Wind power tower rust removal robot and rust removal method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of power maintenance equipment, and discloses a wind power tower tube rust removal robot and a rust removal method. A fixed arc-shaped track is replaced by the movable platform, a distance signal is fed back in real time through the distance measuring module, the control module drives the movable platform to dynamically adjust the position of the rust removal executing mechanism in the two-dimensional direction, the distance of the laser rust removal head is adjusted in a self-adaptive mode along with the curvature change of a tower barrel, and prefabricating of various tracks or shutdown type changing is not needed; and the universality and the field operation convenience of the equipment on tower drums with different diameters are obviously improved. And meanwhile, the pretreatment module is integrated, the attachments are subjected to blowing and drying treatment before laser rust removal, the physical state of the attachments is removed or changed, a clean surface is created for laser rust removal, it is ensured that laser energy effectively acts on a rust layer, and a rust removal blind area caused by shielding of the attachments is avoided. And the distance measuring module, the control module and the moving platform are cooperatively matched, so that the working distance is always kept within the optimal rust removal range, and thoroughness and uniformity of rust removal are guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of power maintenance equipment technology, specifically to a rust removal robot and rust removal method for wind turbine towers. Background Technology

[0002] Wind power generation, as an important component of clean energy, has experienced rapid development in my country in recent years. With the continuous growth of installed wind power capacity, the demand for operation and maintenance of wind power facilities is becoming increasingly prominent. Wind turbine towers, as the main supporting structure of wind turbine generators, are exposed to the elements for extended periods, making them susceptible to erosion from wind, sand, rain, and salt spray, leading to surface corrosion and coating aging. Since tower heights can reach tens or even hundreds of meters, rust removal and maintenance are specialized high-altitude operations. Traditional manual methods present problems such as high safety risks, low construction efficiency, and high operating costs.

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, existing technology utilizes a laser rust removal robot for wind turbine towers. This robot includes a wall-climbing robot with a horizontally positioned arc-shaped mounting plate fixed to its top via a connecting rod. A matching arc-shaped guide rail is fixed to the arc-shaped mounting plate, and a timing belt is fixed to one side of the plate. A slider slides along the arc-shaped guide rail, and a mounting plate is fixed above the slider. A drive motor is mounted on the mounting plate near the timing belt, and a timing pulley that meshes with the timing belt is mounted on the drive shaft of the drive motor below the mounting plate. A rust removal laser head is mounted on the other side of the mounting plate away from the timing belt, and a camera is fixed above the laser head. The laser head is electrically connected to a laser host module fixed to the wall-climbing robot via a fiber optic cable. By employing laser rust removal, this technology avoids the problems of re-rusting and flash rusting that are easily caused by traditional high-pressure water jet rust removal, and the rust removal effect can be observed in real time via the camera.

[0004] However, in practical use, it was found that the structure using an arc-shaped guide rail and an arc-shaped fixed plate has a fixed radius of curvature for the guide rail. Since the diameter of wind turbine towers varies between different models and sections, the device is difficult to adapt to rust removal operations on towers of different diameters. This necessitates the pre-fabrication of various specifications of arc-shaped guide rails, increasing equipment costs and on-site changeover time. Furthermore, as the laser head moves along the fixed track, the presence of bird droppings, water droplets, or other deposits on the tower surface alters the laser propagation path or absorbs laser energy, preventing effective removal of rust and affecting rust removal quality and efficiency. Therefore, improving the adaptability of the laser rust removal device to towers of different diameters and resolving the interference of surface deposits on laser rust removal are technical challenges that urgently need to be addressed by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a rust removal robot and rust removal method for wind turbine towers, which solves the problems of high equipment cost, long time and ineffective removal of rust layer caused by traditional rust removal methods.

[0006] In a first aspect, the wind turbine tower rust removal robot provided by the present invention includes a wall-climbing robot body, a rust removal actuator, a moving platform, a pretreatment module, a ranging module, and a control module. The wall-climbing robot body can adhere to and walk on the tower surface; the rust removal actuator includes a mounting plate and a laser rust removal head disposed on the mounting plate; the moving platform is disposed on the wall-climbing robot body and is used to drive the rust removal actuator to move relative to the wall-climbing robot body in a first direction and a second direction that are perpendicular to each other; the pretreatment module is disposed on the rust removal actuator and is used to pretreat the deposits on the tower surface before laser rust removal; the ranging module is disposed on the mounting plate and is used to monitor the distance between the rust removal actuator and the tower surface in real time; the control module is electrically connected to the moving platform, the laser rust removal head, the pretreatment module, and the ranging module respectively, and the control module controls the moving platform to adjust the position of the rust removal actuator according to the feedback signal of the ranging module so that the distance between the laser rust removal head and the tower surface is maintained within a preset range.

[0007] Beneficial Effects: By replacing the fixed curved track with a mobile platform, and using the control module to dynamically adjust the position of the rust removal actuator in two mutually perpendicular directions based on the distance signal fed back by the ranging module, the laser rust removal head can adaptively adjust its distance from the tower surface according to the curvature of the tower surface. This eliminates the need to pre-manufacture various track specifications and to stop for model changes, significantly improving the equipment's versatility for towers of different diameters and the convenience of on-site operation. Simultaneously, a pre-treatment module is integrated into the rust removal actuator. Before laser rust removal, the pre-treatment module blows and dries the adhering materials, removing or altering their physical state to create a clean working surface for laser rust removal. This ensures that the laser energy effectively acts on the rust layer, avoiding blind spots caused by adhering materials, achieving thorough and uniform rust removal. Furthermore, through the coordinated operation of the ranging module, control module, and mobile platform, the working distance between the laser rust removal head and the tower surface is always maintained within the optimal rust removal range, ensuring that the laser energy effectively acts on the rust layer.

[0008] In one optional embodiment, the mobile platform includes a lateral movement unit, a slider, and a longitudinal movement unit. The lateral movement unit is disposed on the wall-climbing robot body and includes a lateral drive component and a lateral guide component; the slider is slidably disposed on the lateral guide component and connected to the lateral drive component; the longitudinal movement unit is disposed on the slider, and the longitudinal movement unit includes a longitudinal drive component and a longitudinal guide component. One end of the longitudinal guide component is fixedly connected to the mounting plate, and the longitudinal drive component drives the longitudinal guide component to move the mounting plate along a second direction.

[0009] Beneficial effects: By setting up lateral and longitudinal movement units, the motion of the rust removal actuator is decoupled into two mutually perpendicular directions. The lateral drive unit drives the slider to move along the lateral guide, realizing the position adjustment of the rust removal laser head in the first direction (circumferential direction) of the tower. The longitudinal drive unit drives the mounting plate to move through the longitudinal guide, realizing the position adjustment of the rust removal laser head in the second direction (axial direction) of the tower. This results in higher degrees of freedom of motion and better control precision compared to the existing technology that can only move along a single arc track. Furthermore, by integrating the longitudinal drive unit and the longitudinal guide on the slider, when the ranging module detects a distance deviation, the control module can drive the longitudinal drive unit to respond quickly, and use the longitudinal guide to drive the mounting plate to make fine adjustments in the second direction, thereby compensating in real time for distance fluctuations caused by changes in tower curvature or robot body movement.

[0010] In one optional embodiment, the longitudinal drive component includes a longitudinal motor, a drive gear, and a driven gear. The longitudinal motor is mounted on the slider; the drive gear is connected to the output shaft of the longitudinal motor; the driven gear is rotatably mounted on the slider and meshes with the drive gear; the longitudinal guide component is a longitudinal screw, one end of which is fixedly connected to the mounting plate, and its shaft passes through the slider and is threadedly connected to the driven gear.

[0011] Beneficial Effects: The longitudinal motor outputs power, which is transmitted to the driven gear through the meshing of the driving and driven gears. The driven gear and the longitudinal screw form a threaded transmission pair, converting the rotational motion into the linear motion of the longitudinal screw, thereby driving the laser rust removal head on the mounting plate to move precisely in the second direction. By using a combination of threaded and gear transmission, the control module can quickly and accurately adjust the laser rust removal head to the optimal working distance when the ranging module detects a small distance deviation. Simultaneously, the longitudinal motor, driving gear, and driven gear are all integrated onto the slider, with the longitudinal screw directly penetrating the slider and engaging with the driven gear, forming a highly integrated drive unit. Compared to solutions using intermediate transmission elements such as couplings and timing belts, this solution has a shorter transmission path and lower inertia of moving parts, resulting in a higher natural frequency and faster response speed for the longitudinal drive system.

[0012] In one optional embodiment, the pretreatment module includes a fan, an air outlet, and a heater. The fan is mounted on the wall-climbing robot body; the air outlet is mounted on the mounting plate and connected to the fan via a pipe, the air outlet facing the tower surface for blowing away adhering substances; the heater is located at the air outlet or on the pipe for heating the airflow.

[0013] Beneficial Effects: By integrating a pre-treatment module consisting of a fan, pipelines, and air outlets into the rust removal actuator, when the vision recognition module or operator determines the presence of bird droppings, water droplets, dust, or other attachments on the tower surface, the control module can activate the fan. Airflow is then ejected at high speed from the air outlets mounted on the mounting plate, directly sweeping away the attachments in the area directly facing the laser rust removal head. This directional blowing effectively removes loose attachments (such as dust and loose soil), preventing them from interfering with the laser beam's propagation path and ensuring that the laser energy effectively acts on the tower substrate or rust layer. Simultaneously, by integrating heaters at the air outlets or on the pipelines, the airflow is heated, creating hot air that is sprayed onto the tower surface. This quickly dries the moisture in the attachments, altering their physical state, reducing adhesion, and making them easier for the airflow to remove. This allows the robot to continue rust removal in humid weather or after cleaning operations.

[0014] In one optional embodiment, the wind turbine tower rust removal robot further includes a vision recognition module, which includes a camera mounted on the mounting plate. The camera is electrically connected to the control module and is used to collect image information of the tower surface and send it to the control module. The control module identifies the tower surface area as an area with attachments or a rust area based on the image information and controls the laser rust removal head to work in different power modes.

[0015] Beneficial effects: An integrated camera on the mounting plate captures real-time images of the tower surface and sends them to the control module. This allows the control module to adjust the laser rust removal head's power mode based on the recognition results. For example, the control module can instruct the laser rust removal head to operate at lower power. The low-power laser primarily heats, dries, and carbonizes the deposits, effectively removing organic matter such as bird droppings while avoiding damage to the tower substrate from excessive energy. Switching to high power mode provides sufficient energy density to remove the rust layer, ensuring effective rust removal.

[0016] In one optional implementation, when an area is identified as having deposits, the control module first controls the pretreatment module to operate, and then controls the laser rust removal head to operate in a first power mode; when an area is identified as having rust, the control module controls the laser rust removal head to operate in a second power mode; the power of the first power mode is lower than the power of the second power mode.

[0017] Beneficial effects: During operation, the control module first activates the pretreatment module to blow away and dry bird droppings, water droplets, and other adhering substances. After these adhering substances are removed or carbonized, the laser rust removal head is then controlled to operate in the first power mode. At this time, the laser further dries and carbonizes any remaining adhering substances after pretreatment, or removes thin layers of organic matter. For rusted areas, a higher power second power mode is used, concentrating laser energy on the rusted areas. This setup optimizes energy utilization efficiency and reduces equipment operating costs and energy consumption.

[0018] In one optional implementation, when an area is identified as having deposits, the control module first controls the pretreatment module to work for a first preset time, then controls the laser rust removal head to work in the first power mode for a second preset time. After the first power mode is completed, the area is identified again by the vision recognition module. If it is still identified as having deposits, the pretreatment and first power mode steps are repeated until the area is identified as a normal surface or a rust area.

[0019] Beneficial effects: After the initial pretreatment and low-power laser treatment, the area is not assumed to be completely clean. Instead, it is verified again by a visual recognition module. If the recognition result still indicates an area with deposits, it means that the initial treatment was not completely effective (e.g., a thick layer of bird droppings, incomplete drying of moisture, or failure to remove the carbonized layer). The system will then automatically repeat the pretreatment and low-power laser steps. In other words, the constructed cyclical verification mechanism ensures that stubborn deposits can be treated multiple times until they are completely removed, preventing the problem of deposit residue caused by treating only once.

[0020] In one alternative embodiment, the wall-climbing robot body includes a chassis and a plurality of magnetic wheels, the wheel surfaces of which are arc-shaped structures adapted to the curvature of the tower surface.

[0021] Secondly, the present invention also provides a wind turbine tower rust removal method, which is applied to the wind turbine tower rust removal robot provided in the first aspect. The method includes the following steps: positioning: placing the robot on the tower surface, allowing it to adhere and move to the working starting position; pretreatment and adaptive adjustment: controlling the pretreatment module to pretreat the tower surface, while simultaneously monitoring the distance between the laser rust removal head and the tower surface in real time through the distance measuring module, and adjusting the position of the mounting plate through the moving platform to keep the distance between the laser rust removal head and the tower surface within a preset range; rust removal: controlling the laser rust removal head to work and remove rust from the tower surface.

[0022] Beneficial effects: In the pretreatment and adaptive adjustment steps, the pretreatment module's activation, the ranging module's monitoring, and the moving platform's adjustment are executed in parallel. While the robot performs pretreatment such as blowing and drying on the tower surface, the distance control system also works in real time, continuously fine-tuning the position of the laser rust removal head based on changes in the tower's curvature. This ensures that the pretreatment and distance adjustment stages do not interfere with each other and proceed synchronously, improving work efficiency per unit time. Simultaneously, a standardized workflow for positioning, adjustment, and treatment is established, avoiding omissions or duplicate processing due to workflow chaos.

[0023] In one optional implementation, before the rust removal step, the method further includes the following steps: identification: acquiring image information of the tower surface through a camera and identifying the region type in the image information as an attachment region or a rust region; in the rust removal step, if the current region is an attachment region, controlling the laser rust removal head to operate in a first power mode; if the current region is a rust region, controlling the laser rust removal head to operate in a second power mode.

[0024] Beneficial effects: By capturing image information of the tower surface through a camera, the control module automatically identifies the area type as either a deposited area or a rusted area, forming an intelligent operation mode of perception, decision-making, and execution. Based on the identification results, the laser rust removal head is controlled to operate in different power modes. For example, a first power mode (lower power) is used for deposited areas, and a second power mode (higher power) is used for rusted areas. This achieves a graded power control strategy, enabling refined and differentiated treatment of different area types, thereby avoiding energy waste and achieving energy saving and consumption reduction. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wind turbine tower rust removal robot provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wind turbine tower rust removal robot provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wind turbine tower rust removal robot provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wind turbine tower rust removal robot provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wind turbine tower rust removal robot provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic flowchart of a rust removal method for wind turbine towers provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Wall-climbing robot body; 11. Chassis; 12. Magnetic wheels; 13. Drive motor; 14. Support legs; 2. Rust removal actuator; 21. Mounting plate; 22. Rust removal laser head; 3. Moving platform; 31. Lateral moving unit; 311. Lateral motor; 312. Lateral guide; 313. Lateral guide rail; 32. Slider; 33. Longitudinal moving unit; 331. Longitudinal guide; 332. Longitudinal motor; 333. Driving gear; 334. Driven gear; 335. Longitudinal guide rail; 4. Pretreatment module; 41. Fan; 42. Air outlet; 43. Heater; 44. Piping; 5. Distance measuring module; 6. Visual recognition module. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] The following is combined Figures 1 to 6 The following describes embodiments of the present invention.

[0030] According to embodiments of the present invention, in one aspect, a wind turbine tower rust removal robot is provided, such as... Figures 1 to 5 As shown, it includes the wall-climbing robot body 1, the rust removal actuator 2, the mobile platform 3, the pre-processing module 4, the ranging module 5, and the control module.

[0031] The climbing robot body 1 can adhere to and walk on the surface of the tower; the rust removal actuator 2 includes a mounting plate 21 and a laser rust removal head mounted on the mounting plate 21; the moving platform 3 is mounted on the climbing robot body 1 and is used to drive the rust removal actuator 2 to move relative to the climbing robot body 1 in a first direction and a second direction that are perpendicular to each other; the pretreatment module 4 is mounted on the rust removal actuator 2 and is used to pretreat the deposits on the surface of the tower before laser rust removal; the distance measuring module 5 is mounted on the mounting plate 21 and is used to monitor the distance between the rust removal actuator 2 and the surface of the tower in real time; the control module is electrically connected to the moving platform 3, the laser rust removal head, the pretreatment module 4 and the distance measuring module 5 respectively. According to the feedback signal from the distance measuring module 5, the control module controls the moving platform 3 to adjust the position of the rust removal actuator 2 so that the distance between the laser rust removal head and the surface of the tower is kept within a preset range.

[0032] By replacing the fixed arc track with a mobile platform 3, and using the distance signal fed back in real time by the ranging module 5, the control module drives the mobile platform 3 to dynamically adjust the position of the rust removal actuator 2 in two mutually perpendicular directions. This allows the laser rust removal head to adaptively adjust the distance between itself and the tower surface according to the curvature of the tower surface. There is no need to pre-manufacture multiple specifications of tracks or to stop the machine to change models, thereby greatly improving the equipment's versatility for towers of different diameters and the convenience of on-site operation.

[0033] Meanwhile, a pretreatment module 4 is integrated into the rust removal actuator 2. Before laser rust removal, the pretreatment module 4 is used to blow away and dry the attached material to remove or change its physical state, creating a clean working surface for laser rust removal. This ensures that the laser energy can effectively act on the rust layer, avoids blind spots caused by the attached material, and achieves thorough and uniform rust removal.

[0034] In addition, through the coordinated operation of the ranging module 5, the control module, and the moving platform 3, the working distance between the laser rust removal head and the tower surface is always kept within the optimal rust removal range, ensuring that the laser energy can effectively act on the rust layer.

[0035] It can be noted that the ranging module 5 uses a laser ranging sensor.

[0036] In one embodiment, such as Figures 1 to 5As shown, the mobile platform 3 includes a lateral movement unit 31, a slider 32, and a longitudinal movement unit 33. The lateral movement unit 31 is mounted on the wall-climbing robot body 1 and includes a lateral drive component and a lateral guide component 312. The slider 32 is slidably mounted on the lateral guide component 312 and connected to the lateral drive component. The longitudinal movement unit 33 is mounted on the slider 32 and includes a longitudinal drive component and a longitudinal guide component 331. One end of the longitudinal guide component 331 is fixedly connected to the mounting plate 21, and the longitudinal drive component is used to drive the longitudinal guide component 331 to move the mounting plate 21 along a second direction.

[0037] By setting up a transverse moving unit 31 and a longitudinal moving unit 33, the movement of the rust removal actuator 2 is decoupled into two mutually perpendicular directions. The transverse driving component drives the slider 32 to move along the transverse guide 312, thereby adjusting the position of the rust removal laser head 22 in the first direction (circumferential direction) of the tower. The longitudinal driving component drives the mounting plate 21 to move through the longitudinal guide 331, thereby adjusting the position of the rust removal laser head 22 in the second direction (axial direction) of the tower. This results in higher freedom of movement and better control precision. Compared with the existing technology that can only move along a single arc track, this technology offers higher freedom of movement and better control precision.

[0038] Meanwhile, by integrating the longitudinal drive component and the longitudinal guide component 331 onto the slider 32, when the ranging module 5 detects a distance deviation, the control module can drive the longitudinal drive component to respond quickly and drive the mounting plate 21 to make a fine adjustment along the second direction through the longitudinal guide component 331, thereby compensating in real time for distance fluctuations caused by changes in tower curvature or movement of the robot body.

[0039] In one embodiment, such as Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the longitudinal drive component includes a longitudinal motor 332, a drive gear 333, and a driven gear 334. The longitudinal motor 332 is mounted on the slider 32; the drive gear 333 is connected to the output shaft of the longitudinal motor 332; the driven gear 334 is rotatably mounted on the slider 32 and meshes with the drive gear 333; the longitudinal guide component 331 is a longitudinal screw, one end of which is fixedly connected to the mounting plate 21, and its rod passes through the slider 32 and is threadedly connected to the driven gear 334.

[0040] The longitudinal motor 332 outputs power, which is transmitted to the driven gear 334 through the meshing of the driving gear 333 and the driven gear 334. The driven gear 334 and the longitudinal screw form a threaded transmission pair, converting the rotational motion into the linear motion of the longitudinal screw, thereby driving the laser rust removal head on the mounting plate 21 to move precisely in the second direction. By using a combination of threaded transmission and gear transmission, the control module can quickly and accurately adjust the laser rust removal head to the optimal working distance when the ranging module 5 detects a small distance deviation.

[0041] Meanwhile, the longitudinal motor 332, the driving gear 333, and the driven gear 334 are all integrated on the slider 32. The longitudinal screw directly passes through the slider 32 and engages with the driven gear 334 to form a highly integrated drive unit. Compared with the solution that uses intermediate transmission elements such as couplings and synchronous belts, this solution has a shorter transmission path and a smaller moment of inertia of moving parts, which makes the longitudinal drive system have a higher natural frequency and a faster response speed.

[0042] Furthermore, the longitudinal moving unit 33 also includes a longitudinal guide rail 335, on which the longitudinal guide member 331 is mounted.

[0043] It can be explained that the lateral drive component includes a lateral motor 311, and the lateral guide component 312 is a lateral screw. At this time, a lateral guide rail 313 is installed on the wall-climbing robot body 1, and the lateral screw is installed on one side of the lateral guide rail 313. The lateral motor 311 is connected to the lateral screw for transmission. At this time, the slider 32 is fitted on the lateral screw and the lateral guide rail 313.

[0044] In one embodiment, such as Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the pretreatment module 4 includes a fan 41, an air outlet 42, and a heater 43. The fan 41 is mounted on the wall-climbing robot body 1; the air outlet 42 is mounted on the mounting plate 21 and connected to the fan 41 via a pipe 44, with the air outlet 42 facing the tower surface for blowing away adhering substances; the heater 43 is located at the air outlet 42 or on the pipe 44 for heating the airflow.

[0045] By integrating a pretreatment module 4 consisting of a fan 41, a pipe 44, and an air outlet 42 into the rust removal actuator 2, when the visual recognition module 6 or the operator determines that there are bird droppings, water droplets, dust, or other attachments on the tower surface, the control module can start the fan 41. The airflow is sprayed out at high speed from the air outlet 42 set on the mounting plate 21 through the pipe 44, directly blowing away the attachments in the area directly in front of the laser rust removal head, achieving directional blowing. This can remove loose attachments (such as dust and loose soil) in time, avoid them interfering with the propagation path of the laser beam, and ensure that the laser energy effectively acts on the tower base or rust layer.

[0046] Meanwhile, by setting a heater 43 integrated at the air outlet 42 or on the pipe 44, the airflow is heated to form hot air that is sprayed onto the surface of the tower. This can quickly dry the moisture in the attached material, change its physical state, reduce its adhesion, and make it easier for the airflow to blow it away. This allows the robot to continue rust removal in humid weather or after cleaning operations.

[0047] It can be noted that pipe 44 uses a gas fitting.

[0048] In one embodiment, such as Figures 1 to 5As shown, the wind turbine tower rust removal robot also includes a vision recognition module 6. The vision recognition module 6 includes a camera mounted on the mounting plate 21. The camera is electrically connected to the control module and is used to collect image information of the tower surface and send it to the control module. The control module identifies the tower surface area as an area of ​​attachment or rust based on the image information and controls the laser rust removal head to work in different power modes.

[0049] A camera is integrated on the mounting plate 21 to collect image information of the tower surface in real time and send it to the control module, so that the control module can control the laser rust removal head to work in different power modes according to the recognition results.

[0050] For example, the control module can instruct the laser rust removal head to operate at a lower power. The low-power laser mainly serves to heat, dry, and carbonize the deposits, effectively removing organic matter such as bird droppings while avoiding damage to the tower substrate caused by excessively high energy. Switching to high-power mode, on the other hand, removes the rust layer with sufficient energy density, ensuring effective rust removal.

[0051] In one embodiment, such as Figures 1 to 5 As shown, when an area is identified as having deposits, the control module first controls the pretreatment module 4 to work, and then controls the laser rust removal head to work in the first power mode; when an area is identified as having rust, the control module controls the laser rust removal head to work in the second power mode; the power of the first power mode is lower than the power of the second power mode.

[0052] In operation, the control module first activates the pretreatment module 4 to blow away and dry bird droppings, water droplets, and other adhering substances. After the adhering substances are removed or carbonized, the laser rust removal head is then controlled to operate in the first power mode. At this time, the laser further dries and carbonizes any remaining adhering substances after pretreatment, or removes thin layers of organic matter. For rusted areas, a higher power second power mode is used, concentrating the laser energy on the rusted areas. This setup optimizes energy utilization efficiency and reduces equipment operating costs and energy consumption.

[0053] It can be explained that when an area is identified as having deposits, the control module first controls the pretreatment module 4 to work for a first preset time, then controls the laser rust removal head to work in the first power mode for a second preset time. After the first power mode is completed, the area is identified again by the vision recognition module 6. If it is still identified as an area with deposits, the pretreatment and first power mode steps are repeated until the area is identified as a normal surface or a rust area.

[0054] After the initial pretreatment and low-power laser treatment, the area is not assumed to be completely clean. Instead, it is verified again by the visual recognition module 6. If the recognition result still indicates an area with deposits, it means that the initial treatment was not completely effective (e.g., the bird droppings layer is thick, the moisture was not completely dried, or the carbonized layer has not been removed). The system will then automatically repeat the pretreatment and low-power laser steps. In other words, the constructed cyclical verification mechanism ensures that stubborn deposits can be treated multiple times until they are completely removed, preventing the problem of deposit residue caused by treating only once.

[0055] In one embodiment, such as Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the wall-climbing robot body 1 includes a chassis 11 and multiple magnetic wheels 12. The chassis 11 is provided with multiple legs 14, and the multiple magnetic wheels 12 are respectively mounted on the multiple legs 14. The wheel surface of the magnetic wheel 12 is an arc-shaped structure adapted to the curvature of the tower surface.

[0056] Furthermore, the wind turbine tower rust removal robot also includes a drive motor 13, the output end of which is connected to the central shaft of the magnetic wheel 12.

[0057] It can be noted that the number of drive motors 13 corresponds one-to-one with the number of magnetic wheels 12.

[0058] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in another aspect, a wind turbine tower rust removal method is also provided, which is applied to the wind turbine tower rust removal robot provided in the first aspect.

[0059] like Figure 6 As shown, the method includes the following steps: Positioning: Place the robot on the tower surface, allowing it to adhere and move to the starting position; Pre-treatment and adaptive adjustment: Control the pre-treatment module 4 to pre-treat the tower surface, while the distance between the laser rust removal head and the tower surface is monitored in real time by the ranging module 5, and the position of the mounting plate 21 is adjusted by the moving platform 3 to keep the distance between the laser rust removal head and the tower surface within a preset range; Rust removal: Control the laser rust removal head to work and remove rust from the tower surface.

[0060] In the pretreatment and adaptive adjustment steps, the activation of the pretreatment module 4, the monitoring of the distance measuring module 5, and the adjustment of the moving platform 3 are executed in parallel. While the robot performs pretreatment such as blowing and drying on the tower surface, the distance control system also works in real time, continuously fine-tuning the position of the laser rust removal head according to changes in the tower curvature. This ensures that the pretreatment and distance adjustment stages do not interfere with each other and proceed synchronously, improving the work efficiency per unit time. Simultaneously, a standardized work process of positioning, adjustment, and treatment is established, avoiding omissions or duplicate processing due to process confusion.

[0061] Specifically, first, the wind turbine tower rust removal robot is placed on the wind turbine tower, and then the drive motor 13 is activated to drive the magnetic wheel 12 to roll, thereby moving the wall-climbing robot body 1 to the target position on the wind turbine tower.

[0062] For example, when the wind turbine tower reaches the top, the longitudinal motor 332 drives the drive gear 333 to rotate, the drive gear 333 rotates and drives the driven gear 334 to rotate, the driven gear 334 rotates and drives the longitudinal screw to move downward, thereby driving the mounting plate 21 to move downward. The control module continuously collects distance information from the distance sensor. When the distance reaches the set threshold range, the longitudinal motor 332 stops moving. When the distance is far from the set threshold range, the longitudinal motor 332 moves towards the threshold range, thereby adapting the distance of the rust removal laser head 22 according to the shape change of the tower.

[0063] Subsequently, the horizontal motor 311 drives the horizontal screw to rotate, and the rotation of the horizontal screw causes the slider 32 to slide on the horizontal guide rail 313. At this time, the height of the mounting plate 21 is still adjusted in real time. Meanwhile, the fan 41 works to discharge air from the air outlet 42 through the air pipe to disperse the dust and water droplets on the tower.

[0064] Then, the slider 32 enters the next reciprocating stroke under the reverse drive of the horizontal motor 311.

[0065] In one embodiment, prior to the rust removal step, the method further includes the following steps: identification: acquiring image information of the tower surface via a camera and identifying the region type in the image information as either an attachment region or a rust region; in the rust removal step, if the current region is an attachment region, controlling the laser rust removal head to operate in a first power mode; if the current region is a rust region, controlling the laser rust removal head to operate in a second power mode.

[0066] The tower surface is captured by a camera, and the control module automatically identifies the area type as either a deposited area or a rusted area. This forms an intelligent operation mode of perception, decision-making, and execution. Based on the identification results, the laser rust removal head is controlled to operate in different power modes. For example, a first power mode (lower power) is used for deposited areas, and a second power mode (higher power) is used for rusted areas. This achieves a graded power control strategy, enabling refined and differentiated treatment of different area types, thereby avoiding energy waste and achieving energy saving and consumption reduction.

[0067] Specifically, the camera collects image information, which is then transmitted to a host computer via a wireless transmission module for processing. The image information collection also includes the rotation angle and height information of the horizontal motor 311, thereby determining the position of each collected image on the tower. Then, image recognition is used to determine whether there is rust or other attached substances in the image. After the determination is completed, the computer sends a control signal back to the controller of this device.

[0068] Subsequently, the horizontal motor 311 drives the slider 32 to move to the location of the attached material or rust. When it moves to the location of the attached material, the fan 41 operates to blow air while the electric heater 43 operates to dry the attached material. After drying, the rust removal laser head 22 operates. At this time, the rust removal laser head 22 is in a low-power operating state, with a power between 200W and 500W. The rust removal laser head 22 uses pulsed laser to further heat and dry the damp materials such as bird droppings and carbonize them. Under the heat disturbance effect generated by the pulsed laser irradiation, the carbonized bird droppings and other attached materials vibrate and fall off. When it moves to the location of the rust, the rust removal laser head 22 switches to a high-power operating state, with a power between 500W and 1500W, to remove the rust.

[0069] Among them, the fan 41 can be an air compressor, the air outlet 42 can be a nozzle, and the connection between the air compressor and the air pipe is equipped with a solenoid valve.

[0070] Furthermore, after completing the above process, the robot moves to the next height unit, and the drive motor 13 drives the chassis 11 to move downwards by one unit. This unit is the rust removal width of the rust removal laser head 22. The above process is repeated to complete the rust removal work for the next height unit. The above process is repeated to complete the rust removal work for the entire vertical area of ​​the tower.

[0071] Although embodiments of the invention have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and such modifications and variations all fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A rust removal robot for wind turbine towers, characterized in that, include: The wall-climbing robot body (1) can adhere to and walk on the surface of the tower; The rust removal actuator (2) includes a mounting plate (21) and a laser rust removal head disposed on the mounting plate (21); The mobile platform (3) is mounted on the wall-climbing robot body (1) and is used to drive the rust removal actuator (2) to move relative to the wall-climbing robot body (1) in a first direction and a second direction that are perpendicular to each other. The pretreatment module (4) is installed on the rust removal actuator (2) and is used to pretreat the deposits on the surface of the tower before laser rust removal; The distance measuring module (5) is installed on the mounting plate (21) and is used to monitor the distance between the rust removal actuator (2) and the tower surface in real time. The control module is electrically connected to the mobile platform (3), the laser rust removal head, the pretreatment module (4) and the ranging module (5) respectively. The control module controls the mobile platform (3) to adjust the position of the rust removal actuator (2) according to the feedback signal of the ranging module (5) so that the distance between the laser rust removal head and the tower surface is kept within a preset range.

2. The wind turbine tower rust removal robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mobile platform (3) includes: A lateral movement unit (31) is disposed on the wall-climbing robot body (1) and includes a lateral drive component and a lateral guide component (312). The slider (32) is slidably disposed on the transverse guide (312) and connected to the transverse drive; A longitudinal moving unit (33) is disposed on the slider (32). The longitudinal moving unit (33) includes a longitudinal driving member and a longitudinal guide member (331). One end of the longitudinal guide member (331) is fixedly connected to the mounting plate (21). The longitudinal driving member is used to drive the longitudinal guide member (331) to move the mounting plate (21) along the second direction.

3. The wind turbine tower rust removal robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The longitudinal drive component includes: A longitudinal motor (332) is mounted on the slider (32); The drive gear (333) is connected to the output shaft of the longitudinal motor (332); The driven gear (334) is rotatably mounted on the slider (32) and meshes with the driving gear (333); The longitudinal guide (331) is a longitudinal screw, one end of which is fixedly connected to the mounting plate (21), and its rod body passes through the slider (32) and is threadedly connected to the driven gear (334).

4. The wind turbine tower rust removal robot according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The preprocessing module (4) includes: A fan (41) is mounted on the wall-climbing robot body (1); An air outlet (42) is provided on the mounting plate (21) and connected to the fan (41) through a pipe (44). The air outlet (42) faces the surface of the tower and is used to blow away the attached substances. A heater (43) is provided at the air outlet (42) or on the pipeline (44) for heating the airflow.

5. The wind turbine tower rust removal robot according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, It also includes a visual recognition module (6), which includes a camera mounted on the mounting plate (21). The camera is electrically connected to the control module and is used to collect image information of the tower surface and send it to the control module. The control module identifies the tower surface area as an area with deposits or rust based on the image information, and controls the laser rust removal head to work in different power modes.

6. The wind turbine tower rust removal robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, When an area is identified as having deposits, the control module first controls the pre-processing module (4) to work, and then controls the laser rust removal head to work in the first power mode; when an area is identified as having rust, the control module controls the laser rust removal head to work in the second power mode; the power of the first power mode is lower than the power of the second power mode.

7. The wind turbine tower rust removal robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, When the area is identified as an area with attached material, the control module first controls the pre-processing module (4) to work for a first preset time, then controls the laser rust removal head to work in the first power mode for a second preset time, and after the first power mode is completed, the area is identified again by the vision recognition module (6). If it is still identified as an area with attached material, the pre-processing and first power mode steps are repeated until the area is identified as a normal surface or rust area.

8. The wind turbine tower rust removal robot according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The wall-climbing robot body (1) includes a chassis (11) and multiple magnetic wheels (12), the surface of which is an arc-shaped structure adapted to the curvature of the tower surface.

9. A method for removing rust from wind turbine towers, applied to the wind turbine tower rust removal robot according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Positioning: Place the robot on the surface of the tower, allowing it to adhere and move to the starting position of the work; Pretreatment and adaptive adjustment: The control pretreatment module (4) pretreatments the tower surface, while the distance between the laser rust removal head and the tower surface is monitored in real time by the distance measuring module (5), and the position of the mounting plate (21) is adjusted by the moving platform (3) so that the distance between the laser rust removal head and the tower surface is kept within the preset range. Rust removal: Control the operation of the laser rust removal head to remove rust from the surface of the tower.

10. The method for removing rust from wind turbine towers according to claim 9, characterized in that, Before the rust removal step, the following steps are also included: Identification: Image information of the tower surface is acquired by a camera, and the area type in the image information is identified as an area with attachments or an area with rust. During the rust removal process, if the current area is an area with attached substances, the laser rust removal head is controlled to operate in the first power mode; if the current area is an area with rust, the laser rust removal head is controlled to operate in the second power mode.

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