Multifunctional basket system for tip inspection of wind turbine blades and method of inspection thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a multifunctional basket system for blade tip inspection of a wind turbine blade and a blade tip inspection method thereof, and relates to the technical field of wind turbine blade inspection. The multifunctional basket system comprises a basket, a pulley, a main winch, a plurality of winch driving mechanisms and a plurality of auxiliary winches, the pulley is installed on a wind turbine tower, the rope of the main winch is connected to the basket after winding around the pulley, each auxiliary winch is slidingly installed on a guide rail, the rope of each auxiliary winch is connected to the basket, and a notch is arranged on the basket. Each winch driving mechanism is connected to an auxiliary winch. A positioning strip and a limiting plate are arranged on the basket, a row of limiting holes are arranged on the limiting plate, a first binocular depth camera is installed on the basket to obtain the distance between the blade tip and each limiting hole, and the main winch and the auxiliary winches are cooperatively controlled to move the basket so that the blade tip enters one of the limiting holes. The application can accurately control the movement of the basket, ensure that the blade tip accurately enters the limiting hole, and realize the stable fixation of the basket and the blade.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of wind turbine blade maintenance tools, and more specifically, relates to a multifunctional suspended basket system and maintenance method for the blade tip maintenance of wind turbine blades. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of wind power generation, the operating condition of wind turbine blades has a crucial impact on the efficient and stable operation of the entire wind power system. As one of the key components of a wind turbine generator, the performance of wind turbine blades directly determines the efficiency and safety of wind power generation. However, during long-term operation, wind turbine blades face many complex problems and severe challenges, among which the oxidation of lightning arresters is particularly prominent, seriously threatening the safe operation and power generation efficiency of the wind turbine.

[0003] Wind turbines, due to their typically open locations and height, face a high risk of lightning strikes. As a vulnerable component, the blades are susceptible to lightning damage. Aging and corrosion of the lightning arresters, as well as the disconnection of the blade tip lightning arrester from the blade's lightning protection conductor during long-term operation, can lead to lightning protection system failure, potentially causing unit malfunctions, resulting in significant economic losses and safety hazards. In recent years, wind turbine failures caused by lightning arrester problems have been frequent. These incidents and increasingly stringent policies and regulations highlight the necessity of regularly inspecting and maintaining lightning arresters. Ensuring good contact with lightning arresters is of paramount importance for ensuring the safe and stable operation of wind turbines and improving power generation efficiency.

[0004] With the continuous development of drone technology and robotics, drones or wall-climbing robots have been adopted to replace manual labor in maintenance tasks such as oxidation and polishing of lightning arresters. However, drones and wall-climbing robots struggle to reliably and stably attach to wind turbine blades. They primarily rely on flight or adhesion, but the complex shape, surface characteristics, and high-altitude airflow disturbances of wind turbine blades significantly increase the difficulty of controlling drones, and the adhesion capacity of wall-climbing robots is also significantly affected. Specifically, drones in the environment of wind turbine blades struggle to maintain stable hovering due to the complexity of airflow on the blade surface, and the smooth surface of the blades cannot provide sufficient adhesion. Wall-climbing robots, on the other hand, suffer from unstable adhesion and limited movement due to the curved shape, surface coating, and irregularities of the blades. The impact of this instability on maintenance work is mainly reflected in the following aspects: First, it makes it impossible to perform high-precision maintenance operations, such as drilling and grinding, which require precise force application. Any shaking will reduce the accuracy of the operation and may even damage the blade surface. Second, it is easily affected by high-altitude wind disturbances and blade surface characteristics, leading to interruptions or errors in maintenance operations and reducing maintenance efficiency. Third, it cannot work stably for a long time, which limits the scope of application of maintenance.

[0005] Furthermore, when drones approach blades for maintenance, their small size and extremely limited operating space make it difficult to perform complex maintenance operations. The equipment and tools they can carry are also limited, preventing many maintenance functions from being implemented and failing to meet the complex maintenance needs of blades. While wall-climbing robots can move on the blade surface, they also face the problem of limited operating space after attaching themselves to the blade. In addition, their small size and limited carrying capacity prevent them from carrying a variety of maintenance tools and equipment, making it difficult to complete complex maintenance work on blades. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned defects or improvement needs of the existing technology, the present invention provides a multi-functional suspended basket system and its maintenance method for the blade tip maintenance of wind turbine blades. After the suspended basket and the blade are stably connected as one unit, it is convenient to carry out multi-directional maintenance work on the blade on the suspended basket.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present invention, a multifunctional suspended platform system for tip maintenance of wind turbine blades is provided, comprising a suspended platform, pulleys, a main winch, multiple winch drive mechanisms, and multiple auxiliary winches, wherein:

[0008] The pulley is installed on the wind turbine tower;

[0009] The main winch's rope passes over the pulley and connects to the suspended basket to drive the basket to lift and lower. Each auxiliary winch is slidably mounted on a guide rail, and the rope of each auxiliary winch is connected to the suspended basket. The suspended basket is provided with a notch for accommodating blades.

[0010] Each of the aforementioned winch drive mechanisms is connected to an auxiliary winch for driving the auxiliary winch to slide on the guide rail, thereby allowing these auxiliary winches to cooperate with the main winch to drive the basket to move, so that the stopped blades with their tips pointing downwards can enter the notch.

[0011] The suspended platform is provided with a positioning strip at the position corresponding to the notch, so that the platform can be initially positioned by the positioning strip abutting against the side edge of the blade;

[0012] The suspended platform is provided with a limit plate at the position corresponding to the notch, and the limit plate is provided with a row of limit holes, each of the limit holes being located below the blade;

[0013] The basket is equipped with a first binocular depth camera to obtain the distance between the blade tip and each limiting hole on the limiting plate and transmit it to the controller. The controller then controls the main winch, auxiliary winch and winch drive mechanism to drive the basket to move so that the blade tip enters one of the limiting holes and the upper edge of the limiting hole presses against the blade tip. The basket and the blade are then fixedly connected by the positioning strip and the upper edge of the limiting hole abutting against the two side edges of the blade.

[0014] The limiting plate is equipped with multiple pressure sensors at positions corresponding to each limiting hole to detect whether the upper edge of the limiting hole presses against the two side edges of the blade.

[0015] Preferably, the basket is provided with a blade clamping mechanism, which consists of two opposing electric push rods. Each electric push rod is equipped with a pressure block for contacting the blade, so that the two electric push rods contact the windward and leeward sides of the blade to clamp the blade and prevent the blade from swaying during maintenance.

[0016] Preferably, it also includes a maintenance robot and maintenance tools mounted on the basket. The maintenance robot has a second binocular depth camera, a multi-axis robotic arm, and a dexterous hand mounted on the multi-axis robotic arm, so that the maintenance robot can operate the maintenance tools to perform maintenance on the blades.

[0017] Preferably, the maintenance tool is placed on a suspended basket, and the maintenance tool includes a hole cutter and a camera. The hole cutter is used to cut a window on the blade under the grip of a dexterous hand, and the camera is used to extend into the blade through the window to take images under the guidance of the dexterous hand, so as to confirm whether the lightning arrester and the lightning protection wire are properly connected.

[0018] Preferably, the maintenance tool further includes a drill placed on a basket, the drill being used to drill holes at the drainage holes at the tips of the blades under the grip of a dexterous hand, for unblocking the drainage holes.

[0019] Preferably, the maintenance tool further includes a cleaning module placed on a basket. The cleaning module is used to spray and brush the surface of the lightning arrester to clean oil stains under the grip of a dexterous hand. The cleaning module includes a body and a spraying device, an electric brush disc, and a recycling bin mounted on the body. The spraying device is located inside the brush head of the electric brush disc and has two nozzles. One nozzle is used to spray cleaning agent onto the lightning arrester. The electric brush disc is used to brush the lightning arrester sprayed with cleaning agent. The other nozzle is used to spray clean water onto the blades to clean the lightning arrester brushed by the electric brush disc. The recycling bin is used to collect wastewater.

[0020] Preferably, the maintenance and inspection tool further includes a grinding and inspection module placed on a hanging basket, which is used to grind and test the resistance of the lightning rod under the grip of a dexterous hand.

[0021] Preferably, the limiting plate has an upward-facing V-shaped portion, and a row of limiting holes is disposed at the bottom of the V-shaped portion.

[0022] According to another aspect of the present invention, a maintenance method for the multifunctional suspended platform system for tip maintenance of wind turbine blades is also provided, characterized by comprising the following steps:

[0023] 1) Activate the fan's braking device to stop the blades from rotating, so that the tip of one of the fan blades is pointing downwards;

[0024] 2) The main winch drives the basket to rise, moving from the lower rear of the blade with the tip pointing downwards to allow the blade to enter the gap in the basket and abut against the positioning strip;

[0025] 3) The first binocular depth camera acquires the distance between the blade tip and each limiting hole and transmits it to the controller. The controller controls the main winch, multiple winch drive mechanisms and multiple auxiliary winches to move the basket, so that the blade tip extends into the limiting hole of the limiting plate, and the upper edge of the limiting hole presses on the two side edges of the blade and the positioning strip keeps in contact with one side edge of the blade.

[0026] 4) Activate the blade clamping device on the basket. The pressure blocks on the two oppositely arranged electric push rods of the blade clamping device contact the windward and leeward sides of the blade to clamp the blade and prevent the blade from shaking during maintenance operations.

[0027] 5) Start the maintenance robot on the basket. The multi-axis robotic arm of the maintenance robot drives the dexterous hand to move. The dexterous hand holds the maintenance tools to perform maintenance on the blades.

[0028] 6) After the maintenance of a blade with its tip pointing downwards is completed, the main winch, multiple winch drive mechanisms, and multiple auxiliary winches work to lower the basket to below the blade that has been maintained.

[0029] 7) Release the brake on the blades of the fan and allow the blades to continue rotating;

[0030] 8) Repeat steps 1) to 7) until all blades of the wind turbine have been inspected and maintained;

[0031] 9) The main winch, multiple winch drive mechanisms, and multiple auxiliary winches work to lower the basket and return it to the ground.

[0032] In summary, compared with the prior art, the above-described technical solutions conceived by this invention can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0033] 1) The multifunctional suspended basket system for blade tip maintenance of wind turbine blades of the present invention has pulleys installed on the wind turbine tower. The main winch is connected to the suspended basket via ropes passing over the pulleys to realize the lifting and lowering control of the suspended basket, which facilitates the movement of the suspended basket to the designated position of the wind turbine blade. Multiple auxiliary winches are slidably installed on the guide rails and their sliding on the guide rails is controlled by the winch drive mechanism. In cooperation with the main winch, the suspended basket can flexibly adjust its position so that the blade in the stopped state with the tip facing down can enter the notch of the suspended basket. The positioning strip and the limiting plate on the suspended basket realize the initial positioning and precise limiting of the blade, respectively. The positioning strip abuts against the side edge of the blade to complete the initial positioning. The limiting hole on the limiting plate presses the blade tip with the upper edge to prevent the blade from rotating around the wind turbine rotation axis during maintenance. The first binocular depth camera is installed on the suspended basket to obtain the distance information between the blade tip and the limiting hole and feeds the data back to the controller so as to accurately control the movement of the suspended basket and ensure that the blade tip can accurately enter the limiting hole, thereby realizing the stable fixation and connection of the suspended basket and the blade.

[0034] 2) The multifunctional suspended basket system for tip maintenance of wind turbine blades of the present invention can not only fix and position the basket and the blade, but also achieve multiple maintenance functions by placing different maintenance tools on the basket. This multifunctional integrated design improves the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of maintenance.

[0035] 3) The multi-functional suspended basket system for tip maintenance of wind turbine blades of the present invention is suitable for wind turbine blades of various models and sizes. By adjusting the size, position and number of the limiting holes on the limiting plate, as well as the parameters of the main winch and auxiliary winch, it can adapt to various maintenance scenarios and requirements, and has strong adaptability.

[0036] 4) The multi-functional suspended basket system for blade tip maintenance of wind turbine blades of the present invention can complete maintenance work quickly and accurately, reduce wind turbine downtime, and thus improve the power generation efficiency and economic benefits of wind turbines. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 , Figure 2 These are schematic diagrams of the suspended platform system of the present invention in different positions;

[0038] Figure 3 , Figure 4 These are schematic diagrams from different perspectives showing the maintenance robot and maintenance tools mounted on the basket of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the dual nozzles of the cleaning module in this invention installed inside the electric brush disc.

[0040] In all the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same technical features, specifically:

[0041] 1. Suspended platform; 2. Pulley; 3. Main winch; 4. Auxiliary winch; 5. Blade; 11. Notch; 51. Blade tip; 12. Positioning strip; 13. Limiting plate; 131. Limiting hole; 52. Side edge; 6. Pressure block; 7. Maintenance robot; 8. Maintenance tools; 132. V-shaped part; 9. Wind turbine tower; 501. Windward side; 502. Leeward side; 801. Electric brush disc; 802. Nozzle. Detailed Implementation

[0042] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of this invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0043] Reference Figures 1-4 A multi-functional suspended basket system for maintenance of the blade tip 51 of wind turbine blade 5 includes a suspended basket 1, pulley 2, main winch 3, multiple winch drive mechanisms (not shown in the figure) and multiple auxiliary winches 4.

[0044] The pulley 2 is installed on the wind turbine tower 9. After workers can rise to the set position using a climbing device or other lifting device, they can fix the pulley 2 to the outer surface of the wind turbine tower 9.

[0045] The main winch 3's rope passes over the pulley 2 and connects to the suspended basket 1 to drive its lifting and lowering. Each auxiliary winch 4 is slidably mounted on a guide rail, and the rope of each auxiliary winch 4 is connected to the suspended basket 1. The suspended basket 1 has a notch 11 for accommodating the blades 5. The rope on the main winch 3 can be directly connected to the top of the suspended basket 1, or multiple branch ropes can be installed on the suspended basket 1, each connected to the rope on the main winch 3. This helps maintain the stability of the suspended basket 1. Preferably, four branch ropes are used, connected at the four corners of the suspended basket 1. The winch drive mechanism can be an electric cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or a hydraulic cylinder. The main winch 3 can also be mounted on a guide rail and driven by a winch drive mechanism to adjust the position and attitude of the suspended basket 1.

[0046] Each of the aforementioned winch drive mechanisms is connected to an auxiliary winch 4, which is used to drive the auxiliary winch 4 to slide on the guide rail. This allows the auxiliary winches 4 to cooperate with the main winch 3 to drive the basket 1, facilitating the movement of the blades 5 (with their tips 51 pointing downwards) into the notch 11. The auxiliary winches 4 move along the guide rail, and the length of the rope on the auxiliary winches 4 changes accordingly, allowing the basket 1 to be easily moved to the desired position. The blades 5 with their tips 51 pointing downwards can be in a vertical position or when the blades 5 are tilted relative to the horizontal plane.

[0047] The suspended basket 1 is provided with a positioning strip 12 at the position corresponding to the notch 11, so that the suspended basket 1 can be initially positioned by the positioning strip 12 abutting against the side edge 52 of the blade 5. The side edge 52 is the edge between the windward side 501 (i.e., PS side) and the leeward side 502 (i.e., SS side) of the blade 5.

[0048] The suspended platform 1 is provided with a limiting plate 13 at the position corresponding to the notch 11. The limiting plate 13 is provided with a row of limiting holes 131, each of which is located below the blade 5. After the positioning strip 12 abuts against the side edge 52 of the blade 5, the positioning strip 12 can also move along the side edge 52 of the blade 5 when the suspended platform 1 is adjusted later, so that the blade tip 51 of the blade 5 can enter the limiting hole 131 on the limiting plate 13.

[0049] The suspended basket 1 is equipped with a first binocular depth camera to obtain the distance between the blade tip 51 of the blade 5 and the limiting holes 131 on the limiting plate 13 and transmit the distance to the controller. The controller then controls the main winch 3, the auxiliary winch 4, and the winch drive mechanism to drive the suspended basket 1 to move, so that the blade tip 51 of the blade 5 enters one of the limiting holes 131 and the upper edge of the limiting hole 131 presses against the blade tip 51. The fixed connection between the suspended basket 1 and the blade 5 is achieved by the positioning strip 12 and the upper edge of the limiting hole 131 abutting against the two side edges 52 of the blade 5. The basket 1 can hold the blade 5 tightly, and the basket 1 and the blade 5 can remain relatively stationary to prevent the blade 5 from rotating around the rotation axis of the wind turbine during maintenance. In the process of the basket 1 moving to allow the blade tip 51 of the blade 5 to enter one of the limiting holes 131, the positioning strip 12 can move upward along the side edge 52 of the blade 5, and the basket 1 can rotate around the positioning strip 12 as a fulcrum. That is, when the positioning strip 12 abuts against the side edge 52 of the blade 5, the basket 1 as a whole can rotate around the positioning strip 12 at a certain angle to facilitate the entry of the blade tip 51 of the blade 5 into the limiting hole 131.

[0050] The upper edge of the limiting hole 131 contacts the two side edges 52 of the blade tip 51 of the blade 5, and the positioning strip 12 also contacts the side edges 52 of the blade 5. Thus, the positioning strip 12 and the upper edge of the limiting hole 131 are in three-point contact with the blade 5 for limiting. The basket 1 can adapt well to the posture of the blade 5. Whether the blade 5 is vertical or tilted, the basket 1 can be securely connected to the blade 5 and keep the basket 1 and the blade 5 relatively stationary, which facilitates the maintenance and inspection of the blade 5 on the basket 1. Moreover, through this three-point contact limiting method, a stable connection between the basket 1 and the blade 5 can be achieved, and it is convenient to lower the basket 1 to perform maintenance and inspection on other blades 5 after the maintenance and inspection of one blade 5 is completed.

[0051] During normal operation, the blades 5 of the wind turbine mainly rotate around the rotation axis of the wind turbine to capture wind energy and convert it into mechanical energy. However, although the blades 5 are braked by the wind turbine's braking device during maintenance, in cases of sudden changes in wind direction, damage to the internal structure of the blades 5, or loosening of connections, or during maintenance processes such as drilling or opening holes, the blades 5 may oscillate or vibrate in other directions, causing relative movement between the blades 5 and the basket 1. Therefore, the basket 1 of the present invention is also provided with a blade clamping mechanism, which consists of two opposing electric push rods. Each electric push rod is equipped with a pressure block 6 for contacting the blades 5, so that the two electric push rods contact the windward side 501 and the leeward side 502 of the blades 5 to clamp the blades 5 and prevent the blades 5 from swaying during maintenance, such as swaying in a straight line around the rotation axis perpendicular to the wind turbine. The blade clamping mechanism firmly holds the blade 5, effectively preventing it from swaying or shaking, ensuring the stability of maintenance operations, and improving maintenance quality and reliability. For maintenance operations requiring high precision and stability, such as grinding and drilling, the blade clamping mechanism provides stable support, ensuring that the maintenance tools 8 can accurately apply force to the surface of the blade 5, improving maintenance effectiveness and accuracy. The addition of the blade clamping mechanism allows maintenance operations to be performed in a more stable environment, reducing maintenance errors caused by blade 5 shaking and improving maintenance quality and reliability. Maintenance personnel or maintenance robots 7 can operate on a stable suspended platform, more accurately completing various maintenance tasks, promptly identifying and addressing problems with the blades 5, and ensuring the safe and stable operation of the wind turbine. The blade clamping mechanism is not limited to specific models or sizes of wind turbine blades 5, exhibiting good compatibility. By adjusting the electric push rod and pressure block 6, it can accommodate blades of different specifications, enabling the suspended platform system to be applied to a wider range of wind turbine blade types, improving the system's versatility and adaptability.

[0052] Furthermore, the system also includes a maintenance robot 7 and maintenance tools 8 mounted on the suspended platform 1. The maintenance robot 7 has a second binocular depth camera, a multi-axis robotic arm, and a dexterous hand mounted on the multi-axis robotic arm, enabling the maintenance robot 7 to operate the maintenance tools 8 to perform maintenance on the blades 5. The addition of the maintenance robot 7 automates the maintenance work, reducing the complexity and errors of manual operation. Through program control, the maintenance robot 7 can accurately complete various maintenance tasks, such as cleaning, grinding, drilling, and testing, greatly improving the automation and efficiency of maintenance. In dangerous or difficult-to-operate environments, the maintenance robot 7 can replace manual labor, reducing the safety risks for maintenance personnel. The maintenance robot 7 obtains precise position information of the blades 5 through the second binocular depth camera, enabling it to accurately operate the maintenance tools 8 for maintenance. This precise control method effectively avoids maintenance errors caused by human factors, improving the accuracy and quality of maintenance. The maintenance robot 7 can operate multiple maintenance tools 8 simultaneously, quickly complete multiple maintenance tasks, reduce maintenance time, improve maintenance efficiency, further reduce wind turbine downtime, and improve wind turbine power generation efficiency and economic benefits.

[0053] The maintenance tools 8 are versatile, enabling the suspended platform system to perform various maintenance tasks, such as cleaning, polishing, drilling, and resistance testing of lightning arresters. This multi-functional integrated design reduces the types and number of maintenance equipment, lowers maintenance costs, and improves the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of maintenance. The maintenance robot 7 acquires precise position information of the blades 5 through a second binocular depth camera, allowing it to accurately operate the maintenance tools 8 for maintenance. This precise control effectively avoids maintenance errors caused by human factors, improving the accuracy and quality of maintenance. The automated operation of the maintenance robot 7 enables rapid completion of maintenance tasks, reducing maintenance time. Furthermore, since the maintenance robot 7 can operate multiple maintenance tools 8 simultaneously, it further improves maintenance efficiency and reduces turbine downtime. The maintenance robot 7 can operate within the suspended platform 1, reducing the risks of maintenance personnel working at heights. Simultaneously, the maintenance robot 7's precise operation of the maintenance tools 8 avoids safety accidents caused by improper human operation, improving the safety of maintenance.

[0054] Furthermore, the maintenance tool 8 is placed on the suspended platform 1, and includes a hole cutter and a camera. The hole cutter is used to cut a window in the blade 5 under the dexterous hand's grip, and the camera is used to extend into the blade 5 through the window to capture images, confirming whether the lightning arrester and the lightning protection wire are properly connected. By cutting a window in the blade 5 with the hole cutter, the camera can penetrate deep into the blade 5 to capture images and directly observe the connection between the lightning arrester and the lightning protection wire. This direct inspection method effectively avoids misjudgments caused by external observation, improving the accuracy and reliability of lightning protection system inspection. Timely detection of problems such as poor connection between the lightning arrester and the lightning protection wire allows for corresponding measures to be taken, ensuring the normal operation of the lightning protection system, avoiding wind turbine damage caused by lightning strikes, and improving the safety and stability of wind turbine operation. Maintenance personnel do not need to directly enter the blade 5 for inspection, reducing the danger of working at heights. By capturing internal images with a camera, maintenance personnel can observe and analyze the lightning protection system from inside the suspended platform 1 or on the ground, reducing the risk of safety accidents caused by improper manual operation and improving the safety of maintenance work. The combination of the hole cutter and the camera simplifies the lightning protection system inspection process. Traditional manual inspection methods require disassembling blade 5 or using complex inspection equipment, while this tool can directly cut windows on blade 5 for internal observation, reducing maintenance time and workload and improving efficiency. The internal images captured by the camera clearly show the connection status between the lightning arrester and the lightning protection wire, making it easy for maintenance personnel to accurately locate problems. Once problems such as poor connections are found, corresponding measures can be taken in a timely manner, such as reconnection and repair. In particular, based on some known processes, simple repairs can be performed inside blade 5 to ensure the normal operation of the lightning protection system and improve the reliability and operating efficiency of the wind turbine. The hole cutter is electrically driven and is a toothed hole cutter on the existing end face, capable of drilling circular holes. There are two types of lightning rods used on blade 5. One type is a triangular solid aluminum lightning rod located at the tip of the blade, with a hole cutter at the junction of the lightning rod and the housing. The other type is a stud-shaped lightning rod installed on the PS and SS surfaces of blade 5, with a hole cutter next to the lightning rod.

[0055] Furthermore, the maintenance tool 8 also includes a drill placed on the basket 1. The drill, held by a dexterous hand, is used to drill holes at the drainage holes of the blade tip 51 of the blade 5 to unclog them. If the drainage holes at the blade tip 51 of the blade 5 are blocked, water will accumulate inside the blade 5, affecting its structural strength and service life. The use of the drill can quickly and effectively unclog the drainage holes, solving the problem of water accumulation inside the blade 5, ensuring the normal operation and structural safety of the blade 5, and extending its service life. Regularly using the drill to unclog the drainage holes ensures the normal operation of the blade 5 drainage system, preventing performance degradation or malfunctions caused by poor drainage. This helps ensure the overall operational reliability of the wind turbine and reduces downtime caused by blade 5 problems.

[0056] Furthermore, refer to Figure 5 The maintenance tool 8 also includes a cleaning module placed on the basket 1. This cleaning module is used to spray and brush the surface of the lightning arrester to clean oil stains under the control of a dexterous hand. The cleaning module includes a body and a spraying device, an electric brush disc 801, and a collection box mounted on the body. The spraying device is located inside the brush head of the electric brush disc and has two nozzles. Each nozzle 802 is connected to a liquid storage tank to provide liquid. One nozzle 802 is used to spray cleaning agent onto the lightning arrester, and the electric brush disc 801 is used to brush the lightning arrester sprayed with cleaning agent. The other nozzle 802 is used to spray clean water onto the blades 5 to clean the lightning arrester brushed by the electric brush disc. The collection box is used to collect wastewater. The cleaning module integrates the spraying device and the electric brush disc, and any existing structure capable of automatic spraying and electric brushing can achieve this.

[0057] The presence of oil increases the resistance between the lightning arrester and the lightning protection conductor, reducing the reliability of the entire lightning protection system. In the event of a lightning strike, poor current conduction may lead to localized arcing, damaging the lightning arrester and the lightning protection conductor. Furthermore, oil itself is corrosive and easily attracts dust, moisture, and other impurities. These substances react chemically with the surface of the lightning arrester, accelerating its corrosion. Therefore, regularly cleaning the surface of the lightning arrester can reduce oil corrosion and damage, extending its service life. The combined use of a spray device and an electric brush plate significantly improves cleaning efficiency and quality. Oil generated during the cleaning process is collected in a recycling bin, preventing direct environmental pollution from oil discharge.

[0058] The operations described above, such as the hole cutter cutting windows on blade 5 and the drill drilling holes on blade 5, involve relatively large reverse forces. Both require a large operating space between the basket 1 and blade 5, and a secure and reliable connection between them. Conventional drones and wall-climbing robots cannot achieve these functions. The cleaning module requires a large space between the basket 1 and blade 5, and also needs to carry cleaning agents and water, resulting in significant weight. Conventional drones and wall-climbing robots cannot perform these functions either.

[0059] Furthermore, the maintenance tool 8 also includes a polishing and testing module placed on the basket 1. This module is used to polish and test the resistance of the lightning arrester under the skillful hand's grip. The polishing and testing module can polish the surface of the lightning arrester, removing the oxide layer, restoring its metallic luster and conductivity, and ensuring the normal operation of the lightning protection system. This invention's polishing and testing module integrates polishing and testing functions, enabling the same operation to complete both polishing and resistance testing of the lightning arrester, achieving satisfactory polishing results. Regular maintenance of the lightning arrester using the polishing and testing module can remove the surface oxide layer in a timely manner, slowing down the aging process and extending its service life.

[0060] Furthermore, the limiting plate 13 has an upward-facing V-shaped portion 132, and a row of limiting holes 131 are disposed at the bottom of the V-shaped portion 132. The structural design of the V-shaped portion 132 allows the limiting holes 131 to better conform to the shape of the blade 5, increasing the contact area and fit between the limiting holes 131 and the side edge 52 of the blade 5. The V-shaped portion 132 can provide better guidance for the blade tip 51 of the blade 5, confining the blade tip 51 within the V-shaped portion 132, facilitating the entry of the blade tip 51 into the limiting hole 131.

[0061] Furthermore, the limiting plate 13 is equipped with multiple pressure sensors at positions corresponding to each limiting hole 131 to detect whether the upper edge of the limiting hole 131 presses against the two side edges 52 of the blade 5. The pressure sensors can monitor the pressure distribution between the limiting hole 131 and the side edges 52 of the blade 5 in real time, providing accurate feedback information to the controller. Based on the data from the pressure sensors, the controller can automatically adjust the operation of the main winch 3 and the auxiliary winch 4, ensuring that the upper edge of the limiting hole 131 presses against the two side edges 52 of the blade 5, thereby ensuring a secure and reliable connection between the basket 1 and the blade 5.

[0062] In this invention, the controller can control each component via wired connection or wireless connection, as long as the controller can control the operation of the component.

[0063] This invention's suspended platform system, with its high load capacity, can accommodate diverse maintenance and inspection equipment, such as cleaning modules, drilling rigs, and maintenance robots, enabling a one-stop solution for complex maintenance and inspection tasks and significantly improving efficiency. The system's high load capacity also provides ample power for maintenance tools, such as a high-power supply, ensuring precision and efficiency in operations like grinding and drilling, thus guaranteeing maintenance quality. Furthermore, the high load capacity enhances the stability and safety of the suspended platform, avoiding risks associated with equipment instability. In contrast, drones and wall-climbing robots are limited by their load capacity, making it difficult to integrate multiple devices for collaborative operation, and they face greater limitations in complex maintenance and inspection tasks, failing to achieve the same maintenance and inspection effectiveness as the suspended platform system.

[0064] According to another aspect of the present invention, a maintenance method for the multifunctional suspended platform system for maintenance of the blade tip 51 of the wind turbine blade 5 is also provided, comprising the following steps:

[0065] 1) Activating the fan's braking device stops the blades 5 from rotating, ensuring that the tip 51 of one of the blades 5 points downwards. During maintenance, activating the fan's braking device to stop the blades 5 ensures the safety of the maintenance operation. The activation of the blade 5 clamping device further enhances the fixation of the blades 5, preventing safety accidents caused by blade swaying during maintenance.

[0066] 2) The main winch 3 drives the basket 1 to rise, moving from the lower rear of the blade 5 with the tip 51 pointing downwards to allow the blade 5 to enter the notch 11 of the basket 1 and abut against the positioning bar 12.

[0067] 3) The first binocular depth camera acquires the distance between the blade tip 51 of the blade 5 and each limiting hole 131 and transmits it to the controller. The controller controls the main winch 3, multiple winch drive mechanisms and multiple auxiliary winches 4 to work to move the basket 1, so that the blade tip 51 of the blade 5 extends into the limiting hole 131 of the limiting plate 13, and the upper edge of the limiting hole 131 presses on the two side edges 52 of the blade 5 and the positioning strip 12 keeps in contact with one side edge 52 of the blade 5.

[0068] 4) Activate the blade 5 clamping device on the basket 1. The pressure blocks 6 on the two electric push rods of the blade 5 clamping device contact the windward side 501 and the leeward side 502 of the blade 5 to clamp the blade 5 and prevent the blade 5 from shaking during maintenance operations.

[0069] 5) Start the maintenance robot 7 on the basket 1. The multi-axis robotic arm of the maintenance robot 7 drives the dexterous hand to move. The dexterous hand holds the maintenance tool 8 to perform maintenance on the blade 5.

[0070] 6) After the maintenance of the blade 5 with the tip 51 pointing downwards is completed, the main winch 3, multiple winch drive mechanisms and multiple auxiliary winches 4 work to lower the basket 1 to below the blade 5 that has been maintained.

[0071] 7) Release the brake on the blades 5 of the fan and let the blades 5 of the fan continue to rotate.

[0072] 8) Repeat steps 1) to 7) until all blades 5 of the wind turbine are inspected.

[0073] 9) The main winch 3, multiple winch drive mechanisms and multiple auxiliary winches 4 work to lower the basket 1 and return it to the ground.

[0074] This maintenance method organically combines the suspended platform system with the wind turbine's braking device, maintenance robot 7, and other equipment. Through a series of automated operation steps, it achieves efficient and safe maintenance of the wind turbine blades 5. It reduces manual intervention, lowers the safety risks for maintenance personnel, and improves the automation and efficiency of maintenance work. The distance information between the blade tip 51 and the limiting hole 131 is obtained through a first binocular depth camera. The controller then controls the main winch 3, multiple winch drive mechanisms, and multiple auxiliary winches 4 to precisely control the movement of the suspended platform 1, ensuring that the blade tip 51 of the blade 5 accurately enters the limiting hole 131. Simultaneously, the coordinated action of the blade 5 clamping device and the maintenance robot 7 accurately completes various maintenance tasks, improving the precision and quality of maintenance, promptly identifying and addressing problems with the blades 5, and ensuring the safe and stable operation of the wind turbine. This maintenance method can quickly and accurately complete a comprehensive maintenance of the wind turbine blades 5, reducing wind turbine downtime and improving the wind turbine's power generation efficiency and economic benefits. Meanwhile, the automated maintenance process reduces reliance on manual labor and lowers maintenance costs. Furthermore, timely detection and handling of blade 5 issues prevents major repairs caused by minor faults, further reducing maintenance costs and the risk of equipment damage.

[0075] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-functional basket system for tip inspection of a wind turbine blade, characterized in that, The wind turbine blade maintenance device comprises a basket, a pulley, a main hoist, a plurality of hoist driving mechanisms and a plurality of auxiliary hoists, wherein: The pulley is installed on the wind turbine tower; The rope of the main hoist is connected to the basket after passing through the pulley, so as to drive the basket to move up and down, each auxiliary hoist is slidingly installed on a guide rail, and the rope of each auxiliary hoist is connected to the basket, and the basket is provided with a gap for accommodating the blade; Each hoist driving mechanism is connected to an auxiliary hoist, so as to drive the auxiliary hoist to slide on the guide rail, so that the auxiliary hoist cooperates with the main hoist to drive the basket to move, so that the blade in the stopped state with the blade tip downward enters the gap; The basket is provided with a positioning strip at the position corresponding to the gap, so as to realize the preliminary positioning of the basket by the positioning strip abutting against the side edge of the blade; The basket is provided with a limiting plate at the position corresponding to the gap, the limiting plate is provided with a row of limiting holes, and each limiting hole is located below the blade; A first binocular depth camera is installed on the basket, so as to obtain the distance between the blade tip and each limiting hole on the limiting plate and transmit it to the controller, so that the controller controls the main hoist, the auxiliary hoist and the hoist driving mechanism to cooperate to drive the basket to move, so that the blade tip enters one of the limiting holes and the upper edge of the limiting hole presses the blade tip, and then the basket is fixedly connected with the blade by the positioning strip and the upper edge of the limiting hole abutting against the two side edges of the blade; The limiting plate is provided with a plurality of pressure sensors at the position corresponding to each limiting hole, so as to detect whether the upper edge of the limiting hole presses the two side edges of the blade.

2. The multifunctional cradle system for tip verification of wind turbine blades as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The basket is provided with a blade clamping mechanism, which is a pair of electric push rods arranged oppositely, each electric push rod is provided with a pressing block for contacting the blade, so that the two electric push rods contact the windward surface and the leeward surface of the blade to clamp the blade, preventing the blade from yawing during maintenance.

3. The multifunctional cradle system for tip inspection of wind turbine blades as claimed in claim 1, wherein, Further comprising a maintenance robot and a maintenance tool arranged on the basket, the maintenance robot is provided with a second binocular depth camera, a multi-axis mechanical arm and a dexterous hand installed on the multi-axis mechanical arm, so that the maintenance robot operates the maintenance tool to maintain the blade.

4. The multifunctional cradle system for tip verification of wind turbine blades as claimed in claim 3, wherein, The maintenance tool is placed on the basket, and the maintenance tool comprises a hole cutter and a camera, the hole cutter is used to cut a window on the blade under the grip of the dexterous hand, and the camera is used to shoot images from the window into the blade under the drive of the dexterous hand, so as to confirm whether the lightning receptor and the lightning protection wire are normally connected.

5. The multifunctional cradle system for tip verification of wind turbine blades as claimed in claim 3, wherein, The maintenance tool further comprises a drilling machine placed on the basket, the drilling machine is used to drill a hole at the drain hole of the blade tip under the grip of the dexterous hand, so as to dredge the drain hole.

6. The multifunctional cradle system for tip verification of wind turbine blades as claimed in claim 3, wherein, The maintenance tool also includes a cleaning module placed on a basket. The cleaning module is used to spray and brush the surface of the lightning arrester to clean oil stains under the grip of a dexterous hand. The cleaning module includes a body and a spraying device, an electric brush disc, and a collection box installed on the body. The spraying device is located inside the brush head of the electric brush disc and has two nozzles. One nozzle is used to spray cleaning agent onto the lightning arrester. The electric brush disc is used to brush the lightning arrester sprayed with cleaning agent. The other nozzle is used to spray clean water onto the blades to clean the lightning arrester brushed by the electric brush disc. The collection box is used to collect wastewater.

7. The multifunctional cradle system for tip verification of wind turbine blades as claimed in claim 3, wherein, The maintenance and inspection tools also include a grinding and inspection module placed on a basket, which is used to grind and test the resistance of the lightning rod under the grip of a dexterous hand.

8. The multifunctional pendant system for tip verification of wind turbine blades as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The limiting plate has an upward-facing V-shaped portion, and a row of limiting holes is disposed at the bottom of the V-shaped portion.

9. The method for inspection of the tip of the blade of the wind turbine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: 1) Activate the fan's braking device to stop the blades from rotating, so that the tip of one of the fan blades is pointing downwards; 2) The main winch drives the basket to rise, moving from the lower rear of the blade with the tip pointing downwards to allow the blade to enter the gap in the basket and abut against the positioning strip; 3) The first binocular depth camera acquires the distance between the blade tip and each limiting hole and transmits it to the controller. The controller controls the main winch, multiple winch drive mechanisms and multiple auxiliary winches to move the basket, so that the blade tip extends into the limiting hole of the limiting plate, and the upper edge of the limiting hole presses on the two side edges of the blade and the positioning strip keeps in contact with one side edge of the blade. 4) Activate the blade clamping device on the basket. The pressure blocks on the two oppositely arranged electric push rods of the blade clamping device contact the windward and leeward sides of the blade to clamp the blade and prevent the blade from shaking during maintenance operations. 5) Start the maintenance robot on the basket. The multi-axis robotic arm of the maintenance robot drives the dexterous hand to move. The dexterous hand holds the maintenance tools to perform maintenance on the blades. 6) After the maintenance of a blade with its tip pointing downwards is completed, the main winch, multiple winch drive mechanisms, and multiple auxiliary winches work to lower the basket to below the blade that has been maintained. 7) Release the brake on the blades of the fan and allow the blades to continue rotating; 8) Repeat steps 1) to 7) until all blades of the wind turbine have been inspected and maintained; 9) The main winch, multiple winch drive mechanisms, and multiple auxiliary winches work to lower the basket and return it to the ground.

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