An ultrasonic measurement-based water-cooled wall pipeline detection robot and method

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of ultrasonic measurement, and particularly relates to a water-cooled wall pipeline detection robot and method based on ultrasonic measurement. The robot body comprises a climbing arm, a main control bin, a telescopic suction cup, an ultrasonic probe, an ultrasonic module, first to third servo motors, first and second laser ranging sensors and an inclination sensor. The method comprises the steps of robot positioning, robot climbing, ultrasonic probe positioning and ultrasonic detection. The application replaces manual detection with the form of robot climbing water-cooled wall pipelines, can significantly reduce the difficulty of manual detection, can realize efficient detection of water-cooled walls through the form of simultaneous detection of multiple robots, and can almost completely cover the water-cooled wall pipelines. The detection results combined with coordinate positioning can realize cross-year comparison, and thus realize the whole-process control of the health degree of the pipelines.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of ultrasonic measurement technology, specifically relating to a robot and method for inspecting water-cooled wall pipes based on ultrasonic measurement. Background Technology

[0002] The water-cooled walls of a power plant boiler are the main heat-receiving part of the boiler. They consist of several rows of steel tubes distributed around the boiler furnace. The function of the water-cooled walls is to absorb the radiant heat from the high-temperature flames or flue gas in the furnace, generating steam or hot water inside the tubes, and reducing the furnace wall temperature to protect the furnace walls. In large-capacity boilers, the flame temperature inside the furnace is very high, and the intensity of thermal radiation is very large. 40-50% or even more of the boiler's heat is absorbed by the water-cooled walls.

[0003] Existing water-cooled walls, based on their structural types, mainly include bare tube type and membrane type. Bare tube water-cooled walls consist of a single row of seamless steel tubes, making them the simplest in structure. Membrane water-cooled walls, on the other hand, involve spot welding many rolled water-cooled wall finned tubes together to form a sealed combined heating surface. This improves the airtightness of the furnace, reduces air leakage, better protects the furnace wall, and reduces the weight of the furnace wall while simplifying its structure. Under normal circumstances, both types of water-cooled walls are heated from one side.

[0004] During the operation of boilers in thermal power plants, high-temperature corrosion occurs in the boiler water-cooled walls, causing the walls to continuously thin. This leads to a decline in the effective load-bearing capacity of the water-cooled wall tubes, and in severe cases, water-cooled wall tubes may burst, causing unit shutdown and seriously affecting the safe operation of the unit. Therefore, in most cases, an annual overhaul is scheduled. During the overhaul, workers use simple handheld ultrasonic tools (connected to an ultrasonic probe via a telescopic rod) to test the wall thickness of the pipes. This method has the following drawbacks:

[0005] (1) For large power plant boilers, this method is inefficient and can only inspect selected maintenance points, which seriously affects the safety of boiler operation.

[0006] (2) For large boilers, the above-mentioned testing methods require the use of a manned lifting platform, which is not only difficult to operate, but also has low construction efficiency.

[0007] (3) Most of the existing testing data are for randomly selected testing sites. The testing data from year to year lack comparability, making it impossible to continuously monitor the health status of specific locations in the pipeline, and thus impossible to fully grasp the functionality of the pipeline system. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This invention discloses a water-cooled wall pipe inspection robot and method based on ultrasonic measurement to solve the problems described in (1)-(3) of the prior art.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0010] 1. A water-cooled wall pipe inspection robot based on ultrasonic measurement, comprising a robot body, the robot body comprising a main control chamber and climbing arms disposed around the main control chamber, the climbing arms having a telescopic suction cup at the end of the climbing arms, and an ultrasonic probe being disposed at the center of the bottom of the main control chamber.

[0011] The main control compartment is equipped with an ultrasonic module that is electrically connected to the ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic module is electrically connected to the control unit in the main control compartment via a wire. The control unit is electrically connected to the battery in the main control compartment and is connected to the boiler water-cooled wall detection center via a wireless signal transceiver module pre-installed on the outer wall of the main control compartment.

[0012] Preferably, it also includes a positioning mechanism, which includes a first servo motor located at the top of the main control compartment, and the output shaft of the first servo motor extends outward in a direction perpendicular to the main control compartment and is fixedly connected to a cubic positioning block.

[0013] The positioning block is provided with a first laser ranging sensor on the left and right side walls and a second laser ranging sensor on the bottom side wall. The positioning block is also provided with a tilt sensor. The control unit is electrically connected to the first servo motor, the first laser ranging sensor, the second laser ranging sensor and the tilt sensor respectively.

[0014] Preferably, the climbing arm includes a first climbing arm located on the left and right sides and a second climbing arm located on the front and rear sides. The first climbing arm and the second climbing arm have the same structure. One end of the first climbing arm and the second climbing arm are hinged to the hinge seat on the outer wall of the main control compartment through a first hinge shaft.

[0015] The top of the hinge base is also provided with a second servo motor. The output shaft of the second servo motor is fixedly connected to the end of the first hinge shaft and is used to drive the first climbing arm or the second climbing arm to rotate at a set angle. The ends of the first climbing arm and the second climbing arm are connected to telescopic suction cups. The second servo motor is electrically connected to the control unit through wires.

[0016] Preferably, the first climbing arm and the second climbing arm each include an electric cylinder, the fixed end of the electric cylinder is hinged to the main control compartment through a first hinge shaft, and the telescopic end is hinged to a telescopic suction cup through a second hinge shaft.

[0017] The top end of the second hinge shaft is equipped with a third servo motor. The output shaft of the third servo motor is fixedly connected to the top end of the second hinge shaft and used to drive the telescopic suction cup to rotate at a set angle. The electric cylinder and the third servo motor are electrically connected to the control unit through wires.

[0018] Preferably, the telescopic end of the electric cylinder is fixedly connected to a connecting plate, and the end of the connecting plate is hinged to the telescopic suction cup via a second hinge shaft. The telescopic suction cup includes a fixed block with one end hinged to the second hinge shaft.

[0019] Below the fixing block is a pipe suction component. Four guide rods are arranged in a rectangular pattern at the top of the pipe suction component. A guide hole is provided at the bottom of the fixing block corresponding to the guide rods. The upper part of the guide rod is inserted into the guide hole. A return spring is connected between the lower end of the guide hole and the top of the pipe suction component where the bottom end of the guide rod is located, and outside the guide rod. An electromagnet is provided at the bottom of the fixing block. When the electromagnet is energized, the pipe suction component moves upward and compresses the return spring. At this time, the pipe suction component disengages from the pipe and avoids interference with the rotation of the climbing arm. When the electromagnet is de-energized, the pipe suction component re-engages with the pipe. The electromagnet is electrically connected to the control unit via a wire.

[0020] Preferably, the pipe adsorption component includes a mounting block, the bottom end of which is a semi-circular arc surface that matches the outer diameter of the pipe, and at least three arc-shaped slots are provided at intervals within the semi-circular arc surface.

[0021] An arc-shaped electromagnet is installed in the arc-shaped slot. A second laser ranging sensor is embedded in the semi-circular arc surface between adjacent arc-shaped electromagnets. The two second laser ranging sensors are arranged along the axial direction parallel to the semi-circular arc surface and located at the top of the inner surface of the semi-circular arc surface. The arc-shaped electromagnet and the second laser ranging sensor are electrically connected to the control unit through wires.

[0022] Preferably, the top of the fixing block is also provided with a high-definition camera for identifying the climbing path, and the high-definition camera is electrically connected to the control unit via a wire.

[0023] Another objective of this invention is to provide a method for using a water-cooled wall pipe inspection robot based on ultrasonic measurement.

[0024] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this invention is as follows:

[0025] A method for using a water-cooled wall pipe inspection robot based on ultrasonic measurement includes the following steps:

[0026] Step S1: Fix X-axis positioning plates vertically on both sides of the water-cooled wall or set X-axis positioning plates in a direction parallel to the pipe axis; set Y-axis positioning plates horizontally at the bottom of the water-cooled wall or set Y-axis positioning plates in a direction perpendicular to the pipe axis.

[0027] Step S2: Initially install the robot body at the starting position of the pipe in the water-cooled wall, so that the arc-shaped electromagnets at the ends of the four climbing arms are respectively attached to the outer wall of the corresponding pipe. Start the robot body and fix it to the water-cooled wall by the attraction of the arc-shaped electromagnets.

[0028] Step S3: The robot body starts the first servo motor and adjusts the fixed block to the set posture according to the data of the tilt sensor. At this time, the data measured by the two first laser ranging sensors are the X-axis coordinates of the ultrasonic probe, and the distance measured by the second laser ranging sensor is the Y-axis coordinate of the ultrasonic probe.

[0029] Step S4: The robot body begins to detect the wall thickness of the heated surface of the pipe wall using an ultrasonic probe, and transmits the data to the boiler water-cooled wall detection center via wireless signal. The data includes wall thickness information and X and Y axis coordinate information of the detection point.

[0030] Step S5: After the inspection of one point is completed, the robot body begins to move along the direction of the pipe. Specifically, the arc electromagnets of the left and right climbing arms are de-energized, the front and rear climbing arms move, the front climbing arm pulls the main control chamber, and the rear climbing arm pushes the main control chamber forward, thereby driving the main control chamber to move forward a set distance. Then, the arc electromagnets of the left and right sides are re-energized and attracted to the surface of the pipe, and the inspection is repeated. This process is repeated until the entire pipe is inspected.

[0031] Step S6: Then, start to move the robot body to the left or right by the distance of one pipe. The electromagnet of the front climbing arm is energized and the arc electromagnet is de-energized at the same time. The pipe adsorption component is adsorbed onto the pipe surface and detached. When the front climbing arm rotates, it will not interfere with the pipe. The second servo motor drives the front climbing arm to rotate to one side.

[0032] Step S7: At this time, the second laser ranging sensor detects the closest position of the adjacent pipe in sequence. Through the coordinated cooperation of the second servo motor, the third servo motor and the high-definition camera, both second laser ranging sensors detect the closest distance to the adjacent pipe. At this time, the three arc-shaped electromagnets of the front climbing arm are all facing the corresponding pipe.

[0033] Step S8: When the electromagnet is de-energized, the return spring causes the three arc-shaped electromagnets to adhere to the pipe surface. When the arc-shaped electromagnet is energized, the front climbing arm is fixed to the adjacent pipe.

[0034] Step S9: Following the method described above, fix the lower climbing arm to the adjacent pipe; then, move the left and right climbing arms, i.e., the left or right climbing arm pulls the main control chamber to the left or right, the opposite climbing arm pushes the main control chamber, and the front and rear climbing arms retract in coordination until the main control chamber is moved above the adjacent pipe and the ultrasonic probe is aligned with the pipe. The left and right climbing arms adjust the pipe they are attached to by extending or shortening in sequence, and reposition the robot body to the new working position;

[0035] Step S10: Then, inspect the pipe wall thickness from top to bottom;

[0036] Step S11: Repeat the above steps to finally detect the wall thickness of the entire water-cooled wall pipe.

[0037] The beneficial effects of the water-cooled wall pipe inspection robot and method based on ultrasonic measurement of the present invention are as follows:

[0038] 1. This invention replaces manual inspection with the form of robots climbing water-cooled wall pipes, which can significantly reduce the difficulty of manual inspection. The water-cooled wall can be efficiently inspected by setting up multiple robots to inspect at the same time, and the inspection area can almost completely cover the water-cooled wall pipes.

[0039] 2. This invention is equipped with a positioning mechanism that can locate the coordinates of each detection point. For areas where the pipe wall thickness data is close to exceeding the standard, continuous observation can be achieved. For example, the data from the second year's inspection can be compared with the data from the first year's inspection to achieve full control over the health status of the pipeline.

[0040] 3. Unlike climbing a single pipe, this invention involves climbing multiple pipes. Some pipes have a regular orientation, but in practical applications, there are also cases where the pipe orientations deviate significantly or there are even complex intersecting pipes. This invention is suitable for climbing operations on planar water-cooled walls with various pipe shapes. The telescopic suction cup design ensures the fixation strength with the pipe while avoiding interference with the rotation of the climbing arm.

[0041] 4. By setting a third servo motor and two second laser ranging sensors, precise positioning of the pipe to be adsorbed can be achieved. That is, when the mounting block is placed outside the pipe, the mounting block is rotated by the third servo motor. When both second laser ranging sensors are opposite the top of the pipe, the values ​​detected by the two second laser ranging sensors reach their minimum, thus achieving a proper alignment between the mounting block and the pipe. After the electromagnet is de-energized, under the action of the reset spring, the three arc-shaped electromagnets engage with the outer surface of the pipe and are completely adsorbed. Through the above settings, the problem of accurate positioning and adsorption of water-cooled wall pipe structures is solved. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure for detecting the water-cooled wall of a power plant boiler according to the present invention.

[0043] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the robot body of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 3 This is a front view structural diagram of the robot body of the present invention when it moves to a different position.

[0045] Figure 4 This is a top view of the mounting block.

[0046] Figure 5 This is a partial structural diagram of point A in the present invention.

[0047] Figure 6 This is a partial structural diagram of part B of the present invention (showing the climbing arm swinging and fixed to the pipe).

[0048] The diagram shows the following markings: 1. Water-cooled wall; 101. Pipe; 102. Diaphragm; 2. Robot body; 201. Main control compartment; 202. Positioning block; 203. First laser rangefinder; 204. Second laser rangefinder; 205. Left climbing arm; 206. Right climbing arm; 207. Rear climbing arm; 208. Front climbing arm; 209. Second servo motor; 210. Connecting plate; 211. Second hinge shaft; 212. Fixing block; 213. High-definition camera; 214. Motor mount of the first servo motor; 215. Circular slide rail; 216. Third servo motor; 217. Second laser rangefinder; 218. Arc electromagnet; 219. Mounting block; 220. Electromagnet; 221. Guide rod; 222. Guide hole; 223. Return spring; 3. X-axis positioning plate. Detailed Implementation

[0049] The following description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0050] The following embodiments can be understood as illustrating a part of the structure or method of the present invention individually, or as combining the embodiments to explain the broader structure or method of the present invention.

[0051] Example 1:

[0052] A water-cooled wall pipe inspection robot based on ultrasonic measurement, such as Figures 1-6As shown, the robot body 2 includes a main control compartment 201 and climbing arms (a climbing arm 205 on the left, a climbing arm 206 on the right, a climbing arm 207 on the rear, and a climbing arm 208 on the front) arranged around the main control compartment 201.

[0053] The climbing arm is equipped with a telescopic suction cup at its end. An ultrasonic probe (not shown in the figure) is located at the center of the bottom of the main control compartment 201. An ultrasonic module electrically connected to the ultrasonic probe is located inside the main control compartment. The ultrasonic module is electrically connected to the control unit inside the main control compartment via a wire.

[0054] The control unit is electrically connected to the battery in the main control compartment, and is connected to the boiler water-cooled wall detection center via a wireless signal transceiver module (not shown in the figure) pre-installed on the outer wall of the main control compartment.

[0055] In this embodiment, the manual inspection is replaced by a robot climbing the water-cooled wall pipes, which can significantly reduce the difficulty of manual inspection. The water-cooled wall can be inspected efficiently by setting up multiple robots to inspect at the same time, and the inspection area can almost completely cover the water-cooled wall pipes.

[0056] Example 2: Based on the above examples, this example further discloses the following:

[0057] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, it also includes a positioning mechanism, which includes a first servo motor located at the top of the main control compartment 201 (the motor base 214 of the first servo motor is shown in the figure). The output shaft of the first servo motor extends outward in a direction perpendicular to the main control compartment 201 and is fixedly connected to a cubic positioning block 202.

[0058] The positioning block 202 is provided with a first laser ranging sensor 203 on the left and right side walls and a second laser ranging sensor 204 on the bottom side wall. The positioning block 202 is also provided with a tilt sensor (not shown in the figure). The control unit is electrically connected to the first servo motor, the first laser ranging sensor 203, the second laser ranging sensor 204 and the tilt sensor respectively.

[0059] In this embodiment, the principle for locating the ultrasonic probe is as follows:

[0060] like Figure 1 As shown, by setting X-axis positioning plates on the left and right sides of the water-cooled wall 1 and Y-axis positioning plates at the bottom of the water-cooled wall, and adjusting the posture of the positioning blocks, the detection values ​​of the two first laser rangefinders represent the coordinates of the ultrasonic probe on the X-axis, while the detection value of the second laser rangefinder represents the Y-axis coordinate of the ultrasonic probe.

[0061] Since the coordinates of the ultrasonic probe correspond one-to-one with the pipe wall thickness values, each pipe wall thickness data can be located, pipes in areas where the data exceeds the standard can be replaced, and areas where the data is close to exceeding the standard can be continuously observed.

[0062] There are two installation methods for the X-axis and Y-axis positioning plates. One method is as follows: when the pipe is vertical, the X-axis positioning plates on both sides are also vertically positioned so that they can be detected by the first laser ranging sensor, while the corresponding Y-axis positioning plate is horizontal and can be detected by the second laser ranging sensor. If the pipe is inclined, the X-axis positioning plates are installed on both sides of the water-cooled wall and are parallel to the pipe axis, while the Y-axis positioning plate is located at the bottom of the pipe and is perpendicular to the pipe axis. By setting the positioning plates according to the direction of the pipe and aligning the left and right sidewalls of the positioning block with the left and right X-axis positioning plates and the bottom sidewall with the bottom Y-axis positioning plate, the attitude adjustment is completed.

[0063] Another advantage of the above-mentioned configuration of the present invention is that it can continuously monitor pipe sections where the thickness detection value is close to exceeding the standard. For example, the data from the second year's test can be compared with the data from the first year's test to achieve full control over the health status of the pipe.

[0064] Example 3: Based on the above examples, this example further discloses the following:

[0065] like Figures 2-6 As shown, the climbing arm includes a first climbing arm located on the left and right sides and a second climbing arm located on the front and rear sides. The first climbing arm and the second climbing arm have the same structure. One end of the first climbing arm and the second climbing arm are hinged to the hinge seat (not marked in the figure) on the outer wall of the main control compartment 201 through a first hinge shaft (not marked in the figure).

[0066] The top of the hinge base is also provided with a second servo motor 209. The output shaft of the second servo motor 209 is fixedly connected to the end of the first hinge shaft and is used to drive the first climbing arm or the second climbing arm to rotate at a set angle. The ends of the first climbing arm and the second climbing arm are connected to telescopic suction cups. The second servo motor 209 is electrically connected to the control unit through wires.

[0067] like Figures 2-6 As shown, the first climbing arm and the second climbing arm each include an electric cylinder (not marked in the figure). The fixed end of the electric cylinder is hinged to the main control compartment 201 through a first hinge shaft, and the telescopic end is hinged to a telescopic suction cup through a second hinge shaft. A third servo motor 216 is provided at the top of the second hinge shaft. The output shaft of the third servo motor 216 is fixedly connected to the top of the second hinge shaft and used to drive the telescopic suction cup to rotate at a set angle. The electric cylinder and the third servo motor 216 are electrically connected to the control unit through wires.

[0068] Example 4: Based on the above examples, this example further discloses the following:

[0069] like Figures 2-6 As shown, the telescopic end of the electric cylinder is fixedly connected to a connecting plate 210. The end of the connecting plate is hinged to the telescopic suction cup via a second hinge shaft. The telescopic suction cup includes a fixing block 212 with one end hinged to the second hinge shaft. A pipe suction component is provided below the fixing block 212. Four guide rods 221 are arranged in a rectangular pattern at the top of the pipe suction component. A guide hole 222 is provided at the bottom of the fixing block 212 corresponding to the guide rods 221. The upper part of the guide rod 221 is inserted into the guide hole 222. A return spring 223 is also connected between the lower end of the guide hole 222 and the top of the pipe suction component where the bottom end of the guide rod 221 is located, and outside the guide rod 221.

[0070] The bottom of the fixing block 212 is provided with an electromagnet 220. When the electromagnet 220 is energized, the adsorption pipe adsorption component moves upward and compresses the return spring 223. At this time, the adsorption pipe component disengages from the pipe 101 and avoids interference with the rotation of the climbing arm. When the electromagnet is de-energized, the adsorption pipe component re-engages with the pipe under the action of the return spring. The electromagnet 220 is electrically connected to the control unit through a wire.

[0071] It should be noted that, unlike climbing a single pipe, this invention involves climbing multiple pipes. Some pipes have a regular orientation, but in practical applications, there are also cases where the pipe orientations deviate significantly or even complex intersecting pipes exist. This invention is suitable for climbing operations on planar water-cooled walls with various pipe shapes. The telescopic suction cup design ensures the fixation strength with the pipe while avoiding interference with the rotation of the climbing arm.

[0072] Example 5: Based on the above examples, this example further discloses the following:

[0073] like Figures 2-6 As shown, the pipe adsorption component includes a mounting block 219. The bottom end of the mounting block 219 is a semi-circular arc-shaped surface that matches the outer diameter of the pipe 101. At least three arc-shaped slots are spaced apart in the semi-circular arc-shaped surface. Arc-shaped electromagnets 218 are installed in the arc-shaped slots. A second laser ranging sensor 217 is embedded in the semi-circular arc-shaped surface between adjacent arc-shaped electromagnets 218. The two second laser ranging sensors 217 are arranged along the axial direction parallel to the semi-circular arc-shaped surface and located at the top of the inner surface of the semi-circular arc-shaped surface. The arc-shaped electromagnets 218 and the second laser ranging sensors 217 are electrically connected to the control unit through wires.

[0074] In this embodiment, precise positioning of the pipe to be adsorbed can be achieved by setting a third servo motor and two second laser ranging sensors. That is, when the mounting block is placed outside the pipe, the mounting block is rotated by the third servo motor. When both second laser ranging sensors are opposite to the top of the pipe, the values ​​detected by the two second laser ranging sensors reach their minimum, that is, the mounting block and the pipe are aligned. After the electromagnet is de-energized, under the action of the reset spring, the three arc-shaped electromagnets are engaged on the outside of the pipe and completely adsorbed into the pipe. Through the above settings, the problem of accurate positioning and adsorption of the water-cooled wall pipe structure is solved.

[0075] Example 6: Based on the above examples, this example further discloses the following:

[0076] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the top of the fixed block 202 is also provided with a high-definition camera 213 for identifying the climbing path. The high-definition camera 213 is electrically connected to the control unit through a wire. It is easy to understand that the present invention can also set up commonly used components of existing robots to achieve more comprehensive functions, such as infrared sensors, etc., which will not be described in detail here.

[0077] Example 7: Based on the above examples, this example further discloses the following:

[0078] A method for using a water-cooled wall pipe inspection robot based on ultrasonic measurement, such as Figures 1-6 As shown, it includes the following:

[0079] X-axis positioning plates 3 are fixed vertically on both sides of the water-cooled wall or are set in a direction parallel to the pipe axis. Y-axis positioning plates (not shown in the figure) are set horizontally at the bottom of the water-cooled wall or are set in a direction perpendicular to the pipe axis. The principle of the positioning plate setting is detailed in Example 2.

[0080] The robot body is initially installed at the starting position of the pipe 101 of the water-cooled wall, and the arc-shaped electromagnets 218 at the ends of the four climbing arms are respectively attached to the outer wall of the corresponding pipe. The robot body is started and fixed to the water-cooled wall 1 by the attraction of the arc-shaped electromagnets. After the four climbing arms are crossed and pulled together, the ultrasonic camera is positioned at the set position.

[0081] The robot body 2 starts the first servo motor and adjusts the fixed block 212 to the set posture according to the data of the tilt sensor. At this time, the data measured by the two first laser ranging sensors 203 are the X-axis coordinates of the ultrasonic probe, and the distance measured by the second laser ranging sensor is the Y-axis coordinate of the ultrasonic probe.

[0082] The robot body 2 begins to detect the wall thickness of the heated surface of the pipe wall using an ultrasonic probe, and transmits the data to the boiler water-cooled wall detection center via wireless signal. The data includes wall thickness information and X and Y axis coordinate information of the detection point.

[0083] After the inspection of one point is completed, the robot body 2 begins to move along the direction of pipe 101. Specifically, the arc electromagnets of the left and right climbing arms are de-energized, the front and rear climbing arms move, the front climbing arm pulls the main control chamber, and the rear climbing arm pushes the main control chamber forward, thereby driving the main control chamber to move forward a set distance. Then, the arc electromagnets 218 on the left and right sides are re-energized and attracted to the surface of the pipe, and the inspection is repeated. This process is repeated until the entire pipe is inspected.

[0084] Then, the robot body 2 is moved to the left or right by the distance of one pipe. The electromagnet of the front climbing arm is energized while the arc electromagnet is de-energized. The pipe adsorption component is adsorbed onto the surface of the pipe 101 and detaches from it. When the front climbing arm rotates, it will not interfere with the pipe 101. The second servo motor 209 drives the front climbing arm to rotate to one side.

[0085] At this time, the second laser ranging sensor 217 detects the closest position of the adjacent pipe in sequence. Through the coordinated operation of the second servo motor, the third servo motor and the high-definition camera, both second laser ranging sensors detect the closest distance to the adjacent pipe. At this time, the three arc-shaped electromagnets 218 representing the front climbing arm are all aligned with the corresponding pipe 101. Then, the electromagnet 220 is de-energized, the reset spring causes the three arc-shaped electromagnets 218 to adhere to the surface of the pipe 101, the arc-shaped electromagnets 218 are energized, and the front climbing arm is fixed to the adjacent pipe.

[0086] Following the method described above, fix the lower climbing arm to the adjacent pipe; then, move the left and right climbing arms, i.e., the left or right climbing arm pulls the main control chamber 201 to the left or right, the opposite climbing arm pushes the main control chamber 201, and the front and rear climbing arms retract in coordination until the main control chamber 201 is moved above the adjacent pipe 101 and the ultrasonic probe is aligned with the pipe (e.g., Figure 1 As shown in the figure, the climbing arms on the left and right sides adjust the pipes they are adsorbed by extending or shortening in turn, and reposition the robot body in a new working position. Then, the wall thickness of the pipe is detected from top to bottom. Repeat the above steps to finally detect the wall thickness of the entire water-cooled pipe.

Claims

1. A water-cooled wall pipe inspection robot based on ultrasonic measurement, characterized in that: The robot body includes a main control compartment and climbing arms arranged around the main control compartment. The climbing arms are equipped with telescopic suction cups at their ends, and an ultrasonic probe is located at the center of the bottom of the main control compartment. The main control compartment is equipped with an ultrasonic module that is electrically connected to the ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic module is electrically connected to the control unit in the main control compartment via a wire. The control unit is electrically connected to the battery in the main control compartment and is connected to the boiler water-cooled wall detection center via a wireless signal transceiver module pre-installed on the outer wall of the main control compartment.

2. The water-cooled wall pipe inspection robot based on ultrasonic measurement as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a positioning mechanism, which includes a first servo motor located at the top of the main control compartment. The output shaft of the first servo motor extends outward in a direction perpendicular to the main control compartment and is fixedly connected to a cubic positioning block. The positioning block is provided with a first laser ranging sensor on the left and right side walls and a second laser ranging sensor on the bottom side wall. The positioning block is also provided with a tilt sensor. The control unit is electrically connected to the first servo motor, the first laser ranging sensor, the second laser ranging sensor and the tilt sensor respectively.

3. The water-cooled wall pipe inspection robot based on ultrasonic measurement as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The climbing arm includes a first climbing arm located on the left and right sides and a second climbing arm located on the front and rear sides. The first climbing arm and the second climbing arm have the same structure. One end of the first climbing arm and the second climbing arm are hinged to the hinge seat on the outer wall of the main control compartment through a first hinge shaft. The top of the hinge base is also provided with a second servo motor. The output shaft of the second servo motor is fixedly connected to the end of the first hinge shaft and is used to drive the first climbing arm or the second climbing arm to rotate at a set angle. The ends of the first climbing arm and the second climbing arm are connected to telescopic suction cups. The second servo motor is electrically connected to the control unit through wires.

4. The water-cooled wall pipe inspection robot based on ultrasonic measurement as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The first climbing arm and the second climbing arm each include an electric cylinder. The fixed end of the electric cylinder is hinged to the main control compartment through a first hinge shaft, and the telescopic end is hinged to a telescopic suction cup through a second hinge shaft. The top end of the second hinge shaft is equipped with a third servo motor. The output shaft of the third servo motor is fixedly connected to the top end of the second hinge shaft and used to drive the telescopic suction cup to rotate at a set angle. The electric cylinder and the third servo motor are electrically connected to the control unit through wires.

5. The water-cooled wall pipe inspection robot based on ultrasonic measurement as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The telescopic end of the electric cylinder is fixedly connected to a connecting plate, and the end of the connecting plate is hinged to the telescopic suction cup via a second hinge shaft. The telescopic suction cup includes a fixed block with one end hinged to the second hinge shaft. Below the fixing block is a pipe suction component. Four guide rods are arranged in a rectangular pattern at the top of the pipe suction component. A guide hole is provided at the bottom of the fixing block corresponding to the guide rods. The upper part of the guide rod is inserted into the guide hole. A return spring is connected between the lower end of the guide hole and the top of the pipe suction component where the bottom end of the guide rod is located, and outside the guide rod. An electromagnet is provided at the bottom of the fixing block. When the electromagnet is energized, the pipe suction component moves upward and compresses the return spring. At this time, the pipe suction component disengages from the pipe and avoids interference with the rotation of the climbing arm. When the electromagnet is de-energized, the pipe suction component re-engages with the pipe. The electromagnet is electrically connected to the control unit via a wire.

6. The water-cooled wall pipe inspection robot based on ultrasonic measurement as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The pipe adsorption component includes a mounting block, the bottom end of which is a semi-circular arc surface that matches the outer diameter of the pipe, and at least three arc-shaped slots are provided at intervals within the semi-circular arc surface. An arc-shaped electromagnet is installed in the arc-shaped slot. A second laser ranging sensor is embedded in the semi-circular arc surface between adjacent arc-shaped electromagnets. The two second laser ranging sensors are arranged along the axial direction parallel to the semi-circular arc surface and located at the top of the inner surface of the semi-circular arc surface. The arc-shaped electromagnet and the second laser ranging sensor are electrically connected to the control unit through wires.

7. The water-cooled wall pipe inspection robot based on ultrasonic measurement as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The top of the fixed block is also equipped with a high-definition camera for identifying the climbing path, and the high-definition camera is electrically connected to the control unit via a wire.

8. The method of using the water-cooled wall pipe inspection robot based on ultrasonic measurement as described in claim 7, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: Step S1: Fix X-axis positioning plates vertically on both sides of the water-cooled wall or set X-axis positioning plates in a direction parallel to the pipe axis; set Y-axis positioning plates horizontally at the bottom of the water-cooled wall or set Y-axis positioning plates in a direction perpendicular to the pipe axis. Step S2: Initially install the robot body at the starting position of the pipe in the water-cooled wall, so that the arc-shaped electromagnets at the ends of the four climbing arms are respectively attached to the outer wall of the corresponding pipe. Start the robot body and fix it to the water-cooled wall by the attraction of the arc-shaped electromagnets. Step S3: The robot body starts the first servo motor and adjusts the fixed block to the set posture according to the data of the tilt sensor. At this time, the data measured by the two first laser ranging sensors are the X-axis coordinates of the ultrasonic probe, and the distance measured by the second laser ranging sensor is the Y-axis coordinate of the ultrasonic probe. Step S4: The robot body begins to detect the wall thickness of the heated surface of the pipe wall using an ultrasonic probe, and transmits the data to the boiler water-cooled wall detection center via wireless signal. The data includes wall thickness information and X and Y axis coordinate information of the detection point. Step S5: After the inspection of one point is completed, the robot body begins to move along the direction of the pipe. Specifically, the arc electromagnets of the left and right climbing arms are de-energized, the front and rear climbing arms move, the front climbing arm pulls the main control chamber, and the rear climbing arm pushes the main control chamber forward, thereby driving the main control chamber to move forward a set distance. Then, the arc electromagnets of the left and right sides are re-energized and attracted to the surface of the pipe, and the inspection is repeated. This process is repeated until the entire pipe is inspected. Step S6: Then, start to move the robot body to the left or right by the distance of one pipe. The electromagnet of the front climbing arm is energized and the arc electromagnet is de-energized at the same time. The pipe adsorption component is adsorbed onto the pipe surface and detached. When the front climbing arm rotates, it will not interfere with the pipe. The second servo motor drives the front climbing arm to rotate to one side. Step S7: At this time, the second laser ranging sensor detects the closest position of the adjacent pipe in sequence. Through the coordinated cooperation of the second servo motor, the third servo motor and the high-definition camera, both second laser ranging sensors detect the closest distance to the adjacent pipe. At this time, the three arc-shaped electromagnets of the front climbing arm are all facing the corresponding pipe. Step S8: When the electromagnet is de-energized, the return spring causes the three arc-shaped electromagnets to adhere to the pipe surface. When the arc-shaped electromagnet is energized, the front climbing arm is fixed to the adjacent pipe. Step S9: Following the method described above, fix the lower climbing arm to the adjacent pipe; then, move the left and right climbing arms, i.e., the left or right climbing arm pulls the main control chamber to the left or right, the opposite climbing arm pushes the main control chamber, and the front and rear climbing arms retract in coordination until the main control chamber is moved above the adjacent pipe and the ultrasonic probe is aligned with the pipe. The left and right climbing arms adjust the pipe they are attached to by extending or shortening in sequence, and reposition the robot body to the new working position; Step S10: Then, inspect the pipe wall thickness from top to bottom; Step S11: Repeat the above steps to finally detect the wall thickness of the entire water-cooled wall pipe.

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