Pumping equipment and control equipment

Abstract

To eliminate labor for inputting inspection work scheduled for a pump device, to a management device in advance.SOLUTION: A pump device according to an embodiment comprises a pump part, an operation part, and a notification part. The pump part supplies liquid. The operation part sets or cancels an inspection work mode of the pump part in accordance with operation of an operator. When an abnormality occurs in the pump part in the inspection work mode, the notification part notifies the management device of the inspection work mode and the abnormality.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pump device and a management device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, pump equipment installed in buildings and other locations notifies users of abnormalities by outputting an alarm when an abnormality occurs. The user then contacts the management company of the pump equipment to inform them of the content of the alarm and the fact that the water supply has been cut off. During inspections, management company workers record the operating status and fault information of the pump equipment on-site, and then restore the pump equipment to normal operation by replacing parts or performing other work.

[0003] After that, the worker records the status of the pump equipment and the work performed during the inspection, such as part replacement, in a paper report. This report is used as a required document for cost claims rather than for managing the history of the pump equipment inspection work.

[0004] Meanwhile, with the recent development of pump devices equipped with communication units capable of long-distance communication, management devices capable of remotely managing pump devices via a network have come into use. The management device displays the status of the pump device received from the pump device on a management screen. Furthermore, when an abnormality occurs in the pump device, the management device displays the abnormality on the management screen. The manager determines whether or not an action is required for the displayed abnormality. If an action is required, the manager notifies a worker of the parts needed to resolve the abnormality and dispatches the worker to the site. An abnormality associated with scheduled inspection work may not require an action. For example, scheduled inspection work, such as cleaning of a water receiving tank, is input into the management device in advance. When a drought signal indicating a drought abnormality in the water receiving tank is detected while displaying the scheduled inspection work, the management device displays the drought abnormality and the date and time the drought signal was detected on the management screen, corresponding to the cleaning work. The manager visually checks the management screen and determines that no action is required for the displayed drought abnormality. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-053887 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] While the pump device and management device described above present no particular problems, the inventors' investigations have revealed that there is room for improvement in the time and effort required to input inspection work in advance. If a scheduled inspection work is not input in advance into the management device due to an operator's oversight, the management device will display a drought anomaly and the date and time the drought signal was detected on a management screen that does not display the scheduled inspection work when a drought signal is detected. The manager visually checks the management screen, determines that the displayed drought anomaly requires action, and notifies the worker's communication terminal of the parts needed to resolve the anomaly. If the worker is currently on-site, the manager is then notified that an inspection is currently being performed. On the other hand, if the worker is not currently on-site, the manager dispatches the worker to the site.

[0007] The present invention aims to eliminate the need to input in advance scheduled inspection work for a pump device into a management device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A pump device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a pump unit, an operation unit, a notification unit, and an estimation unit. , memory unit and The pump unit supplies liquid. The operation unit sets or cancels an inspection work mode for the pump unit in response to an operation by an operator. When an abnormality occurs in the pump unit due to inspection work in the inspection work mode, the notification unit notifies a management device of the inspection work mode and the abnormality. The estimation unit estimates the inspection work corresponding to the abnormality that has occurred. When the abnormality occurs, the notification unit notifies the management device of the inspection work mode, the abnormality, and the estimated inspection work. The memory unit stores an inspection type indicating whether the inspection corresponds to a regular inspection or an inspection in response to an abnormality, an abnormality that occurs in the inspection mode, the inspection work corresponding to the abnormality, a state immediately after the inspection mode is set, and a state immediately after the inspection mode is canceled, in association with each other. The estimation unit estimates the inspection work based on the abnormality that occurs and the estimation table. In the case of the regular inspection, the estimation table indicates a state in which no abnormality exists immediately after the inspection mode is set, and in the case of the inspection in response to an abnormality, it indicates a state in which an abnormality exists immediately after the inspection mode is set. If an abnormality exists immediately after the inspection mode is set and the existing abnormality is resolved within a certain period of time after the inspection mode is canceled, the estimation unit estimates the work corresponding to the existing abnormality as the inspection work to resolve the existing abnormality.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, a management device includes a receiving unit, an estimation unit, and a storage unit. When an abnormality occurs in a pump device in an inspection operation mode, the receiving unit receives a notification of the inspection operation mode and the abnormality from the pump device. The estimation unit estimates the inspection operation to resolve the abnormality based on the content of the received notification. The storage unit stores the inspection operation mode, the abnormality, and the inspection operation in association with each other. The storage unit further stores an inspection type indicating whether the inspection corresponds to a regular inspection or an inspection in response to an abnormality, an inference table describing an abnormality that occurs in the inspection mode, the inspection work corresponding to the abnormality, a state immediately after the inspection mode is set, and a state immediately after the inspection mode is canceled, in association with each other. The inference unit infers the inspection work based on the content of the notification and the inference table. In the case of the regular inspection, the inference table indicates a state in which no abnormality is present immediately after the inspection mode is set, and in the case of the abnormality inspection, it indicates a state in which an abnormality is present immediately after the inspection mode is set. If an abnormality is present immediately after the inspection mode is set and the present abnormality is resolved within a certain period of time after the inspection mode is canceled, the inference unit infers the work corresponding to the present abnormality as the inspection work to resolve the present abnormality. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to eliminate the need to input in advance the inspection work scheduled for the pump device into the management device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a pump management system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the pump device shown in FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a diagram showing an example of an operation panel provided with the display unit and operation unit shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining the estimation table shown in FIG. 2; [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a management device shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a management device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation in the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, each embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a pump management system including pump devices 100-1 to 100-n according to the first embodiment.

[0014] In this pump management system, management device 200 manages pump devices 100-1 to 100-n through a mobile communication network NW, and each of pump devices 100-1 to 100-n can directly communicate with external device 300 carried by an operator via short-range wireless communication. The mobile communication network NW is, for example, a public communication network such as a mobile phone system network.

[0015] The pump devices 100-1 to 100-n are installed in equipment rooms, for example, in the basement of a building or facility, and pump water stored in a water tank or purified water supplied from a main water pipe using a pump driven by the power of a motor. Note that the pump devices may also be intended for liquids other than purified water.

[0016] Furthermore, there are various types of pumps suitable for the pump devices 100-1 to 100-n depending on the building or facility in which they are installed, but in the description of this embodiment, points common to all types of pump devices will be described as "pump device 100." In other words, when describing pump device 100, the description will be of the configuration and operation common to all pump devices 100-1 to 100-n.

[0017] The base station BS is a base station device of a mobile communication system operated by a telecommunications carrier, and mainly communicates wirelessly with smartphones, mobile phones, etc. For example, the base station BS can also communicate with communication units installed in various IoT (Internet of Things) devices, including pump devices 100-1 to 100-n, and connects these communication devices to the mobile communication network NW.

[0018] The gateway device GW is connected to the mobile communication network NW, and serves as a network node that performs, for example, protocol conversion between the mobile communication network NW and the management device 200, and interconnects the mobile communication network NW and the management device 200.

[0019] Management device 200 monitors, manages, and remotely controls the operational status of pump devices 100-1 to 100-n. Management device 200 is installed, for example, in the facility of a monitoring and management business, and collects and records information on the operational status of pump devices 100-1 to 100-n, as well as remotely controls them, via a gateway device GW and a mobile communication network NW.

[0020] The external device 300 is a portable information device carried by an operator. The external device 300 is, for example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a laptop personal computer, or the like, which has wireless communication functions and information processing functions. Like the management device 200, the external device 300 can collect and record information on the operating status of the pump devices 100-1 to 100-n, as well as perform remote control.

[0021] 1 shows a state in which an operator operates the external device 300. However, the external device 300 can be connected to the pump devices 100-1 to 100-n and can operate by receiving a power supply, and can be operated autonomously even if an operator is not present at the installation site of the pump devices 100-1 to 100-n.

[0022] Next, the configuration of the pump devices 100-1 to 100-n will be described with reference to Fig. 2. In the following description, parts common to the pump devices 100-1 to 100-n will be described as pump device 100. The pump device 100 includes a pump section 100P and a control panel 100C as main components.

[0023] The pump unit 100P supplies liquid and includes a motor supplied with AC power from an inverter connected to a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFC), one or more pump units driven by the motor, an accumulator, a water supply line connecting these components, a check valve, and various sensors. Note that a ground fault circuit interrupter, inverter, and motor are used for each pump unit. In this embodiment, the pump unit 100P has two pump units. These two pump units are identified as pump unit 1 and pump unit 2, respectively. The pump unit 100P increases the pressure of the liquid drawn in through a pump suction port on the primary side, pumps the liquid, and delivers the liquid from a pump discharge port on the secondary side, for example, by controlling the power supplied from the control panel 100C. The pump unit 100P may use a direct connection method in which the pump suction port is connected to a water pipe via a backflow prevention device, or a water tank method in which the pump suction port is connected to a water tank.

[0024] The pump unit 100P may have various configurations for each of the pump devices 100-1 to 100-n, but since it may be a pump of either a general type or a special type, details of the mechanism and operation thereof will be omitted. Furthermore, the pump unit 100P is not limited to the configuration described above.

[0025] The control panel 100C receives instructions and settings from an operator, and controls the operation of the pump unit 100P in accordance with the instructions and settings, and has control functions according to the configuration of the pump unit 100P.

[0026] In addition, as shown in Figure 2, the control panel 100C of the pump device 100-1 includes a power supply circuit 110, a storage battery 111, a mobile battery 112, an interface 113, a display unit 120, a long-distance communication unit 130, an interface 131, a short-distance communication unit 140, an interface 141, an operation unit 150, a communication connector 160, a sensor interface (I / F) 170, a memory unit 180, and a control unit 190.

[0027] The power supply circuit 110 includes an inverter and a ground fault circuit interrupter for each pump unit of the pump section 100P, converts power supplied from a distribution board into AC power for driving the motor in the pump unit, and supplies the AC power to the motor. Accordingly, the power supply circuit 110 has a function of, for example, controlling the rotation of the motor to maintain a target pressure for the liquid discharged by the pump unit. The power supply circuit 110 also includes a temperature sensor that detects an abnormal inverter temperature when the inverter overheats and notifies the control section 190.

[0028] The power supply circuit 110 also has a function of converting the power supplied from the distribution board into DC power for charging the mobile battery 112 and supplying it.

[0029] The storage battery 111 stores backup power to operate some functions of the control panel 100C when power is not supplied from the distribution panel due to a power outage or the like, and the power is supplied to the required parts via the power supply circuit 110.

[0030] The mobile battery 112 is a battery that supplies operating power to the external device 300 connected to the interface 113, and is charged by power supplied from the secondary side of the noise filter of the power supply circuit 110. Note that instead of the mobile battery 112, an adapter (or a charger) that supplies operating power to the external device 300 may be provided.

[0031] That is, by connecting the external device 300 to the mobile battery 112 via the interface 113, the external device 300 can operate autonomously for a long period of time even when no worker is nearby. The external device 300 can collect information such as log data 180b and abnormality log data 180c from the pump device 100, and can diagnose and remotely control the operating status.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3 , the display unit 120 is provided as part of the operation panel 119 together with the operation unit 150 (described later). For example, the display unit 120 is a display device using devices such as a display panel 121, a 7-segment LED 122, and multiple LED lamps, and visually displays and notifies information provided by the control unit 190 to workers, facility managers, and the like. Here, for example, a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) panel can be appropriately used as the display panel 121. The multiple LED lamps include, for example, a power supply indicator LED 123a, an operation / failure indicator LED 123b, an abnormal liquid level indicator LED 123c, a low suction pressure indicator LED 123d, and an inspection work in progress indicator LED 123e. The power supply indicator LED 123a lights up when the power is on. The operation / failure indicator LED 123b lights up when pump units 1 and 2 are operating, and lights up when pump units 1 and 2 are failing. The liquid level abnormality display LED 123c blinks when there is a liquid level abnormality, which is either full or low, and lights up when there is a low water abnormality. The suction pressure drop display LED 123d lights up when there is a suction pressure drop abnormality. The inspection work in progress display LED 123e lights up when inspection work is in progress (inspection work mode).

[0033] The information displayed on the display unit 120 under the control of the control unit 190 includes information indicating the operational status and settings of the pump device 100, various log data, responses to input operations by the operator, processing results, etc. In addition to visual methods, information may be notified to the operator by sound (audio) or the like.

[0034] 2, the long-distance communication unit 130 is a communication unit that complies with a communication standard such as LTE (registered trademark) (Long-Term Evolution), 4G (4th Generation), or 5G (5th Generation). The long-distance communication unit 130 wirelessly communicates with a base station BS and communicates with the management device 200 and the external device 300 via a mobile communication network NW and a gateway device GW.

[0035] In addition, the long-distance communication unit 130 has a detachable mechanism and interface in the interface 131 connected to the control unit 190, and can be removed or replaced as needed in the event of a malfunction, upgrade, or maintenance such as updating firmware or programs.

[0036] The long-distance communication unit 130 is equipped with a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) as subscriber identification information for using communication services provided by a telecommunications carrier, and performs communication using the subscriber identification information. That is, when communication is performed using the long-distance communication unit 130, a communication fee is charged by the telecommunications carrier.

[0037] The SIM may be a SIM card or an eSIM (Embedded SIM). In the case of a SIM card, the communication unit has a card slot that serves as an interface and has a mechanism that allows the SIM to be attached and detached (replaced).

[0038] Furthermore, if the carrier identifies (specifies) the service subscriber by a method other than the SIM, the device is provided with a storage device for storing identification information (ID information) according to that method.

[0039] The short-range communication unit 140 is a communication unit that complies with communication standards such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and wireless LAN. The short-range communication unit 140 performs direct wireless communication with various devices (personal computers, smartphones, tablet devices, and other communication devices) that are compatible with the communication standards. In other words, no communication costs are incurred when using the short-range communication unit 140.

[0040] In addition, the short-range communication unit 140 has a detachable mechanism and interface for the interface 141 connected to the control unit 190, and can be removed or replaced as needed in the event of a malfunction, upgrade, or maintenance such as updating firmware or programs.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 3, the operation unit 150 is a touch panel provided on the display panel 121 or a plurality of hard switches (select switches, button switches) on the operation panel 119, and receives requests and instructions from the worker and transmits them to the control unit 190.

[0042] The selector switches on the operation panel 119 include an operation changeover switch 151 and a pump changeover switch 152. The operation changeover switch 151 inputs an operation changeover signal to the control unit 190, which switches the pump device 100 between manual operation, automatic operation, and stop, in response to operation by the operator. The pump changeover switch 152 inputs a pump selection signal to the control unit 190, which selects either or both of pump unit No. 1 and pump unit No. 2 of the pump section 100P in response to operation by the operator.

[0043] The button switches on the operation panel 119 include, for example, a menu switching button 153, an up / down button 154, a decision button 155, a reset button 156, an inspection mode button 157, and a buzzer button 158. The menu switching button 153 inputs a display switching signal to the control unit 190 to move through the menu or switch pages on the display panel 121 in response to an operator's operation. The up / down button 154 inputs an up / down signal to the control unit 190 to change data up or down in response to an operator's operation. The decision button 155 inputs a confirmation signal to the control unit 190 to confirm the changed data in response to an operator's operation. The reset button 156 inputs a reset signal to the control unit 190 to reset the pump unit 100P after a fault or alarm has been cleared in response to an operator's operation. The inspection mode button 157 inputs an inspection mode signal to the control unit 190 to indicate that inspection of the pump unit 100P is in progress (inspection mode) in response to an operator's operation. The buzzer button 158 inputs a buzzer switching signal to the control unit 190 to switch the buzzer on / off in response to an operation by the operator.

[0044] In addition to the input means for physical contact as described above, the operation unit 150 may also be equipped with a microphone so that the control unit 190 recognizes commands indicated by input voice and accepts requests and instructions from the worker.

[0045] The communication connector 160 is a connector for connecting a communication cable (serial cable) that complies with a serial communication standard such as RS-232C. The communication connector 160 is used to connect a control device such as a personal computer for control and information input, or to connect a high-precision measuring instrument (external sensor) for high-precision measurements, for example, at the time of shipment. The function of the communication interface for transmitting and receiving signals is provided by the control unit 190.

[0046] The sensor interface 170 is an interface for connecting various sensors arranged inside (or outside) the pump device 100. The sensor interface 170 supplies operating power to each sensor, and also gives instructions from the control unit 190 to the various sensors, or transmits information (detection results) detected by the various sensors to the control unit 190.

[0047] 2 shows the water leakage sensor 171, pressure sensor 172, flood sensor 173, and flow rate sensor 174 as examples of sensors, but the present invention is not limited to these. In other words, sensors other than these (for example, sensors with higher accuracy) may be provided, and information detected by each sensor may be input to the control unit 190 via the sensor interface 170.

[0048] The water leakage sensor 171 detects water leakage from around the pump unit 100P. The pressure sensor 172 detects the pressure of the liquid delivered by the pump section 100P. Note that the "pressure sensor" may also be called a "pressure transmitter." The flood sensor 173 detects that flooding has occurred around the pump device 100 due to a flood or the like. The flow rate sensor 174 detects the amount of liquid being pumped by the pump portion 100P.

[0049] The storage unit 180 uses a semiconductor memory such as an SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic RAM), a NAND flash memory, or an EEPROM (registered trademark) (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM).

[0050] The storage unit 180 stores the control program and control data of the control unit 190. As one piece of control data, the storage unit 180 stores a control table 180a and an inference table T1, and can store multiple pieces of log data 180b and multiple pieces of abnormality log data 180c as data collected and generated by the control unit 190.

[0051] The control table 180a is data that associates setting values for controlling the pump unit 100P, range information indicating the standard allowable range of the setting values, and judgment values for detecting abnormalities including failures based on the detection results of the sensor with the names of the failures and abnormalities and the abnormality identifiers that indicate them.

[0052] The inference table T1 is data for inferring work from the log data 180b and the abnormality log data 180c. Specifically, the inference table T1 associates an abnormality that occurs in the inspection work mode with the work corresponding to the abnormality. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the inference table T1 associates the state immediately after the inspection work mode is set, the abnormality that occurred in the inspection work mode, the state immediately after the inspection work mode is released, and the inferred work. Note that "immediately after the inspection work mode is released" is an example of "within a certain period after the inspection mode is released." Furthermore, the column indicating the inspection time in the inference table T1 is provided to distinguish whether each row in the inference table T1 corresponds to a periodic inspection or an abnormality inspection and may be omitted. Additionally, the inference table T1 can accommodate both periodic inspections and abnormality inspections. In the case of periodic inspections, the inference table T1 indicates that there are no abnormalities in the pump device 100 immediately after the inspection work mode is set. On the other hand, in the case of an abnormality inspection, the inference table T1 indicates a state in which an abnormality such as an inverter temperature abnormality or a pressure transmitter abnormality exists in the pump device 100 immediately after the inspection operation mode is set. The inference table T1 may be divided into a table for periodic inspection and a table for abnormality inspection. In this case, the table for periodic inspection describes an abnormality that occurs during the inspection operation mode in association with the work corresponding to the abnormality. The table for abnormality inspection describes an abnormality that occurs immediately after the inspection operation mode is set in association with the work corresponding to the abnormality. The term "inference" may be replaced with other terms such as "estimation," "determination," "derival," "association," or "association," as appropriate. The inference table T1 and the memory unit 180 are examples of a memory unit.

[0053] The log data 180b is data in which logs of detection results of various sensors for a predetermined period, information detected by the control unit 190 (states of each part in the pump device 100, operation settings for the pump device 100 and operations by operators), and work estimated by the control unit 190 are associated with time. The information detected by the control unit 190 includes inverter information (current value, voltage value, frequency, etc.), settings for opening and closing various valves, settings for operation modes (automatic / manual / stop), settings for inspection work modes, etc.

[0054] Note that the control unit 190 performs control to overwrite and save the log data 180b so as to store only the latest predetermined number of pieces of log data 180b so as not to overload the storage capacity of the storage unit 180. Furthermore, the control unit 190 can read the log data 180b from the storage unit 180 and display it on the display unit 120 in response to an instruction from an operator via the operation unit 150.

[0055] The abnormality log data 180c is data that compiles the log data 180b detected before and after the occurrence of various abnormalities including breakdowns, and is generated by the control unit 190.

[0056] The type of abnormality, the time of occurrence, an individual identifier (described later), and the like are added to the abnormality log data 180c by the control unit 190. Furthermore, the abnormality log data 180c can be read out from the storage unit 180 by the control unit 190 and displayed on the display unit 120 in response to an instruction from an operator via the operation unit 150.

[0057] Additionally, the storage unit 180 stores an individual identifier as identification information uniquely assigned to the pump device 100 in order to distinguish the pump device 100 from others. This individual identifier is added to data transmitted to the management device 200 or the external device 300, for example, and is used to indicate the source and attributes of the data, and is used for data management in the management device 200 or the external device 300. The individual identifier may be, for example, a serial number.

[0058] The control unit 190 controls all the components of the control panel 100C and includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores control programs and control data read from the storage unit 180, and the processor executes the control programs to perform various controls and processes in accordance with the control data.

[0059] In the above control and processing, the control unit 190 receives instructions from an operator and, in accordance with the instructions, controls each unit of the pump device 100. For example, the control unit 190 performs automatic operation control, generation of log data 180b, abnormality log generation processing, log transmission processing, inspection work mode setting / cancellation processing, notification processing, estimation processing, and the like.

[0060] The automatic operation control controls the pump unit 100P according to settings made in advance or a schedule set in advance. The automatic operation control performs, for example, switching of the operation frequency, starting and stopping of the pump according to the time, pressure control so that the pressure of the water supply is constant at a target value, or control so that the amount of water supply per unit time is constant.

[0061] In the abnormality log generation process, when an abnormality occurs, log data 180b at the time the abnormality occurred and abnormality log data 180c that compiles log data 180b before and after the abnormality are generated based on the detection results of various sensors.

[0062] The log transmission process periodically transmits the log data 180b to the management device 200 or the external device 300, irregularly transmits the error log data 180c to the management device 200 or the external device 300, and erases the transmitted data.

[0063] The inspection work mode setting / cancellation process sets or cancels the inspection work mode of the pump unit 100P in response to an operator's operation of the inspection work mode button 157. For example, the inspection work mode is set in response to input of an inspection work mode signal, and the inspection work mode is canceled when the inspection work mode signal is no longer input. The control unit 190 and the inspection work mode button 157 are examples of an operation unit.

[0064] When an abnormality occurs in the pump unit 100P in the inspection operation mode, the notification process notifies the management device 200 of the inspection operation mode and the abnormality via the long-distance communication unit 130. When the control unit 190 performs the estimation process, the notification process notifies the management device 200 of the inspection operation mode, the abnormality, and the estimated work to be done via the long-distance communication unit 130. For example, if the abnormality that has occurred is a drop in suction pressure, the notification process notifies the management device 200 of the inspection operation mode, the drop in suction pressure, and the estimated work to be done to inspect the backflow prevention device. For example, if the abnormality that has occurred is a water tank liquid level abnormality, the notification process notifies the management device 200 of the inspection operation mode, the water tank liquid level abnormality, and the estimated work to be done to clean the water tank. For example, if the abnormality that has occurred is an inverter communication abnormality that occurs when the earth leakage breaker is in the off state, the notification process notifies the management device 200 of the inspection operation mode, the inverter communication abnormality, and the estimated work to be done to replace the inverter or replace the motor. The control unit 190 and the long-distance communication unit 130 are an example of a notification unit.

[0065] The estimation process estimates the work corresponding to an abnormality that occurs in the pump unit 100P in the inspection operation mode. For example, the estimation process may estimate the work based on the abnormality that occurred and the estimation table T1 stored in the memory unit 180. Alternatively, the estimation process may estimate the work corresponding to the abnormality based on the abnormality and the work corresponding to the abnormality that are pre-programmed. Furthermore, if an abnormality occurs immediately after the inspection operation mode is set and the abnormality is resolved within a certain period of time after the inspection operation mode is terminated, the estimation process estimates the work corresponding to the abnormality as work to resolve the abnormality. For example, if an inverter abnormality occurs immediately after the inspection operation mode is set and the abnormality is resolved immediately after the inspection operation mode is terminated, the estimation process estimates the work corresponding to the inverter abnormality as inverter replacement work to resolve the abnormality. "Immediately after termination" is an example of "within a certain period of time after termination." The inverter abnormality referred to here refers to an abnormality indicating an inverter failure, such as an inverter temperature abnormality or an overcurrent abnormality. Furthermore, for example, if a pressure transmitter abnormality occurs immediately after the inspection work mode is set and the abnormality is resolved immediately after the inspection work mode is released, the estimation process estimates that the work corresponding to the pressure transmitter abnormality is a pressure sensor replacement work to resolve the abnormality. The control unit 190 is an example of an estimation unit.

[0066] Additionally, the control unit 190 has a clock function for measuring the current time.

[0067] The control unit 190 may also be configured with one or more circuit boards, and may have a mechanism that allows it to be attached and detached to a slot connected to the control bus of the control panel 100 C. In other words, the control unit 190 may be configured to be removable and replaceable as needed in the event of a malfunction, an upgrade, or maintenance such as updating firmware or programs.

[0068] The management device 200 will be described with reference to FIG. The management device 200 includes an operation unit 210 , a display unit 220 , a storage unit 230 , a database 240 , a pump communication unit 250 , and a control unit 260 .

[0069] The operation unit 210 is a keyboard, mouse, or the like, and receives requests and instructions from the administrator and transmits them to the control unit 260 .

[0070] The display unit 220 is a display device using a device such as a liquid crystal panel, an organic EL panel, a 7-segment LED, or an LED lamp, and visually displays information provided by the control unit 260 to the administrator. For example, the display unit 220 may display the detected state in a visually distinguishable manner under the control of the control unit 260. Also, for example, the display unit 220 may display the log data 240b and the detected state in a visually distinguishable manner under the control of the control unit 260.

[0071] The storage unit 230 uses a semiconductor memory such as an SDRAM, a NAND flash memory, or an EPROM, and stores the control program and control data of the control unit 260.

[0072] The database 240 is a storage device with a relatively larger storage capacity than the storage unit 230, and may include a storage medium such as a semiconductor memory or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The database 240 stores the diagnostic table 240a in advance and is used to store the log data 240b.

[0073] The diagnosis table 240a is a data table used when diagnosing abnormalities not detected by the pump devices 100-1 to 100-n for the pump devices 100-1 to 100-n managed by the management device 200. Specifically, the data table includes information on the range of normal values of the detection values of various sensors, setting values for controlling the pump unit 100P, tolerance range information indicating the standard tolerance range of these setting values, logs of setting values and operations (such as settings of the select switch) during past normal operation, whether remote operation (remote control) is permitted (permitted / not permitted), information on setting values based on special circumstances, and the like.

[0074] The log data 240b is the log data 180b and the abnormality log data 180c received from the pump devices 100, and is stored so as to be able to be compiled for each of the pump devices 100-1 to 100-n.

[0075] The pump communication unit 250 communicates with the pump device 100 and the external device 300 via the gateway device GW and the mobile communication network NW.

[0076] The control unit 260 includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores the control program and control data read from the storage unit 230, and the processor executes the control program and performs various controls and processes in accordance with the control data.

[0077] In the above control and processing, the control unit 260 receives instructions from the administrator and controls each part of the management device 200 in accordance with those instructions, and performs management processing, diagnostic processing, and display control processing at preset times or periodically.

[0078] The management process stores the log data 180b and the abnormality log data 180c transmitted from the pump device 100 as the log data 240b. If the management process is unable to receive the log data 180b at a predetermined timing, the management process transmits a message to that effect to the corresponding pump device 100, and performs processing such as prompting the pump device 100 to transmit the log data 180b.

[0079] In addition, in the management process, the pump device 100 may be requested to transmit the log data 180b at any timing, or a transmission time for the log data 180b may be set for the pump device 100.

[0080] The diagnostic process detects the occurrence of an abnormality based on the data in the diagnostic table 240a and the log data 180b acquired from the pump device 100, and performs corresponding countermeasures (including remote control) accordingly.

[0081] The display control process displays the results of the management process and the diagnosis process on the display unit 220. The display control process also displays the content received from the pump device 100, such as the inspection work mode, the abnormal state, the estimated work, and the like, on the display unit 220.

[0082] Additionally, the control unit 260 has a clock function for measuring the current time.

[0083] The external device 300 is a communication terminal capable of communicating with the pump device 100 and the management device 200. For example, the external device 300 has a long-distance communication unit conforming to a communication standard such as LTE, 4G, or 5G, and communicates wirelessly with a base station BS to communicate with the pump device 100 and the management device 200 via a mobile communication network NW and a gateway device GW. Alternatively, for example, the external device 300 may have a short-distance communication unit conforming to a communication standard such as Bluetooth or wireless LAN. The external device 300 may also perform direct wireless communication with various devices (the pump device 100, a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet device, or other communication devices) conforming to the communication standard. For example, a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet device, or other communication devices can be used as the external device 300, as appropriate.

[0084] Next, the operation of the pump management system configured as described above will be described using the sequence diagram of Figure 6. In the following description, it is assumed that the automatic operation control, generation of log data 180b, abnormality log generation processing, log transmission processing, and the like, which are not related to the operation of the present invention, are executed as described above as appropriate. In other words, the following description will provide a detailed description of the inspection operation mode setting / cancellation processing, notification processing, estimation processing, and the like, which are related to the operation of the present invention.

[0085] In the pump device 100, in response to a user's operation of an operation changeover switch 151 in an operation panel 119, an operation changeover signal for changing the operation mode of the pump device 100, such as manual operation, stop, or automatic operation, is input to the control unit 190. In addition, in the pump device 100, in response to a user's operation of a pump changeover switch 152, a pump selection signal for selecting either or both of pump unit No. 1 and pump unit No. 2 of the pump section 100P is input to the control unit 190.

[0086] The control unit 190 performs manual operation, stop, or automatic operation corresponding to the operation mode switched by the operation switching signal on the pump unit No. 1 or pump unit No. 2 selected by the pump selection signal (step ST10).

[0087] The control unit 190 periodically transmits the log data 180b stored in the storage unit 180 to the management device 200 from the long-distance communication unit 130 (step ST11). For example, daily operating information (pressure, current, frequency, startup frequency, operating time, etc.) and the operating mode at that time can be used as appropriate for this type of log data 180b. However, this is not limiting, and when an abnormality occurs, the control unit 190 transmits abnormality log data 180c stored in the storage unit 180 from the long-distance communication unit 130 to the management device 200. For example, malfunction information (abnormal pressure, abnormal current, abnormal frequency, abnormal startup frequency, abnormal operating time, presence or absence of water leakage, abnormal vibration, etc.) and the operating mode at that time can be used as appropriate for this type of abnormality log data 180c.

[0088] The control unit 260 of the management device 200 stores the received log data 180b as log data 240b in the database 240. The control unit 260 also displays the stored log data 240b on the display unit 220 (step ST12).

[0089] While steps ST10 to ST12 are being repeatedly executed, it is assumed that an inspection work is started on the pump device 100 by an operator other than the user. First, in the pump device 100, an inspection work mode signal indicating that an inspection work is being performed on the pump device 100 is input to the control unit 190 in response to the operator's operation of the inspection work mode button 157 on the operation panel 119. Upon receiving the inspection work mode signal, the control unit 190 records the setting of the inspection work mode in the log data 180b (step ST20) and turns on the inspection work in progress display LED 123e on the operation panel 119. The control unit 190 transmits an inspection work mode setting notification and the current status of the pump device 100 to the management device 200 from the long-distance communication unit 130 based on the log data 180b (step ST21).

[0090] The control unit 260 of the management device 200 stores the received inspection work mode setting notification and the state of the pump device 100 as log data 240b in the database 240. The control unit 260 also displays the stored log data 240b on the display unit 220 (step ST22).

[0091] After step ST22, if an abnormality is detected in the set inspection work mode (step ST23), the pump device 100 estimates the work to be performed to address the abnormality (step ST24).

[0092] For example, when a worker performs inverter replacement work, if the worker turns off the earth leakage breaker in the power supply circuit 110 of the control panel 100C, the power supply to the inverter connected to the earth leakage breaker in the pump device 100 is cut off. At this time, since the work can be performed with power supplied to the control unit 190 of the pump device 100, in the case of a pump device 100 equipped with multiple inverters, the replacement work can be performed while continuing operation of the inverter other than the inverter corresponding to the replacement work. When the power supply to the inverter is cut off, the control unit 190 detects an inverter communication abnormality because communication with the inverter of the inverter is cut off. Based on the inverter communication abnormality detected during the inspection work mode and the inference table T1, the control unit 190 infers that the work corresponding to the inverter communication abnormality is inverter replacement work or motor replacement work.

[0093] Thereafter, the control unit 190 notifies the management device 200 of the inspection work mode, the estimated work (inverter replacement work or motor replacement work), and the abnormal state (inverter communication abnormality) via the long-distance communication unit 130 (step ST25). This makes it possible to record information in the management device 200 during the inspection work without operating the external device 300 to notify the management device 200. After notifying the management device 200, the worker may notify the management device 200 of additional information as necessary.

[0094] After step ST25, the control unit 260 of the management device 200 stores the received inspection operation mode, the inferred operation, and the abnormal state as log data 240b in the database 240. The control unit 260 also displays the stored log data 240b on the display unit 220 (step ST26).

[0095] If no abnormality occurs in step ST23 and no corresponding work is required, the control unit 190 operates the pump unit P100 normally without any protective action (since there is no abnormality). As a result, pump units 1 and 2 in the pump unit P100 start up in rotation and are stopped at a low water flow rate. Specifically, the control unit 190 controls the pump unit P100 to perform rotary operation, regardless of whether the alternating operation method or the alternating parallel operation method is used, and each pump unit starts up in rotation and is stopped at a low water flow rate. After that, if all pump units in the relevant pump unit have stopped at a low water flow rate normally, the control unit 190 notifies the management device 200 via the long-distance communication unit 130 of the inspection work mode, no corresponding work, and a low water flow stopped state (step ST27). If there is no corresponding work, no protective action, and normal operation (all units stopped at a low water flow rate) during the inspection work mode, the inspection work mode will continue for a long period of time. This situation is likely to occur, for example, when pump unit No. 1 is operated, No. 2 is stopped, and work is carried out in inspection mode, and then the workers return to the office without turning off the inspection mode, causing all units to shut down with low water flow a few hours later due to rotary operation. In other words, this situation is likely to occur due to forgetting to turn off (or turn off) the inspection mode.

[0096] After step ST27, the control unit 260 of the management device 200 stores the received inspection work mode, no corresponding work, and low-flow-rate stopped state as log data 240b in the database 240. The control unit 260 also displays the stored log data 240b on the display unit 220. Thereafter, the control unit 190 infers whether the inspection work mode has been forgotten to be turned off based on the no corresponding work and the low-flow-rate stopped state during the inspection work mode. The control unit 260 then sends an inspection work mode forget-to-turn-off notification to the pump device 100 from the pump communication unit 250 (step ST28). Upon receiving the inspection work mode forget-to-turn-off notification, the pump device 100 displays the inspection work mode forget-to-turn-off notification on the display unit 120 and sounds an alarm using a buzzer or the like to prompt the user to cancel the inspection work mode. Note that step ST28 may be omitted, and if no abnormality occurs in the inspection work mode and work cannot be inferred, the control unit 190 of the pump device 100 may stop the pump unit P100 at a low water flow rate, infer that the inspection mode has been forgotten to be turned off, and display a notice that the inspection work mode has been forgotten to be turned off on the display unit 120, and issue an alarm. In this case, the control unit 190 and the display unit 120 are examples of an output unit.

[0097] After step ST26, when the inspection work is completed, the pump device 100 stops inputting the inspection work mode signal to the control unit 190 in response to the operator turning on the earth leakage breaker and operating the inspection work mode button 157. If step ST28 has occurred, the pump device 100 stops inputting the inspection work mode signal to the control unit 190 in response to the operator turning on the earth leakage breaker and operating the inspection work mode button 157. In either case, when the control unit 190 no longer receives the inspection work mode signal, it records the cancellation of the inspection work mode in the log data 180b (step ST29) and turns off the inspection work in progress display LED 123e in the operation panel 119.

[0098] After step ST29, if an abnormality was detected immediately after the inspection mode was set and resolved immediately after the inspection mode was released, the control unit 190 estimates that the work corresponding to the abnormality is work to resolve the abnormality (step ST30). For example, if an inverter temperature abnormality was detected immediately after the inspection mode was set and resolved immediately after the inspection mode was released, the control unit 190 estimates that the work corresponding to the inverter temperature abnormality is inverter replacement work based on the estimation table T1. This estimation process of step ST30 is performed in the case of an abnormality inspection. Note that if an abnormality that occurred before the inspection mode was set and was resolved during the inspection mode, the worker operates the reset button 156 to resolve the abnormality. The timing of operating the reset button 156 may be during the inspection mode or within a certain period after the inspection mode is released. As described above, "immediately after the inspection mode is released" is an example of "within a certain period after the inspection mode is released." Here, the "certain period" can be any desired time period from when the worker deactivates the inspection mode until he or she leaves the site, such as "within 30 minutes" or "within one hour." Furthermore, the control unit 190 may estimate the work to be performed based on the timing at which the abnormality is resolved by operating the reset button 156, regardless of whether the inspection mode is deactivated. Such a reset operation is performed, for example, during the inspection mode or within a certain period of time after the inspection mode is deactivated.

[0099] After step ST30, the control unit 190 transmits a notification of termination of the inspection work mode based on the log data 180b, the estimated work that would be performed if step ST30 were performed, and the current status of the pump device 100 from the long-distance communication unit 130 to the management device 200 (step ST31).

[0100] The control unit 260 of the management device 200 stores the received inspection work mode release notification, the estimated work, and the state of the pump device 100 as log data 240b in the database 240. The control unit 260 also displays the stored log data 240b on the display unit 220 (step ST32).

[0101] After step ST32, in the pump device 100, an operation changeover signal and a pump selection signal are input to the control unit 190 in response to the operation changeover switch 151 and the pump changeover switch 152 being operated.

[0102] The control unit 190 performs manual operation, stop, or automatic operation corresponding to the operation mode switched by the operation switching signal on pump unit 1 or pump unit 2 selected by the pump selection signal (step ST40), thereby completing the operation related to the inspection work.

[0103] As described above, according to the first embodiment, the pump device includes a pump unit, an operation unit, and a notification unit. The pump unit supplies liquid. The operation unit sets or cancels the inspection operation mode of the pump unit in response to an operation by an operator. If an abnormality occurs in the pump unit in the inspection operation mode, the notification unit notifies the management device of the inspection operation mode and the abnormality. Therefore, the administrator of the management device knows that the abnormality in the pump device is due to the inspection operation mode, and therefore, the administrator of the management device does not have to take the time to input the inspection work scheduled for the pump device into the management device in advance. In other words, this reduces the burden on the operator of inputting the inspection work and prevents forgetting to input the information, which is useful for managing the pump device.

[0104] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the pump device may further include an estimation unit that estimates the work required to respond to the abnormality that has occurred. When the abnormality occurs, the notification unit may notify the management device of the estimated work in addition to the inspection mode and the abnormality. In this case, in addition to the above-mentioned effects, the administrator of the management device can be relieved of the need to estimate the work required to respond to the abnormality that occurred during the inspection mode. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the effort required to create an electronic report. Furthermore, after the inspection work is completed, the management device can record the status of the pump device received from the pump device and the inspection work in response to the operator's terminal operation, and create an electronic report including these records. Since such inspection work records differ for each pump device at the site, they rely on the operator's terminal operation. However, since inspection work information is often forgotten to be entered, it is desirable to prevent this from happening. In contrast, when the inspection mode, abnormality, and estimated work are notified to the management device, the notified work can be used as the scheduled inspection work, eliminating the need to enter the scheduled inspection work, thereby reducing the operator's effort in creating reports.

[0105] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the pump device may further include a memory unit that stores an abnormality that occurs in the inspection operation mode and an operation corresponding to the abnormality, in association with each other. The estimation unit may estimate the operation based on the abnormality that occurred and the contents stored in the memory unit. In this case, in addition to the effects described above, by referring to the memory unit that associates the abnormality with the operation, the operation corresponding to the abnormality can be easily estimated.

[0106] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the pump unit may have a pump suction port connected to a water pipe via a backflow prevention device. Furthermore, when the abnormality that has occurred is a drop in suction pressure, the notification unit may notify the management device of the inspection work mode and the drop in suction pressure, as well as the backflow prevention device inspection work as the predicted work. In this case, in addition to the effects described above, it is possible to specifically predict that the backflow prevention device inspection work is the work to be performed in response to the drop in suction pressure.

[0107] According to the first embodiment, the pump unit may have a pump suction port connected to the receiving tank. When the abnormality is an abnormality in the liquid level of the receiving tank, the notification unit may notify the management device of the inspection operation mode and the abnormality in the liquid level of the receiving tank, as well as notifying the management device of the cleaning of the receiving tank as the predicted work. In this case, in addition to the effects described above, it is possible to specifically predict that the cleaning of the receiving tank is the work to be done in response to the abnormality in the liquid level of the receiving tank.

[0108] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the pump unit may include a motor supplied with AC power from an inverter connected to an earth leakage breaker and a pump unit driven by the motor. Furthermore, if the abnormality is an inverter communication abnormality that occurs when the earth leakage breaker is in an off state, the notification unit may notify the management device of the inspection operation mode and the inverter communication abnormality, as well as inverter replacement or motor replacement as the predicted work. In this case, in addition to the effects described above, it is possible to specifically predict inverter replacement or motor replacement as the work corresponding to the inverter communication abnormality.

[0109] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, if an abnormality exists immediately after the inspection mode is set and the abnormality is resolved within a certain period of time after the inspection mode is released, the estimation unit may estimate the work corresponding to the abnormality as the work to resolve the abnormality. In this case, in addition to the effects described above, it is possible to specifically estimate the work to resolve the abnormality as the work to resolve the abnormality that existed before the inspection.

[0110] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the operating unit resolves an abnormality in the pump unit in response to a reset operation by the operator. If an abnormality exists immediately after the inspection operation mode is set and the existing abnormality is resolved by the reset operation, the estimation unit may estimate work to resolve the abnormality as work to resolve the existing abnormality. In this case as well, in addition to the effects described above, it is possible to specifically estimate work to resolve the abnormality as work to resolve the abnormality that existed before the inspection at the timing of the reset operation.

[0111] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, an output unit may be further provided, and if no abnormality occurs in the inspection work mode and work cannot be inferred, the inference unit infers that the inspection work mode has been forgotten to be cancelled when the pump unit is normally stopped at a low water flow rate, and the output unit may output an alarm to notify the user of the forgetting to cancel. In this case, in addition to the effects described above, if the inspection work mode has been forgotten to be cancelled, the user of the pump device can be prompted to cancel the inspection work mode, so that the inspection work mode can be cancelled without the worker having to revisit the site.

[0112] <Second embodiment> Next, a pump management system including a management device 200 according to a second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment is a modified example of the first embodiment, and has a configuration in which the entity that infers the work to be done in response to an abnormality has been changed from the pump device 100 to the management device 200. Additionally, since the pump device 100 has a long product life of 10 years or more, it will take time for products with the functions described in the first embodiment to become widespread. For this reason, in the second embodiment, the management device 200 has a function to infer the work to be done.

[0113] Accordingly, compared to the configuration of the first embodiment, the pump device 100 does not include the estimation table T1 shown in Fig. 2. Furthermore, estimation processing is omitted from the control unit 190 of the pump device 100. The other configurations of the pump device 100 are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0114] On the other hand, in the management device 200, as shown in FIG. 7, the database 240 stores the aforementioned estimation table T1. Similarly, the database 240 also stores log data 240b, which associates inspection operation modes, abnormalities, and operations. To improve time accuracy, the log data 240b may associate the abnormality and operation with the time generated by the management device 200. Additionally, the management device 200 is generally capable of generating more accurate time than the time generated by the pump device 100. For example, if the pump device 100 does not use a radio-controlled clock that receives standard radio waves or a network-based clock that receives time data from an NTP (Network Time Protocol) server to reduce costs, the error in the generated time may increase over time. Even if a radio-controlled clock is used, depending on the installation location, the pump device 100 may not be able to receive standard radio waves, resulting in a situation similar to that when a radio-controlled clock is not used. In contrast, the management device 200 generally uses a network clock or a radio-controlled clock, and is capable of generating a time that is more accurate than the time generated by the pump device 100. The database 240 is an example of a storage unit.

[0115] In addition to the functions described above, when an abnormality occurs in the pump device 100 in the inspection operation mode, the pump communication unit 250 receives a notification of the inspection operation mode and the abnormality from the pump device 100. The pump communication unit 250 also receives an inspection operation mode setting notification and a notification of the status of the pump device 100 from a pump device 100 in which the inspection operation mode is set, and receives an inspection operation mode cancellation notification and a notification of the status of the pump device 100 from a pump device 100 in which the inspection operation mode is canceled. Furthermore, when no abnormality occurs in the pump device 100 in the inspection operation mode and the pump unit P100 is stopped at a low water flow rate due to rotary operation, the pump communication unit 250 receives a notification of the inspection operation mode and the low water flow stopped state of the pump device 100 from the pump device 100. The pump communication unit 250 is an example of a receiving unit.

[0116] The control unit 260 performs an inference process to infer an operation to address the abnormality based on the content of the received notification. The control unit 260 associates the inspection operation mode and abnormality in the received notification with the inferred operation and a time, and stores them in the database 240 as log data 240b. Note that the association of the time may be omitted. Furthermore, if the inference process cannot infer an operation, it may infer that the inspection operation mode was forgotten to be canceled. In this case, the control unit 260 may perform a notification process to notify the pump device 100 that the inspection operation mode was forgotten to be canceled. Furthermore, if the status notification received together with the inspection operation mode setting notification includes a notification of an abnormality, and the status notification received together with the inspection operation mode cancellation notification does not include a notification of the abnormality, the inference process may infer that an operation to resolve the abnormality was performed in the inspection operation mode. In this case, the control unit 260 may associate the abnormality in the received notification with the inferred operation and a time, and store them in the database 240 as log data 240b. Similarly, the association of the time may be omitted. The timing of storing the data in database 240 may be immediately after the inspection mode is terminated, or may be after the first start / stop or after a certain period of time depending on the nature of the inspection work. For example, in the case of an inverter temperature abnormality, the inverter will cool down after a certain period of time has passed since the inspection work, and it is natural that the abnormality will not recur after the inspection work mode is terminated. Therefore, it is advisable to confirm that there is no recurrence for a certain period of time, and then store the inverter replacement together with the time after termination. Additionally, since an inverter communication abnormality is reported during the inspection work mode, inverter replacement is confirmed at that stage, but if there is an inverter temperature abnormality, it is preferable to confirm that there is no recurrence for a certain period of time. The control unit 260 is an example of an estimation unit and a notification unit.

[0117] Other configurations of the management device 200 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0118] Next, the operation of the pump management system configured as above will be described with reference to the sequence diagram of FIG.

[0119] Now, it is assumed that steps ST10 to ST22 have been executed in the same manner as described above.

[0120] After step ST22, if an abnormality is detected in the pump device 100 during the set inspection work mode (step ST23), the control unit 190 notifies the management device 200 of the inspection work mode and the abnormal state via the long-distance communication unit 130 (step ST24A). This makes it possible to record information in the management device 200 during the inspection work without operating the external device 300 to notify the management device 200. After notifying the management device 200, the operator may notify the management device 200 of additional information as necessary.

[0121] In the management device 200, when the notification of the inspection work mode and the abnormality is received from the pump device 100, the control unit 260 infers the work to be done to address the abnormality based on the content of the received notification (step ST25A). For example, the control unit 260 infers the work to be done to address the abnormality by reading out the work to be done to address the abnormality during the inspection work mode from the inference table T1.

[0122] After step ST25A, the control unit 260 of the management device 200 stores the received inspection operation mode, the inferred operation, and the abnormal state as log data 240b in the database 240. The control unit 260 also displays the stored log data 240b on the display unit 220 (step ST26A).

[0123] If no abnormality occurs in step ST23 and no corresponding work is required, the management device 200 receives a notification of the inspection mode and the low-flow-rate stopped state of the pump unit P100 from the pump device 100 (step ST27A). After step ST27A, the control unit 260 stores the inspection mode and the low-flow-rate stopped state in the database 240 as log data 240b. The control unit 260 also displays the stored log data 240b on the display unit 220. Thereafter, the control unit 260 infers that the inspection mode has been forgotten to be turned off based on the inspection mode and the low-flow-rate stopped state of the pump unit P100, and sends a notification of the inspection mode having been forgotten to be turned off to the pump device 100 from the pump communication unit 250 (step ST28). Upon receiving the notification of the inspection mode having been forgotten to be turned off, the pump device 100 displays the notification of the inspection mode having been forgotten on the display unit 120 and sounds an alarm using a buzzer or the like to prompt the user to cancel the inspection mode. As described above, step ST28 may be omitted, and if the control unit 190 of the pump device 100 cannot predict the work, it may stop the pump unit P100 normally at a low water volume, display a notification on the display unit 120 that the inspection work mode has been forgotten to be turned off, and issue an alarm.

[0124] After step ST26A, when the inspection work is completed, the pump device 100 stops inputting the inspection work mode signal to the control unit 190 in response to the operator turning on the earth leakage breaker and operating the inspection work mode button 157. If step ST28 has occurred, the pump device 100 stops inputting the inspection work mode signal to the control unit 190 in response to the operator turning on the earth leakage breaker and operating the inspection work mode button 157. In either case, when the inspection work mode signal is no longer being input, the control unit 190 records the cancellation of the inspection work mode in the log data 180b (step ST29), and turns off the inspection work in progress display LED 123e in the operation panel 119.

[0125] After step ST29, the control unit 190 transmits an inspection operation mode release notification and the current state of the pump device 100 to the management device 200 from the long-distance communication unit 130 based on the log data 180b (step ST30A).

[0126] After step ST30A, the management device 200 receives an inspection mode release notification and the current status of the pump device 100 from the pump device 100. Furthermore, if the status notification received together with the inspection mode setting notification includes a notification of an abnormality and the status notification received together with the inspection mode release notification does not include a notification of the abnormality, the control unit 260 of the management device 200 infers that work has been performed in the inspection mode to resolve the abnormality (step ST31A). Such inference processing in step ST31A is performed in the case of an abnormality inspection.

[0127] After step ST31A, the control unit 260 stores the received inspection work mode release notification, the estimated work, and the state of the pump device 100 as log data 240b in the database 240. The control unit 260 also displays the stored log data 240b on the display unit 220 (step ST32).

[0128] After step ST32, the operations are carried out in the same manner as described above.

[0129] As described above, according to the second embodiment, the management device includes a receiving unit, an estimation unit, and a memory unit. When an abnormality occurs in a pump device in inspection operation mode, the receiving unit receives a notification of the inspection operation mode and the abnormality from the pump device. The estimation unit estimates the work to be done to address the abnormality based on the content of the received notification. The memory unit stores the inspection operation mode, the abnormality, and the work in association with each other. Therefore, the administrator of the management device knows that the abnormality in the pump device is due to the estimated work done in inspection operation mode, eliminating the need to input the scheduled inspection work for the pump device into the management device in advance. Furthermore, by using the estimated work as the scheduled inspection work, the need to input the scheduled inspection work can be eliminated, thereby reducing the effort required for workers to create reports.

[0130] According to a second embodiment, the management device may further include a notification unit. Furthermore, if no abnormality occurs in a pump device in inspection operation mode, the receiving unit may receive notification of the inspection operation mode and the low-flow stopped state of the pump device from the pump device. Furthermore, if the estimation unit cannot estimate the operation based on the notification of the inspection operation mode and the low-flow stopped state, the estimation unit may estimate that the inspection operation mode has been forgotten to be cancelled. The notification unit may notify the pump device of the forgetting to cancel the cancellation. In this case, in addition to the effects described above, if the inspection operation mode has been forgotten to be cancelled, the user of the pump device can be prompted to cancel the inspection operation mode, allowing the worker to cancel the inspection operation mode without having to revisit the site.

[0131] According to the second embodiment, the management device 200 includes a receiving unit, an estimation unit, and a storage unit. The receiving unit receives an inspection mode setting notification and a pump device status notification from a pump device in which the inspection mode is set, and receives an inspection mode cancellation notification and a pump device status notification from a pump device in which the inspection mode is canceled. The estimation unit estimates that work to resolve the abnormality was performed in the inspection mode if the status notification received together with the inspection mode setting notification includes an abnormality notification and the status notification received together with the inspection mode cancellation notification does not include the abnormality notification. The storage unit stores the abnormality and the work in association with each other. Therefore, the administrator of the management device can estimate the work to resolve the abnormality as work corresponding to the abnormality that existed before the inspection, eliminating the need to input the scheduled inspection work for the pump device into the management device in advance. Furthermore, using the estimated work as the scheduled inspection work eliminates the need to input the scheduled inspection work, thereby reducing the effort required for workers to create reports.

[0132] According to the second embodiment, the storage unit may store the time generated by the management device in association with the abnormality and the work. In this case, in addition to the effects described above, the time of the management device, which is as accurate as or more accurate than the time of the pump device, is used to record the abnormality and the work, instead of the time of the pump device, which may be incorrect, thereby improving the accuracy of the record.

[0133] The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative examples for aiding in understanding the concept of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various components may be added, deleted, or converted to the embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0134] In the above-described embodiments, a control unit that executes several processes has been described, but this is merely an example of implementation. For example, multiple processes described as being executed by one control unit may be implemented across multiple separate control units, and conversely, each process of a control unit described as being implemented across multiple separate devices may be implemented in a single device.

[0135] The various control units described in the above embodiments may be realized using circuits, which may be dedicated circuits for realizing specific functions or general-purpose circuits such as processors.

[0136] At least a part of the processing of each of the above embodiments can be realized by using, for example, a processor installed in a general-purpose computer as basic hardware. A program that realizes the above processing may be provided by being stored on a computer-readable recording medium. The program is stored on the recording medium as an installable file or an executable file. Examples of recording media include magnetic disks, optical disks (CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, DVDs, etc.), magneto-optical disks (MOs, etc.), and semiconductor memories. Any recording medium can be used as long as it can store the program and is computer-readable. Furthermore, the program that realizes the above processing may be stored on a computer (server) connected to a network such as the Internet and downloaded to a computer (client) via the network.

[0137] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made in the implementation stage without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments may be implemented in appropriate combinations, in which case the combined effects can be obtained. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments include various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by combining selected elements from the disclosed elements. For example, if the problem can be solved and the desired effect can be obtained even if some elements are deleted from all elements shown in the embodiments, the configuration from which these elements are deleted can be extracted as an invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0138] 100, 100-1 to 100-n... pump device, 100C... control panel, 100P... pump unit, 110... power supply circuit, 111... storage battery, 112... mobile battery, 113, 131, 141... interface, 119... operation panel, 120, 220... display unit, 130... long-distance communication unit, 140... short-distance communication unit, 150, 210... operation unit, 160... communication connector, 170... sensor interface base, 171...water leakage sensor, 172...pressure sensor, 173...flooding sensor, 174...flow rate sensor, 180, 230...memory unit, 180a...control table, 180b, 240b...log data, 180c...abnormality log data, 190, 260...control unit, 200...management device, 240...database, 240a...diagnostic table, 250...pump communication unit, 300...external device, T1...inference table.

Claims

1. a pump unit that supplies liquid; an operation unit that sets or cancels an inspection operation mode of the pump unit in response to an operation by an operator; a notification unit that notifies a management device of the inspection operation mode and the abnormality when an abnormality occurs in the pump unit due to the inspection operation in the inspection operation mode; an estimation unit that estimates the inspection work corresponding to the abnormality that has occurred; A memory unit; Equipped with When the abnormality occurs, the notification unit notifies the management device of the inspection work mode, the abnormality, and the estimated inspection work; The storage unit stores an inference table that describes in association an inspection type that indicates whether the inspection type corresponds to a regular inspection or an inspection when an abnormality occurs in the inspection work mode, the inspection work corresponding to the abnormality, a state immediately after the inspection work mode is set, and a state immediately after the inspection work mode is released, the estimation unit estimates the inspection work based on the abnormality that has occurred and the estimation table; The inference table indicates, in the case of the periodic inspection, a state in which there is no abnormality immediately after the inspection work mode is set, and, in the case of the abnormality inspection, a state in which there is an abnormality immediately after the inspection work mode is set, The pump device, wherein if an abnormality exists immediately after the inspection work mode is set and the abnormality is resolved within a certain period of time after the inspection work mode is released, the estimation unit estimates that the work corresponding to the abnormality is an inspection work to resolve the abnormality.

2. The pump unit has a pump suction port connected to a water pipe via a backflow prevention device, The pump device of claim 1, wherein when the abnormality that has occurred is a suction pressure drop abnormality, the notification unit notifies the management device of the inspection work mode and the suction pressure drop abnormality, as well as the inspection work of the backflow prevention device as the predicted inspection work.

3. The pump unit has a pump suction port connected to a water tank, The pump device described in claim 1, wherein, when the abnormality that has occurred is an abnormality in the liquid level of the water tank, the notification unit notifies the management device of the inspection work mode and the abnormality in the liquid level of the water tank, as well as notifying the management device of cleaning work of the water tank as the predicted inspection work.

4. the pump section includes a motor to which AC power is supplied from an inverter connected to an earth leakage breaker, and a pump unit driven by the motor; The pump device of claim 1, wherein when the abnormality that has occurred is an inverter communication abnormality that occurs when the earth leakage breaker is in an off state, the notification unit notifies the management device of the inspection work mode and the inverter communication abnormality, as well as inverter replacement work or motor replacement work as the predicted inspection work.

5. the operation unit resolves the abnormality in the pump unit in response to a reset operation by an operator, 2. The pump device according to claim 1, wherein, when an abnormality exists immediately after the inspection work mode is set and the abnormality is resolved by the reset operation, the estimation unit estimates that the work corresponding to the abnormality is the work to resolve the abnormality.

6. further comprising an output unit, When no abnormality occurs in the inspection work mode and the inspection work cannot be inferred, the inference unit infers that the inspection work mode has been forgotten to be cancelled when the pump unit is stopped with a small amount of water, The output unit outputs the forget-to-release warning as an alarm.

6. A pump device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A pump device described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the memory unit stores an individual identifier which is identification information unique to the pump device.

8. a receiving unit that, when an abnormality occurs in the pump device due to an inspection operation in the inspection operation mode, receives a notification of the inspection operation mode and the abnormality from the pump device; an estimation unit that estimates the inspection work corresponding to the abnormality based on the content of the received notification; a storage unit that stores the inspection operation mode, the abnormality, and the inspection operation in association with each other; Equipped with The storage unit further stores an inference table that describes in association with an inspection type that indicates whether the inspection type corresponds to a regular inspection or an inspection when an abnormality occurs in the inspection work mode, the inspection work corresponding to the abnormality, a state immediately after the inspection work mode is set, and a state immediately after the inspection work mode is released, the estimation unit estimates the inspection work based on the content of the notification and the estimation table; The inference table indicates, in the case of the periodic inspection, a state in which there is no abnormality immediately after the inspection work mode is set, and, in the case of the abnormality inspection, a state in which there is an abnormality immediately after the inspection work mode is set, The estimation unit estimates that if an abnormality exists immediately after the inspection work mode is set and the abnormality is resolved within a certain period of time after the inspection work mode is released, the work corresponding to the abnormality is an inspection work to resolve the abnormality.

9. A notification unit is further provided, When no abnormality occurs in the pump device in the inspection operation mode, the receiving unit receives a notification of the inspection operation mode and a low water flow stop state of the pump device from the pump device; When the estimation unit cannot estimate the inspection work due to the notification of the inspection work mode and the low water volume stop state, it estimates that the inspection work mode has been forgotten to be canceled, The notification unit notifies the pump device of the forgetting to release the pressure. The management device according to claim 8 .

10. The storage unit stores the time generated by the management device in association with the abnormality and the inspection work. The management device according to claim 8 .

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