CLIAMS:1. A locomotive exhaust gas analytical attachment for use in analysis of exhaust gas discharged from a locomotive (10), comprising:
a substantially tubular connecting member having one end opening connected to an opening end of an exhaust pipe (13) provided in the locomotive (10) and the other end formed as an air-vent opening to atmosphere and having a cross-sectional area of a flow path which is substantially equal to or larger than an opening area at the opening end (13x) of the exhaust pipe (13); and
a sampling tube which is provided in the connecting member for sampling the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust pipe.

2. The locomotive exhaust gas analytical attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting member (21) is formed to have a straight pipe shape extending in one direction and is connected so that a central axis thereof is substantially coincident with a central axis at the opening end (13x) of the exhaust pipe (13).

3. The locomotive exhaust gas analytical attachment as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein a tip end (22x) of the sampling tube (22) extends into an internal space of the connecting member (21) and is opened toward a side of the exhaust pipe (13).

4. The locomotive exhaust gas analytical attachment as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein a cross-sectional area of a flow path of the sampling tube (22) is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the connecting member (21).

5. A locomotive exhaust gas analysis system (100) comprising:
the locomotive exhaust gas analytical attachment (2) as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4;
an analytical instrument (3) for analyzing the exhaust gas; and
an exhaust gas inlet tube (4) which is connected to the sampling tube (22) and leads the exhaust gas sampled by the sampling tube (22) to the analytical instrument (3).

6. The locomotive exhaust gas analysis system (100) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the exhaust gas inlet tube (4) is provided with a suction pump for sucking the exhaust gas from the sampling tube (22).

7. The locomotive exhaust gas analysis system (100) as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the analytical instrument (3) is mounted on a railway vehicle (RC), and
the exhaust gas inlet tube (4) includes: an external conduit (41) which is provided outside the railway vehicle (RC) and is connected to the sampling tube (22); and an internal conduit (42) which is provided inside the railway vehicle (RC) in order to introduce the exhaust gas to the analytical instrument (3).

8. The locomotive exhaust gas analysis system (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the external conduit (41) is configured by connecting a plurality of conduits, and at least a partial portion of the plurality of conduits is a flexible conduit (411a).
,TagSPECI:FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2006
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
[See section 10, Rule 13]

1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION: LOCOMOTIVE EXHAUST GAS ANALYTICAL ATTACHMENT AND LOCOMOTIVE EXHAUST GAS ANALYSIS SYSTEM

2. APPLICANT
i) Name: HORIBA, Ltd.
ii) Nationality: Company incorporated according to business laws in Japan
iii) Address: 2, Miyanohigashi-cho, Kisshoin, Minami-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 601-8510, Japan.

3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION

THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES THE INVENTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS TO BE PERFORMED:

Technical Field
The present invention relates to an analytical attachment for analyzing exhaust gas discharged from a locomotive such as, for example, a diesel locomotive and the like and to an exhaust gas analysis system using the attachment.

Background Art
An exhaust gas analysis system for analyzing exhaust gas discharged from a locomotive is disclosed in Patent Literature 1. Specifically, in Patent Literature 1, disclosed is the exhaust gas analysis system including: a gas analyzer assembly; a sampling tube (probe) for sampling the exhaust gas generated by a vehicle engine; and a conduit for connecting the sampling tube to the gas analyzer. And as one example of the vehicle, a locomotive is exemplified.
However, in Patent Literature 1, there is only disclosed a locomotive as one example of a vehicle, and there is not disclosed how to attach the sampling tube to the exhaust pipe provided in the locomotive and a specific configuration thereof at all. In particular, since the exhaust pipe of the locomotive is configured to have an opening mainly formed in a roof of the locomotive so as to discharge the exhaust gas upward, it is difficult to simply provide the sampling tube used in the conventional exhaust gas analysis system.
Further, it is also possible that an exhaust gas inlet tube for introducing the exhaust gas into the gas analyzer is connected to the exhaust pipe of the locomotive to thereby flow the entire amount of the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust pipe.
However, as described above, a difference between an exhaust rate and exhaust pressure of the exhaust gas in an idling state of the locomotive and an exhaust rate and exhaust pressure of the exhaust gas in a running state of the locomotive is considerably large. Therefore, following problems occur.
That is, since the exhaust rate and exhaust pressure of the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust pipe are small in the idling state, it is difficult to introduce the exhaust gas to the gas analyzer. Meanwhile, since the exhaust rate and exhaust pressure of the exhaust gas are large in the running state, a pressure loss in the exhaust gas inlet tube becomes large. Therefore, the engine cannot be operated in a normal state and it becomes difficult to perform an accurate analysis.

Citation List
Patent Literature
Patent Literature 1: JP-A2002-98618

Summary of Invention
Technical Problem
Therefore, the present invention has been made in order to simultaneously solve the above problems, and an essential object thereof is to ensure that exhaust gas of an engine mounted on a locomotive can be sampled and analyzed by reducing a pressure loss in an exhaust gas inlet tube without preventing an operation of the engine.
Solution to Problem
That is, a locomotive exhaust gas analytical attachment according to the present invention is intended to be used in analysis of exhaust gas discharged from a locomotive, and this locomotive exhaust gas analytical attachment is characterized by including: a substantially tubular connecting member having one end opening connected to an opening end of an exhaust pipe provided in the locomotive and the other end formed as an air-vent opening to atmosphere and having a cross-sectional area of a flow path which is substantially equal to or larger than an opening area at the opening end of the exhaust pipe; and a sampling tube which is provided in the connecting member for sampling the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust pipe. Here, the substantially tubular connecting member includes not only a tubular connecting member having a side wall which is continuous in a circumferential direction but also a partially tubular connecting member having a notch in a part in the circumferential direction.
With this locomotive exhaust gas analytical attachment, by connecting the connecting member provided with the sampling tube to the opening end of the exhaust pipe provided in the locomotive, the exhaust gas can be sampled from the sampling tube, and therefore it is possible to facilitate installation of the sampling tube to the exhaust pipe of the locomotive.
Here, since the connecting member is formed to have a substantially tubular shape, sampling of the atmosphere gas other than the exhaust gas from the sampling tube can be suppressed and therefore the exhaust gas can be surely sampled. Specifically, in a configuration having a suction pump for sucking exhaust gas from the sampling tube, the effect thereof becomes remarkable.
Moreover, the connecting member provided with the sampling tube is formed to have a substantially tubular shape having the cross-sectional area of the flow path which is substantially equal to or larger than the opening area of the exhaust pipe and, in a state that one end opening is connected to the opening end of the exhaust pipe, the other end opening at an opposite side to the exhaust pipe in the connecting member is formed as an air-vent opening to the atmosphere, and therefore it is possible to reduce the pressure loss of the flow path composed of the exhaust pipe and connecting member, and it becomes possible to sample the exhaust gas while reproducing a normal running operating condition without preventing the operation of the engine.
It is desirable that the connecting member is formed to have a straight pipe shape extending in one direction and is connected so that a central axis thereof is substantially coincident with a central axis at the opening end of the exhaust pipe.
With this configuration, since a flow path direction of the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust pipe is not changed, the pressure loss can be further reduced.
It is desirable that a tip end of the sampling tube extends into an internal space of the connecting member and is opened toward a side of the exhaust pipe.
With this configuration, it is possible to facilitate the sampling of the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust pipe. Moreover, since the opposite side to the exhaust pipe in the connecting member is formed as the air-vent opening to the atmosphere, the tip end of the sampling tube is opened toward the side of the exhaust pipe, and therefore the sampling of the atmosphere can be suppressed.
In the case where the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the sampling tube is equal to or larger than the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the connecting member, the sampling of the exhaust gas by the sampling tube becomes hard and the atmosphere from the air-vent side of the connecting member is easily sampled.
Therefore, it is desirable that the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the sampling tube is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the connecting member.
It is desirable that a side end of the exhaust pipe of the connecting member is screwed to a flange portion formed at the opening end of the exhaust pipe.
With this configuration, it is possible to facilitate the connecting member to be detachably attached to the exhaust pipe.
A locomotive exhaust gas analysis system according to the present invention is characterized by including: the locomotive exhaust gas analytical attachment described above; an analytical instrument for analyzing the exhaust gas; and an exhaust gas inlet tube which is connected to the sampling tube and leads the exhaust gas sampled by the sampling tube to the analytical instrument.
It is desirable that the exhaust gas inlet tube is provided with a suction pump for sucking the exhaust gas from the sampling tube. Here, as suction capacity of the suction pump, it is desirable to be set in a degree slightly larger than the pressure loss caused by the sampling tube and exhaust gas inlet tube and not to suck too much atmosphere from the air-vent side of the connecting member.
With this configuration, the exhaust gas can be surely sampled even in an idling state of the locomotive.
It is desirable that, the analytical instrument is mounted on a railway vehicle, and the exhaust gas inlet tube includes: an external conduit which is provided outside the railway vehicle and is connected to the sampling tube; and an internal conduit which is provided inside the railway vehicle in order to introduce the exhaust gas to the analytical instrument.
With this configuration, since the analytical instrument is mounted on the railway vehicle, it can be moved by running on a railway line to a place where the locomotive as a sample target is stopped. Further, it is not necessary to prepare a place for installing the analytical instrument around the locomotive.
It is desirable that the external conduit is configured by connecting a plurality of conduits, and at least a partial portion of the plurality of conduits is a flexible conduit.
With this configuration, since the external conduit is configured by connecting a plurality of conduits, even in the case where a distance position of the exhaust pipe of the locomotive is different with respect to a railway vehicle, it is possible to deal with such a problematic case by adjusting the number of the conduits to be connected.
Further, since at least a partial portion of the plurality of conduits is a flexible conduit, it can be prevented that a vibration of the locomotive as a sample target is transferred to the internal conduit and analytical instrument via the external conduit. Furthermore, since a position, particularly, a height position of the analytical attachment can be changed by this flexible conduit, even in the case where the height position of the exhaust pipe is different in each locomotive, it is possible to deal with such a problematic case.

Advantageous Effects of Invention
According to the present invention configured as described above, the installation of the sampling tube in the exhaust pipe provided in the locomotive is facilitated and the exhaust gas from the engine mounted on the locomotive can be surely sampled and analyzed without preventing the operation of the engine.

Brief Description of Drawings
Fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a locomotive exhaust gas analysis system of the present embodiment;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing an analytical attachment of the same embodiment;
Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the analytical attachment of the same embodiment; and
Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing an analytical attachment of a modified embodiment.

Description of Embodiments

The following describes one embodiment of a locomotive exhaust gas analysis system according to the present invention with reference to the drawings.
The locomotive exhaust gas analysis system 100 according to the present embodiment is intended to analyze exhaust gas in a locomotive 10 in which a diesel engine 11 is mounted, wherein the exhaust gas is discharged from an exhaust pipe (chimney) 13 provided in a roof 12 of the locomotive 10.
Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1, this locomotive exhaust gas analysis system 100 includes: a locomotive exhaust gas analytical attachment 2 (simply referred to as “attachment 2” hereinafter) for sampling the exhaust gas of the locomotive 10; various analytical instrument 3 for analyzing the sampled exhaust gas; and an exhaust gas inlet tube 4 connected to the attachment 2 and leading the sampled exhaust gas to the analytical instrument 3.
The locomotive exhaust gas analysis system 100 of the present embodiment is mounted on a railway vehicle RC configured so as to be possibly coupled to the locomotive 10 serving as a sample target. In specific, the analytical instrument 3 and exhaust gas inlet tube 4 are mounted on the railway vehicle RC and configured so as to be movable on a railroad line (not shown). The railway vehicle RC configured like this serves as an analytical vehicle dedicated to an exhaust gas analysis. Then, the locomotive exhaust gas analysis system 100 performs the exhaust gas analysis in a state that the railway vehicle RC is coupled to the locomotive 10 via a coupling mechanism RC1. It is noted here that wheels of the locomotive 10 and railway vehicle RC are not shown in Fig. 1.
As shown in Fig. 1, the analytical instrument 3 includes: an exhaust gas analyzer 31 which is continuously measurable of gas components of the sampled exhaust gas; a filter device 32 for the exhaust gas analyzer 31; a particle number measurement device 33 which is continuously measurable of particulate matters (PM) contained in the sampled exhaust gas; a filter device 34 for the particle number measurement device 33; and an arithmetic control unit 35 for controlling the exhaust gas analyzer 31 and particle number measurement device 33 and calculating such as measurement data thereof, and the like.
The exhaust gas analyzer 31 is intended to measure concentrations of measurement components contained in the exhaust gas, for example, concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) by NDIR method, concentrations of total hydrocarbon (THC) and methane (CH4) by FID method, and nitrogen oxides (NOX) by CLD method. Further, this exhaust gas analyzer 31 is also capable of measuring an air-fuel ratio (A/F) from the measured exhaust gas components by a carbon balance method.
The particle number measurement device 33 is intended to measure not only the total PM contained in the exhaust gas but also soot contained in the exhaust gas by a diffusion charging method and organic solvent-soluble fraction (SOF) contained in the exhaust gas by a hydrogen flame ionization method (FID method).
Then, a vibration isolation device 5 is provided between each of the exhaust gas analyzer 31 and particle number measurement device 33 and the like and a floor of the railway vehicle RC. Since the vibration isolation device 5 is provided in this way, the exhaust gas analyzer 31 and particle number measurement device 33 are prevented from breaking down or the like due to vibration when the railway vehicle RC is moved. Further, the arithmetic control unit 35 is disposed on a desk 6 having a vibration reduction function.
Next, the attachment 2 is described below.
The attachment 2 is attached to the exhaust pipe 13 of the locomotive 10 in the case where the exhaust gas discharged from the engine 11 of the locomotive 10 is analyzed. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the attachment 2 includes: a connecting member 21 connected to an opening end (upper end) 13x of the exhaust pipe 13 provided in the locomotive 10; and a sampling tube 22 provided in the connecting member 21 and sampling the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust pipe 13. The exhaust pipe 13 extends upward from the engine 11 which is provided inside the locomotive 10 and opened upward at a slightly lower side than the roof 12 in an opening provided in the roof 12 of the locomotive 10.
The connecting member 21 is formed to have a tubular shape having a cross-sectional area of a flow path substantially equal to an opening area at the opening end 13x of the exhaust pipe 13. Further, the connecting member 21 is formed to have a straight pipe shape extending in one direction. Specifically, a cross-sectional shape of the flow path perpendicular to a central axis direction of the connecting member 21 is substantially the same as an opening shape (i.e., aperture shape when viewed from the central axis direction) perpendicular to the central axis direction at the opening end 13x of the exhaust pipe 13. In the present embodiment, the exhaust pipe 13 is formed to have a cylindrical shape and the connecting member 21 is formed to have a straight pipe cylindrical shape having a flow path diameter substantially equal to an opening diameter of the exhaust pipe 13.
Further, the connecting member 21 is connected to the exhaust pipe 13 so that the central axis thereof is substantially coincident with the central axis at the opening end 13x of the exhaust pipe 13. That is, the connecting member 21 is connected to the exhaust pipe 13 so that an inner circumferential surface 21a of the connecting member 21 is continuous to an inner circumferential surface 13a of the opening end 13x of the exhaust pipe 13 (see Fig. 3). In specific, a flange portion 211 is formed at a side end (one end opening 21m) of the exhaust pipe of the connecting member 21 and this flange portion 211 is fixed by screws 23 to a flange portion 131 formed at the opening end 13x of the exhaust pipe 13. The other end opening 21n at an opposite side to the side end 21m of the exhaust pipe in the connecting member 21 connected in this way is formed as an air-vent opening to atmosphere. That is, by connecting the connecting member 21 to the exhaust pipe 13, the flow path of the exhaust pipe 13 of the locomotive 10 is accordingly extended upward.
The sampling tube 22 is provided so as to substantially perpendicularly penetrate a side wall of the connecting member 21. And a tip end 22x of the sampling tube 22 is extended into an inner space of the connecting member 21. Further, the tip end 22x of the sampling tube 22 is bent toward a side of the exhaust pipe 13 and opened toward the side of the exhaust pipe 13. In the present embodiment, there is used the sampling tube 22 having a cross-sectional area of the flow path smaller than that of the connecting member 21. Here, a proximal end of the sampling tube 22 is positioned outside the connecting member 21 and has a flange portion to which a conduit 411 of an external conduit 41 to be described later is connected.
As shown in Fig. 1, the exhaust gas inlet tube 4 is intended to introduce the exhaust gas sampled by the sampling tube 22 into the analytical instrument 3, and this exhaust gas inlet tube 4 includes: the external conduit 41 which is provided outside the railway vehicle RC and connected to the sampling tube 22; and an internal conduit 42 which is provided inside the railway vehicle RC and introducing the exhaust gas into the analytical instrument 3. Further, the internal conduit 42 is provided with a suction pump 43 for sucking the exhaust gas from the sampling tube 22.
The external conduit 41 is configured by connecting a plurality of conduits 411. A conduit 411 located in the side closest to the locomotive 10 of the plurality of conduits 411 is connected to the sampling tube 22. Further, at least a partial conduit 411 of the plurality of conduits 411 is configured of a conduit 411a having flexibility (flexible conduit 411a). Note here that the other conduits 411 other than the flexible conduit 411a are formed to have the same shape. In Fig. 1, although the conduit 411 located in an internal pipe side (in a side of the railway vehicle RC) is used as the flexible conduit 411a, it is not limited to this and any conduit 411 located in any position may be used as the flexible conduit.
The internal conduit 42 includes: a main conduit 421 which is provided extending over frontward to rearward in a ceiling of the railway vehicle RC; a first analytical conduit 422 having one end connected to the main conduit 421 and the other end connected to the exhaust gas analyzer 31; and a second analytical conduit 423 having one end connected to the main conduit 421 and the other end connected to the particle number measurement device 33.
In the main conduit 421, a smoke opacity meter 44 is provided in a downstream side of connecting points of the first analytical conduit 422 and the second analytical conduit 423. Further, the suction pump 43 is provided in the downstream side of the main conduit 421. From a viewpoint of safety, it is desirable that the suction pump 43 is provided on the ceiling or roof of the railway vehicle RC, and particularly it is desirable that the suction pump 43 is provided outside the railway vehicle. In addition, a drain unit 45 is provided in the upstream side of the main conduit 421.
The first analytical conduit 422 is provided with a filter device 32 for the exhaust gas analyzer 31. The second analytical conduit 423 is provided with a filter device 34 for the particle number measurement device 33.
Further, in the locomotive exhaust gas analysis system 100 of the present embodiment, there is provided, for example, a Coriolis fuel flow meter 7 for measuring a flow rate of fuel supplied to the engine 11 of the locomotive 10. Thus, the arithmetic control unit 35 calculates a flow rate of the exhaust gas using a measurement flow rate value obtained by this fuel flow meter 7 and an air-fuel ratio (A/F) obtained by the exhaust gas analyzer 31.

According to the locomotive exhaust gas analysis system 100 of the present embodiment configured as described above, by connecting the connecting member 21 provided with the sampling tube 22 to the opening end 13x of the exhaust pipe 13 of the locomotive 10, the exhaust gas can be sampled from the sampling tube 22, and therefore it is possible to facilitate installation of the sampling tube 22 to the exhaust pipe 13 of the locomotive 10.
Moreover, since the connecting member 21 is formed to have a cylindrical shape and the connecting member 21 covers the periphery of the tip end of the sampling tube 22, sampling of the atmosphere other than the exhaust gas from the sampling tube 22 can be suppressed and therefore the exhaust gas can be surely sampled. Specifically, in the present embodiment, it is configured to suck the exhaust gas from the sampling tube 22 by the suction pump 43, and therefore the effect thereof becomes remarkable.
Moreover, since the connecting member 21 provided with the sampling tube 22 is formed to have the cross-sectional shape of the flow path which is substantially equal to the opening shape of the exhaust pipe 13 and the other end opening 21n at an opposite side to the exhaust pipe 13 in the connecting member 21 is formed as an air-vent opening to the atmosphere, it is possible to reduce the pressure loss of the flow path composed of the exhaust pipe 13 and connecting member 21, and it becomes possible to sample the exhaust gas while reproducing a normal running operating condition without preventing the operation of the engine.
Moreover, since the analytical instrument 3 and exhaust gas inlet tube 4 are mounted on the railway vehicle RC, the analytical instrument 3 can be moved by running on a railway line to a place where the locomotive 10 is stopped.
Further, since the analytical instrument 3 is mounted on the railway vehicle RC via the vibration isolation device 5, it is prevented that shocks caused when moving the railway vehicle RC or coupling the railway vehicle RC to the locomotive 10 are applied to the analytical instrument 3 to be broken down.
Note that the present invention should not be limited to the embodiment described above.
For example, although the connecting member 21 is formed to have a cylindrical shape with its circumferential entirety being continuous, a notch may be formed by such as forming a slit 21S in a part of a circumferential direction as shown in Fig. 4.
Further, the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the connecting member 21 may be larger than the opening area at the opening end 13x of the exhaust pipe 13.
Further, in the present embodiment, although the tip end of the sampling tube is opened toward the exhaust pipe side, the sampling tube may be formed to have a straight pipe shape and the tip end thereof may be opened toward a direction perpendicular to the flow path direction of the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust pipe.
In addition, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit thereof.
Reference Signs List
100 … Locomotive exhaust gas analysis system
10 … Locomotive
RC … Railway vehicle
13 … Exhaust pipe
13x … Opening end
2 … Attachment
21 … Connecting member
21m … One end opening
21n … The other end opening
211 … flange portion
22 … Sampling tube
22x … Tip end
3 … Analytical instrument
4 … Exhaust gas inlet tube
41 … External conduit
42 … Internal conduit
411 … Conduit
411a …Flexible conduit