Management device, management method, and management program

Abstract

To assist in improving the efficiency of inspections.SOLUTION: A management device includes a first acquiring unit and a calculating unit. A backflow preventer has a first check valve, a second check valve, and a relief valve. The first check valve has an intermediate chamber between a primary flow path and a secondary flow path and prevents the flow from the intermediate chamber to the primary flow path. The second check valve prevents the flow from the secondary flow path to the intermediate chamber. The relief valve discharges a liquid from the intermediate chamber. The first acquiring unit acquires at least two pressure values of pressures applied to the primary flow path, the intermediate chamber, and the secondary flow path in the backflow preventer. The calculation unit calculates from at least the two pressure values at least one of a first differential pressure applied to the first check valve, a second differential pressure applied to the relief valve, and a third differential pressure applied to the second check valve.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to the technology of inspecting a water supply device.

Background Art

[0002] In a direct water supply system, in order to prevent backflow from the water supply device to the water distribution pipe, a backflow preventer such as a pressure reducing type is connected between the water distribution pipe connected to the main water pipe and the water supply device. In the guidelines for the direct water supply system, a regular inspection of the backflow preventer once a year is required, and the inspection worker checks whether the backflow preventer is operating normally. However, a dedicated differential pressure gauge is required for the inspection work of the backflow preventer, and the inspection work process is complicated. Furthermore, due to the problem of a shortage of inspection workers, the burden related to the inspection work of the backflow preventer is large. As a method of notifying an abnormality of the backflow prevention device other than the inspection timing, there is a monitoring device that measures the pressures of the primary side flow path and the secondary side flow path and issues an alarm indicating that the check valve on the secondary side is abnormal from predetermined conditions (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to support the efficiency of inspections. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an example of a management system according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] A block diagram showing a pump device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example configuration of a backflow preventer according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] A sequence diagram showing a first example of operation of the management device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] A sequence diagram showing a second example of operation of the management device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] A flowchart showing a specific example of the determination process of the management device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] A table showing an example of pump information stored on the management server. [Figure 8] A block diagram showing a pump device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] A flowchart showing a specific example of the determination process of the management device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] A block diagram showing an example configuration of a management device according to the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The following describes the management device, management method, and management program according to the embodiment, with reference to the drawings. In the following, elements identical or similar to those already described will be denoted by the same or similar reference numerals, and redundant explanations will generally be omitted. For example, when multiple identical or similar elements exist, a common reference numeral may be used to describe them without distinction, or a sub-number may be used in addition to the common reference numeral to describe them separately.

[0009] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating the management system according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the management system includes a management server 1, a plurality of pump devices 3-n (where n is an index), a plurality of backflow preventers 5-n, and a plurality of terminals 7-n. Figure 1 shows the configuration when n is 2, but it is not limited to this, and n can be any number as long as it is 1 or greater. Hereafter, unless otherwise specified, they will simply be referred to as pump device 3, backflow preventer 5, and terminal 7. The management system is a computer system that manages the operating status of the pump devices 3, the pressure values ​​measured for the backflow preventers 5, etc., using the management server 1.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, the management server 1, the pump device 3, and the terminal 7 are connected via a network NW, using mobile communication networks such as 4G and 5G, or relatively long-range wireless communication lines such as WiMAX. In addition to the aforementioned wireless communication lines, the pump device 3 and the terminal 7 are expected to be connected by relatively short-range wireless communication methods such as Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth®, NFC (Near Field Communication), and infrared communication. The pump device 3 and the terminal 7 may also be connected via wired communication lines such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) or LAN (Local Area Network) connection via cable.

[0011] Management Server 1 is a computer equipped with a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory), display devices, input devices, and communication devices. Management Server 1 has a large-capacity storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or integrated circuit storage device for managing various data related to multiple pump devices 3. This large-capacity storage device will be referred to as a database. For example, Management Server 1 stores various data related to the pump devices 3 in the database and manages the operating status of the pump devices 3. Note that Management Server 1 is not limited to an on-premise server; it may also be a cloud server.

[0012] Pump device 3 is, for example, a mechanical device (water supply device) that supplies water to a building. Pump device 3 is, for example, a so-called direct-connection pressure-boosting water supply device that is directly connected to the main water pipe, directly increases the pressure of the water flowing in the main water pipe, and supplies water to the supply points such as faucets and shower heads installed in the building. Note that the type of pump device 3 in this embodiment is not limited to the direct-connection pressure-boosting type, but may also be a direct-connection direct-pressure type.

[0013] The backflow preventer 5 is connected to the pump device 3 (secondary flow path) to prevent backflow from the pump device 3 (secondary flow path) to the main water pipe (primary flow path). The backflow preventer 5 assumed in this embodiment is a pressure-reducing type backflow preventer having an intermediate chamber between the primary flow path and the secondary flow path. The backflow preventer 5 has a first check valve that prevents inflow from the intermediate chamber to the primary flow path, a second check valve that prevents inflow from the secondary flow path to the intermediate chamber, and a relief valve that discharges liquid from the intermediate chamber. The backflow preventer 5 has a structure that prevents backflow by opening the relief valve to drain the water in the intermediate chamber and forming an air layer when the first and second check valves are not functioning properly and negative pressure is applied to the primary side or back pressure is applied from the secondary side. The backflow preventer 5 includes a pressure sensor 51 that measures the pressure in the primary flow path, the intermediate chamber, and the secondary flow path, and a leak sensor 52 that detects water leakage from the intermediate chamber.

[0014] The terminal 7 is a communication terminal that can be carried by a user such as an inspection worker, and examples thereof include a notebook PC and a mobile terminal (smartphone, feature phone, tablet). Note that the terminal 7 may be a communication device configured specifically for managing the pump device 3. It may be possible to control the pump device 3 from the terminal 7. For example, an application for controlling the pump device 3 (hereinafter also referred to as a control application) may be installed, or it may be possible to control the pump device 3 from a web browser.

[0015] Next, the pump device 3 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. 2. The pump device 3 includes a control panel 30 and a pump unit 60. The pump device 3 may further include a suction pipe and a discharge pipe (not shown). The pump device 3 takes in water on the primary side through the suction pipe by the pump unit 60 and supplies water to the secondary side through the discharge pipe. The suction pipe is connected to, for example, a water branch pipe branched from the main water pipe and the pump unit 60. The discharge pipe connects the pump unit 60 and the water supply destination on its secondary side. The pump device 3 may include a plurality of pump units 60. In this case, the pump device 3 can perform an alternate operation of driving a plurality of pump units 60 alternately, a parallel operation of driving a plurality of pump units 60 simultaneously, and the like. A check valve 5 is connected to the pump unit 60 on the primary side through a pipe.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, the control panel 30 includes a short-range communicator 31, a long-range communicator 32, an input device 33, an inverter 34, an interface 35, a display device 36, a storage device 37, and a processor 38, which are connected to each other via a bus.

[0017] The short-range communicator 31 is equipped with a wireless communication module 311 compliant with a wireless communication standard such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or NFC, and performs short-range wireless communication. The short-range communicator 31 may perform short-range communication using a wired communication standard such as USB. The short-range communicator 31 performs, between the terminal 7 and itself, setting of the operation mode of the pump device 3, transmission and reception of various data, and the like via a short-range communication line.

[0018] The long-distance communicator 32 performs long-distance communication using wireless communication standards such as a mobile communication network, WiMAX, and Wi-Fi. The long-distance communicator 32 transmits and receives various data to and from the management server 1 via a long-distance communication line.

[0019] The input device 33 converts a user's instruction into an electrical signal. As the input device 33, for example, an operation panel, a touch panel, a keyboard, a mouse, various switches, etc. may be used. Note that a voice input device may be used as the input device 33. The electrical signal from the input device 33 is supplied to the processor 38 via a bus.

[0020] The inverter 34 generates power to operate the pump unit 60. Specifically, the inverter 34 supplies AC power of a predetermined frequency to the pump unit 60 (its motor). The inverter 34 also receives an inverter control signal from the processor 38. The inverter 34 operates according to the inverter control signal. For example, the inverter 34 stops or starts operation according to an inverter control signal corresponding to a stop operation signal or a start operation signal. The inverter 34 also controls the rotational speed of the motor according to an inverter control signal corresponding to a rotational speed control signal.

[0021] Specifically, the inverter 34 includes a converter circuit, a smoothing capacitor, and an inverter circuit (not shown). The converter circuit converts AC power taken in from an AC power source into DC power by rectifying it. The smoothing capacitor smooths the voltage of the DC power output by the converter circuit to obtain DC power of a substantially constant voltage. Then, the inverter circuit converts the DC power obtained by the smoothing capacitor into AC power of a predetermined frequency according to an inverter control signal (corresponding to a rotational speed control signal) from the control panel 30 and supplies it to the motor.

[0022] The interface

[0023] The display device 36 displays various data. The display device 36 can be any display, such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display, liquid crystal display, organic EL (electroluminescence) display, LED display, or plasma display. A projector may also be used as the display device 36.

[0024] The storage device 37 is a memory device such as ROM, RAM, HDD, SSD, or integrated circuit memory device that stores various types of data. The storage device 37 may be implemented by a single physical memory device, or by multiple physically separated memory devices within the pump device 3. Hereinafter, the storage device 37 will simply be referred to as memory.

[0025] The processor 38 is an arithmetic unit such as a CPU or microprocessor. The processor 38 may also be composed of dedicated circuits such as an ASIC or FPGA. The processor 38 executes various programs stored in the storage device 37 to realize the functions of a management device, such as the functions of the sensor value acquisition unit 381, the communication unit 382, ​​the calculation unit 383, the determination unit 384, and the operation control unit 385. Note that the sensor value acquisition unit 381, the calculation unit 383, the determination unit 384, and the operation control unit 385 do not necessarily have to be included in the pump device 3. For example, the sensor value acquisition unit 381, the calculation unit 383, the determination unit 384, and the operation control unit 385 may be included in the management server 1, and each process may be executed in the management server 1. Thus, the management device may be included in the pump device 3, or it may be included in the management server 1, or its components may be distributed between the pump device 3 and the management server 1, with the entire system realizing the functions of the management device.

[0026] The sensor value acquisition unit 381 acquires at least two pressure values ​​from the pressure sensor 51 located in the backflow preventer 5, which are the pressures applied to the primary flow path, the intermediate chamber, and the secondary flow path, respectively. The sensor value acquisition unit 381 may acquire the pressure values ​​from the pressure sensor 51 via a wired connection or via wireless connection.

[0027] The communication unit 382 transmits and receives operating data and pressure data such as pressure values ​​and differential pressure to and from the terminal 7 with which a connection has been established, or to the management server 1 via the long-range communication device 32. For establishing a wireless connection, for example, with Bluetooth, a wireless connection can be established through a standard pairing connection, and with Wi-Fi, a wireless connection can be established by entering the SSID and password that have been pre-configured for the Wi-Fi access point. Once a wireless connection has been established between the pump device 3 and the terminal 7, the wireless connection will be automatically established by turning on the wireless function of the terminal 7 and bringing it close to the pump device 3.

[0028] The calculation unit 383 calculates at least one of the following from the pressure values ​​acquired by the sensor value acquisition unit 381: the first differential pressure across the first check valve, the second differential pressure across the relief valve, and the third differential pressure across the second check valve.

[0029] The determination unit 384 receives differential pressure information for the first check valve, the second check valve, and the relief valve from the calculation unit 383, as well as leakage information regarding the presence or absence of water leakage from the water leakage sensor 52. Based on the differential pressure and water leakage information, the determination unit 384 determines whether or not the backflow preventer 5 is malfunctioning.

[0030] The operation control unit 385 controls the flow and stopping of water from the pump device 3 so that the first differential pressure, second differential pressure, and third differential pressure change.

[0031] Furthermore, the number of circuit boards constituting the control panel 30 can be designed arbitrarily, and it is also possible to arbitrarily design which of the following devices—short-range communication device 31, long-range communication device 32, input device 33, inverter 34, interface 35, display device 36, storage device 37, and processor 38—is physically equipped on each circuit board. In addition, although the sensor value acquisition unit 381, communication unit 382, ​​calculation unit 383, determination unit 384, and operation control unit 385 are handled by a single processor 38, they may be shared by multiple physically separated processors.

[0032] Next, an example of the configuration of the backflow preventer 5 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 3. The backflow prevention device 5 shown in Figure 3 includes a pressure sensor 51, a first check valve 53, a second check valve 54, a relief valve 55, and a water leak sensor 52.

[0033] The pressure sensor 51 specifically includes a first pressure sensor 51-1, a second pressure sensor 51-2, and a third pressure sensor 51-3. The first pressure sensor 51-1 is located on the primary side and measures the pressure in the primary side flow path. In other words, it measures the pressure applied to the first check valve 53 from the primary side. The first pressure sensor 51-1 can be located in any position as long as it is in a position where the pressure applied to the first check valve 53 can be measured.

[0034] The second pressure sensor 51-2 is located on the secondary side and measures the pressure in the secondary flow path. In other words, it measures the pressure applied to the second check valve 54 from the secondary side. Similar to the first pressure sensor 51-1, the second pressure sensor 51-2 may be located in any position as long as it is in a position where the pressure applied to the second check valve 54 can be measured.

[0035] The third pressure sensor 51-3 is located in the intermediate chamber IR and measures the pressure in the intermediate chamber IR. The third pressure sensor 51-3 can also be located in any position that allows it to measure the pressure applied to the relief valve 55. The pressure applied to the relief valve 55 can be calculated by subtracting the pressure value in the intermediate chamber IR from the pressure value on the primary side.

[0036] The first check valve 53 operates to open when water is flowing and close when water is stopped. The first check valve 53 also operates to prevent liquid that has flowed back from the secondary side and intermediate chamber from flowing into the primary side. The second check valve 54 operates similarly to the first check valve 53, opening when water is flowing and closing when water stops. The second check valve 54 also operates to prevent liquid backflow from the secondary side from entering the intermediate chamber and the primary side. The relief valve 55 opens when the primary side is under negative pressure, or when water flows in from the primary or secondary side during a water outage, and drains the liquid present in the intermediate chamber.

[0037] The leak sensor 52 is positioned below the relief valve 55, that is, below the backflow preventer 5, and detects water leakage (drainage) from the relief valve 55. The leak sensor 52 is assumed to use a resistance detection method with electrodes. In the resistance detection method, when liquid comes into contact with the two electrodes that form the detection zone, a current flows between the electrodes through the liquid, thus detecting liquid leakage. Any commonly used leak sensor can be used. Furthermore, it may be placed in the intermediate chamber as long as it can detect water leakage from the relief valve 55.

[0038] Next, a first example of operation of the management device according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the sequence diagram in Figure 4. Figure 4 is a sequence diagram showing the interaction with the management server 1 when the management device is included in the pump device 3. It is assumed that each pressure sensor 51 of the backflow preventer 5 measures the pressure value at a predetermined sampling interval, but it is not limited to this, and each pressure sensor 51 may measure the pressure value in response to measurement instructions from the management server 1 or the user of the management system via the terminal 7.

[0039] Alternatively, the water leak sensor 52 may detect the occurrence of a water leak, triggering each pressure sensor 51 to measure its pressure. For example, the water leak sensor 52 may communicate a signal indicating the occurrence of a water leak to the pump device 3 as water leak information, and the control panel 30 of the pump device 3, upon receiving this signal, may send an instruction signal to each pressure sensor 51 to measure the pressure, and upon receiving this instruction signal, each pressure sensor 51 may measure its pressure.

[0040] In step S401, the sensor value acquisition unit 381 of the pump device 3 acquires the primary side pressure value, the secondary side pressure value, and the intermediate chamber pressure value acquired by each pressure sensor 51 of the backflow preventer 5. In step S402, the calculation unit 383 of the pump device 3 calculates the differential pressure of the first check valve, the differential pressure of the second check valve, and the differential pressure when the relief valve is activated. Specifically, the differential pressure of the first check valve is calculated by subtracting the pressure value of the intermediate chamber from the pressure value of the primary side. The differential pressure of the second check valve is calculated by subtracting the pressure value of the secondary side from the pressure value of the intermediate chamber. The differential pressure when the relief valve is activated is calculated from the differential pressure of the first check valve. The differential pressures of the first check valve, the second check valve, and the relief valve may be calculated immediately after the pump device 3 is started or stopped, or they may be calculated while the pump device 3 is running or stopped.

[0041] In step S403, the determination unit 384 of the pump device 3 determines whether the backflow preventer 5 is operating normally based on the differential pressure of the first check valve, the second check valve, and the relief valve, and the leak information that has been notified if a leak has occurred. Details of the determination process will be described later in Figure 6 and subsequent figures. In step S404, the communication unit 382 of the pump device 3 transmits leakage information, the differential pressure of the first check valve, the differential pressure of the second check valve, the differential pressure of the relief valve, the result of determining whether the backflow preventer 5 is operating normally, and date information regarding the date on which the pressure values ​​were acquired to an external source, in this case the management server 1. The communication unit 382 may also transmit at least one of the pressure values ​​acquired by the sensor value acquisition unit 381 and the differential pressure calculated by the calculation unit 383 to an external source, in this case the management server 1.

[0042] In step S405, the management server 1 receives and stores leakage information, the differential pressure of the first check valve, the differential pressure of the second check valve, the differential pressure of the relief valve, the result of the determination of whether the backflow preventer 5 is operating normally, and date information from the pump device 3. This allows the system to store information on whether or not the leak is normal if the backflow preventer 5 leaks. In step S404, the pump device 3 may simply send the determination result of whether the backflow preventer 5 is operating normally and the date information to the management server 1. While these two types of information can substitute for periodic inspections, it is desirable to also send differential pressure information as the basis for the determination result. The pump device 3 may also send the primary side pressure value, the secondary side pressure value, and the intermediate chamber pressure value to the management server 1. Furthermore, the date information is not limited to being sent from the pump device 3; the management server 1 may store date information acquired when it receives various information from the pump device 3, associating it with the various information.

[0043] Next, a second example of operation of the management device according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the sequence diagram in Figure 5. Figure 4 shows the case where the management device is included in the pump device 3, but Figure 5 shows an example of the operation of the management system when the functions of the management device are distributed between the pump device 3 and the management server 1.

[0044] In step S501, the sensor value acquisition unit 381 of the pump device 3 acquires the primary side pressure value, the secondary side pressure value, and the intermediate chamber pressure value acquired by each pressure sensor 51 of the backflow preventer 5. In step S502, the communication unit 382 of the pump device 3 transmits the primary side pressure value, the secondary side pressure value, the intermediate chamber pressure value, and date information related to the date on which the pressure values ​​were acquired to the management server 1.

[0045] In step S503, the calculation unit 383 of the management server 1 calculates the differential pressure of the first check valve, the differential pressure of the second check valve, and the differential pressure of the relief valve based on the received primary side pressure value, secondary side pressure value, intermediate chamber pressure value, and date information. In step S504, the determination unit 384 of the management server 1 determines whether the backflow preventer 5 is operating normally based on the differential pressure of the first check valve, the second check valve, and the relief valve, and the leak information that has been notified if a leak has occurred. In step S505, the management server 1 stores the water leakage information, the differential pressure of the first check valve, the differential pressure of the second check valve, the differential pressure of the relief valve, the determination result from step S504, and date information. Note that leak information is intended to be notified only when a leak occurs; therefore, if no leak has occurred, no notification will be sent to management server 1, etc. However, information indicating that no leak has occurred may be included as leak information, in which case it is sufficient for management server 1, etc., to be notified of the presence or absence of a leak.

[0046] Next, a specific example of the determination process of the management device according to the first embodiment, for example, the determination process related to step S403 shown in Figure 4 or step S504 shown in Figure 5, will be described with reference to the flowchart in Figure 6.

[0047] In step S601, the determination unit 384 determines whether or not a water leak has occurred based on the water leak information. If a water leak has occurred, the process proceeds to step S602; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S605. In step S602, the determination unit 384 determines whether the differential pressure of the relief valve is below a threshold. If the differential pressure of the relief valve is below the threshold, the process proceeds to step S603; if the differential pressure of the relief valve is greater than the threshold, the process proceeds to step S604.

[0048] In step S603, the relief valve's normal operation is that leakage occurs when the pressure difference between the primary side and the intermediate chamber approaches. However, it is thought that the relief valve only opens when the pressure difference of the relief valve falls below a threshold, for example, 14 kPa or less, and water begins to leak from the intermediate chamber. Therefore, the determination unit 384 determines that the relief valve is malfunctioning and the backflow preventer 5 is abnormal. In step S604, a water leak occurs when the pressure difference between the primary side and the intermediate chamber is approaching, and the determination unit 384 determines that the relief valve is operating normally.

[0049] In step S605, the determination unit 384 determines whether the differential pressure of the relief valve is below a threshold. If the differential pressure of the relief valve is below the threshold, the process proceeds to step S606; if the differential pressure of the relief valve is greater than the threshold, the process proceeds to step S607. In step S606, since there is no water leakage despite the differential pressure of the relief valve being below the threshold, and it is considered that the relief valve is malfunctioning, the determination unit 384 determines that there is an abnormality in the backflow preventer 5. In step S607, since there is no water leakage at differential pressures greater than the threshold, the determination unit 384 determines that the backflow preventer 5 is operating normally.

[0050] The order of steps S601, S602, and S605 does not matter; it is sufficient to determine whether the backflow preventer 5 is functioning normally or abnormally based on the combination of the two conditions. In other words, it is also possible to first determine whether the differential pressure of the relief valve is below the threshold, as shown in step S602, and then determine whether a water leak has occurred, as shown in step S601.

[0051] Furthermore, the timing of pressure value measurement in Figures 4 and 5 may be triggered by the occurrence of a water leak. That is, the pressure value may be acquired after the water leak sensor 52 detects that a water leak has occurred. As a result, only the differential pressure at the time of the water leak is stored in the management server 1, thus reducing the amount of data.

[0052] Next, Figure 7 shows an example of pump information stored in the management server 1. Figure 7 shows an example of pump information stored in the management device. It includes an ID to uniquely identify the pump device, the date on which information such as pressure and differential pressure was acquired, the leak status, the status of the backflow preventer, and the differential pressure and pressure values ​​of each backflow preventer, all of which are associated with the device. By centrally managing information for each pump device 3 on the management server 1 in this way, efficient operation can be achieved. Of course, in addition to the information shown in Figure 7, any other information related to the pump device, such as the date and time of the most recent maintenance and the operator ID, may be managed.

[0053] According to the first embodiment described above, a sensor is placed on the backflow preventer, and pressure values ​​are acquired from the sensor. The differential pressure across each valve of the backflow preventer is calculated from the acquired pressure values, and it is determined whether the backflow preventer is operating normally based on the differential pressure and leakage information. The result of this determination is transmitted from the pump device to the management server, where various information is managed. This allows the management server to remotely obtain information on whether a leak in the backflow preventer is normal, thus replacing periodic on-site inspections by inspection personnel. Therefore, the burden on inspection personnel is reduced. Furthermore, by measuring the differential pressure at predetermined intervals, the backflow preventer can be constantly monitored, enabling early detection of any abnormalities.

[0054] (Second embodiment) In the second embodiment, by considering operating information in addition to each pressure value and each differential pressure, it is possible to detect more detailed information, such as whether the backflow preventer 5 is operating normally, as well as which valve is malfunctioning. A block diagram of the pump device 3, including the control device according to the second embodiment, will be described with reference to Figure 8.

[0055] The pump device 3 according to the second embodiment further includes an operation information acquisition unit 801 in addition to the configuration of the pump device 3 according to the first embodiment. The operation information acquisition unit 801 acquires operation information regarding the operating status of the pump device 3 determined by the control panel 30. The operation information includes, for example, information such as normal operation, temporary stoppage, power supply stoppage, under test, and malfunction.

[0056] Next, the details of the determination process by the management device according to the second embodiment will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 9. In step S901, the operation information acquisition unit 801 acquires operation information. Based on the operation information, the determination unit 384 determines whether the pump device 3 is stopped, under temporary negative pressure, or in operation. For example, if the operation information is "temporarily stopped" or "power supply stopped," it is sufficient to determine that the pump device 3 is stopped. If the pump device 3 is stopped, the process proceeds to step S902; if the pump device 3 is in operation, the process proceeds to step S907.

[0057] In step S902, the determination unit 384 determines whether the pressure in the intermediate chamber has risen. For example, the pressure value of the intermediate chamber when the backflow preventer 5 is operating normally, measured during pump installation or startup, is used as a reference value. If the pressure in the intermediate chamber exceeds this reference value, it is determined that the pressure in the intermediate chamber has risen. Alternatively, even if the pressure in the intermediate chamber is not obtained, if the pressure value on the primary side is lower than the similarly measured reference value, it may be determined that the pressure in the intermediate chamber has risen. If the pressure in the intermediate chamber has risen, the process proceeds to step S903; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S906.

[0058] In step S903, the determination unit 384 determines whether or not there is a water leak. If there is a water leak, the process proceeds to step S904; if there is no water leak, the process proceeds to step S905. In step S904, the determination unit 384 can determine that at least one of the first or second check valve is malfunctioning because the pressure in the intermediate chamber is rising despite the water being stopped. Furthermore, since there is a water leak, it can be determined that the relief valve is functioning normally. In step S905, the determination unit 384 determines that the second check valve is faulty because there is no water leakage from the relief valve despite the pressure in the intermediate chamber rising. Alternatively, it can also determine that the relief valve is faulty because there is no water leakage despite the pressure in the intermediate chamber rising. In step S906, the determination unit 384 determines that the backflow preventer 5 is functioning normally.

[0059] In step S907, the determination unit 384 determines whether or not there is a water leak during operation. If there is a water leak, the process proceeds to step S908. On the other hand, if there is no water leak, the process proceeds to step S906, and the backflow preventer 5 is determined to be functioning normally. In step S908, the determination unit 384 determines that there is a water leak during operation, and therefore either the relief valve or the first check valve is faulty. The reason why a faulty first check valve is also a possibility is that if the first check valve fails and loses its function, the pressure from the primary side is directly transmitted to the intermediate chamber, and the pressures on the primary side and the intermediate chamber balance out. Therefore, if the relief valve is functioning normally, a water leak will occur, so a faulty first check valve is also a possibility. This concludes the estimation process of the control device according to the second embodiment.

[0060] According to the second embodiment described above, abnormalities in the backflow preventer are determined based on operating information in addition to each pressure value, each differential pressure, and leakage information. This, as with the first embodiment, replaces periodic on-site inspections by inspection personnel, reduces the burden of inspection work, and enables early detection of abnormalities. Furthermore, it is possible to detect abnormalities in the first check valve, second check valve, and relief valve of the backflow preventer, for example, based on leakage during operation, leakage while stopped, differential pressure, etc. Therefore, detailed information can be aggregated and centrally managed by the management server.

[0061] (Third embodiment) In the third embodiment, machine learning is used to calculate the probability of an abnormality (such as a malfunction) occurring in the backflow preventer 5 from pump information such as each pressure value and each differential pressure. An example of the configuration of the management device according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 10. The management server 1 includes a storage unit 1001, a learning unit 1002, and a model execution unit 1003. Other components of the management device, namely the calculation unit 383 and the determination unit 384, may be included in the pump device 3 or in the management server 1. The storage unit 1001 receives and stores pump information such as pressure values, differential pressures, water leakage information, and operating information transmitted from the pump device 3. The learning unit 1002 uses the pressure values, differential pressures, leakage information, and operating information stored in the storage unit 1001 as training data to train a machine learning model, such as a neural network, and generate a trained model. The model execution unit 1003 estimates the likelihood of a failure in the backflow preventer 5 by inputting newly acquired pressure values, differential pressures, leakage information, and operating information into the trained model. Specifically, for example, it may estimate the location where a failure is likely to occur and the time when the failure is predicted to occur (hereinafter also referred to as the predicted time).

[0062] For example, during the training phase of a machine learning model, the learning unit 1002 uses the location and date / time of the failure as ground truth data, and trains the machine learning model using training data that includes pressure values, differential pressures, water leakage information, operating information, and the date and time when this information was acquired, all prior to the date and time of the failure, as input data, to generate a trained model.

[0063] Subsequently, when using the trained model, the model execution unit 1003 inputs newly acquired pressure values, differential pressures, leakage information, operating information, and date and time from the pump device 3 into the trained model, and outputs the location where a failure is likely to occur and the predicted timing as an estimation result. Specifically, it can output an estimation result such as "Location where a failure is likely to occur: First check valve, predicted timing of occurrence: 6 months later." Of course, the output example of the estimation result is not limited to this, and it may also be a visually easy-to-recognize display, such as illustrating the backflow preventer 5 and highlighting the relevant location, or it may be notified by voice. In other words, any notification method is acceptable as long as the location where a failure is likely to occur and the predicted timing can be notified to the operator or the administrator of the management server 1.

[0064] As training data, all past data up to the point when sensor information acquisition began may be used as input data, starting from the location and date and time when the fault occurred, which serves as the correct data. Alternatively, sensor information and operating information acquired in predetermined intervals may be used as input data, such as each pressure value, each differential pressure, and operating information acquired one week before the date and time in question, and each pressure value, each differential pressure, and operating information acquired one month before the date and time in question. In addition, statistical values ​​such as the mean and variance of each pressure value and each differential pressure acquired one week before the date and time in question may be used as input data, calculated for predetermined intervals.

[0065] Furthermore, each time the control device acquires a pressure value and differential pressure, it may calculate the variance or deviation of the previously acquired pressure values ​​and differential pressures, and use the pressure values ​​and differential pressures at the date and time when the variance or deviation exceeds a threshold as input data. This allows the system to primarily learn from data representing situations that are considered to be signs of failure, where values ​​different from normal operating conditions are acquired.

[0066] Furthermore, any network model suitable for tasks that output predicted values, such as deep neural networks or convolutional neural networks, may be used as the machine learning model. While it is desirable to train the machine learning model using as much information as possible obtained from the pump device 3, the model may also be trained using differential pressure and leakage information as training data, not limited to the example described above.

[0067] According to the third embodiment described above, a trained model is generated by training a machine learning model using pump information such as pressure values, differential pressure, leakage information, and operating information. By inputting newly acquired pump information into this trained model, it is possible to estimate the locations where failures are likely to occur and the predicted timing of those failures. This improves the efficiency of maintenance.

[0068] In the above embodiment, it is assumed that the determination of whether each valve is functioning normally is made by considering naturally occurring water leakage situations. However, the system is not limited to this, and situations in which water leakage can be intentionally created may also be set up. For example, the operation control unit 385 alternately transmits inverter control signals indicating operation stop or operation start to the inverter 34 at predetermined intervals, thereby controlling the pump unit 60 to repeatedly stop and start water flow so that the first differential pressure, second differential pressure, and third differential pressure change. This type of control allows for the creation of conditions in which water leakage may occur immediately after operation starts, enabling water leakage to be detected at a desired timing and allowing inspection of the backflow preventer to be carried out.

[0069] At least a portion of the processing in each of the above embodiments can also be implemented using, for example, a processor installed in a general-purpose computer as the basic hardware. The program that implements the above processing may be provided stored on a computer-readable recording medium. The program is stored on the recording medium as an installable file or an executable file. The recording medium may be a magnetic disk, an optical disk (CD-ROM, CD-R, DVD, Blu-ray® Disc, etc.), a magneto-optical disk (MO, etc.), or a semiconductor memory. Any recording medium that can store a program and is readable by a computer may be used. Alternatively, the program that implements the above processing may be stored on a computer (server) connected to a network such as the Internet and downloaded to a computer (client) via the network.

[0070] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways during implementation without departing from its essence. Furthermore, each embodiment may be combined as appropriate, and in that case, the combined effects can be obtained. Moreover, the above embodiments include various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by selecting combinations from the multiple constituent elements disclosed. For example, if the problem can be solved and effects obtained even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiment, then the configuration with these deleted constituent elements can be extracted as an invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1...Management server, 3...Pump device, 5...Backflow preventer, 7...Terminal, 30...Control panel, 31...Short-range communication device, 32...Long-range communication device, 33...Input device, 34...Inverter, 35...Interface, 36...Display device, 37...Storage device, 38...Processor, 51...Pressure sensor, 52...Water leak sensor, 53...First check valve, 54...Second check valve, 55...Relief valve, 381...Sensor value acquisition unit, 382...Communication unit, 383...Calculation unit, 384...Decision unit, 385...Operation control unit, 801...Operation information acquisition unit.

Claims

1. A backflow preventer having an intermediate chamber between a primary side flow path and a secondary side flow path, a first check valve that prevents inflow from the intermediate chamber to the primary side flow path, a second check valve that prevents inflow from the secondary side flow path to the intermediate chamber, and a relief valve that discharges liquid from the intermediate chamber, wherein a first acquisition unit acquires two pressure values ​​between the primary side flow path and the intermediate chamber, A calculation unit that calculates the differential pressure between the two pressure values, It is equipped with, The first acquisition unit further acquires leakage information relating to the leakage from the relief valve, A control device further comprising a determination unit that determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the relief valve based on the calculated differential pressure and the leakage information.

2. The system further comprises a second acquisition unit for acquiring operating information of the pump device, The first acquisition unit further acquires the differential pressure between the secondary flow path and the intermediate chamber. The control device according to claim 1, which determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the first check valve based on the differential pressure related to the first check valve and the operating information, and determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the second check valve based on the differential pressure related to the second check valve and the operating information.

3. The control device according to Claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines that there is an abnormality in the relief valve when the differential pressure is below a threshold and the water leakage information indicates that there is no water leakage.

4. Using the location and date / time of the failure in the aforementioned backflow preventer as the ground truth data, and the pressure values, differential pressures, pump operation information, and corresponding date / time information prior to the date / time of the failure as input data, the trained model generated by training the network model is used. The management device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a model execution unit that inputs pressure values ​​and operating information acquired by the first acquisition unit, differential pressure calculated by the calculation unit, and corresponding date and time information into the learned model to estimate at least one of a location where a failure may occur and a predicted time when such failure is expected to occur.

5. In a backflow preventer having an intermediate chamber between a primary side flow path and a secondary side flow path, a first check valve that prevents inflow from the intermediate chamber to the primary side flow path, a second check valve that prevents inflow from the secondary side flow path to the intermediate chamber, and a relief valve that discharges liquid from the intermediate chamber, two pressure values ​​are obtained between the primary side flow path and the intermediate chamber. The differential pressure between the two aforementioned pressure values ​​is calculated, Further information regarding water leakage from the aforementioned relief valve is obtained, Based on the calculated differential pressure and the leakage information, it is determined whether or not there is a problem with the relief valve. Management method.

6. Computers, A backflow preventer having an intermediate chamber between a primary side flow path and a secondary side flow path, a first check valve that prevents inflow from the intermediate chamber to the primary side flow path, a second check valve that prevents inflow from the secondary side flow path to the intermediate chamber, and a relief valve that discharges liquid from the intermediate chamber, wherein a first acquisition means acquires two pressure values ​​between the primary side flow path and the intermediate chamber, A calculation means for calculating the differential pressure between the two aforementioned pressure values, A second acquisition means for acquiring leakage information regarding water leakage from the relief valve, A management program that functions as a determination means for determining whether or not there is an abnormality in the relief valve based on the calculated differential pressure and the leakage information.

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