JP3796015B2 - Centralized control system for gas cylinders for inspection and adjustment of gas analyzers - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a centralized management system for a plurality of gas cylinders filled with a plurality of types of standard gases used for adjustment and inspection of a gas analyzer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, gas analyzers used for measurement of automobile exhaust gas include various types of measurement target gases such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. For this reason, it is necessary to adjust and inspect the gas analyzer by introducing several kinds of standard gases having known concentrations during the production of the gas analyzer.
[0003]
FIG. 4 schematically shows the configuration of a conventional gas cylinder connection system 20 for inspecting and adjusting the gas analyzer 2. 3 the inspection system unit that is used for each test and adjustment of the gas analyzer 2 in FIG. 4, the gas cylinder encapsulating various standard gas used for the inspection and adjustment of the gas analyzer 2 4, each gas cylinder 8 4 is a pipe switching device for selectively connecting 4 to the gas analyzer 2. That is, each inspection system 3 selectively connects a gas cylinder 4 filled with a standard gas diluted to an appropriate known concentration to the gas analyzer 2 so that the measurement result of the gas analyzer 2 outputs a known concentration. The gas analyzer 2 was adjusted and inspected.
[0004]
As described above, when the standard gas sealed in the gas cylinder 4 is selectively supplied to the gas analyzer 2 for adjustment and inspection, the residual pressure of the sealed standard gas decreases with use, and the contents ( It is inevitable that the standard gas will disappear. Therefore, check the residual pressure of the standard gas to be used in advance so that the supply of the standard gas is not interrupted during the adjustment and inspection of the gas analyzer 2 or the gas at the required pressure cannot be supplied. There is a need to.
[0005]
In general, the gas cylinder 4 containing flammable gas such as hydrogen gas, toxic gas such as high-concentration carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide is stored in a separate gas cylinder storage to enhance safety management. In many cases, these standard gases are supplied to the gas analyzer 2 through the pipe 7.
[0006]
For this reason, in order to confirm the residual pressure of the above-mentioned standard gas, for example, a list 21 of types and amounts of standard gas used by the inspection system unit 3 is output, and the operator holds this table 21 and holds the gas cylinder 4 By checking the pressure gauge 4a attached every time, it was visually confirmed whether or not there was a remaining amount necessary for adjustment and inspection.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, depending on the type of the gas analyzer 2 to be inspected / adjusted , it is necessary to check the gas cylinder 4 filled with several tens of types of standard gas. That is, the operator must determine the remaining amount of the standard gas to go to vault gas cylinder 4 from the pressure gauge 4a one by one, is complicated as well as require a lot of time for its very man It was over.
[0008]
In addition, the operator may mistakenly check the content and concentration of the standard gas recorded in each gas cylinder 4 and the remaining amount, and the supply of the standard gas will be interrupted during the investigation and inspection. In some cases, a total of 2 adjustments and inspections could not be performed.
[0009]
In addition, some standard gases include toxic gases such as nitrogen oxide and sulfurous acid gas, and some flammable gases such as hydrogen. Workers needed sufficient knowledge to ensure safety.
[0010]
In general, the gas cylinder 4 is leased from a contractor, and an expiration date for the return is determined. In addition, it is also important for ensuring safety whether or not gas leakage has occurred due to various factors. Therefore, the worker is not only required to check the remaining amount of the standard gas required, but also has to constantly check the expiration date and safety of the gas cylinder 4.
[0011]
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned matters, and it is possible to quickly check the remaining amount of the gas cylinder used when adjusting and inspecting the gas analyzer in real time, including replacement and arrangement of the cylinder. The purpose is to provide a centralized management system for gas cylinders for inspection and adjustment of gas analyzers that can quickly adjust and inspect gas analyzers .
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the centralized management system of the gas cylinder for inspection / adjustment of the gas analyzer of the present invention encloses different types of standard gases that flow into the gas analyzer for inspection and adjustment of the gas analyzer. A system that centrally manages multiple gas cylinders that are installed in each gas cylinder and measures the internal pressure of each gas cylinder and outputs an internal pressure measurement value signal, and this internal pressure measurement value signal is set for each gas cylinder. a transmitting communication unit for transmitting with the management data including the identification number, the receiving communication unit for receiving management data and pressure measurement value signal including the connected identification number to the transmitting communication unit, the communication for this receiver with calculating the remaining amount of gas in each gas cylinder on the basis of the internal pressure measured value received in the parts, to create a gas cylinder management database identification number as a key, and, Credit gas cylinder management unit updating each information of the gas cylinder management database based on information received by the communication unit, using a gas cylinder management database created by the gas cylinder management processing unit is networked to the gas cylinder management processing unit, Check whether the remaining gas concentration and gas concentration in the gas cylinder filled with the standard gas used for inspection and adjustment of the gas analyzer to be inspected and adjusted are necessary and sufficient for inspection and adjustment. It is characterized that you have and a testing system portion of the gas analyzer that outputs a change instruction of the gas cylinder when not.
[0013]
Therefore, the operator can easily check the remaining amounts of multiple types of standard gases required for gas analyzer adjustment and inspection by operating the gas cylinder management processing unit and searching the gas cylinder management database. This eliminates the need for the operator to go to the storage of the gas cylinders and visually check the pressure gauges attached to the gas cylinders.
[0014]
In addition, the inspection system unit connected to the gas cylinder management processing unit over the network uses the gas cylinder management database created by the gas cylinder management processing unit to use various types of inspection and adjustment of the gas analyzer to be inspected and adjusted. The gas remaining amount and gas concentration in the gas cylinder of the standard gas are confirmed, and if the confirmation result is necessary and insufficient for the inspection and adjustment of the target gas analyzer, a gas cylinder replacement instruction is output .
[0015]
In this way, since the standard gas remaining amount and concentration confirmation work required for the inspection and adjustment of the target gas analyzer is performed between the inspection system unit and the gas cylinder management processing unit, the remaining amount and concentration of the standard gas. There is no need for the operator to perform confirmation, the system can be automated, and man-hours can be reduced. In addition, there is no possibility that an operator mistakenly checks the remaining amount of another standard gas, or erroneously uses gases of different concentrations or types for inspection and adjustment of the gas analyzer. Can contribute to inspection.
[0016]
In the present invention, as described in claim 2, the gas cylinder management processing unit constantly monitors the internal pressure measurement value of each gas cylinder via the gas cylinder management database created by the gas cylinder management processing unit, and detects the occurrence of gas leakage. when it is detected, the request of maintenance, it is preferable that the gas cylinder state managing section for outputting a gas cylinder replacement instruction and order instructions are networked.
[0017]
By doing so, it is possible to quickly detect the occurrence of a gas leak that may occur and take appropriate measures, contribute to safety, and suppress consumption of useless gas. In addition, it is possible to perform gas ordering work that is disappearing and management of the expiration date, and the labor saving and automation of the system can be dramatically improved.
In addition, as described in claim 3, when a gas cylinder is received in the gas cylinder management processing unit, the order delivery information such as the identification number of the gas cylinder, the type and concentration of the enclosed gas, the administrator name, the expiration date, etc. It is preferable that an order delivery management unit that is included in the gas cylinder management database for input to be managed is connected to the network.
By doing so, information unique to each gas cylinder can be managed promptly without fail using the identification number of the gas cylinder as a key.
[0018]
Furthermore, in the present invention, as described in claim 4, the transmission / reception communication unit between the pressure sensor and the gas cylinder management processing unit is a communication unit that performs wireless communication, and the transmission communication unit on the pressure sensor side Is preferably provided for each pressure sensor . In this case, there is no need to connect the pressure sensor provided for each gas cylinder and the gas cylinder management processing section with a signal line, and a centralized management system for gas cylinders can be easily configured by adding to the existing gas cylinder connection system. can do.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1 and 2 show an example of a centralized management system 1 for an inspection / adjustment gas cylinder of a gas analyzer of the present invention. 1 and 2, a centralized gas cylinder management system 1 includes an inspection system unit 3 for inspecting a gas analyzer 2, a plurality of gas cylinders 4 filled with various standard gases supplied to the gas analysis unit 2 , and a pressure sensor PG thereof. Gas cylinders 5a to 5c for storing each gas cylinder 4, a gas cylinder management processing unit 6 for managing the remaining amount of each gas cylinder 4, a pipe 7 for connecting the gas analyzer 2 to each gas cylinder 4, and a pipe switch 8 , A flexible tube 9, a gas cylinder management processing unit 6, and a transmission communication unit 10, a communication line 11, and a reception communication unit 12 that enable communication between each pressure sensor PG .
[0020]
For example, in addition to the conventional pressure gauge 4a that can be seen with the eyes, each gas cylinder 4 is provided with a pressure sensor PG for converting the pressure into an electric signal (internal pressure measurement value signal). It is connected to the pipe 7 via The pressure sensor PG converts the internal pressure measurement value into an electrical signal, and transfers the internal pressure measurement value signal to the transmission communication unit 10 via the electric wire 9 a provided along the flexible tube 9.
[0021]
Each of the pressure sensors PG can set, for example, a unique identification number, and outputs this identification number to the transmission communication unit 10 in addition to the internal pressure measurement value signal. This identification number is, for example, a container number written on a label 4b attached to the gas cylinder 4. This identification number may be set for each gas cylinder 4 on the transmission communication unit 10 side. Further, the pressure sensor PG may be provided for each gas cylinder 4 in the pipe connection part 10 a of the transmission communication part 10. In this case, it is not necessary to provide the electric wire 9a along the flexible tube 9.
[0022]
The transmission communication unit 10 is configured to transmit the internal pressure measurement value signal and the identification number for each gas cylinder 4 input from the pressure sensor PG together with a number indicating the connection position of the pipe connection unit 10a to which the gas cylinder 4 is connected, for example. The transmission communication unit 10 has a built-in microcomputer, for example. The microcomputer in the transmission communication unit 10 once collects the identification number for recognizing the gas cylinder 4 and the internal pressure measurement value, and transmits them to the gas cylinder management processing unit 6 via the communication line 11 and the reception communication unit 12.
[0023]
The gas cylinder management processing unit 6 receives the internal pressure measurement value signal and the identification number of each gas cylinder 4 transmitted from the pipe switching unit 8 and can input the internal pressure measurement values of all the gas cylinders 4. The remaining amount of each gas cylinder 4 can be calculated. Alternatively, the internal pressure measurement value of each gas cylinder 4 can be received at any time by transmitting the transmission command of the internal pressure measurement value signal of each gas cylinder 4 from the gas cylinder management processing unit 6 via the receiving communication unit 12. In this example, communication between the transmission / reception communication units 10 and 12 is performed by a communication system (network) using a LAN (Local Area Networks) technology via the communication line 11. Any form of communication may be employed, such as wirelessly or via a cable for parallel communication.
[0024]
The gas cylinder management processing unit 6 uses the input identification number as a key, the measured value of the internal pressure of each gas cylinder 4, the number indicating the connection position of the pipe connection part 10a to which the gas cylinder 4 is connected, the type of the enclosed gas, and the administrator name of the gas cylinder The gas cylinder management database is created by storing together with the expiration date of the gas. Further, each information in the gas cylinder management database is updated as needed based on the received information.
[0025]
On the other hand, the central management system 1 of the gas cylinder of this example is configured such that each inspection system unit 3, the gas cylinder state management unit 13 and the gas cylinder order carry-in management unit 14 are connected to the gas cylinder management processing unit 6 using the communication line 11, and are mutually connected. Data communication can be performed. That is, a network (for example, LAN) in which the inspection system unit 3, the gas cylinder management processing unit 6, the gas cylinder state management unit 13, and the order carry-in management unit 14 are connected by the communication line 11 is formed.
[0026]
In this example, communication between the inspection system unit 3, the gas cylinder management processing unit 6, the gas cylinder state management unit 13, and the order carry-in management unit 14 is performed using the same communication line 11 as communication between the communication unit 10 and the communication unit 12. However, the number of communication lines is reduced and the configuration is simplified, but the communication lines may be provided separately. In other words, the communication of the internal pressure measurement value and the identification number of the gas cylinder 4 and the communication associated with the use of the gas cylinder management database may be performed on different networks, so that the two can be separated and the communication management can be easily performed.
[0027]
Therefore, the inspection system unit 3 uses the above-described network to check whether there is sufficient gas remaining to perform adjustment / inspection using the gas cylinder management database of the gas cylinder management processing unit 6 or concentration data is required. You can get information such as whether you meet certain specifications online. Then, it is possible to determine whether or not the gas cylinder 4 needs to be replaced, and to perform additional arrangement work.
[0028]
Moreover, when the transmission communication part 10 transmits the number which shows the connection position of the piping connection part 10a to which this gas cylinder 4 was connected with the identification number of each gas cylinder 4 like this example, the inspection system part 3 is It is also possible to give an appropriate switching command to the pipe switching device 8 provided in the inside thereof and control the gas analyzer 2 to flow in an appropriate gas necessary for adjustment and inspection. The present invention is not limited to this, and the gas supplied to the gas analyzer 2 is switched in the vicinity of the inspection system unit 3 or by a pipe switching device provided in the vicinity of the pipe connecting part 10a. Needless to say. Further, when the gas to be supplied is not switched by automatic control, the transmission communication unit 10 does not need to transmit a number indicating the connection position of the pipe connection unit 10a.
[0029]
Next, the gas cylinder state management unit 13 can constantly monitor the gas cylinder management database by using the network. That is, by constantly monitoring the internal pressure measurement value of each gas cylinder 4, for example, when the internal pressure of the gas cylinder 4 that should not be used gradually decreases, the occurrence of gas leakage can be detected quickly. When a gas leak is detected, an appropriate maintenance is requested by reporting to the administrator of the gas cylinder 4 in order to pursue the generation source.
[0030]
That is, the gas cylinder state management unit 13 can request maintenance with a precaution for fire and a precaution for poisoning according to the type of gas that seems to be leaking. Furthermore, when the expiration date of the gas cylinder 4 is included in the gas cylinder management database, it can be reported that the expired gas cylinder 4 needs to be replaced. Therefore, even if the gas cylinder 4 encloses a flammable or toxic gas, it can be handled extremely safely, and waste due to gas leakage can be minimized.
[0031]
Moreover, the central management system 1 of the gas cylinder of this example is equipped with the gas cylinder 4 which stood in, and the cylinder warehouse 5b for storing the gas cylinder 4 which became expired, and the terminal connected to the said network in this cylinder warehouse 5b An order delivery management unit 14 for the gas cylinder 4 comprising a computer is provided.
[0032]
Therefore, when the gas cylinder 4 is received from the supplier, information such as the identification number of the gas cylinder 4, the type and concentration of the sealed gas, the administrator name, the expiration date, and the like are input from the ordering / importing management unit 14, and this is managed by the gas cylinder management. It can be managed by including it in the database. By doing in this way, management of the information unique to each gas cylinder 4 can be performed promptly without fail using the identification number of the gas cylinder 4 as a key.
[0033]
For example, when the gas cylinder 4 stored in the cylinder storage 5b is connected to the pipe connection part 10a in the cylinder storage 5a or 5c, all the terminals connected on the network can be simply input by the identification number of the gas cylinder 4. However, various information such as the type and concentration of the gas sealed in the gas cylinder 4 connected to the pipe connection part 10a can be obtained. In addition, there is an advantage that information on the number and state of all the gas cylinders 4 stored including the gas cylinders 4 being used can be obtained at the terminals 3, 13, and 14.
[0034]
Furthermore, the central management system 1 of the gas cylinder of this example monitors the frequency of the type of gas used at the terminal on the network such as the gas cylinder state management unit 13 and the order delivery management unit 14 and takes the expiration date into account. In addition, it is possible to perform management processing for placing an order before the gas cylinder 4 having an appropriate capacity is insufficient. It is also possible to reduce the burden on the administrator of the gas cylinder 4 by providing a printing unit 14b for printing a slip 14a for ordering the gas cylinder 4.
[0035]
In the above-described example, an example in which a pressure sensor PG that converts an internal pressure measurement value into an electric signal is provided in addition to the pressure gauge 4a that can be visually confirmed in each gas cylinder 4 is shown. 4a may be omitted, and a display of a pressure measurement value that can be visually confirmed can be output to the pressure sensor PG. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the gas cylinder 4 can be centrally managed without providing the pressure gauge 4a for visual confirmation.
[0036]
In addition, the operator can check the remaining amount of each gas cylinder 4 at any time by looking at the monitor M of each terminal 3, 13, 14 connected to the LAN regardless of the operation of each terminal 3, 13, 14. It is. That is, it is needless to say that in order to construct the central management system 1 for the gas cylinder, it is not always necessary that all the terminals 3, 13 and 14 are connected to the LAN and fully automated.
[0037]
FIG. 3 shows a centralized management system 1 ′ for a gas cylinder in which a communication unit 10 ′ for transmission is built in a pressure sensor PG and an internal pressure measurement value is transmitted by electromagnetic waves. In FIG. 3, 12 'is a communication unit for receiving an internal pressure measurement value signal provided in the host computer 6, and 11' is an electromagnetic wave used for communication between the transmission / reception communication units 10 'and 12'. That is, the central management system 1 ′ of the gas cylinder shown in this example is different from the examples of FIGS. 1 and 2 in that the internal pressure measurement value and the identification number of the gas cylinder are transmitted by the electromagnetic wave 11 ′. In FIG. 3, members denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are the same or equivalent members, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0038]
Transmission communication unit 10 ' , The receiving communication unit 12 'communication between, for example transmitting communication unit 10 provided to the pressure sensor PG' receiving communication unit 12 'is a sequence request signal waves 11' and transmits the relative, the request The transmission communication unit 10 ′ that has been received sequentially transmits the internal pressure measurement value signal and the identification number attached to the gas cylinder 4 as an electromagnetic wave 11 ′, and this is received by the reception communication unit 12 ′. Needless to say, the wireless communication method is not limited to this, and can be performed by an appropriate method.
[0039]
As described above, the internal pressure measurement value and the gas cylinder identification number are transmitted by the electromagnetic wave 11 ′, so that it is not necessary to separate the wiring in order to connect each pressure sensor PG and the host computer 6. Therefore, when the gas cylinder centralized management system 1 'is changed to the conventional gas cylinder connection system, it can be added to the original gas cylinder connection system as in this example, and the central management of the gas cylinder of the present invention can be performed. System 1 'can be constructed very easily.
[0040]
Needless to say, the same modification as in FIGS. 1 and 2 can also be implemented in the example shown in FIG. 3 described above.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the centralized management system for gas cylinders for inspection and adjustment of the gas analyzer according to the present invention, the remaining amount of gas and the residual pressure can be confirmed simply by looking at the computer screen. The work that has been confirmed by going to step 1 can be performed only by operating the computer. In other words, enter the various information such as the remaining amount of standard gas based on the measured internal pressure in real time, the number of stored standard gases, the period of use, the type and concentration of the sealed gas, the administrator name, Since the gas cylinder management database is updated, replacement work, arrangement work, and provision of information to the adjustment / inspection apparatus can be reliably performed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a centralized management system for gas cylinders for inspection and adjustment of a gas analyzer according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a centralized management system for the gas cylinder.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing another example of a centralized management system for a gas cylinder for inspection / adjustment of a gas analyzer according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional gas cylinder connection system.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,1 '... Central management system of a gas cylinder, 2 ... Gas analyzer, 3 ... Inspection system part , 4 ... Gas cylinder, 6 ... Gas cylinder management processing part, 10 , 10' ... Communication part for transmission, 12, 12 '... Reception communication unit use, 13 ... gas canister state management unit, PG ... pressure sensor.

Claims (4)

A system for centrally managing a plurality of gas cylinders filled with different types of standard gas flowing into the gas analyzer for inspection and adjustment of the gas analyzer, the internal pressure of each gas cylinder being provided for each gas cylinder A pressure sensor that measures the internal pressure and outputs an internal pressure measurement value signal, a transmission communication unit that transmits the internal pressure measurement value signal together with management data including an identification number set for each gas cylinder, and is connected to the transmission communication unit a receiving communication unit for receiving management data and pressure measurement value signal including an identification number, along with calculating the remaining amount of gas in each gas cylinder on the basis of the internal pressure measurements received by the receiving communication unit, the identification number create a gas cylinder management database as a key, and a gas cylinder management updating each information of the gas cylinder management database based on information received by the receiving communication unit A management unit, a network connection with the gas cylinder management database created by the gas cylinder management processing unit to the gas cylinder management processing unit, enclosing a standard gas used in the testing and adjustment of the gas analyzer to be inspected and adjusted It has a gas analyzer inspection system unit that confirms whether the gas remaining amount and gas concentration in the gas cylinder are necessary and sufficient for inspection and adjustment, and outputs a gas cylinder replacement instruction when necessary and insufficient. central control system of the inspection and adjustment for gas cylinder of the gas analyzer, characterized in Tei Rukoto. The gas cylinder management processing unit constantly monitors the internal pressure measurement value of each gas cylinder via the gas cylinder management database created by the gas cylinder management processing unit, and when a gas leak is detected, a maintenance request, a gas cylinder replacement instruction, and 2. The centralized management system for gas cylinders for inspection and adjustment of a gas analyzer according to claim 1, wherein a gas cylinder state management unit for outputting an ordering instruction is connected to a network . When the gas cylinder is received, the gas cylinder management processing unit inputs the ordering information such as the identification number of the gas cylinder, the type and concentration of the sealed gas, the administrator name, the expiration date, and the like to be managed in the gas cylinder management database. The centralized management system for a gas cylinder for inspection / adjustment of a gas analyzer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an order delivery management unit is connected to the network. The transmission / reception communication unit between the pressure sensor and the gas cylinder management processing unit is a communication unit that performs wireless communication, and a transmission communication unit on the pressure sensor side is provided for each pressure sensor. A centralized management system for gas cylinders for inspection and adjustment of gas analyzers as described in any of the above.

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