A wind power tower inclination monitoring method and system

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of wind power tower cylinder inclination monitoring method and system, comprising: installing laser sensing equipment in tower top and foundation respectively, embedding positioning equipment in tower middle part;Unmanned aerial vehicle carries laser range finder and positioning feedback device, automatically control the spacing and flight height of unmanned aerial vehicle and tower;When spacing reaches preset value, unmanned aerial vehicle starts laser range finder and irradiates upper and lower two laser sensing equipment, and real-time adjusts spacing between itself and tower, so that laser is aligned with upper and lower two laser sensing equipment;Record the spacing value at this time, to be used as radius around tower flight;Spacing value is changed and recorded in real time in flight process;After flight, generate two-dimensional flight image according to recorded spacing value, carry out feature analysis and generate the inclination of tower;The method of the application can automatically, quickly and accurately measure the inclination of tower, with the advantages of high efficiency and high precision;Meanwhile, the system is simple in structure and easy to operate, and the economy of monitoring is increased.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wind power generation maintenance technology, and more specifically to a method and system for monitoring the tilt of wind turbine towers. Background Technology

[0002] There are various reasons for wind turbine tower tilting, including foundation problems, construction quality issues, natural disasters, excessive wind load, and improper maintenance. Tilting wind turbine towers can cause the following hazards: Structural safety risks: Tilting increases the structural imbalance of the wind turbine tower, thus affecting its overall stability and safety; if the tilt is excessive and continues to worsen, it may lead to serious accidents such as tower deformation, strut breakage, rigid connection failure, or collapse; Equipment damage: Tilting wind turbine towers can also damage wind turbine equipment, such as deformation at the connection between the rotor and the tower, leading to rotor failure. Tilting the wind turbine tower can lead to several problems: First, the tower may not align properly with the wind direction, reducing power generation efficiency. Second, tilted towers can cause internal components to be squeezed, displaced, or even damaged. Third, tilted towers can cause the rotor to deviate from its optimal angle, resulting in lower wind energy conversion efficiency. This reduces the wind farm's power generation capacity, leading to economic losses. Fourth, tilted towers present greater challenges for maintenance and repair. For example, additional tools and equipment are required, and the risks to workers are increased. Therefore, timely monitoring and repair of tower tilt are crucial to ensure the stable operation and safety of wind power equipment.

[0003] Current technologies for monitoring the tilt of wind turbine towers typically employ tilt sensors, total stations, or vibration sensors. Tilt sensors offer advantages such as high accuracy and stability, but their installation location is limited, generally only monitoring local tilt of the tower and failing to comprehensively reflect the overall tilt of the wind turbine tower. While total stations can measure the overall tilt of wind turbine towers, they suffer from long measurement cycles, low efficiency, and significant susceptibility to environmental factors. Vibration sensors are easily affected by natural environmental factors such as wind force and temperature, leading to substantial measurement errors.

[0004] Therefore, this invention proposes a method and system for monitoring the tilt of wind turbine towers, which uses high-precision positioning and sensing equipment carried by a drone to achieve rapid, accurate and comprehensive tilt monitoring of wind turbine towers. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the above problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A method for monitoring the tilt of a wind turbine tower includes:

[0007] Step 1: Install laser sensing devices around the top of the tower and the foundation, and embed positioning devices in the middle of the tower.

[0008] Step two: Equip the drone with a laser rangefinder and a positioning feedback device, which are used to connect with the positioning equipment during the drone's flight to automatically control the distance between the drone and the tower and the flight altitude.

[0009] Step 3: When the distance reaches the preset value, the UAV activates the laser rangefinder to simultaneously illuminate the two laser sensing devices above and below; during the illumination process, the laser angle of the laser rangefinder remains constant.

[0010] Step four: The drone receives the illumination signal from the laser sensing device in real time, adjusts the distance between itself and the tower so that the laser can be simultaneously aligned with the upper and lower laser sensing devices; and records the distance value between the drone and the tower at this time.

[0011] Step 5: The drone flies around the tower with the distance value at this moment as the radius; during the circling flight, Step 4 is repeated, and the distance value between the drone and the tower is changed and recorded in real time.

[0012] Step six: After the orbital flight is completed, a two-dimensional flight image of the UAV orbiting the positioning device is generated based on the real-time recorded spacing value. Feature analysis is performed on the image to generate the tilt angle of the tower.

[0013] Preferably, in the above-mentioned method for monitoring the tilt of a wind turbine tower, the installation of laser sensing devices around the top of the tower and the foundation, and the embedding of a positioning device in the middle of the tower, includes:

[0014] A ring-shaped laser sensing device is installed at the connection between the top of the tower and the nacelle, and is fitted to the outer wall of the tower.

[0015] A second ring-shaped laser sensing device, which is in contact with the foundation, is installed at the connection between the tower and the foundation.

[0016] When a laser beam shines on the laser sensing device 1 and the laser sensing device 2, the laser sensing device 1 and the laser sensing device 2 generate an illumination signal 1 and an illumination signal 2, respectively.

[0017] A remote communication device is installed in the middle section of the tower to collect illumination signal one and illumination signal two in real time;

[0018] A ring-shaped positioning device that fits against the outer wall of the tower is installed in the middle section of the tower.

[0019] When the positioning feedback device is connected to the positioning device, the positioning device obtains the current angle between the positioning feedback device and itself, and generates a corresponding angle correction signal.

[0020] Preferably, in the above-described method for monitoring the tilt of a wind turbine tower, the positioning device further includes:

[0021] A second positioning device is installed on the foundation at a preset distance from the tower. When the second positioning device is connected to the positioning feedback device, the second positioning device obtains the current distance between itself and the positioning feedback device and generates a corresponding distance correction signal.

[0022] Preferably, in the above-mentioned method for monitoring the tilt of a wind turbine tower, the step of mounting a laser rangefinder and a positioning feedback device on a drone, for use during the drone's flight to connect with the positioning equipment via the positioning feedback device, and automatically control the distance between the drone and the tower and the flight altitude, includes:

[0023] The laser rangefinder is installed at the detection end of the UAV, and the laser rangefinder includes an upper transmitter and a lower transmitter.

[0024] The positioning feedback device is set at the center of gravity of the UAV, and it releases a connection signal in real time. When the positioning device one and the positioning device two capture the connection signal, they establish a connection with the positioning feedback device.

[0025] When the second positioning device is connected to the positioning feedback device, a distance correction signal is sent to the positioning feedback device to control the detection end of the UAV to face the tower corresponding to the second positioning device, and drive the UAV to move directly above the second positioning device.

[0026] When the positioning device is connected to the positioning feedback device, it sends an angle correction signal to the positioning feedback device to control the UAV to move up and down, so that the UAV's detection end is perpendicular to the positioning device.

[0027] Preferably, in the above-mentioned method for monitoring the tilt of a wind turbine tower, the step of the UAV activating the laser rangefinder to simultaneously illuminate the upper and lower laser sensing devices after the distance reaches a preset value includes:

[0028] After the UAV completes the flight actions corresponding to the angle correction signal and the distance correction signal at the same time, the laser rangefinder is activated and the upper transmitter and the lower transmitter simultaneously emit lasers to the laser sensing device one and the laser sensing device two.

[0029] During the laser emission process, the laser emission angles of the upper and lower emitting ends are locked at a preset angle.

[0030] Preferably, in the above-described method for monitoring the tilt of a wind turbine tower, the UAV receives the illumination signal from the laser sensing device in real time and adjusts its distance from the tower so that the laser can be simultaneously aligned with both the upper and lower laser sensing devices; the distance value between the UAV and the tower at this time is recorded as follows:

[0031] Before the laser is generated, the positioning feedback device of the UAV establishes a connection with the remote communication device;

[0032] When a laser beam shines on the laser sensing device 1 and the laser sensing device 2, the laser sensing device 1 and the laser sensing device 2 detect the laser landing point, determine whether the laser landing point is within the center range, and generate the corresponding illumination signal 1 and illumination signal 2.

[0033] If the laser point of impact is higher than the center range of the laser sensing device 1 or the laser sensing device 2, the generated illumination signal 1 or illumination signal 2 is a retreat signal, and the data carried by the retreat signal is determined according to the distance of the current laser point of impact from the center range.

[0034] If the laser point is below the center range of the laser sensing device 1 or the laser sensing device 2, the generated illumination signal 1 or illumination signal 2 is a forward signal, and the data carried by the forward signal is determined according to the distance of the current laser point from the center range.

[0035] If the laser point is located within the center of either the laser sensing device 1 or the laser sensing device 2, the generated illumination signal 1 or illumination signal 2 will both be confirmation signals.

[0036] The remote communication device receives illumination signal one and illumination signal two in real time and wirelessly transmits the specific signals to the positioning feedback device. When the positioning feedback device receives illumination signal one or illumination signal two, it restores the data it carries, performs forward or backward actions accordingly, and controls the forward or backward distance according to the content of the data carried, until the laser landing point is within the center range of laser sensing device one or laser sensing device two.

[0037] The positioning feedback device and the positioning equipment record the distance between the UAV and the tower at that moment.

[0038] Preferably, in the above-described method for monitoring the tilt of a wind turbine tower, the UAV flies around the tower with the current distance value as its radius; during the orbital flight, step four is repeated, and the distance value between the UAV and the tower is changed and recorded in real time, including:

[0039] Using the positioning device as the origin, the orientation of the UAV relative to the tower as the X-axis, the length of the tower as the Z-axis, and the rotation direction of the UAV around the tower as the Y-axis, a virtual three-dimensional coordinate system is established through the positioning feedback device.

[0040] During its orbital flight, the UAV maintains a perpendicular alignment between its detection end and the length of the tower, acquiring illumination signal one and illumination signal two in real time and making corresponding movement actions.

[0041] The positioning feedback device records the distance between the UAV and the positioning device at various times during the flight, converts it into coordinate values, and substitutes them into the virtual three-dimensional coordinate system to draw the flight path of the UAV.

[0042] Preferably, in the above-mentioned method for monitoring the tilt of a wind turbine tower, after the orbital flight is completed, a two-dimensional flight image of the UAV orbiting the positioning device is generated based on the real-time recorded spacing values. Feature analysis is performed on the image to generate the tilt of the tower, including:

[0043] After the drone has circled a preset number of times, it outputs a flight path image in the virtual three-dimensional coordinate system.

[0044] The flight path image is divided into several segments, and the position of the tilted center of each segment is analyzed in turn. Each tilted center is superimposed with the initial center, and the distance between the initial center and the tilted center farthest from the initial center is calculated. The tilt of the tower is then calculated in combination with the height of the tower.

[0045] A wind turbine tower tilt monitoring system includes:

[0046] Drones;

[0047] The laser sensing module includes laser sensing device one and laser sensing device two, which are respectively attached to the connection between the top of the tower and the nacelle, and the connection between the tower and the foundation; it is used to detect the laser landing point in real time and generate the corresponding irradiation signal.

[0048] The tower positioning module includes a positioning device one and a positioning device two; the positioning device one is installed in the middle section of the outer wall of the tower, and the positioning device two is installed on the foundation at a preset distance from the tower, for real-time release of connection signals;

[0049] A positioning feedback module, installed on the UAV, detects the connection signal released by the tower positioning module in real time; and connects with the tower positioning module when the connection signal is detected to control the UAV to reach the designated position; after the UAV reaches the designated position, the positioning feedback module establishes a connection with the laser sensing module to receive the illumination signal.

[0050] A laser ranging module, which is mounted on the UAV, includes an upper transmitter and a lower transmitter, and is used to emit a laser at a constant angle to the laser sensing module after the UAV reaches the designated position;

[0051] The tilt analysis module, connected to the positioning feedback module, is used to control the flight action of the UAV according to the illumination signal and accordingly; at the same time, it drives the UAV to fly around the positioning device. After the flight is completed, it generates a two-dimensional flight image of the UAV around the positioning device based on the real-time recorded spacing value, performs feature analysis on the image, and generates the tilt of the tower.

[0052] Preferably, the wind turbine tower tilt monitoring system described above further includes:

[0053] A remote communication module is connected to the laser sensing module. When the laser shines on the laser sensing device 1 and the laser sensing device 2, the laser sensing device 1 and the laser sensing device 2 generate illumination signal 1 and illumination signal 2 respectively. The remote communication module collects illumination signal 1 and illumination signal 2 in real time.

[0054] When a laser beam shines on the laser sensing device 1 and the laser sensing device 2, the laser sensing device 1 and the laser sensing device 2 detect the laser landing point, determine whether the laser landing point is within the center range, and generate the corresponding illumination signal 1 and illumination signal 2.

[0055] If the laser point of impact is higher than the center range of the laser sensing device 1 or the laser sensing device 2, the generated illumination signal 1 or illumination signal 2 is a retreat signal, and the data carried by the retreat signal is determined according to the distance of the current laser point of impact from the center range.

[0056] If the laser point is below the center range of the laser sensing device 1 or the laser sensing device 2, the generated illumination signal 1 or illumination signal 2 is a forward signal, and the data carried by the forward signal is determined according to the distance of the current laser point from the center range.

[0057] If the laser point is located within the center of either the laser sensing device 1 or the laser sensing device 2, the generated illumination signal 1 or illumination signal 2 will both be confirmation signals.

[0058] Before the laser is generated, the positioning feedback module establishes a connection with the remote communication module;

[0059] After the laser is emitted, the remote communication module receives the first and second illumination signals in real time and wirelessly transmits the specific signals to the positioning feedback module. When the positioning feedback module receives the first or second illumination signal, it restores the data it carries and performs forward or backward movements accordingly. It also controls the forward or backward distance based on the content of the data carried until the laser impact point is within the center range of the first or second laser sensing device.

[0060] A coordinate generation unit, connected to the positioning feedback module, is used to establish a virtual three-dimensional coordinate system with the positioning device as the origin, the current orientation of the UAV relative to the tower as the X-axis, the length direction of the tower as the Z-axis, and the rotation direction of the UAV around the tower as the Y-axis, through the positioning feedback device.

[0061] A path generation unit, connected to the coordinate generation unit and the positioning feedback module, is used to record the distance between the UAV and the positioning device at various times during the orbital flight process through the positioning feedback device, convert it into coordinate values ​​and substitute them into the virtual three-dimensional coordinate system to draw the flight path of the UAV.

[0062] The tilt analysis unit, connected to the path generation unit, outputs a flight path image in the virtual three-dimensional coordinate system after the UAV has circled a preset number of times. The flight path image is divided into several segments, and the tilt center positions corresponding to each segment's arc are analyzed sequentially. Each tilt center is superimposed with the initial center, and the distance between the initial center and the tilt center furthest from the initial center is calculated. The tilt angle of the tower is then calculated in conjunction with the height of the tower.

[0063] As can be seen from the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of this application compared with the prior art are as follows:

[0064] This invention discloses a method and system for monitoring the tilt of wind turbine towers, comprising: installing laser sensing devices at the top of the tower and the foundation, and embedding a positioning device in the middle of the tower; a drone equipped with a laser rangefinder and a positioning feedback device, automatically controlling the distance between the drone and the tower and its flight altitude; when the distance reaches a preset value, the drone activates the laser rangefinder to illuminate the two laser sensing devices above and below, and adjusts its distance from the tower in real time to align the laser with the two laser sensing devices; recording the distance value at this time, and using this as the radius to fly around the tower; changing and recording the distance value in real time during flight; after the flight ends, generating a two-dimensional flight image based on the recorded distance value, and performing feature analysis to generate the tilt of the tower; this invention can automatically, quickly, and accurately measure the tilt of the tower, with the advantages of high efficiency and high precision; at the same time, the system has a simple structure and is easy to operate, increasing the economic efficiency of monitoring. Attached Figure Description

[0065] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0066] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the method of the present invention;

[0067] Figure 2 This is a system structure diagram of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0068] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0069] In this invention, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance; the term "multiple" refers to two or more unless otherwise explicitly defined. The terms "install," "connect," "link," and "fix" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connect" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; "link" can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0070] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or unit referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0071] In the description of this specification, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "specific embodiment," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0072] In one embodiment, see Figure 1 A method for monitoring the tilt of a wind turbine tower, comprising:

[0073] Step 1: Install laser sensing devices around the top of the tower and the foundation, and embed positioning devices in the middle of the tower.

[0074] Step two: Equip the drone with a laser rangefinder and a positioning feedback device, which are used to connect with the positioning equipment during the drone's flight to automatically control the distance between the drone and the tower and the flight altitude.

[0075] Step 3: Once the distance reaches the preset value, the drone activates the laser rangefinder to simultaneously illuminate both the upper and lower laser sensing devices; during the illumination process, the laser angle of the laser rangefinder remains constant.

[0076] Step 4: The drone receives the illumination signal from the laser sensing device in real time, adjusts the distance between itself and the tower so that the laser can be aligned with both the upper and lower laser sensing devices at the same time; record the distance value between the drone and the tower at this time.

[0077] Step 5: The drone flies around the tower with the distance value at this moment as the radius; repeat step 4 during the circling flight, and change and record the distance value between the drone and the tower in real time.

[0078] Step six: After the orbital flight is completed, a two-dimensional flight image of the UAV orbital positioning device is generated based on the real-time recorded spacing value. Feature analysis is performed on the image to generate the tilt angle of the tower.

[0079] The above embodiments use drones to perform 360-degree inspection of the tower, reducing the probability of blind spots going undetected. By setting up laser sensing and positioning methods, it is possible to capture wandering drones for laser positioning operations. By recording images of the surrounding flight and analyzing the tilt, the accuracy of the monitoring results can be increased, the detection efficiency can be improved, and the monitoring cost can be reduced.

[0080] To further optimize the above embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 Laser sensing devices are installed around the top of the tower and the foundation, and positioning devices are embedded in the middle of the tower, including:

[0081] A ring-shaped laser sensing device is installed at the connection between the top of the tower and the nacelle, and is fitted to the outer wall of the tower.

[0082] A ring-shaped laser sensing device, which is in contact with the foundation, is installed at the connection between the tower and the foundation.

[0083] When laser light shines on laser sensor device 1 and laser sensor device 2, laser sensor device 1 and laser sensor device 2 generate illumination signal 1 and illumination signal 2 respectively.

[0084] Remote communication equipment is installed in the middle section of the tower to collect illumination signal one and illumination signal two in real time;

[0085] A ring-shaped positioning device that fits against the outer wall of the tower is installed in the middle section of the tower.

[0086] When the positioning feedback device is connected to the positioning device, the positioning device obtains the current angle between the positioning feedback device and itself, and generates a corresponding angle correction signal.

[0087] It should be noted that in some embodiments, laser sensor device one or laser sensor device two is divided into a central region, an upper region, and a lower region. During laser irradiation, the laser point landing in the central region is in an aligned state, while the others are in an offset state. The beneficial effect of this embodiment is that by dividing laser sensor device one or laser sensor device two into multiple regions, the tilt of the tower can be measured more accurately, improving the monitoring accuracy. At the same time, by recording the laser irradiation angle and the distance between the UAV and the tower in real time, monitoring can be completed more quickly, improving the monitoring efficiency. In addition, this embodiment also adds positioning device one and positioning feedback device, which can more accurately control the flight altitude of the UAV and the distance between it and the tower, further improving the monitoring accuracy and economy.

[0088] To further optimize the above embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 The positioning device also includes:

[0089] A second positioning device is installed on the foundation at a preset distance from the tower. When the second positioning device is connected to the positioning feedback device, the second positioning device obtains the current distance between the positioning feedback device and itself, and generates a corresponding distance correction signal.

[0090] It should be noted that the connection process between positioning device 1 and positioning device 2 and the positioning feedback device is a prior art and will not be described in detail. Positioning device 1 is used to control the horizontal flight of the UAV, and positioning device 2 is used to control the vertical position of the UAV. In some embodiments, the position of positioning device 2 is set according to the laser emission angle and the tower height. This embodiment adopts a simultaneous horizontal and vertical positioning method, which can capture the flying UAV and make it reach the designated position.

[0091] To further optimize the above embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 Equipped with a laser rangefinder and positioning feedback device, the drone connects to a positioning equipment during flight to automatically control the distance between the drone and the tower and its flight altitude.

[0092] A laser rangefinder is installed at the detection end of the drone. The laser rangefinder includes an upper transmitter and a lower transmitter.

[0093] A positioning feedback device is set at the center of gravity of the drone. It releases a connection signal in real time. When positioning device one and positioning device two capture the connection signal, they establish a connection with the positioning feedback device.

[0094] When positioning device 2 is connected to positioning feedback device, a distance correction signal is sent to positioning feedback device to control the drone's detection end to face the tower corresponding to positioning device 2 and drive the drone to move directly above positioning device 2.

[0095] When positioning device 1 is connected to positioning feedback device, it sends an angle correction signal to positioning feedback device to control the drone to move up and down, so that the drone's detection end is perpendicular to positioning device 1.

[0096] Once the UAV has completed the flight maneuvers corresponding to the angle correction signal and the distance correction signal, the laser rangefinder is activated, and lasers are emitted simultaneously from the upper and lower transmitters to laser sensor device one and laser sensor device two.

[0097] During the laser emission process, the laser emission angles of the upper and lower emitters are locked at a preset angle.

[0098] It should be noted that the above embodiment sets the upper and lower transmitters to illuminate the laser sensing device 1 and laser sensing device 2 respectively, while limiting the illumination angle; at the same time, positioning devices 1 and 2 are used to limit the position of the UAV, and the UAV can be precisely aligned with laser sensing devices 1 and 2 by combining the illumination angle and the distance between the UAV and the tower; wherein, the illumination angle and the initial distance (i.e. the position of positioning device 2) are set according to the actual tower conditions; this embodiment realizes the limitation of the position of the UAV during the monitoring process, and increases the accuracy of monitoring.

[0099] To further optimize the above embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 The drone receives the illumination signal from the laser sensing equipment in real time and adjusts its distance from the tower so that the laser can be simultaneously aligned with both the upper and lower laser sensing devices; the distance value between the drone and the tower at this time is recorded as follows:

[0100] Before the laser is generated, the drone's positioning feedback device establishes a connection with the remote communication equipment;

[0101] When a laser beam strikes laser sensor 1 and laser sensor 2, laser sensor 1 and laser sensor 2 detect the point of impact of the laser beam, determine whether the point of impact is within the center range, and generate corresponding irradiated signal 1 and irradiated signal 2.

[0102] If the laser point of impact is higher than the center range of laser sensing device one or laser sensing device two, the generated illumination signal one or illumination signal two will be a retreat signal, and the data carried by the retreat signal will be determined according to the distance of the current laser point of impact from the center range.

[0103] If the laser point is below the center range of laser sensing device one or laser sensing device two, the generated irradiated signal one or irradiated signal two are both forward signals, and the data carried by the forward signal is determined according to the distance of the current laser point from the center range.

[0104] If the laser point is located within the center of laser sensing device 1 or laser sensing device 2, the generated illumination signal 1 or illumination signal 2 will be a confirmation signal.

[0105] The remote communication device receives the first and second illumination signals in real time and wirelessly transmits the specific signals to the positioning feedback device. When the positioning feedback device receives the first or second illumination signal, it restores the data it carries and performs forward or backward movements accordingly. It also controls the forward or backward distance based on the content of the data carried until the laser point is within the center range of the first or second laser sensing device.

[0106] The distance between the drone and the tower at that moment is recorded by the positioning feedback device and positioning equipment.

[0107] It should be noted that the elevation range of laser sensor one or laser sensor two is symmetrically set according to the position of positioning device one. Correspondingly, a laser landing point higher than laser sensor one means the laser is above the center range, and a laser landing point higher than laser sensor two means the laser is below the center range, and vice versa. If two different signals are generated after the laser landing point, it indicates that the drone's flight altitude is abnormal, and the drone can be controlled to fine-tune its flight altitude to conform to normal conditions. During the drone's forward movement, the laser landing point will shrink due to the constant angle, and expand if the angle decreases. Therefore, adjusting the distance between the drone and the tower is used to find the accurate monitoring point.

[0108] To further optimize the above embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 The drone uses the distance value at this moment as its radius to fly around the tower; during the orbital flight, step four is repeated, and the distance value between the drone and the tower is changed and recorded in real time, including:

[0109] Using positioning device one as the origin, the current orientation of the drone relative to the tower as the X-axis, the length of the tower as the Z-axis, and the rotation direction of the drone around the tower as the Y-axis, a virtual three-dimensional coordinate system is established through the positioning feedback device.

[0110] During its flight, the drone maintains a perpendicular alignment between the probe end and the length of the tower, acquiring the first and second illumination signals in real time and making corresponding movement actions.

[0111] The positioning feedback device records the distance between the UAV and the positioning device at various times during the flight, converts it into coordinate values, and substitutes them into a virtual three-dimensional coordinate system to draw the UAV's flight path.

[0112] It should be noted that the principle of establishing a virtual three-dimensional coordinate system is a current technical method and will not be elaborated upon. In this embodiment, the flight image is drawn by recording the distance between the UAV and the tower during the monitoring process. If the tower is not tilted, the flight image will be circular or approximately circular; if it is tilted, the flight image will be an irregular shape, which may be a superposition of circles and ellipses. This embodiment uses the recorded flight path of the UAV as the basis for determining the tilt, which can quickly and accurately obtain the tilt status without adding a large number of sensing devices, thereby increasing economic benefits and improving detection efficiency.

[0113] To further optimize the above embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 After the orbital flight is completed, a two-dimensional flight image of the UAV orbital positioning device is generated based on the real-time recorded spacing values. Feature analysis is performed on the image to generate the tilt angle of the tower, including:

[0114] After the drone has circled a preset number of times, it outputs a flight path image in a virtual three-dimensional coordinate system.

[0115] The flight path image is divided into several segments. The positions of the tilted centers corresponding to the arcs of each segment are analyzed in turn. Each tilted center is superimposed with the initial center. The distance between the initial center and the tilted center farthest from the initial center is calculated. The tilt of the tower is then calculated in combination with the height of the tower.

[0116] It should be noted that the flight path image is divided into several segments based on the direction of the route in the image, separating breakpoints and non-smooth positions. The criteria for smoothness and breakpoints are set according to the actual situation. The initial center corresponds to the position of positioning device one. The tilted center farthest from the initial center is selected as the judgment point, and the straight-line distance between it and the initial center is determined. The tilt is calculated in combination with the height of the tower. The calculation formula is a prior art method and will not be elaborated. This embodiment achieves accurate monitoring of the tower tilt and improves monitoring efficiency, breaking through the limitations of traditional detection methods in the prior art.

[0117] In one embodiment, a drone's cruise trajectory is set according to the geographical location of each tower in the wind farm. The drone is controlled to fly along the trajectory and be captured by positioning equipment in sequence to monitor the tilt of each tower. Finally, the data is summarized and uploaded to the cloud for maintenance personnel to refer to.

[0118] In one embodiment, see Figure 2 A wind turbine tower tilt monitoring system, comprising:

[0119] Drones;

[0120] The laser sensing module includes laser sensing device one and laser sensing device two, which are respectively attached to the connection between the top of the tower and the nacelle, and the connection between the tower and the foundation; it is used to detect the laser landing point in real time and generate the corresponding irradiation signal.

[0121] The tower positioning module includes positioning device one and positioning device two; positioning device one is installed in the middle section of the outer wall of the tower, and positioning device two is installed on the foundation at a preset distance from the tower, and is used to release the connection signal in real time.

[0122] The positioning feedback module, installed on the drone, detects the connection signal released by the tower positioning module in real time; when the connection signal is detected, it connects with the tower positioning module to control the drone to reach the designated position; after the drone reaches the designated position, the positioning feedback module establishes a connection with the laser sensing module to receive the illumination signal.

[0123] The laser ranging module, which is installed on the drone, includes an upper transmitter and a lower transmitter, and is used to emit a laser at a constant angle to the laser sensing module after the drone reaches the designated position;

[0124] The tilt analysis module, connected to the positioning feedback module, is used to control the flight actions of the UAV based on the illumination signal and accordingly; at the same time, it drives the UAV to fly around the positioning device. After the flight is completed, a two-dimensional flight image of the UAV's surrounding positioning device is generated based on the real-time recorded spacing value. Feature analysis is performed on the image to generate the tilt of the tower.

[0125] It should be noted that this embodiment also includes a remote communication module, which is connected to the laser sensing module. When the laser shines on the laser sensing device 1 and the laser sensing device 2, the laser sensing device 1 and the laser sensing device 2 generate irradiated signal 1 and irradiated signal 2 respectively. The remote communication module collects irradiated signal 1 and irradiated signal 2 in real time.

[0126] When a laser beam strikes laser sensor 1 and laser sensor 2, laser sensor 1 and laser sensor 2 detect the point of impact of the laser beam, determine whether the point of impact is within the center range, and generate corresponding irradiated signal 1 and irradiated signal 2.

[0127] If the laser point of impact is higher than the center range of laser sensing device one or laser sensing device two, the generated illumination signal one or illumination signal two will be a retreat signal, and the data carried by the retreat signal will be determined according to the distance of the current laser point of impact from the center range.

[0128] If the laser point is below the center range of laser sensing device one or laser sensing device two, the generated irradiated signal one or irradiated signal two are both forward signals, and the data carried by the forward signal is determined according to the distance of the current laser point from the center range.

[0129] If the laser point is located within the center of laser sensing device 1 or laser sensing device 2, the generated illumination signal 1 or illumination signal 2 will be a confirmation signal.

[0130] Before the laser is generated, the positioning feedback module establishes a connection with the remote communication module;

[0131] After the laser is emitted, the remote communication module receives the first and second illumination signals in real time and wirelessly transmits the specific signals to the positioning feedback module. When the positioning feedback module receives the first or second illumination signal, it restores the data it carries and performs forward or backward movements accordingly. It also controls the forward or backward distance based on the content of the data carried until the laser impact point is within the center range of the first or second laser sensing device.

[0132] The coordinate generation unit, which is connected to the positioning feedback module, is used to establish a virtual three-dimensional coordinate system with the positioning device as the origin, the current orientation of the UAV relative to the tower as the X-axis, the length direction of the tower as the Z-axis, and the rotation direction of the UAV around the tower as the Y-axis, through the positioning feedback device.

[0133] The path generation unit, which is connected to the coordinate generation unit and the positioning feedback module, is used to record the distance between the UAV and the positioning device at various times during the flight process through the positioning feedback device, convert it into coordinate values ​​and substitute them into the virtual three-dimensional coordinate system to draw the UAV flight path;

[0134] The tilt analysis unit, which is connected to the path generation unit, outputs the flight path image in the virtual three-dimensional coordinate system after the UAV has circled a preset number of times. The flight path image is divided into several segments, and the tilt center position corresponding to each segment arc is analyzed in turn. Each tilt center is superimposed with the initial center, and the distance between the initial center and the tilt center farthest from the initial center is calculated. Combined with the height of the tower, the tilt of the tower is calculated.

[0135] The equipment used in this embodiment is simple and easy to operate, while achieving high-precision and high-efficiency tilt monitoring, thus improving the economic efficiency of wind farm operation.

[0136] It should be noted that the system provided in the above embodiments is only illustrated by the division of the above functional modules. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the modules or steps in the embodiments of the present invention can be further decomposed or combined. For example, the modules in the above embodiments can be merged into one module, or further divided into multiple sub-modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The names of the modules and steps involved in the embodiments of the present invention are only for distinguishing the various modules or steps and are not considered as an improper limitation of the present invention.

[0137] The term "comprising" or any other similar term is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus / device that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent in such process, method, article, or apparatus / device.

[0138] The technical solution of the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after these changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0139] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims and their equivalents, this invention is also intended to include these modifications and variations in the above description of the disclosed embodiments, enabling those skilled in the art to implement or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those 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 invention. Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring the tilt of a wind turbine tower, characterized in that, include: Step 1: Install laser sensing devices around the top of the tower and the foundation, and embed a positioning device in the middle of the tower. This installation includes: a ring-shaped laser sensing device (first type) fitted to the outer wall of the tower at the connection between the tower top and the nacelle; a ring-shaped laser sensing device (second type) fitted to the foundation at the connection between the tower and the foundation; when laser light shines on the first and second laser sensing devices, they generate illumination signal 1 and illumination signal 2, respectively; a remote communication device is installed in the middle section of the tower to collect illumination signal 1 and illumination signal 2 in real time; and a ring-shaped positioning device (first type) fitted to the outer wall of the tower is installed in the middle section of the tower; when a positioning feedback device is connected to the first positioning device, the first positioning device acquires the current angle between the positioning feedback device and itself, and generates a corresponding angle correction signal. Step two: Equip the drone with a laser rangefinder and a positioning feedback device, which are used to connect with the positioning equipment during the drone's flight to automatically control the distance between the drone and the tower and the flight altitude. Step 3: When the distance reaches the preset value, the UAV activates the laser rangefinder to simultaneously illuminate the two laser sensing devices above and below; during the illumination process, the laser angle of the laser rangefinder remains constant. Step four: The drone receives the illumination signal from the laser sensing device in real time, adjusts the distance between itself and the tower so that the laser can be simultaneously aligned with the upper and lower laser sensing devices; and records the distance value between the drone and the tower at this time. Step 5: The drone flies around the tower with the current distance value as the radius; during the orbiting flight, Step 4 is repeated, and the distance value between the drone and the tower is changed and recorded in real time; the drone flies around the tower with the current distance value as the radius; during the orbiting flight, Step 4 is repeated, and the distance value between the drone and the tower is changed and recorded in real time, including: establishing a virtual three-dimensional coordinate system with the positioning device as the origin, the current orientation of the drone relative to the tower as the X-axis, the length direction of the tower as the Z-axis, and the rotation direction of the drone around the tower as the Y-axis; the drone always keeps the detection end perpendicular to the length direction of the tower during the orbiting flight, and obtains the first and second illumination signals in real time and makes corresponding movement actions; the positioning feedback device records the distance between the drone and the positioning device at each moment during the orbiting flight, converts it into coordinate values, substitutes them into the virtual three-dimensional coordinate system, and draws the drone's flight path; Step Six: After the orbital flight is completed, a two-dimensional flight image of the UAV orbiting the positioning device is generated based on the real-time recorded spacing values. Feature analysis is performed on the image to generate the tilt angle of the tower. The process of generating the two-dimensional flight image of the UAV orbiting the positioning device based on the real-time recorded spacing values ​​and performing feature analysis on the image to generate the tilt angle of the tower includes: after the UAV orbits a preset number of times, outputting the flight path image in the virtual three-dimensional coordinate system; dividing the flight path image into several segments, analyzing the tilt center positions corresponding to each segment's arc in sequence, superimposing each tilt center with the initial center, calculating the distance between the initial center and the tilt center farthest from the initial center, and calculating the tilt angle of the tower in combination with the tower's height.

2. The method for monitoring the tilt of a wind turbine tower according to claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning device also includes: A second positioning device is installed on the foundation at a preset distance from the tower. When the second positioning device is connected to the positioning feedback device, the second positioning device obtains the current distance between itself and the positioning feedback device and generates a corresponding distance correction signal.

3. The method for monitoring the tilt of a wind turbine tower according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of equipping the drone with a laser rangefinder and a positioning feedback device, for use during the drone's flight to connect with the positioning equipment via the positioning feedback device, and automatically control the distance between the drone and the tower and the flight altitude, includes: The laser rangefinder is installed at the detection end of the UAV, and the laser rangefinder includes an upper transmitter and a lower transmitter. The positioning feedback device is set at the center of gravity of the UAV. It releases a connection signal in real time. When the positioning device one and the positioning device two capture the connection signal, they establish a connection with the positioning feedback device. When the second positioning device is connected to the positioning feedback device, a distance correction signal is sent to the positioning feedback device to control the detection end of the UAV to face the tower corresponding to the second positioning device, and drive the UAV to move directly above the second positioning device. When the positioning device is connected to the positioning feedback device, it sends an angle correction signal to the positioning feedback device to control the UAV to move up and down, so that the UAV's detection end is perpendicular to the positioning device.

4. The method for monitoring the tilt of a wind turbine tower according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the distance reaches a preset value, the drone activates the laser rangefinder to simultaneously illuminate the two laser sensing devices above and below, including: After the UAV completes the flight actions corresponding to the angle correction signal and the distance correction signal at the same time, the laser rangefinder is activated and the upper transmitter and the lower transmitter simultaneously emit lasers to the laser sensing device one and the laser sensing device two. During the laser emission process, the laser emission angles of the upper and lower emitting ends are locked at a preset angle.

5. The method for monitoring the tilt of a wind turbine tower according to claim 4, characterized in that, The drone receives the illumination signal from the laser sensing device in real time and adjusts the distance between itself and the tower so that the laser can be simultaneously aimed at the upper and lower laser sensing devices. The recorded distance values ​​between the drone and the tower at this time include: Before the laser is generated, the positioning feedback device of the UAV establishes a connection with the remote communication device; When a laser beam shines on the laser sensing device 1 and the laser sensing device 2, the laser sensing device 1 and the laser sensing device 2 detect the laser landing point, determine whether the laser landing point is within the center range, and generate the corresponding illumination signal 1 and illumination signal 2. If the laser point of impact is higher than the center range of the laser sensing device 1 or the laser sensing device 2, the generated illumination signal 1 or illumination signal 2 is a retreat signal, and the data carried by the retreat signal is determined according to the distance of the current laser point of impact from the center range. If the laser point is below the center range of the laser sensing device 1 or the laser sensing device 2, the generated illumination signal 1 or illumination signal 2 is a forward signal, and the data carried by the forward signal is determined according to the distance of the current laser point from the center range. If the laser point is located within the center of either the laser sensing device 1 or the laser sensing device 2, the generated illumination signal 1 or illumination signal 2 will both be confirmation signals. The remote communication device receives illumination signal one and illumination signal two in real time and wirelessly transmits the specific signals to the positioning feedback device. When the positioning feedback device receives illumination signal one or illumination signal two, it restores the data it carries, performs forward or backward actions accordingly, and controls the forward or backward distance according to the content of the data carried, until the laser landing point is within the center range of laser sensing device one or laser sensing device two. The positioning feedback device and the positioning equipment record the distance between the UAV and the tower at that moment.

6. A wind turbine tower tilt monitoring system, based on the method described in claims 1-5, characterized in that, include: Drones; The laser sensing module includes laser sensing device one and laser sensing device two, which are respectively attached to the connection between the top of the tower and the nacelle, and the connection between the tower and the foundation; it is used to detect the laser landing point in real time and generate the corresponding irradiation signal. The tower positioning module includes a positioning device one and a positioning device two; the positioning device one is installed in the middle section of the outer wall of the tower, and the positioning device two is installed on the foundation at a preset distance from the tower, for real-time release of connection signals; A positioning feedback module, installed on the UAV, detects the connection signal released by the tower positioning module in real time; and connects with the tower positioning module when the connection signal is detected to control the UAV to reach the designated position; after the UAV reaches the designated position, the positioning feedback module establishes a connection with the laser sensing module to receive the illumination signal. A laser ranging module, which is mounted on the UAV, includes an upper transmitter and a lower transmitter, and is used to emit a laser at a constant angle to the laser sensing module after the UAV reaches the designated position; The tilt analysis module, connected to the positioning feedback module, is used to control the flight action of the UAV according to the illumination signal and accordingly; at the same time, it drives the UAV to fly around the positioning device. After the flight is completed, it generates a two-dimensional flight image of the UAV around the positioning device based on the real-time recorded spacing value, performs feature analysis on the image, and generates the tilt angle of the tower.

7. The wind turbine tower tilt monitoring system according to claim 6, characterized in that, Also includes: A remote communication module is connected to the laser sensing module. When the laser shines on the laser sensing device 1 and the laser sensing device 2, the laser sensing device 1 and the laser sensing device 2 generate illumination signal 1 and illumination signal 2 respectively. The remote communication module collects illumination signal 1 and illumination signal 2 in real time. When a laser beam shines on the laser sensing device 1 and the laser sensing device 2, the laser sensing device 1 and the laser sensing device 2 detect the laser landing point, determine whether the laser landing point is within the center range, and generate the corresponding illumination signal 1 and illumination signal 2. If the laser point of impact is higher than the center range of the laser sensing device 1 or the laser sensing device 2, the generated illumination signal 1 or illumination signal 2 is a retreat signal, and the data carried by the retreat signal is determined according to the distance of the current laser point of impact from the center range. If the laser point is below the center range of the laser sensing device 1 or the laser sensing device 2, the generated illumination signal 1 or illumination signal 2 is a forward signal, and the data carried by the forward signal is determined according to the distance of the current laser point from the center range. If the laser point is located within the center of either the laser sensing device 1 or the laser sensing device 2, the generated illumination signal 1 or illumination signal 2 will both be confirmation signals. Before the laser is generated, the positioning feedback module establishes a connection with the remote communication module; After the laser is emitted, the remote communication module receives the first and second illumination signals in real time and wirelessly transmits the specific signals to the positioning feedback module. When the positioning feedback module receives the first or second illumination signal, it restores the data it carries and performs forward or backward movements accordingly. It also controls the forward or backward distance based on the content of the data carried until the laser impact point is within the center range of the first or second laser sensing device. A coordinate generation unit, connected to the positioning feedback module, is used to establish a virtual three-dimensional coordinate system with the positioning device as the origin, the current orientation of the UAV relative to the tower as the X-axis, the length direction of the tower as the Z-axis, and the rotation direction of the UAV around the tower as the Y-axis, through the positioning feedback device. A path generation unit, connected to the coordinate generation unit and the positioning feedback module, is used to record the distance between the UAV and the positioning device at various times during the orbital flight process through the positioning feedback device, convert it into coordinate values ​​and substitute them into the virtual three-dimensional coordinate system to draw the flight path of the UAV; The tilt analysis unit, connected to the path generation unit, outputs a flight path image in the virtual three-dimensional coordinate system after the UAV has circled a preset number of times. The flight path image is divided into several segments, and the tilt center positions corresponding to each segment's arc are analyzed sequentially. Each tilt center is superimposed with the initial center, and the distance between the initial center and the tilt center furthest from the initial center is calculated. The tilt angle of the tower is then calculated in conjunction with the height of the tower.

Images