Lifetime determination device and lifetime determination method

Abstract

To improve the accuracy of estimating the degree of deterioration of a power supply or a component arranged around the power supply.SOLUTION: A life determination device according to an embodiment includes a temperature measurement device and a life determination unit. The temperature measurement device measures the temperature of a power supply. The life determination unit calculates a deterioration level of the power supply during a period when the power supply is operating based on an operating time of the power supply, the power supplied by the power supply, and the temperature of the power supply, calculates a deterioration level of the power supply during a period when the power supply is not operating based on a time when the power supply is not operating and the temperature of the power supply during the time when the power supply is not operating, and determines that the power supply has reached the end of its life when a value obtained by accumulating the calculated deterioration levels exceeds a predetermined threshold value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a lifespan determination device and a lifespan determination method. [Background technology]

[0002] The motor that drives the opening and closing of the elevator car doors and the motor that drives the elevator car to move up and down are supplied with power from a power source. As the components that make up the power source deteriorate over time, the probability of the power source failing increases. If the power source fails, power will no longer be supplied to the motor, and the doors may not open or the car may stop.

[0003] It is known that the degree of deterioration of semiconductors and capacitors that make up a power supply varies depending on the ambient temperature in which they are used. The ambient temperature varies depending on the operating conditions of the elevator system. Therefore, the degree of deterioration of semiconductors and capacitors that make up a power supply varies greatly depending on the operating conditions. Taking such temperature characteristics into consideration, a method is known in which the ambient temperature of semiconductors and capacitors that make up a power supply is measured while the elevator system is in operation, and the degree of deterioration is estimated by accumulating the moment-to-moment deterioration according to the ambient temperature.

[0004] Technology has also been reported that estimates the degree of deterioration of smoothing capacitors over time, including the number of times they have been charged, in addition to operating time and temperature. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Application No. 2021-515745 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the components and smoothing capacitors that make up the power supply deteriorate over time even when no voltage is applied. The temperatures of the components and smoothing capacitors that make up the power supply do not drop sharply even when the power supply is stopped, but rather drop gradually. In a conventional method for estimating the degree of deterioration over time (method for determining life span), the degree of deterioration of the components and smoothing capacitors that make up the power supply is estimated by accumulating the degree of deterioration during the time the elevator device is in operation. Considering the deterioration of components during the period when no voltage is applied but the temperature of the components is high, there is room for improvement in the conventional method for estimating the degree of deterioration over time.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to improve the accuracy of estimating the degree of deterioration of a power supply or a component arranged around a power supply. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A lifespan determination device according to an embodiment for solving the above problem includes a temperature measurement device and a lifespan determination unit. The temperature measurement device measures the temperature of a power supply. The lifespan determination unit calculates a deterioration level of the power supply during a period when the power supply is operating based on an operating time of the power supply, the power supplied by the power supply, and the temperature of the power supply, calculates a deterioration level of the power supply during a period when the power supply is not operating based on a time when the power supply is not operating and the temperature of the power supply during the time when the power supply is not operating, and determines that the power supply has reached the end of its life when a value obtained by accumulating the calculated deterioration levels exceeds a predetermined threshold value. The life determination unit determines the degree of deterioration of the power supply during a period when the power supply is not in operation by multiplying the degree of deterioration of the power supply during a period when the power supply is in operation by a predetermined coefficient. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an elevator apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control system of the elevator apparatus according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a drive unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a physical block diagram of a control unit according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 5]FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a control unit according to the present embodiment. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the life determination device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the life determination device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 8] 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the life determination device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 9] 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the life determination device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 10] 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the life determination device according to the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 11] 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the life determination device according to the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 12] 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the life determination device according to the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 13] 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the life determination device according to the present embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description, an XYZ coordinate system consisting of mutually orthogonal X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis will be used as appropriate. The drawings and flowcharts used in the description of the present embodiment are merely examples.

[0011] The elevator equipment lifespan determination device of this embodiment determines whether or not it is time to replace the power supply that supplies electricity to the motor that drives the lifting and lowering of the elevator equipment's car (hereinafter referred to as the lift motor) and the motor that drives the car doors (hereinafter referred to as the opening and closing motor), the smoothing capacitor disposed in the power supply, and the fan for cooling the power supply.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an elevator system 10 according to this embodiment. The elevator system 10 is disposed inside a hoistway 100 provided in a building such as a commercial facility or a residential facility. As shown in Fig. 1, the elevator system 10 includes a car 31, a counterweight 50, an elevator motor 40, guide rails 21 to 24, and a control panel 70 (elevator control device).

[0013] Each of the guide rails 21 to 24 is a member whose longitudinal direction is the Z-axis direction. The guide rails 21 and 22 are a pair of members for guiding the car 31 so as to be able to rise and fall freely. The guide rails 23 and 24 are a pair of members for guiding the counterweight 50 so as to be able to rise and fall freely. The guide rails 21 and 22 are arranged spaced apart from each other in the Y-axis direction. Similarly, the guide rails 23 and 24 are arranged spaced apart from each other in the Y-axis direction. In FIG. 1, the guide rails 23 and 24 of the counterweight 50 are arranged spaced apart from each other in the X-axis direction with respect to the guide rails 21 and 22 of the car 31. The arrangement of the guide rails 21 to 24 is not limited to the arrangement shown in FIG. 1.

[0014] The car 31 is a unit that accommodates passengers and moves them up and down the elevator shaft 100. The car 31 is disposed between the guide rails 21 and 22, and is attached to the guide rails 21 and 22 so as to be movable in the up and down direction.

[0015] An opening 31a for entering and exiting the interior is formed on the side surface on the +X side of the car 31. 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 / closing motor (not shown in FIG. 1).

[0016] The counterweight 50 is attached so as to be movable up and down relative to the guide rails 23 and 24. The weight of the counterweight 50 is adjusted to be a predetermined ratio to the weight of the car 31.

[0017] The lift motor 40 is a motor for lifting and lowering the car 31. The lift motor 40 is disposed at the upper part of the elevator shaft 100 such that the rotation axis is parallel to the Y axis. A pulley 42 is fixed to the rotation axis of the lift motor 40.

[0018] A wire 43 is wound around the pulley 42 of the lift motor 40. One end of the wire 43 is fixed to the car 31, and the other end is fixed to the counterweight 50.

[0019] The control panel 70 is disposed in the elevator shaft 100. The control panel 70 houses a control device for controlling the elevator motor 40, the equipment provided in the car 31, and the like.

[0020] 2 is a block diagram showing a control system of the elevator apparatus 10. The control system includes a control unit 80 and a drive unit 91 housed in a control panel 70, and an operation panel 36 and a load sensor 39 provided in the car 31.

[0021] The operation panel 36 is provided on the inner wall surface of the car 31. The operation panel 36 is an interface for receiving destination floors and the like from users of the car 31. By operating the operation panel 36, the users can register destination floors and the like of the car 31 and open and close the doors 32.

[0022] The load sensor 39 is a device that measures the load of the car 31. The above-mentioned operation panel 36 is connected to a control unit 80 housed in a control panel 70 via a cable 44 shown in FIG.

[0023] 2 drives the lift motor 40 and the opening / closing motor 41 (not shown in FIG. 1) that drives the door 32 of the car 31 by supplying power to the lift motor 40 and the opening / closing motor 41. The drive unit 91 drives the lift motor 40 based on instructions from the control unit 80. The drive unit 91 also drives the opening / closing motor 41 based on instructions from the control unit 80.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the drive unit 91. The drive unit 91 includes a converter 11, an inverter 13, a smoothing capacitor 14, a drive current monitor 15, a temperature measuring device 16, and a fan 17. The converter 11 is a power supply device that converts an AC voltage supplied from a commercial power supply 1 into a DC voltage. The converter 11 is configured with a switching regulator. The inverter 13 is a power supply device that converts a DC voltage supplied from the converter 11 into an AC voltage of a predetermined voltage at a predetermined frequency and supplies power to the lift motor 40 and the opening / closing motor 41. When the lift motor 40 and the opening / closing motor 41 are three-phase AC motors, the output of the inverter 13 is three-phase. The inverter 13 is configured with a switching regulator. The smoothing capacitor 14 is disposed between the converter 11 and the inverter 13. The smoothing capacitor 14 is an element for smoothing ripple noise (power supply noise) contained in the output voltage of the converter 11. An electrolytic capacitor is used as the smoothing capacitor 14. The smoothing capacitor 14 may be disposed in the converter 11 or the inverter 13.

[0025] The drive current monitor 15 is a device that measures the current that the inverter 13 supplies to the lift motor 40 and the open / close motor 41. When the output of the inverter 13 is three-phase, the drive current monitor 15 measures the current of each phase. The temperature measuring device 16 is a device that measures the temperature of the inverter 13. For example, the temperature measuring device 16 measures the temperature of the switching elements that constitute the inverter 13, or the heat dissipating material that dissipates the heat of the switching elements. The fan 17 is disposed near the inverter 13, and air-cools the switching elements that constitute the inverter 13, or the heat dissipating material that dissipates the heat of the switching elements.

[0026] 4 is a physical block diagram of the control unit 80. The control unit 80 is a computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 81, a main memory 82, an auxiliary memory 83, and an interface 84, which are interconnected via a bus 85. The CPU 81 executes the processes described below according to a program stored in the auxiliary memory 83. The main memory 82 has a RAM (Random Access Memory) and the like. The main memory 82 is used as a working area for the CPU 81. The auxiliary memory 83 has a non-volatile memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a semiconductor memory. The auxiliary memory 83 stores the programs executed by the CPU 81, various parameters, and the like.

[0027] The interface unit 84 has a serial interface, a parallel interface, a wireless LAN interface, etc. The operation panel 36, the load sensor 39, the drive unit 91, the drive current monitor 15, and the temperature measuring device 16 are connected to the CPU 81 via the interface unit 84. In addition, an input / output device 93 composed of a keyboard, a display, etc. is connected to the interface unit 84.

[0028] 5 is a functional block diagram of the control unit 80. The CPU 81 of the control unit 80 realizes the drive unit control section 71 and the life determination device 72 by executing a program stored in the auxiliary storage section 83.

[0029] The drive unit control unit 71 controls the drive unit 91 based on input from the operation panel 36 or the call panel of each floor. For example, when the drive unit control unit 71 rotates the lift motor 40 in the normal direction via the drive unit 91, the car 31 rises and the counterweight 50 descends. When the drive unit control unit 71 rotates the lift motor 40 in the reverse direction via the drive unit 91, the car 31 descends and the counterweight 50 rises. When the drive unit control unit 71 rotates the opening / closing motor 41 in the normal direction via the drive unit 91, the door 32 of the car 31 and the doors provided at the landings on each floor are controlled to be open, and when the opening / closing motor 41 is rotated in the reverse direction, the door 32 of the car 31 and the doors provided at the landings on each floor are controlled to be closed.

[0030] Lifespan determination device 72 has a temperature estimation unit 76, an abnormality detection unit 77, and a lifespan determination unit 78. Based on the temperature of inverter 13 measured by temperature measurement device 16, temperature estimation unit 76 estimates the temperatures of peripheral components such as smoothing capacitor 14 arranged around inverter 13 and fan 17 that cools inverter 13.

[0031] Since the positions of the inverter 13, smoothing capacitor 14, and fan 17 are known, the temperatures of the smoothing capacitor 14 and fan 17 can be estimated if the temperature of the inverter 13 is known. For example, if the temperature of the smoothing capacitor 14 is Tc and the temperature of the inverter 13 is Tinv, the relationship of (Equation 1) holds. Tc=αTinv (Equation 1)

[0032] Regarding the temperature of the fan 17, when the fan temperature is Tf, the relationship of (Equation 2) holds. Tf=βTinv (Equation 2)

[0033] α and β are constants determined by the positions of inverter 13, smoothing capacitor 14, and fan 17, the space and location of drive unit 91, etc. The values ​​of α and β are measured in advance and stored in a storage unit. Temperature estimation unit 76 reads the values ​​of α and β from the storage unit and performs calculations of (Equation 1) and (Equation 2).

[0034] The abnormality detection unit 77 detects a temperature abnormality of the inverter 13 based on the temperature measured by the temperature measurement device 16. Specifically, the abnormality detection unit 77 sets a temperature threshold value of the inverter 13 based on a design value of the power supplied by the inverter 13 to the lift motor 40, which is calculated based on the load of the car 31 and the moving distance of the car 31. Then, the abnormality detection unit 77 detects a temperature abnormality of the inverter 13 by comparing the temperature of the inverter 13 measured by the temperature measurement device 16 with the set temperature threshold value. Since the effective value of the output voltage of the inverter 13 is constant regardless of the output current, the power supplied to the lift motor 40 can be obtained from the current value measured by the drive current monitor 15.

[0035] Furthermore, the abnormality detection unit 77 detects temperature abnormalities in the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17 based on the temperatures estimated by the temperature estimation unit 76. Specifically, the abnormality detection unit 77 sets temperature thresholds for the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17 (peripheral components) that correspond to the power supplied by the inverter 13 to the lift motor 40. Then, the abnormality detection unit 77 detects temperature abnormalities in the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17 by comparing the temperatures of the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17 estimated by the temperature estimation unit 76 with the respective temperature thresholds of the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17.

[0036] The power (current) supplied from the inverter 13 to the lift motor 40 changes in response to the load of the car 31 and the moving distance of the car 31. This power can be obtained as a design value by simulation. Therefore, the heat generation amount of the inverter 13 and the degree of temperature rise of the inverter 13 can be obtained by simulation from the design value of the output power of the inverter 13 obtained by simulation. In addition, the arrangement positions of the converter 11, the inverter 13, the smoothing capacitor 14, and the fan 17 for each elevator device, the accommodation space and accommodation location of the drive unit 91, etc. are known as design values. Therefore, the degree of temperature rise (design value) of the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17 corresponding to the heat generation amount of the inverter 13 can be obtained by simulation. The degree of temperature rise of the inverter 13, the smoothing capacitor 14, and the fan 17 corresponding to the load of the car 31 and the moving distance of the car 31 is obtained in advance by simulation and stored in a storage unit as, for example, a table. The abnormality detection unit 77 calculates a design value of the output power of the inverter 13 corresponding to the load of the car 31 measured by the load sensor 39 and the travel distance of the car 31 to the destination floor input from the operation panel 36, and reads out from the storage unit the degree of temperature rise (design value) of the inverter 13, the smoothing capacitor 14, and the fan 17 corresponding to the design value of the output power. Then, the abnormality detection unit 77 sets temperature thresholds for each of the inverter 13, the smoothing capacitor 14, and the fan 17 according to the load of the car 31 and the travel distance of the car 31. When the temperature of the inverter 13, the temperature of the smoothing capacitor 14, and the temperature of the fan 17 exceed the set temperature thresholds, the abnormality detection unit 77 detects that there is an abnormality in the component that has exceeded the threshold.

[0037] The life determination unit 78 calculates the deterioration degree of the inverter 13 during the period when the inverter 13 is operating (the period when the car 31 is operating) based on the operating time of the car 31, the power supplied by the inverter 13, and the temperature of the inverter 13. The life determination unit 78 then calculates the deterioration degree of the inverter 13 during the period when the inverter 13 is not operating based on the time when the inverter 13 is not operating and the temperature of the inverter 13 during the time when the inverter 13 is not operating. When a value obtained by accumulating the calculated deterioration degrees (a value obtained by accumulating the deterioration degrees when the inverter 13 is operating and the deterioration degrees when the inverter 13 is not operating) exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the life determination unit 78 determines that the inverter 13 has reached its life (replacement time). The life determination unit 78 calculates the deterioration degree when the inverter 13 is operating based on the load, travel distance, and operating status of the elevator. The load of the elevator is a value obtained by subtracting the weight of the counterweight 50 from the load measured by the load sensor 39. The travel distance is the distance from the current position where the car 31 is stopped to the destination floor. The operating status refers to the length of the period during which the inverter 13 is operating (the period during which the car 31 is operating), the length of the period during which the inverter 13 is not operating (the period during which the car 31 is stopped), the operating frequency of the inverter 13 (the car 31), etc.

[0038] Further, the life determination unit 78 calculates the deterioration levels of the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17 during the period when the inverter 13 is operating, based on the operating time of the car 31 and the temperatures of the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17 estimated by the temperature estimation unit 76. Then, the life determination unit 78 calculates the deterioration levels of the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17 during the period when the inverter 13 is not operating, based on the time when the inverter 13 is not operating and the temperatures of the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17 during the time when the inverter 13 is not operating. When a value obtained by accumulating the calculated deterioration levels (a value obtained by accumulating the deterioration levels when the inverter 13 is operating and the deterioration levels when the inverter 13 is not operating) exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the life determination unit 78 determines that the smoothing capacitor 14 or the fan 17 has reached the end of its life.

[0039] Next, the deterioration degree accumulation process performed by the lifespan determination unit 78 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig. 6. The following control is performed based on a program stored in the auxiliary storage unit 83, and is mainly controlled by the CPU 81 of the control unit 80. Here, the description focuses on the lift motor 40.

[0040] The life determination unit 78 determines whether the car 31 of the elevator device 10 is in operation (step S11). In operation means that the lift motor 40 is operating, and is a period during which the inverter 13 is operating. If the car 31 is not in operation (step S11: No), the process proceeds to step S13. On the other hand, if the life determination unit 78 determines that the car 31 is in operation (step S11: Yes), the life determination unit 78 calculates a design value of the load applied to the inverter 13 based on the load of the car 31 measured by the load sensor 39 and the moving distance of the car 31 corresponding to the destination floor input from the operation panel 36 (step S12). The load applied to the inverter 13 is the power consumed by the inverter 13 according to the load of the car 31 and the moving distance of the car 31, and corresponds to the heat generation amount of the inverter 13.

[0041] The vertical axis of FIG. 10(a) is the load on the inverter 13. The horizontal axis is time. A period when the load value is "0" is a period when the car 31 is not operating. FIG. 10(b) shows the operating status of the car 31. A high level period is a period when the car 31 is operating, and a low level period is a period when the car 31 is not operating. The operating status refers to the length of the period when the car 31 is operating, the length of the period when the car 31 is stopped, the operating frequency of the car 31, etc. The amount of heat generated by the inverter 13 is proportional to the load on the inverter 13.

[0042] Returning to FIG. 6, the life determination unit 78 determines whether or not a predetermined time has passed since the previous measurement (step S13). The predetermined time is the measurement sampling time, and is, for example, 0.1 seconds, 1 second, 10 seconds, etc. If the predetermined time has not passed (step S13: No), the life determination unit 78 waits until the predetermined time has passed. On the other hand, if the predetermined time has passed (step S13: Yes), the process proceeds to step S14.

[0043] The life determination unit 78 acquires the temperature of the inverter 13 (step S14). Fig. 10(c) is an example of the temperature of the inverter 13 measured by the temperature measurement device 16. As can be seen from Figs. 10(a) and (c), the greater the load on the inverter 13, the greater the rise in the temperature of the inverter 13. Since the inverter 13 is stopped during the period when the car 31 is not operating, the temperature of the inverter 13 gradually decreases.

[0044] Returning to Fig. 6, the temperature estimation unit 76 of the life determination device 72 estimates the temperatures of the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17 based on the above-mentioned (Equation 1) and (Equation 2) (step S15). Fig. 10(d) is an example of the temperature of the smoothing capacitor 14 estimated by the temperature estimation unit 76. Fig. 10(e) is an example of the temperature of the fan 17 estimated by the temperature estimation unit 76.

[0045] Returning to FIG. 6, the life judgment unit 78 of the life judgment device 72 calculates the deterioration level R of the inverter 13 (step S16). Specifically, the life judgment unit 78 calculates the deterioration level R1 of the inverter 13 during the period when the inverter 13 is operating (the period when the car is operating) based on the operating time of the car 31, the output current of the inverter 13, and the temperature of the inverter 13. The acceleration coefficient Kz used when calculating the deterioration level of the parts varies depending on the percentage of the rated value at which the parts (e.g., switching elements) constituting the inverter 13 are used. The life judgment unit 78 first determines the acceleration coefficient Kz at room temperature taking into account the absolute rated value of the parts (e.g., switching elements) constituting the inverter 13, and calculates the deterioration level R11 at room temperature.

[0046] Next, the life determination unit 78 calculates the temperature acceleration coefficient Kt of the deterioration degree based on the temperature measured by the temperature measuring device 16. For example, when the reference temperature is 20°C (normal temperature), the life determination unit 78 sets the temperature acceleration coefficient Kt so that if the measured temperature is 40°C, the temperature acceleration coefficient Kt is 2, and if the measured temperature is 60°C, the temperature acceleration coefficient Kt is 4. Even if the actual operating time is 5 hours, if the temperature acceleration coefficient Kt is 2, the operating time is calculated to be 10 hours, and if the temperature acceleration coefficient Kt is 4, the operating time is calculated to be 20 hours. The deterioration degree considering the temperature acceleration coefficient Kt of the deterioration degree can be obtained by (Equation 3). R1=R11×Kt (Formula 3)

[0047] Further, the life determination device 72 calculates the deterioration degree R2 of the inverter 13 during the period when the inverter 13 is not operating based on the time when the inverter 13 is not operating and the temperature of the inverter 13 during the period when the inverter 13 is not operating. The load on the inverter 13 during the period when the inverter 13 is not operating (the low level period in FIG. 10(b)) is about 0%. However, as shown in FIG. 10(c), the heat of the inverter 13 does not instantly drop to room temperature even during the period when the inverter 13 is not operating. Therefore, the components constituting the inverter 13 deteriorate because they are in an environmental temperature higher than room temperature. For example, the life determination device 72 calculates the deterioration degree R2 of the inverter 13 during the period when the inverter 13 is not operating by setting the value of the acceleration coefficient Kz when calculating the deterioration degree R11 of the inverter 13 at room temperature during the period when the inverter 13 is operating as a predetermined constant (for example, 0.1 or 0.5).

[0048] Next, life determination device 72 calculates the deterioration levels of smoothing capacitor 14 and fan 17 in the same manner.

[0049] Next, the lifespan determination device 72 calculates the aging deterioration degree by accumulating the calculated deterioration degrees (step S17). The calculation of the aging deterioration degree will be described with reference to FIG. 11. The horizontal axis of FIG. 11 is time. The vertical axis on the left side is temperature. The bar graph shown in FIG. 11 indicates that the inverter 13 operated at temperature T1 for a period of time t1 and at temperature Ti for a period of time ti. This bar graph also includes the temperature during the period when the inverter 13 was not operating. The vertical axis on the right side is the aging deterioration degree corresponding to the line graph. The line graph shows a value obtained by accumulating the areas of the bar graphs. The line graph is obtained by sequentially accumulating the areas of the bar graphs for the time t1 period to the area of ​​the bar graphs for the time t2 period, then adding the area of ​​the bar graphs for the time t3 period, and so on.

[0050] Next, the life determination device 72 adds the degrees of deterioration calculated in the same manner for the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17. The bar graph in Fig. 12 shows the operating time of the smoothing capacitor 14, and the line graph shows the degree of deterioration of the smoothing capacitor 14. The bar graph in Fig. 13 shows the operating time of the fan 17, and the line graph shows the degree of deterioration of the fan 17.

[0051] Returning to FIG. 6, the lifespan determination device 72 calculates the time until replacement for each part from the warranty period of the inverter 13, smoothing capacitor 14, and fan 17 and the degree of deterioration with age calculated in step S17 (step S18). The warranty period of the inverter 13 is calculated from the MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) of the parts that make up the inverter. The warranty periods of the smoothing capacitor 14 and fan 17 are determined by the standards for the parts. The lifespan determination device 72 calculates the time until replacement for each part by subtracting the degree of deterioration with age calculated in step S17 from the warranty period of each part. The lifespan determination device 72 repeats the processes from step S11 to step S18.

[0052] Next, the lifespan determination process performed by the lifespan determination device 72 will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in Fig. 7 to Fig. 9. This lifespan determination process may be performed every time the car 31 is operated, or may be performed at the time of regular inspection. The temperature before operating the car 31 when performing the lifespan determination process is measured in advance.

[0053] First, the life determination device 72 measures the output current of the inverter 13 supplied to the lift motor 40 until the car 31 reaches the destination floor, and the temperature of the inverter 13 immediately after the car 31 arrives at the destination floor (step S31). The output current of the inverter 13 is measured by the drive current monitor 15. Fig. 10(f) is an example of the measured output current. The temperature of the inverter 13 is measured by the temperature measurement device 16. Fig. 10(c) is an example of the measured temperature.

[0054] Next, the life determination device 72 calculates the temperature threshold of the inverter 13, the temperature threshold of the smoothing capacitor 14, the temperature threshold of the fan 17, and the current threshold of the current supplied to the lifting motor 40 (hoisting machine) (step S32). Specifically, the life determination device 72 sets the temperature threshold of the inverter 13 based on the design value of the output current of the inverter 13 corresponding to the load and moving distance of the car 31. The output current of the inverter 13 and the heat generation amount of the inverter 13 corresponding to the load and moving distance of the car 31 are stored in the storage unit, for example, in a table format, based on the temperature simulation and the actual measurement value of the inverter 13. The life determination device 72 reads out the design value of the temperature of the inverter 13 corresponding to the load and moving distance of the car 31 from the storage unit, and sets the temperature threshold of the inverter 13. The temperature threshold of the inverter 13 is set to, for example, a value obtained by adding an error margin to the design value of the temperature of the inverter 13 read out from the storage unit.

[0055] Also, the design value of the temperature of the smoothing capacitor 14 can be calculated by simulation from the design value of the temperature of the inverter 13 and the mounting positions of the inverter 13 and the smoothing capacitor 14. The relationship between the output current of the inverter 13 and the temperature of the smoothing capacitor 14 is stored in the storage unit, for example, in table format, based on the simulation and the actual measurement value. The life determination device 72 reads out the design value of the temperature of the smoothing capacitor 14 corresponding to the load and the moving distance of the car 31 from the storage unit, and sets the temperature threshold of the smoothing capacitor 14. The temperature threshold of the smoothing capacitor 14 is set to, for example, a value obtained by adding an error margin to the design value of the temperature of the smoothing capacitor 14 read out from the storage unit. Also, the design value of the temperature of the fan 17 can be calculated by simulation from the design value of the temperature of the inverter 13 and the mounting positions of the inverter 13 and the fan 17. The relationship between the output current of the inverter 13 and the temperature of the fan 17 is stored in the storage unit, for example, in table format, based on the simulation and the actual measurement value. The life determination device 72 reads out the design value of the temperature of the fan 17 corresponding to the load and the moving distance of the car 31 from the storage unit, and sets the temperature of the fan 17. The temperature threshold of the fan 17 is set to, for example, a value obtained by adding an error margin to the design value of the temperature of the fan 17 read from the storage unit. Also, the current threshold of the current supplied from the inverter 13 to the lift motor 40 is set to, for example, a value obtained by adding an error margin to a design value taking into account the current value supplied from the inverter 13 to the lift motor 40 corresponding to the load and moving distance of the car 31 and the ripple current value corresponding to that current value.

[0056] Next, life determination device 72 estimates the temperatures of smoothing capacitor 14 and fan 17 from the temperature of inverter 13 measured by temperature measurement device 16, (Equation 1), and (Equation 2) (step S33).

[0057] 8, the life determination device 72 determines whether the temperature of the inverter 13 estimated in step S33 exceeds the threshold value set in step S32 (step S51). If the temperature of the inverter 13 does not exceed the threshold value (step S51: No), the life determination device 72 determines that there is no abnormality in the inverter 13 (step S52). On the other hand, if the temperature of the inverter 13 exceeds the threshold value (step S51: Yes), an inspector visually checks whether the fan 17 is rotating (step S53). This is to determine whether the cause of the temperature abnormality of the inverter 13 is the inverter 13 or the fan 17.

[0058] If information that the fan 17 is rotating is input from the input / output device 93 (step S53: Yes), the life determination device 72 determines that there is an abnormality in the inverter 13 (step S54). Next, the life determination device 72 determines whether the degree of aging of the inverter 13 calculated in step S17 of Fig. 6 has exceeded a threshold value (step S55).

[0059] If the degree of aging deterioration exceeds the threshold (step S55: Yes), the life determination device 72 determines that the inverter 13 has reached the end of its life (step S56). The life determination device 72 displays, for example, "It is time to replace the inverter. Please replace the inverter." on the input / output device 93. On the other hand, if the degree of aging deterioration does not exceed the threshold (step S55: No), the life determination device 72 displays the time until the inverter 13 needs to be replaced, which was calculated in step S18 of FIG. 6, on the input / output device 93 (step S57).

[0060] If information that the fan 17 is not rotating is input from the input / output device 93 (step S53: No), the lifespan determination device 72 determines that there is an abnormality in the fan 17 (step S58). Next, the lifespan determination device 72 determines whether the degree of deterioration of the fan 17 calculated in step S17 of FIG. 6 has exceeded a threshold value (step S59).

[0061] If the degree of aging deterioration exceeds the threshold (step S59: Yes), the lifespan determination device 72 determines that the fan 17 has reached the end of its lifespan (step S60). The lifespan determination device 72 displays, for example, "It is time to replace the fan. Please replace the fan." on the input / output device 93. On the other hand, if the degree of aging deterioration does not exceed the threshold (step S59: No), the lifespan determination device 72 displays the time until the fan 17 is to be replaced, which was calculated in step S18 of FIG. 6, on the input / output device 93 (step S57). In this case, it also displays that the failure of the fan 17 has occurred before the end of its lifespan.

[0062] The time until the inverter 13 needs to be replaced can be calculated by subtracting the degree of aging deterioration of the inverter 13 (the cumulative value of the deterioration degree) calculated by the deterioration degree accumulation process described in the flowchart shown in Fig. 6 from the lifespan of the inverter 13 calculated based on the MTBF guaranteed by the standards of the parts that make up the inverter 13. At this time, the time until the smoothing capacitor 14 needs to be replaced is calculated taking into account seasonal fluctuations in temperature and operating conditions. The time until the fan 17 needs to be replaced is calculated in the same manner.

[0063] 9, the life determination device 72 determines whether the current value measured by the drive current monitor 15 exceeds the current threshold value set in step S32 (step S71). The design value of the current supplied to the lift motor 40 is determined by the load on the inverter 13, as shown in FIG. 10(f). The current threshold value is set by adding a margin of error to this design value. If the capacity of the smoothing capacitor 14 decreases or the internal impedance increases due to aging or the like, the ripple of the output voltage and output current of the inverter 13 increases. Therefore, if the current value measured by the drive current monitor 15 exceeds the current threshold value, it can be estimated that the smoothing capacitor 14 has deteriorated with age. If the measured current value exceeds the threshold value (step S71: Yes), the life determination device 72 displays on the input / output device 93 that there is an abnormality in the smoothing capacitor 14 (step S72).

[0064] On the other hand, if the measured current value does not exceed the current threshold value (step S71: No), the life determination device 72 determines whether or not the temperature of the smoothing capacitor 14 calculated in step S33 exceeds the threshold value set in step S32 (step S73). If the calculated temperature of the smoothing capacitor 14 does not exceed the threshold value (step S73: No), the life determination device 72 displays on the input / output device 93 that there is no temperature abnormality in the smoothing capacitor 14 (step S74).

[0065] On the other hand, if the calculated temperature of the smoothing capacitor 14 exceeds the threshold value (step S73: Yes), the life determination device 72 determines that there is a temperature abnormality in the smoothing capacitor 14 and displays on the input / output device 93 that there is a temperature abnormality in the smoothing capacitor 14 (step S75).

[0066] Next, the life determination device 72 determines whether the deterioration degree of the smoothing capacitor 14 exceeds a threshold value (step S76). The cumulative value of the deterioration degree of the smoothing capacitor 14 is a value calculated in step S17 of the flowchart shown in FIG. 6. The threshold value is set based on the standard of the smoothing capacitor 14. If the deterioration degree of the smoothing capacitor 14 exceeds the threshold value (step S76: Yes), the life determination device 72 determines that the smoothing capacitor 14 has reached its life (step S77) and displays on the input / output device 93 that the smoothing capacitor 14 has reached its life. On the other hand, if the deterioration degree of the smoothing capacitor 14 does not exceed the threshold value (step S76: No), the life determination device 72 calculates the time until the smoothing capacitor 14 needs to be replaced (step S78) and displays the time until the smoothing capacitor 14 needs to be replaced on the input / output device 93.

[0067] As described above, the life determination device 72 of the elevator apparatus according to the first embodiment calculates the deterioration degree of the inverter 13 during the period when the inverter 13 is operating based on the operating time of the inverter 13 (power source), the power supplied by the inverter 13, and the temperature of the inverter 13, and calculates the deterioration degree of the inverter 13 during the period when the inverter 13 is not operating based on the time when the inverter 13 is not operating and the temperature of the inverter during the time when the inverter 13 is not operating. If the cumulative sum of the calculated deterioration degrees (the deterioration degree due to aging, which is the cumulative sum of the deterioration degrees when the inverter 13 is operating and the deterioration degree when the inverter 13 is not operating) exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the inverter 13 is determined to have reached the end of its life. During the period when the car 31 is not operating, the inverter 13 is not operating either. In this way, the life determination device 72 of the elevator apparatus according to the first embodiment calculates the deterioration degree taking into account the deterioration degree of the inverter 13 during the period when the inverter 13 is not operating, and therefore the estimation accuracy of the deterioration degree of the inverter 13 can be improved. Since the life determination device 72 for an elevator system according to the first embodiment can accurately estimate the deterioration degree of the inverter 13, it is possible to reduce the probability of occurrence of a failure caused by the inverter 13 during operation of the elevator system.

[0068] Furthermore, the elevator equipment life determination device 72 according to the first embodiment sets a temperature threshold value for the inverter 13 according to the power supplied by the inverter 13 to the hoisting motor 40, and detects a temperature abnormality in the inverter 13 by comparing the temperature of the inverter 13 measured by the temperature measuring device 16 with the set temperature threshold value. In this way, the elevator equipment life determination device 72 according to the first embodiment determines a temperature abnormality by comparing a design value of the temperature rise based on the load applied to the inverter 13 accompanying the movement of the car 31 with an actual measured value, and therefore can discover a temperature abnormality in the inverter 13 early and accurately.

[0069] Furthermore, the life determination device 72 for an elevator system according to the first embodiment can estimate the degree of deterioration taking into account the temperatures of the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17, without directly measuring the temperatures of the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17. The life determination device 72 for an elevator system according to the first embodiment does not require a temperature measuring device to be disposed for each of the multiple components disposed around the inverter 13, such as the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17, and therefore can reduce the manufacturing cost of the device.

[0070] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above description, the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17 are taken as examples of peripheral components arranged around the power supply. However, the peripheral components do not need to be limited to the smoothing capacitor 14 and the fan 17. For example, the peripheral components may be electronic boards constituting the drive unit 91 and electronic boards constituting the control unit 80. For example, temperature estimation may be performed on electronic boards constituting the drive unit 91 and electronic boards constituting the control unit 80 mounted near the inverter 13. In addition, the above-described life estimation process may also be applied to life estimation of electronic boards constituting the drive unit 91 and electronic boards constituting the control unit 80 mounted near the inverter 13.

[0071] In the above description, the temperature threshold value of the inverter 13 is set based on the design value of the output current of the inverter 13 corresponding to the load of the car 31 and the travel distance of the car 31. However, the method of setting the temperature threshold value does not need to be limited to this. For example, the temperature threshold value of the inverter 13 may be set based on the output current of the inverter 13 measured by the drive current monitor 15. Similarly, the temperature threshold value of the smoothing capacitor 14 and the temperature threshold value of the fan 17 may be set based on the output current of the inverter 13 measured by the drive current monitor 15.

[0072] In the above description, a comparison is made with one threshold value in steps S55, S59, and S76. However, multiple threshold values ​​may be set for each step. For example, a second threshold value may be set in consideration of the time it takes from ordering a replacement inverter 13 to receiving it. It becomes possible to order a replacement inverter after a warning based on this second threshold value, and the inventory of maintenance parts can be reduced.

[0073] In the above description, the abnormality determination process is performed on the inverter 13. However, the abnormality determination process may be applied to the converter 11.

[0074] Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1 Commercial power supply 10 Elevator equipment 11 Converter 13 Inverter 14 Smoothing capacitor 15 Drive current monitor 16 Temperature measuring device 17 Fan 21~24 Guide rail 31 Car 31a opening 32 Door 36 Operation Panel 39 Load Sensor 40 Lifting motor 41 Opening and closing motor 42 Pulley 43 Wire 44 Cable 50 Counterweight 70 Control Panel 71 Drive unit control section 72 Lifespan determination device 76 Temperature estimation section 77 Abnormality detection section 78 Life judgment section 80 Control Unit 81 CPU 82 Main memory 83 Auxiliary storage 84 Interface section 85 Bus 91 Drive unit 93 Input / Output Devices 100 Hoistway

Claims

1. A life determination device for an elevator system includes a power source that supplies power to a motor that drives the elevation and lowering of a car of an elevator system, the power source supplies power to the motor, a temperature measuring device for measuring a temperature of the power supply; a life determination unit that calculates a deterioration level of the power supply during a period when the power supply is operating based on an operating time of the power supply, the power supplied by the power supply, and a temperature of the power supply, calculates a deterioration level of the power supply during a period when the power supply is not operating based on a time when the power supply is not operating and the temperature of the power supply during the time when the power supply is not operating, and determines that the power supply has reached the end of its life when a value obtained by accumulating the calculated deterioration levels exceeds a predetermined threshold value; Equipped with the life determination unit determines a deterioration level of the power supply during a period when the power supply is not operating by multiplying a deterioration level of the power supply during a period when the power supply is operating by a predetermined coefficient; Lifespan determination device.

2. a temperature estimation unit that estimates a temperature of a peripheral component including a smoothing capacitor arranged around the power supply or a fan that cools the power supply based on the temperature of the power supply measured by the temperature measurement device, the life determination unit calculates a degree of deterioration of the peripheral components during a period when the power supply is operating based on an operating time of the power supply and a temperature of the peripheral components, calculates a degree of deterioration of the peripheral components during a period when the power supply is not operating based on a time when the power supply is not operating and a temperature of the peripheral components during the time when the power supply is not operating, and determines that the peripheral components have reached the end of their life when a cumulative sum of the calculated degrees of deterioration exceeds a predetermined threshold value; The life determination device according to claim 1 .

3. an abnormality detection unit that detects a temperature abnormality of the power supply based on the temperature measured by the temperature measuring device; the abnormality detection unit sets a temperature threshold value of the power supply corresponding to the power supplied from the power supply to the motor, and detects a temperature abnormality of the power supply by comparing the temperature of the power supply measured by the temperature measurement device with the temperature threshold value. The life determination device according to claim 1 .

4. The temperature threshold of the power source is calculated based on a load of the car and a distance traveled by the car. The life determination device according to claim 3 .

5. a temperature estimation unit that estimates a temperature of a peripheral component including a smoothing capacitor arranged around the power supply or a fan that cools the power supply based on the temperature of the power supply measured by the temperature measurement device, the abnormality detection unit sets a temperature threshold value for the peripheral component corresponding to the power supplied from the power source to the motor, and detects a temperature abnormality in the peripheral component by comparing the temperature of the peripheral component estimated by the temperature estimation unit with the temperature threshold value of each of the peripheral components. The life determination device according to claim 3 .

6. a drive current monitor for monitoring a current supplied from the power supply to the motor; the abnormality detection unit sets a current threshold value taking into consideration a ripple in the current, and detects an abnormality in a smoothing capacitor disposed around the power supply by comparing the current monitored by the drive current monitor with the current threshold value. The life determination device according to claim 3 .

7. A method for determining a life span of an elevator apparatus, comprising: a power source for supplying power to a motor that drives a car of the elevator apparatus to move up and down; and supplying power from the power source to the motor, a temperature measuring step of measuring a temperature of the power source; a lifespan determination step of determining a degree of deterioration of the power source by cumulatively adding the deterioration degrees of the power source and determining whether or not the power source has reached a time to be replaced; Including, The life determination step includes: calculating a degree of deterioration of the power source during an operating period of the power source based on an operating time of the power source, the power supplied by the power source, and a temperature of the power source; calculating a deterioration level of the power supply during a period when the power supply is not operating based on a time period when the power supply is not operating and a temperature of the power supply during the time period when the power supply is not operating; A step of accumulating the calculated deterioration degrees; determining whether the cumulative sum exceeds a predetermined threshold; a temperature estimation step of estimating temperatures of peripheral components including a smoothing capacitor disposed around the power supply or a fan for cooling the power supply based on the temperature of the power supply measured in the temperature measurement step; The life determination step includes: calculating a degree of deterioration of the peripheral components during a period in which the power source is in operation based on an operating time of the power source and a temperature of the peripheral components; calculating a deterioration level of the peripheral component during the period when the power supply is not operating based on a time when the power supply is not operating and a temperature of the peripheral component during the time when the power supply is not operating; A step of accumulating the calculated deterioration degrees; determining that the peripheral component has reached the end of its life when the cumulative sum exceeds a predetermined threshold value; A lifespan determination method comprising:

8. an anomaly detection step of detecting a temperature anomaly of the power supply based on the temperature measured in the temperature measurement step; The abnormality detection step includes a threshold setting step of setting a temperature threshold of the power source corresponding to the power supplied from the power source to the motor; The temperature of the power supply measured in the temperature measurement step is compared with the temperature threshold value to detect a temperature abnormality of the power supply. A detection step; The method for determining lifespan according to claim 7 , further comprising:

9. The temperature threshold of the power source is calculated based on a load of the car and a distance traveled by the car. The method for determining a lifespan according to claim 8.

10. a temperature estimation step of estimating temperatures of peripheral components including a smoothing capacitor disposed around the power supply or a fan for cooling the power supply based on the temperature of the power supply measured in the temperature measurement step; The abnormality detection step includes: setting a temperature threshold value of peripheral components including a smoothing capacitor arranged around the power supply or a fan for cooling the power supply, the temperature threshold value corresponding to the power supplied from the power supply to the motor; detecting a temperature abnormality of the peripheral components by comparing the temperatures of the peripheral components estimated in the temperature estimation step with temperature threshold values ​​of the peripheral components; The method for determining lifespan according to claim 8 , further comprising:

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