Dew point measuring device, sealed container, and dew point measuring method

Abstract

To provide a dew point measuring device, a sealed container, and a dew point measuring method capable of accurately detecting a dew point in a configuration for detecting the dew point in the sealed container.SOLUTION: The dew point measuring device 10 includes a light projecting unit 12 capable of emitting laser light L toward the sealed container 22, a light receiving unit 14 capable of receiving the laser light L emitted from the light projecting unit 12 and passing through the inside of the sealed container 22, and a decompression mechanism 24 that is provided in each of the light projecting unit 12 and the light receiving unit 14 and decompresses a space of a gap with the sealed container 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a dew point measuring device, a sealed container, and a dew point measuring method. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a laser spectroscopic inspection device that detects the amounts and concentrations of components in a container by irradiating an inspection beam from a projection light source onto the inside of the container and receiving the beam with a detector. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-119894 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in a device that detects the condition inside a container by irradiating laser light from outside the container, as in the structure of Patent Document 1 above, the detection results may vary depending on the atmosphere outside the container, and there is room for improvement in detection accuracy.

[0005] In consideration of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a dew point measuring device, a sealed container, and a dew point measuring method that can accurately detect the dew point in a configuration for detecting the dew point inside a sealed container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The dew point measuring device according to claim 1 comprises a light projecting unit capable of irradiating a laser beam toward a sealed container, a light receiving unit capable of receiving the laser beam that has been projected from the light projecting unit and passed through the inside of the sealed container, and a pressure reducing mechanism provided in each of the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit, which reduces the pressure in the gap between the light projecting unit and the sealed container.

[0007] The dew point measuring device according to claim 1 includes a light projecting unit capable of irradiating a laser beam toward a sealed container, and a light receiving unit capable of receiving the laser beam that is projected from the light projecting unit and passes through the inside of the sealed container. The light projecting unit and the light receiving unit are provided with pressure reducing mechanisms that reduce the pressure in the gap between the light projecting unit and the sealed container, and in the gap between the light receiving unit and the sealed container. This allows the atmosphere in the space outside the sealed container through which the laser beam passes to be maintained in a vacuum state, enabling the dew point to be measured without being affected by environmental changes.

[0008] The dew point measuring device according to claim 2 is the same as claim 1, and includes a light projecting unit capable of irradiating a laser beam toward the sealed container, a light receiving unit capable of receiving the laser beam projected from the light projecting unit and passing through the inside of the sealed container, and gas supply units provided respectively on the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit, for supplying dry gas to a space between the light projecting unit and the sealed container.

[0009] The dew point measuring device according to claim 2 includes a light projecting unit capable of irradiating a laser beam toward the sealed container, and a light receiving unit capable of receiving the laser beam that has been projected from the light projecting unit and passed through the inside of the sealed container. The light projecting unit and the light receiving unit are also provided with gas supply units that supply dry gas to the gap between the light projecting unit and the sealed container and to the gap between the light receiving unit and the sealed container. This allows the atmosphere in the space outside the sealed container through which the laser beam passes to be maintained at a constant low-moisture environment, enabling the dew point to be measured without being affected by environmental changes.

[0010] The sealed container according to claim 3 is a sealed container whose dew point can be measured by the dew point measuring device according to claim 1 or 2, and the portions facing the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit are formed of a material that is transparent to laser light, and is configured to be sealable with a product housed inside.

[0011] The sealed container according to claim 3 is configured to be able to be sealed while the product is housed inside, thereby enabling the product to be transported without being affected by the external environment.

[0012] A sealed container according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the sealed container according to the third aspect, wherein the portions facing the light projecting portion and the light receiving portion are made of polycarbonate or acrylic having a thickness of 0.5 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less.

[0013] In the dew point measuring device according to claim 4, the thickness of the sealed container is set to 0.5 mm or more, thereby preventing moisture from penetrating into the container. Also, by forming the container from polycarbonate or acrylic with a thickness of 8.0 mm or less, the laser light can be transmitted with almost no refraction.

[0014] A dew point measuring method according to claim 5 includes arranging a laser light projector and a laser light receiver outside a sealed container, and arranging a gas supply unit or a pressure reducing mechanism capable of supplying dry gas between the laser light projector and the sealed container and between the laser light receiver and the sealed container, respectively, and measuring a first absorption amount of laser light absorbed on the path from the laser light projector to the laser light receiver based on the laser light received by the laser light receiver, and calculating the dew point inside the sealed container by subtracting a second absorption amount of laser light absorbed between the laser light projector and the sealed container and a third absorption amount of laser light absorbed between the laser light receiver and the sealed container from the first absorption amount.

[0015] In the dew point measurement method according to claim 5, by disposing a gas supply unit or a pressure reduction mechanism capable of supplying dry gas between the light projecting unit and the sealed container and between the light receiving unit and the sealed container, respectively, the atmosphere in the space outside the sealed container through which the laser light passes can be maintained at a constant environment, and the dew point can be measured without being affected by environmental changes. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] As described above, the dew point measuring device, the sealed container, and the dew point measuring method according to the present invention can detect the dew point in a sealed container with high accuracy. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view showing a dew point measuring device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional side view showing a dew point measuring device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional side view showing a dew point measuring device according to a comparative example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] First Embodiment A dew point measuring device 10 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0019] Fig. 1 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing a dew point measuring device 10 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the dew point measuring device 10 of this embodiment includes a light projecting unit 12 capable of emitting laser light L. The light projecting unit 12 is fixed to a first bracket 16.

[0020] The first bracket 16 is provided, for example, on a stand 20 on which the dew point measuring device 10 is installed, and is fixed to this stand 20. The first bracket 16 includes a first base portion 16A that contacts the stand 20, and a first vertical wall portion 16B that extends upward from the first base portion 16A, and is formed in a substantially L-shape in side view.

[0021] A light projecting unit 12 is attached to the upper end of the first vertical wall portion 16B. The light projecting unit 12 is connected to a power source via a wire harness (not shown). A laser light source is mounted on the light projecting unit 12, and the light projecting unit 12 is configured to irradiate laser light L substantially horizontally toward the sealed container 22 (described later).

[0022] A second bracket 18 is disposed at a distance from the first bracket 16, and the light receiving unit 14 is fixed to the second bracket 18.

[0023] The second bracket 18 is provided on the mount 20 and is composed of a second base portion 18A fixed to the mount 20 and a second vertical wall portion 18B extending upward from the second base portion 18A, and is formed in an approximately L-shape when viewed from the side.

[0024] The second vertical wall portion 18B is disposed so as to face the first vertical wall portion 16B, and the light receiving portion 14 is attached to the side facing the first vertical wall portion 16B. The light receiving portion 14 is disposed at a position where it can receive the laser light L that is irradiated from the light projecting portion 12 and passes through the inside of the sealed container 22, which will be described later, and is configured to be able to detect the intensity of the received laser light L.

[0025] Here, a sealed container 22 is disposed between the light projecting unit 12 and the light receiving unit 14. The sealed container 22 is formed so that at least a portion thereof contains polycarbonate resin or acrylic resin and is capable of transmitting the laser light L. The sealed container 22 is configured so that a product P can be contained therein.

[0026] The sealed container 22 is configured to include a bottom wall portion 22A, a peripheral wall portion 22B, and a ceiling portion 22C, and a portion of the sealed container 22 is configured to be removable. Therefore, the sealed container 22 is configured so that the product P can be stored in the sealed container 22 with a portion removed, and then the sealed container 22 can be reassembled to seal the internal space.

[0027] The product P contains, for example, sulfide and is used as a material for the solid electrolyte of an all-solid-state battery. However, the product P is not limited to this and may contain other products. Furthermore, in the sealed container 22, a portion above a predetermined height is a region through which the laser light L passes, and this region is configured so that no object that blocks the laser light L, such as the product P, is placed in this region.

[0028] In this embodiment, the thickness of the peripheral wall portion 22B of the sealed container 22 is 0.5 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less, but is not limited to this. However, from the viewpoint of moisture blocking performance and strength, the thickness is preferably 0.5 mm or more. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of suppressing refraction of the laser light L and from the viewpoint of weight reduction, the thickness is preferably 8.0 mm or less.

[0029] Here, the light-projecting unit 12 and the light-receiving unit 14 are each provided with a pressure reduction mechanism 24. The pressure reduction mechanism 24 is configured to include a light-projecting-side cover 26 for reducing the pressure in the space between the light-projecting unit 12 and the sealed container 22, and a light-receiving-side cover 28 for reducing the pressure in the space between the light-receiving unit 14 and the sealed container 22.

[0030] The light-emitter-side cover 26 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with an open end on the sealed container 22 side, and is attached to the light-emitter unit 12. The open end of the light-emitter-side cover 26 is configured to be able to come into close contact with the sealed container 22.

[0031] A first tube 30 is connected to the light-emitter-side cover 26. One end of the first tube 30 is in communication with the internal space of the light-emitter-side cover 26, and the other end of the first tube 30 is connected to a vacuum pump 32. Therefore, by operating the vacuum pump 32, air in the internal space of the light-emitter-side cover 26 is sucked in, reducing the pressure.

[0032] On the other hand, the light-receiving-side cover 28 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with an open end facing the sealed container 22, and is attached to the light-receiving unit 14. The open end of the light-receiving-side cover 28 is configured to be able to come into close contact with the sealed container 22.

[0033] A second tube 34 is connected to the light-receiving-side cover 28. One end of the second tube 34 is in communication with the interior space of the light-receiving-side cover 28, and the other end of the second tube 34 is connected to the vacuum pump 32. Therefore, by operating the vacuum pump 32, air is sucked into the interior space of the light-receiving-side cover 28, reducing the pressure. Note that, as an example, in the present embodiment, the first tube 30 and the second tube 34 are connected to a common vacuum pump 32, but this is not limiting, and each may be connected to a separate vacuum pump.

[0034] (Dew point measurement method) An example of a method for measuring a dew point using the dew point measuring device 10 configured as above will be described.

[0035] The sealed container 22 is placed on the stand 20 and positioned. After this, the laser light projector 12 and light receiver 14 are placed outside the sealed container 22. In this embodiment, the light projector 12 and light receiver 14 are placed on the stand 20 in advance, so by placing the sealed container 22 at a predetermined position between the light projector 12 and light receiver 14, the light projector 12 and light receiver 14 are placed outside the sealed container 22.

[0036] After the sealed container 22 is installed, the light-emitter-side cover 26 that constitutes the pressure reduction mechanism 24 is placed between the light-emitter 12 and the sealed container 22, and the light-receiving-side cover 28 that constitutes the pressure reduction mechanism 24 is placed between the light-receiving unit 14 and the sealed container 22. Specifically, the light-emitter-side cover 26 and the light-receiving-side cover 28 are each brought into close contact with the outer surface of the sealed container 22.

[0037] Next, laser light L is emitted from light-projecting unit 12, and the laser light L is received by light-receiving unit 14. At this time, a first absorption amount of laser light L absorbed along the path from light-projecting unit 12 to light-receiving unit 14 is measured based on the intensity of the laser light L received by light-receiving unit 14. For example, the first absorption amount of laser light L can be measured based on the intensity of the laser light emitted from light-projecting unit 12 and the intensity of the laser light L received by light-receiving unit 14.

[0038] Next, the dew point inside the sealed container 22 is calculated by subtracting from the first absorption amount the second absorption amount of the laser light L absorbed between the light-projecting unit 12 and the sealed container 22 and the third absorption amount of the laser light L absorbed between the light-receiving unit 14 and the sealed container 22. At this time, by measuring the absorption amount of the laser light L at a predetermined vacuum level in advance, the second absorption amount and the third absorption amount can be easily calculated.

[0039] In this manner, the dew point inside the sealed container 22 can be calculated.

[0040] (action) Next, the operation of the dew point measuring device 10 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0041] The dew point measuring device 10 according to this embodiment includes a light projector 12 capable of irradiating a laser beam L toward the sealed container 22, and a light receiver 14 capable of receiving the laser beam L that is projected from the light projector 12 and passes through the inside of the sealed container 22. The light projector 12 and the light receiver 14 are provided with a pressure reducing mechanism 24 that reduces the pressure in the gap between the light projector 12 and the sealed container 22 and in the gap between the light receiver 14 and the sealed container 22. This allows the atmosphere in the space outside the sealed container 22 through which the laser beam L passes to be maintained in a vacuum state, enabling the dew point to be measured without being affected by environmental changes. As a result, the dew point can be detected accurately in a configuration that detects the dew point inside the sealed container 22.

[0042] This effect will be explained by comparing it with a comparative example of a dew point measuring device 100. Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional side view showing the dew point measuring device 100 according to the comparative example.

[0043] 3, the dew point measuring device 100 according to the comparative example is not provided with a pressure reducing mechanism. Therefore, the gap between the light projecting unit 12 and the sealed container 22 and the gap between the light receiving unit 14 and the sealed container 22 are in the same environment as the room in which the dew point measuring device 100 is installed.

[0044] In the dew point measuring device 100 according to the comparative example, if the environment of the room in which the device is installed changes, the dew point measurement result may change. For example, even if the room temperature is maintained constant, if the humidity changes, the dew point measurement result may change, making it difficult to measure the dew point accurately.

[0045] In contrast to this, the dew point measuring device 10 shown in FIG. 1 can measure the dew point inside the sealed container 22 with high accuracy simply by measuring the amount of laser light absorbed in a space that has been depressurized in advance.

[0046] In this embodiment, the sealed container 22 is configured to be able to be sealed while the product P is housed therein. This allows the product to be transported without being affected by the external environment. Furthermore, by making the thickness of the sealed container 22 0.5 mm or more, it is possible to prevent moisture from penetrating into the sealed container 22. Furthermore, by making the thickness of the sealed container 22 8.0 mm or less from polycarbonate or acrylic, it is possible to transmit the laser light with almost no refraction.

[0047] Second Embodiment Next, a dew point measuring device 50 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted where appropriate.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 2, a dew point measuring device 50 of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it includes a gas supply unit 52 instead of the pressure reducing mechanism.

[0049] The gas supply unit 52 is configured to be able to supply dry gas to the gap between the light-projecting unit 12 and the sealed container 22 and to the gap between the light-receiving unit 14 and the sealed container 22, and is provided with a light-projecting side cover 54 that covers the gap between the light-projecting unit 12 and the sealed container 22. In addition, the light-receiving unit 14 is provided with a light-receiving side cover 56 that covers the gap between the light-receiving unit 14 and the sealed container 22.

[0050] The light-emitter-side cover 54 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with an open side facing the sealed container 22, and is attached to the light-emitter unit 12. The open end of the light-emitter-side cover 54 is configured to be able to fit tightly against the sealed container 22. A first gas supply pipe 58 is connected to the upper end of the light-emitter-side cover 54. One end of the first gas supply pipe 58 communicates with the space inside the light-emitter-side cover 54, and the other end is connected to a gas generator 62.

[0051] A first gas exhaust pipe 64 is connected to the lower end of the light-emitter-side cover 54. One end of the first gas exhaust pipe 64 communicates with the space inside the light-emitter-side cover 54, and the other end is connected to an exhaust hole (not shown).

[0052] The light-receiving-side cover 56 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with an open side facing the sealed container 22, and is attached to the light-receiving unit 14. The open end of the light-receiving-side cover 56 is configured to be able to come into close contact with the sealed container 22. A second gas supply pipe 60 is connected to the upper end of the light-receiving-side cover 56. The second gas supply pipe 60 branches off from the first gas supply pipe 58, with one end communicating with the space inside the light-receiving-side cover 56 and the other end connected to the first gas supply pipe 58.

[0053] A second gas exhaust pipe 66 is connected to the lower end of the light-receiving-side cover 56. One end of the second gas exhaust pipe 66 communicates with the space inside the light-receiving-side cover 56, and the other end is connected to an exhaust hole (not shown).

[0054] The gas supply unit 52 is configured as described above, and when the gas generator 62 is activated, dry gas is supplied to the space between the light-projecting unit 12 and the sealed container 22 through the first gas supply pipe 58. Similarly, dry gas is supplied to the space between the light-receiving unit 14 and the sealed container 22 through the second gas supply pipe 60.

[0055] The dry gas supplied to the space between the light-emitting unit 12 and the sealed container 22 is discharged to the outside through the first discharge pipe 64. The dry gas supplied to the space between the light-receiving unit 14 and the sealed container 22 is discharged to the outside through the second discharge pipe 66.

[0056] In this way, the space between the light projecting unit 12 and the sealed container 22 and the space between the light receiving unit 14 and the sealed container 22 are always filled with fresh dry gas.

[0057] (action) Next, the operation of the dew point measuring device 50 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0058] In this embodiment, the light projecting unit 12 and the light receiving unit 14 are provided with a gas supply unit 52, and the gas supply unit 52 supplies dry gas to the space between the light projecting unit 12 and the sealed container 22 and to the space between the light receiving unit 14 and the sealed container 22. This makes it possible to maintain the atmosphere of the space outside the sealed container 22 through which the laser light L passes at a constant low moisture content, and to measure the dew point without being affected by environmental changes.

[0059] Although the dew point measuring device 10 according to the first embodiment and the dew point measuring device 50 according to the second embodiment have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto and can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the laser light L is irradiated from the light projecting unit 12 to the light receiving unit 14 in a substantially horizontal direction, but the present invention is not limited thereto and the laser light L may be irradiated in an up-down direction.

[0060] Furthermore, the shapes and configurations of the first bracket 16 that holds the light-emitting unit 12 and the second bracket 18 that holds the light-receiving unit 14 are not particularly limited, and other shapes may be used.

[0061] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the pressure reducing mechanism 24 is configured to reduce the pressure only in the space between the light projecting unit 12 and the sealed container 22 and the space between the light receiving unit 14 and the sealed container 22, but this is not limiting. For example, the entire area in which the sealed container 22 is installed may be reduced in pressure. In this case, a method may be adopted in which a cover is attached to entirely cover the sealed container 22, the light projecting unit 12, and the light receiving unit 14, and the space covered by this cover is reduced in pressure using a vacuum pump or the like. Similarly, a method may be adopted in which a cover is attached to entirely cover the sealed container 22, the light projecting unit 12, and the light receiving unit 14, and a dry gas is supplied into the space covered by this cover.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a dew point measuring device for measuring the dew point inside a transportable sealed container 22 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the device may be configured to measure the dew point inside a sealed container such as a glove box by irradiating the container with a laser beam from the outside. In this case, the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit may be fixed to the outer surface of the glove box. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 10, 50 Dew point measuring device 12 Light projector 14 Light receiving part 22 Airtight containers 24 Pressure reducing mechanism 52 Gas supply section L laser light P product

Claims

1. a light projecting unit capable of irradiating a laser beam toward the sealed container; a light receiving unit capable of receiving the laser light irradiated from the light projecting unit and passing through the inside of the sealed container; a pressure reducing mechanism provided at each of the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit, for reducing the pressure of a space between the light projecting unit and the sealed container; A dew point measuring device having

2. a light projecting unit capable of irradiating a laser beam toward the sealed container; a light receiving unit capable of receiving the laser light irradiated from the light projecting unit and passing through the inside of the sealed container; a gas supply unit provided at each of the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit, for supplying a dry gas to a space between the light projecting unit and the sealed container; A dew point measuring device having

3. A sealed container capable of measuring a dew point by the dew point measuring device according to claim 1 or 2, a portion facing the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion is formed of a material that can transmit laser light, It is configured to be able to be sealed with the product housed inside. Airtight container.

4. 4. The sealed container according to claim 3, wherein the portions facing the light projecting portion and the light receiving portion are made of polycarbonate or acrylic having a thickness of 0.5 mm to 8.0 mm.

5. A laser beam projector and a laser beam receiver are disposed outside the sealed container; a gas supply unit or a pressure reducing mechanism capable of supplying a dry gas is disposed between the light projecting unit and the sealed container, and between the light receiving unit and the sealed container, measuring a first absorption amount of the laser light absorbed in a path from the light projecting unit to the light receiving unit based on the laser light received by the light receiving unit; calculating a dew point inside the sealed container by subtracting a second absorption amount of the laser light absorbed between the light projecting unit and the sealed container and a third absorption amount of the laser light absorbed between the light receiving unit and the sealed container from the first absorption amount; Dew point measurement method.

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