Dust collector, and filter cloth damage state recognition method

Abstract

To provide a dust collector and so on that can easily recognize a filter cloth damage state.SOLUTION: A dust collector removes dusts contained in air by a filter cloth. The dust collector has: a dust collection chamber having a feed zone to which the air is fed, and a discharge part which discharges the air; an installation part which is arranged between the feed zone and the discharge part in the dust collection chamber, and on which the filter cloth is installed; and a smoke supply part which is provided between the feed zone and the installation part, and supplies smoke into the dust collection chamber.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a dust collector that removes dust and the like contained in air using a filter cloth, and a method for determining the damage state of the filter cloth. [Background technology]

[0002] Dust collectors remove dust and other particles from the air using filter cloth. If the filter cloth is damaged, such as torn, visible smoke containing dust and other particles will be emitted to the outside. Since visible smoke can have an impact on the environment, it is important to check the condition of the filter cloth for damage.

[0003] The damaged state of the filter cloth is checked by, for example, visual inspection by an operator, for example, by checking whether dust or the like has accumulated on or around the filter cloth, or whether there is evidence of dust or the like having leaked out.

[0004] Furthermore, the damage state of the filter cloth is confirmed by measuring the concentration of dust etc. adhering to the filter cloth. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that the damage state of the filter cloth is confirmed by blowing pulsed air onto the filter cloth and measuring the dust concentration immediately thereafter. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-130566 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Visual inspection of the damage condition of filter cloths places a heavy burden on the worker because the work environment is narrow and the worker must be in a low position to check. In addition, the accuracy of the inspection results varies greatly depending on the worker's experience, which leads to the problem of inconsistency in the inspection results depending on the worker.

[0007] Furthermore, in the method described in Patent Document 1, air is sprayed onto a plurality of filter cloths arranged in one direction, and the concentration of dust and the like is measured. The concentration of dust and the like is measured for each of the plurality of filter cloths arranged in the one direction. Therefore, even if a concentration corresponding to damage to a filter cloth is measured, there is a problem that an operator must visually check the damaged filter cloth to identify it. In addition, a concentration measuring device for measuring the concentration of dust and the like must be installed for each dust collector, which results in a problem of high initial investment.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a dust collector etc. that allows easy identification of the damage state of the filter cloth. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following features. [1] A dust collector that removes dust contained in the air using a filter cloth, a dust collection chamber having a supply section to which the air is supplied and a discharge section to which the air is discharged; an installation section disposed between the supply section and the discharge section in the dust collection chamber, and in which the filter cloth is installed; a smoke supply unit disposed between the supply unit and the installation unit and configured to supply smoke to the dust collection chamber; [2] The dust collector according to [1], wherein the supply unit has an adjustment unit that adjusts the amount of air flowing into the dust collection chamber. [3] The dust collector according to [1] or [2], wherein the mesh of the filter cloth is formed with a roughness that prevents the smoke supplied from the smoke supply unit from passing through. [4] an imaging data acquisition unit that acquires imaging data of the surface of the filter cloth disposed on the discharge unit side; a reference data acquisition unit for acquiring reference data that serves as a reference for the damage state of the filter cloth; A dust collector according to any one of [1] to [3], having a damage recognition device including a damage state information generation unit that generates damage state information regarding the damage state of the filter cloth based on the imaging data and the reference data. [5] The dust collector according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the smoke is colored a different color from the filter cloth. [6] A method for determining a damage state of a filter cloth, using the dust collector according to any one of [1] to [5], a smoke supplying step of supplying smoke to the dust collecting chamber; and a damage state determination step of determining the damage state of the filter cloth based on the transmission pattern of the smoke through the surface of the filter cloth arranged on the discharge section side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The dust collector of the present invention includes a supply unit that supplies air to the dust collection chamber and a smoke supply unit that is disposed between the dust collection chamber and the installation unit where the filter cloth is installed and supplies smoke to the dust collection chamber. The smoke supplied from the smoke supply unit fills the dust collection chamber. The surface of the filter cloth disposed on the discharge unit side has a different smoke permeation pattern depending on the damage state of the filter cloth. In other words, the damage state of the filter cloth can be easily determined based on the smoke permeation pattern through the surface of the filter cloth. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a dust collector. [Figure 2] 1 shows an aspect in which a filter cloth is installed in an installation section. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an installation mode of a filter cloth. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a method for determining the damage state of a filter cloth. [Figure 5] 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an aspect of the damage state determination step of FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 6]5 is an explanatory diagram showing an aspect of the damage state determination step of FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 7] 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an aspect of the damage state determination step of FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing functional blocks of a dust collector according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a method for determining the damage state of a filter cloth according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] (First embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will now be described. Fig. 1 shows the configuration of a dust collector. The dust collector 100 shown in Fig. 1 has a box-shaped dust collection chamber 10. In this embodiment, the dust collection chamber 10 is formed so that the lower side is narrowed. In addition, a discharge valve 11 is provided at the bottom of the dust collection chamber 10 to discharge collected dust and the like to the outside.

[0013] Dust collection chamber 10 has a supply unit 12 that supplies air into the chamber and a discharge unit 13 that discharges air to the outside. Supply unit 12 is provided above dust collection chamber 10. Supply unit 12 is connected to a duct 20 that serves as a flow path for air discharged from operating equipment such as a factory or a building. Supply unit 12 is provided with an adjustment unit 21 that adjusts the amount of air flowing into dust collection chamber 10.

[0014] The adjustment unit 21 is not particularly limited as long as it can adjust the air flow rate so as to reduce the amount of air flowing into the dust collection chamber 10, and for example, a so-called plug-in damper, slide gate damper, valve, etc. can be used. By using a plug-in damper, slide gate damper, etc. as the adjustment unit 21, it is possible to block the air supplied to the dust collection chamber 10 with a simple configuration.

[0015] The dust collection chamber 10 has an installation section 15 in which the filter cloth 14 is installed. The installation section 15 is formed to be open at the top of the dust collection chamber 10, and is disposed between the supply section 12 and the discharge section 13. In other words, the installation section 15 has an opening that penetrates from the supply section 12 side to the discharge section 13.

[0016] The filter cloth 14 may be either a cylindrical filter cloth with a bottom and an open axial end, or a panel filter cloth. In this embodiment, an example in which the filter cloth 14 is cylindrical will be described. The filter cloth 14 is mainly made of polyester or heat-resistant nylon. The material of the filter cloth 14 is selected appropriately depending on the temperature and type of dust, etc.

[0017] The discharge unit 13 is connected to an exhaust pipe 30 that discharges air to the outside of the dust collector 100. An exhaust fan 40 is provided between the discharge unit 13 and the exhaust pipe 30. Therefore, when the exhaust fan 40 is operated, the air that has flowed in from the supply unit 12 passes through the filter cloth 14 in the dust collection chamber 10 and is discharged from the exhaust pipe 30.

[0018] A partition wall 16 is provided between the supply section 12 and the installation section 15. The partition wall 16 is formed to extend downward from above the dust collection chamber 10. Therefore, the air flowing in from the supply section 12 moves from the tip end side to the base end side of the filter cloth 14.

[0019] A smoke supply unit 50 that supplies smoke to the dust collection chamber 10 is provided below the dust collection chamber 10. The smoke supply unit 50 is provided between the supply unit 12 and the installation unit 15. In this embodiment, the smoke supply unit 50 is provided below the filter cloth 14.

[0020] The smoke supply unit 50 is a device that generates and blows smoke. The smoke can be generated by, for example, vaporizing an aqueous solution obtained by mixing a glycol, such as propylene glycol or 1,3-butylene glycol, with water, without any particular limitation. Furthermore, it is preferable that the aqueous solution be made of non-flammable components and contain no harmful substances. Because the smoke has these characteristics, even if a worker inhales the smoke, he or she can continue working without any problems.

[0021] When discharging dust and the like to the outside, a vibrator is used to vibrate the wall portion to encourage discharge to the outside. A through-hole into which the vibrator can be inserted is provided below the dust collection chamber 10. The smoke supply unit 50 may be inserted into the through-hole, for example.

[0022] Fig. 2 shows an embodiment in which the filter cloths 14 are installed in the installation section 15. As shown in Fig. 2, a plurality of the filter cloths 14 are arranged in one direction. In this embodiment, nine filter cloths 14 are arranged in a row in one direction. The nine rows of filter cloths 14 are arranged parallel to each other. The filter cloths 14 are inserted into openings (not shown) that penetrate the installation section 15 from the supply section 12 side to the discharge section 13.

[0023] An injection nozzle 17 that injects cleaning air in pulses is disposed above each row of filter cloth 14. An injection nozzle 17 is provided for each row of filter cloth 14. Each injection nozzle 17 is connected via an electromagnetic valve to a pulse air supply pipe 18 that supplies cleaning air.

[0024] Each injection nozzle 17 injects cleaning air in pulses toward the inner surface of the filter cloth 14 from a position corresponding to the filter cloth 14. This allows dust and other particles trapped in the meshes of the filter cloth 14 to fall downward, thereby improving the air flow through the filter cloth 14. It is preferable that each injection nozzle 17 periodically injects cleaning air at a predetermined timing using, for example, a timer.

[0025] Fig. 3 shows an installation mode of the filter cloth 14. As shown in Fig. 3, the filter cloth 14 is engaged with a frame 60. The frame 60 has a frame body 61 that is inserted into the inside of the filter cloth 14, a fixing portion 62 that fixes the filter cloth 14 to the frame 60, and an attachment portion 63 that attaches the frame 60 to the dust collection chamber 10.

[0026] The frame 61 is formed, for example, in a lattice shape. The frame 61 is formed to fit the shape of the inner circumferential surface of the filter cloth 14. In this embodiment, the frame 61 is formed in a cylindrical shape as a whole.

[0027] The fixing parts 62 are not particularly limited as long as they can fix the filter cloth 14 to the frame 63, and for example, clip-shaped fixing metal fittings can be used to clamp and fix the filter cloth 14. In this embodiment, a pair of fixing parts 62 are provided at positions facing each other.

[0028] The attachment portion 63 is formed so as to be engaged with the edge of an attachment hole (not shown) provided in the installation portion 15. In this embodiment, the attachment portion 63 is formed in a disk shape.

[0029] Here, the average particle size of dust particles, etc., to be captured by the filter cloth 14 is, for example, 200 μm. The smoke supply unit 50 supplies smoke with an average particle size of, for example, 10 μm. In this case, the mesh of the filter cloth 14 should be coarse enough to prevent the smoke from passing through but to capture dust particles, etc.

[0030] Therefore, by forming the filter cloth 14 in this manner, if the filter cloth 14 is not damaged, smoke will not be visible from the inner circumferential side of the filter cloth 14. In contrast, if the filter cloth 14 has damage 19, smoke will penetrate from the outer circumferential side to the inner circumferential side of the filter cloth 14, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 3. This allows the worker to visually recognize the smoke.

[0031] Fig. 4 shows a flow of the method for determining the damage state of the filter cloth 14. As shown in Fig. 4, the flow of the method for determining the damage state of the filter cloth 14 includes a smoke supply step of supplying smoke to the dust collection chamber 10 (step S101).

[0032] In the smoke supply process of step S101, first, the adjustment unit 21 throttles the amount of air flowing into the dust collection chamber 10. More specifically, the adjustment unit 21 may block the air flowing into the dust collection chamber 10. Next, smoke is generated from the smoke supply unit 50, and the smoke is supplied to the dust collection chamber 10. The supply of smoke by the smoke supply unit 50 is continued until the dust collection chamber 10 is filled with smoke.

[0033] The time it takes for the smoke to fill the dust collection chamber 10 varies depending on the supply capacity of the smoke supply unit 50 and the volume of the dust collection chamber 10. For example, if the volume of the dust collection chamber 10 is 270 m 3 In this case, the smoke fills the dust collection chamber 10 30 minutes after the start of the smoke supply. 3 In this case, the smoke fills the dust collection chamber 10 two minutes after the start of the supply of smoke.

[0034] Next, a damage state determination step is performed to determine the damage state of the filter cloth based on the smoke transmission pattern on the surface of the filter cloth 14 disposed on the discharge section 13 side (step S102).

[0035] The damage state determination process in step S102 is performed in a state where smoke is filled in the dust collection chamber 10. The worker moves to the installation section 15 of the dust collection chamber and visually checks the inner peripheral surface of the filter cloth 14.

[0036] Figures 5 to 7 are explanatory views showing aspects of the damage state determination step of Figure 4. More specifically, Figure 5 shows an aspect when the filter cloth 14 is not damaged. Figure 6 shows an aspect when the filter cloth 14 is slightly damaged. Figure 7 shows an aspect when the filter cloth 14 is severely damaged.

[0037] 5, when the filter cloth 14 is not damaged, in the damage state determination process of step S102, no smoke is confirmed on the inner peripheral surface of the filter cloth 14. In this case, the operator determines that the filter cloth 14 is not damaged.

[0038] 6, when the filter cloth 14 has slight damage 19, in the damage state determination process of step S102, a small amount of visible smoke SM is confirmed on the inner peripheral surface of the filter cloth 14. In this case, the operator determines that the filter cloth 14 has slight damage.

[0039] 7, when the filter cloth 14 has severe damage 19, in the damage state determination process of step S102, smoke SM that is easily visible is confirmed on the inner peripheral surface of the filter cloth 14. In this case, the operator determines that the filter cloth 14 has a severe damage state.

[0040] The damage 19 shown in Fig. 7 has a larger opening area than the damage 19 shown in Fig. 6. The amount of smoke SM shown in Fig. 7 is greater than the amount of smoke SM shown in Fig. 6. In other words, the amount of smoke SM visible from the inner circumferential surface of the filter cloth 14 increases as the opening area of ​​the damage 19 increases.

[0041] As described above, the dust collector 100 of the present invention has the smoke supply unit 50 that supplies smoke to the dust collection chamber 10. The smoke SM supplied from the smoke supply unit 50 fills the dust collection chamber 10. The surface of the filter cloth 14 disposed on the discharge unit 13 side has different modes of permeation of the smoke SM depending on the damage state of the filter cloth 14. In other words, the damage state of the filter cloth 14 can be easily determined depending on the mode of permeation of the smoke SM through the surface of the filter cloth 14.

[0042] The color of the smoke SM supplied from the smoke supply unit 50 may be colored a different color from the filter cloth 14. For example, if the filter cloth 14 is white, the color of the smoke SM may be a primary color such as black, red, yellow, or blue. By coloring the smoke SM in this way, the transmission mode of the smoke can be more easily recognized.

[0043] (Second embodiment) In the above embodiment, the example in which damage to the filter cloth is recognized by the operator has been described. However, the recognition of damage to the filter cloth may be performed by someone other than the operator.

[0044] Fig. 8 shows functional blocks of the damage certification device 200. The dust collector 100 may be configured to include the damage certification device 200 shown in Fig. 8. As shown in Fig. 8, the damage certification device 200 includes an input / output unit 71 connected to an external device so as to be able to communicate data with the device, a storage unit 72 that stores various data, and a control unit 73, all of which are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate data with the device.

[0045] The input / output unit 71 is an interface that is provided to enable data communication with external devices. In this embodiment, the input / output unit 71 is connected to a camera CM. The camera CM has an optical axis that is arranged so as to be able to capture an image of the surface of the filter cloth 14 that is arranged on the discharge unit 13 side in the dust collection chamber 10, i.e., the inner circumferential surface of the filter cloth 14.

[0046] The camera CM generates imaging data that allows identification of one of the plurality of filter cloths 14. One camera CM may generate imaging data for one filter cloth 14, or one camera CM may generate imaging data for a plurality of filter cloths 14. The imaging data generated by the camera CM is input to the damage recognition device 200 via the input / output unit 71.

[0047] The storage unit 72 is a writable nonvolatile memory such as an EPROM, etc. The storage unit 72 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a storage device such as an HDD or SSD.

[0048] The memory unit 72 stores image data captured by the camera CM, reference data that serves as a standard for determining the state of damage to the filter cloth 14, and the like. The reference data is data related to the amount of smoke that is generated when damage to the filter cloth 14 is determined. The reference data may be, for example, the area value of the smoke in the image. Furthermore, the reference data may be, for example, image data of the inner peripheral surface of the filter cloth 14 captured when no smoke is detected.

[0049] The control unit 73 is a computer including a CPU. The control unit 73 controls the operation of the damage recognition device 200. The control unit 73 has an imaging data acquisition unit 74 that acquires imaging data captured by the camera CM, and a reference data acquisition unit 75 that acquires reference data. The control unit 73 has a damage state information generation unit 76 that generates damage state information regarding the damage state of the filter cloth 14 based on the imaging data and the reference data. The imaging data acquisition unit 74, the reference data acquisition unit 75, and the damage state information generation unit 76 realize their functions by executing programs stored in the storage unit 72.

[0050] The imaging data acquisition unit 74 acquires imaging data by reading out imaging data stored in the storage unit 72. The reference data acquisition unit 75 acquires reference data by reading out reference data stored in the storage unit 72.

[0051] The damage state information generating unit 76 generates damage state information regarding the damage state of the filter cloth 14 based on the imaging data acquired by the imaging data acquiring unit 74 and the reference data acquired by the reference data acquiring unit 75 .

[0052] Fig. 9 is a flow diagram of a method for determining the damage state of a filter cloth according to the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 9, the flow of the method for determining the damage state of the filter cloth 14 includes a smoke supplying step of supplying smoke to the dust collection chamber 10 (step S201). The smoke supplying step of step S201 is the same as the smoke supplying step of step S101 described in Fig. 4, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0053] Next, when the dust collection chamber 10 is filled with smoke, the camera CM captures an image of the surface of the filter cloth 14 disposed on the discharge section 13 side, i.e., the inner peripheral surface of the filter cloth 14. The image data generated by the camera CM is stored in the memory section 72 via the input / output section 71.

[0054] The imaging data acquisition unit 74 reads imaging data from the storage unit 72 and executes an imaging data acquisition step (step S202). Furthermore, the reference data acquisition unit 75 reads reference data from the storage unit 72 and executes a reference data acquisition step (step S203). Note that either the imaging data acquisition step of step S202 or the reference data acquisition step of step S203 may be performed first.

[0055] The damage state information generation unit 76 generates damage state information using the imaging data acquired in the imaging data acquisition process of step S202 and the reference data acquired in the reference data acquisition process of step S203, and executes the damage state information generation process (step S204).

[0056] In the damage state information generating step of step S204, the damage state information generating unit 76 detects smoke from the imaging data. The detection of smoke is not particularly limited, but is performed by image processing, for example.

[0057] Image processing is performed by acquiring morphological data other than smoke and subtracting the morphological data from the imaging data, thereby extracting the smoke from the imaging data.

[0058] The damage state information generating unit 76 calculates the area of ​​the extracted smoke. The damage state information generating unit 76 refers to the reference data, and if the area of ​​the smoke is equal to or less than the reference data, generates damage state information indicating that the filter cloth 14 is "not damaged." On the other hand, if the area of ​​the smoke exceeds the reference data, the damage state information generating unit 76 generates damage state information indicating that the filter cloth 14 is "damaged." In this case, a threshold value for the area of ​​the smoke may be further set, and if the area of ​​the smoke is equal to or less than the threshold, it may be determined that the damage is slight. Also, if the area of ​​the smoke exceeds the threshold, it may be determined that the damage is severe.

[0059] Alternatively, the form of smoke may be used as the reference data. In this case, the damage state information generating unit 76 may compare the form of smoke extracted from the imaging data with the form of smoke in the reference data, and generate damage state information according to the degree of agreement between the two.

[0060] By executing the steps from the imaging data acquisition step in step S202 to the damage state information generation step in step S204, a damage state determination step for determining the damage state of the filter cloth 14 is performed.

[0061] As described above, even when the damage determination device 200 of the present invention is configured, the damage state of the filter cloth 14 can be easily determined according to the permeation pattern of smoke SM through the surface of the filter cloth 14. This reduces the labor required by the operator, and allows damage to the filter cloth 14 to be determined efficiently.

[0062] In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which damage state information is generated using imaging data. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and damage state information may be generated in accordance with the detection mode of smoke using a sensor that detects components contained in smoke.

[0063] For example, if the detected amount of a component contained in smoke is equal to or less than a reference value, damage status information indicating no damage may be generated.Alternatively, depending on the degree to which the detected amount exceeds the reference value, damage status information indicating slight damage or severe damage may be generated. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 100 Dust Collector 200 Damage Certification Device 10 Dust collection chamber 12 Supply section 13 Discharge section 14 Filter cloth 15 Installation part 21 Adjustment part 74 Imaging data acquisition unit 75 Reference data acquisition section 76 Damage status information generation unit

Claims

1. A dust collector that removes dust contained in the air using a filter cloth, a dust collection chamber having a supply section to which the air is supplied and a discharge section to which the air is discharged; an installation section disposed between the supply section and the discharge section in the dust collection chamber, and in which the filter cloth is installed; a smoke supply unit disposed between the supply unit and the installation unit and configured to supply smoke to the dust collection chamber;

2. The dust collector according to claim 1 , wherein the supply unit has an adjustment unit that adjusts the amount of the air that flows into the dust collection chamber.

3. The dust collector according to claim 1 , wherein the mesh of the filter cloth is formed with a roughness that prevents the smoke supplied from the smoke supply unit from passing through.

4. The dust collector according to claim 2 , wherein the mesh of the filter cloth is formed with a roughness that prevents the smoke supplied from the smoke supply unit from passing through.

5. an imaging data acquisition unit that acquires imaging data of the surface of the filter cloth disposed on the discharge unit side; a reference data acquisition unit for acquiring reference data that serves as a reference for the damage state of the filter cloth; The dust collector according to claim 1 , further comprising: a damage determination device including a damage state information generation unit that generates damage state information regarding a damage state of the filter cloth based on the imaging data and the reference data.

6. an imaging data acquisition unit that acquires imaging data of the surface of the filter cloth disposed on the discharge unit side; a reference data acquisition unit for acquiring reference data that serves as a reference for the damage state of the filter cloth; The dust collector according to claim 2 , further comprising a damage determination device including a damage state information generation unit that generates damage state information regarding a damage state of the filter cloth based on the image data and the reference data.

7. an imaging data acquisition unit that acquires imaging data of the surface of the filter cloth disposed on the discharge unit side; a reference data acquisition unit for acquiring reference data that serves as a reference for the damage state of the filter cloth; The dust collector according to claim 3 , further comprising a damage recognition device including a damage state information generating unit that generates damage state information regarding a damage state of the filter cloth based on the imaging data and the reference data.

8. an imaging data acquisition unit that acquires imaging data of the surface of the filter cloth disposed on the discharge unit side; a reference data acquisition unit for acquiring reference data that serves as a reference for the damage state of the filter cloth; The dust collector according to claim 4 , further comprising a damage recognition device including a damage state information generating unit that generates damage state information regarding a damage state of the filter cloth based on the imaging data and the reference data.

9. The dust collector according to claim 1 , wherein the smoke is colored a different color from the filter cloth.

10. A damage state determination method for determining the damage state of a filter cloth using the dust collector according to any one of claims 1 to 9, a smoke supplying step of supplying smoke to the dust collecting chamber; and a damage state determination step of determining the damage state of the filter cloth based on the transmission pattern of the smoke through the surface of the filter cloth arranged on the discharge portion side.

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