Infrared thermal imaging wind power blade detection equipment capable of being carried on unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of detection equipment, in particular to infrared thermal imaging wind power blade detection equipment capable of being carried on an unmanned aerial vehicle, which comprises a connecting box, the top end of the connecting box is detachably connected with the unmanned aerial vehicle, the center position of the bottom end of the connecting box is rotatably connected with a rotating head, and the surface of the rotating head is rotatably connected with a lengthening rod. An auxiliary shell is rotatably connected to the bottom end of the lengthening rod, an infrared thermal imaging detector is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the auxiliary shell, a gravity center compensation assembly is installed in the connecting box, the gravity center compensation assembly is used for adjusting the gravity center position of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the gravity center compensation assembly comprises a rotating disc and a balancing weight; and the rotating disc is coaxially and rotatably connected to the inner side of the connecting box. According to the invention, the problem of low detection efficiency caused by manually climbing a fan tower or a blade in the prior art is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of detection equipment, and in particular to an infrared thermal imaging wind turbine blade detection equipment that can be carried on an unmanned aerial vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Wind turbine blades are an important part of wind power generation. Wind power generation is a clean energy technology that converts wind energy into electrical energy. Wind turbines are mainly composed of wind rotors, generators, towers and other parts. Among them, the wind rotor is a key component for capturing wind energy. It is usually composed of blades, hubs and pitch systems. When wind blows through the blades, the special shape of the blades causes the air flow to generate lift and resistance, driving the blades to rotate, and then driving the hub and generator to rotate, converting wind energy into electrical energy. Wind turbine blades are under huge loads and complex environmental influences during operation. If the blades are severely damaged or malfunction, it may cause major accidents in the entire wind turbine, such as blade breakage, falling, etc., posing a serious threat to surrounding personnel and equipment. Through regular inspections, potential problems with blades can be discovered in a timely manner, and appropriate measures can be taken to repair or replace them, thereby avoiding major accidents.

[0003] By using infrared thermal imaging technology to detect cracks, wear, corrosion and other defects on the blade surface, the infrared thermal imaging equipment can detect the temperature distribution on the blade surface to find these defects. For example, when there is a crack on the blade surface, the thermal conductivity at the crack will change, causing the temperature around the crack to be different from that in the normal area. These temperature differences can be clearly seen through infrared thermal imaging equipment, thereby determining the location and size of the crack.

[0004] Wind farms usually cover a vast area and have numerous wind turbines. Traditional blade inspection methods usually require inspectors to climb onto wind turbine towers or blades for inspection, which is not only inefficient but also poses safety risks such as falling from heights and electric shock. In addition, during the manual inspection process, the inspectors' operating skills and experience level often affect the accuracy of the inspection results. Therefore, the traditional manual climbing inspection method has many inconveniences. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an infrared thermal imaging wind turbine blade detection device that can be carried on an unmanned aerial vehicle to solve the problem of low efficiency in traditional manual inspection on wind turbine towers or blades.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0007] An infrared thermal imaging wind turbine blade detection device that can be carried on an unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a connection box, the top of the connection box is detachably connected to the unmanned aerial vehicle, the bottom center of the connection box is rotatably connected to a rotating head, the surface of the rotating head is rotatably connected to an extension rod, the bottom end of the extension rod is rotatably connected to an auxiliary shell, the bottom end of the auxiliary shell is fixedly connected to an infrared thermal imaging detector, and a center of gravity compensation component is installed inside the connection box, and the center of gravity compensation component is used to adjust the center of gravity position of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0008] Preferably, the center of gravity compensation assembly includes a rotating disk and a counterweight block, the rotating disk is coaxially rotatably connected to the inner side of the connecting box, the counterweight block is movably connected to the surface of the rotating disk, and the surface of the rotating disk is provided with a sliding groove for horizontal movement of the counterweight block.

[0009] Preferably, a threaded rod is rotatably connected in the sliding groove, the threaded rod movably penetrates the surface of the counterweight block, and the threaded rod and the counterweight block are threadedly connected, and a first motor is installed on the surface of the rotating disk, and the first motor is used to drive the threaded rod to rotate.

[0010] Preferably, one end of the threaded rod is coaxially fixedly connected to a first gear, the output end of the first motor is coaxially fixedly connected to a second gear, and the first gear and the second gear are meshingly connected.

[0011] Preferably, the rotating disk rotates synchronously with the rotating head, and the direction in which the sliding slot is opened is the same as the direction in which the extension rod rotates.

[0012] Preferably, a rotating ring is coaxially rotatably connected to the surface of the auxiliary shell, and a shading plate is fixedly mounted on the surface of the rotating ring, and the shading plate is used to protect the infrared thermal imaging detector.

[0013] Preferably, the rotating ring has an internal gear, a fifth motor is installed inside the auxiliary shell, an output end of the fifth motor is coaxially fixedly connected with a ninth gear, and the ninth gear is meshingly connected with the internal gear of the rotating ring.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0015] 1. By mounting the infrared thermal imaging detector on a drone, it can quickly fly to each wind turbine location and conduct a comprehensive scan of the blades, greatly improving the speed and coverage of the inspection. In addition, since the infrared thermal imaging detector driven by the drone is fast to move for inspection, the blades can be inspected more frequently, which helps to discover potential problems of the blades in a timely manner.

[0016] 2. By setting the center of gravity compensation component, when the infrared thermal imaging detector is rotated by the extension rod, the center of gravity of the drone will change. At this time, by moving the counterweight block, the center of gravity position is adjusted to keep it in a relatively stable range to prevent the drone from losing balance due to the center of gravity shift;

[0017] 3. By setting up a sunshade, heat will be transferred to the lens by conduction. The optical performance of the lens is sensitive to temperature. Changes in temperature will cause changes in the refractive index, focal length and other parameters of the lens. The sunshade can prevent the infrared thermal imaging detector from being exposed to direct sunlight when in use, which is helpful to prevent light from directly hitting the outer casing and causing the outer casing temperature to rise. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the overall vertical section structure of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of a vertical section of a rotating disk of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the vertical section of the connection box of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of the extension rod of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 6 It is a schematic structural diagram of a vertical section of the auxiliary shell of the present invention.

[0024] In the figure: 1. connecting box; 2. connecting plate; 3. drone; 4. rotating disk; 5. sliding slot; 6. counterweight; 7. first gear; 8. second gear; 9. first motor; 10. threaded rod; 11. third gear; 12. fourth gear; 13. transmission rod; 14. fifth gear; 15. sixth gear; 16. second motor; 17. rotating head; 18. extension rod; 19. third motor; 20. seventh gear; 21. fourth motor; 22. eighth gear; 23. U-shaped rod; 24. auxiliary shell; 25. fifth motor; 26. ninth gear; 27. rotating ring; 28. infrared thermal imaging detector; 29. ​​sunshade. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] See also Figures 1 to 6 , the present invention provides a technical solution:

[0027] An infrared thermal imaging wind turbine blade detection device that can be carried on a drone comprises a connection box 1, the top of the connection box 1 is detachably connected to a drone 3, the bottom center of the connection box 1 is rotatably connected to a rotating head 17, the surface of the rotating head 17 is rotatably connected to an extension rod 18, the bottom end of the extension rod 18 is rotatably connected to an auxiliary shell 24, the bottom end of the auxiliary shell 24 is fixedly connected to an infrared thermal imaging detector 28, the infrared thermal imaging detector 28 is installed on the drone 3 through the connection box 1, the drone 3 can be remotely controlled to fly around the blade, and the blade is inspected with the infrared thermal imaging detector 28, and the rotation of the drone 3 is performed. The rotating head 17 and the extension rod 18 rotate to adjust the angle of the infrared thermal imaging detector 28, so that the blades can be inspected at different angles to obtain more comprehensive thermal imaging data, which is convenient for the infrared thermal imaging detector 28 to shoot. The infrared thermal imaging detector 28 is driven by the drone 3 to move for inspection, which can save manual climbing and avoid the high-altitude operation risks of the inspectors. A center of gravity compensation component is installed inside the connection box 1. The center of gravity compensation component is used to adjust the center of gravity position of the drone 3 to keep it within a relatively stable range, which is conducive to ensuring the stability of the drone 3 during flight;

[0028] A second motor 16 is fixedly installed inside the connection box 1, and the output end of the second motor 16 is coaxially fixedly connected to the top of the rotating head 17. The rotating head 17 is driven to rotate by starting the second motor 16. A third motor 19 is fixedly installed on the surface of the rotating head 17. The third motor 19 is used to drive the extension rod 18 to rotate. The extension rod 18 is driven to rotate by starting the third motor 19. A fourth motor 21 is fixedly installed on the surface of the extension rod 18. The fourth motor 21 is used to drive the auxiliary shell 24 to rotate. The auxiliary shell 24 can be rotated by starting the fourth motor 21. The rotation of the auxiliary shell 24 makes the infrared thermal imaging detector 28 Rotation, by setting the extension rod 18, the infrared thermal imaging detector 28 is kept away from the drone 3 by a certain distance, so that the infrared thermal imaging detector 28 can more conveniently go deep into the blade for inspection. For example, in a wind turbine blade, the space at the junction of the web and the shell can only accommodate some small inspection tools. The drone 3 is large in size and limited in flexibility, so it is difficult to enter these areas. The extension rod 18 is used to ensure that there is a certain distance between the infrared thermal imaging detector 28 and the drone 3, so that the infrared thermal imaging detector 28 has a distance to enter the area to detect whether there is temperature abnormality at the bonding point due to problems such as debonding.

[0029] Furthermore, the surface of the extension rod 18 is rotatably connected with a U-shaped rod 23, the bottom end of the U-shaped rod 23 is fixedly connected to the auxiliary shell 24, the surface of the U-shaped rod 23 is coaxially fixedly connected with the eighth gear 22, the output end of the fourth motor 21 is coaxially fixedly connected with the seventh gear 20, the seventh gear 20 and the eighth gear 22 are meshingly connected, the seventh gear 20 is driven to rotate by starting the fourth motor 21, the seventh gear 20 rotates and the eighth gear 22 rotates, the eighth gear 22 rotates and the U-shaped rod 23 rotates, the U-shaped rod 23 rotates and the auxiliary shell 24 rotates, and this design makes the fourth motor 21 drive the infrared thermal imaging detector 28 to rotate, which is conducive to providing an accurate transmission ratio so that the rotation of the fourth motor 21 The movement can be accurately converted into a specific rotation angle of the U-shaped rod 23. For example, when performing infrared thermal imaging detection on wind turbine blades, the infrared thermal imaging detector 28 needs to be accurately aimed at different parts of the blades to obtain accurate thermal images. By selecting a suitable gear ratio, high-precision control of the rotation angle of the U-shaped rod 23 can be achieved to ensure that the infrared thermal imaging detector 28 can be accurately positioned at the target position. Compared with directly connecting the fourth motor 21 and the U-shaped rod 23, the gear transmission can reduce the angular error caused by the inertia, vibration or other factors of the fourth motor 21. The meshing of the gears can provide a more stable transmission, avoid the angle fluctuation that may occur during direct connection, and improve the positioning accuracy of the detection equipment.

[0030] The center of gravity compensation component includes a rotating disk 4 and a counterweight 6. The rotating disk 4 is coaxially rotatably connected to the inner side of the connecting box 1, and the counterweight 6 is movably connected to the surface of the rotating disk 4. The surface of the rotating disk 4 is provided with a sliding groove 5 for the counterweight 6 to move horizontally. By horizontally moving the counterweight 6, the position of the counterweight 6 on the rotating disk 4 is changed to adjust the center of gravity of the UAV 3. For example, when the infrared thermal imaging detector 28 is rotated by the extension rod 18, the center of gravity of the UAV 3 will change. At this time, by moving the counterweight 6, the center of gravity position is adjusted to keep it within a relatively stable range. For example, if the center of gravity shifts forward, the counterweight 6 will move backward to increase the weight of the rear, so that the center of gravity is adjusted backward to prevent the UAV 3 from losing balance due to the shift of the center of gravity.

[0031] A threaded rod 10 is rotatably connected in the sliding groove 5. The threaded rod 10 movably penetrates the surface of the counterweight 6, and the threaded rod 10 and the counterweight 6 are threadedly connected. A first motor 9 is installed on the surface of the rotating disk 4. The first motor 9 is used to drive the threaded rod 10 to rotate. By rotating the threaded rod 10, the counterweight 6 moves along the track of the sliding groove 5, and the position of the counterweight 6 is adjusted. By adding accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc., the acceleration, angular velocity, attitude and other information of the drone 3 are detected in real time to determine whether the center of gravity position of the drone 3 has changed. For example, when the extension rod 18 rotates at an angle causing the center of gravity to shift, the sensor will immediately detect this change and transmit the signal to the control system. The control system sends a control signal to the first motor 9 to start the first motor 9, drive the threaded rod 10 to rotate, adjust the position of the counterweight 6, and adjust the center of gravity.

[0032] Further, one end of the threaded rod 10 is coaxially fixedly connected to the first gear 7, and the output end of the first motor 9 is coaxially fixedly connected to the second gear 8. The first gear 7 and the second gear 8 are meshedly connected. By starting the first motor 9 to drive the second gear 8 to rotate, the second gear 8 rotates to drive the first gear 7 to rotate, and the first gear 7 rotates to drive the threaded rod 10 to rotate. By such a setting, please refer to Figure 3 , which is conducive to changing the installation direction of the first motor 9, and can increase the length of the sliding groove 5 on the surface of the rotating disk 4, so that the adjustable range of the counterweight block 6 is increased. Compared with the first motor 9 and the threaded rod 10 being installed in a line, the area of ​​the first motor 9 on the rotating disk 4 cannot be used.

[0033] The rotating disk 4 rotates synchronously with the rotating head 17, and the direction in which the sliding slot 5 is opened is the same as the direction in which the extension rod 18 rotates. For an explanation of this sentence, please refer to Figure 2 ,by Figure 2 The angle is used to illustrate that the extension rod 18 is the direction in which it rotates to the left or right, and the direction in which the sliding slot 5 is opened is also the left and right direction. The counterweight 6 moves left and right in the sliding slot 5, that is, after the extension rod 18 is rotated to the left, the counterweight 6 can move to the right to adjust the center of gravity. By arranging the rotating disk 4 to rotate synchronously with the rotating head 17, the rotation direction of the extension rod 18 will change after the rotating head 17 rotates. At the same time, the rotating disk 4 and the rotating head 17 rotate synchronously, and the direction in which the sliding slot 5 is opened will also change synchronously with the extension rod 18, which is conducive to making the direction in which the sliding slot 5 is opened always the same as the direction in which the extension rod 18 rotates. When the extension rod 18 rotates at an angle, it is conducive to facilitating the movement of the counterweight 6 and adjusting the center of gravity.

[0034] The top of the rotating head 17 is coaxially fixedly connected with the sixth gear 15. When the second motor 16 drives the rotating head 17 to rotate, the sixth gear 15 will also be driven to rotate. The fifth gear 14 is rotatably connected in the connecting box 1. The sixth gear 15 and the fifth gear 14 are meshingly connected. The rotation of the sixth gear 15 will drive the fifth gear 14 to rotate. The top of the fifth gear 14 is coaxially fixedly connected with the transmission rod 13. The top of the transmission rod 13 is coaxially fixedly connected with the fourth gear 12. The rotation of the fifth gear 14 will drive the fourth gear 12 to rotate. The bottom end of the rotating disk 4 is coaxially fixedly connected with the third gear 11. The third gear 11 is meshingly connected with the fourth gear 12. The rotation of the fourth gear 12 will drive the third gear 11 to rotate. The rotation of the third gear 11 will drive the rotating disk 4 to rotate, so that the rotating disk 4 and the rotating head 17 rotate synchronously. Through such a design, the second motor 16 can be fixed without interfering with the rotation of the rotating disk 4.

[0035] A rotating ring 27 is coaxially rotatably connected to the surface of the auxiliary shell 24, and a sunshade 29 is fixedly installed on the surface of the rotating ring 27. The sunshade 29 is used to protect the infrared thermal imaging detector 28. By setting the sunshade 29, the infrared thermal imaging detector 28 can be prevented from being directly exposed to sunlight when in use. Light shining on the outer shell will increase the temperature of the outer shell, and the outer shell and the lens are usually tightly connected or in a relatively close position. Heat will be transferred to the lens by conduction. The optical performance of the lens is relatively sensitive to temperature. Changes in temperature may cause changes in the refractive index, focal length and other parameters of the lens. For example, in a high temperature environment, the focal length of the lens may have a slight deviation, affecting the clarity and accuracy of the imaging.

[0036] The rotating ring 27 has an internal gear, and a fifth motor 25 is installed inside the auxiliary shell 24. The output end of the fifth motor 25 is coaxially fixedly connected with the ninth gear 26. The ninth gear 26 is meshingly connected with the internal gear of the rotating ring 27. By starting the fifth motor 25 to drive the ninth gear 26 to rotate, the rotation of the ninth gear 26 drives the rotating ring 27 to rotate, which is beneficial to adjust the direction of the shading plate 29 according to the light position. In addition, as needed, the fifth motor 25 can be started to allow the rotating ring 27 to rotate continuously, so that the shading plate 29 rotates around the infrared thermal imaging detector 28, which is beneficial to protecting the infrared thermal imaging detector 28.

[0037] Furthermore, multiple light sensors are installed at different positions on the drone 3. These sensors can detect the direct angle and intensity of sunlight in real time. When sunlight shines on the sensor, the sensor converts the light signal into an electrical signal and transmits it to the control system. The control system determines the direction of the sunlight based on the received signal, and then sends a control signal to the fifth motor 25 to control the fifth motor 25 to start, driving the sunshade 29 to rotate in the direction of the sunlight to achieve the best shading effect.

[0038] A connection plate 2 is fixedly connected to the surface of the connection box 1 , and the connection plate 2 is detachably connected to the drone 3 via bolts, thereby achieving a detachable connection between the connection box 1 and the drone 3 .

[0039] The specific solution is as follows: the remote-controlled drone 3 drives the extension rod 18 to fly around the blade, so that the infrared thermal imaging detector 28 can detect the blade. During the detection process, the third motor 19 can be started to drive the extension rod 18 to rotate, and the rotation of the extension rod 18 indirectly drives the infrared thermal imaging detector 28 to rotate. The fourth motor 21 is started to drive the seventh gear 20 to rotate, and the rotation of the seventh gear 20 drives the eighth gear 22 to rotate. The rotation of the eighth gear 22 drives the U-shaped rod 23 to rotate, and the U-shaped rod 23 drives the infrared thermal imaging detector 28 to rotate, thereby increasing the rotatable angle range of the infrared thermal imaging detector 28, detecting the blade from different angles, and obtaining more comprehensive thermal imaging data.

[0040] When the extension rod 18 rotates, the second gear 8 is driven to rotate by starting the first motor 9, and the rotation of the second gear 8 drives the first gear 7 to rotate, and the rotation of the first gear 7 drives the threaded rod 10 to rotate, and the rotation of the threaded rod 10 causes the counterweight 6 to move along the track of the sliding groove 5, and the center of gravity position of the drone 3 is adjusted in coordination with the rotation of the extension rod 18;

[0041] When the rotating head 17 is rotated to adjust the position of the infrared thermal imaging detector 28, the rotating head 17 is driven to rotate by starting the second motor 16, and the sixth gear 15 is rotated at the same time, the sixth gear 15 rotates, the fifth gear 14 rotates, the transmission rod 13 rotates, the fourth gear 12 rotates, the third gear 11 rotates, the rotating disk 4 rotates, and the first motor 9 follows the movement, so that the direction of the sliding slot 5 is consistent with the extension rod 18, which is convenient for adjusting the center of gravity;

[0042] By starting the fifth motor 25 to drive the ninth gear 26 to rotate, the rotation of the ninth gear 26 drives the rotating ring 27 to rotate, and the rotation of the rotating ring 27 drives the shading plate 29 to rotate, and the position of the shading plate 29 is adjusted to achieve the best shading effect.

[0043] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An infrared thermal imaging wind turbine blade detection device that can be carried on an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising a connection box (1), characterized in that: The top of the connection box (1) is detachably connected to the drone (3); the center position of the bottom end of the connection box (1) is rotatably connected to a rotating head (17); the surface of the rotating head (17) is rotatably connected to an extension rod (18); the bottom end of the extension rod (18) is rotatably connected to an auxiliary shell (24); the bottom end of the auxiliary shell (24) is fixedly connected to an infrared thermal imaging detector (28); a center of gravity compensation component is installed inside the connection box (1); the center of gravity compensation component is used to adjust the center of gravity position of the drone (3).

2. The infrared thermal imaging wind turbine blade detection device that can be carried on a drone according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The center of gravity compensation assembly comprises a rotating disk (4) and a counterweight (6); the rotating disk (4) is coaxially rotatably connected to the inner side of the connecting box (1); the counterweight (6) is movably connected to the surface of the rotating disk (4); and the surface of the rotating disk (4) is provided with a sliding groove (5) for the counterweight (6) to move horizontally.

3. The infrared thermal imaging wind turbine blade detection device that can be carried on a drone according to claim 2 is characterized in that: A threaded rod (10) is rotatably connected in the sliding groove (5), the threaded rod (10) movably penetrates the surface of the counterweight (6), and the threaded rod (10) and the counterweight (6) are threadedly connected. A first motor (9) is installed on the surface of the rotating disk (4), and the first motor (9) is used to drive the threaded rod (10) to rotate.

4. The infrared thermal imaging wind turbine blade detection device that can be carried on a drone according to claim 3 is characterized in that: One end of the threaded rod (10) is coaxially fixedly connected to a first gear (7), and the output end of the first motor (9) is coaxially fixedly connected to a second gear (8), and the first gear (7) and the second gear (8) are meshingly connected.

5. The infrared thermal imaging wind turbine blade detection device that can be carried on a drone according to claim 2 is characterized in that: The rotating disk (4) rotates synchronously with the rotating head (17), and the direction in which the sliding slot (5) is opened is the same as the direction in which the extension rod (18) rotates.

6. The infrared thermal imaging wind turbine blade detection device that can be carried on a drone according to claim 1 is characterized in that: A rotating ring (27) is coaxially rotatably connected to the surface of the auxiliary shell (24), and a light shielding plate (29) is fixedly mounted on the surface of the rotating ring (27). The light shielding plate (29) is used to protect the infrared thermal imaging detector (28).

7. The infrared thermal imaging wind turbine blade detection device that can be carried on a drone according to claim 6 is characterized in that: The rotating ring (27) has an internal gear, a fifth motor (25) is installed inside the auxiliary shell (24), an output end of the fifth motor (25) is coaxially fixedly connected with a ninth gear (26), and the ninth gear (26) is meshedly connected with the internal gear of the rotating ring (27).

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