Weathering resistance testing equipment

Abstract

To provide a pressure device capable of discharging water in a container body while suppressing a pressure change in the container body when discharging the water in the container body in the pressurization.SOLUTION: A pressure device 2 includes a gas introduction pipe 13 for introducing gas into a pressurized container 11, a pressure regulator 16 for regulating air pressure in the pressurized container 11, a water spray pipe 17 for spraying water to a specimen S in the pressurized container 11, a drain tank 20a provided to a drain pipe 19 for discharging water in the pressurized container 11, an inflow valve 20b provided between the pressurized container 11 and the drain tank 20a, and a discharge valve 20c for discharging the water in the drain tank 20a. The pressure device suppresses pressure fluctuation in the pressurized container 11 when discharging the water in the pressurized container 11, by moving the water in the pressurized container 11 to the drain tank 20a, with the discharge valve 20c closed and the inflow valve 20b opened, and then, discharging the water in the drain tank 20a, with the inflow valve 20b closed and the discharge valve 20c opened.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a weather resistance test apparatus. Place It relates to.

Background Art

[0002] When conducting tests on thermal oxidation degradation and hydrolysis, such as how long organic and inorganic materials deteriorate due to heat, moisture such as rain, oxygen in the atmosphere, etc., it is best to conduct the test in the actual environment. However, in tests under the actual environment, it takes a long time to obtain test results. Therefore, acceleration tests are conducted at higher temperatures than the actual environment, with the amount and frequency of water spray simulating rain, and under a high oxygen concentration. Examples include the PCT test (Pressure Cooker Test) and the high temperature and humidity test.

[0003] Also, when conducting a weather resistance test to determine how long materials deteriorate due to light such as sunlight, heat, moisture such as rain, oxygen in the atmosphere, etc., it is best to conduct the test in the actual environment. However, in tests under the actual environment, it may take a long time to obtain test results. Therefore, a weather resistance test is conducted using a weather resistance acceleration test apparatus having a light source with a higher light intensity than sunlight, and test results on the weather resistance of various materials are obtained early. Known weather resistance test apparatuses of this type include the Sunshine Weather Ometer (SWOM), the Metal Weather Meter (MW), the Super UV (SUV), the Xenon Weather Meter (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2), etc.

[0004] The Sunshine Weatherometer is a device that uses a carbon arc light source to irradiate a sample with light containing wavelengths from the ultraviolet to the visible light range, and simultaneously sprays water onto the sample for a set period of time using a water spray device, thereby enabling weather resistance testing in a short period of time. This device can shorten the testing period to some extent. On the other hand, the Metal Weatherometer and Super UV are devices that use a metal halide lamp, which is a more powerful light source than the SWOM, to irradiate a sample with high-intensity light from the ultraviolet to the visible light range, and simultaneously spray water onto the sample for a set period of time using a water spray device. Because these devices use high-intensity light sources, they can perform weather resistance testing in a shorter period of time than the Sunshine Weatherometer. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 1-21891 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 1-28897 [Non-patent literature]

[0006] [Non-Patent Document 1] ESPEC Corporation, “Pressure Cooker Test,” [online], [Retrieved January 11, 2022], Internet (URL: https: / / www.espec.co.jp / products / env-test / pvl / ) [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The PCT test is a moisture resistance evaluation method that allows for rapid penetration into the sample by raising the water vapor pressure inside the test chamber to a level higher than the partial pressure of water vapor inside the sample at a temperature of 100°C or higher (see Non-Patent Literature 1).

[0008] Since the partial pressure of water vapor is increased by pressurizing the inside of the test chamber, the test chamber becomes a pressurized container.

[0009] However, PCT testing only increases the water vapor partial pressure, and has the drawback of not being able to reproduce the degradation that occurs when water, such as rain, comes into contact with the sample surface, or when liquid comes into contact with the sample surface.

[0010] Furthermore, while degradation due to humidity is primarily due to hydrolysis, in real-world environments, oxidative degradation due to heat occurs simultaneously with hydrolysis. PCT tests have the challenge of not being able to reproduce both of these processes, and there is a need for a device that can simultaneously perform thermal oxidation, degradation by water spray, and hydrolysis by humidification within a pressurized container.

[0011] Furthermore, in the weathering test apparatus described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, in order to accelerate the weathering test, a high-intensity light source is used, and the air pressure (e.g., oxygen partial pressure) inside the apparatus container where the sample is placed is made greater than atmospheric pressure. Moreover, by spraying water into the apparatus container with air pressure greater than atmospheric pressure, it is possible to perform a weathering test that more closely replicates actual weather conditions.

[0012] However, in tests involving thermal oxidation, water spraying, hydrolysis, and weathering, when water is sprayed into a container with a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, the discharge of the sprayed water from the device container becomes a challenge. Since the device containers in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are sealed containers, when the water accumulated inside the device container is discharged by water spraying, the pressure inside the device container also decreases simultaneously, and the pressurizing effect is temporarily lost. Therefore, it is important to suppress the decrease in pressure inside the pressurized container when discharging liquid from it and to quickly return the decreased pressure to the set pressure, and a device capable of quickly returning the pressure has been desired.

[0013] This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned unresolved problems, and provides a weather-resistant testing apparatus that can discharge water from the container body while suppressing pressure changes inside the container body when the water is discharged under pressurization. Place The purpose is to provide it.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a container body in which a sample is disposed inside, A sample holding section provided inside the container body for holding the sample, and a gas introduction part for introducing gas into the container body and, a pressure adjustment part for adjusting the air pressure in the container body, a liquid supply part for supplying liquid into the container body, a drainage tank connected to the container body, an inflow valve provided between the container body and the drainage tank and capable of being opened and closed, and an openable and closable discharge valve for discharging the liquid in the drainage tank, a pressurizing device comprising the above, and a light source disposed outside the container body of the pressurizing device, the container body includes a light transmission part that transmits light, and there is provided a weather resistance test device that irradiates light from the light source through the light transmission part to a sample disposed inside the container body 。

Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a weather resistance test device capable of discharging water inside the container body while suppressing a pressure change inside the container body when discharging water inside the container body during pressurization.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a weather resistance test device to which a pressurizing device according to a first embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] It is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a conventional pressurizing device. [Figure 3] It is a graph showing the state of pressure change inside the container body when discharging water inside the container body during pressurization, where (a) shows a conventional pressurizing device and (b) shows the state of pressure change when using the pressurizing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing a modification example of the pressurizing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] ]>It is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing a modification example of a drainage mechanism included in the pressurizing device. [Figure 6] It is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a weather resistance test device to which a pressurizing device according to a second embodiment is applied. [Figure 7] It is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a weather resistance test device to which a pressurizing device according to a third embodiment is applied. [Figure 8] It is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a weather resistance test device to which a pressurizing device according to a fourth embodiment is applied. [Figure 9] It is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a weather resistance test device to which a modified example of a pressurizing device according to a fourth embodiment is applied. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of a pressure vessel. [Figure 11] It is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of a pressure vessel. [Figure 12] It is a graph showing the time required for the pressure inside the pressure vessel to return to the initial pressure after discharging the water inside the pressure vessel.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0018] In the following description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the relationship between the thickness and the planar dimensions, the ratio of the thicknesses of each layer, etc. are different from the actual ones. Therefore, specific thicknesses and dimensions should be determined in consideration of the following description. Also, it is natural that there are parts where the dimensional relationships and ratios are different between the drawings.

[0019] Further, the embodiments shown below illustrate devices and methods for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the technical idea of the present invention does not specify the materials, shapes, structures, arrangements, etc. of the constituent parts as the following. The technical idea of the present invention can be variously modified within the technical scope defined by the claims described in the claims. 〔First Embodiment〕

[0020] First, a first embodiment will be described. In this first embodiment, a case in which the pressurizing device according to the present invention is applied to a weather resistance testing apparatus will be described. [Weathering resistance testing apparatus 1]

[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the weather resistance testing apparatus 1.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the weather resistance test apparatus 1 comprises a pressurizing device 2, a light irradiation device 3, a control unit 4, and an input unit 5. [Pressurizing device]

[0023] The pressurizing device 2 comprises a pressurizing container (container body) 11, a sample holding section 12, a gas inlet pipe 13 (gas inlet section), a humidity regulator 14, a gas exhaust pipe 15, a pressure regulator 16 (pressure regulating section), a water spray pipe 17 (liquid supply section), a water flow regulator 18, a drain pipe 19, a drainage mechanism 20, a temperature regulator (temperature regulating section) 21, a liquid level gauge 22, a monitor section 26, and a hygrometer 30.

[0024] In the weathering test apparatus 1, the sample S is held in a sample holding section 12 located inside a pressurized container 11. Gas such as oxygen or nitrogen is introduced through a gas introduction pipe 13, and the pressure inside the pressurized container 11 is adjusted to a predetermined internal pressure using a pressure regulator 16. While under this pressurized state, light L from a light irradiation device 3, which simulates sunlight, is irradiated onto the sample S, water is sprayed onto the sample S from the tip of a water spray pipe 17, and the sample S is further heated by a temperature regulator 21. The temperature regulator 21 may cool the sample S as needed. The humidity of the gas such as oxygen introduced through the gas introduction pipe 13 may be adjusted by a humidity regulator 14. The sample S is left in this environment for a predetermined period, and a weathering test is performed to determine how quickly the sample S deteriorates due to light such as sunlight, heat, moisture such as rain, and oxygen in the atmosphere. The weathering test apparatus 1 may further include a housing (not shown) for preventing ultraviolet light leakage in which the above-mentioned components are housed, and may be configured to prevent ultraviolet light and high-intensity light irradiated by the light irradiation device 3 from leaking out. [Pressurized container]

[0025] The pressurized container 11 is a pressurized, sealed container having a storage section 11a for housing the sample holder 12, etc., and a lid 11b that closes the opening of the storage section 11a. The pressurized container 11 has, for example, a removable upper lid 11b, and the lid 11b is removed from the storage section 11a when installing the sample S. After installing the sample S, the lid 11b is attached to the storage section 11a so that the inside becomes airtight, and is secured by tightening bolts or the like around each circumference. The pressurized container 11 can be made of various materials as long as it has pressure resistance to the pressure inside the pressurized container 11, but can be made of, for example, SUS, aluminum alloy, iron, titanium alloy, tungsten alloy, etc.

[0026] The storage section 11a is connected to a gas inlet pipe 13, a gas exhaust pipe 15, a water spray pipe 17, and a drain pipe 19, with the ends of each pipe positioned inside the storage section 11a. This allows a predetermined test gas (oxygen, etc.) to be introduced into the pressurized container 11 from the gas inlet pipe 13, unwanted gas to be discharged from the gas exhaust pipe 15, water to be sprayed onto the sample S from the water spray pipe 17, and unwanted water to be discharged from the drain pipe 19. In the weather resistance test apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1, the lid 11b is removed, so the various pipes are connected together to the storage section 11a, but some of these pipes may be connected to the lid 11b.

[0027] An opening 11c is provided in the central region of the lid 11b facing the sample holding portion 12 (sample S). A quartz glass plate 11d (light-transmitting portion) is hermetically fitted into this opening 11c. The quartz glass plate 11d is positioned to face the sample holding portion 12 and is configured to transmit light L irradiated from the light irradiation device 3 without attenuation, so that the light L is irradiated directly onto the sample S. The quartz glass plate 11d may be a light-transmitting member made of other materials as long as it can transmit light L (especially ultraviolet light) irradiated from the light irradiation device 3. Since the quartz glass plate 11d constitutes part of the pressurized container 11, it is structured to maintain the atmosphere and pressure inside the pressurized container 11. [Sample holding section]

[0028] The sample holding section 12 is a member that holds the sample S used in the weather resistance test. The sample holding section 12 is composed of, for example, a plate-shaped member 12a and a support member 12b that supports it, and the sample S is placed on the plate-shaped member 12a and held in place by being attached with aluminum tape or the like. The plate-shaped member 12a may be attached to the support member 12b so as to be horizontal, but it may also be inclined with respect to the horizontal direction so that the water sprayed from the water spray pipe 17 does not accumulate on the sample S. In addition, a temperature controller 21 may be built into the plate-shaped member 12a. The temperature controller 21 can be configured to incorporate a heater and a cooling channel, and adjusts the temperature of the sample S by heating or cooling the sample S by feeding back the value of a thermocouple. The temperature controller 21 makes it possible to perform the weather resistance test by heating or cooling the sample S held in the sample holding section 12 to a predetermined temperature. When heating the sample S with the temperature controller 21, it is preferable that the heating temperature is above room temperature and below the decomposition temperature of the sample S. By heating below the decomposition temperature, it is possible to adjust the balance between deterioration due to light, oxygen, humidity, etc., without accelerating deterioration due to heat alone. Alternatively, a gas temperature control mechanism may be provided to heat or cool the gas introduced from the gas introduction pipe 13 instead of or in combination with the temperature controller 21, or a temperature controller may be provided in the pressurized container 11 to control the temperature of the container itself, or a combination of these may be used. [Light irradiation device]

[0029] The light irradiation device 3 comprises a light source 3a that emits light L, and an optical filter 3b that removes some wavelengths of light from the light source 3a. The light source 3a can be any light source that emits light L containing at least ultraviolet light, and for example, carbon arcs used in weather resistance tests, high-pressure mercury, xenon lamps, metal halides, etc., can be used alone or in combination of two different types of light sources. The light source 3a may also be an LED light source or a laser light source. However, it is preferable to use xenon, which has the wavelength closest to that of sunlight, as the light source 3a. Furthermore, it is preferable that the light emitted from the light source 3a contains light in the wavelength range of 290 nm to 390 nm, and at least some of the light in the wavelength range of 290 nm to 390 nm. The spectral shape of the light emitted from the light source 3a is preferably close to the spectral shape of sunlight, and although it may contain light with wavelengths shorter than 290 nm, it is preferable to cut it out with the optical filter 3b. Furthermore, in the light L irradiated from the light source 3a, light with wavelengths longer than 390 nm does not directly degrade the sample S, but light with wavelengths in the infrared region in particular has an effect of heating the sample S, so it may be left in. On the other hand, since the temperature of the sample S is controlled by the temperature controller 21 etc. as described above, infrared light with wavelengths greater than 390 nm may be cut off with the optical filter 3b in order to eliminate the effect of heating by light L.

[0030] The light irradiation device 3 is preferably configured to irradiate the sample S with light L from the light source 3a as parallel light, but is not limited to this. For example, the light L from the light source 3a may be configured to spread radially to some extent. In this case, it is preferable to consider the arrangement of the sample S so that the illuminance of the light L from the light irradiation device 3 is uniform on the sample S (or the illuminance is the same for each sample S when testing multiple samples S). By configuring the light irradiation device 3 to irradiate the sample S with light L as parallel light, the light irradiated onto the sample S becomes more uniform, preventing strong light from being irradiated onto parts of the sample S, and allowing the weather resistance test to be performed stably. When testing multiple samples simultaneously, since the irradiated light is parallel light, there is no unevenness in the illuminance of the light irradiated onto each sample S, so it is not necessary to rearrange the sample S to equalize the illuminance during the weather resistance test (for example, during 3 to 6 months). This makes it possible to obtain more accurate weather resistance test results with less work. In this case, the optical system may be configured to include at least one collimating lens. In this weather resistance testing apparatus, as mentioned above, the light irradiation device is located outside the pressurized container, and there are not many limitations on the size of the optical system for generating parallel light, making it possible to use a more optimal optical system.

[0031] Furthermore, the amount of light L emitted from the light irradiation device 3 only needs to be higher than that of sunlight. For example, the amount of light emitted from the light source 3a at a wavelength of 365 nm should be 15 mW / cm². 2 More than 60mW / cm 2 The following is preferable. Note that the "light intensity" referred to here is the value measured by a device that measures the light intensity at a wavelength of 365 nm (for example, the UIT-250 UVD-S365 photodetector manufactured by Ushio Inc.), and is a wavelength distribution with 365 nm as the absolute value calibration wavelength. For example, this is the value obtained by detecting the amount of light in the sensitivity wavelength range of 310 nm to 390 nm. [Gas inlet pipe]

[0032] The gas introduction pipe 13 is a pipe for introducing gas from outside the pressurized container 11 into the pressurized container 11, and is a component for changing the atmosphere inside the pressurized container 11 or increasing the pressure. The gas introduced into the pressurized container 11 from the gas introduction pipe 13 is introduced into the pressurized container 11 at a pressure at least equal to or greater than the pressure set by the pressure regulator 16. The gas introduced from the gas introduction pipe 13 may be, for example, oxygen gas, nitrogen gas, or a mixture of oxygen gas and nitrogen gas. The gas introduction pipe 13 may be equipped with a mass flow controller (not shown) to adjust the flow rate of the gas being introduced, or, if two or more types of gas are being introduced, a gas mixer (not shown) may be provided to switch or mix the gases being introduced. [Humidity regulator]

[0033] The humidity controller 14 is connected, for example, to the gas inlet pipe 13 and is a device that adjusts the humidity of the gas by bubbling water inside the humidity controller 14, thereby humidifying or dehumidifying the gas introduced through the gas inlet pipe 13. The humidity controller 14 sets the humidity inside the pressurized container 11 to a predetermined range. Alternatively, the humidity controller 14 may be controlled by the control unit 4 based on the monitor signal obtained by a hygrometer 30 installed inside the pressurized container 11, which monitors the humidity information from the hygrometer 30. In this example, the humidity of the introduced gas is adjusted using the humidity controller 14, but the humidity of the gas may be adjusted using a humidifier instead of the humidity controller 14. [Gas exhaust pipe]

[0034] The gas exhaust pipe 15 is a pipe for discharging gas from the pressurized container 11. A pressure regulator 16 is attached to the gas exhaust pipe 15, and the pressure regulator 16 maintains the pressure inside the pressurized container 11 at a set pressure. When the pressure inside the pressurized container 11 exceeds the set pressure, as detected by a sensor (not shown) or the like, the control unit 4 controls the valve inside the pressure regulator 16 to open and adjust the pressure to the set pressure. [Water spray pipe]

[0035] The water spray tube 17 is a component for spraying water onto a sample S placed inside a pressurized container 11. The water spray tube 17 sprays water onto the sample S inside the pressurized container 11 after adjusting the flow rate of water supplied from outside the pressurized container 11 using a water flow rate regulator 18. The water flow rate regulator 18 is a device that adjusts the amount of water sprayed onto the sample S from the water spray tube 17, and the water volume is set according to the required amount. A spray nozzle is attached to the tip of the water spray tube 17 inside the pressurized container 11, and this spray nozzle allows water to be sprayed (in a spray, mist, or shower) over the entire sample S. The force of the water sprayed from this spray nozzle can also be adjusted by adjusting the water flow rate regulator 18. The spraying device consisting of the water spray tube 17 and the water flow rate regulator 18 is a device that simulates rain in a real environment, and the water sprayed may be pure water, tap water, water with adjusted pH to simulate acid rain, water containing metal ions, or a mixture of these, or hydrogen peroxide, etc.

[0036] Although this explanation describes the case where water is sprayed onto the sample S, other liquids may be used, and the method is not limited to spraying water or other liquids onto the sample S. It can also be applied to cases where water or other liquids are poured onto the sample S, or where liquid is supplied into the pressurized container 11 without the liquid coming into contact with the sample S. [Drain pipe]

[0037] The drain pipe 19 is a component for discharging water sprayed from the water spray pipe 17 inside the pressurized container 11 to the outside of the pressurized container 11. A drainage mechanism 20 is attached to the drain pipe 19, and by operating the drainage mechanism 20, excess water is discharged. [Drainage mechanism]

[0038] The drainage mechanism 20 includes a drainage tank (drainage tank) 20a connected to a drainage pipe 19, an openable and closable inlet valve 20b provided on the inlet side of the drainage tank 20a of the drainage pipe 19, and an openable and closable discharge valve 20c provided on the discharge side of the drainage tank 20a of the drainage pipe 19. The inlet valve 20b and the discharge valve 20c are normally closed during the weathering test and are controlled to maintain the pressure and atmosphere (oxygen gas concentration, etc.) inside the pressurized container 11.

[0039] The volume of the drainage tank 20a is set to be less than or equal to the volume of the pressurized container 11. Specifically, it is preferable that the volume of the drainage tank 20a be set to be 1 / 6 or less of the volume of the pressurized container 11. More preferably, it is 1 / 6 or less and 1 / 60 or more. Furthermore, the inlet valve 20b and the outlet valve 20c are controlled by the control unit 4. The inlet valve 20b is controlled to be open when the water spraying by the water spray pipe 17 is finished, and to be closed when all the water in the pressurized container 11 has moved to the drain tank 20a. On the other hand, the outlet valve 20c is controlled to be open after the water in the pressurized container 11 has moved to the drain tank 20a and the inlet valve 20b has been controlled to be closed, and discharges the water stored in the drain tank 20a. [Liquid level gauge]

[0040] The pressurized container 11 and the drainage tank 20a are each equipped with a liquid level gauge 22 for detecting the water level inside the container (tank): a liquid level gauge 22a for detecting the water level in the pressurized container 11 and a liquid level gauge 22b for detecting the water level in the drainage tank 20a. The information detected by the liquid level gauges 22 (22a, 22b) is input to the control unit 4 via the monitor unit 26.

[0041] Furthermore, the pressurized container 11 is equipped with various sensors (not shown) that detect various conditions inside the pressurized container 11, such as temperature (internal temperature or sample temperature), pressure, gas concentration, and gas flow rate. The information detected by these sensors is input to the control unit 4. The monitoring unit 26 receives measurement signals from the liquid level gauge 22 and the hygrometer 30, displays these measurement signals on a display device (not shown), and transmits each measurement signal to the control unit 4. Users of the weather resistance test apparatus 1c can monitor the liquid level in the pressurized container 11 and the drainage tank 20a, as well as the humidity in the pressurized container 11, by referring to the display on the monitoring unit 26. [Control Unit]

[0042] The control unit 4 is a device that controls the overall operation of the weather resistance test apparatus 1, and is composed of, for example, a computer equipped with a CPU. The control unit 4 is electrically connected via wiring to the input unit 5, a mass flow controller (not shown) installed in the gas inlet pipe 13, a humidity regulator 14, a pressure regulator 16, a water flow regulator 18, an inlet valve 20b, an outlet valve 20c, and a temperature regulator 21. Based on input information from the input unit 5, detection information from the liquid level gauge 22 and hygrometer 30 via the monitor unit 26, the gas inlet flow rate from various sensors (not shown), and the atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, water level, etc. inside the pressurized container 11, the control unit 4 controls the operation of the mass flow controller, humidity regulator 14, pressure regulator 16, water flow regulator 18, inlet valve 20b, outlet valve 20c, and temperature regulator 21 of the gas inlet pipe 13. The sample S, placed inside the weathering test apparatus 1, is placed under predetermined environmental conditions. The control unit 4 is also electrically connected via wiring to the light irradiation device 3 located outside the pressurized container 11, and controls the amount of light L, irradiation time, and interval.

[0043] Specifically, the control unit 4 controls the mass flow controller and pressure regulator 16 of the gas inlet pipe 13 to adjust the concentration of the gas introduced from the gas inlet pipe 13 and the pressure inside the pressurized container 11. For example, the gas introduced from the gas inlet pipe 13 may be pressurized so that the partial pressure of oxygen contained in the gas is greater than the partial pressure of oxygen in the atmosphere. The control unit 4 may also control the mass flow controller to mix the oxygen gas and nitrogen gas (inert gas) introduced through the gas inlet pipe 13 to an arbitrary concentration. Furthermore, after mixing the oxygen gas and nitrogen gas (inert gas) introduced through the gas inlet pipe 13 to an arbitrary concentration, the control unit 4 may pressurize the mixed gas introduced into the pressurized container 11 using a compression pump or the like.

[0044] Furthermore, in the control by the control unit 4, it is preferable that the atmospheric pressure inside the pressurized container 11 is adjusted by the pressure regulator 16 to a gauge pressure of 1 MPa or less. At this time, the oxygen concentration of the gas introduced under pressure is preferably 1% to 100% as the oxygen concentration before pressurization. More preferably, it is 0.5 MPa or less as the gauge pressure. The oxygen concentration of the gas introduced under pressure is preferably 4% to 100% as the oxygen concentration before pressurization. By suppressing the atmospheric pressure in this way, the thickness of the pressurized container 11 can be reduced, and as a result, the pressurized container 11 and the weather resistance testing device 1 can be made smaller and lighter.

[0045] Furthermore, the control unit 4 may control the humidity controller 14 to reproduce the weather resistance due to humidity in a real environment. Humidity adjustment by the control unit 4 is performed by adjusting the humidity of the introduced gas using the humidity controller 14 based on humidity information detected by a sensor (not shown). Humidification in the weather resistance test apparatus 1 is sufficient to a certain extent, but it is preferable that the humidity inside the pressurized container 11 be between 40% and 100%, and more preferably between 50% and 100%. The control unit 4 controls the humidity controller 14 to achieve this humidity range. When performing accelerated weathering tests, it is preferable to select the oxygen concentration inside the pressurized container 11 according to the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source 3a of the weather resistance test apparatus 1, in relation to the amount of oxygen required when the sample deteriorates due to the amount of ultraviolet light contained in sunlight in a real environment. Furthermore, in order to promote the diffusion of oxygen into the sample S, it is possible to accelerate the deterioration of the sample S by increasing the pressure inside the pressurized container.

[0046] The control unit 4 further controls the water flow regulator 18 so that when water is sprayed onto the sample S by the water spray pipe 17, it stops the operation of the water flow regulator 18, then controls the inlet valve 20b to the open state, and controls it to the closed state when all the water in the pressurized container 11 has moved to the drain tank 20a. When the inlet valve 20b is switched to the closed state, the control unit 4 then controls the discharge valve 20c to the open state, and controls the discharge valve 20c to the closed state when all the water stored in the drain tank 20a has been discharged. The control unit 4 detects, for example, that all the water in the pressurized container 11 has moved to the drain tank 20a based on the detected value of the liquid level gauge 22a installed in the pressurized container 11. The control unit 4 also detects, for example, that all the water in the drain tank 20a has been discharged based on the detected value of the liquid level gauge 22b installed in the drain tank 20a. Furthermore, based on the detection values ​​of the liquid level gauges 22a and 22b, the control unit 4 determines that an abnormality has occurred when the water level in the pressurized container 11 or the water level in the drainage tank 20a exceeds a specified value, and performs abnormality handling such as controlling the inlet valve 20b and the outlet valve 20c to discharge the water from the pressurized container 11 or the drainage tank 20a, and stopping the water supply by the water spray pipe 17. [Weather resistance test method]

[0047] Here, we will describe a weather resistance test method using the weather resistance test apparatus 1 with the configuration described above.

[0048] In the weather resistance test method, first, a sample S to be used for the weather resistance test is prepared. There may be one sample S or multiple samples S. Furthermore, the sample S may be a decorative sheet, a component made of various inorganic or organic materials, and is not particularly limited. Once such a sample S is prepared, the lid 11b of the pressurized container 11 is removed and the sample S is held in place by attaching it to the plate-shaped member 12a or the like. Then, the lid 11b is airtightly attached to the storage section 11a and secured with bolts or the like. This makes the pressurized container 11 containing the sample S airtight.

[0049] Next, the control unit 4 sets the pressure using the pressure regulator 16 and introduces a predetermined flow rate of gas (oxygen gas or nitrogen gas) into the pressurized container 11 from the gas introduction pipe 13. The concentration and pressure (partial pressure) of the introduced gas are controlled to predetermined values. Furthermore, the water flow rate regulator 18 controlled by the control unit 4 adjusts the amount of water which is then supplied to the sample S from the nozzle of the water spray pipe 17 continuously or at predetermined intervals. In addition, the temperature regulator 21 controls the temperature under the control of the control unit 4 to maintain the sample S at a predetermined temperature (for example, 80°C). In this state, in the weathering resistance test apparatus 1, a predetermined amount of light L is irradiated into the pressurized container 11 via the quartz glass plate 11d from the light irradiation device 3, and the sample S is irradiated. Furthermore, when water is sprayed onto the sample S, after the spraying is complete, the drainage mechanism 20 is activated, the inlet valve 20b is controlled to be open, the water in the pressurized container 11 moves to the drainage tank 20a, the inlet valve 20b is then switched to the closed position, and the discharge valve 20c is switched to the open position, allowing the water in the drainage tank 20a to be discharged outside the drainage tank 20a.

[0050] Next, the degradation state of sample S is tested by continuously maintaining the conditions of light irradiation, pressurization, temperature control, and water supply. Such tests may be carried out continuously for, for example, 3 to 6 months, or for 6 months or more, or even for 1 year or more. Alternatively, light irradiation, water spraying, etc., may be repeated at predetermined intervals while maintaining predetermined pressurization and temperature control. Such test conditions can be appropriately selected to be similar to those of tests in a real environment.

[0051] Furthermore, in real-world environments, sample degradation is not limited to degradation caused by light, but also by rain and moisture (humidity) in the atmosphere. Water adhering to the sample surface due to rain or humidity diffuses from the sample surface into the sample's interior, causing degradation through hydrolysis and other processes. Therefore, in the weathering test apparatus 1, similar to the relationship between the light intensity of the light source and oxygen, the amount of water spray and the humidity inside the pressurized container 11 can be selected to promote degradation by water. In addition, pressurizing the inside of the pressurized container 11 promotes the diffusion of water into the sample. Moreover, the temperature of the sample S can be changed to further promote the reaction between the light-degraded sample and oxygen, and the hydrolysis reaction by water. This sample temperature may be adjusted based on the light intensity from the light irradiation device 3. In the weathering test apparatus 1, by appropriately selecting these light intensity, oxygen concentration, pressure, water, humidity, and temperature, degradation by light and degradation by water proceed in a balanced manner, and it is possible to obtain weathering test results in a short period of time that are similar to those obtained over a long period of time in real-world environments, without suffering from adverse effects such as being strongly affected only by light. 〔effect〕

[0052] In the weathering test apparatus 1 described above, the light irradiation device 3, which has a light source 3a, is positioned outside the pressurized container 11, and the apparatus is configured to irradiate the sample S inside the pressurized container 11 with light L from outside the pressurized container 11. In this case, because the light irradiation device 3 is outside the pressurized container 11, the light irradiation device 3 will not be damaged by the high-pressure atmosphere, and even if it is damaged for some reason, it will not cause a sudden increase in the pressure inside the pressurized container 11, thus reducing the impact on the pressurized container 11. As a result, with this weathering test apparatus 1, it is possible to accelerate weathering testing while improving safety by using the pressurized container 11. Furthermore, with the weathering test apparatus 1, because the light irradiation device 3 is positioned outside the pressurized container 11, it is not necessary to raise the safety standards. The need to make the pressurized container 11 unnecessarily large is eliminated, allowing for a device using a smaller pressurized container 11. This also improves safety. Furthermore, by placing the light irradiation device 3 outside the pressurized container 11, it becomes easier to perform optical design of the light irradiation device 3, such as increasing the amount of light L irradiated, making it easier to select the wavelength of light L irradiated, or reducing the unevenness of the light irradiated onto the sample S. This makes it possible to bring the test closer to actual environmental conditions (especially in terms of optics), or to accelerate the test while maintaining conditions close to those of an actual environment, thereby accelerating weather resistance testing while reproducing test results under actual environmental conditions.

[0053] Furthermore, in the weather resistance testing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, when water is sprayed onto the sample S, the water in the pressurized container 11 is moved to the drainage tank 20a after the spraying is completed.

[0054] Here, in the case where a drainage mechanism 20 is not provided, as in the pressurizing device 2' shown in Figure 2, and a drainage pipe 19 for drainage is provided in the pressurizing container 11, and the water in the pressurizing container 11 is drained by operating a valve 19a provided in the drainage pipe 19, when the valve 19a is switched to the open state, the pressurizing gas is also discharged through the drainage pipe 19 along with the liquid in the pressurizing container 11, and the pressure inside the pressurizing container 11 drops significantly as shown in Figure 3(a), falling to near atmospheric pressure. Furthermore, the longer the valve 19a is in the open state, the more severe the pressure drop becomes, and the larger the pressure drop, the longer it takes to recover to the predetermined pressure.

[0055] However, in the weathering test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment shown in Figure 1, when discharging the water from the pressurized container 11 after water has been sprayed onto the sample S, first, the water from the pressurized container 11 is moved to the drainage tank 20a by keeping the discharge valve 20c closed and only opening the inlet valve 20b. After the water from the pressurized container 11 has been moved to the drainage tank 20a, the inlet valve 20b is switched back to the closed position, and then the discharge valve 20c is switched back to the open position to discharge the water from the drainage tank 20a. Furthermore, the volume of the drainage tank 20a is kept below the volume of the pressurized container 11. Therefore, when discharging water from the pressurized container 11, that is, when moving water from the pressurized container 11 to the drainage tank 20a, a significant decrease in the air pressure inside the pressurized container 11 can be suppressed. In other words, water from the pressurized container 11 can be discharged while suppressing air pressure fluctuations inside the pressurized container 11. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a significant decrease in the reproducibility of the actual environment due to a decrease in air pressure inside the pressurized container 11 during the weathering test, and to suppress a decrease in the reliability of the weathering test.

[0056] In other words, since the weather resistance test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a drainage tank 20a, when the inlet valve 20b is switched to the open state, as shown in Figure 3(b), the pressure inside the pressurized container 11 decreases, but does not drop to atmospheric pressure. Once it drops to a pressure corresponding to the volume of the drainage tank 20a, it maintains that pressure thereafter. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the pressure inside the pressurized container 11 from dropping to atmospheric pressure and to shorten the time required for the internal pressure to return to a predetermined pressure. As a result, pressure fluctuations inside the pressurized container 11 can be suppressed and the pressure can be quickly returned to a predetermined pressure.

[0057] Furthermore, in the weather resistance test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the light source 3a is 15 mW / cm². 2 More than 60mW / cm 2 A xenon lamp having the following light intensity is preferable. In this case, high-intensity light L can be irradiated onto the sample S, making it possible to easily expedite the weather resistance test. Furthermore, since the wavelength waveform of the light emitted from the xenon (Xe) lamp is close to that of sunlight, it is possible to easily obtain test results that are close to those obtained under actual environmental conditions. In other words, by using the light source described above, it is possible to obtain test results that reproduce weather resistance tests under actual environmental conditions at an early stage.

[0058] Furthermore, in the weather resistance test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the light L from the light source 3a is at least violet. It is preferable to include external radiation. In this case, the irradiation light will include ultraviolet rays, which are present in sunlight and tend to affect the degradation of materials, making it easy to obtain test results that reproduce tests under actual environmental conditions.

[0059] Furthermore, in the weather resistance test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the light irradiation device 3 may further include an optical filter 3b that removes at least one of ultraviolet light and infrared light with wavelengths of 290 nm or less from the light source 3a. Since ultraviolet light with wavelengths of 290 nm or less is present in trace amounts in sunlight, using an optical filter 3b that removes ultraviolet light with wavelengths of 290 nm or less makes it easy to obtain test results that reproduce tests under actual environmental conditions. In addition, if the light irradiated onto the sample contains infrared light, the sample will be heated by the infrared light. However, by using an optical filter that removes infrared light, such as by providing a separate temperature controller 21 that is easy to control, it becomes possible to conduct tests with reduced infrared light effects, making it possible to perform weather resistance tests under more desired test conditions.

[0060] Furthermore, the weather resistance test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment further includes a gas introduction pipe 13 for introducing a gas containing oxygen gas into a pressurized container 11, a pressure regulator 16 for adjusting the air pressure inside the pressurized container 11, a humidity regulator 14 for adjusting the humidity of the gas, a water spray pipe 17 for spraying liquid onto the sample S inside the pressurized container 11, a temperature regulator 21 for adjusting the temperature of the sample S, various sensors and a liquid level gauge 22 for detecting the amount of gas introduced, air pressure, humidity of the gas, and temperature of the sample, and a control unit 4 that controls the gas introduction pipe 13, pressure regulator 16, humidity regulator 14, water spray pipe 17, and temperature regulator 21 based on the values ​​detected by these sensors. This makes it possible to perform a weather resistance test to evaluate the deterioration of the sample S due to heat, water (rain), and oxygen in a more specific manner, and it is also possible to accelerate the weather resistance test by pressurizing it. In other words, with the above configuration, the degradation of sample S by oxygen is accelerated, and degradation by light irradiation and degradation by oxygen, water (rain), temperature, etc. can be balanced, making it possible to reproduce test results similar to those obtained in weather resistance tests conducted over a long period of time in a real environment, in a shorter time.

[0061] Furthermore, in the weather resistance test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the control unit 4 may control the mass flow controller of the gas inlet pipe 13 so that the concentration of oxygen gas introduced from the gas inlet pipe 13 relative to the total gas is 20% or more. In this case, weather resistance test results closer to those of a real environment can be obtained.

[0062] Furthermore, in the weathering test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the control unit 4 may control the mass flow controller and pressure regulator 16 of the gas inlet pipe 13 so that the partial pressure of oxygen gas introduced from the gas inlet pipe 13 is between 0.2 MPa and 0.9 MPa. In this case, it is possible to further accelerate deterioration due to oxygen and further promote weathering tests that are closer to actual environmental conditions. Note that the "partial pressure of oxygen" used here is the value of the partial pressure of oxygen inside the apparatus when atmospheric pressure is set to 0 MPa. [Variation 1]

[0063] In the first embodiment, the pressurizing device 2 according to the present invention is applied to the weather resistance test apparatus 1 that reproduces degradation due to sunlight. However, as shown in Figure 4, it is also possible to use the pressurizing device 2 without a light irradiation device 3, and without reproducing degradation due to sunlight, but instead reproducing degradation of the sample S due to heat, water (rain), and oxygen.

[0064] Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, a pressurizing device 2, a control unit 4, and an input unit 5 are provided. Since the pressurizing device 2 does not have a light irradiation device 3, a quartz glass plate 11d is not required on the lid 11b' of the pressurizing container 11 in the pressurizing device 2. Also, the pressurizing device 2 does not need to be housed in a housing or the like to prevent ultraviolet light leakage.

[0065] Thus, even with a pressurizing device 2 that does not replicate degradation caused by sunlight, the same effects and advantages as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. [Variation 2]

[0066] The drainage mechanism 20 is not limited to a configuration in which an inlet valve 20b is provided on the inlet side of the drainage tank 20a and a discharge valve 20c is provided on the discharge side, as shown in Figures 1 and 4. As shown in Figure 5, the drainage mechanism 20' may also be a cylindrical drainage tank 20a' with an open upper end directly provided at the bottom of the storage section 11a of the pressurized container 11. That is, as shown in Figure 5, the drainage tank 20a' is provided such that the bottom of the storage section 11a and the upper end of the drainage tank 20a' are flush with the bottom surface inside the storage section 11a, or the upper end of the drainage tank 20a' is lower than the bottom surface of the storage section 11a, and an openable and closable inlet valve 20b' is provided at the upper end of the drainage tank 20a', i.e., at the bottom surface of the storage section 11a. A drain pipe 19' is provided at the lower end of the drainage tank 20a', and an openable and closable discharge valve 20c' is provided on the discharge side of the drainage tank 20a' of the drain pipe 19'.

[0067] Even with this configuration, the same effects and advantages as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. [Second Embodiment]

[0068] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0069] The weather resistance testing apparatus 1a according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, except that the configuration of the drainage mechanism 20 is different, as shown in Figure 6. The same reference numerals are used for the same parts as in the weather resistance testing apparatus 1, and their detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0070] As shown in Figure 6, the drainage mechanism 20-1 in the second embodiment has a plurality of drainage tanks 20a-1 to 20a-n. Each of the drainage tanks 20a-1 to 20a-n is provided on a drainage pipe 19-1 to 19-n, and the upstream side of the drainage pipes 19-1 to 19-n becomes a single pipe and is connected to the bottom of the pressurized container 11. Each drainage pipe 19-1 to 19-n is provided with an openable and closable inlet valve 20b-1 to 20b-n on the inlet side to the drainage tanks 20a-1 to 20a-n, and each drainage pipe 19-1 to 19-n is provided with an openable and closable discharge valve 20c-1 to 20c-n on the discharge side to the drainage tanks 20a-1 to 20a-n. In addition, each drainage tank 20a-1 to 20a-n is provided with a liquid level gauge 22b-1 to 22b-n.

[0071] The volumes of each drainage tank 20a-1 to 20a-n are preferably set such that the sum of the volumes of the drainage tanks 20a-1 to 20a-n that are controlled to be open simultaneously is 1 / 6 or less of the volume of the pressurized container 11. More preferably, it is set to 1 / 6 or less, and more preferably to 1 / 60 or more.

[0072] As a result of having such a configuration, the drainage mechanism 20-1 can obtain the same effects as the first embodiment described above, and because it is equipped with multiple drainage tanks 20a-1 to 20a-n, it is possible to drain water into one drainage tank and discharge water from other drainage tanks simultaneously, allowing for faster drainage of water from the pressurized container 11 and further reducing pressure fluctuations within the pressurized container 11. [Third Embodiment]

[0073] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0074] The weather resistance test apparatus 1b according to the third embodiment is the same as the weather resistance test apparatus 1 in the first embodiment, except that a light source 3a is provided inside the pressurized container 11-1, as shown in Figure 7. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used for the same parts, and a detailed explanation thereof is omitted.

[0075] The pressurized container 11-1 is a pressurized, sealed container, and a light source 3a and a sample holding section 12-1 are provided inside the pressurized container 11-1. The pressurized container 11-1 is provided with a lid, for example (not shown), and by removing the lid, placing the sample S in the sample holding section 12-1 inside the pressurized container 11-1, and then replacing the lid, the inside becomes airtight. Various materials can be used for the pressurized container 11-1 as long as they have pressure resistance to the pressure inside the container, but for example, it can be made of SUS, aluminum alloy, iron, titanium alloy, tungsten alloy, etc.

[0076] The light source 3a is housed in a protective tube 3c made of quartz glass or the like. The protective tube 3c is positioned approximately in the center of the pressurized container 11-1 when viewed from above, by fixing both ends of the protective tube 3c to the top and bottom surfaces of the pressurized container 11-1 so that its longitudinal direction is in the vertical direction of the pressurized container 11-1.

[0077] The sample holder 12-1 is formed, for example, in the shape of a wide octagonal frame, with a pair of opposing sides facing the top and bottom of the pressurized container 11-1, and is rotatably positioned around the protective tube 3c as an axis. The sample holder 12-1 is rotationally driven around the protective tube 3c by a drive device (not shown). The sample S is fixed to the faces of each of the six sides of the sample holder 12-1 that face the protective tube 3c, excluding the pair of top and bottom sides. As a result, light L from the light source 3a is irradiated onto the sample S provided on the face of the sample holder 12-1 that faces the protective tube 3c.

[0078] Furthermore, the water spray tube 17-1 is provided extending upward from the bottom surface of the pressurized container 11-1, and spray nozzles 17a are provided at three positions on the water spray tube 17-1 that face the sample S, so as to face the sample S.

[0079] As a result, with the sample S fixed to the sample holder 12-1, the sample holder 12-1 is rotated, and water is sprayed from the spray nozzle 17a. This irradiates the rotating sample S with light, and also sprays water onto the sample S when it is positioned opposite the spray nozzle 17a.

[0080] As a result of this configuration, even if the light source 3a is a weather resistance test apparatus 1b using a pressurizing device 2-1 provided inside a pressurized container 11-1, the same effects and advantages as in the first embodiment can be obtained. Furthermore, the same effects and advantages can be obtained even when applied to the pressurizing device 2 shown in Figure 4 or the weather resistance test apparatus 1a in the second embodiment. [Fourth Embodiment]

[0081] Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0082] As shown in Figure 8, the weather resistance test apparatus 1c according to the fourth embodiment is a weather resistance test apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, in which a pressure gauge is installed in the pressurized container 11, and the amount of gas supplied to the pressurized container 11 is controlled so as to reduce pressure fluctuations inside the pressurized container 11.

[0083] Specifically, the weather resistance test apparatus 1c is the weather resistance test apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment shown in Figure 1, and further includes a pressure gauge 25a installed in the pressurized container 11 and a pressure gauge 25b installed in the drainage tank 20a. The measurement signals from these pressure gauges 25a and 25b are input to the monitoring unit 26. The monitoring unit 26 receives the measurement signals from these pressure gauges 25a and 25b, displays them on a display device (not shown) similar to the measurement signals from the liquid level gauge 22 and the hygrometer 30, and transmits each measurement signal to the control unit 4-1. By referring to the display on the monitoring unit 26, users of the weather resistance test apparatus 1c can monitor the liquid level in the pressurized container 11 and the drainage tank 20a, the humidity in the pressurized container 11, and the pressure in the pressurized container 11 and the drainage tank 20a. .

[0084] Furthermore, the gas inlet pipe 13 branches upstream of the humidity controller 14, and the branched gas inlet pipe 13a is connected to the drainage tank 20a. A gas valve 27 is provided on the gas inlet pipe 13 on the inlet side of the humidity controller 14, and a gas valve 28 is provided on the gas inlet pipe 13a on the inlet side of the drainage tank 20a. These gas valves 27 and 28 are flow-rate adjustable gas valves, and the flow rate is adjusted by the control unit 4-1.

[0085] The control unit 4-1, similar to the control unit 4 in the first embodiment, controls the inlet valve 20b and the outlet valve 20c based on the detection signals from the liquid level gauges 22a and 22b, and controls the humidity controller 14 based on the measurement signal from the hygrometer 30 from the monitor unit 26 so that the humidity inside the pressurized container 11 reaches a predetermined humidity. The control unit 4-1 also controls the gas valves 27 and 28 based on the measurement signals from the pressure gauges 25a and 25b from the monitor unit 26 so that the measured values ​​of the pressure gauges 25a and 25b reach a preset pressure. At this time, the target pressure inside the drain tank 20a is set to the same value as the target pressure inside the pressurized container 11 or slightly lower. In this way, by setting the pressure inside the drain tank 20a to the same value as the pressure inside the pressurized container 11 or slightly lower, it is possible to suppress pressure fluctuations inside the pressurized container 11 when the inlet valve 20b is switched to the open state in order to move the water inside the pressurized container 11 to the drain tank 20a.

[0086] Furthermore, the same type of gas supplied to the pressurized container 11 is supplied to the drainage tank 20a. Therefore, even if the gas in the drainage tank 20a were to flow back into the pressurized container 11 for some reason, the gas in the pressurized container 11 would be the same type of gas. This prevents problems such as variations in weathering test time and deterioration state (changes in appearance) caused by a different gas flowing back from the drainage tank 20a to the pressurized container 11, which would otherwise cause changes in the gas concentration in the pressurized container 11.

[0087] Furthermore, when controlling the pressure in the pressurized container 11 and the drainage tank 20a, the volume of the drainage tank 20a does not need to be smaller than the volume of the pressurized container 11, and can be any volume.

[0088] Furthermore, in this embodiment, we have described the case in which the gas supply amount is directly controlled in the weather resistance test apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment so as to reduce pressure fluctuations in the pressurized container 11. However, it is also possible to directly control the gas supply amount in the pressurized device 2 shown in Figure 4, and in the weather resistance test apparatuses 1a and 1b of the second and third embodiments, and in this case as well, the same effects and advantages as those of the fourth embodiment can be obtained. [Variation]

[0089] In the weathering test apparatus 1c of the fourth embodiment described above, mass flow controllers (MFCs) 27' and 28' may be used instead of gas valves 27 and 28, as shown in Figure 9. By using mass flow controllers 27' and 28', the flow rate can be adjusted more precisely. [Fifth Embodiment]

[0090] Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0091] The weather resistance testing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment specifies the shape of the storage section 11a of the pressurized container in each of the above embodiments. Here, we will describe the case in which it is applied to the weather resistance testing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, but it can also be applied to the weather resistance testing apparatus according to the second and fourth embodiments. Furthermore, although not shown, it can also be applied to the weather resistance testing apparatus according to the third embodiment. It is also possible.

[0092] As described above, the weather resistance testing apparatus 1 according to the present invention is designed to suppress pressure fluctuations inside the pressurized container 11 caused by draining the water accumulated in the pressurized container 11. Therefore, it is preferable to shorten the time required to drain the water from the pressurized container 11.

[0093] Therefore, in the weather resistance testing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment, as shown in Figure 10(a), the inner bottom surface of the storage section 11a is made spherical, and the drain pipe 19 is attached to the lowest position of the spherical inner bottom.

[0094] With this configuration, by opening the inlet valve 20b attached to the drain pipe 19, the water accumulated in the spherical part of the pressurized container 11 can be quickly moved to the drain tank 20a.

[0095] If the drain pipe 19 is located at the bottom of the sphere, the position of the sample holding part 12 may be shifted, as shown in Figure 10(b). In this case, the inclination angle of the plate-shaped member 12a with respect to the quartz glass plate 11d may be adjusted so that the plate-shaped member 12a and the quartz glass plate 11d are nearly parallel, so that the sample S is sufficiently irradiated with light L. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 10(c), the angle of the plate-shaped member 12a with respect to the quartz glass plate 11d may be maintained, and the support member 12b may be tilted to ensure that the sample S is sufficiently irradiated with light L.

[0096] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 10(a) to (c), the inside of the storage compartment 11a may be made spherical, and as shown in Figure 10(d), the inside of the lid 11b may also be made spherical with a convex shape on the outside. By doing so, the pressure is distributed, so the thickness of the lid 11b can be reduced, and the weight can be reduced. As a result, the operability of the lid 11b can be improved.

[0097] Alternatively, the inside of the storage section 11a may be formed as a slope that inclines in one direction, as shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 11(a). In this case, the drain pipe 19 should be provided at the lowest point of the slope on the inside of the storage section 11a.

[0098] Furthermore, the inside of the storage section 11a may be formed in a mortar shape as shown in Figure 11(b), and a drain pipe 19 may be provided at the bottom of the mortar. In this case, the position of the sample holding section 12 may be shifted as shown in Figure 11(c). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11(d), the position of the bottom of the mortar may be offset from the center of the storage section 11a when viewed from above. Furthermore, the drainage performance may be improved by tilting the main body of the pressurized container 11 while keeping the inclination of the plate-shaped member 12a the same.

[0099] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 11(a) to (d), the inside of the lid 11b may be made into a spherical shape that is convex outward, as shown in Figure 10(d).

[0100] Although the weather resistance testing apparatus according to this embodiment has been described above, the weather resistance testing apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be applied. [Examples]

[0101] Examples of the present invention are described below.

[0102] Using the weather resistance test apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment shown in Figure 1, the inlet valve 20b is opened. With the pressurized container 11 and the drainage tank 20a connected, the pressure drop ΔP0 and equilibrium pressure of the pressurized container 11 were measured. Then, the inlet valve 20b was switched to the closed position, and the time T required for the pressure in the pressurized container 11 to return to the original pressure P0 was measured. The volume of the pressurized container 11 is 60 (L), and the initial pressure is P0. The volume of the drainage tank 20a is Vh (L), and the initial pressure is 0.1 MPa. Note that the pressure is expressed as absolute pressure (atmospheric pressure: 0.1 MPa). For the initial pressure P0 of the pressurized container 11, that is, the pressure inside the pressurized container 11 before switching the inlet valve 20b to the open position, when it was 0.4 MPa and when it was 0.6 MPa, the volume Vh (L) of the drainage tank 20a was changed, and the time T required for the pressure to return to the original pressure P0 when gas was introduced into the pressurized container 11 at 0.4 L / min was measured for each volume Vh (L). The measurement results are shown in Table 1 (when the initial pressure in the pressurized container 11 is 0.4 MPa) and Table 2 (when the pressure in the pressurized container 11 is 0.6 MPa). Tables 1 and 2 also show the measurement results for a comparative example where the drainage tank 20a is not provided.

[0103] Furthermore, Figure 12 shows a graph illustrating the correspondence between the volume of the drain tank 20a and the time T required for the pressure in the pressurized container 11 to return to its original pressure P0, when the initial pressure in the pressurized container 11 is 0.4 MPa and when the pressure in the pressurized container 11 is 0.6 MPa. [Table 1]

[0104] [Table 2]

[0105] Tables 1 and 2 and the graph in Figure 12 show that the equilibrium pressure is higher when the drainage tank 20a is installed compared to when it is not installed. Furthermore, when the volume of the pressurized container 11 and the volume of the drainage tank 20a are the same, the equilibrium pressure in the pressurized container 11 is 0.25 MPa when the initial pressure P0 is 0.4 MPa. The equilibrium pressure drops to approximately half of the original pressure, and it takes 225 minutes to return to the original pressure of 0.4 MPa. If the initial pressure P0 is 0.6 MPa, the equilibrium pressure is 0.3 MPa, which is half of the original pressure of 0.6 MPa. As a result, it takes 450 minutes to return to the original pressure. Furthermore, if the volume of the drain tank 20a is larger than the volume of the pressurized container 11, the equilibrium pressure will decrease further. Conversely, if the volume of the pressurized container 11 is larger than the volume of the drain tank 20a, the equilibrium pressure will increase. Therefore, considering the time it takes for the pressure in the pressurized container 11 to return to the initial pressure P0, it is preferable that the ratio of the volume of the pressurized container 11 to the volume of the drain tank 20a is between 6:1 and 12:1. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 1, 1a, 1b, 1c Weather resistance testing apparatus 2.2-1 Pressurizing device 3 Light irradiation device 3a light source 3c protection tube 4, 4-1 Control Unit 10 Water flow regulator 11, 11-1 Pressurized container (container body) 11a Storage compartment 11b Lid 11c aperture 11d Quartz glass plate 12, 12-1 Sample holding section 13, 13a Gas inlet pipe 14 Humidity regulator 15 Gas exhaust pipe 16. Pressure Regulator 17, 17-1 Water spray pipe 17a Spray nozzle 18 Water flow regulator 19, 19-1~19-n drain pipe 20, 20-1 Drainage mechanism 20a, 20a-1~20a-n drainage tank 20b, 20b-1~20b-n Inlet Valve 20c, 20c-1~20c-n discharge valve 21 Temperature regulator (temperature adjustment section) 22, 22a, 22b, 24b-1~24b-n Liquid level gauge 25a, 25b pressure gauges 26 Monitor section 27, 28 Gas valve 27′, 28′ Mass Flow Controller (MFC)

Claims

1. The container body in which the sample is placed, A sample holding section provided within the container body for holding the sample, A gas introduction section for introducing gas into the container body, A pressure adjustment unit for adjusting the air pressure inside the container body, A liquid supply unit that supplies liquid into the container body, A drainage tank connected to the container body, An openable and closable inlet valve is provided between the container body and the drainage tank, A discharge valve that can be opened and closed for discharging the liquid in the drain tank, A pressurizing device equipped with, The pressurizing device has a light source located outside the container body, The container body is equipped with a light-transmitting section that transmits light, A weather resistance testing apparatus characterized by irradiating a sample placed inside the container body with light from the light source, which passes through the light-transmitting part.

2. The weather resistance testing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the sample holding section is equipped with a temperature controller for adjusting the temperature of the sample.

3. The weather resistance testing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it has a configuration for irradiating the sample with light from the light source as parallel light.

4. The weather resistance testing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the light from the light source includes at least ultraviolet light.

5. The weather resistance testing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a gas exhaust pipe for discharging gas from the container body.

6. The liquid supply unit comprises a water spray pipe for introducing liquid into the container body and a spray nozzle attached to the inner end of the water spray pipe of the container body, The weather resistance testing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the liquid is sprayed over the entire sample.

7. The weather resistance testing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a humidity regulator provided in the gas introduction section for adjusting the humidity of the gas introduced into the container body by the gas introduction section.

8. The system has one or more of the aforementioned drainage tanks. The weather resistance testing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the total volume of the drainage tanks in which the inlet valves are simultaneously open is less than or equal to the volume of the container body.

9. A mass flow controller provided in the gas inlet for adjusting the amount of gas introduced into the container body, A water flow regulator controls the amount of liquid supplied by the liquid supply unit, A humidity regulator provided in the gas inlet for adjusting the humidity of the gas introduced into the container body by the gas inlet, A detection unit for detecting at least one of the amount of gas introduced into the container body, the atmospheric pressure inside the container body, the humidity inside the container body, and the temperature of the sample, The weather resistance testing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a control unit that controls at least one of the mass flow controller, the pressure adjustment unit, the water flow regulator, the humidity regulator, and the temperature regulator based on the detection information of the detection unit.

10. The gas introduced from the gas introduction section contains oxygen gas, The weather resistance testing apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the control unit controls the mass flow controller so that the concentration of oxygen gas relative to the total gas in the container body is 20% or more.

11. The gas introduced from the gas introduction section contains oxygen gas, The weather resistance testing apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the control unit controls the mass flow controller and the pressure adjustment unit so that the partial pressure of oxygen inside the container body is 0.2 MPa or more and 0.9 MPa or less when the atmospheric pressure is 0 MPa.

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