Deterioration diagnosis system and deterioration diagnosis method

Abstract

To diagnose the deterioration of components non-destructively and easily. [Solution] The deterioration diagnosis system 1 includes a measuring device 10 having a storage container 14 that houses a reference sample 16 made of a material containing the same components as the diagnostic sample 50 and placed in an environment equivalent to that of the diagnostic sample 50 to be diagnosed, and a measuring unit 12 that measures data of a deterioration index that serves as an indicator of deterioration of the reference sample 16, and a calculation device 20 that predicts material properties representing the material performance of the diagnostic sample 50 based on the data of the deterioration index of the reference sample 16 measured by the measuring device 10. The calculation device 20 includes a prediction unit 30 that refers to a database relating the deterioration index of the reference sample 16 and the material properties of the diagnostic sample 50, and predicts the material properties of the diagnostic sample 50 based on the data of the deterioration index of the measured reference sample 16.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a system and method for non-destructively and simply diagnosing the deterioration of members used in industrial facilities and the like.

Background Art

[0002] Various members used in industrial facilities such as various factories and plants are required to be regularly inspected for soundness. For example, in nuclear-related facilities, plastic members are used in various forms such as wiring, piping, packing, gaskets, filters, etc. Many of them are incorporated into equipment and machines as parts, and in order to inspect the soundness of the members themselves, it is necessary to stop the operation of the equipment related to the members, disassemble them, and remove the members. Especially when removing members used in an environment exposed to radiation or high temperatures, the burden increases, such as measures to protect workers from radiation exposure and measures for handling radioactive members. Also, in the case of a sudden environmental change, it is difficult to quickly respond to inspections. Therefore, it is desirable to be able to inspect the soundness on-site when necessary without stopping the operation of related equipment or increasing the burden on workers.

[0003] As a method for evaluating the soundness of members used in a plant, for example, Patent Document 1 describes a method in which a test body made of the same material as the in-vessel structure is installed in the in-vessel environment, taken out at regular intervals, and evaluated. Regarding the soundness evaluation of plastic members, as an on-site observation method, a deterioration diagnosis using non-destructive optical inspection described in Patent Document 2 is known. Patent Document 2 describes a method for determining the remaining life of polymer materials such as piping and piping equipment, in which the remaining life is determined from the correlation between mechanical physical properties and γ-ray absorption amount using the infrared absorption spectrum of the surface of the same polymer material. Also, Patent Document 3 describes a method in which a sample with fine irregularities is prepared, the surface roughness of the sample is measured using a laser, and the exposure amount of the deterioration element on which the sample is placed is determined from the degree of smoothing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-287888 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-000614 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-027331 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] In the method described in Patent Document 1, the test specimens required for inspection are placed into the equipment in advance, removed at the time of inspection, and processed into predetermined shapes for various characteristic evaluations. In this case, since it is a destructive test and the amount of test specimens required is placed in accordance with the number of inspections and the content of the inspection from the beginning of operation, there is a problem in that an enormous amount of test specimens are placed in. Furthermore, if the plant's operating period is extended beyond the initial assumption, the number of test specimens that were placed in may become insufficient, making it difficult to conduct a thorough inspection. The method described in Patent Document 2 involves the use of many components with complex shapes, including curved surfaces and uneven areas, as components used in piping equipment and various other facilities. Such components present a problem in that it is difficult to perform highly accurate analysis using optical measurements such as infrared absorption spectroscopy. Furthermore, if the component to be diagnosed is incorporated into a facility, it is necessary to remove it from the facility for evaluation, which presents another problem.

[0006] The method described in Patent Document 3 is a technique for estimating the amount of exposure to degradation elements such as ultraviolet light, and does not take into account the material properties due to degradation. Furthermore, when measuring roughness with a laser, it is difficult to perform highly accurate measurements for highly transparent materials. In addition, it is difficult to impart uneven shapes to viscoelastic materials such as elastomers, or to foil-like or film-like materials, and in relatively hard thermosetting resins, there are problems in that changes in unevenness due to degradation factors are not easily reflected. This invention was made to solve the aforementioned problems and aims to provide a system and method that can non-destructively and easily diagnose the deterioration of components used in industrial facilities, including nuclear-related facilities. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve these problems, the present invention provides a deterioration diagnosis system for diagnosing the deterioration of a component, comprising: a measuring device having a storage container for storing a reference sample made of a material containing the same components as the diagnostic sample and placed in an environment equivalent to that of the diagnostic sample to be diagnosed, and a measuring unit for measuring data of a deterioration index that serves as an indicator of the deterioration of the reference sample; and a calculation device that predicts material properties representing the material performance of the diagnostic sample based on the data of the deterioration index of the reference sample measured by the measuring device, wherein the calculation device includes a prediction unit that refers to a database relating the deterioration index of the reference sample and the material properties of the diagnostic sample and predicts the material properties of the diagnostic sample based on the measured data of the deterioration index of the reference sample. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, the deterioration of a component can be diagnosed non-destructively and easily. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a deterioration diagnosis system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a degradation diagnosis system according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the deterioration diagnosis system according to the embodiment. [Figure 4A] This is a schematic diagram of the measurement data from which degradation indicators are extracted. [Figure 4B] This is a schematic diagram showing the correlation between the degradation index of a reference sample and its material properties. [Figure 4C] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the correlation between the degradation conditions of a reference sample and its material properties. [Figure 4D] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the correlation between the degradation conditions of diagnostic samples and their material properties. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the degree of deterioration. [Figure 6A] This is an example of a spectroscopic measurement spectrum of a reference sample. [Figure 6B] This is an example of a graph showing the tensile elongation at break as a function of transmittance for a reference sample. [Figure 6C] This is an example of a graph showing the tensile elongation at fracture as a function of degradation treatment time for a reference sample. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart illustrating the processing steps of the deterioration diagnosis method according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein, and can be appropriately combined and improved without departing from the technical spirit of the invention.

[0011] [Deterioration Diagnosis System] A deterioration diagnosis system 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6C. The deterioration diagnosis system 1 is a system for diagnosing the deterioration of components in industrial facilities, etc. As illustrated in Figure 1, the deterioration diagnosis system 1 is a system that can non-destructively diagnose the deterioration of a diagnostic sample 50 by measuring a reference sample 16 that is separate from the diagnostic sample 50 to be diagnosed. The deterioration diagnosis system 1 can measure the reference sample 16 and calculate the characteristics of the diagnostic sample 50 at the time of measurement by referring to correlation data stored in a database. The deterioration diagnosis system 1 includes a measuring device 10, a reference sample 16, and a data storage unit 34. Here, the measuring device 10 has a storage container 14, and the reference sample 16 is disposed inside the storage container 14. The data storage unit 34 is a part of the arithmetic device 20. The deterioration diagnosis system 1 processes the data measured by the measuring device 10 with the arithmetic device 20 to diagnose deterioration. Hereinafter, the diagnostic sample 50 and each component of the deterioration diagnosis system 1 will be described. Regarding the data storage unit 34 (database), in this embodiment, the configuration included in the arithmetic device 20 is illustrated, but the database may be a database existing anywhere, such as on the cloud, as long as the deterioration diagnosis system 1 can refer to it as electronic data even if the deterioration diagnosis system 1 does not include it.

[0012] (Diagnostic Sample) The diagnostic sample 50 is a member to be diagnosed for deterioration. Here, the diagnostic sample 50 is installed and used as a component of equipment or the like in an environment 52 surrounded by a partition wall 56 of a building or the like, for example. The diagnostic sample 50 can be a member that requires regular health diagnosis. The diagnostic sample 50 is, for example, a filter, packing, gasket, wiring coating material, etc. used in various equipment, pipes, wiring, etc. Further, the diagnostic sample 50 can be a member constituting a gas separation module. The gas separation module is, for example, a device that captures and separates a specific gas from a mixed gas of the specific gas and water vapor or the like. The material of the diagnostic sample 50 is, for example, plastic. Specific examples of the plastic include epoxy, polyimide, polyethylene, polypropylene, etc. The diagnostic sample 50 can be a plastic member having a curved surface or uneven portions at the location to be diagnosed, and may include curved surfaces or complex shapes such as a ring shape or a bulk shape. The diagnostic sample 50 can also be the object of deterioration diagnosis when it is in a hollow fiber shape.

[0013] (Reference Sample) The reference sample 16 is a member to be measured in the measuring device 10. The reference sample 16 only needs to contain components equivalent to those of the diagnostic sample 50 and does not have to have exactly the same components as the diagnostic sample 50. The reference sample 16 is preferably in a form that facilitates high-precision optical measurement regardless of the form of the diagnostic sample 50. The reference sample 16 preferably has a smooth surface that includes a circle with a diameter of 3 mm. By having a smooth surface that includes a circle with a diameter of 3 mm, high-precision optical measurement can be stably performed. The reference sample 16 can be in the form of, for example, a plate, a foil, or a column. The reference sample 16 is arranged in the same environment as the diagnostic sample 50. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the diagnostic sample 50 may be covered with a housing 54 of a device or the like. Further, the inside of the housing 54 may be set to a predetermined pressure or atmosphere. In such a case, the reference sample 16 is preferably stored in a storage container 14 corresponding to the housing 54. The predetermined pressure and atmosphere are appropriately set according to the purpose of measurement and the like.

[0014] (Storage container) The storage container 14 is a member that adjusts the environment of the reference sample 16. The storage container 14 only needs to be able to accommodate the reference sample 16 inside, and there are no particular restrictions on its size, material, etc. In the example of FIG. 1, the measuring unit 12 is arranged inside the storage container 14 together with the reference sample 16. The storage container 14 can arrange the reference sample 16 in the same environment as the diagnostic sample 50. The wall thickness, material, internal pressure, atmosphere, etc. of the storage container 14 can be adjusted to be the same as the environment of the diagnostic sample 50.

[0015] (Measuring device) The measuring device 10 is a device that measures the reference sample 16. The measuring device 10 measures data of a "deterioration index" that is an indicator of the deterioration of the reference sample 16. The measuring device 10 has a measuring unit 12 and, in this case, has a storage container 14. The degradation index data refers to the characteristic data used to extract the degradation index. Hereafter, this characteristic used to extract the degradation index will be referred to as the "degradation characteristic." In other words, the degradation index is extracted from the measurement data of the degradation characteristic of the measuring device 10. The extraction of the degradation index is performed by the degradation index extraction unit 22, which will be described later.

[0016] The measurement unit 12 is selected to be suitable for measuring degradation characteristics. If the degradation characteristics are spectral characteristics, the measurement unit 12 can be, for example, a spectrophotometer or a spectrocolorimeter. Furthermore, if measurement 18 is possible, the measurement unit 12 may be located outside the storage container 14, and may also be located outside the partition wall 56. The spectral characteristics can be measured by providing a window in the storage container 14 or the partition wall 56 that transmits the light related to measurement 18.

[0017] (computing device) The arithmetic unit 20 is an information processing device that performs information processing for deterioration diagnosis on the measurement data from the measuring device 10. In this case, the arithmetic unit 20 has two computers 60. There may be one computer 60 or three or more computers 60. The arithmetic unit 20 may further have user terminals such as tablets or smartphones. The measuring device 10 and the arithmetic unit 20 are connected by a network 80 such as a local area network (LAN) or the internet.

[0018] Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of the degradation diagnosis system 1. The measuring device 10 includes a measuring unit 12 and a storage container 14. A reference sample 16 is placed inside the storage container 14. The arithmetic unit 20 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 61, main memory 62 such as ROM or RAM, auxiliary storage 63 such as a hard disk, a communication interface 64 which is a device for connecting to a LAN or the internet, and an input / output interface 65 which is responsible for connecting to input devices 67 and output devices 68, and these are interconnected by a bus 66. The data storage unit 34 can be located in part of the auxiliary storage device 63. The input device 67 is a touch panel or keyboard, and the output device 68 is a display, etc.

[0019] Next, the calculation unit 20 will be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the degradation diagnosis system 1. The calculation unit 20 includes a degradation index extraction unit 22, a material property calculation unit 32, a data storage unit 34, and a display unit 36, and further includes a degradation degree calculation unit 38. The degradation index extraction unit 22, the material property calculation unit 32, the data storage unit 34, and the degradation degree calculation unit 38 are collectively referred to as the prediction unit 30. The prediction unit 30 refers to the database and predicts the material properties of the diagnostic sample 50 based on the degradation index data of the reference sample 16.

[0020] (Deterioration index extraction part) The degradation index extraction unit 22 is a means for extracting the degradation index R1 from the measurement data of the measuring device 10. The degradation index R1 is the data that serves as the starting point for referencing correlation data. The degradation index extraction unit 22 takes the measurement data of the degradation characteristics as input and outputs the degradation index R1. Since the degradation index R1 can be measured non-destructively and non-contact, it is preferable that it be an optical or spectroscopic characteristic. Furthermore, to minimize the influence of absorption during measurement, it is desirable to extract it from measurement data of near-infrared light with wavelengths from 800 nm to 2500 nm. The degradation index R1 can be, for example, the transmittance value obtained by selecting one wavelength from transmittance data (degradation characteristics) measured by sweeping the wavelength within this range.

[0021] (Material properties calculation unit) The material property calculation unit 32 is a means for calculating "material properties" from the degradation index R1. The calculation can be performed using correlation data in the data storage unit 34 (database). The material property calculation unit 32 takes the degradation index R1 as input and outputs the material properties P1 of the diagnostic sample 50. Material properties are characteristics used to evaluate the deterioration of components. Material properties represent the performance of a component as a material (material performance). Deterioration of a component is judged from changes in material properties. The material properties P1 of the diagnostic sample 50, which are measured in advance, are measured using a test piece made of the same material as the diagnostic sample 50 installed in the equipment, etc. The material properties can be mechanical properties, with tensile elongation being particularly desirable. However, if the properties are affected by the environment in which the diagnostic sample is installed, impact values ​​or compressive strain may also be used. Examples of material properties include tensile fracture elongation, tensile yield elongation, compression set, and water vapor permeability. Density, water absorption, and linear thermal expansion coefficient may also be used.

[0022] Tensile elongation at fracture is the elongation at the point of fracture when a tensile force is applied to the test specimen. Tensile yield elongation is the elongation at the point of upper yield stress when the stress decreases and the deformation stops, when a tensile force is similarly applied to the test specimen. Here, tensile elongation at fracture and tensile elongation at fracture are defined as (L-L0) / L0, where L0 is the distance between the gauge marks on the test specimen before the test, and L is the distance between the gauge marks at fracture or the yield point. Compression set is the amount of strain remaining after applying a compressive force, and can be measured by the method specified in JIS K 6262. Water vapor transmission rate is the amount of water vapor that passes through the test specimen under specified conditions, and can be measured by the method specified in JIS K 7129-4. The specified conditions are set appropriately according to the purpose of the measurement, etc. The material properties P2 of reference sample 16 and the material properties P1 of diagnostic sample 50 may be different, provided that a correlation with the degradation conditions described later has been established.

[0023] (Data storage section) The data storage unit 34 (a database that associates the degradation index of a reference sample with the material properties of a diagnostic sample) is a storage means having a database for storing correlation data. The data storage unit 34 has a first database DB1 that associates the degradation index R1 with the material properties P2 of the reference sample 16, a second database DB2 that associates the degradation condition C1 with the material properties P2 of the reference sample 16, and a third database DB3 that associates the degradation condition C1 with the material properties P1 of the diagnostic sample 50. The first database DB1 has correlation data between the degradation index R1 and material properties P2 of the reference sample 16. The second database DB2 has correlation data between the degradation condition C1 and material properties P2 of the reference sample 16. The third database DB3 has correlation data between the degradation condition C1 and material properties P1 of the diagnostic sample 50. These correlation data are assumed to have been measured and stored in advance. As mentioned above, the data storage unit 34 (database) does not need to be provided by the degradation diagnosis system 1, but it is sufficient if the degradation diagnosis system 1 can access the first database DB1 to the third database DB3, which are located somewhere such as on the cloud, as electronic data. By accessing such a database, the degradation diagnosis system 1 can predict the material properties P1 of the diagnostic sample 50 based on the degradation index R1 data of the reference sample 16.

[0024] (Display) The display unit 36 ​​is a device that displays the results of the degradation diagnosis. The display unit 36 ​​is an output device such as a display and displays material properties P1 output from the material property calculation unit 32. In addition to material properties P1, the display unit 36 ​​can also display intermediate calculation data and measurement data.

[0025] (Deterioration degree calculation section) The degradation degree calculation unit 38 is a means for calculating the degradation degree of the diagnostic sample 50. The degradation degree calculation unit 38 calculates the degradation degree based on a predetermined standard. The degradation degree is the degree of degradation, and for the material properties P1 of the diagnostic sample 50, it is the ratio of the change range at the time of diagnosis to the change range from the initial value P1B at the time of installation to the threshold value P1A required for the component. The predetermined standard is the threshold value P1A. The degradation degree calculation unit 38 takes the material properties P1 as input and outputs the degradation degree. The degradation degree calculation unit 38 may store the initial value P1B and the threshold value P1A, or it may refer to the data storage unit 34 (database). As illustrated in Figure 5, using the correlation data from the third database DB3, the deterioration degree calculation unit 38 calculates the ratio (P1B-P1) / (P1B-P1A) of the change range from the initial value P1B at the time of installation to the limit threshold P1A required for the material (P1B-P1A), and outputs it as the deterioration degree. Furthermore, if the material property P1 calculated by the material property calculation unit 32 is the same as the initial value, it can be determined that deterioration has not progressed. If a difference occurs, it can be determined that deterioration is progressing in proportion to the magnitude of the difference. The degree of deterioration can be used as a guideline.

[0026] Next, the data flow from the measurement of degradation characteristics by the measuring device 10 to the calculation of material properties P1 by the material property calculation unit 32 will be explained with reference to Figures 3 and 4A to 4D. First, as illustrated in Figure 4A, the degradation characteristics of the reference sample 16 are measured in the measuring device 10. Degradation characteristics are, for example, spectral characteristics. In the case of transmittance, the measurement results can be represented as a graph with wavelength on the horizontal axis and transmittance on the vertical axis. Upon receiving the measurement results, the degradation index extraction unit 22 selects, for example, one value on the horizontal axis to be used as the extraction condition for the degradation index. Then, it outputs the corresponding value on the vertical axis as the degradation index R1.

[0027] When the material property calculation unit 32 receives the degradation index R1, it exchanges data with the data storage unit 34 (database) and proceeds to refer to the correlation data. As illustrated in Figure 4B, the material property calculation unit 32 uses the correlation data from the first database DB1 to calculate the material property P2 of the reference sample 16 from the degradation index R1. Next, as illustrated in Figure 4C, it uses the correlation data from the second database DB2 to calculate the degradation condition C1 from the material property P2 of the reference sample 16. Then, as illustrated in Figure 4D, it uses the correlation data from the third database DB3 to calculate and output the material property P1 of the diagnostic sample 50 from the degradation condition C1.

[0028] Here, "degradation condition" refers to a condition that, when applied, causes degradation to progress. Degradation condition C1 is, for example, the cumulative radiation dose. Alternatively, degradation condition C1 can be the elapsed time in an environment where temperature, humidity, heat, oxygen, pressure, etc., are kept constant. Degradation condition C1 may also be a condition in which temperature, humidity, heat, oxygen, pressure, etc., are changed at regular intervals, or a combination of these environments. To obtain accurate correlation data between degradation condition C1 and material properties P1 and P2, degradation tests can be conducted in advance. A degradation test, for example, involves placing a test sample in an environment where temperature, humidity, pressure, etc., are kept constant, and measuring the elapsed time and material properties. By conducting such a degradation test, correlation data between degradation condition C1 and material properties P1 and P2 can be obtained.

[0029] The degradation condition C1 is set to be the same for both the reference sample 16 and the diagnostic sample 50. This allows us to determine the material property P1 of the diagnostic sample 50 by applying the degradation condition C1 of the reference sample 16 to the correlation data of the diagnostic sample 50. Degradation condition C1 is preferably an environment that simulates the environment in which the diagnostic sample 50 is installed in the equipment, etc. Furthermore, the degradation test may be an accelerated test using accelerated degradation conditions. That is, for example, the temperature, humidity, and pressure may be set higher than the assumed environment to accelerate the degradation process.

[0030] The degradation diagnostic system 1, having the configuration described above, measures the degradation index of a reference sample made of a material containing the same components as the diagnostic sample, which is placed in an environment equivalent to that of the diagnostic sample to be diagnosed. By referring to correlation data in a database that links the degradation index with the material properties of the diagnostic sample, the system derives the material properties of the diagnostic sample from the degradation index, thereby enabling a non-destructive and simple diagnosis of the degradation of the diagnostic material. The degradation diagnostic system 1 has a storage container for storing a reference sample, which allows the environment of the reference sample to be adjusted to be equivalent to the environment of the diagnostic material.

[0031] The degradation diagnosis system 1 can perform degradation diagnosis regardless of the shape of the diagnostic material. Furthermore, it can reduce the burden on the inspector, especially when the diagnostic sample is used in an environment exposed to radiation or high temperatures. By periodically measuring the reference sample, degradation indicators can be extracted to derive the material properties of the diagnostic material, allowing for prediction of degradation timing and timely replacement or repair. Furthermore, the extraction of the degradation index R1 in the degradation index extraction unit 22, the calculation of material properties P1 by referring to the database in the material property calculation unit 32, and the calculation of the degree of degradation in the degree of degradation calculation unit 38 can be performed by the calculation device 20 via a program. Alternatively, these operations may be performed manually by an operator using the input device of the calculation device 20.

[0032] Next, specific examples of measurement data and correlation data will be explained with reference to Figures 6A to 6C. In the specific examples, the diagnostic sample 50 is a polyimide hollow fiber used in a gas separation membrane module installed in equipment, and the reference sample 16 is a polyimide film. Figure 6A shows an example of spectroscopic measurement results as degradation characteristic data when a polyimide film with a smooth surface is used as reference sample 16. Here, transmittance against wavelength is measured. In Figure 6A, the horizontal axis is wavelength [nm] and the vertical axis is transmittance [%]. The transmittance curve rises at a wavelength λ1 around 500 nm and approaches saturation at a transmittance of around 80%. A downward peak is also observed at a wavelength λ2 around 1700 nm.

[0033] The degradation index extraction unit 22 can extract a value of 81% of the transmittance at one wavelength, for example, 1500 nm, as the degradation index R1. It is preferable to select this wavelength from the saturation region. Alternatively, two wavelengths may be selected, and the difference in transmittance between the two wavelengths may be used as the degradation index R1. Furthermore, instead of a transmittance value, the transmittance rise wavelength λ1 or the downward peak wavelength λ2 may be extracted as the degradation index R1. The degradation index R1 can be expressed as reflectance, absorption edge, refractive index, and chromaticity coordinate, in addition to transmittance and transmittance rise wavelength. The absorption edge is the wavelength at which the absorptive rate decreases sharply in a continuous absorption spectrum. The chromaticity coordinate is a coordinate in the color space defined by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE), and is the degradation index R1 that focuses on the color change of reference sample 16.

[0034] Figure 6B shows an example of the relationship between the tensile elongation at break (material property P2) and transmittance (degradation index R1) of a polyimide film under saturated water vapor conditions at 150°C, which was measured and correlated beforehand. In Figure 6B, the horizontal axis represents transmittance [%] at a wavelength of 1500 nm, and the vertical axis represents the tensile elongation at break [%]. The correlation curve shows that the smaller the transmittance, the smaller the elongation to break. The material property calculation unit 32 calculates the tensile break elongation (material property P2) of the polyimide film for the extracted transmittance value (degradation index R1). Note that the graph in Figure 6B displays only three measurement data points and simply connects them with a straight line. Actual correlation data can be measured in much more detail. Furthermore, the material property calculation unit 32 can calculate the material property P2 by interpolating from preceding and succeeding measurement data where measurement data is unavailable.

[0035] Figure 6C shows an example of the relationship between the tensile elongation at break (material property P2) and the degradation treatment time (degradation condition C1) of a polyimide film under saturated water vapor conditions at 150°C, which were measured and correlated beforehand. In Figure 6C, the horizontal axis represents the degradation treatment time [hours], and the vertical axis represents the tensile elongation at break [%]. The degradation treatment time is the elapsed time during the degradation test. The correlation curve shows that the longer the degradation treatment time, the smaller the elongation to fracture tends to be. The material property calculation unit 32 calculates the degradation treatment time (degradation condition C1) corresponding to the tensile fracture elongation (material property P2).

[0036] The material property calculation unit 32 can then use the correlation data between the degradation treatment time (degradation condition C1) and the tensile elongation at break (material property P1) of the polyimide hollow fiber, which has been measured and correlated in advance, to determine the value of the tensile elongation at break (material property P1) of the polyimide hollow fiber from the value of the degradation treatment time (degradation condition C1) of the polyimide film. Since the degradation treatment time (degradation condition C1) is the same for both the film-like reference sample 16 and the hollow fiber-like diagnostic sample 50, even though their morphologies differ, the tensile elongation at break (material property P1) of the polyimide hollow fiber, which is the diagnostic sample 50, can be calculated using the obtained degradation treatment time (degradation condition C1) of the reference sample 16.

[0037] Reference samples, placed under the same environment as the diagnostic sample, are subjected to spectroscopic measurements periodically or as needed, and transmittance is extracted as an indicator of degradation. If the tensile elongation at break of the polyimide hollow fiber obtained is the same as the initial value, degradation has hardly progressed. If there is a difference from the initial material properties, it can be determined that degradation is progressing. Based on the required values ​​(thresholds) for the material properties of the material being diagnosed, it becomes possible to decide on appropriate actions such as replacing parts or repairing them.

[0038] [Method for diagnosing deterioration] Next, a deterioration diagnosis method according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 7. The deterioration diagnosis method includes the steps of: placing a reference sample 16 made of a material containing the same components as the diagnostic sample 50 in an environment equivalent to that of the diagnostic sample 50 to be diagnosed; measuring data of a deterioration index R1 which is an indicator of deterioration of the reference sample 16; and deriving the material properties P1 of the diagnostic sample 50 using a database that associates the deterioration index R1 with the material properties P1 of the diagnostic sample 50. In the degradation diagnosis method, first, a reference sample is placed in an environment equivalent to that of the diagnostic sample (step S10). Next, the degradation characteristics of the reference sample are measured (step S20), and a degradation index is extracted from the measurement data of the degradation characteristics (step S30). Then, the material properties of the diagnostic sample are derived using a database that correlates the degradation index with the material properties of the diagnostic sample (step S40). Furthermore, the derived material properties of the diagnostic sample are output (step S50), and the degree of degradation, which is the degree of degradation, may be calculated based on predetermined criteria from the changes in the material properties of the diagnostic material (step S60).

[0039] Furthermore, in step S40, which derives the material properties of the diagnostic sample, the material properties of the reference sample can be calculated using correlation data between the degradation index and the material properties of the reference sample (step S41), the degradation conditions of the reference sample can be calculated using correlation data between the degradation conditions, which are the conditions for the degradation test, and the material properties of the reference sample (step S42), and the material properties of the diagnostic sample can be calculated using correlation data between the degradation conditions and the material properties of the diagnostic sample (step S43). In step S10, where the reference sample is placed, it is preferable to place the reference sample inside the storage container. The thickness and material of the storage container walls, the internal pressure and atmosphere, etc., can then be adjusted so that the environment of the reference sample is equivalent to that of the diagnostic sample.

[0040] The deterioration diagnosis method according to this embodiment allows for the non-destructive and simple diagnosis of deterioration of components, even those with complex shapes or components installed in nuclear-related facilities, by measuring the spectral characteristics of a reference sample having a smooth surface, for example, and using a database that stores correlation data. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0041] 1. Deterioration Diagnosis System 10 Measuring device 12 Measuring part 14 Storage containers 16 Reference Samples 20 Arithmetic unit 22 Deterioration index extraction part 30 Prediction Section 32 Material Properties Calculation Unit 34. Data storage unit (database) 36 Display section 38 Deterioration degree calculation section 50 diagnostic samples C1 Deterioration conditions DB1 First Database DB2 Second Database DB3 Third Database P1 Material properties (diagnostic sample) P2 Material properties (reference sample) R1 Deterioration index

Claims

1. A deterioration diagnosis system for diagnosing the deterioration of components, A measuring device comprising: a storage container for a reference sample, which is placed in an environment equivalent to that of the diagnostic sample to be diagnosed and is made of a material containing the same components as the diagnostic sample; and a measuring unit for measuring data of a degradation index that serves as an indicator of the degradation of the reference sample. The system includes a calculation device that predicts material properties representing the material performance of the diagnostic sample based on degradation index data of a reference sample measured by the measuring device, The aforementioned computing device is A degradation diagnosis system comprising a prediction unit that refers to a database relating the degradation index of the reference sample to the material properties of the diagnostic sample, and predicts the material properties of the diagnostic sample based on the measured degradation index data of the reference sample.

2. The deterioration diagnosis system according to claim 1, wherein the diagnostic sample is a plastic member in which the area to be diagnosed has a curved surface or an uneven surface.

3. The deterioration diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein the database comprises a first database relating the deterioration index to the material properties of the reference sample, a second database relating the deterioration conditions, which are the conditions for the deterioration test, to the material properties of the reference sample, and a third database relating the deterioration conditions to the material properties of the diagnostic sample.

4. The deterioration diagnosis system according to claim 1, wherein the reference sample has a smooth surface encompassing a circle with a diameter of 3 mm.

5. The deterioration diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein the diagnostic sample is in the form of a hollow fiber.

6. The degradation diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein the degradation index is any of transmittance, transmittance rise wavelength, reflectance, absorption edge, refractive index, and chromaticity coordinate.

7. The deterioration diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein the material properties of the diagnostic sample are any of tensile elongation at break, tensile yield elongation, compression set, and water vapor permeability.

8. The deterioration diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein the material properties of the reference sample are any of tensile elongation at fracture, tensile yield elongation, compression set, and water vapor permeability.

9. The deterioration diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein the diagnostic sample is a component constituting a gas separation module.

10. A deterioration diagnostic system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the degree of deterioration is calculated based on a predetermined standard from the change in the material properties of the diagnostic sample.

11. A deterioration diagnosis method for diagnosing the deterioration of components, The steps include: placing a reference sample made of a material containing the same components as the diagnostic sample in an environment equivalent to that of the diagnostic sample to be diagnosed; The steps include measuring data for a degradation index that serves as an indicator of the degradation of the aforementioned reference sample, A deterioration diagnosis method comprising the step of deriving the material properties of a diagnostic sample using a database that associates the deterioration index with the material properties of the diagnostic sample.

12. In the step of deriving the material properties of the diagnostic sample, The deterioration diagnosis method according to claim 11, wherein the material properties of the diagnostic sample are derived using correlation data between the deterioration index and the material properties of the reference sample, correlation data between the deterioration conditions which are the conditions for the deterioration test and the material properties of the reference sample, and correlation data between the deterioration conditions and the material properties of the diagnostic sample.

13. The deterioration diagnosis method according to claim 11, wherein in the step of arranging the reference sample, the reference sample is arranged inside the storage container.

14. The deterioration diagnosis method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of calculating the degree of deterioration, which is the degree of deterioration, based on a predetermined standard from the change in the material properties of the diagnostic sample.

Images