Equipment and method for washing insulators.

Description

/ 12 Equipment and Method for Washing Insulators - Technical Field

[001] The present invention is situated in the field of maintenance of electrical power distribution networks and relates to a technology for cleaning insulators in energized networks. More particularly, the invention relates to an automated equipment equipped with an intelligent system for washing insulators, using sensors and artificial intelligence to optimize the process. FUNDAMENTALS OF THE INVENTION

[002] Currently, insulator washing is performed manually, and one of the methods used is washing with an operator inside an aerial basket. In this case, the operator handles a high-pressure water gun, and it is necessary to get close to the power line to activate and direct the water jet. If a change in wind conditions or a flashover occurs, the actions to stop or change the direction of the water jet depend solely on the operator. A flashover refers to an unwanted electrical discharge that occurs when dirt or moisture accumulated on the insulator surface reduces its electrical resistance, allowing the electrical current to jump through the air instead of following the appropriate conductor. This phenomenon can cause short circuits, damage to equipment, and risks to operator safety.

[003] This method requires isolating and marking the area around the truck and grounding the nozzle of the washing gun, thus increasing the operating time. In addition, this method is notable for its low accuracy in washing and controlling water consumption, as well as ergonomic issues for the operator. Petition 870250079638, dated 05 / 09 / 2025, page 20 / 44 / 12

[004] Another method applied for washing insulators is the use of a teleoperated device, in which the operator controls the crane with a water jet director via a remote control. In this case, the operator performs the washing operation while located on the ground, making it difficult to visualize the condition of the insulators and the direction of the water jet. As with the previous method, it is necessary to mark the work area and ground the equipment. In addition, there is a safety risk involved, since the operator remains on the ground searching for the best viewing angle to perform the cleaning, there is poor control over water consumption, and there is a lack of standardization between washes.

[005] In both methods mentioned, the amount of water used in the washing process depends on the time the operator keeps the water jet activated, with no monitoring or control of the amount of water used in the washing, nor even regarding the effectiveness of the washing. Regarding the ergonomics and safety of the operation, neither method has a protection system that monitors the washing procedure and acts to interrupt the activity to prevent accidents, depending only on the operator's observation and action.

[006] The state of the art presents some solutions for cleaning insulators. Document CN115889301 describes a cleaning device for insulators and a climbing vehicle used in this process. The device in this document includes the use of a mechanical arm with degrees of freedom for movement, cleaning liquid spraying mechanisms, cameras for monitoring, and sensors for distance measurement. It also describes the use of a climbing vehicle, equipped with mechanisms that allow movement along structures, enabling efficient cleaning of different areas of the insulators. Petition 870250079638, dated 05 / 09 / 2025, page 21 / 44 / 12 In addition, it has extra features, such as sensors and alarm systems, to improve the effectiveness and safety of the cleaning process.

[007] Reference is also made to document CN214022239 which describes a maintenance vehicle equipped with cleaning devices, such as high-pressure water cannons, automated and manual control, and robots for washing insulators at height. The invention in this document is an automatic cleaning device, consisting of a robot with a mechanical arm equipped with high-pressure water cannons and sensors that aid in precise positioning. The pressurization and control system comprises at least one high-pressure water pump, each connected to a set of water cannons; a tank that stores the water supply to be used in the process; a portable control box that allows operators to adjust the pressure and start / stop the operation, with modules such as: pressure control, pressure level display and emergency buttons.

[008] To optimize the insulator washing procedure, reducing water consumption and time, and ensuring greater operational safety of the process, equipment is described comprising an intelligent system for insulator washing, which performs automatic washing of insulators using artificial intelligence to identify and evaluate them. Manual operation via remote control is also possible. The invention seeks to minimize risks by automating insulator washing, removing contaminants that can cause flashover and monitoring variables such as leakage current and water conductivity.

[009] In one embodiment of the present invention, equipped with a system for applying the product diluted in water, a biodegradable cleaning product is used that can assist in washing the insulators. Physicochemical analyses have verified the existence of a product Petition 870250079638, dated 05 / 09 / 2025, page 22 / 44 / 12 commercially available and environmentally friendly, capable of being applied to insulators without harming the structural integrity of the equipment, without risks to the distribution network, in regions near ports or locations with boat traffic. Specifically, it is a commercial, biodegradable, non-toxic, surfactant-based product, used diluted in water, with a minimum resistivity of 1500 Ω. Therefore, the washing equipment has the infrastructure for the use of the chosen cleaning product, which can improve the effectiveness of insulator cleaning when necessary.

[010] With all systems integrated, tests were carried out on the washing equipment to evaluate the protection functionalities and efficiency of the process, considering the duration of the activity (time), the water consumption used, the operating mode (manual or automatic) and the activation of the interlocks. This information, as well as the georeferencing information of the washing point, and photos of the isolators in case of any type of thermal anomaly, are stored in an external data storage memory for the construction of a washing history and subsequent use by the utility company. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[011] Figure 1 illustrates a side view of the truck cab developed for the present invention.

[012] Figure 2 illustrates the interior of the truck cab.

[013] Figure 3 illustrates the control panel of the stabilizers.

[014] Figure 4 illustrates the equipment's camera monitoring system.

[015] Figure 5 illustrates the remote control for moving the hydraulic arm. Petition 870250079638, dated 05 / 09 / 2025, page 23 / 44 / 12

[016] Figure 6 illustrates the leakage current sensor of the present invention.

[017] Figure 7 illustrates the electric field sensors or proximity spheres of the present invention.

[018] Figure 8 illustrates the conductivity meter of the water reservoir of the present invention.

[019] Figure 9 illustrates the ultrasonic anemometer of the present invention.

[020] Figure 10 is a side view of the washing truck, illustrating various constructive features of the present invention.

[021] Figure 11 illustrates the washing system integrated into the truck.

[022] Figure 12 is a state flowchart of the insulator washing method.

[023] Figure 13 illustrates the application of the insulator washing method by the washing equipment in the distribution line for testing. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[024] The following detailed description refers to figures in which embodiments of the present invention are represented, by way of non-limiting illustration. These embodiments are described in such a way as to allow a person skilled in the art to reproduce their results. Other embodiments are possible and can be carried out without departing from the concept and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description should therefore not be understood in a restrictive or limiting manner.

[025] The equipment with an intelligent system for washing insulators developed has two main pillars, the first being safety and the second efficiency. Petition 870250079638, dated 05 / 09 / 2025, page 24 / 44 / 12

[026] With reference to safety, to ensure safe operation during the insulator washing process, systems were developed in the cabin and in the instrumentation.

[027] An extended cabin (10) was developed on the truck with a larger glass area, so that the operator can better view the washing process without having to leave the truck, as shown in figures 1 and 2.

[028] For operation from inside the cab (10), a control panel was developed for operating the truck stabilizers and safety buttons, as shown in figure 3.

[029] A camera monitoring system was also installed, as shown in Figure 4, so that the operator can have a wide view while performing the activity. In a preferred configuration, at least 2 cameras are installed, preferably 8, with at least 1, preferably 4, to view the truck's stabilizers and at least 1, preferably 4, to view the hydraulic arm. However, it is evident that the number of cameras can be increased or decreased, as needed to view the aforementioned elements.

[030] For moving the truck's hydraulic arm and manually operating the equipment with an intelligent washing system, a remote control (20) was developed so that the operator can use it from inside the cabin (10), shown in figure 5.

[031] With regard to the instrumentation of the present invention, there is a leakage current sensor (30) to measure the leakage current that arises from the energized structure to the washing equipment as soon as the water jet is fired onto the energized network. This device is designed to have a logic function to act when the leakage current exceeds a certain threshold, acting on the interlock of Petition 870250079638, dated 05 / 09 / 2025, page 25 / 44 / 12 washing system for interrupting the water jet and triggering a visual and audible alarm on the operator interface monitor. In a preferred embodiment, this instrument is installed on the washing nozzle, as can be seen in figure 6.

[032] Proximity spheres (40) are electric field sensors, shown in figure 7, used to provide the equipment with information on the distance from the energized network, indicating the safe operating ranges on the operator interface monitor. These were developed to operate on a 13.8 kV or 34.5 kV power grid, and the objective is to indicate whether the robot has exceeded the minimum safety distance limits established by the utility company's procedures.

[033] Measuring water conductivity is one of the variables that can prevent the washing process of the insulators, since, if exceeded, the water becomes a conductive element, potentially conducting energy from the electrical grid to the prototype. In the present invention, at least 2 conductivity meters (50) are used, at least one installed in the pre-tank to evaluate the water before filling, and at least one installed in the water reservoir, which acts by disarming the water jet if the value exceeds the limit defined by the IEEE-957-2005 standard. Figure 8 shows the conductivity meter (50) installed in the water reservoir (51). Conductivity information is available on the operator interface monitor.

[034] Wind is another variable that influences the insulator washing process. Depending on the speed and direction, the water flow must be interrupted or the insulator washing sequence must be changed. To monitor this variable, the washing equipment includes at least one ultrasonic anemometer (60), shown in Figure 9. The anemometer (60) information is available on the operator interface monitor and is used to define the insulator washing order. The insulators must be washed in the direction of the wind. Petition 870250079638, dated 05 / 09 / 2025, page 26 / 44 / 12 and seeking a direction opposite to the wind to define the first insulator to be cleaned, and this decision-making is carried out automatically by the developed system.

[035] Regarding efficiency, it is noteworthy that the truck used in the project has a load capacity of at least 17 tons gross weight and has installed on it at least one insulated hydraulic arm (70) with an aerial basket with a reach of at least 14.4 m in height, used to position the washing equipment close to the electrical network. The truck also includes a hydro-jetting system, composed of a water reservoir (74) with a capacity of at least 4,000 liters, a high-pressure pump (75) and a valve for activating the water jet. For the use of the cleaning product, a reservoir (73) of at least 250 liters and a high-pressure dosing pump (72) were installed, which injects the product into the main water line. Figure 10 shows the main components of the truck.

[036] The washing equipment has the following functions, after positioning the hydraulic arm (70), visual and thermal inspection of the insulators, evaluation of thermal anomalies, positioning and movement of the water jet nozzle during the washing process of the insulators. Figure 11 shows the washing equipment integrated into the truck with all its components.

[037] The washing equipment is responsible for the visual and thermal inspection of the insulators. Inspections using the thermographic camera (80), carried out autonomously, aim to assess whether there is any thermal anomaly that prevents the washing of the insulators by putting the distribution network at risk. From the visual inspections it is possible to locate and identify the insulators so that, after the start of the cleaning routine, the washing nozzle is positioned and thus the autonomous washing of the insulators is carried out sequentially. Petition 870250079638, dated 05 / 09 / 2025, page 27 / 44 / 12

[038] In order to construct a computational flow for the washing process, the software architecture called state machine was used, as shown in the diagram in Figure 12. It presents a flowchart with blocks that indicate the states of the washing process, where routines related to the block name are executed in each of them. The arrows indicate the transition points, which are triggered by events originating in the states.

[039] The system starts with a primary state, in which the operator performs the routine of positioning the Pan / Tilt mechanism to frame the structure using the remote control (20). Then, the operator activates the automatic mode on the remote control (20) and sends a command, from the operator interface monitor, to start the process, changing the system state to Tracking. In this state, the RGB camera modules (81), Pan / Tilt mechanism control (82) and isolator detection / identification are activated. The isolators are marked and receive IDs to define the washing sequence for each unit.

[040] Isolator marking is performed using artificial intelligence, which locates the isolator and places a “square,” also known as a “bounding box,” on the interface under the isolator, indicating that the equipment has been located and identified. After identifying the isolator, it is assigned an index so that, during the cleaning process, the same isolator is not cleaned twice and that all detected / located isolators are cleaned. This information is used within the software during the isolator washing process and is stored in the data log generated with each wash.

[041] The washing sequence to be used is defined according to the wind direction, which determines whether the washing order will be, for example, from left to right or from right to left. This logic prevents dirt from the insulators from being propelled onto the others. Petition 870250079638, dated 05 / 09 / 2025, page 28 / 44 / 12 isolators during washing, creating a conductive environment that can generate flashovers.

[042] Upon completion of this task, a transition (T1) to thermographic analysis occurs. At this stage, the thermographic camera and thermographic analysis modules are executed. The process can be terminated at this point or proceed to T2, where the insulator IDs are retrieved and the Pan / Tilt mechanism (82) is moved to the first in the sequence.

[043] With the completion of the thermographic analysis of all isolators, the T3 transition from the Tracking state to the Washing state occurs. At this moment, the washing routine module is activated, which performs the activation of the water jet and the necessary movement. Finally, an event is called for the T4 transition, which positions the system for a new isolator, thus completing the washing process.

[044] The operation of the washing system in automatic mode makes use of computer vision algorithms, an area of ​​artificial intelligence that works with images, in the detection and identification stages where, through convolutional neural networks, it is possible to locate the insulator in the image, capturing the position coordinates, the type of insulator and the sequence of insulators.

[045] Capturing the coordinates is important for moving the Pan / Tilt (82) from one isolator to the next during the washing stage, as well as for correcting the aim due to parallax error caused by the RGB camera (81) not being aligned with the washing nozzle and the effect of wind on the water jet.

[046] The type of insulator or the size of each insulator is necessary to determine whether vertical movement of the water jet will be required; that is, pin insulators do not use movement, but pillar-type insulators use this function in the washing system. A Petition 870250079638, dated 05 / 09 / 2025, p. 29 / 44 / 12 system memory function, i.e., defining and saving the identifier of each insulator in the structure is essential so that all insulators are subjected to the washing process.

[047] Another application of computer vision in the washing system is the tracking function, which aims to maintain detection and indexing of the isolators throughout the automatic washing process. A visual indication from the computer vision system, known as bounding boxes, can be presented, showing where the isolators are located, their ID, and the centroid of the image.

[048] For testing the intelligent insulator washing system, a distribution line was assembled with the main types of insulators found on the coast. These insulators were artificially polluted to validate the washing methodology, that is, so that after the tests the cleanliness of the insulators could be evaluated. Figure 13 shows the insulator washing performed by the equipment on the energized distribution line assembled for the validation tests of the insulator washing system.

[049] During testing, the total time for a complete wash was recorded, considering the time for positioning the truck, activating the truck stabilizers, positioning the hydraulic arm (70), automatic washing of the equipment, storing the arm (70), and the time to raise the truck stabilizers. This total time was approximately 10 minutes per structure with 3 isolators and without the use of the cleaning product. Considering the use of the cleaning product, this time increases to 11 minutes, due to the time for rinsing. Regarding water consumption for washing, in the tests, the value is approximately 9 liters per structure with 3 isolators and without the cleaning product. Considering the use of the product, consumption increases to approximately 18 liters. Petition 870250079638, dated 05 / 09 / 2025, page 30 / 44 / 12

[050] For the insulator washing process, using the developed intelligent system, taking as a reference the washing time measured during laboratory tests by an operator without field experience, it is estimated that for a structure with 3 insulators, considering a time of 2 minutes for movement between poles and 1 hour for round trip to the base, in a working day it is possible to wash up to 38 structures using only water, and 35 structures using the cleaning product. The expectation is that this quantity will be extrapolated to 50 structures considering the equipment's learning curve, potentially reaching a difference of 24 structures representing a 92% increase in efficiency.

[051] The examples provided here are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limiting the scope of the present invention. Various variations, modifications and alternative implementations may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The described features may be combined in different ways or implemented using equivalent technologies and tools, provided that they maintain the described functions and purposes. Petition 870250079638, dated 05 / 09 / 2025, page 31 / 44

Claims

1 / 2 CLAIMS 1. Equipment for washing insulators characterized in that it comprises: a truck comprising an extended cab (10); an insulated hydraulic arm (70) for an aerial basket; at least one washing nozzle; at least one water reservoir (51); at least one pan / tilt mechanism (82); at least one distance sensor; at least one thermal imaging camera (80); at least one RGB camera (81); at least one leakage current sensor (30); and at least one electric field sensor (40).

2. Equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a system for monitoring insulators by cameras, wherein the system comprises at least 2 cameras, preferably 8.

3. Equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises, among the cameras, at least 1, preferably 4 cameras, for viewing the truck's stabilizers and at least 1, preferably 4 cameras, for viewing the hydraulic arm.

4. Equipment, characterized by the fact of conductivity meters (50).

5. Equipment according to claim 1, comprising at least two according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one anemometer (60). Petition 870250079638, dated 05 / 09 / 2025, page 32 / 44 2 / 2 6. Equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one cleaning product reservoir (73) and at least one dosing pump (72).

7. Method for washing insulators using the insulator washing equipment defined in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: manually positioning the pan / tilt mechanism (82) to frame the structure in an insulator using the remote control (20); automatically activating the RGB camera modules (81), pan / tilt mechanism control (82) and insulator detection / identification; automatically activating the thermographic camera modules (80) to perform thermographic analysis; automatically activating the washing routine module to activate the water jet and pan / tilt movements (82); and positioning the pan / tilt (82) for a new insulator. Petition 870250079638, dated 05 / 09 / 2025, pp. 33 / 44

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