Power supply

Abstract

To provide a power supply device capable of suppressing temperature rise in a power supply unit due to contamination of a dust filter.SOLUTION: An uninterruptible power supply device includes a housing 1 provided with an intake port 1a and an exhaust port 1b, a dust filter 2 provided on the intake port 1a, a cooling fan 3 provided on the exhaust port 1b, a power supply unit 5 that supplies power to a load 53, an optical sensor 11 that detects the intensity of light passing through the dustproof filter 2, and a contamination level detector 25 that detects the contamination level Lc of the dustproof filter 2 on the basis of the detection result of the optical sensor 11. Therefore, by cleaning the dustproof filter 2 according to the detected contamination level Lc, the temperature rise in the power supply unit 5 can be suppressed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a power supply device, and more particularly to a power supply device equipped with an anti-dust filter and a cooling fan. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-19324 (Patent Document 1) discloses a power supply device including a housing with an intake port and an exhaust port, a cooling fan provided at the exhaust port, and a power supply unit provided within the housing for supplying power to a load. When the cooling fan is driven, air is sucked into the housing from the outside through the intake port, and the air is discharged to the outside through the exhaust port together with heat generated by the power supply unit, thereby cooling the power supply unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-19324 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In such a power supply device, dust particles in the air may be sucked into the housing and adhere to the power supply unit, causing the power supply unit to break down. As a countermeasure, a dust filter may be provided at the air intake of the housing. However, this method has a problem in that as the dust filter becomes dirty with dust, the air speed inside the housing decreases, causing the temperature of the power supply unit to rise. If the temperature of the power supply unit rises excessively, the power supply unit will be damaged. Therefore, generally, if the temperature of the power supply unit exceeds an upper limit, the operation of the power supply unit is stopped, and the power supply from the power supply unit to the load is stopped.

[0005] Therefore, a main object of the present disclosure is to provide a power supply device capable of suppressing a rise in temperature of the power supply unit caused by contamination of the dust filter. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The power supply device of the present disclosure includes a housing having an air intake and an exhaust port, a dust filter provided at the air intake, a cooling fan provided at the exhaust port, a power supply unit provided within the housing and supplying power to a load, an optical sensor that detects the intensity of light passing through the dust filter, and a contamination level detector that detects the contamination level of the dust filter based on the detection result of the optical sensor. Effect of the Invention

[0007] In the power supply device according to the present disclosure, the optical sensor detects the intensity of light transmitted through the dust filter, and the contamination level of the dust filter is detected based on the detection result. Therefore, by cleaning the dust filter based on the detected contamination level, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise of the power supply unit due to contamination of the dust filter. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration of an uninterruptible power supply according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the layout of the uninterruptible power supply shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a power supply room in which the uninterruptible power supply shown in FIG. 2 is installed. [Figure 4] 2 is a block diagram showing a portion of the control device shown in FIG. 1 that is related to the control of a plurality of light-emitting units. [Diagram 5] 2 is a block diagram showing a portion of the control device shown in FIG. 1 that is related to processing of output signals from a plurality of optical sensors. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the contamination level detector shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the stored contents of a memory shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 6 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a map creating unit shown in FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration of an uninterruptible power supply according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] 10 is a block diagram showing a portion of the control device shown in FIG. 9 that is related to the control of lighting fixtures. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a main part of an uninterruptible power supply according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a main part of an uninterruptible power supply according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] [Embodiment 1] 1 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration of an uninterruptible power supply according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIG. 1, the uninterruptible power supply includes a housing 1, a dust filter 2, a cooling fan 3, a power supply unit 5, a plurality of light-emitting units 10, a plurality of optical sensors 11, an operation unit 12, and a control device 13.

[0010] The housing 1 is provided with an intake port 1a and an exhaust port 1b. The dust filter 2 is provided to close the intake port 1a and prevents dust in the air from entering the housing 1 and adhering to the power supply unit 5, etc., which may cause the power supply unit 5 to malfunction. The cooling fan 3 includes a fan 3a provided at the exhaust port 1b and a motor 3b for rotating the fan 3a. The motor 3b is driven by AC power supplied from the power supply unit 5.

[0011] The housing 1 is placed, for example, in a power supply room that is adjusted to a predetermined temperature. When the cooling fan 3 is driven, air is sucked into the housing 1 from outside the housing 1 through the dust filter 2, and the air flows inside the housing 1 to cool the power supply unit 5 and other components, and is then expelled outside the housing 1 by the cooling fan 3.

[0012] The power supply unit 5 includes an input terminal T1, a DC terminal T2, an output terminal T3, switches S1 to S4, current detectors CD1 to CD3, capacitors C1 to C3, reactors L1 to L3, a converter 6, a DC line 7, a bidirectional chopper 8, and an inverter 9.

[0013] Input terminal T1 receives AC power of a commercial frequency supplied from commercial AC power source 51. An instantaneous value of AC voltage V1 at input terminal T1 is detected by control device 13. Control device 13 determines whether or not a power outage has occurred in commercial AC power source 51 based on AC voltage V1, and controls power supply unit 5 based on the determination result.

[0014] The DC terminal T2 is connected to a battery 52 (power storage device). The battery 52 stores DC power. A capacitor may be connected instead of the battery 52. ​​The DC voltage V2 at the DC terminal T2 is detected by the control device 13.

[0015] The output terminal T3 is connected to a load 53. The load 53 is driven by AC power supplied from the power supply unit 5. The instantaneous value of the AC voltage V3 at the output terminal T3 is detected by the control device 13.

[0016] The switch S1 and the reactor L1 are connected in series between the input terminal T1 and the AC node of the converter 6. The capacitor C1 is connected to a node N1 between the switch S1 and the reactor L1. The switch S1 is controlled by the control device 13, and is turned on when the commercial AC power supply 51 is healthy and is turned off when the commercial AC power supply 51 is in a power outage.

[0017] Capacitor C1 and reactor L2 configure AC filter F1. AC filter F1 is a low-pass filter that passes AC power of a commercial frequency from commercial AC power supply 51 to converter 6 and prevents a signal of a switching frequency generated in converter 6 from passing to commercial AC power supply 51. Current detector CD1 detects a current flowing through switch S1, i.e., a current I1 that flows mainly from commercial AC power supply 51 to converter 6, and outputs a signal I1f indicative of the detected value to control device 13.

[0018] Converter 6 is controlled by control device 13. When commercial AC power supply 51 is healthy, converter 6 converts AC power supplied from commercial AC power supply 51 into DC power and outputs it to DC line 7. When commercial AC power supply 51 experiences a power outage, operation of converter 6 is stopped. AC filter F1 and converter 6 constitute a "first power converter" that converts AC power into DC power.

[0019] Capacitor C2 is connected to DC line 7 and smoothes voltage V4 of DC line 7. DC voltage V4 appearing on DC line 7 is detected by control device 13. DC line 7 is connected to a high-voltage side node of bidirectional chopper 8, and a low-voltage side node of bidirectional chopper 8 is connected to DC terminal T2 via reactor L2 and switch S2.

[0020] The switch S2 is controlled by the control device 13, turned on when the uninterruptible power supply is in use, and turned off during maintenance of the battery 52, etc. The reactor L2 smoothes the current I2 flowing between the bidirectional chopper 8 and the battery 52. ​​The current detector CD2 detects the current I2 flowing between the bidirectional chopper 8 and the battery 52, and outputs a signal I2f indicating the detected value to the control device 13.

[0021] The bidirectional chopper 8 is controlled by the control device 13. When the commercial AC power supply 51 is normal, the bidirectional chopper 8 stores the DC power supplied from the converter 6 via the DC line 7 in the battery 52. ​​When the commercial AC power supply 51 experiences a power outage, the bidirectional chopper 8 supplies the DC power of the battery 52 to the inverter 9 via the DC line 7. The bidirectional chopper 8 constitutes a “second power converter” that transfers DC power between the DC line 7 and the battery 52.

[0022] The inverter 9 is controlled by the control device 13. When the commercial AC power supply 51 is normal, the inverter 9 converts DC power supplied from the converter 6 via the DC line 7 into AC power. When the commercial AC power supply 51 is out of power, the inverter 9 converts DC power supplied from the battery 52 via the bidirectional chopper 8 into AC power.

[0023] The AC node of the inverter 9 is connected to one terminal of a reactor L3, and the other terminal (node ​​N2) of the reactor L3 is connected to an output terminal T3 via a switch S3. The capacitor C3 is connected to the node N2. The reactor L3 and the capacitor C3 configure an AC filter F2.

[0024] The AC filter F2 is a low-pass filter that passes the commercial frequency AC power generated by the inverter 9 to the output terminal T3 and prevents a switching frequency signal generated by the inverter 9 from passing to the output terminal T3. In other words, the AC filter F2 converts the voltage pulse train output from the AC node of the inverter 9 into a sinusoidal AC voltage VO and outputs it to the node N2.

[0025] The switch S3 is controlled by the control device 13, is turned on when the uninterruptible power supply is in use, and is turned off during maintenance of the inverter 9, etc. The current detector CD3 detects a current I3 flowing through the switch S3, that is, a current I3 flowing mainly from the inverter 9 to the load 53, and provides a signal I3f indicating the detected value to the control device 13.

[0026] The switch S4 is connected between the output terminal T3 and the motor 3b of the cooling fan 3. The switch S4 is controlled by the control device 13, and is turned on when the power supply unit 5 is in operation, and is turned off during maintenance of the cooling fan 3, etc.

[0027] The multiple light-emitting units 10 are arranged on the outer surface of the housing 1 so as to surround the periphery of the surface of the dustproof filter 2. Each light-emitting unit 10 is controlled by the control device 13, emits light at a predetermined cycle, and provides transmitted light to the dustproof filter 2 from outside the housing 1. As the operating time of the uninterruptible power supply increases, the amount of dust adhering to the dustproof filter 2 increases, the light transmittance of the dustproof filter 2 decreases, and the intensity of light transmitted through the dustproof filter 2 decreases.

[0028] The multiple optical sensors 11 are disposed in the housing 1 so as to face multiple locations on the rear surface of the anti-dust filter 2. Each optical sensor 11 detects the intensity of light transmitted through the anti-dust filter 2, and outputs a signal indicating the detection value to the control device 13. Based on the output signals from the multiple optical sensors 11, the contamination levels of the multiple locations on the anti-dust filter 2 are detected.

[0029] The operation unit 12 includes a plurality of buttons operated by a user of the uninterruptible power supply, an image display unit that displays various information, etc. The user of the device can operate the uninterruptible power supply manually or automatically by operating the operation unit 12. The user of the device can also set the timing for detecting the contamination level of the antidust filter 2, etc., by operating the operation unit 12.

[0030] The control device 13 controls the entire power supply unit 5 based on signals from the operation unit 12, the AC input voltage V1, the battery voltage V2, the AC output voltage V3, the DC voltage V4, the AC input current I1, the battery current I2, the AC output current I3, etc.

[0031] The control device 13 also causes the multiple light-emitting units 10 to emit light at a predetermined cycle, detects the contamination levels at multiple locations on the dust filter 2 based on output signals from the multiple optical sensors 11, and determines based on the detection results whether or not it is necessary to clean the dust filter 2. When the control device 13 determines that it is necessary to clean the dust filter 2, it notifies the user of the need to clean the dust filter 2 by sound, light, video, or the like via the uninterruptible power supply.

[0032] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the layout of the uninterruptible power supply. In Fig. 2, the housing 1 is formed in a vertically long rectangular parallelepiped shape. A rectangular intake port 1a is provided at the bottom end of the right side of the housing 1 in the figure, and a circular exhaust port 1b is provided at the left end of the ceiling of the housing 1 in the figure.

[0033] The anti-dust filter 2 is formed in a rectangular shape and is provided vertically so as to close the air intake 1a. A plurality of light emitting units 10 are distributed around the anti-dust filter 2 and irradiate the surface of the anti-dust filter 2 with light from outside the housing 1. A plurality of optical sensors 11 are distributed within the housing 1 so as to face the rear surface of the anti-dust filter 2. Each optical sensor 11 detects the intensity of light passing through the anti-dust filter 2 from the outside.

[0034] A partition plate 14 is erected in the center of the housing 1 to divide the inside of the housing 1 into left and right parts in the figure. An opening 14a for passing air is provided at the lower end of the partition plate 14. A shelf plate 15 is horizontally provided above the opening 14a on the right surface of the partition plate 14 in the figure. This forms an L-shaped air guide path 16 that extends from the intake port 1a to the exhaust port 1b.

[0035] When a current flows through the electrical components (particularly the converter 6, bidirectional chopper 8, inverter 9, and reactors L1 to L3) that make up the power supply unit 5, heat is generated, and the temperature of the electrical components rises. If the temperature of an electrical component rises excessively, the electrical component itself and electrical components around it will break down. Therefore, the electrical components are arranged in an air guide 16, and are cooled by wind.

[0036] 2 shows a state in which the converter 6, the bidirectional chopper 8, and the inverter 9 are arranged in the air guide 16 so as to face the rear surface of the antidust filter 2, and the reactors L1 to L3 are arranged in the vertical direction in the figure in the air guide 16 below the cooling fan 3. Each of the converter 6, the bidirectional chopper 8, and the inverter 9 is provided with a cooling fin (not shown) for dissipating generated heat.

[0037] In addition, capacitors C1 to C3 are provided on shelf board 15, and operation unit 12 and control device 13 are provided above them. A part of operation unit 12 is exposed on the surface of housing 1 so that a plurality of buttons included in operation unit 12 can be operated from outside housing 1 and an image displayed on an image display unit included in operation unit 12 can be viewed from outside housing 1.

[0038] Next, the operation of this uninterruptible power supply will be described. When commercial AC power supply 51 is healthy, switches S1 to S4 are turned on. AC power is supplied from commercial AC power supply 51 to converter 6 via switch S1 and AC filter F1, and the AC power is converted by converter 6 to DC power.

[0039] The DC power generated by the converter 6 is stored in the battery 52 via the bidirectional chopper 8, the reactor L2, and the switch S2, and is also converted to AC power by the inverter 9 and supplied to the load 53 via the AC filter F2 and the switch S3. The AC power generated by the inverter 9 is also supplied to the cooling fan 3 via the AC filter F2 and the switches S3 and S4. This drives the load 53 and the cooling fan 3.

[0040] When the cooling fan 3 is driven, air is sucked into the housing 1 from outside the housing 1 through the dust filter 2, flows through the air guide path 16 (FIG. 2), and is exhausted to the outside of the housing 1 by the cooling fan 3. At this time, the converter 6, bidirectional chopper 8, inverter 9, and reactors L1 to L3 arranged in the air guide path 16 are cooled by the air flow, i.e., wind.

[0041] The light-emitting units 10 are turned on at a predetermined cycle. The light emitted from the light-emitting units 10 passes through the dust-proof filter 2 and enters the optical sensors 11. Each optical sensor 11 detects the intensity of the incident light, and provides a signal indicating the detection value to the control device 13.

[0042] As the operating time of the uninterruptible power supply increases, the amount of dust adhering to the dustproof filter 2 increases, causing the dustproof filter 2 to become dirty and the intensity of the transmitted light to decrease. The control device 13 detects the dirt levels at multiple locations on the dustproof filter 2 based on the output signals of the multiple optical sensors 11, and determines whether or not the dustproof filter 2 needs to be cleaned based on the detection results. When it is determined that the dustproof filter 2 needs to be cleaned, the control device 13 notifies the user of the uninterruptible power supply to that effect.

[0043] When a user of the uninterruptible power supply removes the contaminated dust filter 2 from the air intake 1a and installs a cleaned dust filter 2 or a new dust filter 2 in the air intake 1a, the contamination level of the dust filter 2 returns to the minimum level, and normal operation of the uninterruptible power supply becomes possible.

[0044] When a power outage occurs in the commercial AC power supply 51, the operation of the converter 6 is stopped and the switch S1 is turned off. In addition, the DC power of the battery 52 is supplied to the inverter 9 by the switch S2, the reactor L2, and the bidirectional chopper 8 and converted into AC power. The AC power generated by the inverter 9 is supplied to the load 53 via the AC filter F2 and the switch S3, and is further supplied to the cooling fan 3 via the switch S4. Therefore, even if a power outage occurs in the commercial AC power supply 51, the operation of the load 53 can be continued for the period during which the DC power is stored in the battery 52.

[0045] Next, a method for determining whether or not cleaning of the dust filter 2 is necessary will be described in detail. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a power supply room 17 in which an uninterruptible power supply is installed. In Fig. 3, a lighting fixture 18 is provided on the ceiling of the power supply room 17. A user of the uninterruptible power supply can turn on or off the lighting fixture 18 using a switch (not shown) in the power supply room 17.

[0046] When the lighting fixture 18 is turned on, the light from the lighting fixture 18 and the light from the light-emitting unit 10 are irradiated onto the anti-dust filter 2. When the lighting fixture 18 is turned off, only the light from the light-emitting unit 10 is irradiated onto the anti-dust filter 2. Therefore, the intensity of the light transmitted through the anti-dust filter 2 varies depending on whether the lighting fixture 18 is turned on or not. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the initial value of the intensity of the light transmitted through the anti-dust filter 2 is detected separately when the lighting fixture 18 is turned on and when it is turned off.

[0047] 4 is a block diagram showing a portion of the control device 13 that is related to the control of the multiple light-emitting units 10. In FIG. 4, the control device 13 includes a control unit 20, a drive circuit 21, and a timer 22.

[0048] First, a user of the uninterruptible power supply operates the operation unit 12 to set the signal STH to the "H" level, which is the activation level, and turns on the lighting fixture 18. The signal STH is a signal for instructing the control device 13 to detect and store the initial value X0 of the transmitted light intensity of the antidust filter 2 when the lighting fixture 18 is turned on.

[0049] When the signal STH is set to the “H” level, the control unit 20 sets the signal CMD to the “H” level, which is the activation level. When the signal CMD is set to the “H” level, the drive circuit 21 supplies a power supply voltage to each light-emitting unit 10 to light up each light-emitting unit 10.

[0050] When a predetermined time required for detecting and storing the initial value X0 has elapsed, the signal STH is set to the inactivation level "L" When the signal STH is set to the "L" level, the signal CMD is set to the inactivation level "L" level, and each light-emitting unit 10 is turned off.

[0051] Next, the user of the uninterruptible power supply operates operation unit 12 to set signal STL to the "H" level, which is the activation level, and turns off lighting fixture 18. Signal STL is a signal for instructing control device 13 to detect and store an initial value Y0 of the transmitted light intensity of anti-dust filter 2 when lighting fixture 18 is turned off.

[0052] When the signal STL is set to the “H” level, the control unit 20 sets the signal CMD to the “H” level, which is the activation level. When the signal CMD is set to the “H” level, the drive circuit 21 supplies a power supply voltage to each light-emitting unit 10 to light up each light-emitting unit 10.

[0053] When a predetermined time required for detecting and storing the initial value Y0 has elapsed, the signal STL is set to the inactivation level "L" When the signal STL is set to the "L" level, the signal CMD is set to the inactivation level "L" level, and each light-emitting unit 10 is turned off.

[0054] Next, the user of the uninterruptible power supply operates the operation unit 12 to set a period Td for detecting the intensity of light transmitted through the anti-dust filter 2, and then sets the signal EN to the "H" level, which is the activation level. The signal EN is a signal for instructing the control device 13 to detect and store the intensity of light transmitted through the anti-dust filter 2 Zn at a predetermined period Tc, where n is a natural number.

[0055] The timer 22 is activated when the signal EN is set to "H" level, and outputs a pulse signal Ps to the control unit 20 at a predetermined cycle Td. In response to the pulse signal Ps, the control unit 20 sets the signal CMD to an activation level of "H" level for a predetermined period of time. When the signal CMD is set to "H" level, the drive circuit 21 supplies a power supply voltage to each light-emitting unit 10 to light up each light-emitting unit 10.

[0056] 5 is a block diagram showing a portion of the control device 13 that is related to processing of output signals from the multiple optical sensors 11. In FIG. 5, the control device 13 includes multiple contamination level detectors 25, a map creation unit 28, a determination unit 29, and a notification unit 30.

[0057] The plurality of contamination level detectors 25 are provided corresponding to the plurality of optical sensors 11, respectively. Each contamination level detector 25 detects the contamination level Lc of the corresponding portion of the anti-dust filter 2 based on the output signal of the corresponding optical sensor 11.

[0058] Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the contamination level detector 25. In Fig. 6, the contamination level detector 25 includes a calculation unit 26 and a memory 27. The calculation unit 26 is controlled by signals STH, STL, and CMD (Fig. 4), and determines the contamination level Lc of the corresponding portion of the anti-dust filter 2 based on the output signal of the corresponding optical sensor 11.

[0059] When the signals STH, STL, and CMD are at the “H” level, the “L” level, and the “H” level, respectively, the calculation unit 26 determines the initial value A0 of the transmitted light intensity at the corresponding location of the dust filter 2 when the lighting fixture 18 is turned on based on the output signal of the optical sensor 11, and stores the initial value A0 in the memory 27.

[0060] When the signals STH, STL, and CMD are at the “L” level, the “H” level, and the “H” level, respectively, the calculation unit 26 determines the initial value B0 of the transmitted light intensity at the corresponding location of the dust filter 2 when the lighting fixture 18 is turned off based on the output signal of the optical sensor 11, and stores the initial value B0 in the memory 27.

[0061] When the signals STH, STL, and CMD are at the “L” level, the “L” level, and the “H” level, respectively, the calculation unit 26 determines the transmitted light intensity Zn at the corresponding location of the dust filter 2 based on the output signal of the optical sensor 11, and stores the transmitted light intensity Zn in the memory 27.

[0062] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the contents stored in memory 27. In Fig. 7, the horizontal axis indicates the number of detections n (times), and the vertical axis indicates the transmitted light intensity LI (arbitrary unit). At the position of n=0, the initial value X0 of the light intensity when lighting device 18 is turned on and the initial value Y0 of the light intensity when lighting device 18 is turned off are shown. X0>Y0.

[0063] FIG. 7 illustrates a case where, when the detection count n is an odd number, the transmitted light intensity LI is detected with the lighting device 18 turned on, and, when the detection count n is an even number, the transmitted light intensity LI is detected with the lighting device 18 turned off.

[0064] Therefore, when the number of detections n is an odd number, the light intensities Z1, Z3, Z5, ... decrease along a curve Ax that passes through the initial value X0. Also, when the number of detections n is an even number, the light intensities Z2, Z4, Z6, ... decrease along a curve Ay that passes through the initial value Y0.

[0065] When the detected light intensity Zn is closer to the curve Ax than to the curve Ay, the calculation unit 26 (FIG. 6) determines that the light intensity Zn was detected when the lighting device 18 was turned on. Then, the calculation unit 26 calculates the degree of decrease in the light intensity Zn, Bx=ΔX / X0=(X0-Zn) / X0.

[0066] The memory 27 stores a table Tx indicating the relationship between the degree of decrease Bx and the contamination level Lc of the anti-dust filter 2. The greater the degree of decrease Bx, the greater the contamination level Lc. The contamination level Lc is expressed, for example, by any number from 1 to 5. The greater the contamination level Lc, the higher the degree of contamination of the anti-dust filter 2. The calculation unit 26 determines the contamination level Lc of the corresponding portion of the anti-dust filter 2 based on the degree of decrease Bx of the light intensity Zn and the table Tx in the memory 27.

[0067] Furthermore, when the detected light intensity Zn is closer to the curve Ay than to the curve Ax, the calculation unit 26 determines that the light intensity Zn was detected when the lighting device 18 was turned off. Then, the calculation unit 26 calculates the degree of decrease in the light intensity Zn By=ΔY / Y0=(Y0-Zn) / Y0.

[0068] The memory 27 stores a table Ty indicating the relationship between the degree of decrease By and the contamination level Lc of the anti-dust filter 2. The calculation unit 26 obtains the contamination level Lc of the corresponding portion of the anti-dust filter 2 based on the degree of decrease By of the light intensity Zn and the table Ty in the memory 27.

[0069] 5 again, the map creation unit 28 creates a contamination state map MP indicating a distribution of the contamination levels Lc in the anti-dust filter 2, based on the multiple contamination levels Lc received from the multiple contamination level detectors 25. The contamination state map MP is stored in a memory 28a in the map creation unit 28.

[0070] Fig. 8 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the map creation unit 28. In Fig. 8, (A) shows the initial state of the soiling state map MP, (B) shows the soiling state map MP into which a plurality of detected soiling levels Lc are written, and (C) shows the completed soiling state map MP.

[0071] In Fig. 8(A), the soiling state map MP has the same shape as the surface of the anti-dust filter 2, that is, a vertically long rectangular shape. The soiling state map MP is divided into regions with multiple rows and multiple columns (9 rows and 7 columns in the figure). Of the multiple regions, the regions corresponding to the locations where the transmitted light intensity is detected by the optical sensor 11 are referred to as optical sensor regions 31, and the other regions are referred to as peripheral regions 32. In Fig. 8(A), nine optical sensor regions 31 are distributed in groups of three in the second, fifth, and eighth rows, and 54 peripheral regions 32 are shown.

[0072] In Fig. 8(B), when the nine contamination level detectors 25 (Fig. 5) detect contamination levels Lc at nine locations on the anti-dust filter 2, the map creation unit 28 writes each contamination level Lc in the corresponding optical sensor region 31. Fig. 8(B) shows a state in which "3", "2", and "2" are written in the three optical sensor regions 31 in the second row, respectively, "5", "5", and "4" are written in the three optical sensor regions 31 in the fifth row, respectively, and "2", "2", and "1" are written in the three optical sensor regions 31 in the eighth row, respectively.

[0073] 8(C), the map creation unit 28 determines whether or not cleaning is required for each of the optical sensor area 31 and the surrounding area 32, and writes an X mark in the area determined to require cleaning. The map creation unit 28 writes an X mark in the optical sensor area 31 in which "4" or "5" has been written, and writes an X mark in the surrounding area 32 adjacent to the optical sensor area 31. As a result, an X mark is written in all areas 31, 32 in the 3 rows and 7 columns from the 4th to 6th rows.

[0074] Furthermore, for the surrounding area 32 adjacent to the optical sensor area 31 in which "2" or "3" is written, the map creation unit 28 adds up the contamination levels Lc of the two optical sensor areas 31 on both sides in the horizontal, vertical, or diagonal directions in the drawing, and writes an "X" mark if the value is "7" or more. As a result, an "X" mark is written in each of the four surrounding areas 32 in the third row, and an "X" mark is written in each of the four surrounding areas 32 in the seventh row. In this case, an "X" mark is written in 29 areas 31, 32 out of the 63 areas 31, 32 in the 9 rows and 7 columns.

[0075] 5, the determination unit 29 determines whether or not cleaning of the anti-dust filter 2 is necessary based on the contamination state map MP created by the map creation unit 28, and outputs a signal φ29 indicating the determination result. If cleaning of the anti-dust filter 2 is necessary, the signal φ29 is set to the "H" level, which is an activation level. On the other hand, if cleaning of the anti-dust filter 2 is not necessary, the signal φ29 is set to the "L" level, which is a deactivation level.

[0076] Whether or not cleaning of the dust filter 2 is required may be determined in any manner, but for example, it is determined that cleaning of the dust filter 2 is required when an X mark is written in more than half of the total areas 31, 32 of the contamination state map MP.

[0077] 8(C), 29 of the 63 regions 31, 32 have X marks written in them, but since the number of regions 31, 32 with X marks written in them is less than half (i.e., 31.5), it is determined that cleaning of the dust filter 2 is unnecessary. If the number of regions 31, 32 with X marks written in them is more than half, i.e., 32 or more, it is determined that cleaning of the dust filter 2 is necessary.

[0078] When the output signal φ29 of the determination section 29 is set to the “H” level, the notification section 30 notifies the user of the uninterruptible power supply by sound, light, image, or the like that cleaning of the anti-dust filter 2 is necessary.

[0079] As described above, in the first embodiment, the optical sensor 11 detects the intensity of light transmitted through the dust filter 2, detects the contamination level Lc of the dust filter 2 based on the detection result, and judges whether or not cleaning of the dust filter 2 is necessary based on the detection result. Therefore, by cleaning the dust filter 2 in accordance with the judgment result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the wind speed in the air guide 16 due to contamination of the dust filter 2 and an increase in the temperature of the power supply unit 5.

[0080] Moreover, when it is determined that cleaning of the antidust filter 2 is necessary, the user of the uninterruptible power supply is notified of this by the notification unit 30. Therefore, it is possible to easily detect that cleaning of the antidust filter 2 is necessary.

[0081] In this embodiment 1, the value of the contamination level Lc is written directly into the optical sensor area 31 of the contamination state map MP (Figure 8 (B)), but this is not limited to this, and it is also possible to write a value obtained by multiplying the contamination level Lc by a weighting constant K corresponding to the position of the optical sensor area 31 into the optical sensor area 31.

[0082] For example, the weighting constant K may be set to a large value in the optical sensor area 31 located at a position corresponding to an electrical component (e.g., inverter 9) for which it is most desired to suppress temperature rise, and the weighting constant K may be set to a small value in the optical sensor area 31 located at a position corresponding to other electrical components.

[0083] In addition, the weighting constant K may be made smaller (or larger) in the optical sensor region 31 corresponding to the center of the dust filter 2, which is easily soiled, and the weighting constant K may be made larger (or smaller) in the optical sensor region 31 corresponding to the end of the dust filter 2, which is less likely to be soiled.

[0084] In the first embodiment, an X is marked on an area determined to require cleaning among a plurality of areas on the contamination state map MP, and whether or not cleaning of the anti-dust filter 2 is required is determined based on the number of areas marked with an X, but the present invention is not limited to this, and any method may be used to determine whether or not cleaning of the anti-dust filter 2 is required. For example, it may be determined that cleaning is required when the average (or sum) of a plurality of contamination levels Lc exceeds an upper limit.

[0085] [Embodiment 2] Fig. 9 is a circuit block diagram showing the configuration of an uninterruptible power supply according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, and is to be compared with Fig. 1. Fig. 9 differs from Fig. 1 in that the multiple light-emitting units 10 are removed, control device 13 is replaced with control device 13A, and switch S5 is added to power supply unit 5.

[0086] The switch S5 is controlled by the control device 13A, and is connected between the output terminal T3 and the lighting fixture 18 in the power supply room 17 (FIG. 3). When the switch S5 is turned on, AC power is supplied from the power supply unit 5 to the lighting fixture 18, the lighting fixture 18 is turned on, and transmitted light is provided to the dustproof filter 2. When the switch S5 is turned off, the supply of AC power to the lighting fixture 18 is stopped, and the lighting fixture 18 is turned off.

[0087] The control device 13A turns on the lighting fixture 18 at a predetermined cycle, detects the contamination level Lc at multiple locations on the dustproof filter 2 based on the output signals of the multiple optical sensors 11, and determines based on the detection result whether or not it is necessary to clean the dustproof filter 2. When the control device 13A determines that it is necessary to clean the dustproof filter 2, it notifies the user of the fact through sound, light, video, or the like via the uninterruptible power supply.

[0088] Figure 10 is a block diagram showing the portion of control device 13A that is related to the control of lighting fixtures 18, and is to be compared with Figure 4. Figure 10 differs from Figure 4 in that control unit 20 is replaced with control unit 20A, and drive circuit 21 is removed.

[0089] First, a user of the uninterruptible power supply operates operation unit 12 (FIGS. 1 and 9) to set signal STH to the "H" level, which is an activation level. When signal STH is set to the "H" level, control unit 20A sets signal CMD to the "H" level, which is an activation level. When signal CMD is set to the "H" level, switch S5 is turned on, and lighting device 18 is turned on.

[0090] When a predetermined time required for detecting and storing the initial value X0 has elapsed, the signal STH is set to the inactive level "L" When the signal STH is set to the "L" level, the signal CMD is set to the inactive level "L" level, the switch S5 is turned off, and the lighting device 18 is turned off.

[0091] Next, the user of the uninterruptible power supply operates operation unit 12 to set a period Td for detecting the intensity of light transmitted through anti-dust filter 2, and then sets signal EN to the "H" level, which is an activation level. When signal EN is set to the "H" level, timer 22 is activated, and outputs a pulse signal Ps to control unit 20A at the predetermined period Td. In response to pulse signal Ps, control unit 20A sets signal CMD to the "H" level, which is an activation level, for a predetermined period of time. When signal CMD is set to the "H" level, switch S5 is turned on, and lighting device 18 is turned on.

[0092] When the lighting fixture 18 is turned on, light from the lighting fixture 18 passes through the anti-dust filter 2 and enters the multiple optical sensors 11. The multiple contamination level detectors 25 (FIGS. 5 and 6) detect multiple contamination levels Lc based on output signals from the multiple optical sensors 11. The map creation unit 28 creates a contamination state map MP based on the multiple contamination levels Lc, and the determination unit 29 determines whether or not cleaning of the anti-dust filter 2 is necessary based on the contamination state map MP.

[0093] When it is determined that cleaning of the antidust filter 2 is necessary, that fact is notified to the user of the uninterruptible power supply by the notification unit 30. The other configurations and operations are the same as those of the first embodiment, and therefore description thereof will not be repeated.

[0094] As described above, in the second embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained, and in addition, the device configuration can be simplified.

[0095] [Embodiment 3] In the first and second embodiments, if the dust filter 2 becomes soiled, the wind speed in the air guide 16 decreases, the temperature of the power supply unit 5 rises and exceeds an upper limit, and there is a risk that the operation of the power supply unit 5 may be stopped. Therefore, if the degree of soiling of the dust filter 2 exceeds a certain level, a notification is given to the user of the uninterruptible power supply that the dust filter 2 needs to be cleaned.

[0096] However, even if the contamination of the anti-dust filter 2 exceeds a certain level, if the currents I1 to I3 flowing through the power supply unit 5 are small or the temperature inside the housing 1 is low, the temperature of the power supply unit 5 may remain below the upper limit. In such cases, it is not appropriate to uniformly notify the user that the anti-dust filter 2 needs to be cleaned. This problem is solved in the third embodiment.

[0097] Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing a main part of an uninterruptible power supply according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure, and is to be compared with Fig. 3. Fig. 11 differs from Fig. 3 in that determination unit 29 is removed and a soiled state determination unit 35, a temperature detector 36, a memory 37, a temperature estimation unit 38, and a comparison unit 39 are added.

[0098] The soiled state determination unit 35 determines the soiled state of the anti-dust filter 2 based on the soiled state map MP created by the map creation unit 28, and outputs a signal Ls indicating the determination result. For example, the soiled state determination unit 35 counts the number of areas 31, 32 marked with an x ​​(FIG. 8(C)), and outputs a signal Ls indicating the counted number. When the number of areas 31, 32 marked with an x ​​increases, the wind speed in the air guide 16 (FIG. 2) decreases, the cooling efficiency decreases, and the temperature of the power supply unit 5 increases.

[0099] The temperature detector 36 detects the temperature TE0 at a predetermined position (for example, near the dust filter 2) in the housing 1, and outputs a signal TE0f indicating the detected value. When the temperature TE0 decreases, the cooling efficiency increases, and the temperature of the power supply unit 5 decreases.

[0100] The memory 37 stores a table Tz indicating the relationship between the contamination state of the anti-dust filter 2 indicated by the signal Ls, the temperature TE0 inside the housing 1 indicated by the signal TE0f, the currents I1-I3 indicated by the output signals I1f-I2f of the current detectors CD1-CD3 (FIG. 1), the temperature TE1 of the converter 6, the temperature TE2 of the bidirectional chopper 8, and the temperature TE3 of the inverter 9. This table Tz is created in advance by experiment.

[0101] When the dirt on the anti-dust filter 2 worsens, the wind speed in the air guide 16 decreases, and the temperatures TE1-TE3 of the power supply unit 5 increase. When the temperature TE0 inside the housing 1 decreases, the cooling efficiency increases, and the temperatures TE1-TE3 of the power supply unit 5 decrease. When the currents I1-I3 flowing through the power supply unit 5 decrease, the amount of heat generated by the power supply unit 5 decreases, and the temperatures TE1-TE3 of the power supply unit 5 decrease.

[0102] In this way, there is a correlation between the contamination state of the anti-dust filter 2, the temperature TE0 inside the housing 1, and the currents I1-I3 flowing through the power supply unit 5, and the temperatures TE1-TE3 of the power supply unit 5. Therefore, if the contamination state of the anti-dust filter 2, the temperature TE0 inside the housing 1, and the currents I1-I3 flowing through the power supply unit 5 are known, the temperatures TE1-TE3 of the power supply unit 5 can be estimated by referring to table Tz.

[0103] The temperature estimation unit 38 determines an estimated temperature TE11 of the converter 6, an estimated temperature TE12 of the bidirectional chopper 8, and an estimated temperature TE13 of the inverter 9 based on the output signals I1f-I2f of the current detectors CD1-CD3, the output signal Ls of the contamination state determination unit 35, the output signal TE0f of the temperature detector 36, and a table Tz in the memory 37, and outputs signals TE11f-TE13f indicating the estimated temperatures TE11-TE13.

[0104] The comparator 39 compares the estimated temperatures TE11-TE13 indicated by the signals TE11f-TE13f with the upper limit temperature TH, and outputs a signal φ39 indicating the comparison result. When at least one of the estimated temperatures TE1-TE13 exceeds the upper limit temperature TH, the signal φ39 is set to an active level of "H". When all of the estimated temperatures TE11-TE13 are lower than the upper limit temperature TH, the signal φ39 is set to an inactive level of "L".

[0105] When at least one of the estimated temperatures TE11 to TE13 exceeds the upper limit temperature TH, in order to lower the estimated temperatures TE11 to TE13, it is necessary to clean the dust filter 2 and increase the wind speed in the air guide 16 to improve the cooling efficiency.

[0106] Therefore, when the output signal φ39 of the comparison unit 39 is set to the “H” level, the notification unit 30 notifies the user of the uninterruptible power supply to clean the anti-dust filter 2 by sound, light, image, etc. The other configurations and operations are the same as those of the first embodiment (or the second embodiment), and therefore the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0107] As described above, in this embodiment 3, in addition to obtaining the same effects as in embodiment 1 (or embodiment 2), even if the soiled state of the dust filter 2 has worsened, if the estimated temperatures TE11 to TE13 of the power supply unit 5 are low, it is possible to determine that cleaning of the dust filter 2 is unnecessary and reduce the frequency of cleaning.

[0108] [Embodiment 4] In the third embodiment, when at least one of the estimated temperatures TE11 to TE13 of the power supply unit 5 exceeds the upper limit value TH, it is determined that the contamination state of the dust filter 2 has worsened, and a notification is given that the dust filter 2 needs to be cleaned.

[0109] However, even if the dirt on the anti-dust filter 2 has not deteriorated, if the driving capacity of the cooling fan 3 has decreased, the wind speed in the air guide duct 16 will decrease and the temperatures TE1-TE3 of the power supply unit 5 will rise. In such a case, cleaning the anti-dust filter 2 will not reduce the temperature of the power supply unit 5. This fourth embodiment aims to solve this problem.

[0110] Fig. 12 is a block diagram showing a main part of an uninterruptible power supply according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, and is to be compared with Fig. 11. Fig. 12 differs from Fig. 11 in that temperature detectors 41-43, subtractors 44-46, a comparator 47, and a notifier 48 are added.

[0111] The temperature detector 41 detects the actual temperature TE1 of the converter 6 and outputs a signal TE1f indicating the detected value. The temperature detector 42 detects the actual temperature TE2 of the bidirectional chopper 8 and outputs a signal TE2f indicating the detected value. The temperature detector 43 detects the actual temperature TE3 of the inverter 9 and outputs a signal TE3f indicating the detected value.

[0112] The subtractor 44 determines the difference ΔTE1=TE1-TE11 between the actual temperature TE1 of the converter 6 indicated by the output signal TE1f of the temperature detector 41 and the estimated temperature TE11 of the converter 6 indicated by the output signal TE11f of the temperature estimator 38, and outputs a signal ΔTE1f indicating the determined temperature difference ΔTE1.

[0113] The subtractor 45 determines the difference ΔTE2=TE2-TE12 between the actual temperature TE2 of the bidirectional chopper 8 indicated by the output signal TE2f of the temperature detector 42 and the estimated temperature TE12 of the bidirectional chopper 8 indicated by the output signal TE12f of the temperature estimator 38, and outputs a signal ΔTE2f indicating the determined temperature difference ΔTE2.

[0114] The subtractor 46 determines the difference ΔTE3=TE3-TE13 between the actual temperature TE3 of the inverter 9 indicated by the output signal TE3f of the temperature detector 43 and the estimated temperature TE13 of the inverter 9 indicated by the output signal TE13f of the temperature estimator 38, and outputs a signal ΔTE3f indicating the determined temperature difference ΔTE3.

[0115] The comparator 47 compares the temperature differences ΔTE1 to ΔTE3 indicated by the signals ΔTE1f to ΔTE3f with the upper limit temperature Th, and outputs a signal φ47 indicating the comparison result. When at least one of the temperature differences ΔTE1 to ΔTE3 exceeds the upper limit temperature Th, the signal φ47 is set to an "H" level, which is an activation level. When all of the temperature differences ΔTE1 to ΔTE3 are lower than the upper limit temperature Th, the signal φ47 is set to an "L" level, which is a deactivation level.

[0116] When at least one of the temperature differences ΔTE1 to ΔTE3 exceeds the upper limit temperature Th, in order to reduce the temperature differences ΔTE1 to ΔTE3, it is necessary to perform maintenance on the cooling fan 3 and increase the wind speed in the air guide duct 16 to improve the cooling efficiency.

[0117] Therefore, when the output signal φ47 of the comparison unit 47 is set to the “H” level, the notification unit 48 notifies the user of the uninterruptible power supply by sound, light, image, etc., that maintenance of the cooling fan 3 is necessary. In response to this, the user of the uninterruptible power supply injects lubricating oil into the bearing portion of the cooling fan 3 or replaces the cooling fan 3 with a new one. The other configurations and operations are the same as those of the third embodiment, and therefore the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0118] As described above, in this embodiment 4, in addition to obtaining the same effects as in embodiment 3, it is possible to determine whether or not maintenance is required for the cooling fan 3, and to notify the user if maintenance is required.

[0119] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The present invention is defined by the claims rather than the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0120] 1 housing, 1a intake port, 1b exhaust port, 2 dust filter, 3 cooling fan, 3a fan, 3b motor, 5 power supply unit, T1 input terminal, T2 DC terminal, T3 output terminal, S1 to S5 switches, CD1 to CD3 current detectors, C1 to C3 capacitors, L1 to L3 reactors, F1, F2 AC filters, 6 converter, 7 DC line, 8 bidirectional chopper, 9 inverter, 10 light emitting unit, 11 light sensor, 12 operation unit, 13, 13A control device, 14 partition plate, 14a opening, 15 shelf, 16 air guide, 17 power supply room, 18 lighting fixture, 20, 20A control unit, 21 drive circuit, 22 timer, 25 contamination level detector, 26 calculation unit, 27, 28a, 37 memory, 28 map creation unit, 29 Determination unit, 30, 48 Notification unit, 31 Optical sensor area, 32 Peripheral area, 35 Contamination state determination unit, 36, 41 to 43 Temperature detector, 38 Temperature estimation unit, 39, 47 Comparison unit, 44 to 46 Subtractors, 51 Commercial AC power source, 52 Battery, 53 Load.

Claims

1. A power supply device, A housing having an intake port and an exhaust port; A dust filter provided at the intake port; A cooling fan provided at the exhaust port; a power supply unit provided within the housing and configured to supply power to a load; an optical sensor for detecting the intensity of light passing through the dust filter; a contamination level detector for detecting a contamination level of the antidust filter based on a detection result of the optical sensor, The power supply device is installed in a room in which a lighting fixture is installed, The light sensor detects the intensity of light emitted from the lighting fixture and transmitted through the dust filter.

2. A light emitting unit that irradiates the antidust filter with light is further provided. The power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor detects an intensity of light emitted from the light emitting portion and transmitted through the dust filter.

3. 3. The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the contamination level detector determines an initial value of an intensity of light transmitted through the dust filter based on a detection result of the optical sensor, detects the intensity of light transmitted through the dust filter at a predetermined period, and detects a contamination level of the dust filter based on a degree of reduction in the detected light intensity from the initial value.

4. 4. The power supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a determination unit that determines whether or not cleaning of the dust-proof filter is required based on a detection result of the contamination level detector.

5. a plurality of the optical sensors provided to face a plurality of positions of the dust-proof filter; a plurality of contamination level detectors provided corresponding to the plurality of optical sensors, each detecting a contamination level of a corresponding location based on a detection result of the corresponding optical sensor; The power supply device according to claim 4 , wherein the determining unit determines whether or not cleaning of the anti-dust filter is required based on detection results of the plurality of contamination level detectors.

6. a map creating unit that creates a contamination state map indicating a distribution of contamination levels in the antidust filter based on detection results of the plurality of contamination level detectors, The power supply device according to claim 5 , wherein the determining unit determines whether or not cleaning of the anti-dust filter is required based on the contamination state map.

7. 7. The power supply device according to claim 4, further comprising a notification unit that notifies a user when the determination unit determines that cleaning of the antidust filter is necessary.

8. A housing having an intake port and an exhaust port; A dust filter provided at the intake port; A cooling fan provided at the exhaust port; a power supply unit provided within the housing and configured to supply power to a load; an optical sensor for detecting the intensity of light passing through the dust filter; a contamination level detector that detects a contamination level of the antidust filter based on a detection result of the optical sensor; a current detector for detecting a current flowing through the power supply unit; A first temperature detector for detecting a temperature inside the housing; a temperature estimating unit that estimates a temperature of the power supply unit based on detection results of the contamination level detector, the current detector, and the first temperature detector; a first notification unit that notifies the user that the dust filter needs to be cleaned when the temperature estimated by the temperature estimation unit exceeds a first upper limit value.

9. a second temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the power supply unit; 9. The power supply device according to claim 8, further comprising a second notification unit that notifies that maintenance of the cooling fan is required when a difference between the temperature detected by the second temperature detector and the temperature estimated by the temperature estimation unit exceeds a second upper limit value.

10. The power supply unit includes: a first power converter that converts AC power supplied from an AC power source into DC power and supplies the DC power to a DC line; a second power converter that transmits and receives DC power between the DC line and a power storage device; a third power converter that converts DC power received from the DC line into AC power and supplies the AC power to a load; When the AC power supply is healthy, DC power generated by the first power converter is stored in the power storage device by the second power converter, and is converted into AC power by the third power converter and supplied to the load; 10. The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein, during a power outage of the AC power supply, operation of the first power converter is stopped, and DC power of the power storage device is supplied to the third power converter via the second power converter, converted into AC power, and supplied to the load.

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