JP7504604B2 - Supply system control device, supply system equipped with the same, and control method and control program thereof - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a supply system control device, a supply system equipped with the same, and a control method and control program thereof.

There is known a supply system in which stored materials, such as solid fuels such as coal and woody biomass fuel, stored in a hopper, bunker, or silo, are dispensed by a dispenser and transported by a conveyor or the like. The dispenser of the supply system may dispense a constant volume per hour. However, the moisture content of the stored materials varies due to the influence of rainfall, humidity, and the like during storage and transportation. The variation in moisture content causes the bulk density to vary, and the weight varies even if the volume is the same. The bulk density also varies depending on the degree of compaction and shape of the stored materials. For this reason, when the dispenser dispenses at a constant volume, the weight of the stored materials dispensed varies when the bulk density varies, and the weight during transportation by a conveyor or the like changes.
When the weight of the stored material changes in this way during transportation, the load current of the motor that operates the conveyor or the like also changes, and there is a concern that the motor may be overloaded. That is, when the load current of the motor increases and becomes overloaded, a thermal trip (emergency stop measure for preventing overheating and damage to the motor due to overcurrent) may occur, and the conveyor or the like may stop. In order to prevent the occurrence of a thermal trip, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method of monitoring the load current of the motor and issuing an alarm when the load current exceeds an upper limit or a lower limit.
Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses that in the sieve device (vibrating feeder) in the extrusion device (dispensing device) and in the crushing device downstream of the extrusion device, the load current of the crushing device drive device is monitored, and when the load current of the crushing device drive device is above an upper limit set value, the operation of the vibrating feeder is weakened, and when it is below a lower limit set value, the operation of the vibrating feeder is strengthened.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-45819 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-168971

However, in the invention disclosed in the above Patent Document 1, an alarm is issued when the load current of the motor that operates the conveyor or the like exceeds an upper limit or a lower limit, so that although it is possible to detect the occurrence of an abnormality in the conveyor or the like, the operating state of the conveyor or the like is unknown. In the invention disclosed in the above Patent Document 1, when an alarm is issued, it is necessary to stop the conveyor or the like after all, and there is a problem that it is necessary to confirm and resolve the specific abnormal state that caused the conveyor or the like to be stopped. In addition, in the invention disclosed in the above Patent Document 2, the operation of the vibrating feeder is merely controlled depending on the magnitude of the load current of the crusher drive device, and there is a problem that the operating state of the crusher (downstream device) cannot be detected.
Furthermore, in order to prevent the drive unit from being overloaded due to fluctuations in bulk density resulting from changes in the moisture content of the stored materials, it is possible to consider monitoring the weight of the material being transported from the stored materials using a dispensing device or conveyor, etc. However, measuring the dispensed weight or transported weight requires the installation of expensive measuring instruments, etc., which also require calibration, resulting in problems of high equipment costs and maintenance work costs.

The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a control device for a supply system that monitors the state of a conveyor, which can detect the possibility of an abnormality occurring in the conveyor by determining the state of the conveyor, and can take measures before the abnormality escalates, a supply system including the same, and a control method and control program for the same.

In order to solve the above problems, the control device of the supply system disclosed herein is a control device for a supply system that controls a supply system including a discharge unit that dispenses stored material in a hopper and has a variable operating speed, a conveyor that transports the stored material dispensed from the hopper, and an electric motor that drives the conveyor, and is equipped with a presence determination unit that determines the presence or absence of stored material on the conveyor, and a current acquisition unit that acquires the current value of the electric motor, and determines the operating state of the supply system based on a combination of the presence or absence of stored material in the hopper , the operation or stop of the discharge unit, and the current value of the electric motor.

The supply system of the present disclosure includes a dispensing unit that dispenses the material stored in a hopper, a conveyor that transports the material dispensed from the hopper, an electric motor that drives the conveyor, and a control device for the supply system.

The supply system control method disclosed herein is a control method for a supply system that controls a supply system including a discharge unit that discharges material stored in a hopper and has a variable operating speed, a conveyor that transports the material discharged from the hopper, and an electric motor that drives the conveyor, and includes a load determination step of determining whether or not the material is present on the conveyor, and a current acquisition step of acquiring a current value of the electric motor, and determines the operating state of the supply system based on a combination of the presence or absence of the material in the hopper , the operation or stop of the discharge unit, and the current value of the electric motor.

The control program for the supply system disclosed herein is a control program for a supply system that controls a supply system that includes a dispensing unit that dispenses stored material in a hopper and has a variable operating speed, a conveyor that transports the stored material dispensed from the hopper, and an electric motor that drives the conveyor, and includes a presence/absence determination step that determines the presence or absence of stored material on the conveyor, and a current acquisition step that acquires the current value of the electric motor, and determines the operating state of the supply system based on a combination of the presence or absence of stored material in the hopper , the operation or stop of the dispensing unit, and the current value of the electric motor.

According to the present disclosure, by determining the state of the conveyor based on the presence or absence of a load on the conveyor and the operating current measured by the motor that operates the conveyor, it is possible to detect a possible abnormality in the conveyor and take measures before the abnormality escalates.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a delivery system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a controller of a delivery system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 1 is a timing diagram of a delivery system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 13 is a flow chart of the control of a controller of a supply system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 4 is a time chart showing a transition of an operating current of an electric motor according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 4 is a time chart showing a transition of an operating current of an electric motor according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 13 is a flow chart of the control of a controller of a supply system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 4 is a time chart showing a transition of an operating current of an electric motor according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 4 is a time chart showing a transition of an operating current of an electric motor according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a control device for a supply system, a supply system including the same, and a control method and control program thereof according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a delivery system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
The discharging device 10 according to the present embodiment is applied to a supply system 1 that supplies stored solid fuel to a combustion section that burns solid fuel, for example, in a thermal power plant. The discharging device 10 dispenses and transports solid fuel (stored material) 7, such as coal or biomass, stored in a hopper 20 in the supply system 1. Note that, in the present embodiment, an example will be described in which the solid fuel 7 is applied as the stored material dispensed from the hopper 20 by the discharging device 10, but the target dispensed by the discharging device 10 is not limited to the solid fuel 7.
In the following description, the terms "up" and "upward" and similarly "down" refer to the up and down directions in the vertical direction, and the vertical direction is not precise and may include errors.

As shown in FIG. 1, the dispensing device 10 according to this embodiment includes a hopper 20, a rotary dispenser (dispensing unit) 30, a transport conveyor (conveyor) 50, and the like, and is arranged, for example, mostly below the ground (supply surface) 2 (i.e. underground). In detail, the dispensing device 10 is arranged in an underground space 3 formed by excavating the ground 2, except for a part of the transport conveyor 50 described later. Note that the ground 2 in this embodiment means the entrance surface where the transport vehicle 6 that transports the solid fuel 7 to be put into the hopper 20 described later enters. The underground space 3 and the ground are connected by a ground opening (supply surface opening) 4 formed in the ground 2. A stepped step portion 5 is formed in at least a part of the periphery of the ground opening 4, and the flange portion 23 of the hopper 20 described later engages with this step portion 5 from above, so that the hopper 20 is supported so as to be suspended.

The dispensing device 10 includes a hopper 20 located below the ground level 2, a rotary dispenser 30 located at the bottom of the internal space formed inside the hopper 20, a load detector 40 that detects the solid fuel 7 stored in the hopper 20, a transport conveyor 50 located below the hopper 20, and a control device 60 that controls the transport conveyor 50 and the rotary dispenser 30 based on information from the load detector 40, etc.

The hopper 20 is a cylinder with an external shape, for example, an inverted truncated cone shape, in which a space (internal space) is formed. The external shape may be, for example, an inverted truncated polygonal pyramid shape. In other words, the external shape of the hopper 20 is a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction, with the diameter decreasing toward the bottom, or the horizontal cross-sectional area of the internal space decreasing toward the bottom. The hopper 20 has a side portion 21 that defines the side of the internal space, a bottom portion 22 that defines the bottom of the internal space, and a flange portion (support portion) 23 near the upper end that protrudes a predetermined distance radially outward from the side portion 21.

The side portion 21 is tapered from the upper end to the lower end. Specifically, the side portion 21 is inclined at an angle θ with respect to the horizontal plane. The angle θ is set to be equal to or greater than the repose angle of the solid fuel 7 stored in the hopper 20, so that the side portion 21 does not prevent the solid fuel 7 from being discharged downward. In this embodiment, the angle θ is set to about 60 degrees as an example. Note that the specific angle of the angle θ is an example, and is not limited to 60 degrees, and may be smaller than 60 degrees or may be greater than 60 degrees. The side portion 21 has a supply opening 24 at the upper end. The supply opening 24 opens upward and communicates the internal space of the hopper 20 with the external space of the hopper 20. The supply opening 24 is located at the same height as the ground opening 4 or at a height position that forms a slight step with the ground opening 4 (i.e., a height position slightly higher or slightly lower than the ground opening 4). The lower end of the side portion 21 is horizontally closed by the bottom portion 22. As will be described later, the bottom portion 22 has a discharge opening 25 formed therein, so the entire area of the lower end of the hopper 20 is not closed.

The flange portion 23 is a ring-shaped member located near the upper end of the upper portion of the side portion 21 and extending radially outward in a generally horizontal manner from at least a portion of the circumferential direction, and more preferably from the entire area. The flange portion 23 is placed on the upper surface of the step portion 5. In other words, the flange portion 23 engages with the step portion 5 from above. The hopper 20 is not supported on the ground 2 except at the engagement portion between the flange portion 23 and the step portion 5. Therefore, the hopper 20 is supported on the ground 2 so that it can be suspended from the engagement portion between the flange portion 23 and the step portion 5 as a support point.

The bottom surface portion 22 is an annular plate material extending, for example, substantially horizontally inward in the radial direction from the entire circumferential area of the lower end of the side surface portion 21. If the outer shape of the hopper 20 is an inverted polygonal truncated pyramid shape, the bottom surface portion 22 is a polygonal plate material, and is not limited thereto. In addition, a circular discharge opening 25, for example, is formed in the approximate center of the bottom surface portion 22. The discharge opening 25 penetrates in the vertical direction and communicates with the internal space of the hopper 20 and the external space. In addition, a reinforcing material (not shown) that reinforces the bottom surface portion 22 is fixed by welding to the outer lower surface of the bottom surface portion 22 (i.e., the surface facing the external space).
The hopper 20 is supported in a suspended manner by engaging the flange portion 23 with the step portion 5 from above, so that downward positional displacement is not restricted.

In this embodiment, the rotary dispenser 30 has, for example, a swirling blade (rotating unit) 31 that rotates along the upper surface of the bottom portion 22, and a swirling blade drive unit 32 that drives the swirling blade 31 to rotate. By rotating the swirling blade 31, the rotary dispenser 30 dispenses a predetermined amount of solid fuel 7 stored in the hopper 20 downward from the dispensing opening 25. In addition, by controlling the rotation speed of the swirling blade 31, the amount of stored material dispensed can be controlled and dispensed at a substantially constant volume.

The swirl vane drive unit 32 has a conical cover unit 36 with a space formed inside, and a swirl vane drive unit 37 arranged inside the cover unit 36. The cover unit 36 is fixed to the hopper 20 via a bracket (not shown). The swirl vane drive unit 37 engages with the center of the swirl vane 31 and drives the swirl vane 31 to rotate. The driving force from the swirl vane drive unit 37 causes the swirl vane 31 to rotate along the upper surface of the bottom unit 22 so as to guide the solid fuel 7 stored near the bottom unit 22 of the hopper 20 to the discharge opening 25.

The load detector 40 is provided on the side 21 of the hopper 20 so as to be spaced a predetermined distance h from the bottom 22. The load detector 40 is, for example, a transmission type sensor that transmits electromagnetic waves in the horizontal direction, and can detect whether the solid fuel 7 stored in the hopper 20 is stored up to the height position where the load detector 40 is provided. The load detector 40 transmits the acquired information to the control device 60. The load detector 40 is not limited to the electromagnetic wave transmission type, and can be a limit switch or the like that can determine whether or not the solid fuel 7 stored in the hopper 20 is present. The load detector 40 may also be provided downstream of the transport direction of the transport conveyor 50 from a position below the discharge opening 25 in the first horizontal section 54 of the transport conveyor 50, and detect whether or not the solid fuel 7 is loaded on the transport conveyor 50.

The transport conveyor 50 is disposed vertically below the discharge opening 25. The transport conveyor 50 is a so-called belt conveyor, and includes a roller 52 that rotates by the driving force from the electric motor 51, a roller 59 that is paired with the roller 52, and a belt 53 that moves with the rotation of the roller 52. The belt 53 is endless and is folded back at both ends of the longitudinal direction of the transport conveyor 50. In this embodiment, the transport conveyor 50 also includes a first horizontal section 54 that is located in a position to receive the solid fuel 7 discharged from the hopper 20, a vertical section 55 that is located in a position to transport the solid fuel 7 received by the first horizontal section 54 upward, and a second horizontal section 56 that is located in a position to transport the solid fuel 7 transported upward by the vertical section 55 to a destination device. The belt 53 may have wall portions 57 protruding from the flat portion at a predetermined interval, and in the vertical portion 55, these wall portions 57 become a placement surface on which the transported object (in this embodiment, the solid fuel 7) can be placed when transporting it upward. The first horizontal portion 54 and the lower portion of the vertical portion 55 are located in the underground space 3. On the other hand, the upper portion of the vertical portion 55 and the second horizontal portion 56 are located on the ground, and the first horizontal portion 54 and the lower portion of the vertical portion 55 move sequentially to the upper portion of the vertical portion 55 and the second horizontal portion 56. In other words, the transport conveyor 50 transports the solid fuel 7 from the underground space 3 to a destination provided on the ground. The vertical portion 55 that transports the solid fuel 7 upward may be provided at an angle rather than vertically as long as it can transport the solid fuel 7 upward.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a controller for a delivery system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
2, the control device 60 includes a load presence determination unit 61, a current acquisition unit 62, an abnormality determination unit 63, and an abnormality state control unit 64. The control device 60 only needs to include at least the load presence determination unit 61 and the current acquisition unit 62. In this case, the control device 60 determines the operating state of the supply system 1.

The presence/absence determination unit 61 determines the presence/absence of solid fuel 7 on the transporting conveyor 50 based on the presence/absence of solid fuel 7 stored in the internal space of the hopper 20 detected by the presence detector 40 and the operation/stop of the swirl vane drive device 37.
The current acquisition unit 62 acquires the current value of the electric motor 51 .
The abnormality determination unit 63 determines whether or not the supply system 1 is in an abnormal state based on the presence or absence of solid fuel 7 on the transporting conveyor 50 determined by the presence determination unit 61 and the current value of the electric motor 51 acquired by the current acquisition unit 62.
When the abnormality determination unit 63 determines that the supply system 1 is in an abnormal state, the abnormality state control unit 64 controls the supply system 1. The abnormality state control unit 64 may, for example, control the swirl vane drive device 37 to control the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed, control the alarm device 70 to issue an alarm, control the electric motor 51 to perform a process of stopping the transport conveyor 50, and the like.
In this way, the control device 60 determines the operating state of the supply system 1 based on the presence or absence of solid fuel 7 on the transporting conveyor 50 determined by the presence determination unit 61 and the current value of the electric motor 51 acquired by the current acquisition unit 62.

The control device 60 is composed of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), and a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium. A series of processes for realizing various functions is stored in a storage medium in the form of a program, for example, and the CPU reads this program into the RAM and executes information processing and arithmetic processing to realize various functions. The program may be pre-installed in a ROM or other storage medium, provided in a state stored in a computer-readable storage medium, or distributed via wired or wireless communication means. Computer-readable storage media include magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and semiconductor memories.

Next, the flow of the solid fuel 7 in the dispensing device 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
First, the solid fuel 7 is transported by the transport vehicle 6. The transported solid fuel 7 is thrown from the transport vehicle 6 into the hopper 20 provided below the ground 2. The hopper 20 stores the thrown solid fuel 7 in its internal space. At this time, the swirling blades 31 of the rotary dispenser 30 provided at the bottom of the hopper 20 rotate. As the swirling blades 31 rotate, the solid fuel 7 is collected in the central region of the bottom surface portion 22, and is dispensed from the hopper 20 by dropping downward from the dispensing opening 25 in a predetermined amount of approximately constant volume (dispensing step). The solid fuel 7 that has fallen downward is received by the belt 53 located at the first horizontal portion 54 of the transport conveyor 50. The transport conveyor 50 moves the belt 53 to transport the solid fuel 7 to a destination device. The destination device is, for example, a solid fuel bunker (not shown) provided on the ground. The solid fuel 7 stored in the solid fuel bunker is then supplied to a combustion device (not shown) of a boiler (not shown) and burned. Then, high-temperature combustion gas generated in the combustion device is transferred to feed water and steam flowing through a heat exchanger (not shown) inside the boiler to generate high-temperature, high-pressure steam, which is introduced into a steam turbine (not shown), and the rotational driving force obtained by adiabatic expansion of a turbine rotor (not shown) is used to rotate a generator (not shown), thereby generating electricity using a power generation unit (not shown).

Next, the dispensing control and the motor control of the supply system 1 will be described with reference to the time chart of FIG.
FIG. 3 illustrates a timing diagram of a delivery system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
Each horizontal axis in FIG. 3 indicates time. The vertical axis in FIG. 3(a) indicates the weight of solid fuel 7 dispensed from the hopper 20, and the change in the weight of the solid fuel 7 dispensed is indicated by a solid line. In contrast to the case in FIG. 3(a) where a constant amount of fuel is dispensed from the hopper 20 over time, FIGS. 3(b) to 3(d) each show a change in the current value (operating current) when the motor 51 is in a different operating state. The vertical axis in FIG. 3(b) indicates the current value (operating current) of the motor 51, and the operating current is indicated by a solid line. Note that in FIG. 3(b), the current value (operating current) of the motor 51 is shown diagrammatically with minute fluctuations smoothed out. The vertical axis in FIG. 3(c) indicates the current value (operating current) of the motor 51, and the current value is indicated by a solid line, and average current values I _ave1 and I _ave2 , which will be described later, are indicated by dashed lines. The vertical axis of FIG. 3D indicates the current value (operating current) of the electric motor 51, with the current value being indicated by a solid line, and average current values _Iave and _Iave ' of the electric motor 51, described later, being indicated by dashed and dotted lines.
Fig. 3(a) shows a time chart of the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed, and Fig. 3(b) shows a time chart of the current value of motor 51 in a normal state, not an abnormal state, when dispensing is performed as in Fig. 3(a).

The supply system 1 is started as shown at time _t0 in FIG. 3 with no solid fuel 7 stored in the hopper 20. In this case, the weight of the solid fuel 7 dispensed from the hopper 20 is 0 (zero) as shown in the period up to time _t1 in FIG. 3(a), and no solid fuel 7 is loaded on the transport conveyor 50. The motor 51 is operating without load as shown in the period from time _t0 to time _t1 in FIG. 3(b). The current value of the motor 51 during no-load operation with no solid fuel 7 loaded on the transport conveyor 50 is set as the initial current value _INL . The initial current value _INL may be, for example, the average current value between time _t0 and time _t1 . Even if no solid fuel 7 is loaded on the transport conveyor 50, the transport conveyor 50 is operated at a predetermined speed by the motor 51 during the operation of the supply system 1.

When the transfer vehicle 6 starts to feed the solid fuel 7 into the hopper 20, the height of the solid fuel 7 in the hopper 20 gradually increases. When the height of the solid fuel 7 reaches the installation position of the load detector 40, the load detector 40 detects the solid fuel 7 and transmits a detection notification to the control device 60. Upon receiving information from the load detector 40, the control device 60 determines that there is a stored amount of solid fuel 7 in the hopper 20, and controls the swivel vane drive device 37 to dispense the solid fuel 7 from the hopper 20 to the transport conveyor 50 as shown from time _t1 to time _t2 in Figure 3(a) and to dispense an approximately constant volume.

When the solid fuel 7 starts to be discharged from the hopper 20 to the transport conveyor 50, as shown at time _t1 in Fig. 3(b), the operating current of the motor 51 increases and then becomes a constant current value. The rated current value I _R in Fig. 3(b) indicates the rated current value of the motor 51. The motor 51 is operated with a certain margin for the rated current value I _R. This is because if the current value of the motor 51 exceeds the rated current value I _R and continues to exceed this value, a thermal trip may occur, so that a margin is provided in the current value so that the rated current value I _R is not reached even if the transport weight fluctuates and increases. For example, the margin of the current value may be set to 5% to 15% of the rated current value I _R , and an operating current of the motor 51 may be selected such that the transport conveyor 50 operates at a predetermined speed.

When the feeding of the solid fuel 7 from the transport vehicle 6 into the hopper 20 is completed, the solid fuel 7 is dispensed from the hopper 20 by the rotary dispenser 30, and the height of the solid fuel 7 in the hopper 20 gradually decreases. When the height of the solid fuel 7 becomes lower than the installation position of the presence detector 40, the presence detector 40 no longer detects the solid fuel 7. When the presence detector 40 no longer detects the solid fuel 7, the control device 60 determines that the stored amount of solid fuel 7 has run out, and stops dispensing from the hopper 20 by the rotary dispenser 30 at time _t2 .

When the dispensing of the solid fuel 7 from the hopper 20 to the transport conveyor 50 is stopped, the operating current of the electric motor 51 decreases and then becomes a constant current value, as shown at time _t2 in Fig. 3(b) . At this time, since no solid fuel 7 is loaded on the transport conveyor 50, the electric motor 51 is operating under no load, and the current value indicates the initial current value _INL .

On the other hand, when the transfer vehicle 6 has finished loading the solid fuel 7 into the hopper 20, it moves to replenish the solid fuel 7, and another transfer vehicle 6 loads the solid fuel 7 and moves close to the hopper 20 to load it into the hopper 20. In this way, when the transfer vehicle 6 is replaced, the transport conveyor 50 is left empty and operates without a load.

After that, another transport vehicle 6 starts to feed solid fuel 7 into the hopper 20, and when the height of the solid fuel 7 reaches the installation position of the load detector 40, the load detector 40 detects the solid fuel 7 and transmits the detection to the control device 60. The specific control performed by the control device 60 is the same as the first feed of solid fuel 7 from the transport vehicle 6 into the hopper 20, so a detailed explanation is omitted. After that, the feeding and dispensing of solid fuel 7 is repeated.

The control of this embodiment is performed in this manner. As described above, in this embodiment, the next input of solid fuel 7 is started after all of the solid fuel 7 in the hopper 20 has been dispensed. That is, there may be a time when there is no solid fuel 7 in the hopper 20. Even during the time when there is no solid fuel 7, the swirler 31 and belt 53 are not stopped and are moved at a constant speed in an unloaded operation. Also, for example, if the time when there is no solid fuel 7 continues for a certain period of time or more, the swirler 31 may be stopped. When the swirler 31 is stopped, the belt 53 may also be stopped. Alternatively, the rotation speed of the swirler 31 and the movement speed of the belt 53 may be reduced.

The period during which the belt 53 of the transport conveyor 50 makes one revolution from an arbitrary base point to return to the same point (base point), that is, the period during which the belt 53 makes one revolution, is defined as one cycle.
During the period during which the solid fuel 7 is discharged from the hopper 20 to the transport conveyor 50 (for example, from time t1 to time t2/period during which the solid fuel 7 is discharged from the hopper 20 to the transport conveyor 50), the belt 53 of the transport conveyor 50 rotates multiple times. For example, if the discharge period from the hopper 20 (from time t1 to time t2) is about 10 minutes and the period of one rotation of the belt 53 of the transport conveyor 50 is about 1 to 2 minutes, in this case, the belt 53 rotates 5 to 10 times during the discharge period. As the belt 53 of the transport conveyor 50 rotates multiple times, the operating current state of the electric motor 51 continues for multiple periods.

In such a supply system 1, the control device 60 determines the operating state.
FIG. 3(c) shows in a time chart the current value of the motor 51 in the case where an abnormal state occurs when a payout is performed as in FIG. 3(a) as one example of this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 3(c), between time _t0 and time _t1 , between time _t1 and time _t2 , and between time _t2 and time _t3 , in addition to the change in the current value of the motor 51 in the normal state of FIG. 3(b), amplitudes that are periodic small fluctuations in the current value of the motor 51 are seen. Here, the amplitude of the small fluctuations in the current value in one revolution cycle corresponds to one cycle of the belt 53 of the conveyor 50. When the belt 53 of the conveyor 50 has partial differences in state, there are up and down periods in one revolution cycle, and when the load state on the motor 51 is different in a part of the belt 53 during the up and down periods, the belt 53 shows a periodic waveform of the current value of the motor 51. In such a case, it is considered that the cause is partial adhesion to a part of the belt 53, such as between time _t0 and time _t1 , between time _t1 and time _t2 , and between time _t2 and time _t3 in FIG. 3(d) described later. When the small periodic fluctuations in the current value of the electric motor 51 become large, the situation occurs as shown in FIG. 3D between time _t5 and time _t6 , which will be described later.

The average current value I ave2, which is the average of the current values between time _t1 and time _t2 in Figure 3(c) (dispense period: the period after solid fuel 7 is input from the transport vehicle 6 and the presence detector 40 detects the solid fuel 7, until dispense of the solid fuel 7 from the hopper 20 to the transport conveyor 50 is completed and the presence detector 40 no longer detects the solid fuel 7), exceeds the rated current value I _R. Also, the average current value I _ave1 , which is the average of the current values between time _t2 and time _t3 in Figure 3( _c ) (dispense stop period: the period during which solid fuel 7 is not discharged from the hopper 20 to the transport conveyor 50 and the presence detector 40 does not detect the solid fuel 7), exceeds the initial current value I _NL .

In such a case, particularly when the average current value I _ave1 during the period when dispensing is stopped exceeds the initial current value I _NL , the current value of the motor 51 is larger than that in the initial state, even though the solid fuel 7 in the hopper 20 is not dispensed and no solid fuel 7 is loaded on the belt 53, and the motor 51 is in an unloaded operation state. In other words, it is considered that the running resistance of the belt 53 is increasing. This is considered to be caused by the occurrence of sticking or damage to the bearings of the rollers that operate the transport conveyor 50. Therefore, it is necessary to inspect and clean the transport conveyor 50, or to replace parts.

In addition, FIG. 3(d) shows the current value of the motor 51 in a time chart in the case where another abnormal state exists when the dispensing is performed as in FIG. 3(a) as an example of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3(d), in addition to the change in the current value of the motor 51 in the normal state in FIG. 3(b), small amplitude fluctuations are observed in the current value of the motor 51 between time _t0 and time _t1 , between time _t1 and time _t2 , and between time _t2 and time _t3 . As such, when there is an amplitude in one cycle of the belt 53 of the transport conveyor 50, it is considered that the cause is when there is partial adhesion on the belt 53. The belt 53 of the transport conveyor 50 has an upward period and a downward period in one cycle, and when partial adhesion is on the transport surface side of the belt 53 for the solid fuel 7, during the upward period until the solid fuel 7 is input to the transport destination device, the solid fuel 7 and adhesion are loaded on a part of the belt 53, so that the current value of the motor 51 is higher than when there is no adhesion on the belt 53. Furthermore, during the downward movement period after the solid fuel 7 is fed into the destination device, a downward force in the direction of gravity acts on the belt 53 due to the adhesion of matter to a portion of the belt 53, and the load on the belt 53 when moving is reduced, so that the current value of the motor 51 is lower than when there is no adhesion to the belt 53. Due to these characteristics, the current value of the motor 51 repeats periodic fluctuations. Note that even during unloaded operation when no solid fuel 7 is loaded, if there is adhesion partially on the belt 53, the current value of the motor 51 shows a similar tendency.

Here, for example, if the amount of adhesion to a part of the belt 53 becomes even larger, in addition to the change in the current value of the electric motor 51 in the normal state in FIG. 3(b) between time _t5 and time _t6 , the amplitude of the current value fluctuation becomes larger. In this example, the maximum current value of the electric motor 51 exceeds the rated current value I _R. If this state continues, a thermal trip may occur. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the load on the electric motor 51 by lowering the rotation speed of the rotating blade 31 of the rotary dispenser 30 to reduce the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed from the hopper 20, or to inspect and clean the transport conveyor 50 for the purpose of removing the adhesion attached to a part of the belt 53.

For example, by reducing the amount of solid fuel 7 discharged after time _t6 , the average current value I _ave ' from time _t7 to time _t8 becomes lower than the average current value I _ave from time _t5 to time _t6 . In this example, the load on the electric motor 51 decreases, causing the maximum current value to fall below the rated current value I _R , preventing the occurrence of a thermal trip.

The control of the control device 60 of the supply system 1 of the present disclosure will be described below.
FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the control of the controller of the delivery system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

When control by the control device 60 is started, the current acquisition unit 62 of the control device 60 acquires from the motor 51 the current value (operating current value) of the motor 51, the average current value I _ave which is the average of the current values of the motor 51 over at least one cycle of the transport conveyor 50, and the maximum current value I _P for the same period as the average current value I _ave was acquired (S401).

Next, the presence determination unit 61 determines whether or not solid fuel 7 is loaded on the transport conveyor 50 (S402). Specifically, for example, the presence determination unit 61 obtains information on whether or not solid fuel 7 has been detected in the hopper 20 from the presence detector 40 provided in the hopper 20, and when the presence detector 40 detects solid fuel 7 and the rotary dispenser 30 is in operation, the presence determination unit 61 may determine that solid fuel 7 is loaded on the transport conveyor 50, assuming that solid fuel 7 is dispensed from the hopper 20 to the transport conveyor 50. When the presence detector 40 does not detect solid fuel 7, or when the rotary dispenser 30 is stopped regardless of the presence or absence of solid fuel 7 in the hopper 20, solid fuel 7 is not dispensed from the hopper 20 to the transport conveyor 50, and the presence determination unit 61 may determine that solid fuel 7 is not loaded on the transport conveyor 50. The load detector 40 may be located downstream in the transport direction of the transport conveyor 50 from a position below the discharge opening 25 in the first horizontal section 54 of the transport conveyor 50.

If the inventory determination unit 61 determines in step S402 that no solid fuel 7 is loaded on the transport conveyor 50, the process proceeds to step S403. On the other hand, if the inventory determination unit 61 determines that solid fuel 7 is loaded on the transport conveyor 50, the process proceeds to step S405.

In step S403, the abnormality determination unit 63 determines whether or not the average current value I _ave is greater than the product of the initial current value I _NL and a predetermined value B (first predetermined value), i.e., the product of the initial current value I _NL and the predetermined value B. If the abnormality determination unit 63 determines that the average current value I _ave is greater than the product of the initial current value I _NL and the predetermined value B, the process proceeds to step S404. On the other hand, if the abnormality determination unit 63 determines that the average current value I _ave is equal to or less than the product of the initial current value I _NL and the predetermined value B, the process proceeds to step S405. Here, the predetermined value B is a value greater than 1, and is, for example, between 1.05 and 1.5, and is set to 1.2 in this embodiment.

When it is determined that no solid fuel 7 is loaded on the transport conveyor 50 and the average current value I _ave exceeds a value obtained by multiplying the initial current value I _NL by a predetermined value B (B > 1), the abnormality determination unit 63 detects that the current value of the motor 51 is larger than the initial state even though the motor is operating at no load, and determines that an abnormal state exists.

This state is similar to the state in which the average current value I _ave1 , which is the average between time _t2 and time _t3 (dispensing stop period) in Fig. 3C, exceeds the initial current value I _NL . In other words, it is considered that the running resistance of the belt 53 is increasing.
Therefore, in step S404 in Fig. 4, it is considered that the abnormality determination unit 63 has determined that the belt 53 of the transport conveyor 50 is in an abnormal state (1) where the running resistance of the belt 53 has increased. The abnormality state control unit 64 controls the notification of an alarm to the notification device 70. It may also control the stopping process of the electric motor 51 and the swirl vane drive unit 37. This makes it possible to notify the user of the supply system 1 of the increase in the running resistance of the belt 53. In addition, since the cause of this is considered to be the occurrence of sticking or damage to the bearings of the rollers that operate the transport conveyor 50, the user can be prompted to inspect and clean the rollers 52, 59 and other rollers and the belt 53, as well as the roller bearings, or to replace parts.

5 shows a time chart of the transition of the operating current of the electric motor according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The horizontal axis of FIG. 5 indicates time, and the vertical axis of FIG. 5 indicates the current value (operating current) of the electric motor 51. The operating current is indicated by a solid line, and the average current value I _ave is indicated by a dashed line. As shown in FIG. 5, when the average current value I _ave , which is the average of the current values of the electric motor 51 during no-load operation, exceeds the value obtained by multiplying the initial current value I _NL by a predetermined value B (B>1), the operating current value increases even though the solid fuel 7 is not loaded on the belt 53 of the transport conveyor 50.
This state is similar to the state in which the average current value I _ave1 , which is the average between time _t6 and time _t7 (dispensing suspension period) in FIG. 3(d), exceeds the initial current value I _NL .
If the solid fuel 7 is loaded in this state, the operating current value exceeds the rated current value I _R .
This state is similar to the situation in which the average current value I _ave1, which is the average between time _t5 and time _t6 (dispensing period) in Fig. 3(d) above, increases and the maximum current value of the motor 51 exceeds the rated current value I _R. If this state continues, a thermal trip may occur, so it is necessary to either reduce the load on the motor 51 by lowering the rotation speed of the swirling blades 31 of the rotary dispenser 30 to reduce the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed from the hopper 20, or to inspect and clean the transport conveyor 50 in order to remove any deposits adhering to part of the belt 53.
If the rotation speed of the swiveling blades 31 of the rotary dispenser 30 is reduced to reduce the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed from the hopper 20 so that the operating current value does not exceed the rated current value I _R , the amount of solid fuel 7 loaded on the transport conveyor 50 will be reduced. Therefore, the transport amount will be reduced below the amount that the transport conveyor 50 can transport in normal operation when there is no abnormality, making efficient operation impossible.

FIG. 6 shows a time chart illustrating the progress of the operating current of the electric motor according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
6, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the current value (operating current) of the motor 51. The operating current is indicated by a solid line, the average current value I _ave is indicated by a dashed line, and the maximum current value _IP is indicated by a thick dashed line.
4, when the presence determination unit 61 determines that solid fuel 7 is loaded on the transport conveyor 50, or when the abnormality determination unit 63 determines in step S403 that the average current value I _ave is equal to or less than the product of the initial current value I _NL and the predetermined value B, the abnormality determination unit 63 determines whether or not an operating current deviation I _D , which is a deviation between the maximum operating current value I _P of the motor 51 and the average current value I _ave , exceeds a first threshold value σ (S405). For example, if the average current value I _ave is the average of the current values of the motor 51 in one dispensing period, the maximum current value I _P is the maximum current value in the same one dispensing period in which the average current value I _ave was obtained. The average current value I _ave and the maximum current value I _P may be obtained during no-load operation.

In step S405, if the abnormality determination unit 63 determines that the operating current deviation I _D exceeds the first threshold value σ, the process proceeds to step S406. In step S406, it is considered that the determination result of the abnormality determination unit 63 indicates an abnormal state (2) in which the amount of adhesion to a part of the belt 53 of the transport conveyor 50 has increased. On the other hand, if the abnormality determination unit 63 determines that the operating current deviation I _D is equal to or less than the first threshold value σ, the process proceeds to step S401. Here, the first threshold value σ is a value determined according to the rated current value of the electric motor 51 used, and is an arbitrary value. In this embodiment, for example, 5 (A) is set.

When the operating current deviation _ID exceeds the first threshold value σ, the abnormality determination unit 63 detects that the amplitude of the current value fluctuation of the electric motor 51 has increased excessively, and determines that the supply system 1 is in an abnormal state (2).

As shown in the time chart of the transition of the operating current of the electric motor 51 shown in FIG. 6, when the operating current deviation _ID , which is the deviation between the maximum current value _IP and the average current value I _ave during the period T _Con (minutes/period) in which the belt 53 rotates once, exceeds the first threshold value _σ , the amplitude of the current value fluctuation increases. In such a state, the rotation speed of the rotating blade 31 of the rotary dispenser 30 is reduced to reduce the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed from the hopper 20 to the conveyor 50 so that the maximum current value _IP during the dispensing period does not exceed the rated current value I R. However, according to this control, the amount of solid fuel 7 loaded on the conveyor 50 is reduced, so that the amount of fuel transported is reduced compared to the amount that the conveyor 50 can transport in normal operation without an abnormal state, making efficient operation impossible.

In step S406 of FIG. 4, if the amplitude of the fluctuation of the current value of the electric motor 51 has a periodicity of the period T _Con (minutes/period) that the belt 53 rotates once, it is considered that the belt 53 of the transport conveyor 50 is in an abnormal state (2) where an attachment is partially attached to the belt 53. The abnormal state control unit 64 controls the issuance of an alarm to the notification device 70. It may also control the stopping process of the electric motor 51 and the swirl vane drive device 37. This makes it possible to notify the user of the supply system 1 of the attachment of the attachment to the belt 53. It is also possible to encourage the user to inspect and clean the belt 53 or to replace parts in order to remove the attachment.

On the other hand, if the abnormality determination unit 63 determines in step S405 that the operating current deviation _ID is equal to or less than the first threshold value σ, it determines that the abnormal state (1) and the abnormal state (2) have not been reached, and the process proceeds to step S401. The control flow shown in FIG. 4 may be executed continuously or at predetermined time intervals.

Furthermore, abnormal conditions other than abnormal conditions (1) and (2) may be determined.
FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating the control performed by a control device of a supply system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

When control by the control device 60 is started, the abnormality determination unit 63 of the control device 60 determines whether or not the maximum current value _IP of the electric motor 51 exceeds the rated current value _IR (S701 in FIG. 7). If the abnormality determination unit 63 determines in step S701 that the maximum current value _IP during the payout period exceeds the rated current value _IR , the process proceeds to step S702. On the other hand, if the abnormality determination unit 63 determines that the maximum current value _IP is equal to or less than the rated current value _IR , the process proceeds to step S704.

When the maximum current value _IP during the payout period exceeds the rated current value I _R , the abnormality determination unit 63 detects that the motor 51 is in an overload state, and determines that an abnormal state exists.

Fig. 8 shows a time chart of the transition of the operating current of the electric motor according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The horizontal axis of Fig. 8 indicates time, and the vertical axis of Fig. 8 indicates the current value (operating current) of the electric motor 51. The operating current is indicated by a solid line, and the maximum current value I _P is indicated by a thick dashed line.
As shown in FIG. 8, when the maximum current value _IP during the dispensing period exceeds the rated current value I _R , in order to prevent a thermal trip of the electric motor 51, the rotational speed of the rotating blades 31 of the rotary dispenser 30 is reduced to reduce the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed from the hopper 20 to the transport conveyor 50, and control is performed so that the maximum current value _IP does not exceed the rated current value I _R.

For example, the weight of the solid fuel 7 may increase even if the volume remains the same due to an increase in bulk density caused by an increase in the moisture content of the solid fuel 7. In step S702 of FIG. 7, the determination result of the abnormality determination unit 63 (determination result of step S701) indicates that, for example, the bulk density increases, causing an increase in the transport weight for a given volume of the solid fuel 7, and the load on the motor 51 increases, causing an increase in the operating current, resulting in a thermal trip, making it impossible to continue operation. The abnormality state control unit 64 controls the notification of an alarm to the notification device 70 and controls the swirl vane drive unit 37. This allows the user of the supply system 1 to be notified of the occurrence of an increase in the transport weight for a given volume of the solid fuel 7. In addition, the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed from the hopper 20 to the transport conveyor 50 can be temporarily reduced (S703). After the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed is temporarily reduced in step S703, the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed may be returned to the original amount, or the process may return to step S701 and repeat the control.

On the other hand, if the abnormality determination unit 63 determines in step S701 that the maximum current value I _P during the dispensing period is equal to or less than the rated current value I _R , the abnormality determination unit 63 determines whether the maximum current value I _P is smaller than the value obtained by multiplying the rated current value I _R by a predetermined value A (second predetermined value), that is, the product of the rated current value I _R and the predetermined value A (S704). If the abnormality determination unit 63 determines that the maximum current value I _P is smaller than the product of the rated current value I _R and the predetermined value A, the process proceeds to step S705, and the transport weight per unit volume of solid fuel 7 is reduced, which is considered to be an abnormal state (3) (low load). On the other hand, if the abnormality determination unit 63 determines that the maximum current value I _P is equal to or greater than the product of the rated current value I _R and the predetermined value A, the process proceeds to step S701. Here, the predetermined value A is a value smaller than 1, and for example, 0.7 to 0.95 is used, and 0.8 is set in this embodiment.

When the maximum current value _IP is smaller than the product of the rated current value _IR and a predetermined value A (A < 1), the abnormality determination unit 63 detects that the load on the electric motor 51 is lower than that of normal operation, which is not an abnormal state, i.e., normal operation in which the transporting capacity of the transport conveyor 50 for the solid fuel 7 is maintained high and efficient operation is performed, and determines that an abnormal state exists.

9 shows a time chart of the transition of the operating current of the electric motor according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The horizontal axis of Fig. 9 indicates time, and the vertical axis of Fig. 9 indicates the current value (operating current) of the electric motor 51. The operating current is indicated by a solid line, and the maximum current value I _P is indicated by a thick dashed line.
As shown in Figure 9, when the maximum current value I _P falls below the product of the rated current value I _R and a predetermined value A, in order to maintain the solid fuel 7 transporting capacity of the transporting conveyor 50 high and operate efficiently, the rotational speed of the rotating blades 31 of the rotary dispenser 30 is increased to control the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed from the hopper 20, thereby increasing the amount of solid fuel 7 transported by the transporting conveyor 50 and achieving efficient operation.

For example, the weight of the solid fuel 7 may decrease even if the volume of the solid fuel 7 remains the same due to a decrease in bulk density caused by a decrease in the moisture content of the solid fuel 7. In step S705 of FIG. 7, the determination result of the abnormality determination unit 63 indicates that, for example, the bulk density decreases, causing a decrease in the transport weight for a given volume of the solid fuel 7, and the load on the electric motor 51 decreases, causing a decrease in the operating current, resulting in an abnormal state (3) (low load) in which the transport capacity of the transport conveyor 50 for the solid fuel 7 cannot be maintained high and efficient operation cannot be performed. The abnormality state control unit 64 controls the notification of an alarm to the notification device 70 and controls the swirl vane drive unit 37. This allows the user of the supply system 1 to be notified of the occurrence of a decrease in the transport weight for a given volume of the solid fuel 7. In addition, the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed from the hopper 20 to the transport conveyor 50 can be temporarily increased (S706). After the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed is temporarily increased in step S706, the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed may be returned to the original amount, or the process may return to step S701 and repeat the control.

On the other hand, if the abnormality determination unit 63 determines in step S704 that the maximum current value I _P is equal to or greater than the product of the rated current value I _R and the predetermined value A, it determines that the abnormal state (3) has not been reached, and the process proceeds to step S701. The control flow shown in FIG. 7 may be executed continuously or at predetermined time intervals.

The following describes the functions and effects of the control device for the supply system according to the present embodiment described above, the supply system equipped with the same, and the control method and control program for the same.

The supply system control device according to this embodiment, the supply system including the control device, and the control method and control program thereof can detect the possibility of an abnormality occurring in the supply system 1, particularly the transport conveyor 50, based on the presence or absence of transport of solid fuel 7 by the transport conveyor 50 and the current value of the electric motor 51, and can take measures before the abnormality escalates. This prevents an emergency stop due to the activation of a safety protection device, such as a thermal trip of the electric motor 51 of the transport conveyor 50, and allows for stable operation.

The supply system control device according to this embodiment, the supply system including the control device, and the control method and control program thereof can determine the operating state of the supply system 1 in more detail based on the average current value of the electric motor 51 and the operating current deviation, which is the deviation between the maximum current value and the average current value.

The supply system control device according to this embodiment, the supply system including the control device, and the control method and control program thereof can make a more detailed determination of the operating state of the supply system 1, particularly of abnormal states, based on whether or not the transport conveyor 50 is transporting solid fuel 7, and the average current value and operating current deviation of the electric motor 51.

According to the supply system control device of this embodiment, the supply system including the control device, and the control method and control program thereof, the abnormality determination unit 63 can detect an increase in the running resistance of the transport system of the transport conveyor 50 due to sticking or damage of the roller bearings of the transport conveyor 50 from an increase in the average current value during no-load operation, and can detect the possibility of an abnormal state.

According to the control device for the supply system according to this embodiment, the supply system including the control device, and the control method and control program thereof, the abnormality determination unit 63 can detect partial adhesion of solid fuel 7 to a part of the belt 53 of the transport conveyor 50 from an increase in the operating current deviation during one revolution of the transport conveyor 50, and detect the possibility of an abnormal state.

According to the control device for the supply system of this embodiment, the supply system including the control device, and the control method and control program thereof, the abnormality determination unit 63 detects an increase in bulk density due to an increase in the moisture content of the solid fuel 7, etc., due to an increase in the maximum current value, i.e., an increase in the weight of the solid fuel 7 transported by the transport conveyor 50, and detects in advance that continuous operation is not possible due to overload on the electric motor 51, and detects a decrease in bulk density due to a decrease in the moisture content of the solid fuel 7, etc., due to a decrease in the maximum current value, i.e., a decrease in the weight of the solid fuel 7 transported by the transport conveyor 50, and detects in advance that the electric motor 51 is underloaded, and can detect the possibility of an abnormality that will prevent the transport conveyor 50 from maintaining a high capacity to transport the solid fuel 7 and continue efficient operation.

According to the supply system control device of this embodiment, the supply system equipped with the same, and the control method and control program thereof, when an abnormal state control unit 64 determines that an abnormal state exists, it controls the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed from the hopper 20, thereby controlling the weight of solid fuel 7 transported by the transporting conveyor 50, and can control the operating current value of the electric motor 51 of the transporting conveyor 50 within a predetermined range.
Furthermore, by issuing an alarm when an abnormal state is detected, the user can be informed that an abnormality may have occurred in the supply system 1, and the user can be prompted to take appropriate measures.
Furthermore, by performing a process of stopping the transport conveyor 50 and the supply system 1, the transport conveyor 50 and the supply system 1 can be stopped safely, and the user can carry out maintenance on the transport conveyor 50 and the supply system 1.
Furthermore, by controlling the payout amount so that the operating current value of the electric motor 51 is close to the rated current, the transport capacity of the transport conveyor 50 can be maintained high and efficient operation can be achieved.

The control device for the supply system described in each of the above-described embodiments, the supply system including the same, and the control method and control program thereof can be understood, for example, as follows.
The control device (60) of the supply system (1) according to the present disclosure is a control device (60) for a supply system (1) that controls the supply system (1) having a discharge section (30) that discharges the stored material (7) stored in a hopper (20), a conveyor (50) that transports the stored material (7) discharged from the hopper (20), and an electric motor (51) that drives the conveyor (50), and is provided with a presence determination section (61) that determines the presence or absence of the stored material (7) on the conveyor (50) and a current acquisition section (62) that acquires a current value of the electric motor (51), and determines the operating state of the supply system (1) based on the presence or absence of the stored material (7) and the current value of the electric motor (51).
According to the control device (60) of the supply system (1) of the present disclosure, it is possible to detect the possibility of an abnormality occurring in the supply system (1), particularly the conveyor (50), from the presence or absence of the stored material (7) and the current value of the motor (51), and to take measures before the abnormality escalates. This prevents an emergency stop due to the activation of a safety protection device, such as a thermal trip of the motor (51) of the conveyor (50), and allows for stable operation.

In the control device (60) of the supply system (1) according to the present disclosure, the current acquisition unit (62) acquires an average current value, which is the average of the current values of the electric motor (51) over at least one revolution of the conveyor (50), and an operating current deviation, which is the deviation between the average current value and a maximum current value, which is the maximum value of the current value of the electric motor (51) over the same period as the period in which the average current value was acquired, and determines the operating state of the supply system (1).
According to the control device (60) of the supply system (1) of the present disclosure, the operating state of the supply system (1) can be determined in more detail based on the average current value of the electric motor (51) and the value of the operating current deviation, which is the deviation between the maximum current value and the average current value.

The control device (60) of the supply system (1) according to the present disclosure includes an abnormality determination unit (63) that determines an abnormal state of the supply system (1) based on the presence or absence of the stored material (7) determined by the load determination unit (61), the average current value of the current value acquired by the current acquisition unit (62), and the operating current deviation.
According to the control device (60) of the supply system (1) of the present disclosure, it is possible to make a more detailed judgment on the operating state of the supply system (1), particularly on abnormal states, based on the presence or absence of the stored material (7), the average current value of the electric motor (51), and the operating current deviation.

The control device (60) of the supply system (1) according to the present disclosure sets the current value of the electric motor (51) when the stored material (7) is not loaded on the conveyor (50) or when the dispensing unit (30) is stopped and operating without load as an initial current value, and when the load determination unit (61) determines that the stored material (7) is not present on the conveyor (50), the abnormality determination unit (63) determines that the supply system (1) is in an abnormal state if the average current value exceeds a value obtained by multiplying the initial current value by a first predetermined value.
According to the control device (60) of the supply system (1) of the present disclosure, the abnormality determination unit (63) can detect an increase in the running resistance of the transport system of the conveyor (50) due to sticking or damage of the roller bearings of the conveyor (50) from an increase in the average current value, and detect the possibility of an abnormal condition.

In the control device (60) of the supply system (1) according to the present disclosure, when the load determination unit (61) determines that the accumulated material (7) is present on the conveyor (50), or when the load determination unit (61) determines that the accumulated material (7) is not present on the conveyor (50) and the abnormality determination unit (63) determines that the average current value is equal to or less than the value obtained by multiplying the initial current value by the first predetermined value, the abnormality determination unit (63) determines that the supply system (1) is in an abnormal state if the operating current deviation exceeds a first threshold value.
According to the control device (60) of the supply system (1) of the present disclosure, the abnormality determination unit (63) can detect partial adhesion of the accumulated matter (7) to a part of the belt (53) of the conveyor (50) from an increase in the operating current deviation during one revolution of the conveyor (50), and detect the possibility of an abnormal condition.

In the control device (60) of the supply system (1) according to the present disclosure, when the presence determination unit (61) determines that the stored material (7) is present on the conveyor (50), the abnormality determination unit (63) determines that the supply system (1) is in an abnormal state if the maximum current value exceeds the rated current of the electric motor (51) or if the maximum current value is below a value obtained by multiplying the rated current by a second predetermined value, and controls the amount of the stored material (7) dispensed from the hopper (20).
According to the control device (60) of the supply system (1) of the present disclosure, the abnormality determination unit (63) detects an increase in bulk density due to an increase in the moisture content of the stored material (7) due to an increase in the maximum current value, i.e., an increase in the weight of the stored material (7) transported by the conveyor (50), and detects that continuous operation is not possible due to an overload state of the motor (51), and detects a decrease in bulk density due to a decrease in the moisture content of the stored material (7) due to a decrease in the maximum current value, i.e., a decrease in the weight of the stored material (7) transported by the conveyor (50), and detects an underload state of the motor (51), and can detect the possibility of an abnormality that makes it impossible to maintain a high transport capacity of the conveyor (50) for the stored material (7) and continue efficient operation.

The control device (60) of the supply system (1) according to the present disclosure includes an abnormality state control unit (64) that, when the abnormality determination unit (63) determines that the supply system (1) is in an abnormal state, controls at least one of the following: controlling the amount of the stored material (7) dispensed by the dispensing unit (30), issuing an alarm, and stopping the conveyor (50).
According to the control device (60) of the supply system (1) of the present disclosure, when it is determined that an abnormal state exists, the abnormal state control unit (64) controls the amount of the stored material (7) dispensed from the hopper (20) by the dispensing unit (30), thereby controlling the weight of the stored material (7) transported by the conveyor (50) and controlling the operating current value of the electric motor (51) of the conveyor (50) within a predetermined range.
Furthermore, by issuing an alarm when an abnormal state is detected, the user can be informed that an abnormality may occur in the supply system (1), and the user can be prompted to take measures.
Furthermore, by performing a process of stopping the conveyor (50) and the supply system (1), the conveyor (50) and the supply system (1) can be stopped safely, allowing the user to carry out maintenance of the conveyor (50) and the supply system (1).
In addition, by controlling the payout amount so that the operating current value of the electric motor (51) is close to the rated current, the conveyor (50) can be operated efficiently while maintaining a high transport capacity.

A supply system (1) equipped with a supply system control device (60) according to the present disclosure includes a dispensing section (30) that dispenses the stored material (7) stored in a hopper (20), a conveyor (50) that transports the stored material (7) dispensed from the hopper (20), an electric motor (51) that drives the conveyor (50), and the control device (60) of the supply system (1) described above.

The control method for a supply system (1) according to the present disclosure is a control method for a supply system (1) that controls the supply system (1) including a discharge section (30) that discharges stored material (7) in a hopper (20), a conveyor (50) that transports the stored material (7) discharged from the hopper (20), and an electric motor (51) that drives the conveyor (50), and includes a presence/absence determination step of determining the presence or absence of the stored material (7) on the conveyor (50), and a current acquisition step of acquiring a current value of the electric motor (51), and determines the operating state of the supply system (1) based on the presence or absence of the stored material (7) and the current value of the electric motor (51).
According to the control method for the supply system (1) of the present disclosure, it is possible to detect the possibility of an abnormality occurring in the supply system (1), particularly the conveyor (50), from the presence or absence of the stored material (7) and the current value of the motor (51), and to take measures before the abnormality escalates. This makes it possible to prevent an emergency stop due to the activation of a safety protection device, such as a thermal trip of the motor (51) of the conveyor (50), and to ensure stable operation.

The control program for the supply system (1) disclosed herein is a control program for the supply system (1) that controls the supply system (1) that includes a discharge section (30) that discharges the stored material (7) stored in a hopper (20), a conveyor (50) that transports the stored material (7) discharged from the hopper (20), and an electric motor (51) that drives the conveyor (50), and includes a presence/absence determination step that determines the presence or absence of the stored material (7) on the conveyor (50), and a current acquisition step that acquires a current value of the electric motor (51), and determines the operating state of the supply system (1) based on the presence or absence of the stored material (7) and the current value of the electric motor (51).
According to the control program for the supply system (1) of the present disclosure, it is possible to detect the possibility of an abnormality occurring in the supply system (1), particularly the conveyor (50), from the presence or absence of the stored material (7) and the current value of the motor (51), and to take measures before the abnormality escalates. This prevents an emergency stop due to the activation of a safety protection device, such as a thermal trip of the motor (51) of the conveyor (50), and allows for stable operation.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment. For example, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, the control device 60 adjusts the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed from the hopper 20 by controlling the rotation speed of the rotating blades 31 of the rotary dispenser 30, but the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed may be adjusted by another means. In this case, for example, a dispenser is provided at the outlet of the hopper 20, and the gate height of the dispenser outlet is adjusted to transport the solid fuel 7 at a constant volumetric speed. Also, an adjustment mechanism such as a rotary valve may be provided at the outlet of the hopper 20 to adjust the amount of solid fuel 7 dispensed.

1 Supply system 6 Transport vehicle 7 Solid fuel (retention)
10 Dispensing device 20 Hopper 30 Rotary dispenser (dispensing section)
37 Swivel wing drive device 40 Load detector 50 Conveyor for transport (conveyor)
51 Electric motor 53 Belt 60 Control device 61 Load presence determination unit 62 Current acquisition unit 63 Abnormality determination unit 64 Abnormal state control unit 70 Notification device

Claims (10)

A control device for a supply system that controls a supply system including a discharge unit that discharges a stored material in a hopper and has a variable operating speed, a conveyor that transports the stored material discharged from the hopper, and an electric motor that drives the conveyor,
A presence determination unit that determines the presence or absence of the accumulated material on the conveyor;
A current acquisition unit that acquires a current value of the electric motor,
A control device for a supply system that determines the operating state of the supply system based on a combination of the presence or absence of the stored material in the hopper , the operation or stop of the dispensing section, and the current value of the electric motor. The control device for a supply system according to claim 1, wherein the current acquisition unit acquires an average current value, which is an average of the current values of the motor over at least one revolution of the conveyor, and an operating current deviation, which is a deviation between the average current value and a maximum current value, which is a maximum value of the current value of the motor over the same period as the period in which the average current value was acquired, to determine the operating state of the supply system. The control device for the supply system according to claim 2, further comprising an abnormality determination unit that determines an abnormal state of the supply system based on the presence or absence of the stored material determined by the load determination unit and the average current value and the operating current deviation of the current value acquired by the current acquisition unit. When the stored objects are not loaded on the conveyor or when the dispensing unit is stopped and in no-load operation, the current value of the motor is set as an initial current value;
When the inventory determination unit determines that the accumulated object is not present on the conveyor,
The control device for a supply system according to claim 3 , wherein the abnormality determination unit determines that the supply system is in an abnormal state when the average current value exceeds a value obtained by multiplying the initial current value by a first predetermined value. When the goods presence determination unit determines that the accumulated goods are present on the conveyor, or when the goods presence determination unit determines that the accumulated goods are not present on the conveyor and the abnormality determination unit determines that the average current value is equal to or less than a value obtained by multiplying an initial current value by a first predetermined value,
The control device for a supply system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the abnormality determination unit determines that the supply system is in an abnormal state when the operating current deviation exceeds a first threshold value. When the inventory determination unit determines that the accumulated item is present on the conveyor,
the abnormality determination unit determines that the supply system is in an abnormal state when the maximum current value exceeds a rated current of the motor or when the maximum current value is lower than a value obtained by multiplying the rated current by a second predetermined value;
The control device for a supply system according to any one of claims 3 to 5, further comprising: a control unit for controlling an amount of the stored material discharged from the hopper. The control device for the supply system according to any one of claims 3 to 6, further comprising an abnormality state control unit that controls at least one of the following when the abnormality determination unit determines that the supply system is in an abnormal state: control of the amount of the stored material dispensed by the dispensing unit; issuing an alarm; and stopping the conveyor. A dispensing unit that dispenses the material stored in the hopper;
A conveyor that transports the stored material discharged from the hopper;
An electric motor for driving the conveyor;
A supply system comprising: a supply system control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7. A control method for a supply system, the supply system including: a discharge unit that discharges a material stored in a hopper and has a variable operating speed; a conveyor that transports the material discharged from the hopper; and an electric motor that drives the conveyor,
a presence/absence determination step of determining whether or not the accumulated material is present on the conveyor;
A current acquisition step of acquiring a current value of the electric motor,
A control method for a supply system that determines the operating state of the supply system based on a combination of the presence or absence of the stored material in the hopper , the operation or stop of the dispensing section, and the current value of the electric motor. A control program for a supply system that controls a supply system including a discharge unit that discharges a stored material stored in a hopper and has a variable operating speed, a conveyor that transports the stored material discharged from the hopper, and an electric motor that drives the conveyor,
a presence/absence determination step of determining whether or not the accumulated material is present on the conveyor;
A current acquisition step of acquiring a current value of the electric motor,
A control program for a supply system that determines the operating state of the supply system based on a combination of the presence or absence of the stored material in the hopper , the operation or stop of the dispensing section, and the current value of the electric motor.

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