Self-propelled snow and ice removing device for power transmission line and method

Abstract

The application discloses a self-propelled power transmission line snow and ice removing device and method, relates to the technical field of power transmission line ice removing, and comprises a pair of clamping type self-propelled mechanisms arranged in pairs, a plurality of heating type cleaning units connected between the clamping type self-propelled mechanisms, and a plurality of heating type cleaning units used for wrapping power transmission lines in a ring shape; a plurality of curved panels are arranged outside the plurality of heating type cleaning units, a deicing agent cavity is arranged in the curved panels, and a plurality of spray heads are arranged on inner surfaces of the curved panels; heating wires are arranged in the heating type cleaning units, the heating type cleaning units comprise alternately arranged ice breakers and ice sweepers; the ice breakers and the ice sweepers are used for mechanical ice removing, the heating wires are used for thermal ice removing, and the spray heads are used for spraying deicing agents towards the power transmission lines to realize chemical ice removing. The application realizes the synergistic effect of mechanical ice removing, thermal ice removing and chemical ice removing, improves the snow and ice removing efficiency, and realizes more thorough cleaning.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of power transmission line de-icing technology, and in particular to a self-propelled power transmission line snow and ice removal device and method. Background Technology

[0002] There are several methods for de-icing and snow removal on power transmission lines, including thermal, mechanical, and chemical methods. Thermal methods can melt ice and snow by increasing the current or using electromagnetic induction heating, but they are energy-intensive and can accelerate line aging. Mechanical methods use rotating brushes, scrapers, or drones equipped with snow removal devices to remove snow. They are flexible and adaptable to complex terrain, but are inefficient in complex environments due to limitations in drone payload and range. Chemical methods lower the freezing point of ice and snow by spraying chemicals. They are easy to operate, but the use of large amounts of de-icing agent solutions can cause corrosion of metal parts and contamination of insulators.

[0003] Existing technologies also include some solutions that combine multiple de-icing and snow removal methods. For example, a combined de-icing device includes a de-icing sleeve, a heating sleeve, and a snow removal sleeve. The de-icing sleeve has a rotatable de-icing plate installed inside, the heating sleeve has an infrared heating tube inside, and the snow removal sleeve removes snow from the power transmission line by blowing air through rotating fan blades. However, the fan blades require sufficient power to blow away the snow, which places high demands on the device. Furthermore, the de-icing sleeve, heating sleeve, and snow removal sleeve operate independently, resulting in insufficient synergy and affecting the de-icing efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the purpose of this invention is to provide a self-propelled snow and ice removal device and method for power transmission lines, which employs the synergistic effects of mechanical de-icing, thermal de-icing, and chemical de-icing to improve snow and ice removal efficiency and achieve more thorough cleaning.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solution:

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a self-propelled power transmission line snow and ice removal device, including a pair of self-propelled wire-holding mechanisms, with multiple heated cleaning units connected between the wire-holding mechanisms, the multiple heated cleaning units being used to wrap the power transmission line in a circumferential direction; a plurality of curved panels are provided on the outer side of the multiple heated cleaning units, the curved panels having a de-icing agent cavity, and a plurality of nozzles installed on the inner surface of the curved panels.

[0007] The heated cleaning unit has a built-in heating wire and includes alternating ice breakers and ice sweepers. The ice breakers and ice sweepers are used for mechanical de-icing, the heating wire is used for thermal de-icing, and the nozzle is used to spray de-icing agent toward the power transmission line for chemical de-icing.

[0008] As a further implementation, the heated cleaning unit is connected to a rotary drive mechanism.

[0009] As a further implementation, the icebreaker includes an ice-breaking cylinder with several ice-breaking protrusions on its outer side.

[0010] As a further implementation, the ice sweeper includes an ice sweeping cylinder with a brush mounted on the outside of the cylinder.

[0011] As a further implementation, each curved panel is covered with at least two heated cleaning units.

[0012] As a further implementation, the curved panel is provided with a thermal insulation layer.

[0013] As a further implementation, at least one wire-mounted self-propelled mechanism is equipped with a snow removal plate on its outer side, and multiple snow removal plates are evenly distributed along the circumference of the power transmission line.

[0014] As a further implementation, the snowplow is an arc-shaped plate.

[0015] As a further implementation, the self-propelled cable-mounted mechanism includes a mounting body, on which multiple traveling wheels are mounted, and the traveling wheels are connected to a traveling drive mechanism.

[0016] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention also provide a method for operating a self-propelled snow and ice removal device for power transmission lines. During the process of the self-propelled mechanism with a wire gripping mechanism driving the snow and ice removal device to move along the power transmission line, the nozzle sprays de-icing agent onto the power transmission line; the heated cleaning unit rotates, and at the same time the heating wire heats up, and the icebreaker and ice sweeper perform mechanical de-icing.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0018] (1) The present invention provides multiple heated cleaning units arranged circumferentially along the transmission line. Each heated cleaning unit includes an icebreaker and an ice sweeper arranged alternately, and a heating wire is installed inside. That is, the mechanical de-icing structure and the thermal de-icing structure are integrated together, so that mechanical de-icing and thermal de-icing work together. At the same time, the heated cleaning unit can rotate, and the icebreaker, ice sweeper and heating wire rotate synchronously, which can improve the de-icing efficiency. A curved panel is also provided on the outside of the heated cleaning unit. The curved panel has a built-in de-icing agent to achieve chemical de-icing. The mechanical de-icing, thermal de-icing and chemical de-icing work together to form a "crush-melt-decompose" processing mechanism, so as to achieve thorough snow and ice removal from the transmission line.

[0019] (2) The present invention provides a snow removal plate at the end of the device to achieve preliminary cleaning of snow accumulation; the icebreaker includes an ice-breaking cylinder and ice-breaking protrusions on the surface of the ice-breaking cylinder, and the ice sweeper includes an ice sweeper cylinder and a brush on the surface of the ice sweeper cylinder. During the rotation of the heated cleaning unit, the ice-breaking protrusions can knock the ice layer on the surface of the power transmission line to break the ice layer, and the broken ice layer is swept away by the rotating brush; the alternately arranged icebreakers and ice sweepers can achieve ice layer cleaning of each part of the power transmission line; the heating wire is arranged inside each ice-breaking cylinder and ice sweeper cylinder, and the heating wire is arranged in each ice-breaking cylinder and ice sweeper cylinder. The ice layer is melted by heating the heating wire, which facilitates the icebreaker and ice sweeper to break and clean the ice layer; the chemical de-icing agent can accelerate volatilization and penetration in the high temperature environment provided by the heating wire to prevent secondary icing.

[0020] (3) The curved panel of the present invention can correspond to two or more heated cleaning units. In addition to carrying the de-icing agent, the curved panel also plays a role in protecting its internal structure, while making the overall structure more compact. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0022] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of a snow removal and de-icing device according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a front view of a snow removal and de-icing device according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of a heated cleaning unit according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the heated cleaning unit in an unfolded state according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the icebreaker and the ice sweeper according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the nozzle arrangement according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.

[0028] The components include: 1. Power transmission line; 2. Self-propelled cable-mounted mechanism; 3. Main mounting body; 4. Connecting plate; 5. Icebreaker; 6. Snow removal plate; 7. Walking wheel; 8. Walking drive motor; 9. Rotation drive motor; 10. Ice-breaking protrusion; 11. Ice sweeper; 12. Brush; 13. Curved panel; 14. Gear set; 15. Adding port; 16. Nozzle; 17. Heating wire; 18. Connector; 19. Power supply. Detailed Implementation

[0029] It should be noted that the following detailed description is illustrative and intended to provide further explanation of the invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used in this invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0030] For ease of description, the words "upper," "lower," "front," and "rear" appearing in this invention only indicate that they are consistent with the upper, lower, front, and rear directions of the accompanying drawings themselves, and do not limit the structure. They are merely for the purpose of facilitating the description of this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or component 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.

[0031] Example 1:

[0032] This embodiment provides a self-propelled snow and ice removal device for power transmission lines, including a wire-holding self-propelled mechanism 2, a heated cleaning unit, a curved panel 13, a snow removal plate 6, etc., enabling the device to have mechanical de-icing, thermal de-icing and chemical de-icing functions, so as to effectively remove snow and ice accumulated on the power transmission line 1.

[0033] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the snow removal and de-icing device of this embodiment includes a pair of self-propelled wire-holding mechanisms 2, and there is a certain distance between the two self-propelled wire-holding mechanisms 2. Multiple heated cleaning units and curved panels 13 are installed between them, and multiple snow removal plates 6 are installed on the outside of the self-propelled wire-holding mechanisms 2, so as to realize snow removal and de-icing during the walking process.

[0034] Snowplow 6 can be installed at one end of the device, its forward end, to clear snow from the power line 1 in front; snowplow 6 can also be installed at both ends, allowing the device to move backward to continue clearing snow. When snowplow 6 is installed at both ends of the device, to prevent the rear snowplow 6 from guiding snow into the device during forward movement, snowplow 6 is configured to be movably connected to the cable-holding self-propelled mechanism 2, which allows adjustment of the angle of snowplow 6.

[0035] Since the cross-section of the transmission line 1 is circular, to accommodate the shape of the transmission line 1, the axis of the heated cleaning unit is parallel to the axis of the transmission line 1, and multiple heated cleaning units are evenly arranged circumferentially along the transmission line 1. These multiple heated cleaning units can work synchronously, individually, or partially together. Similarly, multiple curved panels 13 are also arranged circumferentially along the transmission line 1, but each curved panel 13 can correspond to two or more heated cleaning units. The curved panels 13 serve both to protect their internal structure and to supply de-icing agent to the transmission line 1. If each heated cleaning unit corresponds to one curved panel 13, it would affect the amount of de-icing agent stored and result in a relatively complex structure. Therefore, this embodiment reduces the number of curved panels 13 and increases the capacity of a single curved panel 13.

[0036] The self-propelled wire-holding mechanism 2 serves as the power base, enabling the device to move along the power transmission line 1. Simultaneously, the self-propelled wire-holding mechanism 2 is the mounting carrier for the heated cleaning unit, the curved panel 13, and the snow removal plate 6. To facilitate the installation of the device on the power transmission line 1, the self-propelled wire-holding mechanism 2 in this embodiment adopts a split structure.

[0037] Specifically, such as Figure 3 As shown, the self-propelled cable-holding mechanism 2 includes a mounting body 3, traveling wheels 7, and a driving mechanism. The mounting body 3 has a ring-shaped structure to adapt to the power transmission line 1; the diameter of the mounting body 3 is larger than the diameter of the power transmission line 1. Considering ease of installation, the mounting body 3 in this embodiment is composed of multiple arc-shaped mounting plates, with adjacent mounting plates hinged together for easy assembly and disassembly; two of the mounting plates are fixed at their ends with bolts. For example, the mounting body 3 includes two semi-circular mounting plates, with one end hinged and the other end connected by bolts; or, the mounting body 3 includes four arc-shaped mounting plates, with only two of the mounting plates connected at one end by bolts, and the remaining ends hinged.

[0038] The mounting body 3 has a mounting groove for mounting the traveling wheel 7. The traveling wheel 7 is rotatably connected to the mounting groove, and the portion of the traveling wheel 7 located inside the mounting body 3 can contact the power transmission line 1, allowing the device to travel along the axis of the power transmission line 1. The surface of the traveling wheel 7 has anti-slip textures. The traveling wheel 7 is connected to a traveling drive mechanism, which can drive the traveling wheel 7 to rotate. This can be achieved using existing structures. The traveling drive mechanism includes a traveling drive motor 8, which can be directly or indirectly connected to the traveling wheel 7. To facilitate the installation of the traveling drive motor 8, in this embodiment, the traveling drive motor 8 is connected to the traveling wheel 7 through a gear transmission mechanism.

[0039] A connecting plate 4 is provided on the outer side of the mounting body 3, and the curved panel 13 is mounted through the connecting plate 4. In this embodiment, the connecting plate 4 is fan-shaped, and its contact end with the curved panel 13 has the same curvature, making the overall structure more compact.

[0040] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, multiple snowplows 6 are evenly distributed circumferentially along the mounting body 3. The snowplows 6 scrape away snow and low-intensity ice fragments from the surface of the power transmission line 1. For ease of cleaning, the snowplows 6 in this embodiment are arc-shaped and tilted from one end connected to the mounting body 3 to the other end, forming a constricted structure. This allows the snowplows 6 to be inserted into the snow to a certain depth, resulting in better cleaning.

[0041] The heated cleaning unit in this embodiment is rotatable. As the device moves along the power transmission line 1, the rotation of the heated cleaning unit enhances the de-icing effect. All heated cleaning units rotate in the same direction. A rotary drive mechanism can be installed at the end of each heated cleaning unit, or multiple heated cleaning units can share a single rotary drive mechanism. In this embodiment, the rotary drive mechanism includes a rotary drive motor 9 and a gear set 14. The rotary drive motor 9 is connected to the heated cleaning unit through the gear set 14. The number of gears in the gear set 14 depends on the number of heated cleaning units driven by the rotary drive mechanism.

[0042] like Figures 3-5 As shown, the heated cleaning unit includes an icebreaker 5, an ice sweeper 11, and a heating wire 17. The icebreaker 5 and the ice sweeper 11 are arranged alternately and are connected by a connector 18. The connector 18 has an external thread or an internal thread, and adjacent icebreakers 5 and ice sweepers 11 are engaged with each other by the externally threaded connector 18 and the internally threaded connector 18.

[0043] The icebreaker 5 includes an ice-breaking cylinder with several ice-breaking protrusions 10 on its outer side. During the rotation of the heated cleaning unit, the ice-breaking protrusions 10 can strike the ice layer on the surface of the power transmission line 1, breaking the ice layer. In this embodiment, the ice-breaking protrusions 10 are made of rubber, so they will not damage the power transmission line 1 during the striking process. The ice sweeper 11 includes an ice-sweeping cylinder with a brush 12 on its outer surface. The brush 12 rotates to sweep away the broken ice layer. In this embodiment, the brush 12 is made of steel, which has a certain degree of flexibility and shape recovery ability.

[0044] The heating wire 17 is installed in the heating cleaning unit. Therefore, the heating wire 17 is arranged in each ice breaking cylinder and ice sweeping cylinder. The ice layer is melted by heating the heating wire 17, which makes it easier for the ice breaker 5 to break the ice layer.

[0045] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the curved panel 13 is installed along the axial direction of the power transmission line 1, and its cross-section is arc-shaped. The curved panel 13 has a de-icing agent cavity inside, and an inlet 15 on the outside of the curved panel 13, through which de-icing agent is added to the de-icing agent cavity. The inlet 15 is sealed with a sealing member when not in use. Figure 6 As shown, multiple nozzles 16 are provided on the inner side of the curved panel 13. De-icing agent is sprayed out from the nozzles 16 to achieve chemical de-icing.

[0046] Since the curved panel 13 is located on the outside of the heated cleaning unit, it protects its internal structure. To maintain the heating temperature, the curved panel 13 in this embodiment is provided with a heat insulation layer. The heat insulation layer can be provided on the inner surface of the curved panel 13, or on both the inner and outer surfaces. A photovoltaic panel can also be installed on the outside of the curved panel 13 to supply power to the power supply 19, which is connected to each drive motor.

[0047] This embodiment integrates three de-icing methods: mechanical de-icing, thermal de-icing, and chemical de-icing. A self-propelled cable-stayed mechanism 2 is installed at both ends of the device to allow it to travel along the power line 1. Snow removal plates 6 are installed on the outside of the self-propelled cable-stayed mechanism 2, which can initially clear accumulated snow. A heated cleaning unit is installed inside the self-propelled cable-stayed mechanism 2. The icebreaker 5 and ice sweeper 11 in the heated cleaning unit work together for mechanical de-icing, while the internal heating wire 17 achieves thermal de-icing. The heated cleaning unit is covered by a curved panel 13, which is filled with de-icing agent for chemical de-icing.

[0048] Mechanical de-icing, as a fundamental step, uses the icebreaker 5 to break the dense ice layer into easily manageable fragments through hammering and squeezing, providing conditions for subsequent operations. The heat generated by the heating wire 17 not only accelerates the melting of the broken ice layer but also preheats the untreated area, reducing the hardness of the ice layer and improving the efficiency of mechanical de-icing. Simultaneously, it prevents the brush 12 from becoming brittle due to low temperatures during ice sweeping, ensuring the stable operation of the mechanical structure. The chemical de-icing agent can accelerate its volatilization and penetration in the high-temperature environment provided by the heating wire 17. Utilizing the surface tension of the liquid, it quickly covers the gaps in the ice layer, making full contact with the broken ice surface. Through a chemical reaction that lowers the freezing point, it completely disintegrates residual ice crystals, while simultaneously covering the de-iced line to prevent secondary icing. Therefore, in this embodiment, the mechanical de-icing, thermal de-icing, and chemical de-icing work synergistically to form a "break-melt-decompose" processing mechanism, achieving thorough snow and ice removal from the transmission line 1.

[0049] Example 2:

[0050] This embodiment provides a working method for a self-propelled snow and ice removal device for power transmission lines. Based on the self-propelled snow and ice removal device for power transmission lines in Embodiment 1, the specific method is as follows:

[0051] After the device is started, the drive motor 8 provides power to the wheels 7, which grip the power line 1 and propel the device forward. During the device's movement, the snowplow 6 removes accumulated snow and weak, unfrozen ice fragments along the direction of the power line 1. The nozzles 16 on the inner side of the curved panel 13 spray de-icing agent onto the power line 1, covering the surface of the line with liquid and accelerating the melting of surface ice.

[0052] The rotary drive motor 9 operates, driving the gear set 14 to rotate, which in turn drives the heated cleaning unit to rotate. Simultaneously, the heating wire 17 heats up, accelerating the melting of the ice. The icebreaker 5 breaks the ice layer by striking and squeezing it with the ice-breaking protrusions 10, and the brush 12 of the ice sweeper 11 removes the broken ice. As the heating wire 17 continues to heat up, the curved panel 13 prevents heat loss, providing insulation and accelerating the melting of the ice on the transmission line 1, thus increasing de-icing efficiency. At the same time, the higher temperature and the de-icing agent covering the line surface reduce the risk of re-icing and snow accumulation on the transmission line 1 in low-temperature environments. After passing through the heated cleaning unit, the transmission line 1, with a small amount of residual ice fragments, is scraped off by the snow removal plate 6 at the end of the device, achieving further de-icing.

[0053] After the device performs one de-icing operation on transmission line 1, there is no need to remove the device. The device can be carried back along the line to perform multiple cycles of de-icing.

[0054] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A self-propelled snow and ice removal device for power transmission lines, characterized in that, It includes a pair of self-propelled wire-holding mechanisms, with multiple heated cleaning units connected between the wire-holding mechanisms. The multiple heated cleaning units are used to wrap the power transmission line in a circumferential direction. Several curved panels are provided on the outside of the multiple heated cleaning units. The curved panels have de-icing agent cavities and multiple nozzles are installed on the inner surface of the curved panels. The self-propelled cable-mounted mechanism includes an installation body, a connecting plate on the outside of the installation body, and a curved panel installed through the connecting plate. The connecting plate is fan-shaped and has the same curvature at the contact end with the curved panel. Each curved panel is covered with at least two heated cleaning units; the curved panel is provided with a heat insulation layer; The heated cleaning unit has a built-in heating wire and includes alternating ice breakers and ice sweepers; the ice breaker includes an ice breaking cylinder and the ice sweeper includes an ice sweeping cylinder, and the heating wire is arranged in each ice breaking cylinder and ice sweeping cylinder. The icebreaker and ice sweeper are used for mechanical de-icing, the heating wire is used for thermal de-icing, and the nozzle is used to spray de-icing agent toward the power transmission line for chemical de-icing. At least one wire-mounted self-propelled mechanism is equipped with a snow removal plate on its outer side, and multiple snow removal plates are evenly distributed along the circumference of the power transmission line; the snow removal plates are installed at both ends of the wire-mounted self-propelled mechanism and are movably connected to the wire-mounted self-propelled mechanism. Snowplows initially clear snow, ice breakers break dense ice into easily manageable pieces, heating wires accelerate the melting of the broken ice and preheat untreated areas, and chemical de-icing agents accelerate volatilization and penetration in the high-temperature environment provided by the heating wires, making full contact with the broken ice surface to completely disintegrate residual ice crystals. At the same time, they cover the de-iced lines to prevent secondary icing, and curved panels provide thermal insulation to prevent heat loss. The combined effect of mechanical de-icing, thermal de-icing, and chemical de-icing thoroughly removes snow and ice.

2. The self-propelled snow removal and de-icing device for power transmission lines according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heated cleaning unit is connected to a rotary drive mechanism.

3. The self-propelled snow removal and de-icing device for power transmission lines according to claim 1, characterized in that, The icebreaker includes an ice-breaking cylinder, and the outer side of the ice-breaking cylinder is provided with several ice-breaking protrusions.

4. A self-propelled power transmission line snow removal and de-icing device according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, The ice sweeper includes an ice sweeping cylinder, and a brush is installed on the outside of the ice sweeping cylinder.

5. A self-propelled power transmission line snow removal and de-icing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The snowplow is an arc-shaped plate.

6. A self-propelled power transmission line snow removal and de-icing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The self-propelled cable-mounted mechanism includes a mounting body, on which multiple traveling wheels are mounted, and the traveling wheels are connected to a traveling drive mechanism.

7. The working method of a self-propelled power transmission line snow removal and de-icing device according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, As the self-propelled wire-mounted mechanism drives the snow and ice removal device along the power transmission line, the nozzles spray de-icing agent onto the power transmission line; the heated cleaning unit rotates, and the heating wire heats up, while the icebreaker and ice sweeper perform mechanical de-icing.

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