A magnetic suction-type wall-climbing robot for integrated treatment of defects on the outer wall of wind turbine towers and its operation method

Abstract

This invention relates to a magnetically attached wind turbine tower outer wall defect integrated wall-climbing robot and its operating method. The robot includes a vehicle shell, with a defect-handling mechanism connected to the top of the shell via a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm. A magnetic adsorption module is located at the bottom of the shell, allowing the shell to magnetically adhere to the tower wall. A passive flexible mechanism and a walking drive mechanism are fixedly mounted on the shell, and these two mechanisms are connected to wheels for wall-climbing. This invention innovatively employs a Halbach array, multi-dimensional magnetic units, and a conical pole shoe composite structure. Through 90° gradient magnetization and magnetic field superposition, the adsorption force is increased by 50% compared to traditional methods, adapting to the curved surface of the tower and ensuring stable movement under heavy loads. Simultaneously, a six-axis flexible robotic arm integrates a module for detection, grinding, and spraying, simplifying the layout, reducing the load, avoiding the risks of high-altitude movement, and balancing operational flexibility and safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wall-climbing robot technology, specifically to a magnetically suction-type wall-climbing robot for integrated treatment of defects on the outer wall of a wind turbine tower and its operating method. Background Technology

[0002] Offshore wind power has developed rapidly as an important component of clean energy. However, offshore wind turbine towers are exposed to harsh environments of high salt spray, strong winds, and high humidity for extended periods, making their outer walls prone to corrosion, cracks, and paint peeling. If not addressed promptly, these defects can continue to expand, affecting the tower's structural strength and sealing, shortening equipment lifespan, and potentially even causing accidents such as falls from heights or structural instability, posing a significant threat to the safe and stable operation of wind farms.

[0003] To address these pain points, the current mainstream solution in the industry is to combine magnetic adsorption technology with tracked or wheeled wall-climbing robots to develop magnetic adsorption wall-climbing robots for rust removal and repair of the outer wall of wind turbine towers. For example, patent publications CN119427163A ("A Magnetic Adsorption Wall-Climbing Robot for Rust Removal of Wind Turbine Tower Body"), CN114871033A ("An Automatic On-Site Remanufacturing System and Method for Protective Layer of Outer Wall of In-Service Wind Turbine Tower"), and CN107489854A ("A Non-Contact Magnetic Adsorption Wall-Climbing Robot Adapted to Complex Wall Operations") are all typical applications of this technology. However, due to the complex and variable environment of offshore wind farms, existing mainstream solutions still have significant limitations: First, the unstable airflow with varying wind speed and direction at high altitudes above offshore towers can generate lateral thrust and vibration interference on the robot, which may not only cause the robot to deviate from the preset path, but may even damage the adhesion between the magnetic adsorption and the wall, resulting in insufficient adaptability of the magnetic adsorption system to complex working conditions and difficulty in achieving a dynamic balance between strong adsorption force and flexible movement. The stability and reliability of high-altitude operations need to be further improved. Second, the integration level of the detection, grinding and spraying functional modules is low, and an efficient and collaborative integrated operation mechanism has not been formed. There are long intervals between each process, which not only affects the repair effect such as coating adhesion, but also restricts the improvement of overall operation and maintenance efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a magnetic wall-climbing robot for integrated defect treatment of wind turbine tower outer wall and its operation method. Using the magnetic wall-climbing robot as a carrier, it integrates modular flexible structure design, heavy-duty high-efficiency magnetic adsorption drive, machine vision defect detection, adaptive grinding and spraying and other technologies to build an integrated intelligent operation and maintenance solution of "detection-grinding-spraying" to solve the problems mentioned in the background technology.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0006] A magnetic suction wind turbine tower outer wall defect integrated wall climbing robot includes a vehicle shell. The top of the vehicle shell is connected to a defect handling mechanism via a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm. The bottom of the vehicle shell is provided with a magnetic adsorption module. The vehicle shell forms a magnetic adsorption fit with the tower wall through the magnetic adsorption module. A passive flexible mechanism and a walking drive mechanism are fixedly installed on the vehicle shell. The passive flexible mechanism and the walking drive mechanism are jointly connected to walking wheels for walking on the wall. A spraying material supply mechanism is provided inside the vehicle shell.

[0007] The magnetic adsorption module has two fixed magnetic array units and one variable-pitch magnetic array unit. The two fixed magnetic array units are symmetrically arranged at the front and rear ends of the bottom of the vehicle body. The variable-pitch magnetic array unit is located between the two fixed magnetic array units and is distributed in a rectangular array in the middle area of ​​the bottom of the vehicle body. The variable-pitch magnetic array unit has a first working position and a second working position. When the variable-pitch magnetic array unit is in the first working position, the vehicle body and the tower wall form a high adsorption force state. When the variable-pitch magnetic array unit is in the second working position, the vehicle body and the tower wall form a low adsorption force state.

[0008] The defect handling mechanism includes an outer housing connected to the end of a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, and a nozzle, a grinding head, and a vision camera integrated on the outer housing. The nozzle is connected to a spraying and feeding mechanism for spraying paint onto the tower wall. The grinding head is used to grind the tower wall. The vision camera is used to detect defects on the tower wall.

[0009] Preferably, the magnetic adsorption module includes 32 individual permanent magnets, 32 conical pole shoes, and three back iron plates. Each conical pole shoe is attached to the side of the corresponding individual permanent magnet facing the tower wall, and the back iron plate is located on the side of the individual permanent magnet away from the tower wall. The 32 individual permanent magnets are arranged in groups of four according to the Halbach array pattern, forming six Halbach magnetic arrays. Two Halbach magnetic arrays are respectively equipped with their corresponding conical pole shoes and a back iron plate to form a fixed magnetic array unit. The remaining four Halbach magnetic arrays are equipped with individual permanent magnets at both ends. These four Halbach magnetic arrays, together with their end individual permanent magnets, their corresponding conical pole shoes, and a back iron plate, are assembled to form a variable-pitch magnetic array unit.

[0010] Preferably, the magnetic adsorption module further includes a magnetic adsorption monitoring sensor for real-time monitoring of magnetic adsorption force data, an electric push rod for switching the variable-pitch magnetic array unit between a first working position and a second working position, and several omnidirectional balls for assisting the vehicle body to move. The magnetic adsorption monitoring sensor and the electric push rod are both located inside the vehicle body. The output end of the electric push rod is connected to the back iron plate of the variable-pitch magnetic array unit, and the several omnidirectional balls are all located at the bottom of the vehicle body and in the area of ​​the fixed magnetic array unit and the variable-pitch magnetic array unit.

[0011] Preferably, the defect handling mechanism further includes a first motor for driving the grinding head to rotate and a dustproof assembly for shielding the vision camera. The nozzle is located at one end of the housing, the grinding head is located at the end of the housing away from the nozzle, and the vision camera is located between the nozzle and the grinding head. The dustproof assembly has a first working position and a second working position. When the dustproof assembly is in the first working position, the lens of the vision camera is shielded. When the dustproof assembly is in the second working position, the lens of the vision camera is unshielded.

[0012] Preferably, the spraying material supply mechanism includes a hydraulic pump, a water distributor, and a paint storage tank located inside the vehicle body. The hydraulic pump is connected to the nozzle and the water distributor, and the paint storage tank consists of a primer storage tank, an intermediate paint storage tank, and a topcoat storage tank. Each storage tank is connected to the water distributor through a paint delivery pipe, and each paint delivery pipe is equipped with a solenoid valve.

[0013] Preferably, the passive flexible mechanism includes a frame, a swing arm hinged to the frame, and a reset unit connected to both the frame and the swing arm. The swing arm is movably connected to the corresponding travel wheel via a steering knuckle.

[0014] Preferably, the walking drive mechanism includes a differential unit mounted on the vehicle frame, a second motor connected to the differential unit, and a steer-by-wire unit mounted on the vehicle frame. The differential unit is located at the rear end of the vehicle body, and the steer-by-wire unit is located at the front end of the vehicle body.

[0015] Preferably, ultrasonic sensors are provided on the front, rear, left, and right end faces of the vehicle body.

[0016] Preferably, a magnetic suction wind turbine tower outer wall defect integrated wall climbing robot also includes a handheld terminal and a control board, magnetic control module, robotic arm controller, grinding and spraying controller, image computing and processing module and vehicle motion controller integrated in the vehicle body. The control board is communicatively connected to the handheld terminal and is used to receive the instruction signal from the handheld terminal and assign control instructions.

[0017] Preferably, a method for operating a wall-climbing robot for integrated treatment of defects on the outer wall of a magnetically attached wind turbine tower includes the following steps:

[0018] Step 1: The wall-climbing robot is manually placed on the curved wall of the tower. Through the cooperation of the magnetic adsorption module and the passive flexible mechanism, the wall-climbing robot can be stably adsorbed on the curved wall of the tower.

[0019] Step 2: Establish a communication connection between the handheld terminal and the wall-climbing robot terminal through the wireless communication network. Use the handheld terminal to control the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm to move the defect handling mechanism closer to the tower wall and control the dustproof component to switch to the second working position, so that the defect handling mechanism switches to the detection mode.

[0020] The wall-climbing robot is controlled by a handheld device to move along the tower wall. The visual camera automatically captures images of the tower wall and uses an AI visual detection algorithm to automatically select defects. The images are then transmitted back to the handheld device in real time for the operator to view. Finally, the operator zooms in on the defect images to verify them and determines the maintenance task.

[0021] Step 3: Use the handheld terminal to control the dustproof component to switch to the first working position and switch the defect handling mechanism to the grinding mode to ensure that the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm drives the rotating grinding head to move accurately to the defect area. Use the end-effector six-dimensional force sensor to sense the contact force in real time to maintain constant grinding pressure.

[0022] Step 4: After grinding is completed, the handheld control dustproof component is switched to the second working position, and the defect handling mechanism is restored to the detection mode to confirm the grinding effect, ensuring that the defect area is clean, flat and free of residual rust.

[0023] If the defective area is not processed satisfactorily, return to step three and repeat; if the processing is satisfactory, proceed to the following steps.

[0024] Step 5: Use the handheld device to control the dustproof component to switch to the first working position and switch the defect handling mechanism to the spraying mode. Ensure that the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm drives the nozzle to move precisely to the defect area. In conjunction with the conveying work of the spraying material supply mechanism, complete the three-layer spraying operation of primer, intermediate coat and topcoat in sequence.

[0025] During the spraying process, the spraying angle is adjusted in real time based on the tower surface curvature data collected in real time by the laser profile sensor at the end of the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm to ensure uniform coating.

[0026] Step 6: After the spraying is completed, the handheld control dustproof component is switched to the second working position, so that the defect handling mechanism is switched to the detection mode to confirm the spraying effect and ensure that the coating thickness in the defect area meets the standard and there is no missed spraying or accumulation.

[0027] Step 7: After the defective area is repaired, the operator controls the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm to return to the detection mode position of Step 2, and repeats Steps 2 to 6 until the entire tower wall is inspected and repaired, and then retrieves the climbing robot.

[0028] Preferably, in step one, the wall-climbing robot adheres to the curved wall of the tower through the synergistic effect of the fixed magnetic array unit and the variable-pitch magnetic array unit of the magnetic adsorption module.

[0029] When the wall-climbing robot needs to move quickly on the tower wall, the operator controls the electric push rod through the handheld end to move the back iron plate of the variable pitch magnetic array unit, so that the magnetic adsorption module and the tower wall form a low adsorption force state, reducing the walking resistance.

[0030] When the wall-climbing robot needs to perform defect handling operations, the operator controls the electric push rod through the handheld end to move the back iron plate of the variable-pitch magnetic array unit, so that the magnetic adsorption module and the tower wall surface form a high adsorption force state, ensuring the stability of the operation.

[0031] By adopting the above technical solution, the beneficial effects achieved by the present invention are as follows:

[0032] This invention innovatively employs a composite structure of Halbach array, multi-dimensional magnetic unit, and conical pole shoe: the Halbach array, magnetized by a 90° gradient, significantly enhances the magnetic induction intensity on the adsorption side by utilizing the magnetic field superposition effect, resulting in a 50% increase in adsorption force compared to ordinary unidirectional magnetized arrays; combined with a fan-shaped magnetic unit adapted to the curved surface of the tower and a conical pole shoe with better magnetic focusing effect, it enables stable movement of heavy-duty modules such as grinding and spraying, while avoiding the problem of insufficient robot flexibility caused by traditional weight-added adsorption designs, ensuring the smooth operation of the robot.

[0033] This invention is based on a 6-axis flexible robotic arm, integrating an integrated repair module for detection, grinding, and spraying at the end effector. This design significantly improves the integration of the mechanism, eliminating the need for frequent movement of the robot body to adjust the working position. It solves the problems of cumbersome and time-consuming processes in traditional split layouts, and avoids the risk of falling due to airflow interference and unstable adsorption during high-altitude movement of the equipment. At the same time, the integrated and compact layout eliminates the additional structures required for module switching in traditional equipment, effectively reducing the overall load and solving the problem of insufficient maneuverability caused by heavy loads in traditional equipment. This significantly improves the safety and reliability of high-altitude operations at sea.

[0034] This invention employs a resetting unit consisting of a hinged connection and a reset spring, which forms a passive flexible structure to solve the problem of reliable contact between the arc surface of the wind turbine tower and the robot's wheels, ensuring stable robot operation. Furthermore, the design of the passive flexible structure enables adaptive deflection within a range of ±5°, ensuring reliable contact between the four wheels and the variable curvature surface of the tower, thereby guaranteeing stable robot movement on the variable curvature wall. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a bottom-view three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the bottom view portion of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the top portion of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 5 This is a top view of the planar structure of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the electric actuator structure of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Enlarged structural diagram at point A in the middle.

[0042] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the defect handling mechanism of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 9 This is a first-view schematic diagram of the passive flexible mechanism of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 10 This is a second-view schematic diagram of the passive flexible mechanism of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the functional framework of the robot end and the handheld end of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the mechanical performance analysis of the passive flexible structure of the present invention, wherein a represents stress analysis, b represents deformation analysis, and c represents displacement analysis.

[0047] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the constant pressure grinding control algorithm framework of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the real-time framework of the deep learning algorithm of the present invention.

[0049] In the diagram: 100, vehicle body; 110, six-DOF robotic arm; 120, ultrasonic sensor; 200, defect handling mechanism; 210, outer shell; 220, nozzle; 230, grinding head; 240, vision camera; 250, first motor; 260, dustproof component; 300, passive flexible mechanism; 310, vehicle frame; 320, swing arm; 330, reset unit; 340, steering knuckle; 400, walking drive mechanism; 410, differential unit; 420. Second motor; 430. Drive-by-wire steering unit; 500. Traveling wheel; 600. Spray coating feeding mechanism; 610. Hydraulic pump; 620. Water distributor; 630. Paint storage tank; 640. Solenoid valve; 700. Magnetic adsorption module; 710. Fixed magnetic array unit; 720. Variable pitch magnetic array unit; 730. Single permanent magnet; 740. Conical pole shoe; 750. Back plate; 760. Magnet fixing bracket; 770. Electric push rod; 780. Universal ball. Detailed Implementation

[0050] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention, the present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in these embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0051] Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways than those described herein, and therefore the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed in the following specification. Example

[0052] like Figures 1-10As shown, this invention provides a magnetically attached wind turbine tower outer wall defect integrated wall-climbing robot, including a vehicle shell 100. Ultrasonic sensors 120 are installed on the front, rear, left, and right end faces of the vehicle shell 100. A defect handling mechanism 200 is connected to the top of the vehicle shell 100 via a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 110. A magnetic adsorption module 700 is installed at the bottom of the vehicle shell 100, allowing the vehicle shell 100 to magnetically adhere to the tower wall. A passive flexible mechanism 300 and a walking drive mechanism 400 are fixedly mounted on the vehicle shell 100. The walking drive mechanism 400 uses a two-stage planetary reducer and a DC servo motor, combined with an adaptive differential to eliminate wheel speed differences during steering and prevent sideslip. Specifically, the walking drive mechanism 400 includes components mounted on a frame 310. The differential unit 410, the second motor 420 connected to the differential unit 410, and the wire-controlled steering unit 430 mounted on the frame 310 are all included. The differential unit 410 is located at the rear end of the vehicle body 100, and the wire-controlled steering unit 430 is located at the front end of the vehicle body 100. The passive flexible mechanism 300 and the walking drive mechanism 400 are connected together to the walking wheels 500 for wall walking. Based on the passive flexible mechanism 300 and the walking drive mechanism 400, when the wall-climbing robot is working on the cylinder wall, the maximum tilt angle it can adapt to is about 32° when the robot is operating at the maximum tilt angle. The walking wheels 500 are made of high-damping rubber material, and their wheel surfaces are provided with arc-shaped anti-slip patterns to ensure reliable contact with the variable curvature surface of the tower. The interior of the vehicle body 100 is provided with a spraying and feeding mechanism 600.

[0053] In summary, the wall-climbing robot proposed in this solution adopts a modular, highly integrated design, supporting rapid on-site disassembly and assembly, ensuring convenient transportation of the robot body in practical applications. This wall-climbing robot can be horizontally extended to intelligent operation and maintenance scenarios for large-scale high-altitude / curved surface equipment such as onshore wind power, oil and gas storage tanks, bridge steel structures, and ship outer plating, achieving cross-scenario technology reuse. The frame of each module of the wall-climbing robot body is made of weathering steel Q355NH (with a 120μm fluorinated polyurethane anti-corrosion coating). The control cabin, composed of the robot's shell 100, is designed with upper and lower compartments. The lower compartment houses the power supply module and electric push rod 770, while the upper compartment houses core precision electrical equipment such as the STM32H743 main control chip, wind speed sensor, attitude gyroscope, adsorption force control module, robotic arm controller, and edge AI recognition and computing controller, enabling coordinated control of walking, adsorption, and function execution, while also possessing fault self-diagnosis capabilities. Furthermore, the control cabin uses ceramic sealing rings and pressure balance valves to construct an IP68-level waterproof and breathable structure.

[0054] like Figure 11As shown, this wall-climbing robot also includes a handheld end and a control board, magnetic control module, robotic arm controller, grinding and spraying controller, image processing module, and vehicle motion controller integrated within the vehicle body 100. The control system integrated within the vehicle body 100 and the mechanical structure of the wall-climbing robot constitute the robot end. The control board in the robot end is communicatively connected to the handheld end, used to receive command signals from the handheld end and distribute control commands to the various functional control systems. In this diagram, magnet group 1 is the fixed magnetic array unit 710, and magnet group 2 is the variable-pitch magnetic array unit 720.

[0055] The handheld terminal serves as the central hub for human-machine interaction and control. It utilizes SolidWorks and Unity3D to build a virtual prototype, with the RK3386 chip as the hardware core and HarmonyOS as the software platform. At the hardware level, it possesses real-time multi-tasking capabilities, while at the software level, a visual interactive interface has been developed. Operators can send control commands for walking, grinding, and spraying via touch or buttons (command transmission latency ≤100ms). Furthermore, the handheld terminal interface can display in real-time defect recognition images, grinding effect images, and spraying effect images transmitted from the robot, enabling visual observation and precise control of the operation process. Simultaneously, it synchronizes key data such as robot position, magnetic attraction force, and defect parameters. In addition, the handheld terminal features task preset, operation log storage, and data export functions, ensuring accurate robot response to control commands and providing comprehensive data support for operation and maintenance management, achieving efficient collaboration between the handheld terminal and the robot.

[0056] The handheld terminal features real-time control, data visualization, and virtual simulation capabilities. The virtual prototype's UI adopts a "zonal layout"—the left side is the control area, featuring a physical emergency stop button and touch-sensitive directional keys (forward / backward / turn), supporting customized parameters such as sanding pressure and spraying speed; the right side is the mode switching area, allowing one-click switching between "inspection mode," "sanding mode," and "spraying mode," with a switching response time ≤50ms. Commands are transmitted to the robot via a point-to-point image-to-data transmission module, and the virtual prototype has a built-in command verification algorithm to ensure that control commands are not lost or repeated.

[0057] The robot's 3D model and tower virtual scene are built using Unity3D, and robot-side data is synchronized in real time. The current position is marked on the virtual model, including tower height, circumferential angle, accuracy, magnetic attraction force (in N), and battery power (percentage). Real-time images transmitted from the vision inspection module are displayed below the touch screen, automatically selecting defect areas (marked with type, area, and corrosion level), and supporting image zooming and screenshot storage. At the same time, the changes in grinding pressure and coating thickness over 10 minutes are displayed in real time as a line graph, making it easy for operators to monitor the quality of the operation.

[0058] The virtual prototype has a built-in model of a typical offshore wind farm tower and supports preset maintenance tasks. Operators can simulate robot path planning, defect detection and repair processes in a virtual scene, and compare the deviation between simulation data and actual operation data. It also supports fault simulation to help operators become familiar with emergency handling procedures and reduce the risks of actual operations. The virtual prototype can also store historical operation data and supports export in Excel format for maintenance file organization and data analysis.

[0059] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the magnetic adsorption module 700 has two fixed magnetic array units 710 and one variable-pitch magnetic array unit 720. The two fixed magnetic array units 710 are symmetrically arranged at the front and rear ends of the bottom of the vehicle body 100. The variable-pitch magnetic array unit 720 is located between the two fixed magnetic array units 710 and is distributed in a rectangular array in the middle area of ​​the bottom of the vehicle body 100. The variable-pitch magnetic array unit 720 can be designed as a fan-shaped magnetic unit to fit the curved surface of the tower. The variable-pitch magnetic array unit 720 has a first working position and a second working position. When the variable-pitch magnetic array unit 720 is in the first working position, the vehicle body 100 and the tower wall form a high adsorption force state. When the variable-pitch magnetic array unit 720 is in the second working position, the vehicle body 100 and the tower wall form a low adsorption force state.

[0060] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, specifically, the magnetic adsorption module 700 includes 32 individual permanent magnets 730, 32 conical pole shoes 740, and three back iron plates 750. Each individual permanent magnet 730 measures 50×40×15mm and is made of N52 neodymium iron boron. Each conical pole shoe 740 is attached to the side of the corresponding individual permanent magnet 730 facing the tower wall, and the back iron plates 750 are located on the side of the individual permanent magnet 730 away from the tower wall. The 32 individual permanent magnets 730 are grouped in sets of four, according to Halbach... The arrays are arranged in a regular pattern, forming six groups of Halbach magnetic arrays. Two of these Halbach magnetic arrays are respectively fitted with their corresponding conical pole shoes 740 and a back plate 750, each forming a fixed magnetic array unit 710. The remaining four Halbach magnetic arrays each have a single permanent magnet 730 at both ends. These four Halbach magnetic arrays, along with their end-mounted permanent magnets 730, their corresponding conical pole shoes 740, and a back plate 750, are integrally fitted to form a variable-pitch magnetic array unit 720. Both the fixed magnetic array unit 710 and the variable-pitch magnetic array unit 720 have magnet holders 760 on their outer sides to restrict the conical pole shoes 740. Each single permanent magnet 730 has a magnet holder 760 on its outer side relative to its corresponding conical pole shoe 740.

[0061] Specifically, the magnetic adsorption module 700 optimizes the magnetization direction and layout design, arranging adjacent permanent magnets of the Halbach magnetic array in a rotational gradient at a specific angle. Utilizing the magnetic field superposition effect, the magnetic field strength on the adsorption side is significantly enhanced, while the magnetic field on the back side is greatly weakened due to mutual cancellation, forming a strong magnetic field characteristic on one side. This design reduces back-side leakage magnetic loss, concentrating magnetic energy on the adsorption surface. Compared to traditional unidirectional magnetized arrays, the adsorption force is significantly improved under the same mass conditions, fundamentally improving magnetic utilization efficiency.

[0062] Furthermore, the magnetic adsorption module 700 adopts a pole shoe design, further concentrating magnetic force and increasing the magnet's attraction. The back iron plate 750 is made of pure iron, which greatly concentrates the magnetic circuit, increasing the magnet array's adsorption force. Additionally, the magnetic adsorption module 700 is designed with a 0.5~1mm air gap between magnets, filled with non-magnetic material, which reduces magnetic field interference between adjacent magnets and ensures the overall magnetic field stability of the array.

[0063] As a further step, the Halbach array magnet uses phosphating / Teflon composite coated neodymium iron boron (resistant to salt spray for more than 400 hours). The magnetization direction (0°→90°→180°→270° cycle) and spacing of the magnet are optimized by finite element method to achieve a magnetic induction intensity of ≥0.8T on the adsorption surface, an adsorption force / mass ratio of ≥8, and a 50% wind load redundancy (capable of resisting the lateral thrust of strong winds of 25m / s).

[0064] The basic magnet performance parameters are:

[0065] N52 neodymium iron boron magnetic energy product: approximately 50 MGOe;

[0066] The volume of the magnet is 5 × 4 × 1.5 = 30 cm³.

[0067] Theoretical maximum magnetic energy: approximately 1.5 kJ / m³.

[0068] As a further step, the magnetic adsorption module 700 also includes a magnetic adsorption monitoring sensor (accuracy ±1%) for real-time monitoring of magnetic adsorption force data, an electric push rod 770 for switching the variable-pitch magnetic array unit 720 between the first working position and the second working position, and several omnidirectional balls 780 for assisting the movement of the vehicle body 100. The magnetic adsorption monitoring sensor and the electric push rod 770 are both located inside the vehicle body 100, and the monitoring data from the magnetic adsorption monitoring sensor is transmitted to the control module in real time. When the wall-climbing robot is moving rapidly in a low adsorption force state, if the commercial wind speed monitor embedded in the vehicle body 100 detects that the ambient wind speed exceeds 12 m / s, the control module will automatically trigger a control command to start the electric push rod 770, pushing the variable-pitch magnetic array unit 720 to adhere to the tower wall, allowing the robot to quickly switch to a high adsorption force state, significantly enhancing adsorption stability; the commercial wind speed monitor continuously monitors the wind speed of the working environment in real time, providing accurate environmental parameter support for the automatic switching of the adsorption force state.

[0069] The electric push rod 770 can be started not only in the above-mentioned automatic triggering mode, but also manually controlled by the operator through an external handheld terminal. Specifically, the operator can issue control commands to the control module through the handheld terminal according to the operation experience, real-time working condition observation or operation needs, thereby controlling the start, stop and extension of the electric push rod 770, realizing the storage or extension of the variable pitch magnetic array unit 720 (the bottom of the vehicle body 100 has a receiving cavity for accommodating the variable pitch magnetic array unit 720), flexibly switching the robot's adsorption force state to adapt to the adsorption stability and walking flexibility requirements under different working scenarios.

[0070] The output end of the electric push rod 770 is connected to the back iron plate 750 of the variable pitch magnetic array unit 720, and several universal balls 780 are located at the bottom of the vehicle body 100 and in the area of ​​the fixed magnetic array unit 710 and the variable pitch magnetic array unit 720.

[0071] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 8As shown, the defect handling mechanism 200 includes an outer housing 210 connected to the end of a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 110, and a nozzle 220, a grinding head 230, and a vision camera 240 integrated on the outer housing 210. A six-dimensional force sensor is built into the end of the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 110 to sense the mechanical characteristics of the grinding head 230 in contact with the tower wall during grinding operations in real time, thereby achieving closed-loop control of the mechanical characteristics of the grinding operation and maintaining constant pressure during the grinding process. The nozzle 220 is connected to the hydraulic pump 610 of the spraying and feeding mechanism 600 and is used to spray paint onto the tower wall. The grinding head 230 is a composite abrasive grinding head used for grinding the tower wall. The vision camera 240 uses a vision inspection head integrating a 5-megapixel industrial camera and a supplementary lighting system to detect defects on the tower wall. Furthermore, the vision camera 240 uses a mature commercial product, specifically the Hikvision MV-CE050-30UC series camera, with a resolution of 2592×1944, a maximum frame rate of ≥44fps, and a 6mm lens. The six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 110 can be a lightweight robotic arm with a 960mm arm span and a recognition distance of 600mm.

[0072] As a further step, the defect handling mechanism 200 also includes a first motor 250 for driving the grinding head 230 to rotate and a dustproof assembly 260 for shielding the vision camera 240. A nozzle 220 is located at one end of the housing 210, the grinding head 230 is located on the housing 210 and at the end away from the nozzle 220, and the vision camera 240 is located between the nozzle 220 and the grinding head 230. The dustproof assembly 260 has a first working position and a second working position. When the dustproof assembly 260 is in the first working position, the lens of the vision camera 240 is shielded; when the dustproof assembly 260 is in the second working position, the lens of the vision camera 240 is unshielded.

[0073] The defect handling mechanism 200 employs a vision camera 240 positioned between the nozzle 220 and the grinding head 230, equipped with a dustproof component 260. During wall surface operations, the dustproof component 260 effectively prevents dust or paint from contaminating the vision lens. Specifically, the dustproof component 260 includes a miniature electric cylinder and an opening / closing shield. During inspection, the miniature electric cylinder moves the shield to open it; during grinding and spraying operations, the miniature electric cylinder moves the shield back to close it.

[0074] Furthermore, in the design of the constant pressure grinding control system, a robotic arm is used as the execution subject. A six-dimensional force sensor is integrated at its end effector to construct the core sensing link. This sensor can collect three-dimensional force (X, Y, Z axes) and three-dimensional torque (Mx, My, Mz) data of the end-effector contacting the workpiece in real time and with high precision during the grinding process. The force signals are converted into electrical signals and fed back to the robotic arm controller. The controller, based on an impedance control algorithm, compares and analyzes the preset grinding pressure target value with the actual contact force value fed back by the sensor, calculates the force deviation, and then dynamically corrects the contact posture and pressure between the tool and the workpiece by adjusting the position or speed parameters of the robotic arm end effector. When the actual pressure is less than the target value, the robotic arm is controlled to feed slightly along the contact normal direction to increase the pressure; when the actual pressure is greater than the target value, the robotic arm is controlled to retreat slightly to reduce the pressure. This forms a closed loop of constant pressure grinding control, including force sensing, deviation calculation, motion adjustment, and pressure correction, ensuring that the contact pressure between the tool and the workpiece remains stable within the set range throughout the grinding process, improving the consistency of the ground surface quality. The algorithm control flow is as follows: Figure 13 As shown.

[0075] In the design of spraying repair, in view of the arc curvature characteristics of the outer surface of the tower, the spraying system is equipped with an adaptive spraying angle control algorithm: the laser contour sensor at the end of the robotic arm collects real-time curvature data of the tower surface, and the algorithm automatically adjusts the angle between the spraying head (i.e., nozzle 220) and the surface normal by solving the relationship between the curvature radius and the spraying distance, so as to avoid coating accumulation or missed spraying caused by angle deviation, achieve smooth spraying of curved surface, and meet the coating technical requirements such as anti-corrosion and wear resistance.

[0076] Combination Figure 4 As shown, the paint supply mechanism 600 includes a hydraulic pump 610, a water distributor 620, and a paint storage tank 630, all located within the vehicle body 100. The hydraulic pump 610 is connected to the nozzle 220 and the water distributor 620. The paint storage tank 630 consists of a primer storage tank, an intermediate paint storage tank, and a topcoat storage tank. Each storage tank is connected to the water distributor 620 via a paint delivery pipe, and each paint delivery pipe is equipped with a solenoid valve 640.

[0077] Specifically, the spraying material supply mechanism 600 uses three solenoid valves 640 to control the robot spraying process. Based on the coating thickness requirements of the C5 environment, and combined with the leveling and curing characteristics of commonly used anti-corrosion coatings for towers (epoxy zinc-rich primer, epoxy micaceous iron oxide intermediate paint, and polyurea topcoat), three storage tanks are used to store the corresponding paint materials respectively, and the three storage tanks share a single nozzle 220. By controlling the on / off state of the solenoid valves 640 corresponding to different storage tanks, the paint material for the current spraying operation is precisely switched, thereby realizing the three-layer spraying process of primer, intermediate paint, and topcoat required by the C5 environment.

[0078] Combination Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the passive flexible mechanism 300 includes a frame 310, a swing arm 320 hinged to the frame 310, and a reset unit 330 connected to both the frame 310 and the swing arm 320. The swing arm 320 is movably connected to the corresponding travel wheel 500 via a steering knuckle 340.

[0079] Specifically, the reset unit 330, consisting of a hinged connection and a return spring, forms a passive flexible structure, resolving the reliable contact issue between the curved surface of the wind turbine tower and the robot's wheels 500, thus ensuring stable robot operation. Furthermore, the passive flexible structure design allows for adaptive deflection within a ±5° range, ensuring reliable contact between the four wheels and the variable curvature surface of the tower, guaranteeing stable robot movement on the variable curvature wall. The wall-climbing robot also utilizes pins and quick-release mechanisms for convenient assembly and disassembly.

[0080] like Figure 9 , Figure 10 and Figure 12 As shown, to ensure the mechanical strength and stiffness of the robot under operating conditions, a multi-dimensional optimization design was implemented for the core structure: For non-critical load-bearing components such as module shells, topology optimization technology was used to remove redundant materials, and a hollow and lightweight rib structure was designed to retain effective load-bearing paths while achieving weight reduction; For critical load-bearing components such as pins and module connection flanges, dimensional optimization was carried out under the constraints of "material stress ≤ 300MPa, maximum displacement ≤ 0.1mm" to determine key parameters such as flange thickness and pin diameter, and 40CrNiMoA alloy structural steel with a yield strength ≥ 800MPa was selected as the core load-bearing component material to ensure load-bearing capacity from both material performance and structural dimensions; In addition, mechanical simulation was carried out using finite element analysis software such as ANSYS or ABAQUS to simulate the actual stress scenarios during robot operation, and stress, displacement, and deformation analyses were performed on the connection parts of each module and key components to verify whether the overall mechanical performance of the optimized structure meets the design requirements. Figure 12 In the diagram, 'a' represents stress analysis, 'b' represents deformation analysis, and 'c' represents displacement analysis. According to... Figure 12 The static, displacement, and deformation simulation results of the flexible mechanism shown demonstrate that the hinge structure designed in this scheme can ensure reliable mechanical performance of the robot body while enabling convenient assembly and disassembly.

[0081] In summary, addressing the core requirement of balancing heavy-duty adsorption and lightweight design for wall-climbing robots, this solution proposes an optimized design for an array-type single-sided strong magnetic adsorption component based on a constrained magnetic field. This design is based on a Halbach array structure and optimizes it through two dimensions: magnetic field constraint and structural adaptation. Firstly, finite element simulation is used to control the magnetization direction of the permanent magnets (90° gradient rotation) and the magnetic circuit design. Conical pole shoes (740) and an arc-shaped back iron are added to concentrate the magnetic field towards the adsorption side (tower wall), reducing back-side magnetic leakage loss and increasing the effective adsorption force per unit weight of permanent magnets. Secondly, the magnetic units are rationally distributed at the bottom to ensure complete contact with the curved surface, avoiding local magnetic field attenuation. Furthermore, the final magnetic component design weighs only 7.2 kg, significantly reducing the overall weight of the robot and improving the device's portability, operability, and energy efficiency.

[0082] To address the issues of unstable wheel contact and easy posture deviation when the robot moves on the wall of a tower with varying curvature, this solution proposes a passive flexible system design based on articulation and return springs. This allows the wall-climbing robot to automatically adjust the position of the wheel set as the curvature of the tower changes, ensuring that the four high-damping rubber wheels 500 always maintain reliable contact with the wall surface. This achieves posture stability when moving on the wall with varying curvature (vibration attenuation rate of up to 60%), while avoiding slippage caused by poor contact, providing a fundamental support for precise operation control.

[0083] The magnetic suction wind turbine tower outer wall defect integrated climbing robot proposed in this invention is based on a 6-axis flexible robotic arm and integrates an integrated repair module for detection, grinding, and spraying at the end. This design greatly improves the integration of the mechanism, shortens the single tower maintenance cycle from 3-5 days to 1 day, and improves the flexibility and accuracy of operation.

[0084] Unlike land-based wall-climbing robots that only require basic waterproofing, this invention addresses the highly corrosive C5 marine environment (salt spray concentration 5-10 times higher than on land) and strong wind vibration conditions by establishing a comprehensive protection system encompassing materials, structure, and control. In terms of materials: the magnets utilize a phosphating / Teflon composite coating (resistant to salt spray for over 400 hours), the main frame is made of Q355NH weathering steel (with a fluorinated polyurethane coating), and vulnerable parts are made of PEEK engineering plastic, resulting in a 2-3 times longer corrosion resistance life compared to traditional galvanized steel plates (resistant to salt spray for 100-200 hours). In terms of structure: the control cabin employs an IP65 negative pressure seal, and the moving joints are equipped with telescopic bellows-like protective covers to resist the intrusion of sprayed water and dust. In terms of control: through wind speed sensors and PID adaptive algorithms, the walking speed and adsorption redundancy are adjusted in real time, achieving a vibration attenuation rate of 60%, thus solving the pain points of traditional robots being prone to corrosion, slippage, and malfunction at sea. Example

[0085] This invention also provides a method for operating a wall-climbing robot for integrated treatment of defects on the outer wall of a magnetically attached wind turbine tower, comprising the following steps:

[0086] Step 1: The wall-climbing robot is manually placed on the curved wall of the tower. Through the cooperation of the magnetic adsorption module 700 and the passive flexible mechanism 300, the wall-climbing robot can be stably adsorbed on the curved wall of the tower. Specifically, the wall-climbing robot is adsorbed on the curved wall of the tower through the synergistic effect of the fixed magnetic array unit 710 and the variable pitch magnetic array unit 720 of the magnetic adsorption module 700.

[0087] Step 2: Establish a communication connection between the handheld terminal and the wall-climbing robot terminal through the wireless communication network. Use the handheld terminal to control the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 110 to move the defect handling mechanism 200 close to the tower wall and control the dustproof component 260 to switch to the second working position, so that the defect handling mechanism 200 switches to the detection mode.

[0088] The wall-climbing robot is controlled by a handheld device to move along the tower wall. The visual camera 240 automatically collects images of the tower wall and automatically selects defects through AI visual detection algorithms. The images are then transmitted back to the handheld device in real time for the operator to view. Finally, the operator zooms in on the defect images to verify them and determines the maintenance task.

[0089] When the wall-climbing robot moves along the tower wall, it can choose a low-adhesion state for rapid movement under normal conditions; and a high-adhesion state for slow and stable movement under conditions of strong winds causing vibration and shaking. Specifically, when the wall-climbing robot needs to move rapidly along the tower wall, the operator controls the electric push rod 770 via a handheld device to move the back plate 750 of the variable-pitch magnetic array unit 720, creating a low-adhesion state between the magnetic adsorption module 700 and the tower wall, reducing walking resistance. When the wall-climbing robot needs to move slowly and stably along the tower wall, the operator controls the electric push rod 770 via a handheld device to move the back plate 750 of the variable-pitch magnetic array unit 720, creating a high-adhesion state between the magnetic adsorption module 700 and the tower wall, ensuring driving stability in harsh environments. At the same time, the high-adhesion state also enables reliable wall adhesion under heavy loads, ensuring the robot's stable operation.

[0090] like Figure 14 As shown, the AI ​​visual inspection algorithm extracts features through image processing methods such as denoising and enhancement, and then uses deep learning-based target detection algorithms to build a defect detection model. This enables the localization and segmentation of defects, achieving intelligent defect detection. This significantly improves the adaptability of tower surface defect detection in complex environments (strong light, oil stains, dust, etc.), enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of detection. Specifically, the image processing method of the AI ​​visual inspection algorithm consists of four stages:

[0091] During the image acquisition phase, high-definition images are acquired through the robot's built-in camera (i.e., vision camera 240) and supplementary lighting system;

[0092] In the preprocessing stage, the dark channel prior algorithm is used to remove fog, the adaptive median filter is used to remove salt scale, and the Retinex algorithm is used to enhance contrast, thereby eliminating the interference of salt fog and dirt in the images of offshore towers.

[0093] In the defect detection stage, an improved Few-Shot R-CNN model is constructed by combining DCGAN generative data augmentation and Prototypical meta-learning to achieve defect classification (cracks / corrosion / paint peeling) and localization. Specifically, the original few samples are augmented by 3-5 times by combining basic transformations (rotation, scaling) and DCGAN generative synthesis. The pre-trained EfficientNet-B4 is used as the backbone network for feature extraction. General image features are reused by relying on transfer learning. The PrototypicalNetwork meta-learning module is embedded. Through the episodic training mechanism of "support set-query set", the model learns to quickly identify new defects with few samples. At the same time, the CBAM hybrid attention module focuses on defect features and suppresses background interference. Finally, the defect detection and segmentation stage is based on the improved Few-Shot R-CNN. Candidate regions are generated through RPN, and defect classification and localization are achieved by combining meta-learning category prototypes.

[0094] During the measurement and positioning phase, the segmentation mask is optimized using CRF to extract the defect skeleton line, calculate its length, and convert the area to pixel count. Simultaneously, the tower coordinates are correlated to achieve position calibration. Specifically, a few-sample mask generator and CRF optimization output pixel-level segmentation results. The post-processing module extracts the skeleton line from the segmentation mask, calculates the defect length with an accuracy controlled within 2mm, converts the area to pixel count, and removes duplicate detection boxes. Finally, the system is integrated and packaged into a software system that supports real-time reception of robot camera data, visualization of defect location / type / size, and export of a quantitative report correlated with the tower position.

[0095] Therefore, the image processing method proposed in this paper completely replaces traditional manual inspection, and can identify cracks as small as 0.5 mm wide, greatly improving the accuracy and efficiency of defect detection.

[0096] Step 3: Use the handheld terminal to control the dustproof component 260 to switch to the first working position and switch the defect handling mechanism 200 to the grinding mode. Ensure that the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 110 drives the rotating grinding head 230 to move accurately to the defect area. Use the end-effector six-dimensional force sensor to sense the contact force in real time to maintain constant grinding pressure. The rotation of the grinding head 230 is driven by the operation of the first motor 250.

[0097] When the wall-climbing robot is performing defect handling operations, the operator controls the electric push rod 770 through the handheld end to move the back iron plate 750 of the variable pitch magnetic array unit 720, so that the magnetic adsorption module 700 and the tower wall surface form a high adsorption force state, ensuring the stability of the operation.

[0098] Step 4: After polishing is completed, the handheld control dustproof component 260 is switched to the second working position, and the defect handling mechanism 200 is restored to the detection mode to confirm the polishing effect, ensuring that the defect area is clean, flat and free of residual rust.

[0099] If the defective area is not processed satisfactorily, return to step three and repeat; if the processing is satisfactory, proceed to the following steps.

[0100] Step 5: Use the handheld device to control the dustproof component 260 to switch to the first working position and switch the defect handling mechanism 200 to the spraying mode. Ensure that the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 110 drives the nozzle 220 to move accurately to the defect area. In conjunction with the conveying work of the spraying material supply mechanism 600, the three-layer spraying operation of primer, intermediate paint and topcoat is completed in sequence.

[0101] During the spraying process, the spraying angle is adjusted in real time based on the tower surface curvature data collected in real time by the laser profile sensor at the end of the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 110 to ensure uniform coating.

[0102] Regarding the verification of spraying process parameters for the sprayed areas: According to the spraying technology requirements, the repair during the spraying period must meet the C5 environmental corrosion protection standard, wherein the dry film thickness of the primer, intermediate coat, and topcoat shall not be less than 60um, 140um, and 60um, respectively; the damaged area spraying repair module adopts the air spraying process, and the spraying flow rate shall not be less than 1 liter / hour (i.e., 0.0167L / min), which belongs to the extremely low flow rate spraying process.

[0103] This embodiment illustrates the spraying step as follows: a 15° fan-shaped nozzle 220 is selected, and the distance between the nozzle 220 and the tower wall is set to 0.2m; parameter verification is performed based on the following formula:

[0104] The formula for calculating the width of the sprayed fan is: W=2×L×tan(θ / 2), where θ is the nozzle angle, i.e., 15°, and L is the spraying distance, i.e., 0.2m;

[0105] Substituting the values, we get: W = 2 × 0.2 × tan(7.5°) ≈ 0.4 × 0.1317 ≈ 0.0527 m;

[0106] Coating thickness formula: δ=(Q×η) / (v×W), where δ is the target dry film thickness of the coating (μm), Q is the paint volume flow rate (0.0167L / min), η is the paint utilization rate (the industry default is 0.6, i.e. 60%, for an unobstructed and flat surface), v is the spray head moving speed (m / min), and W is the spray fan width (0.0527m, determined by the nozzle angle and spray distance).

[0107] The moving speed is derived by transforming the formula: v = (Q × η) / (δ × W); the corresponding moving speeds are shown in Table 1.

[0108] Table 1

[0109]

[0110] Therefore, based on the above calculations, it can be seen that when δ=60μm, the maximum moving speed v≈3.2m / min (approximately 0.05m / s); when δ=140μm, the maximum moving speed v≈1.4m / min; and when δ=60μm, the maximum moving speed v≈3.2m / min. Based on this, in this embodiment, when using the robotic arm, the maximum moving speed of the robotic arm end can reach 2m / s, which is much higher than the maximum moving speed required by the above calculations, and can fully meet the spraying process requirements of various coating thicknesses under C5 environment.

[0111] Regarding the principle behind the robotic arm's maximum end-effector speed of 2m / s: The functional execution module is equipped with a 6-DOF flexible robotic arm with a reach of 960mm. It adopts a lightweight design (the core load-bearing components are made of 40CrNiMoA alloy structural steel, and non-critical components are optimized for weight reduction). Through the collaboration between the robotic arm controller and the STM32H743 main control chip, precise motion trajectory planning is achieved, reducing the time loss during acceleration and deceleration, and ensuring that the maximum end-effector speed can reach 2m / s.

[0112] Step 6: After the spraying is completed, the handheld control dustproof component 260 is switched to the second working position, and the defect handling mechanism 200 is switched to the detection mode to confirm the spraying effect, ensuring that the coating thickness in the defect area meets the standard and there is no missed spraying or accumulation.

[0113] Step 7: After the defective area is completed, the operator controls the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 110 to return to the detection mode position of Step 2, and repeats Steps 2 to 6 until the entire tower wall is inspected and repaired, and then retrieves the climbing robot.

[0114] In this invention, the term "a plurality of" refers to two or more unless otherwise expressly defined. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The terms "installed," "connected," "linked," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connected" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; "linked" can be a direct connection or an indirect connection via an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0115] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "assembled on," "mounted on," "fixed to," or "set on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intermediate component. When a component is considered to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intermediate component present. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0116] In the description of this specification, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "specific embodiment," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0117] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A magnetic suction-type wall-climbing robot for integrated processing of defects on the outer wall of a wind turbine tower, characterized in that, The system includes a vehicle body, the top of which is connected to a defect handling mechanism via a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, the bottom of which is equipped with a magnetic adsorption module, and the vehicle body forms a magnetic adsorption fit with the tower wall via the magnetic adsorption module. A passive flexible mechanism and a walking drive mechanism are fixedly installed on the vehicle body, and the passive flexible mechanism and the walking drive mechanism are connected together to a walking wheel for walking on the wall. A spraying material supply mechanism is installed inside the vehicle body. The magnetic adsorption module has two fixed magnetic array units and one variable-pitch magnetic array unit. The two fixed magnetic array units are symmetrically arranged at the front and rear ends of the bottom of the vehicle body. The variable-pitch magnetic array unit is located between the two fixed magnetic array units and is distributed in a rectangular array in the middle area of ​​the bottom of the vehicle body. The variable-pitch magnetic array unit has a first working position and a second working position. When the variable-pitch magnetic array unit is in the first working position, the vehicle body and the tower wall form a high adsorption force state. When the variable-pitch magnetic array unit is in the second working position, the vehicle body and the tower wall form a low adsorption force state. The defect handling mechanism includes an outer shell connected to the end of a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm and a nozzle, a grinding head, and a vision camera integrated on the outer shell. The nozzle is connected to a spraying and feeding mechanism and is used to spray paint material onto the tower wall. The grinding head is used to grind the tower wall and the vision camera is used to detect defects on the tower wall. The magnetic adsorption module includes 32 individual permanent magnets, 32 conical pole shoes, and three back iron plates. Each conical pole shoe is attached to the side of the corresponding individual permanent magnet facing the tower wall, and the back iron plate is located on the side of the individual permanent magnet away from the tower wall. The 32 individual permanent magnets are arranged in groups of four according to the Halbach array pattern, forming six Halbach magnetic arrays. Two Halbach magnetic arrays are respectively equipped with their corresponding conical pole shoes and a back iron plate to form a fixed magnetic array unit. The remaining four Halbach magnetic arrays have individual permanent magnets at both ends. These four Halbach magnetic arrays, together with their end individual permanent magnets, their corresponding conical pole shoes, and a back iron plate, are assembled to form a variable-pitch magnetic array unit.

2. The wall-climbing robot for integrated treatment of defects on the outer wall of a magnetically attached wind turbine tower according to claim 1, characterized in that, The magnetic adsorption module also includes a magnetic adsorption monitoring sensor for real-time monitoring of magnetic adsorption force data, an electric push rod for switching the variable-pitch magnetic array unit between a first working position and a second working position, and several omnidirectional balls for assisting the vehicle body to move. The magnetic adsorption monitoring sensor and the electric push rod are both located inside the vehicle body. The output end of the electric push rod is connected to the back iron plate of the variable-pitch magnetic array unit, and the several omnidirectional balls are all located at the bottom of the vehicle body and in the area of ​​the fixed magnetic array unit and the variable-pitch magnetic array unit.

3. The wall-climbing robot for integrated treatment of defects on the outer wall of a magnetically attached wind turbine tower according to claim 1, characterized in that, The defect handling mechanism also includes a first motor for driving the grinding head to rotate and a dustproof assembly for shielding the vision camera. The nozzle is located at one end of the housing, the grinding head is located at the end of the housing away from the nozzle, and the vision camera is located between the nozzle and the grinding head. The dustproof assembly has a first working position and a second working position. When the dustproof assembly is in the first working position, the lens of the vision camera is shielded. When the dustproof assembly is in the second working position, the lens of the vision camera is unshielded.

4. The wall-climbing robot for integrated treatment of defects on the outer wall of a magnetically attached wind turbine tower according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spraying material supply mechanism includes a hydraulic pump, a water distributor, and a paint storage tank located inside the vehicle body. The hydraulic pump is connected to the nozzle and the water distributor. The paint storage tank consists of a primer storage tank, an intermediate paint storage tank, and a topcoat storage tank. Each storage tank is connected to the water distributor through a paint delivery pipe, and each paint delivery pipe is equipped with a solenoid valve.

5. The wall-climbing robot for integrated treatment of defects on the outer wall of a magnetically attached wind turbine tower according to claim 1, characterized in that, The passive flexible mechanism includes a frame, a swing arm hinged to the frame, and a reset unit connected to both the frame and the swing arm. The swing arm is movably connected to the corresponding travel wheel via a steering knuckle.

6. The wall-climbing robot for integrated treatment of defects on the outer wall of a magnetically attached wind turbine tower according to claim 5, characterized in that, The driving mechanism includes a differential unit mounted on the vehicle frame, a second motor connected to the differential unit, and a steer-by-wire unit mounted on the vehicle frame. The differential unit is located at the rear end of the vehicle body, and the steer-by-wire unit is located at the front end of the vehicle body.

7. The wall-climbing robot for integrated treatment of defects on the outer wall of a magnetically attached wind turbine tower according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a handheld terminal and a control board, magnetic control module, robotic arm controller, grinding and spraying controller, image computing and processing module and vehicle motion controller integrated into the vehicle body. The control board is communicatively connected to the handheld terminal and is used to receive command signals from the handheld terminal and assign control commands.

8. A method for using a wall-climbing robot for integrated treatment of defects on the outer wall of a magnetically attached wind turbine tower as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: The wall-climbing robot is manually placed on the curved wall of the tower. Through the cooperation of the magnetic adsorption module and the passive flexible mechanism, the wall-climbing robot can be stably adsorbed on the curved wall of the tower. Step 2: Establish a communication connection between the handheld terminal and the wall-climbing robot terminal through the wireless communication network. Use the handheld terminal to control the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm to move the defect handling mechanism closer to the tower wall and control the dustproof component to switch to the second working position, so that the defect handling mechanism switches to the detection mode. The wall-climbing robot is controlled by a handheld device to move along the tower wall. The visual camera automatically captures images of the tower wall and uses an AI visual detection algorithm to automatically select defects. The images are then transmitted back to the handheld device in real time for the operator to view. Finally, the operator zooms in on the defect images to verify them and determines the maintenance task. Step 3: Use the handheld terminal to control the dustproof component to switch to the first working position and switch the defect handling mechanism to the grinding mode to ensure that the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm drives the rotating grinding head to move accurately to the defect area. Use the end-effector six-dimensional force sensor to sense the contact force in real time to maintain constant grinding pressure. Step 4: After grinding is completed, the handheld control dustproof component is switched to the second working position, and the defect handling mechanism is restored to the detection mode to confirm the grinding effect, ensuring that the defect area is clean, flat and free of residual rust. If the defective area is not processed satisfactorily, return to step three and repeat; if the processing is satisfactory, proceed to the following steps. Step 5: Use the handheld device to control the dustproof component to switch to the first working position and switch the defect handling mechanism to the spraying mode. Ensure that the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm drives the nozzle to move precisely to the defect area. In conjunction with the conveying work of the spraying material supply mechanism, complete the three-layer spraying operation of primer, intermediate coat and topcoat in sequence. During the spraying process, the spraying angle is adjusted in real time based on the tower surface curvature data collected in real time by the laser profile sensor at the end of the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm to ensure uniform coating. Step 6: After the spraying is completed, the handheld control dustproof component is switched to the second working position, so that the defect handling mechanism is switched to the detection mode to confirm the spraying effect and ensure that the coating thickness in the defect area meets the standard and there is no missed spraying or accumulation. Step 7: After the defective area is repaired, the operator controls the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm to return to the detection mode position of Step 2, and repeats Steps 2 to 6 until the entire tower wall is inspected and repaired, and then retrieves the climbing robot.

9. The operating method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The wall-climbing robot adheres to the curved wall of the tower through the synergistic effect of the fixed magnetic array unit and the variable-pitch magnetic array unit of the magnetic adsorption module. When the wall-climbing robot needs to move quickly on the tower wall, the operator controls the electric push rod through the handheld end to move the back iron plate of the variable pitch magnetic array unit, so that the magnetic adsorption module and the tower wall form a low adsorption force state, reducing the walking resistance. When the wall-climbing robot needs to perform defect handling operations, the operator controls the electric push rod through the handheld end to move the back iron plate of the variable-pitch magnetic array unit, so that the magnetic adsorption module and the tower wall surface form a high adsorption force state, ensuring the stability of the operation.

Images