Fan blade crack detection robot and detection method

Abstract

The invention discloses a fan blade crack detection robot and a detection method. The fan blade crack detection robot comprises a robot overall frame, a negative pressure adsorption mechanism, a detection mechanism and a camera. A negative pressure adsorption mechanism is arranged in the robot overall frame, four differential motors and rubber wheels are arranged on the two sides of a vehicle body, and a detection mechanism and a camera are arranged on the front side and the upper side of the vehicle body correspondingly. The negative pressure adsorption mechanism is composed of a large sealing cavity and four small sealing cavities, the large sealing cavity is fixedly installed on the upper side of the frame bottom plate, the four small sealing cavities are fixedly installed on one side of the differential motor and connected with the large sealing cavity through corrugated pipes, and meanwhile the lower sides of the large sealing cavity and the small sealing cavities are each provided with a sealing gasket and a square sealing piece. The sealing cavity is tightly attached to the wall face, and crawling of the robot is achieved. According to the invention, a feasible solution is provided for automatic detection of the blades of the power generation fan, and the method has high applicability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotic inspection equipment, specifically to a robot and method for detecting cracks in wind turbine blades. Background Technology

[0002] Wind power, with its abundant resources, renewable nature, and environmental friendliness, has become a core force in the clean energy sector, occupying an increasingly important position in the global energy landscape. However, wind turbine blades, as key components in wind power systems for capturing wind energy, operate in extremely harsh environments. Long-term exposure to the outdoors exposes them to constant erosion from wind and sand, the potential threat of lightning strikes, and damage from structural fatigue. Failure to detect and repair this damage in a timely manner will severely impact power generation efficiency, shorten blade lifespan, and may even lead to safety accidents and significant economic losses. Therefore, regular, efficient, and precise inspection and maintenance of wind turbine blades has become essential for ensuring the stable operation of wind power systems and improving power generation efficiency. Considering the significant safety risks associated with working at heights, it is necessary to design an efficient and safe wall-climbing inspection robot. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned technical problems and provide a wind turbine blade crack detection robot and detection method to solve the problem of the lack of efficient and accurate equipment for wind turbine blade detection in the prior art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A wind turbine blade crack detection robot includes an overall robot frame, a negative pressure adsorption mechanism, a detection mechanism, and a camera; the negative pressure adsorption mechanism is located inside the overall robot frame, and four differential motors and rubber wheels are provided on both sides of the overall robot frame, while a detection mechanism and a camera are provided on the front and top sides respectively.

[0005] A further improvement of the present invention is that the overall frame of the robot includes a chassis base plate, a chassis top plate, a motor mounting plate, a differential motor, a motor bracket, and rubber wheels; the motor mounting plate is sequentially fixedly connected to the motor bracket and the differential motor, the output end of the differential motor is connected to the rubber wheels, and the motor mounting plate is connected to the chassis base plate by a hinge to accommodate wind turbine blades with different curvatures; the chassis top plate is fixed to the chassis base plate.

[0006] A further improvement of the present invention is that all four rubber wheels are provided with toothed protrusions to increase the friction with the working surface.

[0007] A further improvement of the present invention is that the negative pressure adsorption mechanism includes a large sealed cavity, a small sealed cavity, a centrifugal fan, a bellows, a linear bearing, a movable column, a spring, a sealing gasket, and a square sealing element; the large sealed cavity is fixedly installed at the center of the chassis floor plate, and a centrifugal fan is fixedly installed inside it, with a sealing gasket provided below it; The linear bearing is fixedly installed on the top of the chassis base plate, and a movable column is slidably connected inside. One end of the movable column is provided with a cylindrical boss, and the other end is connected to a sealing gasket. At the same time, a spring is provided between the bottom of the chassis base plate and the sealing gasket to ensure a tight fit between the sealing gasket and the working surface. The four small sealing cavities are respectively fixedly installed on the top of the four motor mounting plates, and a square sealing element is provided below the motor mounting plates; The four small sealing cavities are connected to the large sealing cavity via bellows, so that their interiors have the same negative pressure conditions.

[0008] A further improvement of the present invention is that the sealing gasket is made of a flexible sealing material.

[0009] A further improvement of the present invention is that the square seal is made of a flexible sealing material.

[0010] A further improvement of the present invention is that the square seal is designed with a wave-shaped cavity above it to accommodate the climbing of curved walls.

[0011] A further improvement of the present invention is that the detection mechanism includes a square bracket, an electric push rod, a detection light bracket, and a detection light; the square bracket is fixedly installed between the chassis floor plate and the chassis top plate, the detection light bracket is rotatably connected to the top of the square bracket, and a detection light is fixedly connected to the front of the square bracket; one end of the electric push rod is rotatably connected to the bottom of the square bracket, and the other end is rotatably connected to the middle of the detection light bracket, thereby driving the detection light to rotate up and down.

[0012] A further improvement of the present invention is that the camera is fixedly installed above the top plate of the vehicle frame and can rotate 360°.

[0013] A method for detecting cracks in wind turbine blades, the method being based on a wind turbine blade crack detection robot, comprising: Four differential motors drive rubber wheels to move the robot's overall frame. At the same time, the negative pressure adsorption mechanism generates a negative pressure zone lower than the ambient atmospheric pressure, using the atmospheric pressure difference to firmly "adsorb" the robot onto a vertical or inclined wall. The detection mechanism adjusts the distance between itself and the blade surface to detect defects on the blade surface at close range. The camera rotates to visually inspect the basic condition of the wind turbine blades.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following beneficial technical effects: The present invention provides a wind turbine blade crack detection robot and detection method, which uses a large sealed cavity and four small sealed cavities to form a negative pressure adsorption mechanism to solve the problem of the wind turbine blade crack detection robot climbing on vertical or inclined curved walls, so that the robot can move freely on the blade surface.

[0015] Furthermore, the present invention rotatably connects the differential motor, rubber wheel, and small sealing cavity to the chassis base plate via a motor mounting plate, so that the sealing cavity as a whole adaptively fits the blade surface, avoiding the aircraft from falling or detaching on the curved surface of the blade.

[0016] Furthermore, the spring adaptive adjustment design of the sealing gasket and the wave-shaped adaptive adjustment design of the square seal of the present invention ensure that the sealing gasket and the square seal remain close to the blade surface during the robot's movement, thereby reducing the leakage rate of the sealing cavity.

[0017] Furthermore, the detection lamp of this invention is adjustable via an electric push rod, enabling close-range detection of blade cracks and resulting in more detailed and accurate detection results.

[0018] In summary, the wind turbine blade crack detection robot and detection method provided by this invention can move on the surface of wind turbine blades with different curvatures and detect surface defects and internal hidden dangers. It plays an important role in promoting the automation of onshore and offshore wind turbine blade detection and improving the level of blade operation and maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a wind turbine blade crack detection robot according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a wind turbine blade crack detection robot according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a front view of a wind turbine blade crack detection robot according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of a wind turbine blade crack detection robot according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the detection mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Robot overall frame; 2. Negative pressure adsorption mechanism; 3. Detection mechanism; 4. Camera; 11. Frame base plate; 12. Frame top plate; 13. Motor mounting plate; 14. Differential motor; 15. Motor bracket; 16. Rubber wheels; 21. Large sealing cavity; 22. Small sealing cavity; 23. Centrifugal fan; 24. Bellows; 25. Linear bearing; 26. Moving column; 27. Spring; 28. Sealing gasket; 29. ​​Square seal; 31. Square bracket; 32. Electric push rod; 33. Detector light bracket; 34. Detector light. Detailed Implementation

[0022] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the drawings and description are considered to be exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0023] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element 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.

[0024] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0025] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0026] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0027] It should be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0028] It should also be understood that the term "and / or" as used in this specification and the appended claims refers to any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0029] The accompanying drawings illustrate various structural schematic diagrams according to embodiments disclosed in this invention. These drawings are not to scale, and some details have been enlarged for clarity, and some details may have been omitted. The shapes of the various regions and layers shown in the drawings, as well as their relative sizes and positional relationships, are merely exemplary and may deviate from reality due to manufacturing tolerances or technical limitations. Furthermore, those skilled in the art can design regions / layers with different shapes, sizes, and relative positions as needed.

[0030] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] Example 1 like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the present invention provides a wind turbine blade crack detection robot, including a robot frame 1, a negative pressure adsorption mechanism 2, a detection mechanism 3 and a camera 4; the negative pressure adsorption mechanism 2 is set inside the robot frame 1, and four differential speed motors 14 and rubber wheels 16 are provided on both sides of the robot frame 1, and the detection mechanism 3 and camera 4 are provided on the front and upper sides respectively.

[0032] In this embodiment, the robot's overall frame 1 includes a chassis base plate 11, a chassis top plate 12, a motor mounting plate 13, a differential motor 14, a motor bracket 15, and rubber wheels 16. The motor mounting plate 13 is sequentially fixed with the motor bracket 15 and the differential motor 14. The output end of the differential motor 14 is connected to the rubber wheels 16, and the motor mounting plate 13 is hinged to the chassis base plate 11 to accommodate wind turbine blades of different curvatures. The chassis top plate 12 is fixed to the chassis base plate 11. During operation, the chassis base plate 11 and the motor mounting plate 13 are angled against the working curved wall, the rubber wheels 16 contact the curved wall, and the differential motor 14 precisely controls the rotational speed of the left and right wheel sets to achieve flexible movement of the robot, such as forward, backward, stationary rotation, and curved turning.

[0033] The motor mounting plate of this invention is hinged to the chassis base plate. This design allows the chassis base plate and the motor mounting plate to be at a certain angle. When facing the curved walls of wind turbine blades with different curvatures, the robot can better conform to the working surface, ensuring full contact between the rubber wheels and the curved wall. This enables stable operation on curved walls with various curvatures, greatly expanding the robot's application scenarios. The differential motor, by precisely controlling the speed of the left and right wheel sets, enables the robot to move forward, backward, rotate in place, and turn in arcs, among other flexible movement modes. The motor mounting plate is sequentially fixed with a motor bracket and a differential motor. The output end of the differential motor is connected to the rubber wheels. This reasonable structural layout ensures stable power transmission from the motor to the wheels, reduces power loss and instability factors in the transmission process, and contributes to the smooth operation of the robot. The overall frame consists of main components such as the chassis base plate, chassis top plate, and motor mounting plate. These components are combined through a reasonable connection method to form a stable overall structure. By using rubber wheels to contact the curved wall, the rubber material has good elasticity and friction, which can not only increase the adhesion to the curved wall and prevent slippage, but also play a buffering role, reducing damage to the surface of the wind turbine blades, and reducing the noise generated during the operation of the robot.

[0034] In this embodiment, all four rubber wheels 16 are provided with toothed protrusions to increase the friction with the working surface.

[0035] In this embodiment, the negative pressure adsorption mechanism 2 includes a large sealed cavity 21, small sealed cavities 22, a centrifugal fan 23, a bellows 24, a linear bearing 25, a movable column 26, a spring 27, a sealing gasket 28, and a square sealing element 29. The large sealed cavity 21 is fixedly installed at the center of the chassis base plate 11, and the centrifugal fan 23 is fixedly installed inside, with a sealing gasket 28 below it. The linear bearing 25 is fixedly installed above the chassis base plate 11, and the movable column 26 is slidably connected inside it. One end of the movable column 26 has a cylindrical boss, and the other end is connected to the sealing gasket 28. At the same time, a spring 27 is provided between the chassis base plate 11 and the sealing gasket 28 to ensure that the sealing gasket is tightly fitted to the working surface. The four small sealed cavities 22 are respectively fixedly installed above the four motor mounting plates 13, and a square sealing element 29 is provided below the motor mounting plates 13. The four small sealed cavities 22 are connected to the large sealed cavity 21 through the bellows 24, so that they have the same negative pressure conditions inside.

[0036] During operation, a centrifugal fan 23 generates a negative pressure zone below atmospheric pressure within the large sealed cavity 21 and the small sealed cavity 22, using the pressure difference to firmly "adhere" the robot to the vertical or inclined wall surface. Simultaneously, sealing gaskets 28 and square seals 29 are respectively installed under the sealed cavities. The sealing gasket 28 is adjusted by a spring 27 to ensure it remains firmly in contact with the curved wall as the robot moves. Similarly, the square seal 29 is designed with a wave-shaped cavity to ensure it adheres tightly to the curved wall.

[0037] This invention utilizes a centrifugal fan to generate a negative pressure zone below atmospheric pressure within a large and small sealed cavity, firmly "adhering" the robot to the wall surface through the pressure difference. This negative pressure adsorption method provides a large and stable adsorption force, ensuring the robot can work safely and reliably on vertical or inclined walls, and is less prone to detachment. The invention features a large sealed cavity and four small sealed cavities, with the four small cavities connected to the large sealed cavity via corrugated pipes, ensuring all cavities have the same negative pressure conditions. The multi-cavity collaborative operation expands the adsorption area, further enhancing the stability and uniformity of adsorption, better handling walls of different shapes and sizes, and improving the robot's adaptability to complex working environments. A sealing gasket is placed below the large sealed cavity. Through a combination of linear bearings, a moving column, and springs, the sealing gasket automatically adjusts its position according to the shape of the curved wall. The spring force ensures the sealing gasket remains tightly attached to the curved wall, maintaining a good seal even during robot movement, preventing air leakage that could reduce adsorption force, thus guaranteeing stable adsorption and movement of the robot on curved walls. A square seal with a wave-shaped cavity design is located below the motor mounting plate. This unique structure allows the square seal to better conform to the undulations of the curved wall, further enhancing the sealing performance. Regardless of the curvature of the curved wall, the square seal can maintain close contact with the wall surface, maintaining a stable negative pressure environment and improving the robot's adaptability on curved walls.

[0038] In this embodiment, the sealing gasket 28 is made of a flexible sealing material.

[0039] In this embodiment, the square seal 29 is made of a flexible sealing material.

[0040] In this embodiment, the square seal 29 is designed with a wave-shaped cavity to accommodate the climbing of curved walls.

[0041] In this embodiment, the detection mechanism 3 includes a square bracket 31, an electric push rod 32, a detection light bracket 33, and a detection light 34. The square bracket 31 is fixedly installed between the chassis floor plate 11 and the chassis top plate 12. The detection light bracket 33 is rotatably connected above the square bracket 31, and the detection light 34 is fixedly connected to its front. One end of the electric push rod 32 is rotatably connected to the bottom of the square bracket 31, and the other end is rotatably connected to the middle of the detection light bracket 33, thereby driving the detection light 34 to rotate up and down.

[0042] During operation, depending on whether close-range inspection of blade cracks is required, the electric push rod 32 drives the detection lamp bracket 33 to adjust up and down, so that the detection lamp 34 is close to the blade surface to detect surface defects and internal hidden dangers.

[0043] In this embodiment, the camera 4 is fixedly installed above the top plate 12 of the vehicle frame and can rotate 360°.

[0044] Example 2 like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the present invention provides a method for detecting cracks in wind turbine blades. This method is based on a wind turbine blade crack detection robot and includes: Four differential motors 14 drive rubber wheels 16 to move the robot's overall frame 1. At the same time, the negative pressure adsorption mechanism 2 generates a negative pressure zone lower than the ambient atmospheric pressure, using the atmospheric pressure difference to firmly "adsorb" the robot onto a vertical or inclined wall. The detection mechanism 3 adjusts the distance between itself and the blade surface to detect defects on the blade surface at close range. The camera 4 rotates to visually inspect the basic condition of the wind turbine blade.

[0045] In summary, the wind turbine blade crack detection robot of this invention can move on the surface of wind turbine blades with different curvatures and detect surface defects and internal hidden dangers. It plays an important role in promoting the automation of onshore and offshore wind turbine blade inspection and improving the level of blade operation and maintenance.

[0046] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered illustrative and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0047] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art. The above content is only for illustrating the technical concept of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications made based on the technical concept proposed in this invention shall fall within the scope of protection of the claims of this invention.

Claims

1. A robot for detecting cracks in wind turbine blades, characterized in that, It includes a robot frame, a negative pressure adsorption mechanism, a detection mechanism, and a camera; the negative pressure adsorption mechanism is located inside the robot frame, and the robot frame has four differential motors and rubber wheels on both sides, and a detection mechanism and a camera on the front and top sides.

2. The wind turbine blade crack detection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robot's overall frame includes a chassis base plate, a chassis top plate, a motor mounting plate, a differential motor, a motor bracket, and rubber wheels. The motor mounting plate is sequentially fixed with the motor bracket and the differential motor. The output end of the differential motor is connected to the rubber wheels, and the motor mounting plate is hinged to the chassis base plate to accommodate wind turbine blades with different curvatures. The chassis top plate is fixed to the chassis base plate.

3. The wind turbine blade crack detection robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, All four rubber wheels are provided with toothed protrusions to increase the friction with the working surface.

4. The wind turbine blade crack detection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The negative pressure adsorption mechanism includes a large sealed cavity, a small sealed cavity, a centrifugal fan, a bellows, a linear bearing, a movable column, a spring, a sealing gasket, and a square sealing element; the large sealed cavity is fixedly installed at the center of the chassis floor plate, and a centrifugal fan is fixedly installed inside, with a sealing gasket below it; The linear bearing is fixedly installed on the top of the chassis base plate, and a movable column is slidably connected inside. One end of the movable column is provided with a cylindrical boss, and the other end is connected to a sealing gasket. At the same time, a spring is provided between the bottom of the chassis base plate and the sealing gasket to ensure a tight fit between the sealing gasket and the working surface. The four small sealing cavities are respectively fixedly installed on the top of the four motor mounting plates, and a square sealing element is provided below the motor mounting plates; The four small sealing cavities are connected to the large sealing cavity via bellows, so that their interiors have the same negative pressure conditions.

5. The wind turbine blade crack detection robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, The sealing gasket is made of a flexible sealing material.

6. The wind turbine blade crack detection robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The square seal is made of a flexible sealing material.

7. The wind turbine blade crack detection robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The square seal features a wave-shaped cavity design above it to accommodate the climbing of curved walls.

8. The wind turbine blade crack detection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection mechanism includes a square bracket, an electric push rod, a detection light bracket, and a detection light. The square bracket is fixedly installed between the chassis floor plate and the chassis roof plate. The detection light bracket is rotatably connected to the top of the square bracket, and a detection light is fixedly connected to the front of the bracket. One end of the electric push rod is rotatably connected to the bottom of the square bracket, and the other end is rotatably connected to the middle of the detection light bracket, thereby driving the detection light to rotate up and down.

9. The wind turbine blade crack detection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The camera is fixedly installed on the top of the vehicle frame and can rotate 360°.

10. A method for detecting cracks in wind turbine blades, characterized in that, This method is based on a wind turbine blade crack detection robot according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising: Four differential motors drive rubber wheels to move the robot's overall frame. At the same time, the negative pressure adsorption mechanism generates a negative pressure zone lower than the ambient atmospheric pressure, using the atmospheric pressure difference to firmly "adsorb" the robot onto a vertical or inclined wall. The detection mechanism adjusts the distance between itself and the blade surface to detect defects on the blade surface at close range. The camera rotates to visually inspect the basic condition of the wind turbine blades.

Images