Gas leakage detection member and gas leakage detection method

Abstract

To provide a gas leakage determination member and a gas leakage determination method capable of further easily determining gas leakage.SOLUTION: The gas leakage determination member has two contact members 12 and a determination member 11. The contact members 12 are disposed in close contact with the entire circumference of pipes 20A and 20B in the circumferential direction of the pipes 20A and 20B. Further, the determination member 11 is provided between the two contact members 12 so as to be continuous with ends 12a adjacent to the two contact members, and is arranged to cover a seam portion 22 of the pipes 20A and 20B around the entire circumference of the seam portion 22. In addition, the determination member 11 is expanded by gas leaking from the seam portion 22, and the shape thereof changes from a non-sensing state before expansion in which no gas is leaking to a sensing state after expansion in which the gas is leaking.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gas leakage detecting member and a gas leakage detecting method. [Background technology]

[0002] As a countermeasure against gas leakage from pipe joints and the like, a technique has been known in which a film that changes color in response to a specific gas is wrapped around the joint of the joint, and gas leakage is detected by the color change of the film. Patent Document 1, for example, illustrates this type of technique. Patent Document 1 describes an indicator that consists of a detecting agent that reacts with a specific gas to change color or develop a color, and a substrate to which the detecting agent is applied. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-251657 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, when there are many types of gases to be handled, the number of types of gas leakage detection components (indicators) required also increases, leaving room for improvement in that management becomes complicated when installing or replacing the gas leakage detection components.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a gas leakage detecting member and a gas leakage detecting method that can more easily detect gas leakage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) The gas leakage detection element of the present invention comprises two contact members arranged in close contact around the entire circumference of the pipe along the circumferential direction of the pipe, and an identification element provided between the two contact members and continuous with the adjacent ends of the two contact members, and arranged so as to cover the joint portion of the pipe around the entire circumference, wherein the identification element expands due to gas leaking from the joint portion, and changes shape from a non-detectable state before expansion when no gas is leaking to a detectable state after expansion when gas is leaking.

[0007] According to (1), gas leakage can be detected more easily.

[0008] (2) In the gas leakage detecting member according to the present invention, the two contact members and the detecting member are preferably formed as an integral flexible sheet.

[0009] According to (2), the gas leakage detection film 10 can be easily arranged on a pipe because the adhesive member 12 and the detection member 11 are integrally formed. In addition, the gas leakage detection film 10 is a flexible sheet, so it expands easily, is easy to see, and can be reused.

[0010] (3) In the gas leakage detecting member according to the present invention, it is preferable that the thickness of the contact member is substantially constant, and the thickness of at least a portion of the detecting member is thinner than the thickness of the contact member.

[0011] According to (3), it is possible to set a portion of the discrimination member 11 that is thinner and more likely to expand than the contact member 12, making it easier to visually recognize that the discrimination member 11 is in the detection state.

[0012] (4) In the gas leakage detecting member according to the present invention, it is preferable that the detecting state shape of the detecting member is a shape in which a protrusion protrudes on the surface of the contact member opposite to the surface that contacts the pipe.

[0013] According to (4), the difference between the shape of the discrimination member 11B in the non-detection state and the shape of the discrimination member 11B in the detection state becomes clearer, making it easier to visually recognize the shape of the discrimination member 11B in the detection state.

[0014] (5) In the gas leakage detector according to the present invention, it is preferable that the detector has a pattern or color on its surface.

[0015] According to (5), when the discrimination member 11 changes its shape to the detection state, the surface expands and the appearance of the pattern and color changes, making the expansion easier to visually recognize.

[0016] (6) In the gas leakage detecting member according to the present invention, it is preferable that each of the two contact members has a fixing member for fixing the two contact members.

[0017] According to (6), the gas leakage detecting film 10 can be easily attached to and detached from the pipe.

[0018] (7) In the gas leakage detection method according to the present invention, a gas leakage detection element having a sheet-like contact member that can be tightly fitted to a pipe and a detection element that is provided between the two contact members and continuous with the adjacent ends of the two contact members is fitted and fixed in place around the entire circumference of the pipe in the circumferential direction of the pipe so that the detection element covers the entire circumference of the joint, and gas leakage is detected by the change in shape of the detection element from a non-detection state to a detection state.

[0019] According to (7), gas leakage can be detected more easily. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a gas leakage detecting member and a gas leakage detecting method that can detect gas leakage more easily. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a pipe joint provided with a gas leakage detection film according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the cross section taken along line AA of the gas leakage detecting film in the non-detection state shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the cross section of the gas leakage detecting film in FIG. 2 when gas leaks from the joint portion of the joint and a detection state is reached. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a gas leakage detecting film in a non-detection state according to a modified example taken along line AA shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the cross section of the gas leakage detecting film in FIG. 4 when gas leaks from the joint and a detection state is reached. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] <Gas leakage detection film according to this embodiment> An example of a gas leakage detecting film 10 as a gas leakage detecting member according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0023] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a joint between pipes 20A and 20B in which a gas leakage detection film 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is disposed. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a gas leakage detection film 10 in a non-detection state according to a modified example taken along line AA shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a case in which gas has leaked from a joint seam 22 in Fig. 2.

[0024] A gas leakage detecting film 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is used to prevent gas leakage from a joint 22 at a joint between two pipes 20A and 20B and to detect gas leakage. The pipes 20A and 20B are pipes through which gas flows. The pipes 20A and 20B are fixed by aligning the openings of the pipes 20A and 20B so that the flanges 21A of the pipe 20A and the flanges 21B of the pipe 20B face each other and fastening them together with bolts or the like. The fastened flanges 21A and 21B form the joint between the pipes 20A and 20B.

[0025] The gas leakage detection film 10 is made of a material with low gas permeability, and is arranged by wrapping it around the entire periphery of the joint seam 22 formed by the flanges 21A and 21B. Gas leaking from the seam 22 is trapped between the gas leakage detection film 10 and the flanges 21A and 21B, preventing it from leaking to the outside.

[0026] 2, the gas leakage detection film 10 has a contact member 12 that is arranged in close contact with the entire circumference of the pipe along the circumferential direction of the pipe, and a detection member 11 that is provided between the two contact members 12 and continuous with adjacent ends 12a of the two contact members 12. The gas leakage detection film 10 according to this embodiment is preferably, for example, a flexible film in which the two contact members 12 and the detection member 11 are integrally formed.

[0027] The contact member 12 has a substantially constant thickness. Furthermore, at least a portion of the thickness of the discrimination member 11 is formed to be thinner than the thickness of the contact member 12. The discrimination member 11 according to this embodiment may be formed to be thinner overall than the thickness of the contact member 12. For this reason, the discrimination member 11 is easily deformed by gas that accumulates between the gas leakage detection film 10 and the piping.

[0028] The thickness of the discrimination member 11 is not limited to a configuration in which the entire thickness is thinner than the thickness of the contact member 12; for example, only a portion of the discrimination member 11 may be thinner than the thickness of the contact member 12, or the portions of the discrimination member 11 that are thinner than the thickness of the contact member 12 may be provided intermittently.

[0029] When the sealing member 12 is placed in close contact with the pipe, the discrimination member 11 is placed so as to cover the entire periphery of the joint 22 of the pipe. The discrimination member 11 expands due to gas leaking from the joint 22, changing its shape from a non-detectable state before expansion when no gas is leaking to a detectable state after expansion when gas is leaking. The gas leakage discrimination film 10 having the above configuration can detect gas leakage based on the change in shape of the discrimination member 11 from the non-detectable state to the detectable state. The gas leakage discrimination method according to this embodiment will be described below.

[0030] <Method of arranging the gas leakage detection film according to this embodiment> First, a method for arranging the gas leakage detection film 10 according to this embodiment will be described. The gas leakage detection film 10 according to this embodiment has a binding band 30 as a fixing member that fixes the two contact members 12 by binding them to each of the two contact members 12. Note that the fixing member is not limited to the binding band 30, and may be, for example, an adhesive tape.

[0031] First, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the gas leakage detection film 10 is wrapped around the joint between the flange 21A of the pipe 20A and the flange 21B of the pipe 20B as described above, so that the detection member 11 covers the entire circumference of the seam 22, and two adhesive members 12 are tied together and fixed with two tie bands 30.

[0032] 2, the discrimination member 11 can be separated from the outer peripheral surfaces of the flanges 21A and 21B without being in close contact with them. The gas leakage discrimination film 10 is fixed to the flanges 21A and 21B with a binding band 30 so that the contact member 12 is in close contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the flanges 21A and 21B. Because the discrimination member 11 is provided continuously with the ends 12a of the two contact members 12, the space between the discrimination member 11 and the piping is sealed from the outside.

[0033] <Gas Leakage Determination Method According to the Present Embodiment> Next, a gas leakage detection method based on a change in shape of the gas leakage detection film 10 according to this embodiment provided at a joint from a non-detection state to a detection state will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0034] As shown in Figure 2, if gas leaks from inside pipes 20A and 20B through joint seam 22, the leaked gas will remain between discrimination member 11 and the pipes and will not leak outside gas leakage discrimination film 10. Furthermore, discrimination member 11 changes from its pre-expansion shape shown in Figure 2, which represents a non-detection state in which no gas leaks, to its post-expansion shape shown in Figure 3, which represents a detection state in which gas leaks, due to the gas leaking from joint 22. If the expansion of discrimination member 11 is confirmed, it is determined that gas is leaking from joint 22. Note that although there is a gap between discrimination member 11 and the pipes in Figures 2 and 3, they may be in close contact without any gap.

[0035] [Variations] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and any modifications and improvements that can achieve the object of the present invention are included in the present invention.

[0036] <Gas Leakage Detection Film According to Modification> Details of the gas leakage detection film 10B according to the modified example will be described below with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the gas leakage detection film 10B according to the modified example taken along line AA shown in Figure 1, showing the case where the detection member 11B of the gas leakage detection film 10B is in a non-detection state. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the case where gas leaks from the joint seam 22 in Figure 4, causing the detection member 11B to change shape from a non-detection state to a detection state. Note that configurations similar to those of the above-mentioned embodiments may be given the same names and detailed descriptions thereof may be omitted.

[0037] Although the discrimination member 11 of the gas leakage discrimination film 10 according to the above embodiment has a flat shape, this is not limiting. For example, in the non-detection state shown in FIG. 4, the discrimination member 11B of the gas leakage discrimination film 10B according to a modified example has a tip that protrudes from the surface opposite to the surface that is in contact with the contact member 12B, and the tip hangs down in the non-detection state. Furthermore, in the detection state shown in FIG. 5, the discrimination member 11B has a protruding shape in which gas leaking from the seam 22 accumulates at the tip. The discrimination member 11B may have a single protruding shape that protrudes from a portion of the circumference of the seam 22, a protruding shape that protrudes around the entire circumference, or a plurality of protruding shapes that protrude from multiple locations in the circumference.

[0038] The gas leakage detection film 10B according to the modified example is a flexible film in which two contact members 12B and a detection member 11B are integrally formed. Like the gas leakage detection film 10 of the above-described embodiment, the gas leakage detection film 10B has a contact member 12B that is arranged in close contact with the entire circumference of the pipe along the circumferential direction of the pipe, and a detection member 11B that is provided between the two contact members 12B and continuous with adjacent ends 12Ba of the two contact members 12B.

[0039] The contact member 12B has a substantially constant thickness. Furthermore, at least a portion of the discrimination member 11B is formed to be thinner than the contact member 12B. The discrimination member 11B according to this modification is formed to have an overall thickness thinner than the contact member 12B. When the contact member 12B is placed in close contact with the pipe, the discrimination member 11B is placed so as to cover the entire periphery of the joint 22 of the pipe. The shape of the discrimination member 11B according to this modification in the non-detection state after placement is a shape that protrudes from the surface of the contact member 12B opposite to the surface that is in close contact with the pipe, as described above. Furthermore, the discrimination member 11B expands due to gas leaking from the joint 22, and its shape changes from the non-detection state before expansion when no gas is leaking to the detection state after expansion when gas is leaking.

[0040] The shape of the detection state of the discrimination member 11B in this modified example is a shape in which a protrusion protrudes from the side opposite to the surface of the contact member 12B that is in close contact with the pipe. The gas leakage detection film 10B can detect gas leakage by the change in shape of the discrimination member 11B from the non-detection state to the detection state. The gas leakage detection method in this modified example will be described below.

[0041] <Method of arranging gas leakage detection film according to modified example>

[0042] First, a method for arranging the gas leakage detection film 10B according to the modified example will be described. As in the above-described embodiment, the gas leakage detection film 10B is wrapped around the joints of the flange 21A of the pipe 20A and the flange 21B of the pipe 20B so that the detection member 11B covers the entire periphery of the seam 22, and two binding bands 30 are used to bind and fix the two contact members 12B.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 4, the gas leakage detection film 10B is wrapped around the joint and fixed to the discrimination member 11B after the air has been removed from between the flanges 21A and 21B and the discrimination member 11B. Therefore, when the gas leakage detection film 10B is fixed to the joint between the flanges 21A and 21B, the discrimination member 11B is in a non-detection state with the tip portion hanging down as shown in Fig. 4.

[0044] <Gas Leakage Determination Method According to Modification> Next, a gas leakage detection method based on a change in shape of the gas leakage detection film 10B according to this embodiment provided at a joint from a non-detection state to a detection state will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0045] If gas leaks from pipes 20A and 20B through joint seam 22, the leaked gas remains between discrimination member 11B and the pipes and does not leak outside gas leakage discrimination film 10B. Furthermore, discrimination member 11B changes its tip, which hangs downward in the non-detection state, from seam 22 as gas leaks and accumulates in the tip, causing the tip to change to a protruding shape, which is the detection state. It is determined that gas is leaking from seam 22 when it is confirmed that the tip of discrimination member 11B has changed from a downward-hanging shape to a protruding shape.

[0046] In the gas leakage detecting film 10B configured as described above, the detecting state shape of the detecting member 11B is a protruding shape that protrudes from the surface of the contact member 12B opposite to the surface that comes into contact with the pipe.

[0047] This makes the difference between the shape of the discrimination member 11B in the non-detection state and the shape in the detection state clearer, making it easier to visually recognize the shape in the detection state.

[0048] [Other variations] In the above-described modified example, the shape of the detection state of discrimination member 11B is described as a protruding shape to make the detection state of discrimination member 11B clearer, but this is not limited to this. For example, instead of a simple protruding shape, discrimination member 11B may be formed so that a pattern is formed by a plurality of fine protrusions. In this case, the protruding protrusions in the detection state create a pattern, making the detection state more clearly visible.

[0049] Furthermore, the expansion due to leakage may be objectively grasped by applying a pattern or color to the surface of the discrimination member 11 according to one embodiment. For example, a plurality of polka dots may be applied at equal intervals to the surfaces of the contact member 12 and the discrimination member 11 in advance. When the discrimination member 11 changes shape to a detection state due to gas leakage, the surface of the discrimination member 11 expands, and the intervals between the polka dots increase. At this time, because the intervals between the polka dots on the contact member 12 and the discrimination member 11 are different, the expansion of the discrimination member 11 can be more clearly visually recognized.

[0050] In this embodiment, the gas leakage detection film 10 is provided on the pipe joint as the gas leakage detection member, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the resin constituting the film is not particularly limited as long as it is flexible at room temperature, and may be a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin. Examples of such resins include rubber and elastomer.

[0051] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the gas leakage detection film 10 is attached to a flange as a joint, but the gas leakage detection film 10 can also be attached to a joint other than a flange. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 10, 10B Gas leak detection film (gas leak detection material) 11, 11B Distinguishing member 12, 12B Adhesion member 12a, 12Ba ends (adjacent ends) 20A, 20B piping 22 Seam (seam part)

Claims

1. two contact members arranged in close contact with each other around the entire circumference of the pipe along the circumferential direction of the pipe; a distinguishing member provided between the two contact members so as to be continuous with the adjacent ends of the two contact members and arranged so as to cover the joint portion of the pipe over the entire circumference of the joint portion, The discrimination member expands due to the gas leaking from the seam portion, and changes its shape from a non-detection state before expansion in which no gas is leaking to a detection state after expansion in which gas is leaking, The discrimination member is The shape of the detection state is a shape in which a protrusion protrudes from a surface of the contact member opposite to a surface that is in close contact with the pipe, The shape of the non-detection state is a shape in which the tip of the protruding shape hangs down, The gas leakage detection member has a shape in a detection state that includes a plurality of protrusions, and the plurality of protrusions form a pattern.

2. 2. The gas leakage detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the two contact members and the detecting device are formed as an integral flexible sheet.

3. The thickness of the contact member is substantially constant, 3. The gas leakage detector according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of at least a part of the detector is thinner than the thickness of the contact member.

4. 4. The gas leakage detector according to claim 1, wherein the detector has a pattern or color on its surface.

5. 5. The gas leakage detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the two contact members each have a fixing member for fixing the two contact members.

6. a gas leakage detection device having a sheet-like contact member that can be tightly attached to the pipe and a detection member provided between the two contact members and continuous with the adjacent ends of the two contact members, the gas leakage detection device being tightly attached and fixed to the pipe along the circumferential direction so that the detection member covers the entire circumference of the joint portion, and detecting a gas leakage based on a change in the shape of the detection member from a non-detection state to a detection state; The discrimination member is The shape of the detection state is a shape in which a protrusion protrudes from a surface of the contact member opposite to a surface that is in close contact with the pipe, The shape of the non-detection state is a shape in which the tip of the protruding shape hangs down, The gas leakage detection method, wherein the shape of the detection state of the detection member has a plurality of protrusion shapes, and the plurality of protrusion shapes form a pattern.

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