13.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating temperatures measured by the first temperature sensor 11, the second temperature sensor 12, and the third temperature sensor 13 of the liquid leak detection device 30 according to the second embodiment.

  In the second embodiment, the control unit 22 compares the difference ΔT between the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 12 with a threshold, and the first temperature sensor. The amount of change in the difference Δt between the first temperature detected by 11 and the third temperature detected by the third temperature sensor 13 is compared with a threshold value. Note that the process of comparing ΔT and the threshold by the control unit 22 is the same as the process in the first embodiment (see FIG. 2).

  That is, the control unit 22 compares the difference ΔT between the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 12 with a threshold value, and when ΔT becomes smaller than the threshold value. Then, it is determined that liquid leakage has occurred (first determination). The first determination is performed by the same process as the determination in the first embodiment.

  In addition to such determination (first determination), the control unit 22 determines the amount of change in the difference Δt between the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 11 and the third temperature detected by the third temperature sensor 13. When the amount of change is larger than the threshold value as compared with the threshold value, it is determined that liquid leakage has occurred (second determination).

  For example, when the temperature in the column oven 8 is 15 ° C., the third temperature sensor 13 detects 15 ° C. and the first temperature sensor 11 detects 35 ° C. in a state where no liquid leakage occurs. Is about 20 ° C.

  From this state, when a liquid at 60 ° C. leaks into the column oven 8, the first temperature sensor 11 comes into contact with the liquid at 60 ° C. and detects 60 ° C. On the other hand, since the 3rd temperature sensor 13 does not contact a liquid, it maintains the state which detected 15 degreeC. As a result, the difference Δt between the first temperature and the third temperature changes from about 20 ° C. to about 45 °. The amount of change of Δt at this time is about 25 ° C.

Similarly, when a 5 ° C. liquid leaks into the column oven 8, the first temperature sensor 11 contacts the 5 ° C. liquid and detects 5 ° C. On the other hand, since the 3rd temperature sensor 13 does not contact a liquid, it maintains the state which detected 15 degreeC. As a result, the difference Δt between the first temperature and the third temperature changes from about 20 ° C. to about 10 °. The amount of change in Δt at this time is about 10 ° C.
The control unit 22 compares such a change amount of Δt with a threshold value, and determines that liquid leakage has occurred when the change amount becomes larger than the threshold value (second determination).
And the control part 22 detects generation | occurrence | production of a liquid leak based on any one determination (or both determinations) being performed among 1st determination and 2nd determination.

  As described above, the first temperature sensor 11 is configured to detect a higher temperature than usual by self-heating. For this reason, when the first temperature sensor 11 comes into contact with the liquid, the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 11 may be higher than the temperature of the liquid. In this case, depending on the threshold value, ΔT may be larger than the threshold value as a result of comparing ΔT with the threshold value (the liquid leakage may not be determined).

According to the second embodiment, even in such a case, the control unit 22 determines the liquid based on the temperatures measured by the first temperature sensor 11, the second temperature sensor 12, and the third temperature sensor 13, respectively. Detect leaks.
Therefore, the liquid leak can be detected with higher accuracy.

Specifically, the control unit 22 compares the difference ΔT between the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 11 and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 12 with a threshold, and ΔT is smaller than the threshold. When it becomes, it determines with the liquid leak having generate | occur | produced (1st determination). Further, in addition to such determination (first determination), the control unit 22 changes the difference Δt between the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 11 and the third temperature detected by the third temperature sensor 13. The amount is compared with a threshold value, and when the amount of change is larger than the threshold value, it is determined that liquid leakage has occurred (second determination). And the control part 22 detects generation | occurrence | production of a liquid leak based on any one determination (or both determinations) being performed among 1st determination and 2nd determination.
Therefore, the liquid leak can be detected with higher accuracy.
5. Modified example

  In the above-described embodiment, the liquid leak detection device 30 has been described as being provided in the liquid chromatograph 1. However, the liquid leak detection device 30 can be used for an analysis device other than the liquid chromatograph 1.

  Also. In the second embodiment, the liquid leak detection device 30 has been described as including the third temperature sensor 13 separately. However, it is possible to use the detection sensor 9 as the third temperature sensor 13.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Liquid chromatograph 11 1st temperature sensor 12 2nd temperature sensor 13 3rd temperature sensor 22 Control part 30 Liquid leak detection apparatus

Claims (2)

A liquid leakage detection device for detecting liquid leakage in an analyzer,
A first temperature sensor heated to a temperature higher than ambient temperature or self-heated;
A second temperature sensor for measuring an ambient temperature of the first temperature sensor;
A liquid leakage detection unit for detecting liquid leakage based on the temperatures measured by the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor,
At the time of a liquid leak, both the said 1st temperature sensor and the said 2nd temperature sensor contact the leaked liquid, The liquid leak detection apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. A third temperature sensor that measures the ambient temperature of the first temperature sensor and does not come into contact with the leaked liquid when the liquid leaks;
2. The liquid leakage detection unit according to claim 1, wherein the liquid leakage detection unit detects a liquid leakage based on temperatures measured by the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the third temperature sensor, respectively. Liquid leak detection device.

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