JPH0370984B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a priming tank alarm device for fire pump equipment that detects and warns of abnormal water level in a priming tank in a fire pump.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in the case of sprinkler fire extinguishing equipment and foam fire extinguishing equipment, a fire extinguishing pump equipment is installed in the basement floor of a building or the like to supply fire extinguishing water under pressure.

FIG. 5 shows an example of conventional fire pump equipment, in which 1 is a fire pump that pumps up fire extinguishing water from an underground water tank 2 through a suction pipe 3 and supplies it under pressure to a main water supply pipe 4. ing.

A priming tank 5 is installed at a predetermined height near the fire pump 1, and supplies priming water to the discharge side of the fire pump 1 through a check valve 7 provided in a priming water supply pipe 6 to keep the water inside the pump. The tank is always filled with water so that the pump can be operated at any time.

The priming tank 5 is also provided with a water level sensor 8.
The water level sensor 8 has an upper limit electrode 8a, a lower limit electrode 8b, and a common electrode 8c, and the detection signal of this water level sensor 8 is given to the pump control panel 9, which issues a full water alarm (upper limit alarm), a low water alarm ( lower limit alarm)
I'm trying to put out. Among these, regarding the water reduction alarm (lower limit alarm) on the pump control panel 9, once the water reduction alarm is issued, the water reduction alarm will be displayed as a latch, and even if the water level recovers, the water reduction alarm (lower limit alarm) will be set on the pump control panel 9 based on on-site confirmation. The latch of the low water alarm cannot be released unless the recovery switch 10 is operated.

By the way, in the case of such fire pump equipment, in order to ensure that the pump can operate reliably in the event of a fire, operational tests are periodically conducted to check whether the fire pump 1 can produce the expected performance. Therefore, a test pipe 11 is provided that returns from the discharge side of the fire pump 1 to the underground water tank 2, and this test pipe 11 is equipped with an electric valve 12, a flow meter 13, and a manual valve 14, and a test control device 15. A control signal is given to the pump control panel 9 to control the pump start, and at the same time, the electric valve 12 is opened to allow the rated flow rate initially set by the manual valve 14 to flow through the test pipe 11, and in this state, the pump discharge pressure and suction pressure are controlled. Furthermore, the voltage and current of the pump drive motor are measured to check whether the desired pump performance can be obtained.

In addition, during the operation test of the fire pump, it is also checked whether the water level in the priming tank 5 provided as ancillary equipment to the fire pump 1 is being detected normally. That is, while the pump is stopped, the test control device 15 opens the electric valve 12 provided in the test pipe 11 to forcibly drain the water in the priming tank 5 to the underground water tank 2, obtains the lower limit detection output of the water level sensor 8, and then starts the pump. A water reduction alarm is displayed on the control panel 9 in a latch manner, and it is checked whether the water reduction alarm is issued normally.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, in such a conventional priming tank alarm device, if a water reduction alarm is issued due to forced drainage of the priming tank 5, the recovery switch 9 of the pump control panel 9 is activated. If the pump control panel 9 is not installed, inspection personnel must go to the location where the pump control panel 9 is installed and release the low water latch alarm when the next pump performance test is to be performed. However, during this period, the inspection process is interrupted and the inspection takes time. Particularly in recent years, unmanned automatic inspection systems have been adopted for fire extinguishing equipment, but there has been a problem in that automatic inspections are interrupted when a low water alarm is triggered during a priming tank test.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and even if a latch display of the water reduction alarm is performed due to forced drainage of the priming tank, when the water level recovers, It is an object of the present invention to provide a priming tank alarm device for fire pump equipment that can automatically release the latch of a low water alarm and proceed to the next inspection process.

In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a water reduction sensor that generates a detection output when the water level drops below the lower limit in the priming tank of the fire pump, and a water reduction sensor that produces a detection output when the water level falls below the lower limit, and a water reduction sensor on the pump control panel based on the detection output of the water reduction sensor. In the priming tank alarm device for fire pump equipment that displays a latch alarm and prohibits pump operation, a water level recovery sensor that generates a detection output when the water level recovers to the specified water level after the detection output of the water drop sensor is obtained is used. The water level recovery sensor is installed in the priming tank, and the latch display of the water reduction alarm on the pump control panel is released based on the detection output of this water level recovery sensor.

(Function) According to the configuration of the present invention, even if the test control device performs forced drainage of the priming tank and a low water alarm is latched and displayed on the pump control panel, the water level in the priming tank will recover and the water level will recover. When the detection output of the sensor is obtained, the alarm latch on the pump control panel is automatically released, eliminating the need to go to the pump control panel and operating the recovery switch during the inspection, and making it possible to perform automatic inspections in an unattended state. Even if there is a problem, the automatic inspection process of the pump equipment will not be interrupted midway.

(Embodiment) FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of fire pump equipment to which the priming tank alarm device of the present invention is applied.

In Fig. 2, 1 is a fire pump, which pumps up and pressurizes fire extinguishing water through a suction pipe 3 lowered into an underground water tank 2, and supplies the pressurized water to a main water supply pipe 4 raised vertically to the building. .

A priming tank 5 is installed at a predetermined height near the fire pump 1 , and a priming water supply pipe 6 is connected from the priming tank 5 to the discharge side of the fire pump 1 .
is provided with a check valve 7.

This priming tank 5 is provided with a water level sensor 8, which includes, in addition to an upper limit electrode 8a, a lower limit electrode 8b, and a common electrode 8c, a water level recovery electrode 8d that reaches a predetermined water level B between upper limit A and lower limit C. It is set up.

In the water level sensor 8 equipped with the electrodes 8a to 8d as described above, when the water level level in the priming tank 5 reaches the upper limit electrode 8a, the switch contact provided in the sensor closes and outputs an upper limit detection signal. When the water level drops below the lower limit electrode 8b, the switch contact in the sensor closes and outputs a lower limit detection signal.
Further, regarding the water level recovery electrode 8d, when the water level drops below the water level recovery electrode 8d and then recovers and returns to the water level recovery level B, the switch contact in the sensor closes and outputs a water level recovery signal.

On the other hand, a test pipe 11 is branch-connected to the discharge side of the fire pump 1 to flow the rated flow rate during a pump performance test, and the end of the test pipe 11 is returned to the underground water tank 2. In this embodiment, a motor-operated valve 16 and a set flow rate sensor 18 which generates a detection output when a prescribed rated flow rate is obtained by controlling the opening and closing of the motor-operated valve 16 are provided. Of course, the devices provided in the test pipe 11 for obtaining the rated flow rate may be an electric valve 12, a flow meter 13, and a manual valve 14, as shown in FIG.

9 is a pump control panel installed near the fire pump 1, and the detection output of the water level sensor 8 is given to the pump control panel 9, and a full water alarm (upper limit alarm) and a low water alarm (lower limit alarm) are provided. Regarding the water reduction alarm based on lower limit detection, once the lower limit detection signal is obtained from the water level sensor 8, the water reduction alarm will be displayed in latch even if the water level recovers, and the pump control panel 9 A recovery switch 10 is provided for canceling the latch display of the low water alarm.

Furthermore, 15 is a test control device, and the test control device 15 is installed, for example, in a central monitoring room or the like away from the installation location of the fire pump equipment, and is operated at preset inspection intervals under program control by the CPU. A pump performance test and an operation test of the water level sensor 8 installed in the priming tank 5 provided as ancillary equipment will be conducted. For this reason, the control output from the test control device 15 is given to the pump control panel 9, the detection output of the water level sensor 8 installed in the priming tank 5 is given to the test control device 15, and electric valve 16 and set flow rate sensor 18
is also connected to the test control device 15 by a signal line (not shown).

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a test control system including a priming tank alarm device of the present invention intended for the fire pump equipment shown in FIG. 2.

That is, the water level sensor 8 provided in the priming tank 5 is connected to the test control device 15, and since the water level sensor 8 has the functions of the water reduction sensor 20a and the recovery sensor 20b, the detection signal of the recovery sensor 20b is tested. It is given to the control device 15. The test control device 15 also includes an electric valve 16 provided in the test pipe 11.
is connected so that the opening and closing of the electric valve 16 can be controlled under the control of the test control device 15.

The test control device 15 that receives the detection signal from the recovery sensor 20b has a function of outputting a latch release signal to the pump control panel 9 to release the latch of the low water alarm. A circuit function as a release means for outputting a latch release signal to the pump control panel 9 when a detection signal of 1 is obtained is incorporated.

Further, since the output of the water reduction sensor 20a is directly provided to the pump control panel 9, the detection signal of the water reduction sensor 20a is provided to the test control device 15 via the pump control panel 9. Further, the pump control panel 9 is driven by the motor 21 to operate the fire pump 1, and the pump control panel 9 drives the motor 21.
In the starting control, the motor 21 is first started with the Y connection, and after a certain period of time, the motor 21 is switched to the Δ connection and enters steady operation. Of course, the pump control panel 9 is provided with a recovery switch 10 for releasing the latch display of the low water alarm.

Next, referring to the flowchart in Figure 3,
The operation process for inspecting the water level sensor provided in the priming tank according to the illustrated embodiment will be described.

First, the test control device 15 has an automatic inspection mode and a manual inspection mode, and when the automatic inspection mode is selected, test control is performed at every predetermined inspection cycle, and when the manual inspection mode is selected, the test control is performed by the operator's switch operation. Test control will begin.

Therefore, when the test control device 15 starts test control in either manual or automatic mode, first, in block 30, the electric valve 16 provided in the test pipe 11 is controlled to open. This electric valve 16
Due to the opening control, the water in the priming tank 5 is discharged to the underground water tank 2 via the priming water supply pipe 6, the check valve 7, the electric valve 16, and the set flow rate sensor 18, and the water level in the priming tank 5 is lowered.

When the opening control of the electric valve 16 is performed in block 30, it is monitored in the next judgment block 32 whether or not a water reduction alarm is issued based on the lower limit detection by the lower limit electrode 8b of the water level sensor 8, and if the water level has fallen below the lower limit. When a water reduction alarm is issued, the process proceeds to block 34, where the electric valve 16 is closed and drainage of the priming tank 5 is stopped.

Incidentally, if the water reduction alarm is issued in the judgment block 32, the water level sensor 8 in the test control device 15 is activated.
It is determined that water reduction detection has been performed normally by the water level sensor, and the results are printed out on a printer etc. On the other hand, if a water reduction alarm is not obtained even after sufficient time has elapsed to drain the priming tank 5, the water level sensor 8 failures,
Or, if there is an abnormality such as clogging of the priming water supply pipe 6, a priming tank abnormality alarm will be issued.

When the electric valve 16 is closed in block 34, drainage from the priming tank 5 is stopped, and the water level in the priming tank 5 is restored as water is supplied by the float valve 22. This recovery of the water level in the priming tank 5 is monitored by the discrimination block 36, and when the water level returns to the recovery water level B determined by the recovery electrode 8d of the water level sensor 10, the water level sensor 8 outputs a water level recovery signal to the test control device 15. Proceeding to the next block 38, the test control device 15, which has received the water level restoration signal, releases the latch display of the water reduction alarm obtained in the determination block 32 on the pump control panel 9 and returns it to the initial state.

On the other hand, if a recovery detection signal is not obtained even after a certain period of time has elapsed since the closing control of the electric valve 16, the process proceeds to block 40, where it is determined that there is an abnormality such as a failure in the recovery sensor 20b or a failure in the float valve 22. A warning is issued and the series of inspection processes ends.

As described above, in the priming tank alarm device of the present invention, by providing the water level sensor 8 of the priming tank 5 with a detection function as a water level recovery sensor, the water level recovers after a forced water reduction alarm. Once the signal is obtained, a latch release signal is given from the test control device 15 to the pump control panel 9 to release the latch display of the low water alarm, and the operator goes to the pump control panel 9 to release the low water alarm latch. Recovery switch 1
There is no need to operate 0, and even in automatic inspection by unmanned operation, it is possible to move on to the next inspection item, such as a pump performance test, without interrupting the inspection process.

The flowchart in Figure 4 takes the inspection operation of a priming tank as an example, but this inspection process is one of a series of automatic inspection processes for fire extinguishing equipment.
This will now be carried out as one inspection item.

That is, the automatic inspection process of the fire extinguishing equipment is executed at every predetermined inspection cycle according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, for example.

In this automatic inspection process, when a predetermined inspection cycle is reached, the inspection items, year, month, day, hour and minute are first printed in block 50, stationary data before the inspection is collected in block 52, and judgment block 54 is executed. The status is determined, and if there is abnormal data, the process proceeds to block 56, where an abnormality alarm is issued and the inspection process is completed. If the stationary data is normal, the process moves to execution of the inspection item in block 58, and this inspection item becomes, for example, an operation test of the priming tank as shown in FIG. 3, followed by block 6.
At step 0, operational data, such as a water reduction detection signal and a water level recovery signal from a water level sensor, are collected, and at a determination block 62, the status of these inspection data is determined.
When the series of inspection processes is completed, a termination process, for example, closing control of the electric valve 16, is performed in block 64.

Furthermore, after the inspection is completed, stationary data is collected in block 66 and the status is determined in judgment block 68. Thereafter, the inspection item end time is printed in block 70, and the next inspection item, for example, the activation control of fire pump 1, is executed. Then, the process moves on to an inspection process such as a pump performance test in which the pump discharge pressure and the like are measured while the rated flow rate is flowing through the test pipe 11.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the present invention, a water reduction sensor that generates a detection output when the water level decreases below the lower limit is provided in the priming tank, and the pump control panel is controlled based on the detection output of the water reduction sensor. In the priming tank alarm device for fire pump equipment that latches a low water alarm,
A water level recovery sensor is installed that generates a detection output when the water level recovers to the specified water level after the detection output of the water level recovery sensor is obtained, and the latch display of the water level reduction alarm on the pump control panel is released based on the detection output of this water level recovery sensor. As a result, even if a low water alarm is issued due to forced drainage during a priming tank operation test that is performed as one of the inspection items for fire pump equipment, and a low water alarm latch is displayed on the pump control panel, Drainage from the priming tank is stopped and the water level is restored.
Once the detection output from the water level recovery sensor is obtained, the low water alarm alarm on the pump control panel will be automatically unlatched, eliminating the need to go to the pump control panel to release the low water alarm, and making it unmanned. Even in the case of automatic inspection, it is possible to prevent pump operation from being prohibited due to the latched display of the low water alarm, and to continue automatic inspection such as a pump performance test following a priming tank operation test.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of fire pump equipment to which the present invention is applied, and Fig. 3 is an inspection of a priming tank according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the process, FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the automatic inspection process, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing conventional equipment. 1: Fire pump, 2: Underground water tank, 3: Suction pipe,
4: Main water supply pipe, 5: Priming tank, 6: Priming water supply pipe,
7: Check valve, 8: Water level sensor, 8a: Upper limit electrode,
8b: lower limit electrode, 8c: common electrode, 8d: recovery electrode, 9: pump control panel, 10: recovery switch,
11: Test piping, 15: Test control device, 16: Electric valve, 18: Set flow rate sensor, 20a: Water reduction sensor, 20b: Recovery sensor, 21: Motor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A water reduction sensor that generates a detection output when the water level drops below a set lower limit is provided in the priming tank of the fire pump, and a water reduction alarm is latched displayed on the pump control panel based on the detection output of the water reduction sensor. In a priming tank alarm device for fire pump equipment, a water level recovery sensor that generates a detection output when the water level returns to a specified water level after the detection output of the water reduction sensor is obtained, and a water level recovery sensor that generates a detection output based on the detection output of the water level recovery sensor. A priming tank alarm device for fire pump equipment, characterized in that the device further comprises a release means for releasing the alarm latch display on the pump control panel.