A method for detecting the path of a rotating probe in the expansion area

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of rotary probe detection, and in particular to a method for detecting a rotating probe path in an expansion tube area. The method comprises the following steps: environmental modeling and initialization processing; determining the relative position of the robot's starting center point S and the target center point E0; if S and E0 are in the same row or column, calculating the absolute value of the column difference, determining the moving direction, generating path points through loop iteration, and generating a full pre-path matrix; if S and E0 are in different rows and columns, constructing a rectangle with S and E0 as diagonal points, obtaining the other two diagonal points of the rectangle, and selecting the diagonal point closest to the center of the panel as the inflection point; calculating the segmented pre-path matrix from S to the inflection point, and the segmented pre-path matrix from the inflection point to E0 respectively; connecting the two segmented pre-path matrices together to obtain the full pre-path matrix; and calculating the full pre-path distance. The present invention satisfies the requirements of the shortest Manhattan distance and the least inflection points, thereby improving efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of rotary probe detection, and in particular to a method for planning a detection path of a rotary probe in a tube expansion area. Background Art

[0002] The performance of SG heat transfer tubes in nuclear power plants directly impacts the safety of the facility. Regular inspection and repair are essential to prevent damage that could lead to radioactive material leaks, posing a threat to the surrounding environment and personnel. Traditional manual inspections pose high radiation risks and low efficiency, making tubesheet inspection robots a hot topic in the industry. However, the complex environment of tubesheets, with their high-density arrays of tube holes (typically containing thousands of tubes), presents a dual challenge for robot path planning: meeting mobility requirements while balancing mechanical constraints.

[0003] Currently, nuclear power plant SG heat transfer tube inspections utilize positioning robots, whose path planning utilizes the A* algorithm. The classic A* algorithm uses the shortest Manhattan distance between two nodes as the optimal path search principle, starting from the starting point and ending at the end. However, the traditional A* algorithm has significant drawbacks. First, the algorithm-generated paths often contain excessively redundant turning points, requiring the robot to frequently perform 90° posture changes. Experimental data shows that each posture change takes an average of 15-20 seconds, accounting for over 30% of the total movement time. Second, in the application scenario of a quadruped climbing robot, the climbability of the target tube hole must be verified at each turning point. However, approximately 5%-8% of tubesheets contain blind holes or structurally abnormal holes, making traditional path feasibility assessment a time-consuming bottleneck. Furthermore, when unclimbable holes appear at consecutive turning points, path planning can fail completely, forcing the system to recalculate the path and significantly reducing inspection efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method for planning a detection path of a rotating probe in an expansion tube area, which satisfies the requirements of the shortest Manhattan distance and the least turning points, thereby improving efficiency.

[0005] The present invention provides a method for planning a detection path of a rotating probe in a tube expansion area, comprising the following steps:

[0006] Step 1: Environmental modeling and initialization; this includes quantifying the vertical SG heat transfer tube panel layout into a two-dimensional environmental matrix A, defining the robot's starting center point S and target center point E0, and initializing the path matrix.

[0007] Step 2: Determine the relative position of the robot's starting center point S and the target point center E0;

[0008] If S and E0 are in the same row, perform column-wise movement; calculate the absolute value of the column difference, use the sign function to determine the movement direction, generate path points through loop iteration, and generate the full pre-path matrix;

[0009] If S and E0 are in the same column, perform row-wise movement; calculate the absolute value of the row difference, use the sign function to determine the movement direction, generate path points through loop iteration, and generate the full pre-path matrix;

[0010] If S and E0 are in different rows and columns, construct a rectangle with S and E0 as diagonal points, obtain the other two diagonal points of the rectangle, and select the diagonal point closest to the center of the panel as the inflection point; calculate the segmented pre-path matrix from S to the inflection point, and the segmented pre-path matrix from the inflection point to E0 respectively; connect the two segmented pre-path matrices together to obtain the full pre-path matrix;

[0011] Step 3: Calculate the full pre-path distance.

[0012] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, step 1 specifically includes:

[0013] Step 1-1: Quantify the SG heat transfer tube panel environment into a two-dimensional matrix A, where the matrix elements represent the passable state of the tube hole;

[0014] Step 1-2: Define the coordinates of the robot's starting center point S and the target center point E0. The coordinate values ​​are even numbers.

[0015] Step 1-3: Initialize and define the full path matrix Route, the segmented pre-path matrix Route1 closer to the robot's starting center point S, and the segmented pre-path Route2 closer to the target center point E0;

[0016] The initial value is the empty set.

[0017] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, in step 2, when S and E0 are in the same row, the following steps are specifically included:

[0018] Assign an initial value S to the full pre-path matrix Route;

[0019] Use the difference between S and E0 to find the number of moved pores N;

[0020] The full pre-path matrix Route is expanded by adding path point elements through N' cycles using the for statement; the number of moved tube holes is equal to the number of cycles of the for statement;

[0021] Get the full pre-path matrix Route when S and E0 are in the same row.

[0022] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, in step 2, the starting center point S = [S(1), S(2)], the target center point E0 = [E0(1), E0(2)];

[0023] When S(1)=E0(1), column shift is performed;

[0024] N0=(E0(2)-S(2)) / 2, N=│N0│;Route=S;

[0025] The sign function sign(N0) is used to determine the moving direction, and the path points are generated through loop iteration: Route=[Route;S(1),S(2)+sign(N0)*2*i];

[0026] i is cyclic and is an integer from 1 to N'; sign is the sign function; N0 reflects the number of tube holes moved to the right or left.

[0027] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, in step 2, when S and E0 are in the same column, the following steps are specifically included:

[0028] Assign an initial value S to the full pre-path matrix Route;

[0029] Use the difference between S and E0 to find the number of moved pores M;

[0030] The full pre-path matrix Route is expanded by adding path point elements through M' cycles using the for statement;

[0031] Get the full pre-path matrix Route when S and E0 are in the same column.

[0032] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, in step 2, the starting center point S = [S(1), S(2)], the target center point E0 = [E0(1), E0(2)];

[0033] When S(2)=E0(2), execute row-wise movement;

[0034] M0=(E0(1)-S(1) ) / 2, M=│M0│;

[0035] Route=S;

[0036] The sign function sign(M0) is used to determine the moving direction, and the path points are generated through loop iteration: Route=[Route;S(1)+sign(M0)*2*i,S(2)];

[0037] i is a cycle, an integer from 1 to M'; sign is the sign function; M0 represents the number of pores moved to the right or left. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, in step 2, when S and E0 are in different rows and columns, the following steps are specifically included:

[0038] Construct a rectangle with S and E0 as diagonal points, obtain the other two diagonal points of the rectangle, and select the diagonal point closest to the center of the panel as the inflection point; the other two diagonal points of the rectangle are Diag1=[S(1),E0(2)] and Diag2=[E0(1),S(2)];

[0039] Calculate the center of the SG heat transfer tube panel environmental matrix A, denoted as Center; the calculation method is: [mA,nA]=size(A), Center=[mA,nA] / 2;

[0040] Calculate the Euclidean distances from the two diagonal points Diag1 and Diag2 to the Center respectively, and compare them. The diagonal point with the shorter Euclidean distance is the inflection point;

[0041] Calculate the segmented pre-path matrix Route1 from S to the inflection point; the calculation method is to generate the pre-path matrix by placing S and E0 in the same row or the same column;

[0042] Calculate the segmented pre-path matrix Route2 from the inflection point to E0. The calculation method is to generate the pre-path matrix by placing S and E0 in the same row or the same column.

[0043] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the Euclidean distance from the diagonal point Diag1 to Center is d1. ;

[0044] The Euclidean distance from the diagonal point Diag2 to the Center is d2.

[0045]

[0046] if , Diag = Diag1, otherwise Diag = Diag2.

[0047] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, in step 3, the calculation method of the full pre-path distance Distance is:

[0048] [Step,~]=size(Route),Distance=Step-1.

[0049] The present invention provides a computer device, comprising: a processor, configured to execute the method for planning a detection path of a rotating probe in a tube expansion area as described in the above technical solution; and

[0050] A memory is used to store executable instructions of the processor.

[0051] Compared with the prior art, the method for planning the detection path of the rotating probe in the expansion zone of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0052] (1) This invention, through the collaborative design of the segmented pre-path matrix and the center point distance rule, simultaneously achieves the dual optimization of "shortest Manhattan distance" and "fewest turning points" in the SG heat transfer tube inspection scenario for the first time. Specifically, it maintains the same theoretical shortest moving distance as the A algorithm while reducing unnecessary turning points by more than 30% through the rectangular diagonal point optimization strategy; the path splicing technology ensures path continuity while eliminating redundant points;

[0053] (2) The deterministic mathematical operation model of the present invention has significant advantages: path feasibility prediction capability: through the quantitative processing of the environment matrix A and the geometric constraint of the center point Center, the non-climbable tube hole area is avoided in advance; computational efficiency is improved: the NP-hard problem is converted into a segmented path combination with O(1) complexity; anti-interference enhancement: based on the absolute value operation and sign function control of the tube hole number M, it effectively copes with the non-uniform distribution of the heat transfer tube array;

[0054] (3) Combining the path planning method of the present invention with a robot carrying a probe can effectively reduce the robot's posture adjustment frequency, reduce movement time, and improve the success rate of quadruped climbing;

[0055] The core value of this invention lies in decoupling the complex path planning problem into two deterministic mathematical processes: "same-direction path generation" and "different-direction path segment optimization." By replacing traditional random search with geometric rule constraints, this approach theoretically guarantees optimality and achieves a coordinated optimization of computational efficiency and motion performance in engineering. This structured approach provides a new technical paradigm for path planning for inspection robots in high-risk scenarios such as nuclear power plants. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] Figure 1 A flow chart showing the method for planning the detection path of the rotating probe in the tube expansion area according to the present invention;

[0057] Figure 2 represents the SG heat transfer tube panel environment matrix;

[0058] Figure 3 Represents the square matrix obtained by extracting and expanding the environment matrix A;

[0059] Figure 4Indicates the path obtained by the A* algorithm and its display in the original interface;

[0060] Figure 5 Indicates that the path obtained by the A* algorithm is Figure 2 Display on;

[0061] Figure 6 Indicates that the present invention obtains the path in Figure 2 on the display. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] In order to further understand the present invention, embodiments of the present invention are described below in conjunction with examples. However, it should be understood that these descriptions are only for further illustrating the features and advantages of the present invention, rather than for limiting the present invention.

[0063] The embodiment of the present invention discloses a method for planning a detection path of a rotating probe in a tube expansion area. Figure 1 As shown, the following steps are included:

[0064] Step 1: Environment modeling and initialization;

[0065] Specifically include:

[0066] Step 1-1: Quantify the SG heat transfer tube panel environment into a two-dimensional matrix A, where the matrix elements represent the passable state of the tube hole;

[0067] Step 1-2: Define the coordinates of the robot's starting center point S and target center point E0. The coordinate values ​​are even numbers.

[0068] Step 1-3: Initialize and define the full path matrix Route, the segmented pre-path matrix Route1 closer to the robot's starting center point S, and the segmented pre-path Route2 closer to the target center point E0;

[0069] The initial value is the empty set.

[0070] Step 2: Determine the relative position of the robot's starting center point S and the target center point E0;

[0071] If S and E0 are in the same row, perform column-wise movement; calculate the absolute value of the column difference, use the sign function to determine the movement direction, generate path points through loop iteration, and generate the full pre-path matrix;

[0072] The specific steps include:

[0073] Assign an initial value S to the full pre-path matrix Route, that is, Route=S;

[0074] Use the difference between S and E0 to find the number of moved pores N;

[0075] The starting center point S=[S(1),S(2)], the target center point [ E0(1), E0(2);

[0076] When S(1)=E0(1), column shift is performed;

[0077] N0=(E0(2)-S(2)) / 2, N=│N0│; Route=[S(1),S(2)];

[0078] The full pre-path matrix Route is expanded by adding path point elements using the for statement through N' cycles, thereby obtaining the full pre-path matrix Route when S and E0 are in the same row;

[0079] The sign function sign(N0) is used to determine the moving direction, and the path points are generated through loop iteration: Route=[Route;S(1),S(2)+sign(N0)*2*i];

[0080] i is a cycle, an integer from 1 to N'; sign is the sign function; N0 reflects the number of tube holes moved to the right or left;

[0081] The number of moved holes is equal to the number of loops of the for statement.

[0082] If S and E0 are in the same column, perform row-wise movement; calculate the absolute value of the row difference, use the sign function to determine the movement direction, generate path points through loop iteration, and generate the full pre-path matrix;

[0083] The specific steps include:

[0084] Assign an initial value S to the full pre-path matrix Route, that is, Route=S;

[0085] Use the difference between S and E0 to find the number of moved pores M;

[0086] The starting point center S=[S(1),S(2)], the target center point E0=[ E0(1),E0(2)];

[0087] When S(2)=E0(2), execute row-wise movement;

[0088] M0=(E0(1)-S(1)) / 2, M=│M0│; Route=[S(1),S(2)];

[0089] The full pre-path matrix Route is expanded by adding path point elements through M' cycles using the for statement; the number of moved pores is numerically equal to the number of cycles of the for statement; the sign function sign(M0) is used to determine the moving direction, and the path points are generated through loop iteration: Route=[Route;S(1)+sign(M0)*2*i,S(2)];

[0090] i is a cycle, an integer from 1 to M'; sign is the sign function; M0 reflects the number of pores moved to the right or left;

[0091] Get the full pre-path matrix Route when S and E0 are in the same column.

[0092] If S and E0 are in different rows and columns, construct a rectangle with S and E0 as diagonal points, obtain the other two diagonal points of the rectangle, and select the diagonal point closest to the center of the panel as the inflection point; calculate the segmented pre-path matrix from S to the inflection point, and the segmented pre-path matrix from the inflection point to E0 respectively; connect the two segmented pre-path matrices together to obtain the full pre-path matrix;

[0093] The specific steps include:

[0094] Construct a rectangle with S and E0 as diagonal points, obtain the other two diagonal points of the rectangle, and select the diagonal point closest to the center of the panel as the inflection point; the other two diagonal points of the rectangle are Diag1=[S(1),E0(2)] and Diag2=[E0(1),S(2)];

[0095] Calculate the center of the SG heat transfer tube panel environmental matrix A, denoted as Center; the calculation method is: [mA,nA]=size(A), Center=[mA,nA] / 2;

[0096] Calculate the Euclidean distances from the two diagonal points Diag1 and Diag2 to the Center respectively, and compare them. The diagonal point with the shorter Euclidean distance is the inflection point;

[0097] The Euclidean distance from the diagonal point Diag1 to the Center is d1. ;

[0098] Center(1) represents the row of Center, Diag1(1) represents the row of Diag1, Center(2) represents the column of Center, Diag1(2) represents the column of Diag1,

[0099] The Euclidean distance from the diagonal point Diag2 to the Center is d2.

[0100]

[0101] Diag2(1) represents the rows of Diag2, Diag2(2) represents the columns of Diag2,

[0102] if , Diag = Diag1, otherwise Diag = Diag2.

[0103] Calculate the segmented pre-path matrix Route1 from S to the inflection point;

[0104] If S(1)=Diag(1), then according to the fact that S and E0 are in the same row, perform column-wise movement; calculate the absolute value of the column difference, use the sign function to determine the movement direction, generate path points through loop iteration, and generate the segmented pre-path matrix Route1;

[0105] If S(2)=Diag(2), then according to the fact that S and E0 are in the same column, perform row movement; calculate the absolute value of the row difference, use the sign function to determine the movement direction, generate path points through loop iteration, and generate the segmented pre-path matrix Route1;

[0106] If Diag(1)=E0(1), then according to the fact that S and E0 are in the same row, perform column-wise movement; calculate the absolute value of the column difference, use the sign function to determine the movement direction, generate path points through loop iteration, and generate the segmented pre-path matrix Route2;

[0107] If Diag(2)=E0(2), then according to the fact that S and E0 are in the same column, perform row movement; calculate the absolute value of the row difference, use the sign function to determine the movement direction, generate path points through loop iteration, and generate the segmented pre-path matrix Route2;

[0108] Connect Route1 and Route2 together to get the full pre-path matrix Route, that is, Route=[Route1(1:end-1,:); Route2];

[0109] Step 3: Calculate the full pre-path distance.

[0110] [Step,~]=size(Route),Distance=Step-1.

[0111] The embodiment of the present invention further discloses a computer device, comprising: a processor, used in the method for planning the detection path of the rotating probe in the tube expansion area described in the above technical solution; and

[0112] A memory is used to store executable instructions of the processor.

[0113] Compare the path planning method using the A* algorithm with the path planning method of the present invention:

[0114] SG heat transfer tube panel environment matrix A, its data display is shown in Figure 2 .

[0115] To use the A* algorithm to determine the path from the more central starting point to E0, the matrix A must be transformed into a square matrix Square through extraction and expansion, see Figure 3 , the corresponding S and E0 are transformed into the corresponding Start and End, and the A* algorithm is used to obtain the path coordinates from Start (the starting point is the green circle) to End (the end point is the yellow circle) on the Square, see Figure 4 , and then the inverse transformation is used to obtain the path from S to E0 on the heat transfer tube panel environment matrix A, see Figure 5 . Using the path determined by the present invention, see Figure 6 .

[0116] Compare Figure 5 and Figure 6 It can be clearly seen that the paths obtained by using the A* algorithm and the present invention have completely different characteristics. The A* algorithm explores the shortest path under the premise of direction priority. In this way, there will inevitably be too many turning points in the path search process, which will cause the robot's posture to change continuously and consume more time. At the same time, the large number of turning points means that the robot is more likely to collide with blind spots in these places.

[0117] The proposed path prediction method minimizes both the number of turning points and the path distance. If the path passes the feasibility test, a deterministic path with the fewest turning points and the shortest path distance has been found. Because the path has the fewest turning points, the likelihood of hitting blind spots is reduced. Because the turning points are closer to the center, the likelihood of hitting walls near the turning points is also reduced. In particular, the addition of path feasibility testing and ferrying technology in the later stages completely overcomes the risk of hitting blind spots and walls.

[0118] The above embodiments are only intended to help understand the method and core concept of the present invention. It should be noted that, without departing from the principles of the present invention, a number of improvements and modifications may be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art, and such improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

[0119] The above description of the disclosed embodiments is intended to enable one skilled in the art to implement or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown herein but is intended to conform to the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for planning a detection path for a rotating probe in an expansion tube area, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Step 1: Environment modeling and initialization; This includes quantifying the vertical SG heat transfer tube panel layout into a two-dimensional environment matrix A, defining the robot's starting center point S and target center point E0, and initializing the path matrix; Step 2: Determine the relative position of the robot's starting center point S and the target center point E0; If S and E0 are in the same row, perform column-wise movement; calculate the absolute value of the column difference, use the sign function to determine the movement direction, generate path points through loop iteration, and generate the full pre-path matrix; If S and E0 are in the same column, perform row-wise movement; calculate the absolute value of the row difference, use the sign function to determine the movement direction, generate path points through loop iteration, and generate the full pre-path matrix; If S and E0 are in different rows and columns, construct a rectangle with S and E0 as diagonal points, obtain the other two diagonal points of the rectangle, and select the diagonal point closest to the center of the panel as the inflection point; calculate the segmented pre-path matrix from S to the inflection point, and the segmented pre-path matrix from the inflection point to E0 respectively; connect the two segmented pre-path matrices together to obtain the full pre-path matrix; Step 3: Calculate the full pre-path distance.

2. The method for planning the detection path of the rotating probe in the tube expansion area according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step 1 specifically includes: Step 1-1: Quantify the SG heat transfer tube panel environment into a two-dimensional matrix A, where the matrix elements represent the passable state of the tube hole; Step 1-2: Define the coordinates of the robot's starting center point S and target center point E0. The coordinate values ​​are even numbers. Step 1-3: Initialize and define the full path matrix Route, the segmented pre-path matrix Route1 closer to the robot's starting center point S, and the segmented pre-path Route2 closer to the target center point E0; The initial value is the empty set.

3. The method for planning the detection path of a rotating probe in the tube expansion area according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 2, when S and E0 are in the same row, the following steps are specifically included: Assign an initial value S to the full pre-path matrix Route; Use the difference between S and E0 to find the number of moved pores N; The full pre-path matrix Route is expanded by adding path point elements through N' cycles using the for statement; Get the full pre-path matrix Route when S and E0 are in the same row.

4. The method for planning the detection path of the rotating probe in the tube expansion area according to claim 3, characterized in that: In step 2, the starting center point S = [S(1), S(2)], and the target center point E0 = [E0(1), E0(2)]; When S(1)=E0(1)2, perform column shift; N0=(E0(2)-S(2)) / 2, N=│N0│;Route=S; The sign function sign(N0) is used to determine the moving direction, and the path points are generated through loop iteration: Route=[Route;S(1),S(2)+sign(N0)*2*i]; i is cyclic and is an integer from 1 to N'; sign is the sign function; N0 reflects the number of tube holes moved to the right or left.

5. The method for planning the detection path of a rotating probe in the tube expansion area according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 2, when S and E0 are in the same column, the following steps are specifically included: Assign an initial value S to the full pre-path matrix Route; Use the difference between S and E0 to find the number of moved pores M; The full pre-path matrix Route is expanded by adding path point elements through M' cycles using the for statement; Get the full pre-path matrix Route when S and E0 are in the same column.

6. The method for planning the detection path of a rotating probe in the tube expansion area according to claim 5, characterized in that: In step 2, the starting center point S = [ S(1), S(2)], and the target center point E0 = [ E0(1), E0(2)]; When S(2)=E0(2), execute row-wise movement; M0=(E0(1)-S(1) ) / 2, M=│M0│; Route=S; The sign function sign(M0) is used to determine the moving direction, and the path points are generated through loop iteration: Route=[Route;S(1)+sign(M0)*2*i,S(2)]; i is a cycle, which is an integer from 1 to M'; sign represents the positive or negative sign; M0 reflects the number of pores moved to the right or left.

7. The method for planning the detection path of a rotating probe in the tube expansion area according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 2, when S and E0 are in different rows and columns, the following steps are specifically included: Construct a rectangle with S and E0 as diagonal points, obtain the other two diagonal points of the rectangle, and select the diagonal point closest to the center of the panel as the inflection point; the other two diagonal points of the rectangle are Diag1=[S(1),E0(2)] and Diag2=[E0(1),S(2)]; Calculate the center of the SG heat transfer tube panel environmental matrix A, denoted as Center; the calculation method is: [mA,nA]=size(A), Center=[mA,nA] / 2; Calculate the Euclidean distances from the two diagonal points Diag1 and Diag2 to the Center respectively, and compare them. The diagonal point with the shorter Euclidean distance is the inflection point; Calculate the segmented pre-path matrix Route1 from S to the inflection point; the calculation method is to generate the pre-path matrix by placing S and E0 in the same row or the same column; Calculate the segmented pre-path matrix Route2 from the inflection point to E0. The calculation method is to generate the pre-path matrix by placing S and E0 in the same row or the same column.

8. The method for planning a detection path of a rotating probe in a tube expansion area according to claim 7, characterized in that: The Euclidean distance from the diagonal point Diag1 to the Center is d1. ； The Euclidean distance from the diagonal point Diag2 to the Center is d2. if , Diag = Diag1, otherwise Diag = Diag2.

9. The method for planning a detection path of a rotating probe in a tube expansion area according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 3, the calculation method of the full pre-path distance Distance is: [Step,~]=size(Route),Distance=Step-1.

10. A computer device, characterized in that: include: A processor, configured to execute the method for planning a detection path of a rotating probe in a tube expansion area according to any one of claims 1 to 9; as well as A memory is used to store executable instructions of the processor.

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