Elevator malfunction detection device

Abstract

To improve the accuracy of detecting damage to water-cooled cooling systems used in elevator systems. [Solution] The elevator abnormality detection device according to the embodiment includes a storage unit that stores at least one of the following as reference values: the value of the pump drive current under normal conditions, the value of the water pressure in the piping under normal conditions, the value of the flow rate of water flowing through the piping under normal conditions, the value of the vibration emitted by the water-cooled cooling device under normal conditions, and the value of the sound emitted by the water-cooled cooling device under normal conditions; and an abnormality detection unit that compares the measured value of at least one of the following values, measured each time the elevator car is raised or lowered, with the reference value, and detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device when the difference between the measured value and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an elevator abnormality detection device.

Background Art

[0002] An elevator device includes an inverter power supply for driving a hoist motor that raises and lowers a car and an opening / closing motor that opens and closes a door of the car. When the inverter power supply becomes hot, the semiconductor constituting the inverter power supply is damaged, so the inverter power supply is often cooled by forced air cooling.

[0003] As the elevator device becomes larger, the required output power of the inverter power supply increases, and accordingly, the heat generation amount of the inverter power supply also increases. When the cooling effect of forced air cooling is insufficient, the inverter power supply may be cooled using a water-cooled cooling device.

[0004] The water-cooled cooling device cools the inverter power supply by passing a pipe through a heat sink used to cool the semiconductor of the inverter power supply and flowing water through the pipe. The water in the pipe is circulated by a pump and radiatively cooled by a radiator.

[0005] In the case of forced air cooling, the cooling device is only a blower fan motor. When the blower fan motor stops, the temperature of the switching element (semiconductor) of the inverter power supply rises rapidly. Therefore, by providing a temperature sensor near the switching element of the inverter power supply, it is possible to determine whether the cooling device is damaged.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

[0007] On the other hand, a water-cooled cooling system consists of multiple components such as multiple pipes, tanks, pumps, and radiators. The causes of failure in a water-cooled cooling system are complex, including, for example, cracks in the pipes, failure of the radiator fan, and a decrease in the pump's driving force, and the degree of reduction in cooling efficiency also varies. Therefore, in the case of a water-cooled cooling system, it is difficult to determine whether or not it is damaged. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] This invention was made in response to the circumstances described above, and aims to improve the accuracy of detecting damage to water-cooled cooling devices used in elevator systems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] An elevator abnormality detection device according to an embodiment for solving the above problems is an elevator abnormality detection device that detects abnormalities in a water-cooled cooling device that cools a power supply that provides power to a motor that drives the elevator car up and down. The elevator abnormality detection device according to the embodiment includes a storage unit that stores at least one of the following as reference values: the value of the pump drive current under normal conditions, the value of the water pressure in the piping under normal conditions, the value of the flow rate of water flowing through the piping under normal conditions, the value of the vibration emitted by the water-cooled cooling device under normal conditions, and the value of the sound emitted by the water-cooled cooling device under normal conditions; and an abnormality detection unit that compares the measured value of at least one of the following values ​​measured each time the elevator car is raised or lowered with the reference value, and detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device when the difference between the measured value and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the elevator system according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the control system of an elevator device according to this embodiment. [Figure 3]This is a block diagram of the drive unit according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is an illustrative diagram of the heat sink used in the inverter according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram of a water-cooled cooling system according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram of the control unit according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart illustrating the abnormality detection process by the elevator abnormality detection device according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] This figure illustrates how the abnormality detection unit in this embodiment estimates the cause of damage. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] This embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. For the purpose of this description, an XYZ coordinate system consisting of mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z axes will be used as appropriate. The figures and flowcharts used in this description are examples only.

[0012] (Embodiment 1) Figure 1 is a perspective view of the elevator system 10 according to this embodiment. The elevator system 10 is located inside a hoistway 11 installed in a building such as a commercial facility or residential facility. As shown in Figure 1, the elevator system 10 includes an elevator car 31, a counterweight 35, a lifting motor 40, a control panel 70 (elevator control device), and the like.

[0013] The elevator car 31 is a unit that accommodates passengers and moves them up and down the elevator shaft 11. The elevator car 31 is positioned between the guide rails and is mounted so as to be movable in the vertical direction relative to the guide rails 21-24.

[0014] On the +X side surface of the car 31, an opening 31a for entering and exiting the interior is formed. The opening 31a is closed or opened by a pair of doors 32 that move along the side surface of the car 31. The doors 32 are opened and closed by an opening and closing motor (not shown in FIG. 1).

[0015] The counterweight 35 is attached to the guide rails 21 - 24 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The weight of the counterweight 35 is adjusted to a predetermined ratio with respect to the weight of the car 31.

[0016] The lifting motor 40 is a motor for lifting and lowering the car 31. The lifting motor 40 is arranged at the upper part of the hoistway 11 such that the rotation axis is parallel to the Y axis. A pulley 42 is fixed to the rotation axis of the lifting motor 40. A wire 43 is wound around the pulley 42 of the lifting motor 40. One end of the wire 43 is fixed to the car 31, and the other end is fixed to the counterweight 35.

[0017] The control panel 70 is arranged in the hoistway 11. The control panel 70 houses a control device for controlling the lifting motor 40 and devices provided on the car 31, etc. In the following embodiments, a machine - room - less elevator in which the control panel 70 is arranged in the hoistway 11 will be described as an example, but this embodiment can also be applied to the case where there is a machine room.

[0018] Although not shown in FIG. 1, a temperature sensor 38 for measuring the temperature inside the hoistway 11 is provided near the control panel 70.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the control system of the elevator device 10. The control system includes a control unit 80 and a drive unit 90 housed in the control panel 70, and an operation panel 36, a load sensor 37, and a temperature sensor 38 provided on the car 31.

[0020] The operation panel 36 is provided on the inner wall surface of the car 31. The operation panel 36 is an interface for receiving the destination floor and the like from the users of the car 31. The user can register the destination floor of the car 31 and open and close the door 32 by operating the operation panel 36.

[0021] The load sensor 37 is a sensor that measures the load mounted on the car 31. The temperature sensor 38 is a sensor that measures the temperature (ambient temperature) in the hoistway 11 (for example, near the control panel 70).

[0022] The drive unit 90 shown in FIG. 2 drives the lift motor 40 that drives the car 31 up and down and the opening / closing motor 41 (not shown in FIG. 1) that drives the door 32 of the car 31 to open and close by supplying power to them. The drive unit 90 drives the lift motor 40 based on an instruction from the control unit 80. Also, the drive unit 90 drives the opening / closing motor 41 based on an instruction from the control unit 80.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the drive unit 90. The drive unit 90 includes a converter 91 and an inverter 93. A smoothing capacitor 92 is provided between the converter 91 and the inverter 93. The converter 91 converts the AC power of the commercial power supply 1 into power suitable for the inverter 93. The inverter 93 is a power supply device that supplies power to the lift motor 40 and the opening / closing motor 41. In FIG. 3, the description of the opening / closing motor 41 is omitted. The inverter 93 is composed of a switching regulator. When the lift motor 40 and the opening / closing motor 41 are formed of three-phase AC motors, the inverter 93 outputs a three-phase AC voltage.

[0024] A power sensor 96 that measures the current supplied to the lift motor 40 is provided at the output of the inverter 93. Also, a temperature sensor 97 that measures the temperature of the heat generating element is provided near the heat generating element (for example, near the switching element, near the heat sink, etc.) that constitutes the inverter 93.

[0025] Returning to Figure 2, the control unit 80 is a computer having a CPU, main memory, auxiliary memory, and interface unit. The CPU executes the processes described later according to the program stored in the auxiliary memory. The main memory has RAM, etc. The main memory is used as the CPU's workspace. The auxiliary memory has non-volatile memory such as ROM and semiconductor memory. The auxiliary memory stores the program executed by the CPU. The auxiliary memory also stores data indicating the state of the water-cooled cooling system under normal conditions (value of pump drive current, value of water pressure in the piping, value of water flow rate in the piping, value of vibration, value of sound) as reference values.

[0026] The interface unit includes serial interfaces, parallel interfaces, and wireless LAN interfaces. The operation panel 36 and the drive unit 90 are connected to the CPU via the interface unit. An input / output device 100, consisting of a keyboard, display, etc., is also connected to the interface unit.

[0027] Figure 4 is an illustrative diagram of a heat sink 300 used in the inverter 93. The heat-generating elements 921 are switching elements and the like that make up the inverter 93. Here, eight heat-generating elements 921 are arranged as shown in Figure 4. A heat sink 300 is provided to cool the multiple heat-generating elements 921. The heat sink 300 has a heat-receiving plate 310 that is in contact with the multiple heat-generating elements 921, and a plurality of heat dissipation fins 320 arranged on the surface of the heat-receiving plate 310 opposite to the surface (-Z side) that is in contact with the heat-generating elements 921 (the surface on the +Z side). Multiple pipes 210 are provided on the heat-receiving plate 310. The inverter 93 may have multiple substrates as shown in Figure 4. In this case, a heat sink 300 may be provided for each substrate. Alternatively, multiple heat sinks 300 may be provided on a single substrate. A temperature sensor 97 may be provided for each heat-generating element 921, for each heat sink 300, or for each substrate.

[0028] In Figure 4, multiple forced-air cooling fans 350 are provided on the +Y side of the heatsink 300. For example, the forced air cooling blows cool air in the Y-axis direction. In the example shown in Figure 4, two cooling systems are used: an air-cooled cooling system using fans 350 and a water-cooled cooling system using piping 210.

[0029] Figure 5 is a block diagram of the water-cooled cooling system 200. The water-cooled cooling system 200 includes piping 210, a pump 220, a radiator 230, and a tank 240. The piping 210 contains water as a refrigerant and cools the heat sink 300 provided on the inverter 93. For example, the piping 210 is arranged to pass through the heat transfer plate 310 of the heat sink 300, as shown in Figure 4. The pump 220 circulates the water flowing through the piping 210. The radiator 230 cools the water flowing through the piping 210. The radiator 230 is equipped with one or more cooling fans. The tank 240 is a container for storing water. Having a water-storing tank 240 helps to suppress the rise in the temperature of the water in the piping 210. The tank 240 is located, for example, between the radiator 230 and the pump 220.

[0030] The pump 220 adjusts the flow rate of water flowing through the piping 210 based on the control of the pump motor control unit 222. The pump motor control unit 222 is controlled by the drive unit control unit 71, which will be described later. The drive unit control unit 71 controls the inverter 93 to output the power necessary to drive the elevator car 31 based on the load of the elevator car 31 or the distance traveled. The amount of heat generated by the heating element 921 of the inverter 93 correlates with the output power of the inverter 93. The drive unit control unit 71 controls the flow rate of water flowed by the pump 220 by controlling the pump motor control unit 222 based on control information for controlling the inverter 93, so that the temperature of the heating element 921 of the inverter 93 remains below a predetermined temperature. In other words, the flow rate of water flowed through the piping 210 by the pump 220 changes in accordance with the amount of heat generated by the inverter 93.

[0031] Pump 220 is equipped with a current sensor 250 that measures the current driving pump 220 (the current supplied to pump 220). The flow rate of water circulated by pump 220 is correlated with the current driving pump 220.

[0032] Furthermore, a vibration sensor 251 and a noise sensor 252 are provided near the pump 220. The vibration sensor 251 measures the vibrations emitted by the pump 220. The noise sensor 252 measures the sound emitted by the pump 220.

[0033] Furthermore, the piping 210 is equipped with a water pressure sensor 253 for measuring the water pressure inside the piping 210 and a water flow sensor 254 for measuring the flow rate of water flowing through the piping 210. The placement of the water pressure sensor 253 and the water flow sensor 254 is arbitrary. Figure 5 shows the case where they are placed between the heat sink 300 and the radiator 230, but for example, they may be placed between the pump 220 and the heat sink 300.

[0034] Figure 6 is a functional block diagram of the control unit 80. The CPU of the control unit 80 executes a program stored in the auxiliary memory to realize the drive unit control unit 71 and the abnormality detection device 72.

[0035] The drive unit control unit 71 controls the drive unit 90 based on input from the operation panel 36 or the call panel on each floor. For example, when the drive unit control unit 71 rotates the lifting motor 40 forward via the drive unit 90, the elevator car 31 rises and the counterweight 35 lowers. When the drive unit control unit 71 rotates the lifting motor 40 backward via the drive unit 90, the elevator car 31 lowers and the counterweight 35 rises. Also, when the drive unit control unit 71 rotates the opening / closing motor 41 forward via the drive unit 90, the doors 32 of the elevator car 31 and the doors provided at each floor landing are opened, and when the opening / closing motor 41 is rotated backward, the doors 32 of the elevator car 31 and the doors provided at each floor landing are closed.

[0036] Furthermore, the drive unit control unit 71 controls the pump motor control unit 222 to control the flow rate of water circulated by the pump 220 so that the temperature of the heating element 921 of the inverter 93 falls below a predetermined temperature.

[0037] The abnormality detection device 72 is a device that detects abnormalities in the water-cooled cooling system 200. The abnormality detection device 72 includes an operating status monitoring unit 721, a storage unit 722, and an abnormality detection unit 723.

[0038] The operating status monitoring unit 721 monitors operating conditions such as the load capacity, travel distance, and the frequency of elevator car operation. The heavier the load capacity and the longer the travel distance, the greater the output power of the inverter 93. Also, the higher the frequency of elevator car operation, the more the inverter 93 operates before the temperature of the switching elements constituting the inverter 93 decreases, resulting in a higher temperature of the switching elements. The operating status monitoring unit 721 can acquire load capacity information from the load sensor 37 and information such as travel distance and elevator car operation frequency from the drive unit control unit 71. Here, we will describe the case where the power per unit time supplied by the inverter 93 to the lifting motor 40 that drives the elevator car 31 up and down is used as an indicator of the operating state of the elevator car 31. The power measured by the power sensor 96 changes in response to operating conditions such as the load capacity of the elevator car 31, the travel distance of the elevator car 31, and the frequency of elevator car operation, so it can be used as an indicator of the operating condition. For example, the operating status monitoring unit 721 monitors the power measured by the power sensor 96 every hour.

[0039] The memory unit 722 stores the value of the drive current of the pump 220 under normal conditions as a reference value. The memory unit 722 also stores the value of the water pressure in the piping 210 under normal conditions as a reference value. Furthermore, the memory unit 722 stores the value of the vibration emitted by the pump 220 under normal conditions as a reference value. Finally, the memory unit 722 stores the value of the sound emitted by the pump 220 under normal conditions as a reference value. The vibration and sound values ​​include information on magnitude and frequency components.

[0040] The temperature of the heating element 921 of the inverter 93 also changes depending on the ambient temperature in which the inverter 93 is located. For example, the temperature of the heating element of the inverter 93 will be different in summer and winter, and during the day and at night, even under the same operating conditions. The memory unit 722 uses the power per hour measured by the power sensor 96 and the ambient temperature measured by the temperature sensor 38 as parameters, and for each combination of these parameters, it stores the values ​​of the drive current of the pump 220, the water pressure, the water flow rate, the vibration, and the sound as reference values ​​under normal conditions. These reference values ​​are created for each distance traveled by the elevator car 31 (for example, from the 1st floor to the 5th floor, from the 5th floor to the 7th floor, etc.).

[0041] The abnormality detection unit 723 compares the measured drive current of the pump 220, measured by the current sensor 250, with a reference value stored in the storage unit 722 each time the elevator car 31 moves up or down. If the difference between the measured value and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value, it detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling system 200. The abnormality detection unit 723 also compares the measured water pressure, measured by the water pressure sensor 253, with a reference value stored in the storage unit 722 each time the elevator car 31 moves up or down. If the difference between the measured value and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value, it detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling system 200. Furthermore, the abnormality detection unit 723 compares the measured water flow rate, measured by the water flow sensor 254, with a reference value stored in the storage unit 722 each time the elevator car 31 moves up or down. If the difference between the measured value and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value, it detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling system 200. Furthermore, the abnormality detection unit 723 compares the vibration measured by the vibration sensor 251 with a reference value stored in the memory unit 722 each time the elevator car 31 moves up and down, and detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device 200 if the difference between the measured value and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value. Also, the abnormality detection unit 723 compares the sound measured by the noise sensor 252 with a reference value stored in the memory unit 722 each time the elevator car 31 moves up and down, and detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device 200 if the difference between the measured value and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value. The abnormality detection unit 723 also detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device 200 if the frequency components of the vibration measured by the vibration sensor 251 include frequency components that are not normally detected. Furthermore, the abnormality detection unit 723 also detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device 200 if the frequency components of the sound measured by the noise sensor 252 include frequency components that are not normally detected. As a reference value, data from the same operating conditions as the measured values ​​will be used.

[0042] If the abnormality detection unit 723 detects an abnormality, it outputs a message to the input / output device 100 indicating that an abnormality has occurred. The abnormality detection unit 723 also notifies the drive unit control unit 71 that an abnormality has occurred. Upon receiving notification of an abnormality, the drive unit control unit 71 controls the drive unit 90 to operate the elevator car 31 in safety mode. Safety mode is an operation in which the elevator car 31's lifting acceleration and lifting speed are reduced compared to normal operation.

[0043] Next, the abnormality detection process of the elevator device 10 will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in Figure 7. The following control is performed based on a program stored in the auxiliary memory unit, and the main control unit is the control unit 80 (CPU).

[0044] Before operating the elevator system 10, reference values ​​are acquired (step S11). Specifically, the values ​​of the drive current of the pump 220 under normal conditions, the water pressure under normal conditions, the water flow rate under normal conditions, the vibration value emitted by the pump 220 under normal conditions, and the sound value emitted by the pump 220 under normal conditions are acquired as reference values ​​and stored in the memory unit 722. The reference values ​​are acquired under conditions where the combination of parameters of the elevator car 31's load capacity, travel distance, elevator car operating frequency, and ambient temperature measured by the temperature sensor 38 is changed. Here, the power per unit time supplied by the inverter 93 to the lifting motor 40 that drives the elevator car 31 up and down is used as an indicator of the operating state of the elevator car 31, including the elevator car's load capacity, travel distance, and elevator car operating frequency. By using the power per unit time supplied by the inverter 93 to the lifting motor 40 that drives the lifting and lowering of the elevator car 31 as an indicator of the operating status of the elevator car 31, including the load capacity of the elevator car 31, the distance traveled, and the frequency of operation of the elevator car, the number of parameter data points to be acquired can be reduced. In addition, since the number of parameter combinations can be reduced, the processing load on the CPU can be reduced.

[0045] When the elevator system 10 starts operating, the operation status monitoring unit 721 monitors the operation status by monitoring the output power of the inverter 93 (for example, the output power per hour) (step S12).

[0046] The abnormality detection device 72 monitors whether or not the elevator car 31 has been raised or lowered (step S13). The abnormality detection device 72 performs this monitoring by obtaining information from the drive unit control unit 71 indicating whether or not the elevator car 31 has been raised or lowered.

[0047] If the elevator car 31 is raised or lowered (Step S13: Yes), the abnormality detection unit 723 acquires data indicating the status of the water-cooled cooling device 200 (Step S14). The data indicating the status of the water-cooled cooling device 200 includes the value of the drive current of the pump 220 measured by the current sensor 250, the vibration value of the pump 220 acquired by the vibration sensor 251, the sound value of the pump 220 acquired by the noise sensor 252, the water pressure value inside the piping 210 acquired by the water pressure sensor 253, and the flow rate of the water flowing inside the piping 210 acquired by the water flow sensor 254.

[0048] Next, the operation status monitoring unit 721 acquires information on the load weight of the elevator car 31 from the load sensor 37, information on the travel distance of the elevator car 31 from the drive unit control unit 71, and information on the ambient temperature from the temperature sensor 38 (step S15). As an indicator of the operating status, the power per unit time (for example, per hour) supplied by the inverter 93 to the lifting motor 40 that drives the elevator car 31 up and down is used.

[0049] Next, the abnormality detection unit 723 extracts reference values ​​from the storage unit 722 that correspond to the parameters of the elevator car 31, such as the load weight, travel distance, operating status, and ambient temperature, which were acquired by the operating status monitoring unit 721 in step S15. Then, the abnormality detection unit 723 compares the data indicating the status of the water-cooled cooling device 200 acquired in step S14 with the reference values ​​to determine whether or not there is an abnormality in the water-cooled cooling device 200 (step S16).

[0050] The abnormality detection unit 723 compares the measured values ​​of the drive current of the pump 220, water pressure, water flow rate, vibration, and sound, measured each time the elevator car is raised or lowered, with their respective reference values. If the difference between the measured value and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value (step S16: Yes), it determines that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling system 200. The abnormality detection unit 723 also determines that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling system 200 if it detects frequency components in the measured vibration and sound data that are not present under normal conditions.

[0051] Next, the abnormality detection unit 723 estimates the cause of damage to the water-cooled cooling device 200 based on the measurement results of various sensors (step S17). The abnormality detection unit 723 compares the measured value of at least one of the following values, measured each time the elevator car 31 is raised or lowered: the drive current of the pump 220, the water pressure in the piping 210, the flow rate of water flowing through the piping 210, the vibration value emitted by the water-cooled cooling device 200, and the sound emitted by the water-cooled cooling device 200, with a reference value. If the difference between the measured value and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value, the unit detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device 200.

[0052] Figure 8 is a table showing the relationship between sensors that measured abnormal values ​​and the causes of damage to the water-cooled cooling system 200. For example, if the current sensor 250 or the water flow sensor 254 measures an abnormal value, damage to the pump motor, piping 210, or tank 240 is possible. Similarly, if the vibration sensor 251 or the noise sensor 252 measures an abnormal value, damage to the pump motor is possible. In the case of pump motor damage, the bearing part is the most common cause. Furthermore, if the water pressure sensor 253 measures an abnormal value, damage to piping 210 or tank 240 is possible.

[0053] The abnormality detection unit 723 outputs the cause of damage, which it estimates to have occurred, to the drive unit control unit 71 and the input / output device 100 (step S18). The drive unit control unit 71 controls the elevator car 31 to move up and down in a safety mode corresponding to the cause of damage (step S19). The safety mode is an operation in which the elevator car 31's upward and downward acceleration and upward and downward speed are reduced compared to normal operation. By operating in safety mode, the amount of heat generated by the inverter 93 is suppressed, and damage to the inverter 93 before a safety inspection is performed can be prevented. The safety mode also includes stopping the elevator car 31 at the nearest floor and suspending the elevator car 31's upward and downward operation until the safety inspection is completed.

[0054] As described above, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment compares measured values ​​(measured values ​​of the drive current, water pressure, flow rate, vibration, and sound of the pump 220) measured each time the elevator car 31 moves up and down with reference values ​​(the drive current, water pressure, flow rate, vibration, and sound of the pump 220 under normal conditions), and detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device 200 when the difference between the measured value and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value. As a result, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment can improve the accuracy of detecting damage to the water-cooled cooling device 200 used in the elevator system.

[0055] Furthermore, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to this embodiment can estimate the cause of damage to the water-cooled cooling device 200 by comparing the measured values ​​of the drive current, water pressure, water flow rate, vibration, and sound of the pump 220, which are measured each time the elevator car 31 is raised or lowered, with reference values ​​(the values ​​of the drive current, water pressure, flow rate, vibration, and sound of the pump 220 under normal conditions).

[0056] Furthermore, the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment has reference values ​​corresponding to the load, travel distance, elevator car operating frequency, and ambient temperature. By comparing the current load, travel distance, elevator car operating frequency, and ambient temperature with these reference values, it detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device 200 and estimates the cause of damage to the water-cooled cooling device 200. Since the elevator abnormality detection device 72 according to the embodiment compares the current temperature with the temperature under normal conditions, taking into account the detailed classification of parameter conditions, it can improve the accuracy of detecting damage to the water-cooled cooling device 200 used in the elevator system and improve the accuracy of estimating the cause of damage to the water-cooled cooling device 200.

[0057] The above description describes a case where the water-cooled cooling device 200 is equipped with a current sensor 250, a vibration sensor 251, a noise sensor 252, a water pressure sensor 253, and a water flow sensor 254 as sensors for detecting abnormalities. However, any of these sensors can be omitted. One or more sensors may be omitted.

[0058] When the elevator car 31 ascends or descends, it accelerates from a standstill, reaches a constant speed, and then decelerates before stopping. The output current of the inverter 93 is maximum during this acceleration, so the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 97 is also maximum during this acceleration. The flow rate of water driven by the pump 220 can also be controlled according to this temperature change. In this case, the drive current of the pump 220 is maximum when the elevator car 31 is accelerating. The abnormality detection judgment based on the drive current of the pump 220 described above may be made by comparing the maximum value of the drive current, by comparing the drive current when the elevator car 31 is at a constant speed, or by comparing the average value over one ascent or descent.

[0059] Furthermore, the above description described the case where the drive current of the pump 220 is measured with the current sensor 250, and the vibration sensor 251 and noise sensor 252 are placed near the pump 220. In addition, by measuring the drive current of the radiator 230 with the current sensor and placing the vibration sensor and noise sensor near the radiator 230, it is also possible to obtain information to estimate the failure of the radiator 230. By placing sensors for each component that makes up the water-cooled cooling system 200 in this way, the accuracy of estimating the cause of failure can be improved.

[0060] Furthermore, the above description explained a case in which the drive unit control unit 71 controls the pump motor control unit 222 according to the operating status of the elevator car 31, thereby controlling the flow rate of water circulated by the pump 220 so that the temperature of the heat-generating element 921 of the inverter 93 remains below a predetermined temperature. As a simple water-cooled cooling system, there are also systems in which the flow rate of water circulated by the pump 220 remains constant regardless of the operating status of the elevator car 31. There are also systems that omit the tank 240 or the radiator 230.

[0061] Routine periodic inspections of elevator equipment are performed every few months. For example, if a crack occurs in the piping 210 of the water-cooled cooling system 200, the water in the piping 210 and tank 240 will run out before the next periodic inspection, reducing the cooling effect. In this case, the semiconductors that make up the inverter 93 cannot be cooled, increasing the likelihood of the inverter 93 being damaged. Therefore, it is desirable that inspections by the elevator abnormality detection device 72 be performed, for example, after each ascent or descent of the elevator car 31, or daily, such as at night.

[0062] (Variation 1) The above explanation described the case where water is passed through the piping 210 as a cooling medium. However, the cooling medium for the heat sink 300 is not limited to water. For example, various gases such as fluorocarbons used in air conditioning systems may also be used. In this case, the water-cooled cooling system 200 shown in Figure 5 may have, for example, an expansion valve instead of a pump 220, and a compressor between the heat sink 300 and the radiator 230.

[0063] (Embodiment 2) The description of Embodiment 1 described a technique for improving the accuracy of estimating failure factors by placing sensors on each component of the water-cooled cooling device 200. Other methods exist for estimating failure factors. For example, failure factors can also be estimated from the frequency components of noise superimposed on the current waveform measured by the current sensor 250.

[0064] The pump 220 and radiator 230, which constitute the water-cooled cooling system 200, each have resonant frequencies corresponding to their respective operating speeds, sizes, and shapes. The piping 210 and tank 240 also have resonant frequencies corresponding to their respective sizes and shapes. If any abnormality occurs in any of the components of the water-cooled cooling system 200, these resonant frequencies will also change. For example, if the brushes of the pump motor wear out, the contact resistance of the worn part will differ from that of the unworn part, resulting in noise caused by the difference in contact resistance. The frequency components of this noise are not present under normal conditions. Also, if a crack occurs in the piping 210, the resonant frequency of the piping 210 will change, and therefore the frequency of the superimposed noise will also change.

[0065] The current waveform measured by the current sensor 250 is superimposed with noise caused by these resonant frequencies. By comparing this with the frequency components (frequency spectrum distribution) of the superimposed noise when all components of the water-cooled cooling system 200 are functioning normally, it is possible to estimate which component of the water-cooled cooling system 200 is malfunctioning.

[0066] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 10…Elevator equipment 11…Housing 21-24... Guide rails 31... bus car 31a...Opening 32... Door 35... Counterweight 36…Control Panel 37... Load sensor 38…Temperature sensor 40…Lifting motor 41…Opening / closing motor 42...Pulley 43... Wire 70... Control panel 71…Drive Unit Control Unit 72... Anomaly detection device 721... Operation Status Monitoring Department 722...Storage section 723... Anomaly detection unit 80... Control Unit 90…Drive unit 91... Converter 93…Inverter 96... Power Sensor 97...Temperature sensor 100… Input / Output Devices 200…Water-cooled cooling device 210... Piping 220... Pump 222... Pump Motor Control Unit 230...Radiator 240... Tank 250...Current sensor 251…Vibration sensor 252... Noise sensor 253...Water pressure sensor 254...Water flow sensor 300... Heatsink 310…Heating plate 320... Heat dissipation fins 350...fan 921... Heating element

Claims

1. An elevator malfunction detection device that detects abnormalities in a water-cooled cooling system that cools the power supply that provides power to the motor that drives the elevator car to move up and down, The water-cooled cooling device, A pipe containing water as a refrigerant, which cools a heat sink that cools the power supply, A pump that causes the water flowing through the aforementioned pipe to move, A radiator that cools the water flowing through the aforementioned pipe, It has, At least one of the following sensors: a current sensor for measuring the current driving the pump, a water pressure sensor for measuring the water pressure of the water flowing through the piping, a water flow sensor for measuring the flow rate of the water flowing through the piping, a vibration sensor for measuring vibrations emitted by the pump or the radiator, and a noise sensor for measuring sounds emitted by the pump or the radiator. A storage unit that stores as a reference value at least one of the following: the value of the pump's drive current under normal conditions, the value of the water pressure in the piping under normal conditions, the value of the flow rate of water flowing through the piping under normal conditions, the value of the vibration emitted by the water-cooled cooling device under normal conditions, and the value of the sound emitted by the water-cooled cooling device under normal conditions. The measured value of the drive current measured each time the elevator car is raised or lowered, the water pressure value in the piping, the flow rate of water flowing through the piping, the vibration value emitted by the water-cooled cooling device, and at least one of the sound values ​​emitted by the water-cooled cooling device are compared with the reference value, and the measured value An abnormality detection unit that detects an abnormality in the water-cooled cooling device when the difference between the above and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value, An elevator anomaly detection device having [a specific feature / feature].

2. An elevator malfunction detection device that detects abnormalities in a water-cooled cooling system that cools the power supply that provides power to the motor that drives the elevator car to move up and down, The water-cooled cooling device, A pipe containing water as a refrigerant, which cools a heat sink that cools the power supply, A pump that causes the water flowing through the aforementioned pipe to move, It has, A current sensor for measuring the current that drives the pump, A storage unit that stores the value of the pump's drive current under normal conditions as a reference value, An abnormality detection unit compares the measured value of the pump's drive current, measured by the current sensor, with the reference value each time the elevator car is raised or lowered, and detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling system if the difference between the measured value and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value. An elevator anomaly detection device having [a specific feature / feature].

3. An elevator malfunction detection device that detects abnormalities in a water-cooled cooling system that cools the power supply that provides power to the motor that drives the elevator car to move up and down, The water-cooled cooling device, A pipe containing water as a refrigerant, which cools a heat sink that cools the power supply, A pump that causes the water flowing through the aforementioned pipe to move, It has, A water pressure sensor for measuring the water pressure of the water flowing inside the aforementioned pipe, A storage unit that stores the water pressure value inside the piping under normal conditions as a reference value, An abnormality detection unit that compares the measured water pressure in the piping, measured by the water pressure sensor each time the elevator car is raised or lowered, with the reference value, and detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling system if the difference between the measured value and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value, An elevator anomaly detection device having [a specific feature / feature].

4. An elevator malfunction detection device that detects abnormalities in a water-cooled cooling system that cools the power supply that provides power to the motor that drives the elevator car to move up and down, The water-cooled cooling device, A pipe containing water as a refrigerant, which cools a heat sink that cools the power supply, A pump that causes the water flowing through the aforementioned pipe to move, It has, A water flow sensor for measuring the flow rate of water flowing through the aforementioned pipe, A storage unit that stores the flow rate of water flowing through the pipe under normal conditions as a reference value, An abnormality detection unit that, each time the elevator car is raised or lowered, compares the measured value of the water flow rate in the piping, measured by the water flow sensor, with the reference value, and detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling system if the difference between the measured value and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value, An elevator anomaly detection device having [a specific feature / feature].

5. An elevator malfunction detection device that detects abnormalities in a water-cooled cooling system that cools the power supply that provides power to the motor that drives the elevator car to move up and down, The water-cooled cooling device, A pipe containing water as a refrigerant, which cools a heat sink that cools the power supply, A pump that causes the water flowing through the aforementioned pipe to move, A radiator that cools the water flowing through the aforementioned pipe, It has, A vibration sensor for measuring vibrations emitted by the pump or the radiator, A storage unit that stores the vibration value emitted by the water-cooled cooling device under normal conditions as a reference value, An abnormality detection unit that compares the measured vibration value of the water-cooled cooling device, measured by the vibration sensor each time the elevator car is raised or lowered, with the reference value, and detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device if the difference between the measured value and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value, An elevator anomaly detection device having [a specific feature / feature].

6. An elevator malfunction detection device that detects abnormalities in a water-cooled cooling system that cools the power supply that provides power to the motor that drives the elevator car to move up and down, The water-cooled cooling device, A pipe containing water as a refrigerant, which cools a heat sink that cools the power supply, A pump that causes the water flowing through the aforementioned pipe to move, A radiator that cools the water flowing through the aforementioned pipe, It has, A noise sensor for measuring the sound emitted by the pump or the radiator, A storage unit that stores the sound value emitted by the water-cooled cooling device under normal conditions as a reference value, An abnormality detection unit compares the measured sound value of the water-cooled cooling device, measured by the noise sensor each time the elevator car is raised or lowered, with the reference value, and detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device if the difference between the measured value and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value. An elevator anomaly detection device having [a specific feature / feature].

7. The memory unit has reference values ​​corresponding to the load capacity, travel distance, frequency of elevator operation, and ambient temperature. The abnormality detection unit detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling system by comparing it with reference values ​​corresponding to the mounted load, travel distance, elevator operation frequency, and ambient temperature. An elevator abnormality detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The elevator abnormality detection device according to claim 7, wherein the power supply provides power per unit time to the motor that drives the elevator car to move up and down, and the power supply provides power per unit time to indicate the operating state of the elevator car, including the load capacity of the elevator car, the distance traveled, and the frequency of operation of the elevator car.

9. The abnormality detection unit estimates the cause of damage to the water-cooled cooling device by comparing at least one measured value of the following with a reference value: the value of the drive current measured each time the elevator car is raised or lowered, the value of the water pressure in the piping, the value of the flow rate of the water flowing through the piping, the value of the vibration emitted by the water-cooled cooling device, and the value of the sound emitted by the water-cooled cooling device. An elevator abnormality detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

10. The power supply has a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the heating element that makes up the power supply, The pump causes the water flowing through the pipe to move so that the temperature measured by the temperature sensor reaches a predetermined temperature. An elevator abnormality detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

11. When the abnormality detection unit detects that an abnormality has occurred in the water-cooled cooling device, it notifies the control unit that controls the motor that drives the elevator car to move up and down that an abnormality has occurred. The control unit performs elevator car raising and lowering control by limiting the current required for raising and lowering the elevator car. An elevator abnormality detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

Images