A system and method for evaluating the risk of wildlife casualties caused by wind turbines

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for assessing the risk of wildlife casualties posed by wind turbines, belonging to the field of wildlife prevention and control technology. The system comprises the following steps: Step S1: periodically collecting and storing image data surrounding each group of wind turbines in the area to be evaluated, and transmitting the image data to a terminal; Step S2: the terminal uses image recognition technology to identify images of injured or dead animals in the image data, compares the images with animal images in a standard wildlife image database, and identifies the protection level and number of specific injured or deceased wildlife. This system establishes specific risk assessment criteria for wildlife casualties posed by wind turbines based on the characteristics of the environment surrounding wind turbines. The assessment process eliminates the need for manual labor, significantly reducing fieldwork. The system rapidly and efficiently performs risk assessments around wind turbines, filling a gap in this field. After the risk level is assessed, effective measures are taken to reduce wildlife casualties.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of wildlife prevention and control, and in particular relates to a system and method for evaluating the risk of wildlife casualties posed by wind turbines. Background Art

[0002] Wind power generation is a green and pollution-free energy production method. China ranks first globally in total installed wind power capacity and wind power generation, and the wind power industry is poised for greater development and construction opportunities. A wind turbine is an electrical device that converts wind energy into mechanical work, which in turn drives the rotor to produce alternating current. A wind turbine generally consists of a rotor, generator, yaw mechanism, tower, speed limiter, and energy storage device. The operating principle of a wind turbine is relatively simple: the rotor rotates in response to wind, converting the wind's kinetic energy into mechanical energy for the rotor shaft. Driven by the rotor shaft, the generator then rotates to generate electricity.

[0003] Due to their large size, wind turbines are usually installed in farmland, woodlands, mountainous areas, etc. During operation, wild animals may enter the turbine area, affecting their habitats and even causing casualties. Wind turbines are generally equipped with ultrasonic devices to send ultrasonic waves to prevent animals from approaching. However, due to the vast area where wind turbines are built, if all wind turbines turn on the ultrasonic wave repelling device, the animal habitat area will be severely reduced. Moreover, turning on the repelling device for a long time will cause energy consumption. To avoid causing casualties to wild animals, protect wild animal habitats, and ensure the safe operation of wind turbines, a system and method for evaluating the risk of wildlife casualties from wind turbines are proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a system and method for evaluating the risk of casualties of wild animals caused by wind turbines with a simple structure and reasonable design in order to solve the above problems.

[0005] The present invention achieves the above-mentioned purpose through the following technical solutions:

[0006] A method for evaluating the risk of wildlife casualties caused by wind turbines comprises the following steps:

[0007] Step S1: periodically collecting and storing image data around each group of wind turbines in the area to be evaluated, and transmitting the image data to a terminal;

[0008] Step S2: The terminal uses image recognition technology to identify images of injured or dead animals in the image data, stores the images in an animal injury image database, and compares the images with animal images in a standard wildlife image database to identify the protection level and number of specific injured or dead wildlife;

[0009] Step S3: Pre-processing the protection level and number of the animals and matching them with the preset first discrimination condition to obtain a risk level for one cycle. Based on the second discrimination condition, the risk levels of several cycles are superimposed, and the highest risk level is obtained as the final risk level of each wind turbine.

[0010] Step S4: For wind turbines whose final risk level reaches a preset level, the animal avoidance system of the wind turbine or its surroundings is activated to avoid animals to reduce animal casualties. The activation time is one cycle.

[0011] The first discrimination condition is the risk level, and the second discrimination condition is the risk level value.

[0012] As a further optimization solution of the present invention, in step S1, at least one set of remote sensing image acquisition equipment is provided on each set of wind turbines, and the remote sensing image acquisition equipment is used to monitor the surroundings of the wind turbines to obtain image data of the surroundings of the wind turbines.

[0013] As a further optimization scheme of the present invention, the protection levels in step S2 are: nationally protected wild animals, nationally protected terrestrial wild animals that are beneficial or have important economic and scientific research value, and other wild animals.

[0014] As a further optimization solution of the present invention, in step S3, the pretreatment process is:

[0015] Xa=a / (a+b+c);

[0016] Xb=b / (a+b+c);

[0017] Xa and Xb are the results of processing animals of different protection levels and numbers; a is the number of casualties of nationally protected wild animals; b is the number of casualties of terrestrial wild animals that are beneficial or have important economic and scientific research value and are protected by the state; c is other wild animals.

[0018] As a further optimization solution of the present invention, the first discrimination condition is:

[0019] If 0≤Xa≤1%, 0≤Xb≤1%, the risk level is Level I; if 1%<Xa≤10%, 1%<Xb≤10%, the risk level is Level II; if 10%<Xa≤20%, 10%<Xb≤20%, the risk level is Level III; if 20%<Xa≤100%, 20%<Xb≤100%, the risk level is Level IV.

[0020] As a further optimization solution of the present invention, the second discrimination condition is:

[0021] The values ​​for risk level I, risk level II, risk level III, and risk level IV are all 1.

[0022] As a further optimization scheme of the present invention, the method for obtaining the highest value is: superimposing the total values ​​of the risk level values ​​corresponding to the wind turbines in several cycles, comparing the sizes of the total values ​​of different risk levels, and taking the risk level corresponding to the highest value as the final risk level of casualties of wild animals caused by the wind turbine. If there are two or more identical total values, the larger risk level shall be the final risk level.

[0023] As a further optimization solution of the present invention, in step S4, the preset levels are level III and level IV.

[0024] The present invention also provides a system for evaluating the risk of wild animal casualties caused by wind turbines, comprising a remote sensing image acquisition device and an administrator terminal, a data receiving and sending module, and an animal avoidance system;

[0025] The remote sensing image acquisition device is used to periodically collect image data around the wind turbine and output the data to the administrator terminal through the data receiving and sending module for storage;

[0026] The administrator terminal is used to use image recognition technology to identify images of injured or dead animals in the image data, store them in an animal injury image database, and compare the images of injured or dead animals with animal images in a standard wild animal image database to identify the protection level and number of specific injured or dead wild animals; the protection level and number of the animals are pre-processed and matched with a preset first discrimination condition to obtain a risk level for one cycle; the risk levels of several cycles are superimposed based on the second discrimination condition, and the highest risk level obtained is the final risk level of each wind turbine; for wind turbines whose final risk level exceeds the preset level, the animal avoidance system is activated through the data receiving and sending module;

[0027] The animal avoidance system is used to avoid animals around the wind turbine, and is started for a period after receiving a start instruction from the administrator terminal through the data receiving and sending module.

[0028] As a further optimization solution of the present invention, the animal avoidance system includes a fan base avoidance device for avoiding terrestrial wild animals and a fan blade avoidance device for avoiding flying wild animals;

[0029] Wherein, the fan base avoidance device includes a mounting base fixed on the fan rod, and the mounting base is composed of two groups of semicircular plates and nuts, the semicircular plates include an inner circular plate and an outer circular plate, a connecting rib plate is provided between the inner circular plate and the outer circular plate, and openings are provided on both sides of the connecting rib plate. The two groups of semicircular plates are fixed as a whole by connecting the connecting rib plates at the edge positions through nuts, and a slide groove is provided on the outer side of the outer circular plate, and three groups of low-altitude ultrasonic generators are slidably installed on the slide groove. The ultrasonic emission angles of the three groups of low-altitude ultrasonic generators are 60°, 90°, and 135° with the fan rod respectively, and the three groups of ultrasonic generators are connected by a ring rod, and the ring rod is provided with a low-altitude fan blade for collecting wind energy to drive the ultrasonic generator to rotate;

[0030] The fan blade avoidance device includes a vertical pole located on the top box of the wind turbine generator, and a rotating high-altitude fan blade is provided on the vertical pole. The direction of the high-altitude fan blade and the direction of the fan blade are on the same side. The rotating shaft end of the high-altitude fan blade is connected to the reduction gear box, and the output shaft of the reduction gear box is connected to the gear transmission assembly inside the vertical pole. The gear transmission assembly transmits the torque of the reduction gear box output shaft to the top of the vertical pole. The top of the gear transmission assembly is provided with a rotating part, and three groups of high-altitude ultrasonic generators are provided on the outside of the rotating part. The ultrasonic emission angles of the three groups of low-altitude ultrasonic generators are 0-90°, 90°, and 150° with the vertical axis of the rotating part, respectively.

[0031] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0032] The present invention establishes specific risk assessment criteria for wildlife casualties posed by wind turbines based on the characteristics of the wind turbine's surrounding environment. The assessment process requires no human effort, significantly reducing fieldwork. Furthermore, the assessment process is simple and the results are relatively accurate. This wind turbine wildlife casualty risk assessment method can quickly and efficiently assess the risk of large, continuous areas surrounding wind turbines, filling a gap in this field. After the risk level is assessed, effective measures are taken to reduce wildlife casualties while maximizing wildlife habitat. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Figure 1 This is a step diagram of a method for evaluating the risk of casualties of wild animals caused by wind turbines according to the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a system for evaluating the risk of wildlife casualties caused by wind turbines according to the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of a wind turbine base avoidance device of an animal avoidance system in a system for evaluating the risk of casualties of wild animals by a wind turbine according to the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4It is a schematic diagram of a fan blade avoidance device of an animal avoidance system in a system for evaluating the risk of casualties of wild animals by a wind turbine according to the present invention.

[0037] Illustration: 10, outer circular plate; 20, inner circular plate; 30, opening; 40, slide; 50, low-altitude ultrasonic generator; 60, ring rod; 70, low-altitude fan blade; 11, vertical pole; 12, high-altitude fan blade; 13, reduction gearbox; 14, gear transmission assembly; 15, rotating part; 16, high-altitude ultrasonic generator. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The present application is described in further detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is necessary to point out that the following specific implementation methods are only used to further illustrate the present application and cannot be understood as limiting the scope of protection of the present application. Technicians in this field can make some non-essential improvements and adjustments to the present application based on the above application content.

[0039] like Figure 1 As shown, a method for evaluating the risk of wildlife casualties caused by wind turbines includes the following steps:

[0040] Step S1: using at least one remote sensing image acquisition device installed on each group of wind turbines, periodically acquire and store image data of 100m around each group of wind turbines in the area to be evaluated, with a survey period of 7 consecutive days, and transmit the image data to the terminal;

[0041] Step S2: The terminal uses image recognition technology to identify images of injured or dead animals in the image data, stores them in the animal injury image database, and compares the images of injured or dead animals with animal images in the standard wild animal image database to identify the protection level and number of specific injured or dead wild animals. The protection levels are: national key protected wild animals, national protected terrestrial wild animals that are beneficial or have important economic and scientific research value, and other wild animals.

[0042] Step S3: Pre-processing the protection level and number of the animals and matching them with the preset first discrimination condition to obtain a risk level for one cycle. Based on the second discrimination condition, the risk levels of several cycles are superimposed, and the highest risk level is obtained as the final risk level of each wind turbine.

[0043] The preprocessing process is:

[0044] Xa=a / (a+b+c);

[0045] Xb=b / (a+b+c);

[0046] Xa and Xb are the treatment results of animals of different protection levels and numbers; a is the number of casualties of nationally protected wildlife; b is the number of casualties of terrestrial wildlife that are beneficial or have important economic or scientific research value and are protected by the state; c is other wildlife;

[0047] The first judgment condition is:

[0048] If 0≤Xa≤1%, 0≤Xb≤1%, the risk level is Level I; if 1%<Xa≤10%, 1%<Xb≤10%, the risk level is Level II; if 10%<Xa≤20%, 10%<Xb≤20%, the risk level is Level III; if 20%<Xa≤100%, 20%<Xb≤100%, the risk level is Level IV.

[0049] The second judgment condition is:

[0050] The values ​​for risk level I, risk level II, risk level III, and risk level IV are all 1.

[0051] After completing n survey cycles, determine the risk level of a wind turbine to wildlife. Add the total values ​​of the corresponding risk levels for the wind turbine over n survey cycles. The sum of the total number of Level I risk values ​​over n survey cycles is Z1, the total number of Level II risk values ​​is Z2, the total number of Level III risk values ​​is Z3, and the total number of Level IV risk values ​​is Z4. Compare the scores of Z1, Z2, Z3, and Z4, and use the risk level corresponding to the highest value as the final risk level for wildlife casualties from the wind turbine. If two or more identical total values ​​appear, the higher risk level is used as the final risk level. For example, if the risk levels for the wind turbine over seven cycles were Level I, Level I, Level I, Level I, Level I, Level II, Level II, and Level I, respectively, then Z1 is 5, Z2 is 2, and Z3 and Z4 are 0, then the final risk level for the wind turbine is Level I.

[0052] Step S4: For wind turbines whose final risk level exceeds the preset level III and IV, the animal avoidance system in or around the wind turbine is activated to avoid animals to reduce animal casualties, and the activation time is one cycle.

[0053] like Figure 2 As shown, a system for evaluating the risk of wildlife casualties caused by wind turbines includes remote sensing image acquisition equipment and an administrator terminal, a data receiving and sending module, and an animal avoidance system;

[0054] The remote sensing image acquisition equipment is used to periodically collect image data around the wind turbine and output the data to the administrator terminal through the data receiving and sending module for storage;

[0055] The administrator terminal is used to use image recognition technology to identify images of injured or dead animals in the image data, store them in an animal injury image database, and compare the images of injured or dead animals with animal images in a standard wildlife image database to identify the protection level and number of specific injured or dead wildlife; the protection level and number of the animals are pre-processed and matched with a preset first discrimination condition to obtain a risk level for one cycle; the risk levels of several cycles are superimposed based on the second discrimination condition, and the highest risk level obtained is the final risk level of each wind turbine; for wind turbines whose final risk level exceeds the preset level, the animal avoidance system is activated through the data receiving and sending module;

[0056] The animal avoidance system is used to avoid animals around wind turbines. It starts for one cycle after receiving the start instruction from the administrator terminal through the data receiving and sending module.

[0057] The animal avoidance system includes a fan base avoidance device for avoiding terrestrial wild animals and a fan blade avoidance device for avoiding flying wild animals. Animal avoidance is mainly achieved by controlling the ultrasonic generator to send ultrasonic waves.

[0058] Among them, the fan base avoidance device includes a mounting base fixed on the fan rod, and the mounting base is composed of two groups of semicircular plates and nuts. The semicircular plate includes an inner circular plate 20 and an outer circular plate 10. A connecting rib plate is provided between the inner circular plate 20 and the outer circular plate 10. Openings 30 are provided on both sides of the connecting rib plate. The two groups of semicircular plates are fixed as a whole by connecting the connecting rib plates at the edge positions through nuts. A slide groove 40 is provided on the outer side of the outer circular plate 10. Three groups of low-altitude ultrasonic generators 50 are slidably installed on the slide groove 40. The ultrasonic emission angles of the three groups of low-altitude ultrasonic generators 50 are 60°, 90°, and 135° with the fan rod respectively, and the three groups of ultrasonic generators 50 are connected by a ring rod 60. The ring rod 60 is provided with a fan blade 70 for collecting wind energy to drive the low-altitude ultrasonic generator 50 to rotate, so that ultrasonic waves with different emission angles can be distributed throughout the low-altitude area, and animals are avoided in all directions;

[0059] The fan blade avoidance device includes a vertical pole 11 located on the top box of the wind turbine generator, and a rotating high-altitude fan blade 12 is provided on the vertical pole 11. The direction of the high-altitude fan blade 12 is on the same side as the direction of the fan blade. The rotating shaft end of the high-altitude fan blade 12 is connected to the reduction box 13, and the output shaft of the reduction box 13 is connected to the gear transmission assembly 14 inside the vertical pole 11. The gear transmission assembly 14 transmits the torque of the output shaft of the reduction box 13 to the top of the vertical pole 11. The top of the gear transmission assembly 14 is provided with a rotating part 15, and three groups of high-altitude ultrasonic generators 16 are provided on the outside of the rotating part 15. The ultrasonic emission angles of the three groups of low-altitude ultrasonic generators 16 and the vertical axis of the rotating part 15 are 0-90°, 90°, and 150° respectively. The angle selection of 0-90° is related to the installation height H of the low-altitude ultrasonic generator 16 and the distance L from the edge of the set-top box. The minimum angle is This allows ultrasonic waves with different emission angles to spread throughout the high-altitude fan blade area, thus repelling and avoiding flying animals in all directions.

[0060] The above-described embodiments merely illustrate several implementations of the present invention. While the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art would be able to make numerous variations and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and all such variations and improvements fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating the risk of wildlife casualties caused by wind turbines, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Step S1: periodically collecting and storing image data around each group of wind turbines in the area to be evaluated, and transmitting the image data to a terminal; Step S2: The terminal uses image recognition technology to identify images of injured or dead animals in the image data, stores the images in an animal injury image database, and compares the images with animal images in a standard wildlife image database to identify the protection level and number of specific injured or dead wildlife; Step S3: Pre-processing the protection level and number of the animals and matching them with the preset first discrimination condition to obtain a risk level for one cycle. Based on the second discrimination condition, the risk levels of several cycles are superimposed, and the highest risk level is obtained as the final risk level of each wind turbine. Step S4: For wind turbines whose final risk level reaches a preset level, the animal avoidance system of the wind turbine or its surroundings is activated to avoid animals to reduce animal casualties. The activation time is one cycle. Wherein, the first discrimination condition is the risk level, and the second discrimination condition is the risk level value; In step S3, the pre-processing process is: Xa=a / (a+b+c); Xb=b / (a+b+c); Xa and Xb are the treatment results of animals of different protection levels and numbers; a is the number of casualties of nationally protected wild animals; b is the number of casualties of terrestrial wild animals that are beneficial or have important economic or scientific research value and are protected by the state; c is other wild animals; The first discrimination condition is: If 0≤Xa≤1% or 0≤Xb≤1%, the risk level is Level I; if 1%<Xa≤10% or 1%<Xb≤10%, the risk level is Level II; if 10%<Xa≤20% or 10%<Xb≤20%, the risk level is Level III; if 20%<Xa≤100% or 20%<Xb≤100%, the risk level is Level IV; The second discrimination condition is: The values ​​of risk levels I, II, III, and IV are set to 1; The method for obtaining the highest value is: superimposing the total values ​​of the risk level values ​​corresponding to the wind turbines in several cycles, comparing the sizes of the total values ​​of different risk levels, and taking the risk level corresponding to the highest value as the final risk level of casualties of wild animals caused by the wind turbine. If two or more identical total values ​​appear, the higher risk level shall be the final risk level.

2. The method for evaluating the risk of wildlife casualties caused by wind turbines according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step S1, at least one set of remote sensing image acquisition equipment is provided on each set of wind turbines, and the remote sensing image acquisition equipment is used to monitor the surroundings of the wind turbines to obtain image data of the surroundings of the wind turbines.

3. The method for evaluating the risk of wildlife casualties caused by wind turbines according to claim 2, characterized in that: The protection levels in step S2 are: nationally protected wild animals, nationally protected terrestrial wild animals that are beneficial or have important economic and scientific research value, and other wild animals.

4. The method for evaluating the risk of wildlife casualties caused by wind turbines according to claim 3, characterized in that: In step S4, the preset levels are level III and level IV.

5. A system for evaluating the risk of wildlife casualties caused by wind turbines, characterized in that: The evaluation system comprises a remote sensing image acquisition device and an administrator terminal, a data receiving and sending module, and an animal avoidance system, wherein the evaluation system is based on the evaluation method according to any one of claims 1 to 4; The remote sensing image acquisition device is used to periodically collect image data around the wind turbine and output the data to the administrator terminal through the data receiving and sending module for storage; The administrator terminal is used to use image recognition technology to identify images of injured or dead animals in the image data, store them in an animal injury image database, and compare the images of injured or dead animals with animal images in a standard wild animal image database to identify the protection level and number of specific injured or dead wild animals; the protection level and number of the animals are pre-processed and matched with a preset first discrimination condition to obtain a risk level for one cycle; the risk levels of several cycles are superimposed based on the second discrimination condition, and the highest risk level obtained is the final risk level of each wind turbine; for wind turbines whose final risk level exceeds the preset level, the animal avoidance system is activated through the data receiving and sending module; The animal avoidance system is used to avoid animals around the wind turbine, and is started for a period after receiving a start instruction from the administrator terminal through the data receiving and sending module.

6. The system for evaluating the risk of wildlife casualties caused by wind turbines according to claim 5, characterized in that: The animal avoidance system includes a fan base avoidance device for avoiding terrestrial wild animals and a fan blade avoidance device for avoiding flying wild animals; Wherein, the fan base avoidance device includes a mounting base fixed on the fan rod, and the mounting base is composed of two groups of semicircular plates and nuts. The semicircular plates include an inner circular plate and an outer circular plate. A connecting rib plate is provided between the inner circular plate and the outer circular plate. Openings are provided on both sides of the connecting rib plate. The two groups of semicircular plates are fixed as a whole by connecting the connecting rib plates at the edge positions through nuts. A slide groove is provided on the outer side of the outer circular plate. Three groups of low-altitude ultrasonic generators are slidably installed on the slide groove, and the three groups of ultrasonic generators are connected by a ring rod. The ring rod is provided with a low-altitude fan blade for collecting wind energy to drive the ultrasonic generator to rotate; The fan blade avoidance device includes a vertical pole located on the top box of the wind turbine generator, and a rotating high-altitude fan blade is provided on the vertical pole. The direction of the high-altitude fan blade and the direction of the fan blade are on the same side. The rotating shaft end of the fan blade is connected to the reduction gear box, and the output shaft of the reduction gear box is connected to the gear transmission assembly inside the vertical pole. The gear transmission assembly transmits the torque of the reduction gear box output shaft to the top of the vertical pole. The top of the gear transmission assembly is provided with a rotating part, and three groups of high-altitude ultrasonic generators are provided on the outside of the rotating part.

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