Valve remote control apparatus

Abstract

It is to realize a valve remote control apparatus capable of driving and controlling, with wireless signals, an air motor configuring an automatic switch to be attached to a manual valve. A valve remote control apparatus is configured to mechanically connect, to a manual operating portion 11 of an existing manual valve 10, an output shaft 21a of an air motor 21 using an air pressure as a drive source, and to remotely control the manual value 10. The valve remote control apparatus includes a solenoid valve (operating valve 53) operated by an operation signal transmitted and received wirelessly between a contact information terminal portion 51 and a contact information operating portion 52. The air pressure for driving and rotating the air motor 21 is supplied via the solenoid valve (operating valve 53).

Claims

1. A valve remote control apparatus configured to mechanically connect, to a manual operating portion of an existing manual valve, an output shaft of an air motor configured to rotate using an air pressure as a drive source, and to remotely control the manual valve, the valve remote control apparatus comprising: a solenoid valve operated by an operation signal transmitted and received wirelessly between a contact information terminal portion and a contact information operating portion; a discrete limit switch that detects linear position by detecting an end position, the discrete limit switch configured to detect a full-open state and a full-close state of the air motor, and to output contact information, wherein the air pressure for driving and rotating the air motor is supplied via the solenoid valve, wherein the contact information operating portion includes a contact information reading portion configured to read the contact information output, and wherein the contact information terminal portion includes a contact information analyzing portion configured to cause, when confirming that the contact information read to the contact information reading portion is turned on, transition of the contact information to an off-state.

2. The valve remote control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the contact information operating portion includes a module configured to convert contact information transmitted from the contact information terminal portion into an electric signal capable of driving the solenoid valve.

3. The valve remote control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the solenoid valve is a double latch type solenoid valve.

4. The valve remote control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an intrinsically safety explosion-proof solenoid valve used as the solenoid valve; a single-system voltage/current limiting portion configured to limit each of a voltage and an current, which drive a solenoid of the intrinsically safety explosion-proof solenoid valve, not to exceed a value predetermined for intrinsically safety explosion protection; and an output terminal switching portion configured to selectively connect, to a terminal of the solenoid to be driven, a predetermined output limited by the voltage/current limiting portion.

5. The valve remote control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of: a pressure monitor configured to measure an air pressure serving as the drive source; a displacement sensor configured to detect displacement of the manual valve; a temperature sensor configured to detect ambient temperature of the solenoid valve; a module configured to detect an operating sound of the air motor and to analyze acoustic information concerning the detected operating sound; and an energy harvesting function portion configured to serve as a power supply complementing a battery driving each of the portions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a valve remote control apparatus according to the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

(4) FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

(5) FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

(6) FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

(7) FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

(8) FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

(9) FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

(10) FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

(11) FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional valve remote control apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(12) FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a valve remote control apparatus according to the invention. Each common part of FIGS. 1 and 11 is designated with the same reference numeral.

(13) In FIG. 1, the automatic switch 20 attached to the existing manual valve 10 is remotely controlled by a wireless operating system 50. The wireless operating system 50 is configured by a contact information terminal portion 51 operated at a place distant from the installation site of the manual valve 10 and the automatic switch 20, and a contact information operating portion 52 and an operating valve 53 which are provided around the installation site of the manual valve 10 and the automatic switch 20.

(14) The contact information terminal portion 51 includes a wireless transmitting/receiving portion 51a, and a contact information input portion 51b. The contact information terminal portion 51 transmits and/or receives wirelessly operations signals to and from the contact information operating portion 52. Incidentally, a power supply portion for driving the contact information terminal portion 51 is not shown.

(15) The contact information operating portion 52 includes a wireless transmitting/receiving portion 52a, a contact information output portion 52b, a contact information converting portion 52c, and a power supply portion 52d. The contact information operating portion 52 opens and closes the operating valve 53, based on operation signals transmitted and/or received wirelessly to and from the contact information terminal portion 51.

(16) The operating valve 53 is configured by an opening-side solenoid valve 53a, and a closing-side solenoid valve 53b. A drive control air pressure input from the air source 30 is supplied via the opening-side solenoid valve 53a to the opening-side of the air circuit switching valve 22 and also supplied via the closing-side solenoid valve 53b to the closing-side of the air circuit switching valve 22. Incidentally, a direct-operated solenoid valve adapted to drive directly a valve by excitation of a solenoid coil is used as each of the opening-side solenoid valve 53a and the closing-side solenoid valve 53b.

(17) If the air motor 21 in such a configuration is caused to turn to the opening-side, contact information for turning on an opening-side solenoid valve drive signal Sop to be input from the contact information output portion 52b to the opening-side solenoid valve 53a is transmitted via the wireless transmitting/receiving portions 51a and 52a from the contact information input portion 51b of the contact information terminal portion 51 to the contact information operating portion 52.

(18) The contact information operating portion 52 provided around the installation site of the manual valve 10 and the automatic switch 20 is such that when the wireless transmitting/receiving portion 52a receives wireless information, the contact information output portion 52b recognizes the turn-on of the opening contact information in the wireless information and causes the transition of the opening contact information to be output to an on-state.

(19) The contact information converting portion 52c converts the opening contact information into an opening-side solenoid valve drive signal Sop whose voltage/current (e.g., a direct-current (DC) 24 volts (V)/0.33 amperes (A)) is set to be able to drive the opening-side solenoid valve 53a.

(20) When the opening-side solenoid valve 53a is driven by the turn-on of the opening-side solenoid valve drive signal Sop, a drive control air pressure input from the air source 30 is supplied to the opening-side of the air motor 21. Thus, the air motor 21 turns in an opening-direction, so that the manual valve 10, whose manual operating portion 11 is mechanically connected to the output shaft 21a of the air motor 21, is gradually opened to the opening-side.

(21) Incidentally, a time needed to fully open the manual valve 10 is preliminarily known. After the lapse of the time, the contact information input portion 51b of the contact information terminal portion 51 transmits a control signal for turning off the opening-side solenoid valve drive signal Sop. Consequently, the opening contact information is turned off, so that the opening-side solenoid drive signal Sop is also turned off. Thus, the rotation of the air motor 21 is stopped, and the manual valve 10 is stopped in an open state.

(22) Also, regarding the closing-side, the closing contact information and the closing-side solenoid valve drive signal Scl are varied by following a similar procedure. Thus, the air motor 21 is driven to the closing-side, and the manual valve 10 is put into a closed state.

(23) Consequently, the manual valve provided as the tank main valve can be remotely and wirelessly controlled. When a disaster such as an earthquake or a tsunami occurs, the tank main valve can be quickly closed.

(24) Accordingly, laying the control signal line 43 from the instrumental-panel 42 to the operating panel 41 provided in the vicinity of the tank main valve (manual valve) 10 in the conventional case is unnecessary. Even if the number of tank main valves (manual valves) 10 serving as operation objects is large, the control signal lines are not congested. The maintenance and management man-hours of the control signal lines are not generated.

(25) Incidentally, because a direct-operated solenoid valve is used in the above embodiment as the operating valve (solenoid valve) 53 driving the automatic switch 20, it is necessary to maintain the on-state of the opening-side solenoid valve drive signal Sop or the closing-side solenoid valve drive signal Scl while the air motor 21 is made to run.

(26) However, as described above, the opening-side solenoid valve drive signal Sop or the closing-side solenoid valve drive signal Scl needs electric power of, e.g., 24 V*0.33 A8 watts (W). If a battery is used as the power supply portion 52d of the contact information operating portion 52 to maintain this electric power while the manual valve 10 is operated (e.g., several seconds to 1 minute or more in a longer case), there is a battery life problem.

(27) This problem can be solved by changing the direct-operated solenoid valve used as the operating valve 53 to a double latch solenoid valve as illustrated in FIG. 2. If double latch solenoid valves 53c and 53d are used as the operating valve 53, a predetermined drive current is supplied only when the transition of the state of the double latch solenoid valves 53c and 53d is performed. For example, in the case of using 24V DC solenoid valves, the transition of the state of each solenoid valve can be achieved by supplying 0.26 A of a current to each solenoid valve for 0.5 seconds.

(28) FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating another embodiment of the invention, which is an example using the double latch solenoid valves 53c and 53d as the operating valve 53. Each common part of FIGS. 1 and 2 is designated with the same reference numeral. In FIG. 2, a signal transition detecting portion 52e detects a condition in which the state of the contact information transits from an on-state to an off-state or from the off-state to the on-state, and turns on an opening-side solenoid valve drive signal Sop or a closing-side solenoid valve drive signal Scl for an optional predetermined time (0.5 seconds in this embodiment) from a transition time-point.

(29) Consequently, in the case of using a battery as the power supply portion 52d of the contact information operating portion 52, the life of the battery can considerably be extended.

(30) FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram illustrating another embodiment of the invention. Each common part of FIGS. 2 and 3 is designated with the same reference numeral. In FIG. 3, the automatic switch 20 is provided with a limit switch (not shown) detecting the full-open and the full-close states of the air motor 21. In addition, a limit detecting switch 54 for detecting a limit control air pressure output from the limit switch is externally attached to the automatic switch 20.

(31) Further, a contact information reading portion 52f for reading contact information output from the limit detecting switch 54 is added to the contact information operating portion 52. A contact information analyzing portion 51c for analyzing contact information read to the contact information reading portion 52f is added to the contact information terminal portion 51.

(32) An opening-side limit detecting switch 54a detects a limit control air pressure output from the opening-side limit switch to thereby convert this air-pressure into a contact signal. A closing-side limit detecting switch 54b detects a limit control air pressure output from the closing-side limit switch to thereby convert this air-pressure into a contact signal.

(33) The contact signals output, as a result of conversion, from the opening-side limit detecting switch 54a and the closing-side limit detecting switch 54b are read to the contact information operating portion 52 by the contact information reading portion 52f, and transmitted to the contact information analyzing portion 51c via the wireless transmitting/receiving portion 52a and the wireless transmitting/receiving portion 51a of the contact information terminal portion 51.

(34) When the contact information analyzing portion 51c of the contact information terminal portion 51 confirms that the contact information associated with the limit control air pressure is turned on, the contact information analyzing portion 51c performs a feedback-operation to thereby cause the transition of the state of the contact information to an off-state.

(35) Thus, this embodiment is configured to cause the transition of the state of each of the opening contact information and the closing contact information respectively obtained at the detection of the full-open state and at the detection of the full-close state of the air motor 21 to an off-state. Thus, the full-open state and the full-close state can accurately be confirmed. In addition, inversion starting characteristics to the opposite direction can be improved.

(36) FIG. 4 is also a configuration diagram illustrating another embodiment of the invention. Each common part of FIGS. 2 and 4 is designated with the same reference numeral. In FIG. 4, the air motor 21 of the automatic switch 20 is directly driven by an air pressure output from the double latch solenoid valve 53c and 53d used as the operating valve 53.

(37) Consequently, the air circuit switching valve 22 of the automatic switch 20 can be omitted. Thus, the low cost of the apparatus can be achieved.

(38) Incidentally, when the apparatus is used in a hazardous area, the contact information terminal portion 51, the contact information operating portion 52, the operating valve 53, and so on are adapted to be explosion-proof, such as flame-proof or intrinsically safety explosion-proof, if necessary.

(39) In each of the above embodiments, an example of incorporating the wireless transmitting portion and the contact information converting portion into the contact information operating portion 52 and integrating these portions into one unit has been described. However, the wireless transmitting portion and the contact information converting portion may be configured separately from each other, if necessary.

(40) Further, this embodiment may be modified such that the air pressure of the air source 30 of the air motor 21 illustrated in FIG. 3 is measured by a pressure monitor 55 such as a pressure sensor and a pressure switch, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

(41) In FIG. 5, the pressure monitor 55 measures the air pressure of the air source 30 and inputs a measurement value to a pressure information reading portion 52g. The pressure information reading portion 52g outputs an alert when the measurement value of the pressure measured by the pressure monitor 55 is deviated from a preliminarily set value.

(42) Consequently, if the air pressure of the air source 30 lowers for some reason, an appropriate reaction can be taken.

(43) Further, after the solenoid valve is operated by an operation signal, an operating condition of the manual valve 10 can be checked and diagnosed by detecting an amount of displacement of the manual valve 10 driven by the air motor 21 illustrated in FIG. 3, using a displacement sensor 56, as illustrated in FIG. 6.

(44) In FIG. 6, the displacement sensor 56 such as a potentiometer is attached to the manual operating portion 11 of the manual valve 10. The angle, the rotational speed, the valve axis vertical movement and so on of the manual valve 10 are detected using the displacement sensor 56. A detection output of the displacement sensor 56 is input to a displacement information reading portion 52h. The displacement information reading portion 52h checks, based on the detection output of the displacement sensor 56, whether the manual valve 10 actually operates when the operation signal is output from the manual valve 10.

(45) Consequently, even if the valve is neither fully closed nor fully opened, an operation of the apparatus can be checked by causing the air motor 21 to operate only in a short time and detecting the displacement at that time as a diagnostic method of the valve remote control apparatus.

(46) Further, when the ambient temperature of the valve remote control apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3 is deviated from the operation temperature range of the operating valve (solenoid valve) 53 and the like, a warning can be issued by detecting the ambient temperature, as illustrated in FIG. 7.

(47) In FIG. 7, the operation temperature range of the operating valve (solenoid valve) 53 is, e.g., 5 degrees centigrade ( C.) to 50 C. If the ambient temperature is deviated from this temperature range, it is expected that the operating valve cannot operate normally. Thus, the ambient temperature of the valve remote control apparatus is detected using a temperature sensor 57. Then, the temperature signal of the temperature sensor 57 is input to a temperature information reading portion 52i.

(48) Consequently, the temperature signal of the temperature sensor 57 is deviated from the preset temperature range, a predetermined temperature warning is issued.

(49) Further, the state of the air motor 21 can be diagnosed by detecting the operating sound of the air motor 21 of the valve remote control apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3 using an acoustic sensor 58 such as a microphone, as illustrated in FIG. 8, and analyzing acoustic information.

(50) In FIG. 8, the air motor 21 generates specific sounds during operation. Thus, the operating sound generated during the normal operation of the air motor 21 is detected by the acoustic sensor 58 and preliminarily read to an acoustic information reading portion 52j. The detected sound is preliminarily analyzed and recorded by an acoustic information analyzing portion 52k. Then, sounds generated when the air motor 21 is operated in a short time are detected by the acoustic sensor 58. The detected sounds are read to the acoustic information reading portion 52j and analyzed by the acoustic information analyzing portion 52k. Further, a result of this analysis is compared with the result of analyzing and recording the sound generated during the normal operation. Accordingly, it can appropriately be determined whether the operating condition of the air motor 21 is normal.

(51) Further, as illustrated in FIG. 9, electric-power may be supplied to the power supply portion 52d of the valve remote control apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3 from an energy harvesting function portion 100 such as a solar battery.

(52) In FIG. 9, the valve remote control apparatus is operated using the battery. Thus, the monitoring of the battery life, and the periodic replacement of the battery are needed. In contrast, the utilization of the energy harvest function portion 100, such as a solar battery, a seismic power generator, and a temperature difference power generator, can extend the life of the battery and eliminate the necessity of a relatively-short-period replacement of the battery.

(53) In addition, the electric circuit of the valve remote control apparatus may be adapted to be intrinsically safety explosion-proof, using, as illustrated in FIG. 10, intrinsically safety explosion-proof solenoid valves 63c and 63d as the solenoid valves of the valve remote control apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3. Further, a single intrinsically-safety-explosion-proof voltage/current limiting resistor 52n may be provided in a rear stage of the contact information output portion. The destination of the output of the voltage/current limiting resistor 52n may be switched by an output terminal switching portion 52m.

(54) In FIG. 10, two solenoids are provided in each of the double latch intrinsically safety explosion-proof solenoid valves 63c and 63d. The direction of the air circuit switching valve 22 for each solenoid valve can be switched by passing a current through each of the solenoids substantially exclusively for about 1 second. This embodiment includes two intrinsically safety explosion-proof solenoid valves 63c and 63d. Therefore, a total number of solenoids is four. The function of the valve remote control apparatus can be achieved by driving all of the four solenoids exclusively.

(55) Further, the products of the intrinsically safety explosion-proof solenoid valves are commercially available. Thus, if the electric circuit of the valve remote control apparatus is designed to be adapted to be intrinsically safety explosion-proof, an intrinsically safety explosion-proof valve remote control apparatus can be realized.

(56) It is requested for explosion-protection not to apply, to each intrinsically safety explosion-proof solenoid valve, a voltage and a current which exceed predetermined values, respectively. Thus, usually, a single voltage/current limiting device is needed for one solenoid. However, because the number of solenoids to be driven at a time is only one, it is redundant to prepare four voltage/current limiting devices. Thus, the single voltage/current limiting resistor 52n is incorporated in the wireless operating system 50. An output of the voltage/current limiting resistor 52n is selectively connected via the output terminal switching portion 52m to a terminal to which a solenoid to be supplied with a current is connected. Incidentally, the output terminal switching portion 52m is also incorporated into the wireless operating system 50 and is driven by remote control.

(57) Consequently, it is sufficient to use only one voltage/current limiting resistor that serves as a factor of increasing a footprint.

(58) As described above, according to the invention, the automatic switch to be added to the manual valve can be driven and controlled by a wireless signal. If the manual valve is used as a tank main valve, the tank main valve can quickly be driven and rotated in a safe direction when a disaster such as an earthquake or a tsunami occurs.

(59) The foregoing description shows only specific preferred embodiments for the purpose of describing and exemplifying the invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and that the invention may include many variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

(60) This application is based on Japanese Patent Application (Patent Application No. 2012-117719) filed on May 23, 2012, and Japanese Patent Application (Patent Application No. 2013-029888) filed on Feb. 19, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SIGNS

(61) 10 manual valve (tank main valve) 20 automatic switch 21 air motor 21a output shaft 30 air source 50 wireless operating system 51 contact information terminal portion 51a wireless transmitting/receiving portion 51b contact information input portion 51c contact information analyzing portion 52 contact information operation portion 52a wireless transmitting/receiving portion 52b contact information output portion 52c contact information converting portion 52d power supply portion 53 operating valve 53a, 53c opening-side solenoid valves 53b, 53d closing-side solenoid valves 54 limit detecting switch 54a opening-side limit detecting switch 54b closing-side limit detecting switch