JP2003057098A - Maintenance mechanism of field measuring instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the wiring cost of an introduced measuring instrument for realizing high and efficient maintenance functions such as presuming the cause of troubles about products. SOLUTION: The maintenance mechanism of a field measuring instrument comprises field measuring units 20, 30 having radio mechanisms 5, 15 for sending information, and battery-driven compact sensors 27 mounted around the units 20, 30 for receiving the sent information from the mechanisms 5, 15 to determine the condition of the units 20, 30 from the received information.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a maintenance mechanism for a field instrument, which enables diagnosis of the condition of the field instrument.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In conventional field instruments, it is necessary to improve the efficiency and efficiency of maintenance by estimating the deterioration state of products, the influence of the surrounding environment, the cause of troubles, etc. If you try to install and install a meter, the wiring cost will increase accordingly. In addition, since the conventional field instrument does not acquire the process value for the purpose of maintenance, there is little information for estimating the cause of trouble, and it is difficult to estimate the cause of trouble occurrence.

Further, a conventional logmeter stores a data in its own storage device and uses a dedicated driver to provide a general-purpose communication circuit such as RS communication for coupling between a field instrument and a host PC (personal computer). Although the data is transferred to the higher-level PC by utilizing it, the data transfer to the higher-level PC is not easy.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is to enhance the maintenance functions such as the deterioration state of field instruments, the estimation of the influence of the surrounding environment, and the estimation of the cause of trouble, It is an object of the present invention to provide a field instrument maintenance mechanism that reduces the wiring cost of an instrument to be introduced in order to improve efficiency.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 has a field instrument mounted with a wireless mechanism and a field instrument mounted around the field instrument and mounted with the wireless mechanism. A maintenance mechanism for a field instrument comprising a battery-operated small sensor, wherein the small sensor receives information sent from a wireless mechanism of the field instrument, and the state of the field instrument is determined by the received information. Is characterized by.

Therefore, according to the invention described in claim 1,
Since information is transmitted and received by the wireless mechanism provided in the field instrument and the small sensor, it is possible to improve the efficiency and efficiency of maintenance such as product deterioration status and cause estimation when trouble occurs, as well as wireless communication. Wiring is not required because information is transmitted and received by the mechanism, which allows wiring costs to be eliminated. In addition, because a small sensor is installed around the field instrument, check that the field instrument is operating correctly. It becomes possible to do it.

The invention described in claim 2 is the same as claim 1
In addition to the configuration described in (1), the small sensor is used as a vibration sensor, and a field instrument that detects pipe vibration and issues an alarm so as to remove the frequency of the pipe vibration from the signal frequency of the vibration sensor is provided.

Therefore, according to the invention of claim 2,
A vibration sensor is used as a small sensor, and an alarm is issued to remove the pipe vibration frequency from the vibration sensor signal frequency, so it is easy to see that the vibration sensor signal frequency has approached the pipe vibration frequency, and immediately the vibration sensor It becomes possible to keep the signal frequency away from the frequency of pipe vibration, and it is possible to instruct the support position of the pipe and retightening.

Further, in the invention described in claim 3, in addition to the structure described in claim 1, the small sensor is a temperature sensor, and the temperature of the fluid density is corrected from the obtained temperature,
It is characterized by being provided with an electromagnetic flow meter for performing mass conversion.

Therefore, according to the invention of claim 3,
A temperature sensor is used as a small sensor, and the temperature obtained from the temperature sensor is used by an electromagnetic flow meter to correct the temperature of the density of the fluid, whereby mass conversion becomes possible.

The invention described in claim 4 is the same as claim 1.
In addition to the configuration described in (1), the small sensor is an ultrasonic sensor, the ultrasonic sensor is mounted on a pressure guiding tube of a differential pressure transmitter, and a field instrument for determining a clogged state based on a difference in acoustic characteristics is provided. And

Therefore, according to the invention of claim 4,
Since the ultrasonic sensor is used as the small sensor and the ultrasonic sensor is mounted on the pressure guiding tube of the differential pressure transmitter, the clogging state can be determined by the acoustic characteristics.

Further, in addition to the configuration of claim 1, the invention according to claim 5 further comprises a memory which is attachable to and detachable from the field instrument, and in addition to the data of the field instrument itself, Characterized by logging data.

Therefore, according to the invention of claim 5,
Since the memory card, which is a removable memory, is provided in the field instrument, the data can be stored in the memory card, and the data can be easily transferred to the PC (personal computer), which is complicated. Analysis can be performed, and by logging the data of the small sensor, it is also possible to diagnose the field instrument (state determination) from long-term data.

The invention according to claim 6 is a field instrument maintenance mechanism having a function of receiving a process value from another field instrument by wire or wirelessly,
The automatic calibration mode that receives the process value from another field instrument and integrates the value and the flow rate value measured by the field instrument are also integrated, and the results are compared for a predetermined time and the difference is calculated. It is characterized by comprising means for calculating and means for changing the calibration value specific to the field instrument.

Therefore, according to the invention of claim 6,
Using a flow meter as a field instrument, receive process values from other flow meters, integrate the values, and also integrate the flow values measured by the field instrument itself, compare the results, and calculate the difference. Since it is equipped with an automatic calibration function that changes the calibration value specific to the field instrument, it is possible to reduce the burden of user's calibration work.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, a field instrument maintenance mechanism according to the present invention comprises a plurality of field instruments 20 and 30,
It is a combination of small sensors 27. Field instrument 2
0 and 30 are, for example, a flow meter, a pressure gauge, a vibration meter, a level meter, and the like. A plurality of small sensors 27 may be installed.

The field instrument 20 includes the sensor 1,
It is composed of an analog amplification / band limiting circuit 2, an A / D converter 3, an arithmetic processing / control circuit 4, a wireless communication circuit 5, and other output devices. As for other output devices, either or both of the digital communication circuit 6 and the current output circuit 7 are mounted. The field instrument 30 has the same configuration as the field instrument 20.

The small sensor 27 includes a battery 24 and a sensor 2.
1, an A / D converter 22, a communication unit 23, and an antenna 29.

The small sensor 27 has a clamp-on structure which is attached from the outside of the pipe. Further, the small sensor 27 is provided with a battery remaining amount detection circuit 25 capable of measuring the remaining amount of the battery 24 and has a function of transmitting it to the host PC. In addition, the field instruments 20 and 30 are the small sensors 2
The presence / absence of communication of No. 7 is confirmed, and if the communication is not possible, an error is notified to the host PC.

FIG. 2 shows a compact sensor 2 having a clamp-on structure.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which attached 7 near the field instrument 40. A small sensor 27 for the purpose of maintenance is attached around the field instrument 40, and the operating state of the field device can be checked in more detail based on the information from the small sensor 27. Since the small sensor 27 is wirelessly output and driven by a battery, no wiring is required, and vibration, flow rate, pressure, temperature, etc. are measured.

A vibration sensor is adopted as an example of such a small sensor 27, and it is assumed that the small sensor 27 is arranged in a field instrument, for example, a peripheral pipe of a vortex flowmeter or a capacitive electromagnetic flowmeter, and the diagnosis thereof is performed. The operation will be described.

A small sensor (vibration sensor) 27 for the vortex flowmeter
When the small sensor 27 detects that the frequency of the pipe vibration is close to the signal frequency, the vortex flowmeter receives the detection signal from the small sensor 27 and outputs an alarm. Then, the support position of the pipe, the retightening, and the like are instructed to change the vibration frequency of the pipe vibration from the host PC that has received the alarm.

When a small sensor (vibration sensor) 27 is installed in the capacitive electromagnetic flow meter, if the frequency detected by the small sensor 27 is an integral multiple of the signal detection frequency, this detection signal is sent. The received capacitive electromagnetic flow meter is
Change the excitation frequency. .

Next, when a temperature sensor is used as the small sensor 27 and the temperature sensor is installed around the electromagnetic flowmeter, the temperature of the density is corrected from the detected temperature value to convert it into mass, and the span / zero correction is performed. It will be.

An ultrasonic sensor may be used as an example of the small sensor 27, and the small sensor 27 may be mounted around the pressure guiding tube of the differential pressure transmitter. At this time, the time difference between the transmitted and received sound waves is transferred to the transmitter, and the transmitter itself determines the clogging condition.
In that case, the ultrasonic sensor may have a determination function.

At this time, a removable data integrity memory is mounted in the field instrument 40, and the field instrument 4
In addition to the zero data, the data of the small sensor 30 may be logged to make a diagnosis from long-term data.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the memory card 45 capable of accumulating data is inserted into the field instrument 40. At this time, the data to be logged is 1. Date / time,
2. Measurement data such as flow rate and fluid resistance, 3. status,
4. Event mark, 5. This is data such as parameter changes. When the processing is complicated and the field instrument 40 cannot diagnose the data, the memory card 45 is attachable / detachable. Therefore, the memory card 45 may be removed and data may be loaded into a computer for analysis and diagnosis.

Next, the automatic calibration function of the field instrument shown in FIG. 4 will be described. FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the instruments, and FIG. 4B is a block diagram of the automatic calibration function.

In this embodiment, a flow meter is used as the field instrument. The flow meter (M2) is the other flow meter (M2
It has a function of receiving the process value from 1) by wire or wirelessly. This flow meter (M2) has an automatic calibration mode, and when it enters this mode, it receives a process value from another flow meter (M1) (a process value receiving function 53 of another Meter (flow meter)). , That value is integrated (other Me
ter (flow meter) integration function 54). At the same time (M
The flow rate value measured in 2) is also integrated (flow rate measurement function 50). Then, finally, the calculated flow rate value is output (output function 51).

In this flow meter (M2), the predetermined time and the integrated result are compared and the difference is calculated. Depending on the result, the calibration value specific to the device is changed. In this way, by providing the flow meter with the automatic calibration function, it is possible to reduce the burden of the calibration work on the user.

[0033]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, the wiring cost of the instrument to be introduced is eliminated in order to enhance the function and efficiency of maintenance such as the deterioration state of the product, the influence of the surrounding environment, the cause estimation when trouble occurs. It will be possible. In addition, a small sensor that measures the operating environment around the field instrument makes it possible to diagnose whether the field instrument is operating properly.

Further, by equipping the field instrument with a detachable memory for logging the data of the small sensor, the memory can be detached and the data can be fetched into the computer for complex analysis. Further, by providing the automatic calibration function in the field instrument, the instrument automatically performs the calibration work, so that the burden of the calibration work on the user can be reduced.

Further, by storing the data in a memory card which can be attached to and detached from the field instrument, the data can be easily transferred to a PC (personal computer).
By using such a removable memory card, it becomes convenient to store and use data in a battery instrument that is located in a place where the transmission line cannot be drawn or where there is no communication base station, and it has a long life. Memory replacement becomes easy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a small sensor is attached near a field instrument.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing insertion of a memory card into a field instrument.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram regarding an automatic calibration function. (A) is a schematic diagram showing an automatic calibration function in a flow meter.
(B) is a block diagram showing an automatic calibration function.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 10 sensor 2,12 Analog amplification and band limiting circuit 3, 13 A / D converter 4, 14 Arithmetic processing / control circuit 8, 18 power supply 5,15 Wireless communication circuit 6, 16 Digital communication circuit 7, 17 Current output circuit 20, 30, 40 field instruments 27 Small sensor

Front page continuation (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G01F 1/58 G01F 1/58 L

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A maintenance mechanism for a field instrument, comprising: a field instrument equipped with a wireless mechanism; and a battery-powered small sensor mounted around the field instrument and equipped with the wireless mechanism. A maintenance mechanism for a field instrument, wherein the small sensor receives information sent from a wireless mechanism, and the state of the field instrument is determined based on the received information. 2. The field sensor according to claim 1, wherein the small sensor is a vibration sensor, and a field instrument for detecting pipe vibration and issuing an alarm so as to remove the frequency of the pipe vibration from a signal frequency of the vibration sensor is provided. Field instrument maintenance mechanism described in. 3. The field instrument according to claim 1, further comprising: an electromagnetic flow meter that performs temperature correction of the density of the fluid based on the obtained temperature and performs mass conversion based on the obtained temperature. Conservation mechanism. 4. The miniature sensor is an ultrasonic sensor, the ultrasonic sensor is mounted on a pressure guiding tube of a differential pressure transmitter, and a field instrument for judging a clogged state based on a difference in acoustic characteristics is provided. The maintenance mechanism for a field instrument according to claim 1. 5. The maintenance of a field instrument according to claim 1, wherein the field instrument has a removable memory, and data of the small instrument is logged in addition to data of the field instrument itself. mechanism. 6. A maintenance mechanism of a field instrument having a function of receiving a process value from another field instrument by wire or wirelessly, receiving a process value from another field instrument, and integrating the value. An automatic calibration mode, means for accumulating flow rate values measured by the field instrument, means for calculating a difference between a predetermined time and an integrated result, and means for changing a calibration value specific to the field instrument. A maintenance mechanism for a field instrument, comprising: