Wind turbine generator inspection system and method

Abstract

The invention discloses a wind turbine generator inspection system and method.The wind turbine generator inspection system comprises a lifting device, a camera device, a video processing device and a charging device, the lifting device is annular, the lifting device is arranged on a tower drum of a wind turbine generator in a sleeving mode and can move in the axial direction of the tower drum, the camera device is connected with the lifting device, and the video processing device is connected with the charging device; the camera device can rotate and is used for scanning the surfaces, close to the tower drum, of the tower drum and blades of the wind turbine generator, the video processing device is arranged at the bottom of the tower drum, the video processing device is connected with the camera device to receive data transmitted by the camera device and process the data, and the charging device is connected with the video processing device. The charging device is used for charging the video processing device. According to the invention, the lightweight annular lifting device is adopted, the miniature camera device is carried, and the camera device can rotate around the tower drum so as to realize 360-degree scanning of the tower drum. In addition, the camera device can rotate to achieve scanning and measuring of the inner side surface of the blade.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of wind power generation, and in particular to a wind turbine inspection system and method. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of wind power generation technology, the unit capacity of wind turbines has been increasing, from 750kW to the current 15MW, and the units are increasingly tending towards large-megawatt models. At the same time, the tower diameter and hub center height of wind turbines are also increasing. For example, the tower diameter of large-megawatt units can reach 7m, and the hub center height can reach 110m. This development trend has put forward higher requirements for the inspection of wind turbines.

[0003] In related technologies, wind turbine tower inspections are conducted by drone photography, but drone inspections have certain limitations, such as high cost, short duration, and flight conditions that may affect weather. Especially in offshore wind turbine inspections, drone inspections are more difficult due to complex sea conditions. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve one of the technical problems in the related art at least to a certain extent.

[0005] To this end, an embodiment of the present invention proposes a wind turbine inspection system to meet the large-scale, efficient and safe inspection requirements of wind turbines.

[0006] The wind turbine inspection system according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises:

[0007] A lifting device, which is annular and is sleeved on the tower of the wind turbine generator set, and is movable along the axial direction of the tower;

[0008] A camera device, the camera device is connected to the lifting device, the camera device is rotatable, and the camera device is used to scan the tower and the surface of the blades of the wind turbine generator set close to the tower;

[0009] A video processing device, which is arranged at the bottom of the tower and is connected to the camera device to receive data transmitted by the camera device and process the data;

[0010] A charging device, wherein the charging device is connected to the video processing device and is used to charge the video processing device.

[0011] The wind turbine inspection system of the embodiment of the present invention adopts a lightweight annular lifting device and carries a miniature camera device, which can rotate around the tower to achieve a 360° scan of the tower. In addition, the camera device can also rotate on its own to achieve a scan of the inner surface of the blade.

[0012] In some embodiments, the lifting device includes a circular guide rail, and the camera device is arranged on the circular guide rail so that the camera device can rotate around the tower.

[0013] In some embodiments, a rotating seat is provided on the circular guide rail, a rotating axis of the rotating seat is arranged along a vertical direction, and the camera device is detachably mounted on the rotating seat.

[0014] In some embodiments, the lifting device includes a plurality of sliding parts, which are spaced apart around the tower, and the sliding parts are in contact with the wall surface of the tower.

[0015] In some embodiments, the sliding portion includes a wheel, a brake assembly and a drive assembly, the drive assembly is connected to the wheel to drive the wheel to rotate, and the brake assembly is arranged on the wheel to control the rotation and stop of the wheel.

[0016] In some embodiments, the driving component has a remote control module, and the remote control module is used to remotely access the control system of the wind turbine generator set.

[0017] In some embodiments, the lifting device includes a locking portion, which is connected to the sliding portion, and the locking portion is used to adjust the contact force between the sliding portion and the tower.

[0018] In some embodiments, the lifting device includes a carbon fiber bracket, which is arranged around the tower, and the annular guide rail, the sliding part and the locking part are all arranged on the carbon fiber bracket.

[0019] In some embodiments, the video processing device includes a receiver and a forwarder, the receiver is used to receive data transmitted by the camera device, and the forwarder is used to forward the data received by the receiver to a remote server.

[0020] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a wind turbine inspection method, which is used in the wind turbine inspection system described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0021] The wind turbine inspection method according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises:

[0022] Install at least one camera device on the lifting device, and install the lifting device on the tower of the wind turbine generator set;

[0023] Adjust the height of the lifting device and rotate the camera device around the tower to scan the entire tower area;

[0024] The lifting device is moved to a position corresponding to the height of the blades of the wind turbine generator set, and the camera device is rotated to scan the surface of the blades close to the tower. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a wind turbine inspection system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Reference numerals:

[0027] 1-lifting device, 11-circular guide rail, 12-sliding part, 13-locking part, 14-carbon fiber bracket, 2-camera device, 3-video processing device, 4-charging device, 5-tower, 6-blade. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to be used to explain the present invention, but should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0029] The wind turbine inspection system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] like Figure 1 As shown, the wind turbine inspection system according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises: a lifting device 1 , a camera device 2 , a video processing device 3 and a charging device 4 .

[0031] The lifting device 1 is an annular structure, so that the lifting device 1 can be mounted on the tower 5 of the wind turbine, and the lifting device 1 can be moved along the axial direction of the tower 5 by remote control. For example, the lifting device 1 can be lifted by pulley traction, motor drive, propeller, etc.

[0032] Optionally, when a pulley traction lifting method is adopted, the structure includes one or more pulleys, which are installed on the lifting device 1 and used in conjunction with the guide rails or ropes arranged on the tower 5. The pulleys are made of high-strength materials to ensure stable operation even under heavy loads. The guide rails or ropes are fixed to the wall of the tower 5 to provide a moving path for the pulleys. The structure also includes a traction motor installed at the top or bottom of the tower 5, which is connected to the pulleys through a traction rope or chain to drive the pulleys to move up and down along the guide rails or ropes of the tower 5.

[0033] When motor-driven lifting is adopted, the structure includes one or more motors, which are directly mounted on the lifting device 1 or connected to the lifting device 1 through a reducer. The motor rotates to drive a set of gears or screws, thereby realizing the linear movement of the lifting device 1 along the axial direction of the tower 5. The structure also includes a limit switch for detecting the position of the lifting device 1 to prevent over-limit movement. The structure also includes a braking system for stopping or controlling the movement of the lifting device 1 when necessary to ensure safety.

[0034] When propeller-type lifting is adopted, the structure includes one or more propellers, which are installed on the lifting device 1 and are used to generate upward thrust or downward pulling force through rotation. The structure also includes one or more motors for driving the propellers to rotate. In addition, in order to control the stability and direction of the lifting device 1, the structure also includes vertical and horizontal stabilizing wings or rudders.

[0035] The camera device 2 is connected to the lifting device 1, and the camera device 2 is rotatable. The camera device 2 is used to scan the tower 5 and the surface of the blade 6 of the wind turbine generator set close to the tower 5. It can be understood that the camera device 2 adjusts the height through the lifting device 1, and the camera device 2 rotates around the tower 5 to achieve 360° scanning of different heights of the tower 5, and the camera device 2 rotates to scan the inner surface of the blade 6 at the same time.

[0036] The video processing device 3 is arranged at the bottom of the tower 5, and the video processing device 3 is connected to the camera device 2 to receive and process the data transmitted by the camera device 2. It can be understood that the camera device 2 has a video transmission function, and communicates with the video processing device 3 at the bottom of the tower, or directly forwards the data through wireless signals. At the same time, the charging device 4 is connected to the video processing device 3, and the charging device 4 is used to charge the video processing device 3.

[0037] Optionally, the video processing device 3 includes a receiver and a forwarder, the receiver is used to receive the data transmitted by the camera device 2, and the forwarder is used to forward the data received by the receiver to the remote server. After the video is received by the remote server, the scar can be automatically detected through the analysis model, and a maintenance recommendation plan can be provided.

[0038] In summary, the wind turbine inspection system of the embodiment of the present invention realizes unmanned control or full-process control. For unmanned or undermanned plants, the tower 5 and the inner surface of the blade 6 can be remotely controlled to monitor possible damage, cracks, etc., so as to avoid the problem that damage to the unit is not discovered in time. Tasks can be executed automatically, without the need for human supervision to obtain data, reducing human supervision, and automatic alarming through background analysis.

[0039] In some embodiments, Figure 1As shown, the lifting device 1 includes a circular guide rail 11, and the camera device 2 is arranged on the circular guide rail 11, so that the camera device 2 rotates around the tower 5.

[0040] It is understandable that the circular guide rail 11 is a part of the lifting device 1, which is an annular track structure surrounding the tower 5 of the wind turbine. The guide rail is designed to support and guide the camera device 2 to rotate 360 ​​degrees along the circular track. The camera device 2 is fixed on the circular guide rail 11, and it includes at least one micro camera and a driving component. The micro camera has a high-definition image acquisition capability so that it can be shot under different lighting conditions. The driving component is a motor or a servo system, which is used to control the rotation of the micro camera.

[0041] Furthermore, the driving component is connected to a remote control system for sending a control signal to drive the rotation and positioning of the camera device 2 .

[0042] For example, when the camera device 2 is started, the control system will send a signal to the driving component according to the preset inspection path and scanning parameters.

[0043] After receiving the control signal, the driving component starts to rotate the camera device 2. The micro camera continuously collects image data on the surface of the tower 5 during the rotation process. The control system monitors the status of the camera device 2 in real time, including its current position and scanning progress. If necessary, the control system can adjust the operation of the driving device to change the rotation speed of the camera device 2 or pause the scanning. After the scanning is completed, the control system instructs the camera device 2 to return to the initial position or to perform the next round of scanning.

[0044] Furthermore, a rotating seat is provided on the circular guide rail 11 , and the rotating axis of the rotating seat is arranged along the vertical direction. The camera device 2 is detachably mounted on the rotating seat, so that the camera device 2 can rotate on its own.

[0045] The rotating seat is arranged on the circular guide rail 11, and its rotation axis is arranged in the vertical direction and parallel to the axis of the tower 5. The design of the rotating seat allows the camera device 2 thereon to rotate around the vertical axis.

[0046] A driving component is also housed inside the rotating base, which is usually a motor or a servo system, for controlling the rotation speed and angle of the rotating base. The rotating base is provided with an interface connected to the camera device 2, which allows the camera device 2 to be quickly disassembled and installed.

[0047] In some embodiments, Figure 1 As shown, the lifting device 1 includes a plurality of sliding parts 12 , which are spaced apart around the tower 5 , and the sliding parts 12 are in contact with the wall surface of the tower 5 .

[0048] Optionally, the sliding part 12 includes a wheel, a brake assembly and a drive assembly. The wheel is made of rubber to reduce friction damage to the wall of the tower 5. The drive assembly is used to provide power, such as a motor, and the drive assembly is connected to the wheel to drive the wheel to rotate. The brake assembly is arranged on the wheel to control the rotation and stop of the wheel to ensure that the lifting device 1 can stop when necessary to prevent sliding. For example, the brake assembly includes a brake disc, a brake pad, a brake caliper, a brake cylinder, a brake pump, a brake line and a brake control component.

[0049] The brake disc is connected to the wheel axle, and the brake pad is pressed against the brake disc, which creates friction to slow down or stop the rotation of the wheel. The brake caliper presses the brake pad against the brake disc through hydraulic or mechanical pressure. The brake cylinder generates brake pressure, and in the hydraulic system, the hydraulic pressure is transmitted through the brake line to the brake pump, which is driven by the brake pump. The brake control unit is electronic and is used for the operator to remotely control the activation of the brake assembly.

[0050] Furthermore, the driving component has a remote control module, which is used to remotely access the remote control system of the wind turbine generator set so as to remotely control the height adjustment of the lifting device 1 .

[0051] Furthermore, if Figure 1 As shown, the lifting device 1 includes a locking portion 13, which is connected to the sliding portion 12, and the locking portion 13 is used to adjust the contact force between the sliding portion 12 and the tower 5. It can be understood that since the diameter of the tower 5 is variable, the pressure of the sliding portion 12 on the tower 5 is always within a preset range value by controlling the locking portion 13 in real time to ensure that the lifting device 1 is stably attached to the peripheral wall of the tower 5. In addition, when the lifting device 1 is fixed at a certain working height, the fixing effect of the lifting device 1 can be improved by increasing the pressure of the sliding portion 12 on the tower 5.

[0052] In some embodiments, Figure 1 As shown, the lifting device 1 includes a carbon fiber bracket 14 , which is arranged around the tower 5 , and the circular guide rail 11 , the sliding part 12 and the locking part 13 are all arranged on the carbon fiber bracket 14 .

[0053] It is understandable that the carbon fiber bracket 14 is the main structure of the lifting device 1, which is arranged around the wind turbine tower 5. The carbon fiber material is selected for its high strength and light weight, which helps to reduce the weight of the entire device, reduce the pressure on the wall of the tower 5, and improve the convenience of operation. In addition, the surface of the carbon fiber bracket 14 is painted with an anti-corrosion coating to improve its durability.

[0054] The following describes a wind turbine inspection method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The inspection method is used in a wind turbine inspection system in any one of the above embodiments.

[0055] The wind turbine inspection method of the embodiment of the present invention comprises: installing at least one camera device 2 on a lifting device 1, and installing the lifting device 1 on the tower 5 of the wind turbine. Adjusting the height of the lifting device 1, and rotating the camera device 2 around the tower 5 to perform a full-area scan of the tower 5. Moving the lifting device 1 to a position corresponding to the height of the blade 6 of the wind turbine, and rotating the camera device 2 to scan the surface of the blade 6 close to the tower 5.

[0056] Among them, a height sensor is used to detect the position of the lifting device 1, and a control signal is generated according to a preset inspection path to control the operation of the lifting device 1 and the revolution of the camera device 2. In addition, a positioning sensor is used to detect the position of the blade 6, and the lifting device 1 is moved to a position corresponding to the height of the blade 6, and the camera device 2 rotates.

[0057] Therefore, the wind turbine inspection method of the embodiment of the present invention can timely discover damage or defects of the tower 5 and the blades 6, thereby avoiding potential safety hazards and improving the operational safety of the wind turbine. Through integrated control and automation technology, unmanned control or full-process control is achieved, manual intervention is reduced, and the safety and efficiency of inspection are improved.

[0058] In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms “center”, “longitudinal”, “lateral”, “length”, “width”, “thickness”, “up”, “down”, “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inside”, “outside”, “clockwise”, “counterclockwise”, “axial”, “radial”, “circumferential”, etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0059] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0060] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral one; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or communication with each other; it can be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0061] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" or "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0062] In the present invention, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" etc. mean that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the described specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0063] Although the above embodiments have been shown and described, it is to be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and are not to be construed as limitations on the present invention. Changes, modifications, substitutions and variations of the above embodiments by those of ordinary skill in the art are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wind turbine inspection system, characterized in that: include: A lifting device, which is annular and is sleeved on the tower of the wind turbine generator set, and is movable along the axial direction of the tower; A camera device, the camera device is connected to the lifting device, the camera device is rotatable, and the camera device is used to scan the tower and the surface of the blades of the wind turbine generator set close to the tower; A video processing device, which is arranged at the bottom of the tower and is connected to the camera device to receive data transmitted by the camera device and process the data; A charging device, wherein the charging device is connected to the video processing device and is used to charge the video processing device.

2. The wind turbine inspection system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting device comprises a circular guide rail, and the camera device is arranged on the circular guide rail so that the camera device can rotate around the tower.

3. The wind turbine inspection system according to claim 2, characterized in that: A rotating seat is provided on the circular guide rail, a rotating axis of the rotating seat is arranged along a vertical direction, and the camera device is detachably mounted on the rotating seat.

4. The wind turbine inspection system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lifting device comprises a plurality of sliding parts, which are distributed at intervals around the tower, and the sliding parts are in contact with the wall surface of the tower.

5. The wind turbine inspection system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The sliding part comprises a wheel, a brake assembly and a driving assembly. The driving assembly is connected to the wheel to drive the wheel to rotate, and the brake assembly is arranged on the wheel to control the wheel to rotate and stop.

6. The wind turbine inspection system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The driving component has a remote control module, and the remote control module is used for remotely accessing the control system of the wind turbine generator set.

7. The wind turbine inspection system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The lifting device comprises a locking part, which is connected to the sliding part and is used to adjust the contact force between the sliding part and the tower.

8. The wind turbine inspection system according to claim 7, characterized in that: The lifting device comprises a carbon fiber bracket, which is arranged around the tower, and the annular guide rail, the sliding part and the locking part are all arranged on the carbon fiber bracket.

9. The wind turbine inspection system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The video processing device includes a receiver and a forwarder. The receiver is used to receive data transmitted by the camera device, and the forwarder is used to forward the data received by the receiver to a remote server.

10. A wind turbine inspection method, characterized in that: The inspection method is used in a wind turbine inspection system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and the inspection method comprises: Install at least one camera device on the lifting device, and install the lifting device on the tower of the wind turbine generator set; Adjust the height of the lifting device and rotate the camera device around the tower to scan the entire tower area; The lifting device is moved to a position corresponding to the height of the blades of the wind turbine generator set, and the camera device is rotated to scan the surface of the blades close to the tower.

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