Method and device for detecting bulk logistics volume

Abstract

To provide a method and device for detecting the bulk logistics volume, which allow for realizing space-saving arrangement, significantly reducing implementation costs and maintenance costs, and accurately measuring an instantaneous maximum logistics volume and keeping the measurements as numerical records.SOLUTION: A bulk logistics volume detection method is provided, comprising: capturing an image of bulk cargo 2 being transported from the side using an IP camera 11 (image capturing device); inputting the image to a personal computer 12 (arithmetic unit) and processing saturation, contrast, and brightness to binarize the image into a detection target and other portion; and deriving the logistics volume of the bulk cargo 2 based on a region of the binarized image occupied by a color of the detection target.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting bulk material flow. [Background technology]

[0002] A known unloader for unloading various bulk materials such as grains from ships moored at a quay is a pneumatic unloader that unloads the bulk materials by inserting a suction nozzle into the material and sucking it in (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).With this type of pneumatic unloader, a suction nozzle is inserted into the bulk material and the suction force of a vacuum blower is used to suck the bulk materials in, thereby unloading the material.

[0003] The bulk materials sucked into the suction nozzle along with the air are then introduced into a receiver tank, and the bulk materials are discharged from the bottom of the receiver tank via a discharge device such as a rotary feeder onto a chain conveyor while maintaining the airtightness of the receiver tank, while the air separated from the bulk materials is sucked out of the receiver tank into the vacuum blower.

[0004] Here, in order to ensure efficient loading and unloading while avoiding placing excessive strain on downstream equipment, it is necessary to measure and monitor the flow rate of bulk materials being transported by the chain conveyor. Conventionally, however, a load detection plate has been placed at the discharge outlet of the chain conveyor, and the force of the bulk materials hitting the load detection plate is mechanically measured by a load cell. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-23001 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2016-23004 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, when detecting the flow rate of bulk materials using such conventional methods, a load detection plate must be placed under the discharge outlet of the chain conveyor, and when incorporating this method into a chain conveyor used as an in-machine conveyor of a pneumatic unloader as described above, it can be difficult to secure space for placing the load detection plate. Moreover, the load detection plate is subject to wear as it is constantly hit by bulk materials, requiring regular maintenance and replacement, which increases costs.

[0007] On the other hand, it is possible to estimate the flow rate from the current value of the chain conveyor's motor, but because the total weight of the bulk items placed on the chain conveyor is reflected in the current value of the motor, this method only captures the average flow rate of the bulk items transported on the chain conveyor, so it is not possible to measure the instantaneous maximum flow rate.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned situation, and aims to provide a bulk material flow detection method and device that can be arranged in a space-saving manner, significantly reduce implementation and maintenance costs, and accurately measure instantaneous maximum flow rates and keep a quantified record of the measured flow rates. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention relates to a method for detecting a flow rate of bulk material during transportation of the bulk material, the method comprising the steps of: The loose items are photographed from the side during transportation using an image capture device. The image captured by the imaging device is input into a computing device. The arithmetic unit processes the saturation, contrast, and brightness of the image to binarize it into the detection target and other parts. The present invention relates to a bulk material flow rate detection method for determining the flow rate of bulk material based on the area occupied by the color of the detection target in the binarized image.

[0010] In order to more specifically implement the method for detecting the flow rate of bulk materials according to the present invention, an image binarized by a computing unit is divided into a number of equal blocks, one above the other, Each block is scanned from the bottom up to determine the number of pixels of the target color per block. If the number of pixels is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the next block is scanned. When the number of pixels of the color to be detected does not reach a predetermined threshold, the number of scanned blocks can be converted into a flow rate.

[0011] The present invention also provides an apparatus for detecting a flow rate of bulk material during transportation of the bulk material, comprising: The system is provided with an image capture device that captures images of loose items from the side during transport, and a calculator that captures the images captured by the image capture device and converts them into a flow rate through image processing, The computing unit includes: The saturation, contrast, and brightness of the image captured by the imaging device are processed to binarize the image into a detection target and other portions; The present invention also relates to a bulk material flow rate detection device that is configured to determine the flow rate of bulk material based on the area occupied by the color of the detection target in the binarized image.

[0012] In more specific implementation of the bulk material flow rate detection device of the present invention, The computing unit includes: The binarized image is divided into many equal blocks, one above the other, Each block is scanned from the bottom up to determine the number of pixels of the target color per block. If the number of pixels is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the next block is scanned. It is preferable that the number of scanned blocks is converted into a flow rate when the number of pixels of the color to be detected does not reach a predetermined threshold value.

[0013] Furthermore, the bulk material flow rate detection device of the present invention can be applied to, for example, the chain conveyor of a pneumatic unloader. Effect of the Invention

[0014] The bulk material flow rate detection method and apparatus of the present invention can be implemented without the need for expensive equipment, using only inexpensive and compact components such as a camera, a calculator, and an observation window, thereby enabling the device to be arranged in a space-saving manner and significantly reducing its implementation costs.Furthermore, a system is adopted in which bulk materials are photographed from the side during transport using an image capture device and the flow rate of the bulk materials is instantly detected through image processing, making it possible to detect the flow rate of bulk materials without contact and requiring no moving parts.This significantly reduces the frequency of part replacement and maintenance, significantly reducing maintenance costs, and can also provide a variety of excellent effects, such as the ability to accurately measure instantaneous maximum flow rates and keep them as a quantified record. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing one embodiment of a bulk material flow rate detection device of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the arrangement of the IP cameras in FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 is a flowchart showing a specific procedure for image processing in the personal computer of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of binarization in image processing according to the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an image diagram of 100 divisions in the image processing of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] Figures 1 to 5 show one embodiment of the present invention, and in this embodiment, the case where the chain conveyor of a pneumatic unloader is used as an example of the application is shown. As shown generally in Figure 1, this type of pneumatic unloader 1 comprises a receiver tank 3 into which bulk materials 2 can be introduced, a vacuum blower 5 connected to the receiver tank 3 via an air pipe 4, a horizontally telescopic pipe 6 connected to the receiver tank 3 so as to be able to swing and extend laterally, a bend pipe 7 connected to the end of the horizontally telescopic pipe 6 and bent downward, a vertically telescopic pipe 8 connected to the end of the bend pipe 7 and extending downward approximately vertically, and a suction nozzle 9 connected to the end of the vertically telescopic pipe 8 and inserted to a predetermined depth into the bulk materials 2 loaded on a ship (not shown).

[0018] Here, the horizontal telescopic pipe 6 includes a large diameter pipe section 6a connected to the receiver tank 3 and a small diameter pipe section 6b slidably inserted into the large diameter pipe section 6a, and is configured to be telescopic by moving the large diameter pipe section 6a and the small diameter pipe section 6b relative to each other.

[0019] The vertical telescopic tube 8 includes the large diameter tube section 8a and a small diameter tube section 8b slidably inserted into the large diameter tube section 8a, and is configured to be telescopic by moving the large diameter tube section 8a and the small diameter tube section 8b relative to each other.

[0020] In this embodiment, bulk goods 2 as cargo (transported goods) are sucked into the suction nozzle 9 together with air, and then introduced into the receiver tank 3 via the vertical expansion tube 8, the bend tube 7, and the horizontal expansion tube 6. The goods are then discharged from the bottom of the receiver tank 3 via a discharge device 3a such as a rotary feeder onto the chain conveyor 10, while the air separated from the bulk goods 2 is sucked into the vacuum blower 5 through the air pipe 4.

[0021] Furthermore, the symbol 11 in Figure 1 is an IP camera 11 (image capture device) that captures the bulk items 2 from the side during transport, and the images captured by the IP camera 11 are input into a personal computer 12 (calculator) as captured data and converted into a flow rate through image processing.The conversion result is sent as binary data to the control device 13 (PLC: Programmable Logic Controller) of the pneumatic unloader 1 and is used for various operational controls of the pneumatic unloader 1.

[0022] Here, the IP camera 11 is a computer-integrated imaging device in which each camera has its own IP address and users who have been given access can view, save, and manage live footage via an IP-based network infrastructure. As shown in Figure 2, the IP camera 11 is arranged facing an observation window 14 provided on the side of the casing of the chain conveyor 10, and through the observation window 14, the bulk goods 2 being transported can be photographed from the side to grasp the layer thickness of the bulk goods 2.

[0023] In addition, the personal computer 12 is installed, for example, in the driver's cab of the pneumatic unloader 1, and the image captured by the IP camera 11 is converted into the flow rate of bulk material 2 through image processing using image processing software, and the converted result is displayed on a display (display unit).

[0024] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram explaining the specific steps of image processing in the personal computer 12. First, in step S1, the settings of the image saturation, contrast, and brightness are adjusted on the setting screen of the image processing software, and only the parts that fall within the respective ranges are extracted. The color-extracted image is then converted to grayscale, and the detection target and other parts are binarized into black and white (FIG. 4 is an image of the binarization).

[0025] Next, in step S2, the image binarized in step S1 is divided vertically into 100 equal blocks (Figure 5 is an image of the 100 divisions), and further, in step S3, the 100 equal blocks are scanned in order from the bottom up, and the next step S4 determines the number of white pixels per block (the number of pixels of the color to be detected).

[0026] Then, in the next step S5, it is determined whether the number of white pixels found in step S4 is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value. If the result is YES, the process proceeds to step S6 to scan the next block, and then the process returns to step S4 to repeat the scanning of the new block to find the number of white pixels per block (the number of pixels of the color to be detected).

[0027] By scanning each block from the bottom up in this manner, the scanning eventually reaches the top of the loose object 2 in the image, and the number of white pixels in step S5 falls below a predetermined threshold, resulting in a NO judgment. In this case, the flow rate of the loose object 2 is calculated from the number of scanned blocks in step S7, and then in the next step S8, the flow rate of the loose object 2 is calculated from the number of scanned blocks.

[0028] In this way, the system can be implemented without the need for expensive equipment, using only inexpensive and compact components such as the IP camera 11, personal computer 12, and observation window 14, thereby realizing a space-saving arrangement of the device configuration and significantly reducing implementation costs.

[0029] Furthermore, since a method is adopted in which an image is taken from outside the casing of the chain conveyor 10 and the flow rate of the bulk materials 2 is instantly detected by image processing, it is possible to detect the flow rate of the bulk materials 2 without contact and it is possible to configure a system that does not require moving parts. This significantly reduces the frequency of part replacement and maintenance, thereby significantly suppressing maintenance costs. Furthermore, compared to the conventional method of estimating the flow rate from the current value of the motor of the chain conveyor 10, it is possible to accurately measure the instantaneous maximum flow rate and keep a numerical record of it.

[0030] Furthermore, the bulk material flow rate detection method and apparatus of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, but can also be applied to bulk material transport devices other than the chain conveyors of pneumatic unloaders, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 1 Pneumatic unloader 2 Loose items 10 Chain conveyor 11 IP camera (camera) 12 Personal computers (arithmetic units) 13 Control device 14 Observation window

Claims

1. A method for detecting a flow rate of bulk material during transportation of the bulk material, comprising: The loose items are photographed from the side during transportation using an image capture device. The image captured by the imaging device is input into a computing device. The arithmetic unit processes the saturation, contrast, and brightness of the image to binarize it into the detection target and other parts. A method for detecting bulk material flow rate that determines the flow rate of bulk material based on the area occupied by the color of the object to be detected in the binarized image.

2. The image binarized by the calculator is divided into many equal blocks, one above the other, Each block is scanned from the bottom up to determine the number of pixels of the color to be detected per block. If the number of pixels is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the next block is scanned. A method for detecting bulk material flow rate according to claim 1, wherein the number of scanned blocks is converted into a flow rate when the number of pixels of the color to be detected does not meet a predetermined threshold value.

3. An apparatus for detecting a flow rate of bulk material during transportation of the bulk material, The system is provided with an image capture device that captures images of loose items from the side during transport, and a calculator that captures the images captured by the image capture device and converts them into a flow rate through image processing, The computing unit includes: The saturation, contrast, and brightness of the image captured by the imaging device are processed to binarize the image into a detection target and other portions. The bulk material flow rate detection device is configured to determine the flow rate of bulk material based on the area occupied by the color of the detection target in the binarized image.

4. The computing unit includes: The binarized image is divided into many equal blocks, one above the other, Each block is scanned from the bottom up to determine the number of pixels of the color to be detected per block. If the number of pixels is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the next block is scanned. A bulk material flow detection device as described in claim 3, configured to convert the number of scanned blocks into a flow rate when the number of pixels of the color to be detected does not meet a predetermined threshold value.

5. The bulk material flow rate detection device according to claim 3 or 4, which is applied to a chain conveyor of a pneumatic unloader.

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