Method and apparatus for cleaning wind turbine blades

Abstract

The invention discloses a robot for cleaning and inspecting wind turbine blades. The robot body can be adsorbed onto the blades by vacuum, and the robot also has a cleaning operation module, which includes two cleaning operation cavities connected by an elastic section, and the deformation of the elastic section can ensure that the cleaning operation module adapts to the convex and concave surface of the blade.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and is a non-provisional application of U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 811,785 (filed on February 28, 2019), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0003] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a wind turbine inspection and cleaning system.

[0004] Wind turbines have multiple blades that extend from a central chamber suspended above the ground by a tower. When the blades outside the chamber are acted upon by the wind, they rotate along their axes, driving a generator in the chamber to produce electricity. The efficiency of power conversion depends on many factors, including the surface smoothness of the blades. However, during operation, oil leaks, salty air from the ocean, debris, and insect bodies contaminate the blades, which inhibits efficiency.

[0005] Regular visual inspection and cleaning of blades can correct defects and improve wind turbine efficiency. Cleaning is usually done manually by operators. However, manual cleaning is often time-consuming, expensive, dangerous, and difficult to perform on time. For these reasons, wind turbines may operate in an inefficient manner for a considerable period of time. Therefore, an improved cleaning system is urgently needed for performing the above operations.

[0006] The above discussion provides general background information only and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Summary of the invention

[0007] A robot for cleaning and inspecting wind turbine blades. The robot has a module that attaches to the blade using vacuum force. The robot also has a cleaning module that is divided into two parts connected by an elastic section. The cleaning module is elastic so that it adapts to the concave and convex curves on the blade.

[0008] In a first embodiment, a robot for cleaning wind turbine blades is provided. The robot includes: a suction module including a suction chamber having an open bottom and a compliant sealing assembly surrounding the open bottom, wherein the compliant sealing assembly directly contacts the suction blade; a vacuum suction motor assembly for exhausting air from the suction chamber so as to suction the open bottom to the blade surface; a device for moving the robot along the surface; an elastic cleaning ring surrounding an opening on the bottom side of the robot; a cleaning operation module including a cover, the cover including a first cleaning operation chamber, the first cleaning operation chamber flexibly connected to a second cleaning operation chamber by an elastic section, the cover defining a bottom opening, the elastic section elastically bending to bend the bottom opening into a convex shape and a concave shape; at least one nozzle arranged inside the cleaning operation module for spraying pressurized water at the bottom opening to clean the surface.

[0009] In a second embodiment, a robot for cleaning wind turbine blades is provided. The robot includes: a first suction module and a second suction module, each suction module including a suction chamber with an open bottom and an elastic cleaning ring around the open bottom, wherein the elastic cleaning ring contacts a surface; a vacuum motor assembly for exhausting air from the suction chamber so as to adhere the open bottom to the surface; a device for moving the robot along the surface; a hinge elastically connects the first suction module to the second suction module so that the robot adjusts to a non-planar area on the surface; a cleaning operation module, which includes a cover, the cover including a first cleaning operation chamber, the first cleaning operation chamber flexibly connected to the second cleaning operation chamber through an elastic section, the cover defining a bottom opening, the elastic section elastically bending to bend the bottom opening into a convex shape and a concave shape, the first cleaning operation chamber connected to the first suction module through a first support, and the second cleaning operation chamber rigidly connected to the second suction module through a second support, so that the cleaning operation module can be attached to the non-planar area on the surface; at least one nozzle, which is arranged inside the cleaning operation module, for spraying pressurized water at the bottom opening to clean the surface.

[0010] The brief description of the present invention is intended only to provide a brief overview of the subject matter disclosed herein according to one or more illustrative embodiments, and is not intended to be used as a guide to interpret the claims or to define or limit the scope of the present invention, which is defined solely by the appended claims. This brief description is provided to introduce an illustrative selection of concepts that will be further described in the detailed description below in a simplified form. This brief description is not intended to identify the key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to help determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all problems. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] In order to understand the manner of the features of the present invention, the present invention may be described in detail by reference to certain embodiments, some of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings illustrate only certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be considered to limit its scope, as the scope of the present invention encompasses other equally effective embodiments. The accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and emphasis is generally placed on illustrating the features of certain embodiments of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings, the same numbers are used to indicate the same parts in each view. Therefore, in order to further understand the present invention, the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0012] Figure 1A is a perspective view of one embodiment of a robot.

[0013] Figure 1B yes Figure 1A robot top view.

[0014] Figure 2A yes Figure 1A Rear view of the robot.

[0015] Figure 2B yes Figure 2A A close up view of a portion of the hinge shows the hinge with the gears.

[0016] Figure 3A , 3B and 3C is Figure 1A A rear view of the robot showing the operation of the hinge with gears to make the robot resilient.

[0017] Figure 4A This is a diagram of the internal structure of the robot's two adsorption chambers.

[0018] Figure 4B and 4C is a cross-sectional view showing air flow through the robot.

[0019] Figure 5A and 5B is a bottom view of the robot, showing an embodiment with four wheels.

[0020] Fig. 6A and 6B is a bottom view of the robot, showing an embodiment with two drive trains and two casters.

[0021] Figure 7 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a robot.

[0022] Fig. 8A , 8B and 8C are front views of the robot showing the elastic deformation of the cleaning operation module.

[0023] Fig. 9A and 9B is a bottom view of the robot, showing the cleaning operation module.

[0024] Fig. 10A , 10B 10C are front, perspective and bottom views, respectively, of a cleaning operation module, showing an embodiment having a circular shape.

[0025] Fig.11A is a perspective view of the robot showing an embodiment with two drive trains and a suction chamber.

[0026] Fig. 11B and 11C yes Fig.11A A bottom view of an embodiment of the robot is shown.

[0027] Fig.11D is a cross-sectional view of the adsorption chamber.

[0028] Fig.11E yes Fig.11A An exploded view of the robot is shown.

[0029] Fig. 12A and 12B is a description of a robot cleaning turbine blades. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The present disclosure provides a cleaning and inspection device with vertical mobility to clean wind turbine blades. The surface of turbine blades is very complex and includes convex and concave surfaces. If the cleaning robot is small enough, the blade surface can be regarded as a flat surface because the convex and concave surfaces on the blade can be ignored. However, if the robot is very small, the cleaning efficiency of the robot may be unacceptably low. In order to resolve the conflict between the curved surface of the blade and the efficiency of the robot, an improved robot is provided herein.

[0031] refer to Figure 1A and 1B The robot 100 includes a cleaning operation module 120 and a first adsorption module 102 and a second adsorption module 104 connected to the cleaning operation module 120 through support members 112 and 114. The support members 112 and 114 apply downward pressure to the separated sections of the cleaning operation module 120 and are independently elastic. The first adsorption module 102 and the second adsorption module 104 are connected by a hinge 106 with a gear.

[0032] like Figure 2A and 2BAs shown, two gears 200, 202 are fixed to each corresponding first suction module 102, second suction module 104 of the robot 100. The first suction module 102, second suction module 104 are connected by the frame 108, and the gears 200, 202 are engaged. The first suction module 102, second suction module 104 of the robot 100 pivots in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, while the frame 108 remains vertical. Therefore, the robot 100 can better fit the surface of the turbine blade than a solid piece of the same size. Figures 3A-3C shows that when the robot 100 is attached to a flat surface ( Figure 3A ), concave ( Figure 3B ) and convex ( Figure 3C ) status.

[0033] refer to Figure 4A , each first adsorption module 102 and second adsorption module 104 of the robot 100 has an adsorption chamber 402, 404, which has a vacuum motor assembly 403, 405 to generate low pressure in the corresponding adsorption chamber. The air in each adsorption chamber 402, 404 is extracted by the vacuum motor assembly 403, 405, so that the pressure inside the adsorption chamber 402, 404 is lower than the pressure outside the adsorption chamber 402, 404. The robot 100 is pressed onto the surface of the turbine blade by the pressure difference. When the robot 100 is placed on the surface, the elastic cleaning ring 406 under each chamber 402, 404 contacts the blade surface. The elastic cleaning ring 406 surrounds the bottom opening of the corresponding adsorption chamber. The elastic cleaning ring 406 also prevents air outside the robot 100 from leaking into the adsorption chamber 402, 404.

[0034] refer to Figure 4B and 4C The vacuum motor assembly 403, 405 includes a suction motor 408 and a propeller 410 to guide the air flow out of the corresponding adsorption chamber through the manifold 412. Each adsorption chamber has an air inlet 500. The air flows into the air inlet 500 through the filter 414, is compressed by the propeller 410 inside the vacuum motor assembly 403, 405, and is discharged from the manifold 412.

[0035] refer to Figure 5A and 5B The robot 100 moves along the surface of the turbine blade via a transmission mechanism (eg, a moving device) to clean the debris on the surface. The transmission mechanism is coupled to a transmission motor 502 that drives the transmission mechanism. Figure 5A and 5BIn an embodiment of the transmission mechanism of , there are four omnidirectional wheels (e.g., Mecanum wheels) 501a, 501b, 503a, and 503b and four transmission motors 502 to drive each corresponding wheel. The four wheels are divided into two groups; the first group includes wheels 501a, 501b, and the second group includes wheels 503a, 503b. Figure 5A-5B In the embodiment of the present invention, when the wheels 501a, 501b in the first group rotate, the robot 100 moves left and right. When the wheels 503a, 503b in the second group rotate, the robot 100 moves forward and backward. The robot 100 can also move or rotate in any direction by independently controlling the rotation direction of each of the four wheels 501a, 501b, 503a and 503b. In this way, the robot 100 can move in all directions.

[0036] Fig. 6A and 6B An embodiment of a transmission mechanism having two transmission systems 600 and two casters 602 is shown. The casters 602 are used to balance each first adsorption module 102, second adsorption module 104 of the robot 100. In one embodiment, when the vacuum adsorbs the robot 100 on the blade surface, the casters 602 are spring-tensioned to allow vertical movement. By using differential transmission to control the speed of the motors of the two transmission systems 600, the entire robot 100 can move forward and backward and turn left and right or rotate around the center point of the robot 100.

[0037] refer to Figure 7 In one embodiment, the pipelines 702, 704 transport water from the connector 712 to the hollow tube of the cleaning operation module. The cover 720 of the cleaning operation module 120 is divided into two sections 714, 716 and connected by an elastic material 718 (e.g., silicone rubber), which can conform to the curvature of the surface of the turbine blade. In one embodiment, the two sections 714, 716 are arranged symmetrically about the elastic material 718. The sections 714, 716 are basically ridged and can be formed of a durable plastic (e.g., a rigid polymer material). In one embodiment, the supply lines 702, 704 are ridged water pipes, and the hinges are connected to the hinges of the first adsorption module 102 and the second adsorption module 104 by the ball connector 712 of the sections 714, 716. In another embodiment, the supply lines 702, 704 are elastic hoses that transport water. On the flat surface, the bottom opening of the cleaning operation module 120 is coplanar with the bottom openings of the adsorption chambers 402 , 404 . Fig. 8A , 8B 8C show the articulated movement of the cleaning operation module 120 .

[0038] refer to Fig. 9A and 9B, using high pressure water to clean the surface of the wind turbine blades. High pressure water is supplied to the robot 100 by any high pressure washer equipment. High pressure water is connected to the robot 100 at the connector 712 and is directed into the supply lines 702, 704 and respectively fed into the nozzles 706, 708 inside the bottom opening cleaning operation module 120 (see FIG8). There are two nozzles 706, 708 inside the cleaning operation module 120, and the two nozzles can rotate freely when the high pressure water is supplied. In one embodiment, there are four scrapers 110 at the front and rear ends of the robot. The scrapers 110 can wipe off water marks on the surface.

[0039] Fig. 10A , 10B 10C shows another embodiment of a cleaning operation module 1001 having a circular shape. In one embodiment, the supply line 1003 is a flexible hollow tube that delivers water from the connector to the cleaning operation module 1005. There is a flexible cleaning ring 1002 (e.g., an O-shaped microfiber cloth) under the cover 1004 to clean dirt on the surface.

[0040] Fig.11A , 11B 11C and 11D show an embodiment of a robot 1100 having a single adsorption module 1130, a cleaning operation module 1120, and an inspection camera 1114. Fig. 11B As shown, module 1130 includes two transmission belts 1101 and an elastic adsorption chamber 1102. By using differential transmission to control the speed of the motors of the two transmission belts 1101, the robot 1100 can move forward and backward and turn left and right or rotate around the center point of the robot 1100. At the bottom of the module 1130, a cleaning circle 1104 surrounds the lower periphery of the module 1130. The cleaning circle 1104 can clean the dirt on the surface of the blade and also prevent the contaminated water from wetting the tread of the transmission system. A scraper 1103 is installed on the inner side of the cleaning circle 1104 to clean the adsorption surface and keep the transmission system dry. In the embodiment shown in the figure, there are two scrapers 1103 on the front and back inner sides respectively. In one embodiment, the cleaning circle 1104 is a microfiber cloth used to clean the surface of the blade and prevent water and air from entering the inner side of the elastic cleaning circle 1104.

[0041] In such Fig. 11B In one embodiment shown, the cleaning operation module 1120 has a module with two nozzles 706, 708. The scraper 719 below the cleaning operation module 1120 is made of a soft and flexible material such as a microfiber cloth to remove dirt and conform to the curvature of the blade surface. The supply line 1112 is a flexible hollow tube that delivers water from the connector to the cleaning operation module 1120.

[0042] refer to Fig.11D, the vacuum motor assembly 1106 creates a vacuum in the elastic suction chamber 1102 by sucking air from the gap between the contact surface and the bottom side of the robot. The vacuum causes the robot to adhere to the surface. The vacuum state in the elastic suction chamber 1102 is maintained by the deformation of the flexible seal assembly 1107 and the plurality of spring / guide rod modules 1105. The compliant deformation helps the robot 1100 adhere to the convex contact surface and the concave contact surface. The use of the flexible seal assembly 1107 and the spring / guide rod module 1105 is also contemplated for use in a dual module embodiment of the robot 100.

[0043] Fig.11E 1 is an exploded view of the robot 1100, which shows the robot housing 1110, air filter 1111, cover 1113, moving device 1115, scraper 1103, cleaning ring 1104, spring / guide module 1105, vacuum motor assembly 1106 and compliant seal assembly 1107. The housing 1110 forms the robot base, which has a central compartment to accommodate the compliant seal assembly 1107, so that the compliant seal assembly 1107 can move up and down in the cavity of the central compartment, but not sideways. The compliant seal assembly 1107 also includes an annular mounting plate 1107B, which is supported by springs / guides 1105 at four corners to enable the compliant seal assembly 1107 to move vertically, and the elastic wall 1107A allows the compliant seal assembly 1107 to move vertically. In one embodiment, the elastic wall 1107A is made of an elastic airtight fabric or plastic or silicone rubber material, which is clamped around the bottom annular mounting plate 1107B at one end and around the top plate of the central compartment of the housing 1110 at the other end, thereby forming an elastic adsorption chamber 1102 in the central cavity. The flexible seal ring 1107C is clamped on the bottom side of the annular mounting plate 1107B and is easily removable and replaceable. In one embodiment, the flexible seal ring 1107C is made of a foam ring wrapped in an airtight fabric bag (e.g., a hydrophobic material, a polymer or a nylon material). The elastic seal ring 1107C surrounds the opening of the central cavity and fits with the contact surface to avoid air leakage. The spring / guide rod module 1105 tightens the flexible seal assembly 1107 against the blade while allowing vertical movement. The flexible seal assembly 1107 is designed to provide a wide range of elastic deformations that adapt the robot 1100 to curved surfaces (both concave and convex).

[0044] like Fig.11DAs shown, the vacuum motor assembly 1106 creates a vacuum in the elastic suction chamber 1102 by sucking air from the gap between the contact surface and the compliant seal 1107C. The air flows into the filter 1111 through the elastic suction chamber 1102 to prevent damage to the vacuum motor assembly 1106 by dust and debris. The air is discharged from the chimney exhaust device so that no dust remains inside the module 1130. The compliant seal assembly 1107 provides a wider range of compliance, and when the robot 1100 is attached to a convex contact surface or a concave contact surface, the vacuum state is maintained by the elastic deformation of both the spring / guide module 1105 and the compliant seal assembly 1107.

[0045] A cover 1113 covers the entire module 1130 to protect the electronic components from water and dust. There are brackets on the cover 1113 to fix the supply line 1112 for the cleaning operation module 1120. An RGB-D camera 1114 is mounted on the cover 1113 to provide a close-up video stream and a first-person view for the operator to monitor the cleaning status and check for any defects on the blade surface.

[0046] refer to Fig. 12A and 12B , dirty water collects inside the cleaning operation module 120 and then flows along the blade from the bottom of the cleaning operation module 120. The robot 100 is transported to a cabin 1200 on top of the wind turbine tower and is manually placed onto the wind turbine blade 1202. A supply line 1204 provides power and water to the robot 100. In one embodiment, the supply line 1204 includes a suction hose connected to the robot instead of the onboard vacuum motor assembly 403, 405. A suction pump is connected to the suction hose.

[0047] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.

Claims

1. A robot for cleaning a wind turbine blade, the robot comprising: an adsorption module comprising an adsorption chamber having an open bottom and a compliant sealing assembly surrounding the open bottom, wherein the compliant sealing assembly contacts a surface; a vacuum motor assembly for exhausting air from the suction chamber to thereby suction the open bottom to the surface; a moving device for moving the robot along the surface; an elastic cleaning ring surrounding the opening on the bottom side of the robot; A cleaning operation module, comprising a cover, the cover comprising a first cleaning operation cavity, the first cleaning operation cavity being flexibly connected to a second cleaning operation cavity via an elastic section, wherein the cover defines a bottom opening such that deformation of the elastic section bends the bottom opening into a convex shape and a concave shape; There is at least one nozzle arranged inside the cleaning operation module for spraying pressurized water at the bottom opening to clean the surface. 2 . The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic section is a silicone rubber elastic section.

3. The robot according to claim 1, the cleaning operation module further comprising at least one vacuum opening, the at least one vacuum opening being connected to a suction pump for removing water from the cleaning operation module.

4. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the first cleaning operation chamber is connected to the adsorption module via a first support member and the second cleaning operation chamber is connected to the adsorption module via a second support member, so that the cleaning operation module can be adjusted to a non-planar area on the surface by independent bending of the first support member and the second support member. 5 . The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the first cleaning operation chamber and the second cleaning operation chamber are symmetrically arranged with respect to the elastic section.

6. The robot of claim 1, wherein the compliant seal assembly further comprises a spring / guide rod module, the spring / guide rod module enabling the compliant seal assembly to move vertically, thereby tensioning the compliant seal assembly securely against the surface.

7. The robot of claim 1, wherein the movement device comprises at least one transmission system.

8. The robot of claim 1, wherein the movement means comprises at least one wheel.

9. The robot of claim 1, wherein the compliant sealing assembly is disposed within the elastomeric cleaning ring.

10. A robot for cleaning a wind turbine blade, the robot comprising: a first adsorption module and a second adsorption module, each adsorption module comprising an adsorption chamber having an open bottom and an elastic cleaning ring surrounding the open bottom, wherein the elastic cleaning ring contacts the surface; a vacuum motor assembly for evacuating air from the adsorption chamber to adhere the open bottom to the surface; a moving device for moving the robot along the surface; a hinge that elastically connects the first adsorption module to the second adsorption module so that the robot can be adjusted to a non-planar area on the surface; A cleaning operation module, comprising a cover, the cover comprising a first cleaning operation cavity flexibly connected to a second cleaning operation cavity by an elastic section, the cover defining a bottom opening, such that bending of the elastic section causes the bottom opening to bend into a convex shape and a concave shape, the first cleaning operation cavity being connected to the first adsorption module by a first support, the second cleaning operation cavity being rigidly connected to the second adsorption module by a second support, such that the cleaning operation module can be bent to fit a non-planar area on the surface; At least one nozzle is arranged inside the cleaning operation module for spraying pressurized water at the bottom opening to clean the surface. The robot according to claim 10 , wherein the hinge is a gear hinge. 12 . The robot according to claim 10 , wherein the first support member and the second support member are independently bent, so that the first cleaning operation chamber and the second cleaning operation chamber are independently bent.

13. The robot according to claim 10, the cleaning operation module further comprising at least one vacuum opening connected to a suction pump for removing water. 14 . The robot according to claim 10 , wherein the first cleaning operation chamber and the second cleaning operation chamber are symmetrically arranged with respect to the elastic section.

15. The robot according to claim 10, wherein the first adsorption module and the second adsorption module each include a compliant sealing assembly having a spring / guide rod module, wherein the spring / guide rod module allows vertical movement of the compliant sealing assembly so that the compliant sealing assembly is tensioned against the surface.

16. The robot of claim 10, wherein the movement device comprises at least one drive train.

17. The robot of claim 10, said movement means comprising at least one wheel.

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