Automatic draining device

Abstract

To provide an automatic drainage device capable of suppressing a failure caused by submergence of electronic equipment.SOLUTION: An automatic drainage device 1 for automatically draining water in a water pipe 3 laid underground to a drainage system 4 includes a waste water pipeline 6 extending from the water pipe 3 to the drainage system 4, and an electronic device 5 provided in an underground space S in which the waste water pipeline 6 is laid and configured to control water flow through the waste water pipeline 6, wherein the electronic device 5 is provided at a position higher than an underground water level WL.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic drainage device to be installed alongside a water pipe. [Background technology]

[0002] To ensure sanitary conditions, tap water flowing through water pipes is required to have a free residual chlorine concentration of 0.1 mg / L or more at the end of the pipe. However, if water stagnates at the end of the pipe, the free residual chlorine concentration will decrease over time, causing a deterioration in water quality.

[0003] To solve this problem, it is conceivable to constantly drain the water at the end of the pipeline or to have workers manually drain the water periodically, but this would result in new problems of wasting tap water and increasing labor costs.Therefore, for example, in Patent Document 1 listed below, an automatic drainage device is used to periodically drain the stagnant water, thereby suppressing the wastage of tap water and increasing labor costs associated with maintaining water quality while maintaining the free residual chlorine concentration at an appropriate value.

[0004] An automatic drainage system has a wastewater pipe that runs from an underground water pipe to a drainage system (such as a drainage ditch installed above ground), and controls the flow of water through the wastewater pipe by opening and closing a solenoid valve installed on the wastewater pipe. In cold regions in particular, water pipes are sometimes installed deep underground to prevent the stagnant water in the pipes from freezing, and automatic drainage systems are generally installed at the bottom of underground spaces (such as manholes) close to the water pipes. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-130995 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In underground spaces where automatic drainage systems are installed, groundwater can seep in through the interior walls and accumulate, and once accumulated, it is difficult to drain. Electronic devices such as solenoid valves in automatic drainage systems installed in underground spaces may have dustproof and waterproof performance of IP67 or higher, but they cannot withstand prolonged submersion in water and may break down or malfunction. This problem becomes more pronounced when the automatic drainage system is installed lower than the groundwater level.

[0007] It is possible to install an electric drainage pump in the underground space to drain water or to make the underground space more watertight, but this would require costs for wiring for the electrical equipment and installing the drainage pump, as well as costs for modification work to make the space more watertight, and would require the effort of maintaining the drainage pump, making it difficult to put into practical use.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic drainage device that can suppress problems caused by submerging an electronic device in water. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides: An automatic drainage device that automatically drains water from underground water pipes into a drainage system, A drainage pipe extending from the water pipe to the drainage system; An electronic device that controls the flow of water through the drainage pipe, the electronic device being installed in an underground space where the drainage pipe is installed; The automatic drainage device has the above-mentioned structure, and the electronic device is provided at a position higher than the groundwater level (first structure).

[0010] The depth of groundwater that accumulates in an underground space is related to the groundwater level in the surrounding area. Therefore, by placing electronic devices higher than the groundwater level, it is possible to prevent malfunctions caused by the electronic devices being submerged in water.

[0011] In the first configuration, the drainage pipeline has an upward pipe that flows water upward in the underground space, a downward pipe that flows water downward in the underground space, and a connecting pipe that connects the upper ends of the upward pipe and the downward pipe, and the electronic device can be configured (second configuration) to be installed in the connecting pipe. In this way, the electronic device can be installed at a high position using the existing drainage pipeline, and problems caused by the electronic device being submerged can be prevented while minimizing increases in installation costs.

[0012] The second configuration can be configured (third configuration) such that the lengths of the upward piping and the downward piping are variable in accordance with the groundwater level, thereby enabling the installation height of the electronic device to be adjusted flexibly on-site.

[0013] In the first to third configurations, the electronic device may be provided within a range of 25% to 90% of the depth of the underground space from the bottom upward. This configuration (fourth configuration) prevents the electronic device from being submerged due to the groundwater level, and also prevents the electronic device from remaining submerged for a long period of time even if the depth of the groundwater in the underground space temporarily rises due to rainfall.

[0014] In the first to fourth configurations, the electronic device can be a solenoid valve (fifth configuration). The solenoid valve is the most important electronic device in controlling the flow of water in the automatic drainage device, and if it is possible to prevent the solenoid valve from becoming submerged, it is possible to avoid serious problems that are expected to occur as a result of submersion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] In this invention, the electronic device related to the water flow control of the automatic drainage device is installed at a position higher than the groundwater level, so that problems caused by the electronic device being submerged in water can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing an automatic drainage device according to the present invention installed in an underground space (manhole). [Figure 2] Front view of the automatic drainage device shown in Figure 1 [Figure 3] Side view of the automatic drainage device shown in Figure 2 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] An embodiment of an automatic drainage device 1 according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic drainage device 1 is installed in an underground space S (a manhole in this embodiment. Hereinafter, the underground space S will be referred to as a manhole and will be given the same reference numeral as the underground space S). A controller box 2 that houses equipment for controlling the automatic drainage device 1 is installed in this manhole S. The controller box 2 is attached to a relatively high position in the manhole S (a position where there is little risk of it being submerged) via elevating means (such as a ladder, not shown) for ascending and descending within the manhole S.

[0018] The automatic drainage device 1 is a device for automatically draining water (stagnant water) in a water pipe 3 laid underground into an above-ground drainage system 4 (such as a street gutter), and as shown in Figures 1 to 3, electronic equipment 5 for operating the automatic drainage device 1 is installed on the drainage pipe 6.

[0019] The wastewater pipeline 6 is a pipeline extending from the water pipe 3 to the drainage system 4. The wastewater pipeline 6 is configured by sequentially connecting an inlet pipe 6a extending from the water pipe 3 to the inner bottom of the manhole S, a lower pipe 6b extending along the inner bottom of the manhole S, an upward pipe 6c for flowing water upward within the manhole S, a connecting pipe 6d, a downward pipe 6e for flowing water downward within the manhole S, and a drainage pipe 6f leading to the drainage system 4. In this embodiment, the connecting pipe 6d is a pipe extending horizontally, connecting the upper ends of the upward pipe 6c and the downward pipe 6e. Note that instead of a pipe extending horizontally, the connecting pipe 6d can also be an inverted U-shaped pipe without a horizontal portion. It is preferable that the upward pipe 6c and the downward pipe 6e be configured to be separable after being connected, or be configured to be extendable and retractable.

[0020] The lower pipe 6b is provided with a water sampling valve 7 and a water meter 8. The water sampling valve 7 is a valve for sampling water flowing through the wastewater pipe 6. After sampling water from the water sampling valve 7, the water quality of the water flowing through the wastewater pipe 6 is tested. The water meter 8 is a device for measuring the flow rate of water flowing through the wastewater pipe 6. By understanding the drainage flow rate at the time of water disposal through this measurement, the operation of the automatic drainage device 1 can be confirmed and the drainage flow rate can be managed.

[0021] The electronic device 5 is a solenoid valve (hereinafter, designated by the same reference numeral as the electronic device 5) for controlling the flow of water through the wastewater pipe 6 (switching between a flowing state and a cut-off state). The solenoid valve 5 is provided at the top of the connecting pipe 6d. The switching operation of the solenoid valve 5 is performed based on a control signal from the controller box 2. The solenoid valve 5 is provided with dustproof and waterproof performance of about IP67 to prepare for temporary water adhesion or short-term submersion. Note that, although the present embodiment describes a case where the electronic device 5 is a solenoid valve 5, various components that may malfunction when submerged in water (sensors, a computing device, a battery, etc.) can also be included in the electronic device 5 referred to here.

[0022] The lengths of the upward pipe 6c and the downward pipe 6e, i.e., the height of the connecting pipe 6d where the solenoid valve 5 is installed from the bottom of the manhole S, are determined so that they are higher than the groundwater level WL at the location where the manhole S is installed. Because this groundwater level WL normally fluctuates between periods of high and low precipitation, it is preferable to determine the height of the connecting pipe 6d based on the high groundwater level WL during periods of high precipitation. Furthermore, if a record of the highest water level that has accumulated in the manhole S is kept, it is preferable to determine the height of the connecting pipe 6d from the bottom of the manhole S by referring to both the groundwater level WL and this highest water level.

[0023] Generally, the solenoid valve 5 is installed within a range of 25% to 90% of the depth of the manhole S from the bottom. For example, Fig. 1 shows an example in which the solenoid valve 5 is installed at a height of approximately 50%. If it is installed at a height less than 25%, there is a high risk that the solenoid valve 5 will be submerged, and if it is installed at a position higher than 90%, there is a risk that the solenoid valve 5 will interfere with a cover (not shown) installed on the opening of the manhole S, causing a malfunction, so it is preferable to keep it within the above range.

[0024] Furthermore, it is preferable that the solenoid valve 5 is installed within a range of up to one meter downward from the opening of the manhole S. In this way, it becomes possible for a worker to perform maintenance on the solenoid valve 5 directly from the ground without having to enter the manhole S, thereby reducing the burden on the worker.

[0025] In the above embodiment, a plurality of devices (water sampling valve 7 and water meter 8) including an electronic device (solenoid valve 5) are provided on the wastewater pipe 6, and the electronic device 5 is arranged above the devices 7 and 8 other than the electronic device 5, that is, the water sampling valve 7 and water meter 8 are provided on the lower pipe 6b. However, the automatic drainage device 1 according to the present invention can also be applied to a configuration in which one or both of these devices are not provided. Furthermore, the automatic drainage device 1 according to the present invention can also be applied to a configuration in which other components and devices 7 and 8 (insulating members, heat retention devices, check valves, etc.) are provided on the wastewater pipe 6.

[0026] In addition, in the above embodiment, the solenoid valve 5 is provided on the connecting pipe 6d that connects the upper ends of the upward pipe 6c and the downward pipe 6e, but it is also possible to provide a support member that extends upward on the lower pipe 6b and attach the solenoid valve 5 to the upper end of this support member. In this case, the upward pipe 6c, the downward pipe 6e, and the connecting pipe 6d can be omitted.

[0027] In the above embodiment, the case where the underground space S is a manhole S has been described, but the automatic drainage device 1 according to the present invention can also be applied to an underground pit having a predetermined depth (for example, several meters).

[0028] The automatic drainage device 1 is configured such that the solenoid valve 5, which is a type of electronic device, is located at a position higher than the groundwater level WL, thereby preventing problems caused by the solenoid valve 5 being submerged in water.

[0029] In particular, the wastewater pipe 6 has an upward pipe 6c that flows water upward, a downward pipe 6e that flows water downward, and a connecting pipe 6d that connects the upper ends of the upward pipe 6c and the downward pipe 6e, and the solenoid valve 5 is provided on the connecting pipe 6d, so the solenoid valve 5 can be provided at a high position using the existing wastewater pipe 6, minimizing increases in installation costs and preventing problems caused by the solenoid valve 5 being submerged. Also, since the maintenance work of periodically draining groundwater accumulated in the manhole S to prevent the solenoid valve 5 from being submerged is reduced, maintenance costs can be reduced.

[0030] Furthermore, the above-mentioned automatic drainage device 1 is configured such that the solenoid valve 5 is located within a range of 25% to 90% upward from the bottom of the underground space S relative to the depth of the underground space S. This prevents the solenoid valve 5 from being submerged due to the groundwater level WL, and also prevents the solenoid valve 5 from remaining submerged for a long period of time even if the depth of the groundwater in the underground space S temporarily rises due to rainfall.

[0031] Furthermore, the above-mentioned automatic drainage device 1 is configured such that the electronic device 5 is an electromagnetic valve 5, which is the most important electronic device 5 in controlling the water flow of the automatic drainage device 1, and therefore it is possible to avoid major malfunctions that are expected to occur due to submersion in water.

[0032] Furthermore, by configuring the upward pipe 6c and the downward pipe 6e so that they can be connected once and then separated again, or by configuring them to be extendable and contractible, the installation height of the solenoid valve 5 can be flexibly determined at the work site in accordance with the groundwater level WL, and the installation height of the solenoid valve 5 can be easily changed in an existing automatic drainage device 1 when the groundwater level WL changes over the long term.

[0033] The embodiments disclosed herein are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Therefore, the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include meanings equivalent to the claims and all modifications thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 1 Automatic drainage device 2 Controller Box 3. Water pipes 4. Drainage system 5. Electronic equipment (solenoid valves) 6 Waste water pipe 6a Inlet pipe 6b Lower piping 6c Upward piping 6d Connecting piping 6e Downward piping 6f Drainage piping 7 Water sampling valve (equipment) 8 Water meter (equipment) S Underground space (manhole) WL Groundwater level

Claims

1. An automatic drainage device that automatically drains water from an underground water pipe (3) into a drainage system (4), A drainage pipe (6) extending from the water pipe (3) to the drainage system (4); an electronic device (5) that controls the flow of water through the wastewater pipe (6), the electronic device (5) being provided in an underground space (S) in which the wastewater pipe (6) is installed; The automatic drainage device has the electronic device (5) installed at a position higher than the groundwater level (WL).

2. The automatic drainage device of claim 1, wherein the wastewater pipeline (6) has an upward pipe (6c) that flows water upward within the underground space (S), a downward pipe (6e) that flows water downward within the underground space (S), and a connecting pipe (6d) that connects the upper ends of the upward pipe (6c) and the downward pipe (6e), and the electronic device (5) is provided on the connecting pipe (6d).

3. 3. The automatic drainage device according to claim 2, wherein the lengths of the upward pipe (6c) and the downward pipe (6e) are variable in accordance with the groundwater level (WL).

4. 2. The automatic drainage device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device (5) is installed within a range of 25% to 90% upward from the bottom of the underground space (S) relative to the depth of the underground space (S).

5. 5. The automatic drainage device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device (5) is a solenoid valve (5).

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