Repair system for a wind turbine blade

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of wind power blade repair systems, it is related to wind power equipment maintenance technical field, wind power blade repair system includes repair execution mechanism, container and transport mechanism, repair execution mechanism is equipped with polishing head, filler spray head and hot-pressing curing assembly;Polishing head is used to polish the damage area on blade structure;Filler spray head is used to spray repair material to the damage area after polishing;Hot-pressing curing assembly is used to heat and pressurize to the repair material located in damage area;Container is arranged in wind turbine generator set, container is used to store repair material;The first end of transport mechanism is connected with repair execution mechanism, the second end of transport mechanism is connected with wind turbine generator set;The first end of transport mechanism is used to move relative to wind turbine generator set, to transport repair execution mechanism to damage area;Transport mechanism is equipped with transport pipeline in the inside, filler spray head is communicated with container by transport pipeline;Transport mechanism is also used to transport repair material to filler spray head by transport pipeline.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wind power equipment maintenance technology, and in particular to a wind turbine blade repair system. Background Technology

[0002] As a key component in wind turbine generators for capturing wind energy, wind turbine blades have evolved from early small and simple blades to modern large and lightweight blades. With the wind energy industry's demand for efficiency improvements, wind turbine blades are developing towards larger sizes and optimized aerodynamics. Wind turbine blades can reach tens of meters in length and are made of composite materials such as fiberglass and epoxy resin to improve strength, reduce weight, and adapt to harsh operating environments.

[0003] However, wind turbine blades are subject to wind loads, rainwater erosion, and fatigue loads during long-term operation. The surface of wind turbine blades is prone to damage such as scratches and cracks. If not maintained in time, it will directly affect the power generation efficiency and equipment safety performance, and may even lead to power generation interruption or blade failure.

[0004] Currently, wind turbine blade maintenance primarily relies on traditional manual repair methods: upon discovering damage, the wind turbine must be completely shut down, and workers (commonly known as "spider-men") climb to the blade surface using a rope system to inspect it. The repair process includes manually grinding the damaged area and manually applying repair agents (such as epoxy resin). In addition, some wind turbine blade maintenance methods use small, manually carried spraying equipment for auxiliary spraying. After repair, natural curing is required before the turbine can resume operation, resulting in a long downtime. These methods suffer from high operational safety hazards, low repair efficiency, and the need for extended downtime for maintenance.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new type of wind turbine blade repair system to solve the technical problems of high safety hazards, low repair efficiency, and long downtime maintenance required by current wind turbine blade repair solutions. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The main objective of this invention is to propose a wind turbine blade repair system, which aims to solve the technical problems of high operational safety hazards, low repair efficiency, and long downtime maintenance required by current wind turbine blade repair solutions.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the wind turbine blade repair system proposed in this invention is applied to a wind turbine generator set, which includes a blade structure. The wind turbine blade repair system includes a repair actuator, a container, and a transport mechanism. The repair actuator is equipped with a grinding head, a filler nozzle, and a thermosetting curing assembly. The grinding head is used to grind the damaged area on the blade structure. The filler nozzle is used to spray repair material onto the ground damaged area. The thermosetting curing assembly is used to heat and pressurize the repair material located in the damaged area. The container is mounted on the wind turbine generator set and is used to store the repair material. A first end of the transport mechanism is connected to the repair actuator, and a second end of the transport mechanism is connected to the wind turbine generator set. The first end of the transport mechanism is used to move relative to the wind turbine generator set to transport the repair actuator to the damaged area of ​​the blade structure. The transport mechanism has a transport pipeline inside, and the filler nozzle is connected to the container through the transport pipeline. The transport mechanism is also used to transport the repair material to the filler nozzle through the transport pipeline.

[0008] In one embodiment, the thermosetting curing assembly includes an annular structure and a flexible gas film. The annular structure is connected to the repair actuator and is fitted around the outer periphery of the filler nozzle. A gap exists between the inner ring wall of the annular structure and the outer periphery of the filler nozzle. The flexible gas film is connected to the inner ring wall of the annular structure on all four sides, and has an opening in the middle. The opening is sealed to the outer periphery of the filler nozzle, and the nozzle of the filler nozzle extends out of the opening. The annular structure, the flexible gas film, the filler nozzle, and the repair actuator form a sealed cavity. The wind turbine blade repair system also includes an air supply device, and the transport mechanism is equipped with an air supply pipe. The air supply device is connected to the sealed cavity through the air supply pipe. The air supply device is used to introduce gas into the sealed cavity to expand the flexible gas film and apply pressure to the repair material located in the damaged area.

[0009] In one embodiment, the hot-press curing assembly further includes a heating element disposed within a sealed cavity; the heating element is used to heat the gas and / or flexible gas film within the sealed cavity, so that the flexible gas film transfers heat to the repair material located in the damaged area.

[0010] In one embodiment, the flexible air film is made of a high-temperature resistant material, including at least one of fluororubber and silicone rubber; and / or, the filler nozzle is made of a heat-insulating material; and / or, the flexible air film is coated with an anti-stick coating on the side of the flexible air film facing the nozzle of the filler nozzle.

[0011] In one embodiment, a pump body is provided in the transport pipeline for pumping the repair material in the container to the filler nozzle.

[0012] In one embodiment, the wind turbine generator set further includes a fairing; the transport mechanism is configured as a robotic arm with multi-axis joints, adjacent joints being rotatably connected, the joint at the first end of the robotic arm being connected to a repair actuator, and the joint at the second end of the robotic arm being disposed on the fairing.

[0013] In one embodiment, the fairing has a notch, and a robotic arm is disposed inside the fairing. A joint at the first end of the robotic arm is used to pass through the notch and transport the repair actuator to the damaged area of ​​the blade structure. A baffle is also provided on the notch, and the baffle is rotatably connected to the edge of the notch.

[0014] In one embodiment, the wind turbine blade repair system further includes a damage detection module for detecting defects in the blade structure.

[0015] In one embodiment, the wind turbine blade repair system further includes a control module, which is electrically and / or communicatively connected to the damage detection module, the robotic arm, and the repair execution mechanism. The control module is used to control the robotic arm to move to the damaged area of ​​the blade structure based on the damage results detected by the damage detection module, and to control the repair execution mechanism to perform grinding, coating, and curing operations accordingly.

[0016] In one embodiment, the damage detection module includes at least one of an ultrasonic detector and a machine vision component.

[0017] The technical solution of this invention, by employing a repair actuator, a container, and a transport mechanism, enables the repair of damaged areas of the blade structure, significantly improving repair efficiency and reducing operational safety risks. Specifically, the repair actuator is equipped with a grinding head, a filler nozzle, and a thermosetting curing assembly, which can sequentially complete the grinding and cleaning of the damaged area of ​​the blade structure, the spraying of repair material, and the heating and pressurizing curing operations. Furthermore, because the repair actuator can use the thermosetting curing assembly to heat and pressurize the repair material after grinding and coating, thereby accelerating the curing of the repair material, the curing time can be significantly shortened, thus reducing the downtime of the wind turbine generator and improving power generation efficiency. Furthermore, by connecting the first end of the transport mechanism to the repair execution mechanism and the second end to the wind turbine generator, and by allowing the first end of the transport mechanism to move relative to the wind turbine generator, the repair execution mechanism can be precisely transported to the damaged area of ​​the blade structure, achieving comprehensive repair of damage at different locations. This transport mechanism avoids the safety hazards of falls from heights and rope slippage associated with traditional manual climbing operations, enabling efficient and safe transport of the repair execution mechanism. Moreover, by incorporating a transport pipeline within the transport mechanism, the filler nozzle is connected to a container mounted on the wind turbine generator through this pipeline, achieving continuous delivery of repair materials from the container to the nozzle. This eliminates the need for the repair execution mechanism to refill the paint, improving spraying efficiency.

[0018] Overall, the repair system of the present invention transports the repair execution mechanism through a transport mechanism, and the repair execution mechanism performs the repair and combination. With the help of a container, the repair material is transported, thereby achieving efficient repair of the damaged area of ​​the blade structure. This effectively solves the technical problems of high safety risk, low efficiency and long downtime in the existing repair schemes. Attached Figure Description

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

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the wind turbine blade repair system provided by the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the repair actuator of an embodiment of the wind turbine blade repair system provided by the present invention.

[0022] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0023] 1. Wind turbine blade repair system; 11. Repair actuator; 111. Grinding head; 112. Filler nozzle; 113. Hot-press curing assembly; 1131. Ring structure; 1132. Flexible air film; 1133. Heating component; 12. Transport mechanism; 121. Transport pipeline; 122. Gas transmission pipe;

[0024] 2. Wind turbine generator set; 21. Blade structure; 22. Shield; 221. Baffle.

[0025] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0028] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0029] As a key component in wind turbine generators for capturing wind energy, wind turbine blades have evolved from early small and simple blades to modern large and lightweight blades. With the wind energy industry's demand for efficiency improvements, wind turbine blades are developing towards larger sizes and optimized aerodynamics. Wind turbine blades can reach tens of meters in length and are made of composite materials such as fiberglass and epoxy resin to improve strength, reduce weight, and adapt to harsh operating environments.

[0030] However, wind turbine blades are subject to wind loads, rainwater erosion, and fatigue loads during long-term operation. The surface of wind turbine blades is prone to damage such as scratches and cracks. If not maintained in time, it will directly affect the power generation efficiency and equipment safety performance, and may even lead to power generation interruption or blade failure.

[0031] Currently, wind turbine blade maintenance primarily relies on traditional manual repair methods: upon discovering damage, the wind turbine must be completely shut down, and workers (commonly known as "spider-men") climb to the blade surface using a rope system to inspect it. The repair process includes manually grinding the damaged area and manually applying repair agents (such as epoxy resin). In addition, some wind turbine blade maintenance methods use small, manually carried spraying equipment for auxiliary spraying. After repair, natural curing is required before the turbine can resume operation, resulting in a long downtime. These methods suffer from high operational safety hazards, low repair efficiency, and the need for extended downtime for maintenance.

[0032] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new type of wind turbine blade repair system to solve the technical problems of high safety hazards, low repair efficiency, and long downtime maintenance required by current wind turbine blade repair solutions.

[0033] To address the above problems, this invention proposes a wind turbine blade repair system.

[0034] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of the present invention, the wind turbine blade repair system 1 is applied to a wind turbine generator set 2, the wind turbine generator set 2 including a blade structure 21; the wind turbine blade repair system 1 includes: a repair actuator 11, a container (not shown in the figure) and a transport mechanism 12, the repair actuator 11 is provided with a grinding head 111, a filler nozzle 112 and a hot-press curing assembly 113; the grinding head 111 is used to grind the damaged area on the blade structure 21; the filler nozzle 112 is used to spray repair material onto the ground damaged area; the hot-press curing assembly 113 is used to heat the repair material located in the damaged area. Pressurization; a container is placed on the wind turbine generator set 2 and is used to store repair materials; the first end of the transport mechanism 12 is connected to the repair execution mechanism 11, and the second end of the transport mechanism 12 is connected to the wind turbine generator set 2; the first end of the transport mechanism 12 is used to move relative to the wind turbine generator set 2 to transport the repair execution mechanism 11 to the damaged area of ​​the blade structure 21; the transport mechanism 12 is provided with a transport pipeline 121 inside, and the filler nozzle 112 is connected to the container through the transport pipeline 121; the transport mechanism 12 is also used to transport repair materials to the filler nozzle 112 through the transport pipeline 121.

[0035] The technical solution of this invention, by employing a repair actuator 11, a container, and a transport mechanism 12, enables the repair of damaged areas of the blade structure 21, significantly improving repair efficiency and reducing operational safety risks. Specifically, the repair actuator 11 is equipped with a grinding head 111, a filler nozzle 112, and a hot-press curing assembly 113, which can sequentially complete the grinding and cleaning of damaged areas of the blade structure 21, the spraying of repair materials, and the heating and pressurizing curing operations. Furthermore, since the repair actuator 11 can use the hot-press curing assembly 113 to heat and pressurize the repair material after grinding and coating, thereby accelerating the curing of the repair material, the curing time can be significantly shortened, thereby reducing the downtime of the wind turbine generator 2 and improving power generation efficiency. Furthermore, by connecting the first end of the transport mechanism 12 to the repair execution mechanism 11 and the second end to the wind turbine generator 2, and by allowing the first end of the transport mechanism 12 to move relative to the wind turbine generator 2, the repair execution mechanism 11 can be precisely transported to the damaged area of ​​the blade structure 21, achieving comprehensive repair of damage at different locations. The design of the transport mechanism 12 avoids safety hazards such as falls from heights and rope slippage caused by traditional manual climbing operations, achieving efficient and safe transportation of the repair execution mechanism 11. Moreover, by providing a transport pipeline 121 inside the transport mechanism 12, the filler nozzle 112 is connected to a container set on the wind turbine generator 2 through the transport pipeline 121, thereby achieving continuous delivery of repair materials from the container to the nozzle, eliminating the need for the repair execution mechanism 11 to refill the paint, and improving spraying efficiency.

[0036] Overall, the repair system of the present invention transports the repair execution mechanism 11 through the transport mechanism 12, and the repair execution mechanism 11 performs the repair and combination. With the help of the container, the repair material is transported, thereby achieving efficient repair of the damaged area of ​​the blade structure 21. This effectively solves the technical problems of high safety risk, low efficiency and long downtime in the existing repair scheme.

[0037] It should be noted that the conveying mechanism can adopt various optional implementation methods. For example, the conveying mechanism can be set as a robotic arm, which consists of multiple joints and forms multiple degrees of freedom. By manipulating the robotic arm, the repair actuator 11 connected to the joints of the robotic arm can be transported to the damaged area of ​​the blade structure 21. The robotic arm is equipped with a conveying pipeline to transport the repair material. The conveying mechanism can also be set as a lifting platform assembly that can climb up and down along the tower of the wind turbine generator 2. Specifically, the tower can be equipped with a vertically extending guide rail, and the lifting platform is equipped with guide wheels. The guide wheels are locked in the guide rail and can slide along the guide rail. The lifting platform can be equipped with a drive component to drive the guide wheels, so that the lifting platform rises and falls accordingly. The lifting platform is equipped with a telescopic multi-section telescopic rod. The end of the outermost telescopic rod is connected to the repair actuator 11, so as to transport the repair actuator 11 to the damaged area of ​​the blade structure 21. The lifting platform and the inner wall of the telescopic rod are equipped with a conveying pipeline 121 to transport the repair material. Of course, other conveying methods can also be used, which will not be described in detail here.

[0038] In addition, it should be noted that the repair actuator 11 is equipped with a grinding head 111, a filler nozzle 112 and a hot-press curing assembly 113. The grinding head 111 can be rotatably connected to the repair actuator 11. The repair actuator 11 may be equipped with transmission components such as transmission gears and transmission chains, as well as drive units such as drive motors. One end of the grinding head 111 is connected to the transmission components, and the other end is used to grind the damaged area of ​​the blade structure 21.

[0039] Furthermore, the repair actuator 11 may also have a cavity inside, with the inlet of the filler nozzle 112 communicating with the cavity. This cavity can be connected to the conveying pipeline of the transport mechanism 12, thereby realizing the conveying of repair material from the container, the conveying pipeline, the cavity, and the filler nozzle 112. Of course, the repair actuator 11 may also have a connecting port, through which the conveying pipeline directly passes and communicates with the filler nozzle 112; this is not a limitation. A flow valve may also be provided between the filler nozzle 112 and the conveying pipeline to control the outflow rate of the repair material.

[0040] In addition, the hot-press curing component 113 can adopt a variety of optional structural forms, such as using an integrated hot press plate to directly heat and pressurize the repair material, or using a flexible air film expansion pressurization, and then using a heating component to heat the repair material.

[0041] Among them, the grinding head 111, the filler nozzle 112 and the hot-press curing component 113 in the repair actuator 11 can be electrically connected to the conveying mechanism, and the conveying mechanism can be electrically connected to an external power source (such as the power source of the wind turbine generator set 2, the power source of the external substation, etc.), thereby enabling the supply of energy to the repair actuator 11 and the transport mechanism 12.

[0042] Because the integrated hot press plate is difficult to adapt to the different curvatures of the blade structure 21, it is difficult to achieve good contact, resulting in poor pressurization and heating effects. To solve the above problems, please refer to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 In an embodiment of the present invention, the thermosetting curing assembly 113 includes an annular structure 1131 and a flexible air film 1132. The annular structure 1131 is connected to the repair actuator 11 and is sleeved on the outer periphery of the filler nozzle 112. A gap exists between the inner annular wall of the annular structure 1131 and the outer periphery of the filler nozzle 112. The flexible air film 1132 is connected to the inner annular wall of the annular structure 1131 around its periphery, and an opening is formed in the middle of the flexible air film 1132, which is connected to the outer periphery of the filler nozzle 112. The sealing connection is achieved by extending the nozzle of the filler nozzle 112 out of the opening; the annular structure 1131, the flexible air film 1132, the filler nozzle 112, and the repair actuator 11 form a sealed cavity; the wind turbine blade repair system 1 also includes an air supply device (not shown in the figure), and the transport mechanism 12 is also provided with an air supply pipe 122, through which the air supply device is connected to the sealed cavity; the air supply device is used to introduce gas into the sealed cavity to expand the flexible air film 1132 and apply pressure to the repair material located in the damaged area.

[0043] In this embodiment, by adopting the flexible pressurization method of flexible air film 1132, the curing efficiency and quality of the repair material are significantly improved, and the adaptability of hot-press curing component 113 to complex blade surfaces is enhanced. Furthermore, through the integrated design of hot-press curing component 113 and filler nozzle 112, the system space utilization is significantly optimized while improving the curing quality, and in-situ instant pressure protection of the repair material is achieved.

[0044] Specifically, this embodiment features an annular structure 1131 fitted around the outer periphery of the filler nozzle 112, with a gap maintained between the inner ring wall of the annular structure 1131 and the nozzle. Combined with the design where the flexible air film 1132 is connected to the inner ring wall of the annular structure 1131 around its periphery and sealed to the outer periphery of the filler nozzle 112 at its central opening, the annular structure 1131, the flexible air film 1132, the filler nozzle 112, and the repair actuator 11 together form an adjustable sealed cavity. When the gas supply device introduces gas into the sealed cavity through the gas pipe 122 on the transport mechanism 12, the flexible air film 1132 expands outward under the pressure. The adaptive expansion characteristic of the flexible air film 1132 allows it to closely adhere to blade surfaces with different curvatures, thereby directly applying uniform and controllable pressure to the repair material sprayed on the damaged area. This solves the problem of uneven pressure distribution on the repair material caused by the inability of traditional pressure plates to properly adhere to the blade surface. In addition, the sealed cavity forms a physically isolated space, which can reduce the interference of the air supply airflow and cause the repair material sprayed on the damaged area to splash, ensuring the spraying accuracy. Furthermore, the air supply device can introduce hot airflow into the sealed cavity, so that the flexible air film 1132 is heated and transfers heat to the repair material it contacts, achieving the synchronous synergistic effect of heating and pressurization, which greatly accelerates the curing process and significantly shortens the curing waiting time.

[0045] Furthermore, by combining the flexible air film 1132 and the annular structure 1131 of the thermosetting curing component 113 with the filler nozzle 112, this embodiment not only reduces the area occupied by the thermosetting curing component 113 and the filler nozzle 112, making the spatial layout more compact and improving space utilization, but also avoids additional occupation of the external space of the repair actuator 11, thus improving space utilization and making it possible to operate in narrow blade areas. Moreover, the flexible air film 1132 can form a linkage effect with the filler nozzle 112. When the filler nozzle 112 extrudes repair material into the damaged area, the gas supply device can be controlled to simultaneously introduce gas into the sealed cavity through the gas pipe 122, driving the flexible air film 1132 to expand rapidly and press against the blade surface, providing physical support perpendicular to the blade wall before the repair material undergoes rheological changes or displacement. This synchronous pressure application mechanism avoids the problem of sagging and deformation of the repair material, which occurs due to the lag in the pressure support of the flexible air film 1132 and the detachment nozzle, resulting in deviation from the original intended area, which is present in designs where the flexible air film 1132 and the detachment nozzle are separated. In this embodiment, the uniform pressure generated by the expansion of the flexible air film 1132 can effectively counteract the effect of gravity, ensuring that the extruded repair material is accurately positioned in the damaged area and preventing material displacement or dripping caused by factors such as wind or gravity.

[0046] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2In an embodiment of the present invention, the hot-press curing assembly 113 further includes a heating component 1133, which is disposed in a sealed cavity; the heating component 1133 is used to heat the gas and / or flexible gas film 1132 in the sealed cavity so that the flexible gas film 1132 transfers heat to the repair material located in the damaged area.

[0047] In this embodiment, by adding a heating element 1133 within the sealed cavity, the active temperature control capability of the hot-press curing assembly 113 is enhanced, achieving precise coordinated control of temperature and pressure. Specifically, the heating element 1133 can directly act on the gas and / or flexible gas film 1132 within the sealed cavity. Through gas heat conduction or gas film heat radiation, heat energy is rapidly and uniformly transferred to the flexible gas film 1132 covering the surface of the repair material, and then the flexible gas film 1132 conducts the heat energy to the repair material located in the damaged area. Compared to solutions that rely solely on a gas supply device to introduce high-temperature gas, this embodiment, by adding a heating element 1133 within the sealed cavity, avoids the high-temperature gas from dissipating heat and dropping to a temperature lower than expected during transport, and allows for adjustment according to the curing temperature requirements of different repair materials.

[0048] When epoxy resin is used as the repair material, the heating element 1133 can heat the material to 80℃~120℃ to meet the curing requirements. When other materials are used as the repair material, the temperature can be adjusted accordingly to ensure that the repair material reaches the curing temperature.

[0049] In addition, the heating element 1133 can be an electric heating coil, an electric heating rod, or other heating elements, which will not be described in detail here.

[0050] In embodiments of the present invention, the flexible air film 1132 is made of a high-temperature resistant material, including at least one of fluororubber and silicone rubber; and / or, the filler nozzle 112 is made of a heat-insulating material; and / or, the flexible air film 1132 is coated with an anti-stick coating on the side facing the nozzle of the filler nozzle 112.

[0051] In this embodiment, the flexible air film 1132 is made of high-temperature resistant materials such as fluororubber or silicone rubber, enabling it to withstand the high-temperature conditions of 80℃-180℃ generated by the heating component 1133. This prevents the flexible air film 1132 from becoming brittle and cracking due to prolonged heating, thus ensuring its service life. Furthermore, by using heat-insulating materials to manufacture the filler nozzle 112, the impact of heat conduction within the sealed cavity on the repair material inside the filler nozzle 112 is minimized, preventing the repair material from pre-curing inside the nozzle and causing blockage. Additionally, by coating the side of the flexible air film 1132 facing the nozzle with a polyurethane anti-stick coating, the adhesion of the repair material to the surface of the flexible air film 1132 is minimized, and the flexible air film 1132 is protected from tearing during separation from the repair material.

[0052] The heat insulation material used in the filler nozzle 112 can be a ceramic matrix composite or other heat insulation material. This type of heat insulation material has good heat insulation properties and can effectively block heat conduction, preventing the repair material inside the filler nozzle 112 from curing due to heat. In addition, the anti-stick coating can be made of materials such as polytetrafluoroethylene, thereby preventing repair materials such as epoxy resin from adhering to the surface of the flexible air film 1132.

[0053] In an embodiment of the present invention, a pump body (not shown in the figures) is provided in the transport pipeline 121. The pump body is used to pump the repair material in the container to the filler nozzle 112. In this way, the pump body provides sufficient transport power, so that the repair material in the container can be smoothly transported to the filler nozzle 112, avoiding the interruption of repair material supply due to insufficient transport power.

[0054] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In an embodiment of the present invention, the wind turbine generator set 2 further includes a fairing 22; the transport mechanism 12 is configured as a robotic arm with multi-axis joints, adjacent joints being rotatably connected, the joint at the first end of the robotic arm being connected to the repair execution mechanism 11, and the joint at the second end of the robotic arm being mounted on the fairing 22.

[0055] In this embodiment, by employing a robotic arm with multi-axis joints as the transport mechanism 12 and fixing it to the fairing 22, the positioning accuracy and damage coverage capability of the repair actuator 11 are improved. Specifically, the rotatable connection between adjacent joints of the robotic arm forms a multi-degree-of-freedom kinematic chain, allowing its first end to carry the repair actuator 11 to flexibly approach the damaged areas at different locations on the blade, such as the tip and leading edge of the blade structure 21, thereby adapting as closely as possible to the complex curved surface contour of the blade structure 21. Furthermore, compared to the approach of placing the robotic arm on the tower, nacelle, or other parts of the wind turbine generator set 2—which would make it difficult for the robotic arm and repair actuator 11 to perform repair work while the wind turbine blades are rotating—this embodiment places the joint at the second end of the robotic arm on the deflector 22. Since the deflector 22 rotates with the blade structure 21, even when the wind turbine generator set 2 is running and the wind turbine blades are rotating at low speed, the robotic arm placed on the deflector 22 can remain relatively stationary with the wind turbine blades. This allows the robotic arm to transport the repair actuator 11 to the damaged area of ​​the wind turbine blade to perform blade repair work. This approach ensures the accuracy of the repair work through the robotic arm and avoids a significant loss of power generation due to a complete shutdown of the wind turbine generator set 2.

[0056] Of course, when the wind turbine blades rotate at high speed, the robotic arm and repair actuator 11 mounted on the fairing 22 will also rotate at high speed. Therefore, when the wind turbine blades are rotating at high speed, repair work should be avoided as much as possible using the robotic arm and repair actuator 11 to prevent damage to the robotic arm and repair actuator 11 due to high-speed rotation. In non-repair work mode, the robotic arm will drive the repair actuator 11 to be as close as possible to the surface of the fairing 22 to reduce the centripetal force required to maintain balance. If the repair work is urgent, the braking system of the wind turbine generator set 2 can be used to reduce the speed of the wind turbine blades to a low speed state or stop the machine, so that the robotic arm and repair actuator 11 can carry out repair work in a safe state.

[0057] The specific structure and technical principles of the robotic arm can be referenced from existing industrial robotic arms. Each adjacent joint of the robotic arm has rotational degrees of freedom, and each joint can be independently driven by multiple servo motors or other drive devices, which will not be elaborated further here. The robotic arm in this embodiment differs from a conventional robotic arm only in the following ways: 1) The joint at the first end of the robotic arm is connected to the repair actuator 11. The specific connection method can be that the joint at the first end of the robotic arm is snapped together with the repair actuator 11, or it can be fixed by welding, threaded connection, etc., which are not limited here; 2) Each joint of the robotic arm is equipped with components such as a transport pipe 121, a gas supply pipe 122, and a pump body to realize the transport of repair materials and the supply of gas.

[0058] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In an embodiment of the present invention, a notch is provided on the flow guide 22, and a robotic arm is disposed inside the flow guide 22. The joint at the first end of the robotic arm is used to pass through the notch and transport the repair actuator 11 to the damaged area of ​​the blade structure 21. A baffle 221 is also provided on the notch, and the baffle 221 is rotatably connected to the edge of the notch.

[0059] In this embodiment, the design of the notch in the flow guide 22 and the rotating baffle 221 ensures both the flexibility of the robotic arm to penetrate deep into the work area and enhances the system protection performance for the robotic arm and the repair actuator 11. Specifically, the notch in the flow guide 22 allows the joint at the first end of the robotic arm, located inside the flow guide 22, to extend outward with the repair actuator 11 during operation and move to the damaged area of ​​the blade structure 21 to carry out the repair work. In the non-repair operation state, the robotic arm can drive the repair actuator 11 to be completely housed inside the flow guide 22. With the rotating connection design between the baffle 221 and the edge of the notch, the baffle 221 can be closed during non-repair operation to physically isolate the external environment, prevent corrosive media from damaging the robotic arm and the repair actuator 11, and ensure the service life of the robotic arm and the repair actuator 11.

[0060] The baffle 221 can be connected to a motor or other transmission components to achieve the switching control effect of the baffle 221.

[0061] In an embodiment of the present invention, the wind turbine blade repair system 1 further includes a damage detection module (not shown in the figure), which is used to detect defects in the blade structure 21.

[0062] In this embodiment, by integrating a damage detection module into the wind turbine blade repair system 1, the blade defects can be identified, and the damage defects on the blade structure 21 can be detected in a timely manner, overcoming the limitations of manual inspection. After the damage defects are detected by the damage detection module, the damage type and corresponding repair method can be determined based on the damage defect information detected by the damage detection module.

[0063] In one optional implementation, the damage detection module includes at least one of an ultrasonic detector and a machine vision component. Thus, this implementation achieves comprehensive, high-precision detection coverage of blade defects through the coordinated or independent configuration of the ultrasonic detector and the machine vision component. Specifically, the ultrasonic detector can penetrate the interior of the blade structure 21, detecting not only surface damage but also hidden damage such as delamination and cracks within the blade structure 21, overcoming the blind spots of manual visual inspection or purely visual inspection schemes regarding internal defects. The machine vision component, on the other hand, can capture cracks and erosion traces on the blade surface through high-resolution imaging, identifying damaged areas. The ultrasonic detector and the machine vision component can be configured collaboratively to form complementary information and mutual verification, thereby reducing the false positive rate of damage detection and ensuring the comprehensiveness of damage detection.

[0064] In an embodiment of the present invention, the wind turbine blade repair system 1 further includes a control module (not shown in the figure). The control module is electrically connected and / or communicatively connected to the damage detection module, the robotic arm, and the repair execution mechanism 11, respectively. The control module is used to control the robotic arm to move to the damaged area of ​​the blade structure 21 based on the damage results detected by the damage detection module, and to control the repair execution mechanism 11 to perform grinding, coating, and curing operations accordingly.

[0065] In this embodiment, the system-level integration of the damage detection module, robotic arm, and repair execution mechanism 11 by the control module achieves fully automated closed-loop control of the blade damage repair process, significantly improving repair accuracy and eliminating efficiency losses caused by manual intervention. Specifically, the closed-loop communication link established between the control module, the damage detection module, the robotic arm, and the repair execution mechanism 11 enables the damage results to be transmitted to the control module in real time, allowing the control module to automatically generate robotic arm motion path planning and repair parameter instructions. By precisely controlling the multi-axis joint robotic arm to move the repair execution mechanism 11 to the damaged area, and manipulating the repair execution mechanism 11 to sequentially perform grinding, spraying, and heating and pressurizing curing operations, the traditional discrete process relying on manual judgment and operation is integrated into a continuous automated operation, thereby greatly improving repair efficiency, reducing the need for manual intervention, and reducing the workload.

[0066] As an optional implementation, the control module can pre-store various algorithms, such as calibration algorithms, path planning algorithms, and control algorithms. For example, if the damage detection module uses a machine vision component for detection, the machine vision component can be pre-calibrated using calibration methods such as the Zhang Zhengyou calibration method, and the calibration results can be stored in the control module to achieve coordinate system transformation, converting the coordinates of the visually detected damage location into coordinates that the robotic arm can recognize, providing a precise target position for the robotic arm's movement. For the path planning algorithm, the RRT (Rapid Exploration Random Tree) algorithm can be used, which can plan a collision-free path in the robotic arm's motion space based on the transformed damage location coordinates. It constructs a path from the current position of the robotic arm to the damage area through random sampling, avoiding collisions between the robotic arm and the blade structure 21 or other components. For the control algorithm, a PID control algorithm can be used. During the robotic arm's movement, the deviation between the actual position and the target position of the robotic arm's end effector is obtained in real time. The output of the robotic arm's joint motor is controlled through proportional, integral, and derivative adjustments to reduce the deviation, ensuring that the robotic arm moves precisely to the damage area while ensuring stable operation of the repair actuator 11. Of course, other implementation methods can also be used, but these are just examples and will not be described in detail here.

[0067] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings under the technical concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A repair system for wind turbine blades, characterized in that, Applied to wind turbine generator sets, the wind turbine generator sets include blade structures and fairings; The wind turbine blade repair system includes: The repair actuator includes a grinding head, a filler nozzle, and a thermosetting curing assembly. The grinding head is used to grind the damaged area on the blade structure. The filler nozzle is used to spray repair material onto the ground damaged area. The thermosetting curing assembly is used to heat and pressurize the repair material located in the damaged area. A container, which is mounted on the wind turbine generator set, is used to store repair materials; A transport mechanism is provided, with its first end connected to the repair actuator and its second end connected to the wind turbine generator set. The first end of the transport mechanism is used to move relative to the wind turbine generator set to transport the repair actuator to the damaged area of ​​the blade structure. The transport mechanism has an internal transport pipeline through which the filler nozzle communicates with the container. The transport mechanism is also used to transport repair materials to the filler nozzle via the transport pipeline. The transport mechanism is configured as a robotic arm, which has multi-axis joints, and adjacent joints are rotatably connected. The joint at the first end of the robotic arm is connected to the repair execution mechanism. The flow guide is provided with a notch, and the robotic arm is disposed inside the flow guide. The joint at the first end of the robotic arm is used to pass through the notch and transport the repair actuator to the damaged area of ​​the blade structure. A baffle is also provided on the notch, and the baffle is rotatably connected to the edge of the notch. The thermosetting curing assembly includes a ring structure and a flexible gas film. The ring structure is connected to the repair actuator and is sleeved on the outer periphery of the filler nozzle. A gap exists between the inner ring wall of the ring structure and the outer periphery of the filler nozzle. The flexible gas film is connected to the inner ring wall of the ring structure on all four sides, and has an opening in the middle. The opening is sealed to the outer periphery of the filler nozzle, and the nozzle of the filler nozzle extends out of the opening. The ring structure, the flexible gas film, the filler nozzle, and the repair actuator form a sealed cavity. The wind turbine blade repair system also includes an air supply device. The transport mechanism is also equipped with an air supply pipe. The air supply device is connected to the sealed cavity through the air supply pipe. The air supply device is used to introduce gas into the sealed cavity to expand the flexible gas film and apply pressure to the repair material located in the damaged area. The hot-press curing assembly further includes a heating component disposed within the sealed cavity; the heating component is used to heat the gas and / or the flexible gas film within the sealed cavity, so that the flexible gas film transfers heat to the repair material located in the damaged area; When the filler nozzle extrudes repair material into the damaged area, the air supply device simultaneously introduces gas into the sealed cavity through the air pipe to drive the flexible air film to expand and press against the surface of the wind turbine blade, thereby providing physical support for the repair material before it undergoes rheological changes or displacement.

2. The wind turbine blade repair system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible air membrane is made of a high-temperature resistant material, which includes at least one of fluororubber and silicone rubber. And / or, the filler nozzle is made of heat-insulating material; And / or, the flexible air film is coated with an anti-stick coating on the side facing the nozzle of the filler nozzle.

3. The wind turbine blade repair system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The transport pipeline is equipped with a pump body, which is used to pump the repair material in the container to the filler nozzle.

4. The wind turbine blade repair system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The wind turbine blade repair system also includes a damage detection module, which is used to detect defects in the blade structure.

5. The wind turbine blade repair system as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The wind turbine blade repair system also includes a control module, which is electrically and / or communicatively connected to the damage detection module, the robotic arm, and the repair execution mechanism, respectively. The control module is used to control the robotic arm to move to the damaged area of ​​the blade structure based on the damage results detected by the damage detection module, and to control the repair execution mechanism to perform grinding, coating and curing operations accordingly.

6. The wind turbine blade repair system as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The damage detection module includes at least one of an ultrasonic detector and a machine vision component.

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