Boiler special-shaped pipe thickness measuring device and method based on flexible guiding and magnetic attraction positioning

Abstract

The invention provides a boiler special-shaped pipe thickness measuring device and method based on flexible guiding and magnetic attraction positioning, the device comprises a flexible guiding mechanism, a hinge connecting mechanism and an ultrasonic probe assembly, the flexible guiding mechanism comprises an electromagnetic assembly and a deformable guiding piece, the electromagnetic assembly is used for driving the deformable guiding piece to stretch and bend, and the hinge connecting mechanism is used for connecting the flexible guiding mechanism with the deformable guiding piece; the hinge connecting mechanism is provided with a fixed end and a movable end, the fixed end of the hinge connecting mechanism is fixedly connected with the first end of the deformable guide part, the ultrasonic probe assembly comprises a probe connecting seat, an ultrasonic wafer and a magnet array, and the probe connecting seat is fixedly connected with the movable end of the hinge connecting mechanism; the ultrasonic wafer and the magnet array are both arranged on the side, back to the hinge connecting mechanism, of the probe connecting base, and the magnet array is used for being attracted to the wall of a to-be-detected pipe. Through cooperation of the flexible guide mechanism, the hinge connection mechanism and the ultrasonic probe assembly, full-coverage thickness measurement of a spiral finned tube arc-shaped gap, an H-shaped finned tube rectangular narrow slit and a tube row deep area of a boiler can be realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present invention belong to the field of boiler testing technology, specifically relating to a boiler irregular tube thickness measuring device and method based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning. Background Technology

[0002] Finned tubes, as a highly efficient heat transfer element, significantly improve heat exchange efficiency by increasing surface area. Their core applications cover industrial sectors such as energy, chemical, and construction. In power plant systems, finned tubes are mainly used in key heat exchange equipment such as boiler economizers and waste heat recovery devices. Power plant economizers typically consist of multiple modules, each composed of multiple rows of finned tubes. Economizers used in large power plant boilers generally have more than eight rows of tubes, with module heights exceeding 1.5 meters. Furthermore, the fins shield the tubes, making it difficult for traditional thickness gauges to reach the depths of the finned tubes for thickness measurement.

[0003] During service, the windward side of the tube bundle (where local wear is three times the average) and the weld area at the root of the H-shaped finned tubes (where stress concentration exacerbates wear) are high-risk areas for fly ash wear. Simultaneously, economizer tubes are susceptible to sulfuric acid dew point corrosion, leading to thinning. During long-term service, deep tube banks cannot be effectively inspected due to space constraints, posing a risk of material graphitization and potentially causing sudden tube rupture. In the flue gas corridor area of ​​the boiler structure (where local flue gas velocity is high), severe wall thinning may occur, which traditional thickness gauges struggle to measure, potentially leading to missed detections over long-term service. There have already been cases of power plants experiencing non-shutdowns due to economizer leaks caused by flue gas erosion, resulting in significant economic losses.

[0004] Currently, there is not much attention paid to finned tube thickness measurement in the market, and there is a lack of a dedicated thickness measurement device suitable for boiler economizer finned tubes. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The embodiments of the present invention aim to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and provide a boiler irregular tube thickness measurement device and method based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning.

[0006] This invention provides a thickness measuring device for boiler irregular tubes based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning, comprising: A flexible guiding mechanism, comprising an electromagnetic component and a deformable guide member, wherein the electromagnetic component is used to drive the deformable guide member to extend, retract, and bend. A hinge connection mechanism having a fixed end and a movable end, wherein the fixed end of the hinge connection mechanism is fixedly connected to the first end of the deformable guide member; An ultrasonic probe assembly includes a probe connector, an ultrasonic crystal, and a magnet array. The probe connector is fixedly connected to the movable end of the hinge connection mechanism. The ultrasonic crystal and the magnet array are both located on the side of the probe connector facing away from the hinge connection mechanism. The magnet array is used to adhere to the tube wall to be tested.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present invention, the flexible guiding mechanism further includes an electromagnetic switch and an electromagnetic battery compartment, wherein the electromagnetic switch is used to control the electromagnetic battery compartment to supply power to the electromagnetic component; The electromagnetic component includes: a first electromagnetic element and a second electromagnetic element, wherein the first electromagnetic element and the second electromagnetic element are disposed opposite to each other, the first electromagnetic element and the second electromagnetic element have the same magnetic poles, and the second end of the deformable guide is connected to the second electromagnetic element.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, the deformable guide includes: A shape memory alloy skeleton, which is capable of stretching, contracting, and bending; A silicone corrugated sleeve is fitted onto the shape memory alloy skeleton.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, the hinge connection mechanism includes: A hinge connector is connected to the flexible guide mechanism, and a hemispherical mounting groove is provided on the side of the hinge connector facing away from the flexible guide mechanism. A hinge ball head is installed in the hemispherical mounting groove, the hinge ball head is hinged to the hinge connecting seat, and the hinge ball head is connected to the ultrasonic probe assembly; A drive motor is mounted on the hinge connector. A connecting rod, wherein the drive motor is connected to the connecting rod, and the drive motor drives the connecting rod to extend and retract, so that the connecting rod extends into the hemispherical mounting groove and pushes the hinge ball head to rotate.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the probe connector has an acoustic channel on the side facing away from the hinge ball head, the opening of the acoustic channel faces away from the hinge ball head, the bottom of the acoustic channel has the ultrasonic wafer, and the opening cross-sectional area of ​​the acoustic channel is smaller than the bottom cross-sectional area of ​​the acoustic channel in the direction perpendicular to the thickness of the probe connector.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the acoustic channel includes a first channel and a second channel, the second channel being connected to the end of the first channel away from the hinge ball head, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first channel gradually decreasing along the direction away from the hinge ball head, and the cross-sectional dimension of the end of the first channel away from the hinge ball head being the same as the cross-sectional dimension of the second channel.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the ultrasonic probe assembly further includes a silicone sponge and a porous ceramic ring, wherein the silicone sponge is disposed on the side of the probe connector away from the hinge connection mechanism, and the porous ceramic ring is disposed on the side of the silicone sponge away from the probe connector.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the ultrasonic probe assembly further includes a liquid reservoir and a liquid guiding hose, the liquid reservoir being disposed on the probe connector, the liquid guiding hose being connected to the liquid reservoir, and the outlet of the liquid guiding hose being in contact with the silicone sponge.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the boiler irregular tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning further includes an image acquisition component, the image acquisition component comprising: A camera is mounted on the probe connector. An LED light is mounted on the probe connector and positioned close to the camera.

[0015] Another aspect of the present invention proposes a method for measuring the thickness of boiler irregular-shaped tubes based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning. The thickness measurement is performed using the boiler irregular-shaped tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning according to any of the above embodiments. The method includes: The electromagnetic components controlling the flexible guide mechanism are energized to bring the deformable guide closer to the pipe wall under test; Control the rotation of the movable end of the hinge connection mechanism so that the ultrasonic probe assembly can be adsorbed and attached to the surface of the tube wall to be tested. The ultrasonic transducer assembly controls the ultrasonic crystal to send ultrasonic waves, and the thickness of the pipe wall to be measured is calculated based on the propagation time of the ultrasonic waves.

[0016] According to embodiments of the present invention, a boiler irregular tube thickness measurement device and method based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning allows the ultrasonic probe assembly to be moved to the vicinity of the tube wall to be measured in the boiler via a flexible guiding mechanism. This enables full-coverage thickness measurement of the arc gaps of spiral finned tubes, the rectangular narrow slits of H-shaped finned tubes, and the deep areas of the tube bank, thus improving its applicability. Simultaneously, it solves the problem of rapid and accurate thickness measurement in the deep areas of the tube bank and locations difficult for human hands to access, providing important support for boiler equipment reliability assessment. A hinged connection mechanism allows the ultrasonic probe assembly to rotate within a large range to adapt to different measurement positions of tube walls with different shapes, improving its measurement flexibility. The magnetic array of the ultrasonic probe assembly allows it to adhere to the tube wall to be measured, ensuring close contact between the ultrasonic probe assembly and the tube wall surface, thus improving the reliability of the connection between the ultrasonic probe assembly and the tube wall. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the boiler irregular tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning according to the present invention. Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the flexible guiding mechanism and the hinge connection mechanism. Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the ultrasound probe assembly and the image acquisition unit. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the front structure of the external wireless device of the boiler irregular tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning according to the present invention. Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the external wireless device shown. Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the boiler tube thickness measurement method based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning according to the present invention.

[0018] The labels in the attached diagram are as follows: 10. Flexible guiding mechanism; 11. Electromagnetic component; 111. First electromagnetic component; 112. Second electromagnetic component; 12. Deformable guide component; 121. Shape memory alloy skeleton; 122. Silicone corrugated sleeve; 13. Electromagnetic battery compartment; 14. Electromagnetic switch; 20. Hinge connection mechanism; 21. Hinge connector; 22. Hinge ball joint; 23. Drive motor; 24. Linkage rod; 25. Wireless hinge controller; 30. Ultrasonic probe assembly; 31. Probe connector; 32. Ultrasonic wafer; 321. Wafer silver paste; 33. Magnet array; 331. Pure iron magnetic sheet; 34. Acoustic channel; 341. First channel; 342. Second channel; 343. Composite coating; 35. Silicone grease sponge; 36. Porous ceramic ring; 37. Liquid reservoir; 371. Liquid guiding hose; 38. Wireless transmission module; 39. Signal processing module; 40. Image acquisition component; 41. Camera; 42. LED light; 43. Image battery compartment; 50. External wireless device; 51. Housing; 52. Receiver processing module; 53. Control module; 54. Wireless battery compartment; 55. Display screen; 56. Function area buttons; 57. Switch button; 58. Movement button; 59. Bamboo-shaped antenna; 510. Calibration test block. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. The described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the described embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0020] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a boiler tube thickness measurement device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning, including: a flexible guiding mechanism 10, a hinge connection mechanism 20, an ultrasonic probe assembly 30, and an image acquisition assembly 40. The flexible guiding mechanism 10 includes an electromagnetic component 11 and a deformable guide 12. The electromagnetic component 11 is used to drive the deformable guide 12 to extend, retract, and bend. The hinge connection mechanism 20 has a fixed end and a movable end. The fixed end of the hinge connection mechanism 20 is fixedly connected to the first end of the deformable guide 12. The ultrasonic probe assembly 30 includes a probe connecting seat 31, an ultrasonic crystal 32, and a magnet array 33. The probe connecting seat 31 is fixedly connected to the movable end of the hinge connection mechanism 20. The ultrasonic crystal 32 and the magnet array 33 are both located on the side of the probe connecting seat 31 facing away from the hinge connection mechanism 20. The magnet array 33 is used to adhere to the tube wall to be measured. The image acquisition assembly 40 is located on the probe connecting seat 31 and is used to acquire images of the tube wall to be measured.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the boiler irregular tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning can move the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 to the vicinity of the tube wall to be measured by the extension and bending function of the flexible guidance mechanism 10. This enables full coverage thickness measurement of the arc gap of the spiral finned tube, the rectangular narrow slit of the H-shaped finned tube, and the deep area of ​​the tube bank, thus improving its applicability. At the same time, it solves the problem of rapid and accurate thickness measurement in the deep area of ​​the tube bank and in locations that are difficult to reach by hand, providing important support for the reliability identification of boiler equipment. The hinge connection mechanism 20 allows the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 to rotate within a large range to adapt to different measurement positions of tube walls with different shapes, improving its measurement flexibility. The magnet array 33 of the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 can adsorb the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 onto the tube wall to be measured, thereby making the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 closely attached to the surface of the tube wall to be measured, improving the reliability of the connection between the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 and the tube wall to be measured.

[0022] In some embodiments of the present invention, the flexible guiding mechanism 10 further includes an electromagnetic switch 14 and an electromagnetic battery compartment 13. The electromagnetic switch 14 is used to control the electromagnetic battery compartment 13 to energize the electromagnetic component 11. The electromagnetic switch 14 is electrically connected to the electromagnetic battery compartment 13, and the electromagnetic battery compartment is electrically connected to the electromagnetic component 11. When the electromagnetic switch 14 is turned on, the electromagnetic battery compartment 13 energizes the electromagnetic component 11 to realize the contraction and bending of the deformable guide 12. When the electromagnetic switch 14 is turned off, the electromagnetic battery compartment 13 stops energizing the electromagnetic component 11, and the deformable guide 12 changes from a contracted state to an extended state.

[0023] In some embodiments of the present invention, the electromagnetic component 11 includes: a first electromagnetic element 111 and a second electromagnetic element 112, the first electromagnetic element 111 and the second electromagnetic element 112 are disposed opposite to each other, the first electromagnetic element 111 and the second electromagnetic element 112 have the same magnetic poles, and the second end of the deformable guide 12 is connected to the second electromagnetic element 112. When the electromagnetic switch 14 is turned on, the electromagnetic battery compartment 13 supplies power to the first electromagnetic component 111 and the second electromagnetic component 112, causing the first electromagnetic component 111 and the second electromagnetic component 112 to repel each other. When the first battery component is fixed, the second electromagnetic component 112 moves away from the first electromagnetic component 111, causing the deformable guide 12 to contract and bend, thereby driving the hinge connection mechanism 20 and the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 to move. When the electromagnetic switch 14 is turned off, the electromagnetic battery compartment 13 stops supplying power to the first electromagnetic component 111 and the second electromagnetic component 112, and the repulsive force between the first electromagnetic component 111 and the second electromagnetic component 112 disappears. When the first battery component is fixed, the second electromagnetic component 112 moves towards the first electromagnetic component 111 under the action of the deformable guide 12, and the deformable guide 12 changes from a contracted state to an extended state.

[0024] In some embodiments of the present invention, the deformable guide 12 includes a shape memory alloy skeleton 121 and a silicone corrugated sleeve 122. Both the shape memory alloy skeleton 121 and the silicone corrugated sleeve 122 are capable of extending, contracting, and bending. The silicone corrugated sleeve 122 is fitted onto the shape memory alloy skeleton 121. The end of the shape memory alloy skeleton 121 facing away from the first electromagnetic component 111 and the silicone corrugated sleeve 122 are both connected to the hinge connection mechanism 20. Specifically, the second electromagnetic component 112 is connected to the end of the shape memory alloy skeleton 121 away from the hinge connection mechanism 20, and the second electromagnetic component 112 is located inside the silicone corrugated sleeve 122. When both the first electromagnetic component 111 and the second electromagnetic component 112 are energized, the second electromagnetic component 112 drives the shape memory alloy skeleton 121 to move away from the first electromagnetic component 111, and the silicone corrugated sleeve 122 fitted on the shape memory alloy skeleton 121 retracts together with the shape memory alloy skeleton 121. When both the first electromagnetic component 111 and the second electromagnetic component 112 are de-energized, the second electromagnetic component 112 drives the shape memory alloy skeleton 121 to move towards the first electromagnetic component 111, and the silicone corrugated sleeve 122 fitted on the shape memory alloy skeleton 121 extends together with the shape memory alloy skeleton 121. Preferably, the length of the deformable guide component 12 is greater than or equal to 500 mm.

[0025] In some embodiments of the present invention, the hinge connection mechanism 20 includes: a hinge connection seat 21 and a hinge ball head 22. The hinge connection seat 21 is connected to the deformable guide member 12 of the flexible guide mechanism 10. The hinge connection seat 21 has a hemispherical mounting groove on the side facing away from the flexible guide mechanism 10. The spherical hinge ball head 22 is mounted in the hemispherical mounting groove and is hinged to the hinge connection seat 21. The hinge ball head 22 is connected to the ultrasonic probe assembly 30. Specifically, the hinge ball head 22 can be a ceramic ball head or an engineering plastic ball head, such as a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) ball head. The diameter of the hinge ball head 22 can be 4 mm, and correspondingly, the diameter of the hemispherical mounting groove is 5 mm.

[0026] Furthermore, a lubricant oil cavity of a certain thickness is added between the hinge connector 21 and the hinge ball head 22 to reduce friction, such as a 0.3mm silicone oil layer.

[0027] The hinge connection mechanism 20 includes a drive motor 23 and a connecting rod 24. The drive motor 23 is located on the hinge connection seat 21 and is connected to the connecting rod 24. The drive motor 23 drives the connecting rod 24 to extend and retract, so that the connecting rod 24 extends into the hemispherical mounting groove and pushes the hinge ball head 22 to rotate. By driving the connecting rod 24 to extend and retract, the rotation amplitude of the hinge ball head 22 is controlled, thereby driving the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 to rotate to adapt to the measurement needs of different positions.

[0028] Specifically, the drive motor 23 and the connecting rod 24 form a drive mechanism. The number of drive mechanisms can be three or more. The connecting rods 24 of the three or more drive mechanisms are spaced apart and evenly distributed along the circumference of the hinge ball head 22.

[0029] The hinge connector 21 is also equipped with a wireless hinge controller 25, which is electrically connected to the drive motor 23 to control the movement of the drive motor 23. The wireless hinge controller 25 is also connected to an external wireless device 50 to transmit the signal from the external wireless device 50 to the drive motor 23.

[0030] In some embodiments of the present invention, a groove is formed on the probe connector 31, a portion of the hinge ball head 22 matches the groove, and the hinge ball head 22 is connected to the groove of the probe connector 31.

[0031] An acoustic channel 34 is provided on the side of the probe connector 31 facing away from the hinge ball head 22. The opening of the acoustic channel 34 faces away from the hinge ball head 22, and an ultrasonic crystal 32 is provided at the bottom of the acoustic channel 34. In the direction perpendicular to the thickness of the probe connector 31, the cross-sectional area of ​​the opening of the acoustic channel 34 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the bottom of the acoustic channel 34. That is, the acoustic channel 34 is constricted along the direction away from the hinge ball head 22. The constricted acoustic channel 34 reduces the energy attenuation caused by sound beam divergence, and at the same time ensures the measurement accuracy when measuring the thickness of small-diameter pipes (the curvature of small-diameter pipes causes sound beam distortion). The probe connector 31 can be made of phosphor bronze, with an acoustic impedance between that of silicone oil and steel, forming an impedance gradient, while also possessing certain strength and corrosion resistance.

[0032] In some embodiments of the present invention, the acoustic channel 34 includes a first channel 341 and a second channel 342. The second channel 342 is connected to the end of the first channel 341 away from the hinge ball head 22. The end of the second channel 342 away from the first channel 341 is the opening of the acoustic channel 34, and the end of the first channel 341 away from the second channel 342 is the bottom of the acoustic channel 34. The ultrasonic chip 32 is attached to the end of the first channel 341 away from the second channel 342 by chip silver paste 321. The cross-sectional area of ​​the first channel 341 gradually decreases along the direction away from the hinge ball head 22. The cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the first channel 341 away from the hinge ball head 22 is the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the second channel 342, and the cross-sectional dimensions of the end of the first channel 341 away from the hinge ball head 22 are the same as the cross-sectional dimensions of the second channel 342. The first channel 341 is a tapered channel, and the second channel 342 can be a rectangular channel, a circular channel, or other polygonal channels. Preferably, the second channel 342 is a circular channel with a diameter of 8mm, that is, the cross-section of the end of the first channel 341 away from the hinge ball head 22 is circular with a diameter of 8mm.

[0033] Furthermore, the inner wall of the conical first channel 341 is provided with a composite coating 343. Along the direction away from the inner wall of the first channel 341, the composite coating 343 sequentially comprises a transition layer, a functional layer, and a surface layer. The transition layer, which can be a nickel-tungsten alloy plating, is mainly used for gradual transition of acoustic impedance. The functional layer is prepared by plasma spraying, using nano-tungsten powder and epoxy resin as the material, and is used for broadband acoustic impedance matching to solve the energy loss problem during efficient transmission of sound waves between different media. The surface layer is mainly used to achieve corrosion and wear resistance. Silicone oil is filled inside the channel as the sound transmission medium.

[0034] In some embodiments of the present invention, the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 further includes a silicone sponge 35 and a porous ceramic ring 36. The silicone sponge 35 is disposed on the side of the probe connector 31 away from the hinge connection mechanism 20, and the porous ceramic ring 36 is disposed on the side of the silicone sponge 35 away from the probe connector 31.

[0035] In some embodiments of the present invention, the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 further includes a liquid reservoir 37 and a liquid guiding hose 371. The liquid reservoir 37 is disposed inside the probe connector 31, and the liquid guiding hose 371 is connected to the liquid reservoir 37. The liquid guiding hose 371 enters the acoustic channel 34 from the probe connector 31 and extends to the opening of the acoustic channel 34. The outlet of the liquid guiding hose 371 contacts the silicone grease sponge 35 at the opening of the acoustic channel 34. The liquid reservoir 37 stores coupling agent, and the liquid guiding hose 371 delivers the coupling agent in the liquid reservoir 37 to the silicone grease sponge 35. When the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 is adsorbed onto the wall of the tube to be tested, the porous ceramic ring 36 is compressed and squeezes out the coupling agent in the silicone grease sponge 35, thereby realizing automatic release of coupling agent and solving the difficulty of manual release of coupling agent.

[0036] In some embodiments of the present invention, the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 further includes a wireless transmission module 38, a signal processing module 39, and a pure iron magnetic sheet 331. Specifically, along the direction away from the hinge ball head 22, the probe connector 31 is sequentially provided with a liquid reservoir 37, a magnet array 33, and a silicone sponge 35, with the pure iron magnetic sheet 331 located between the magnet array 33 and the silicone sponge 35. The liquid reservoir 37 is located on one side of the first channel 341, and the magnet array 33 is arranged around the second channel 342.

[0037] In some embodiments of the present invention, the boiler irregular tube thickness measurement device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning further includes an image acquisition component 40. The image acquisition component 40 is used to acquire images near the ultrasonic probe assembly 30. The image acquisition component 40 includes a camera 41 and an LED light 42. The camera 41 is mounted on the probe connector 31, and the LED light 42 is mounted on the probe connector 31, positioned close to the camera 41. The camera 41 acquires images around the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 to determine the relative position of the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 to the wall of the tube being measured, the condition of the tube wall surface, etc. The LED light 42 provides a light source for the camera 41 to acquire images, resulting in clearer images. The image acquisition component 40 also includes an image battery compartment 43, which is connected to one side of the probe connector 31. The camera 41 and the LED light 42 are connected to the image battery compartment 43. The image battery compartment 43 provides power to the camera 41 and the LED light 42.

[0038] The camera 41 is electrically connected to the signal processing module 39, and the signal processing module 39 is electrically connected to the wireless transmission module 38. The camera 41 processes the acquired image signal through the signal processing module 39, and then transmits the processed signal to the external wireless device 50 through the wireless transmission module 38 so that the staff can observe the acquired image.

[0039] The thickness of the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 is no more than 20mm, the size of a single magnet in the magnet array 33 is 4*6*2mm, the thickness of the magnetic pure iron sheet is no more than 0.3mm, the thickness between the ultrasonic crystal 32 and the end face near the hinge ball head 22 is no more than 10mm, and the image acquisition assembly 40 is integrated on the side of the ultrasonic probe assembly 30, further compressing the overall thickness, making it suitable for applications with narrow spaces between finned tubes.

[0040] The boiler tube thickness measurement device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning according to this embodiment of the invention may further include an external wireless device 50. The external wireless device 50 includes a housing 51, within which a signal receiving and processing module 52, a control module 53, and a wireless battery compartment 54 are provided. The housing 51 is equipped with a display screen 55, function area buttons 56, a switch button 57, a movement button 58, a bamboo-shaped antenna 59, and a calibration test block 510. The wireless battery compartment 54 supplies power to the signal receiving and processing module 52, the control module 53, and the display screen 55. The signal receiving and processing module 52 wirelessly transmits signals to the wireless transmission module 38. The control module 53 is electrically connected to the signal receiving and processing module 52, and transmits control signals to the wireless transmission signal via the signal receiving and processing module 52. The control module 53 is electrically connected to the function area buttons 56, the switch button 57, and the movement button 58, respectively, to transmit the action signals triggered by each button to the signal receiving and processing module 52.

[0041] like Figure 6 As shown, another aspect of the present invention proposes a method for measuring the thickness of boiler irregular-shaped tubes based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning. The thickness measurement is performed using the boiler irregular-shaped tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning according to any of the above embodiments. The method includes: The electromagnetic component 11 of the control flexible guide mechanism 10 is energized so that the deformable guide 12 approaches the pipe wall to be tested; The movable end of the hinge connection mechanism 20 is rotated so that the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 is adsorbed and attached to the surface of the tube wall to be tested. The ultrasonic transducer 30 controls the ultrasonic transducer 32 to send ultrasonic waves, and calculates the thickness of the pipe wall to be measured based on the propagation time of the ultrasonic waves.

[0042] According to the embodiment of the present invention, the boiler irregular tube thickness measurement method based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning utilizes the extension and bending functions of the flexible guidance mechanism 10 to move the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 to the vicinity of the tube wall to be measured in the boiler. This enables full-coverage thickness measurement of the arc gaps of the spiral finned tubes, the rectangular narrow slits of the H-shaped finned tubes, and the deep areas of the tube bank, thus improving its applicability. Simultaneously, it solves the problem of rapid and accurate thickness measurement in the deep areas of the tube bank and locations difficult for human hands to access, providing important support for boiler equipment reliability assessment. The hinge connection mechanism 20 allows the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 to rotate within a large range to adapt to different measurement positions of different shaped tube walls, improving its measurement flexibility. The magnet array 33 of the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 allows it to adhere to the tube wall to be measured, ensuring close contact between the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 and the tube wall surface, improving the reliability of the connection between the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 and the tube wall. The thickness of the tube wall to be measured is calculated using the propagation time of the ultrasonic waves.

[0043] Specifically, the steps of the boiler irregular tube thickness measurement method based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning include: S10: The staff activates the switch button 57 of the external wireless device 50 to calibrate the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 on the test block; S20: Staff visually determine the approximate test area; S30: The staff will insert the boiler irregular tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning into the tube bank gap, and activate the camera 41 to observe the image on the display screen 55 of the external wireless device 50 to determine the location to be measured. S40: The operator controls the extension length of the deformable guide 12 through the electromagnetic switch 14 of the flexible guide mechanism 10, and controls the rotation amplitude of the hinge probe through the drive motor 23 of the hinge connection mechanism 20. S50: The staff places the ultrasonic probe assembly 30 to the test position through the image display of the external wireless device 50. At this time, the magnet automatically attaches to the tube wall to be tested. S60: Under the attraction of magnetic force, the porous ceramic ring 36 is compressed and deformed, and the silicone grease sponge 35 is connected to the liquid storage tank 37 through the liquid guiding hose 371, further compressing the silicone grease sponge 35 wetted with coupling agent and causing the coupling agent to seep out. S70: Ultrasonic waves are focused through the first conical channel 341, pass through the second channel 342 reserved in the magnetic layer, and reach the tube wall to be tested; S80: The wall thickness of the pipe is automatically calculated based on the propagation time of the ultrasonic wave, and the result is returned to the external wireless device 50 through the wireless transmission module 38 inside the probe. S90: The staff reads the value on display screen 55 to obtain the thickness value at that location.

[0044] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary implementations used to illustrate the principles of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A boiler special-shaped tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guiding and magnetic positioning, characterized in that, include: A flexible guiding mechanism, comprising an electromagnetic component and a deformable guide member, wherein the electromagnetic component is used to drive the deformable guide member to extend, retract, and bend. A hinge connection mechanism having a fixed end and a movable end, wherein the fixed end of the hinge connection mechanism is fixedly connected to the first end of the deformable guide member; An ultrasonic probe assembly includes a probe connector, an ultrasonic crystal, and a magnet array. The probe connector is fixedly connected to the movable end of the hinge connection mechanism. The ultrasonic crystal and the magnet array are both located on the side of the probe connector facing away from the hinge connection mechanism. The magnet array is used to adhere to the tube wall to be tested.

2. The boiler irregular tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible guiding mechanism also includes an electromagnetic switch and an electromagnetic battery compartment, wherein the electromagnetic switch is used to control the electromagnetic battery compartment to supply power to the electromagnetic component; The electromagnetic component includes: a first electromagnetic element and a second electromagnetic element, wherein the first electromagnetic element and the second electromagnetic element are disposed opposite to each other, the first electromagnetic element and the second electromagnetic element have the same magnetic poles, and the second end of the deformable guide is connected to the second electromagnetic element.

3. The boiler irregular tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning according to claim 2, characterized in that, The deformable guide includes: A shape memory alloy skeleton, which is capable of stretching, contracting, and bending; A silicone corrugated sleeve is fitted onto the shape memory alloy skeleton.

4. The boiler irregular tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hinge connection mechanism includes: A hinge connector is connected to the flexible guide mechanism, and a hemispherical mounting groove is provided on the side of the hinge connector facing away from the flexible guide mechanism. A hinge ball head is installed in the hemispherical mounting groove, the hinge ball head is hinged to the hinge connecting seat, and the hinge ball head is connected to the ultrasonic probe assembly; A drive motor is mounted on the hinge connector. A connecting rod, wherein the drive motor is connected to the connecting rod, and the drive motor drives the connecting rod to extend and retract, so that the connecting rod extends into the hemispherical mounting groove and pushes the hinge ball head to rotate.

5. The boiler irregular tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning according to claim 1, characterized in that, An acoustic channel is provided on the side of the probe connector facing away from the hinge ball head. The opening of the acoustic channel faces away from the hinge ball head. The ultrasonic crystal is located at the bottom of the acoustic channel in a direction perpendicular to the thickness of the probe connector. The cross-sectional area of ​​the opening of the acoustic channel is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the bottom of the acoustic channel.

6. The boiler irregular tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning according to claim 5, characterized in that, The acoustic channel includes a first channel and a second channel. The second channel is connected to the end of the first channel away from the hinge ball head. The cross-sectional area of ​​the first channel gradually decreases along the direction away from the hinge ball head. The cross-sectional dimension of the end of the first channel away from the hinge ball head is the same as the cross-sectional dimension of the second channel.

7. The boiler irregular tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ultrasonic probe assembly also includes a silicone sponge and a porous ceramic ring. The silicone sponge is located on the side of the probe connector away from the hinge connection mechanism, and the porous ceramic ring is located on the side of the silicone sponge away from the probe connector.

8. The boiler irregular tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning according to claim 7, characterized in that, The ultrasonic probe assembly also includes a liquid reservoir and a liquid guiding hose. The liquid reservoir is located at the probe connector, the liquid guiding hose is connected to the liquid reservoir, and the outlet of the liquid guiding hose is in contact with the silicone sponge.

9. The boiler irregular tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning according to claim 1, characterized in that, The boiler tube thickness measurement device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning also includes an image acquisition component, which comprises: A camera is mounted on the probe connector. An LED light is mounted on the probe connector and positioned close to the camera.

10. A method for measuring the thickness of boiler irregularly shaped tubes based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning, wherein the thickness measurement is performed using the boiler irregularly shaped tube thickness measuring device based on flexible guidance and magnetic positioning according to claims 1 to 9, characterized in that... The method includes: The electromagnetic components controlling the flexible guide mechanism are energized to bring the deformable guide closer to the pipe wall under test; Control the rotation of the movable end of the hinge connection mechanism so that the ultrasonic probe assembly can be adsorbed and attached to the surface of the tube wall to be tested. The ultrasonic transducer assembly controls the ultrasonic crystal to send ultrasonic waves, and the thickness of the pipe wall to be measured is calculated based on the propagation time of the ultrasonic waves.

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