Intelligent Inspection Device and Method for Air Turbine Blade Lightning Arresters Based on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Abstract

This invention discloses a drone-based intelligent inspection device for wind turbine blade lightning arresters. The device uses a drone as the suspension body, with an outer disc connected to the bottom of the drone via a connecting shaft. A rotating disk is located inside the outer disc, and a base plate is connected to the lower end of the rotating disk. A fixing frame is bolted to the base plate, and a transmission mechanism is mounted on the fixing frame. The transmission mechanism is connected to a testing platform and a grinding platform. A camera is mounted on the testing platform, and a grinding motor is mounted on the grinding platform. A steel brush is connected to the output end of the grinding motor. This invention also discloses an intelligent inspection method for wind turbine blade lightning arresters. The drone-based intelligent inspection device and method for wind turbine blade lightning arresters provided by this invention solve the problem of inaccurate detection caused by the lack of grinding of lightning arresters in existing technologies.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of wind turbine blade inspection technology, specifically relating to a smart inspection device for wind turbine blade lightning arresters based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and also to a smart inspection method for the device. Background Technology

[0002] Wind power, as a technologically mature renewable energy source, has been developed on a large scale in countries around the world. Given the inherent characteristics of the equipment, the damage caused by lightning to turbine units (especially wind turbine blades) is increasingly severe. Therefore, a safe and reliable lightning protection system is crucial for the safe operation of the entire unit. A wind turbine lightning protection system mainly consists of an external lightning rod and internal conductors. The principle is that the lightning rod is connected to the grounding device through a down conductor, safely diverting lightning to the ground. The lightning rods on wind turbine blades are made of metal, and when exposed to the atmosphere, they are affected by oxygen, moisture, and pollutants, forming oxides or metal salts, leading to changes in conductivity. Furthermore, if the internal conductors break or fail and are not detected in time, the wind turbine is highly likely to be destroyed by lightning during thunderstorms.

[0003] Previously, the inspection method for wind turbine lightning protection systems was manual. This method required using a suspended platform to send workers to the vicinity of the lightning arrester, where they would then use a file to polish the surface before performing the ohmmeter test. This manual method of working at height posed a great danger, and the method of raising the suspended platform was inefficient. UAV inspection technology has many advantages, such as safety, efficiency, cost-saving, flexible operation, and fewer restrictions. Therefore, it is easier to integrate with traditional manual inspection and broaden the mode of line maintenance.

[0004] The negative pressure suction cup type drone inspection device consists of a robotic arm mounted on the lower part of the drone, with a negative pressure suction cup at the end of the arm. During inspection, the robotic arm extends to allow the suction cup to adhere to the surface of the fan blades, and then a probe on the suction cup is used for inspection. However, in practical applications, the probe inspection process suffers from poor contact. Furthermore, the designers of this device did not adequately consider the instantaneous force generated by fan vibration, which could potentially cause the suction cup to detach, leading to inspection failure. Additionally, both the suction cup adsorption and removal operations require power from the drone; errors in operation can easily lead to collisions. Moreover, when the device is operating normally, the robotic arm extends only in one direction, causing the drone's center of gravity to shift, resulting in unstable flight. Secondly, the ohm-type roof-mounted drone has several problems when inspecting lightning rods on wind turbine blades. Its inspection net is located at the top, only able to inspect the blade tip lightning rods, unable to inspect other areas of the blade. The drone itself is bulky, unable to make fine adjustments after reaching the designated point, and carrying power lines during takeoff can easily cause hovering and loss of control. The system relies on the rotor to provide upward pressure during testing, making it prone to collisions if operated incorrectly. Furthermore, the bulky design of the device increases the difficulty of hovering operations and the risk of loss of control, requiring higher standards of stability and safety. Additionally, when the drone returns according to remote control commands, there are issues such as difficulty in making flexible fine-tuning after reaching the target location, inaccurate detection due to unpolished lightning arresters, and increased difficulty in hovering while operating with cables. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The primary objective of this invention is to provide an intelligent inspection device for lightning arresters on wind turbine blades based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which solves the problem of tilting and loss of control caused by traditional single-arm extension robotic arms in the prior art.

[0006] The second objective of this invention is to develop an intelligent inspection method for lightning rods on wind turbine blades based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which solves the problem of inaccurate detection caused by the lack of polishing of the lightning rods in the prior art.

[0007] The first technical solution adopted in this invention is a smart inspection device for wind turbine blade lightning arresters based on a drone. The drone is used as the main suspension body. An outer disc is connected to the bottom of the drone through a connecting shaft. A rotating disk is provided inside the outer disc. A base plate is connected to the lower end of the rotating disk. A fixing frame is bolted to the base plate. A transmission mechanism is provided on the fixing frame. The transmission mechanism is connected to a testing table and a grinding table. A camera is provided on the testing table. A grinding motor is provided on the grinding table. A steel brush is connected to the output end of the grinding motor.

[0008] The first technical solution of this invention is also characterized in that, The drone consists of four wing rods, each with a vector axis connected to its end, and a rotor connected to the vector axis. A connecting shaft is fixed to the bottom of the vector axis, and a long fixed bracket is bolted to the connecting shaft. The long fixed bracket is fixed to the outer disk. A fixed disc is bolted to the upper end face of the outer disc, and a battery compartment is fixed at the center of the fixed disc; a circular hole is opened at the center of the outer disc, and a pad is placed inside the circular hole, which is fixed between the outer disc and the rotating disc. It also includes two sets of copper pillars, each set of which includes multiple copper pillars. One end of each copper pillar is connected to a support plate, and the other end is fixed to a pad. A motor is connected to the support plate, and the motor passes through the outer disc and the fixed disc and is located inside the battery compartment.

[0009] An internal gear ring is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the rotating disk. Three planetary gears are evenly arranged in the circumferential direction in the inner cavity of the rotating disk. All three planetary gears mesh with the rotating disk and mesh with a central drive gear. The central drive gear meshes with a horizontal rotating gear. The horizontal rotating gear is located between the corresponding support plate and the planetary gears and is connected to the motor on the corresponding support plate. The top of the central drive gear is coaxially connected to a vertical drive gear, which meshes with a vertical transmission gear. The vertical transmission gear is located between the corresponding support plate and the planetary gear, and is connected to the motor on the corresponding support plate. The central drive gear and the vertical drive gear are coaxially connected by a lead screw, which passes through the base plate and is connected to a lead screw nut.

[0010] The transmission mechanism is set in two sets, corresponding to the testing table and the grinding table respectively; each set of transmission mechanism includes a rotary motor, bevel gear A, transmission bevel gear A and transmission rod; The fixed frame consists of two parallel fixed plates, and the transmission housing is located between the two fixed plates. A motor support is bolted to the upper surface of the base plate near the fixed frame, and a rotary motor is fixed on the motor support. The output shaft of the rotary motor passes through a fixed plate on one side and is coaxially fixed to a transverse rotating shaft. The transverse rotating shaft is rigidly fixed to the side wall of the transmission housing, and the other end of the transverse rotating shaft is rotatably supported on another fixed plate through a bearing. The bevel gear A is keyed to the transverse rotating shaft and located in the inner cavity of the transmission housing; the bevel gear A meshes with the transmission bevel gear A, and the transmission bevel gear A is fixedly connected to the upper end of the transmission rod; the lower end of the transmission rod is fixedly connected to the transmission bevel gear B, and the transmission bevel gear B meshes with the bevel gear B. The bevel gear B is coaxially fixed to a transverse rotating shaft. The two ends of the transverse rotating shaft are rotatably mounted on the two side walls of the transmission housing. The two ends of the transverse rotating shaft extend out of the transmission housing and are fixed to a swing arm bracket. The lower end of the swing arm bracket is fixed to a shock-absorbing bracket. The two sets of swing arm brackets are respectively connected to the testing table and the grinding table.

[0011] The testing station includes a flange base plate, a connecting seat, and a buffer spring. A swing arm bracket is fixedly connected to the side wall of the flange base plate. The flange base plate has multiple sets of mounting countersunk holes. A connecting seat is fixedly connected to the flange base plate. The connecting seat is composed of a circular base plate fixedly connected to a hollow cylindrical body. A buffer spring is installed inside the cylinder and partially protrudes from the cylinder. One end of the buffer spring is fixed to the circular base plate, and the other end is fixedly connected to a camera.

[0012] The grinding table includes a motor support frame, which is fixedly connected to the swing arm bracket, and the grinding motor is fixedly connected to the motor support frame.

[0013] It also includes a triangular support plate and multiple telescopic rods. The triangular support plate is located inside the rotating disk. The upper ends of the multiple telescopic rods are fixed to the lower end face of the triangular support plate. The lower ends of the telescopic rods slide against the base plate. Shock-absorbing telescopic springs are sleeved on the telescopic rods. The lower end faces of the three planetary gears are rotatably connected to the three corners of the triangular support plate through pins. The multiple shock-absorbing telescopic springs are respectively set below each planetary gear.

[0014] The second technical solution adopted in this invention is a method for intelligent inspection of wind turbine blade lightning arresters based on drones. The method uses the aforementioned intelligent inspection device for wind turbine blade lightning arresters based on drones, which includes: flying the drone to the vicinity of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester, using a camera to capture and identify images of the lightning arrester surface to determine whether there are contaminants on the surface of the lightning arrester. If there are contaminants, a grinding table is unfolded to allow steel brushes to grind the surface. After grinding, a re-inspection is performed. When the re-inspection is passed, a rotating disk sends a traveling wave signal through a detection platform attached to the wind turbine blade lightning arrester. The ground receives the signal to determine whether the conductor is faulty. After completion, the detection platform and the grinding platform are retracted, and the drone flies away.

[0015] The second technical solution of the present invention is further characterized in that, The polishing process is as follows: After the camera captures an image of the lightning receiver surface, image processing technology is used to identify contaminants, and polishing is automatically performed; the rotary motor is started, and the transmission rod is driven by the meshing of bevel gears and transmission bevel gears, which drives the polishing table to rotate and unfold around the horizontal axis, so that the polishing table extends outward from the transmission housing side and approaches the lightning receiver; the rotating disk achieves horizontal rotation adjustment of the polishing table through the coordinated cooperation of planetary gear set, horizontal rotation gear and vertical transmission gear, and vertical lifting adjustment of the polishing table through the lead screw, so that the steel brush is aligned with the lightning receiver surface; the polishing motor is started to drive the steel brush to rotate for polishing; after polishing is completed, the camera captures an image again and compares it with the first image to determine whether the contaminants have been removed. If they have not been removed, polishing is repeated; if they have been removed, a detection is performed.

[0016] The testing process is as follows: After passing the re-inspection, the rotary table rotates, aligning the testing platform with the lightning receiver. The testing platform is then unfolded via a transmission rod, bringing the camera at the front of the testing platform close to the lightning receiver. As the testing platform approaches the lightning receiver, the buffer spring is compressed and deformed. A traveling wave signal is sent from the testing platform to the lightning receiver. The traveling wave signal is transmitted through the internal wires of the lightning receiver and received by an electromagnetic coil at the ground receiver below the wind turbine. If the ground receiver does not receive the traveling wave signal or the traveling wave signal attenuates beyond a threshold, it is determined that there is an open circuit or short circuit fault in the internal wires of the lightning receiver. After the test is completed, the transmission rod rotates in the opposite direction via the bevel gear set, causing the testing platform and the grinding table to rotate around the transverse axis and retract to the side of the transmission housing and reset to their initial positions. The drone then flies away.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this invention are: (1) This invention uses a vector UAV as an aerial work platform, completely replacing the traditional manual high-altitude basket method, eliminating the risk of personnel falling. At the same time, the UAV can quickly reach remote wind farms without transporting heavy lifting equipment, significantly shortening the inspection cycle. Compared with existing UAV solutions that involve wired operations, this invention uses the traveling wave method for wireless inspection, eliminating the need to carry test cables into the air, avoiding the self-reloading of wires and wind resistance interference, improving maneuverability and hovering accuracy, making the operation safer and more efficient, and significantly reducing the overall operation and maintenance costs.

[0018] (2) The front end of the testing station of the present invention is equipped with a high-definition camera. Combined with image processing technology, it can automatically identify the rust and dirt on the surface of the lightning arrester and make autonomous decisions on the grinding intensity and number of times. After grinding, the image is re-inspected, forming a complete closed loop of identification-grinding-re-inspection, without the need for manual remote control intervention.

[0019] (3) This invention is the first to configure two identical sets of linkage control mechanisms for the grinding table and the inspection table in a centrally symmetrical manner, so that the two sides are evenly distributed and the center of gravity of the UAV remains stable during operation, avoiding the risk of body tilting and loss of control caused by traditional single-arm extension robotic arms. The linkage mechanism has multiple degrees of freedom, which, together with the tilting flight capability of the vector UAV, allows the grinding brush head to flexibly reach any area of ​​the lightning rod, such as the side, back and root of the blade.

[0020] (3) The rotating disk of this invention adopts a planetary gear set and a horizontal / vertical dual-directional rotating gear for coordinated transmission. Only a small number of motors are needed to achieve 360° rotation and lead screw lifting functions simultaneously, which greatly reduces the number of motors and control complexity, reduces the onboard weight and extends the range. At the same time, a three-stage shock-absorbing telescopic spring is provided between the rotating disk and the base plate, and a shock-absorbing bracket is installed at the lower end of the fixed bracket of the grinding table and the inspection table. The multi-stage flexible buffer structure absorbs the vibration of flight and the impact of grinding, protecting the precision parts; a friction rod is added to the outer circumference of the grinding table. Attached Figure Description Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the intelligent inspection device for wind turbine blade lightning arresters based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the intelligent inspection device for wind turbine blade lightning arresters based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the rotating disk and planetary gears of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission mechanism of the present invention.

[0021] In the diagram, 1. UAV, 2. Wing rod, 3. Vector axis, 4. Rotor, 5. Connecting shaft, 6. Long fixed bracket, 7. Outer disk, 8. Battery compartment, 9. Pad, 10. Fixed disk, 11. Copper column, 12. Support plate, 13. Rotary disk, 14. Planetary gear, 15. Base plate, 16. Telescopic rod, 18. Horizontal rotating gear, 19. Center drive gear, 20. Vertical transmission gear, 21. Vertical drive gear, 22. Rotary motor, 23. Bevel gear A, 24. Transmission bevel gear A, 25. Transmission bevel gear B, 26. Bevel gear B, 27. Lateral rotating shaft, 28. Transmission rod, 29. Transmission housing, 30. Fixed frame, 32. Swing arm bracket, 33. Inspection table, 34. Grinding table, 35. Lead screw. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0023] Example 1 This embodiment provides a wind turbine blade lightning arrester intelligent inspection device based on a drone, with the drone 1 as the main suspension body, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the device includes an outer disc 7. The bottom of the drone 1 is connected to the outer disc 7 via a connecting shaft 5. The outer disc 7 contains a rotating disk 13. The lower end of the rotating disk 13 is connected to a base plate 15. A fixing frame 30 is bolted to the base plate 15. A transmission mechanism is provided on the fixing frame 30. The transmission mechanism is connected to a testing table 33 and a grinding table 34. A camera is provided on the testing table 33. A grinding motor is provided on the grinding table 34. A steel brush is connected to the output end of the grinding motor.

[0024] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows: When the UAV 1 is in flight, the entire device is suspended below and moves with the aircraft via the connecting shaft 5. After reaching the vicinity of the lightning receiver, the rotating disk 13 rotates horizontally within the outer disk 7. The base plate 15, the fixed frame 30, and the transmission mechanism, detection table 33, and grinding table 34 mounted on the fixed frame 30 all rotate together, turning the detection table or grinding table to face the lightning receiver. When the transmission mechanism is activated, the camera on the detection table 33 captures images, and the grinding motor on the grinding table 34 drives the steel brush to rotate and grind.

[0025] Example 2 Based on Example 1, such as Figure 2As shown, the UAV 1 includes four wing rods 2, each wing rod 2 having a vector shaft 3 connected to its end, and a rotor 4 connected to the vector shaft 3; a connecting shaft 5 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the vector shaft 3, and a long fixed bracket 6 is bolted to the connecting shaft 5, which is fixedly connected to the outer disk 7; a fixed disk 10 is bolted to the upper surface of the outer disk 7, and a battery compartment 8 is fixedly connected to the center of the fixed disk 10; a circular hole is opened in the center of the outer disk 7, and a pad 9 is provided in the circular hole, which is fixed between the outer disk 7 and the rotating disk 13; it also includes two sets of copper pillar groups, each set of copper pillar groups including multiple copper pillars 11, one end of which is connected to a support plate 12, and the other end is fixedly connected to the pad 9, and a motor is connected to the support plate 12, the motor passing through the outer disk 7 and the fixed disk 10 and located in the battery compartment 8.

[0026] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows: UAV 1 adopts a multi-rotor UAV platform in the prior art. Its flight control system controls the deflection of vector axis 3 according to the data fed back by attitude sensor. The rotor 4 then changes the thrust direction, and UAV 1 completes hovering and attitude adjustment. The integrated connecting shaft 5 below vector axis 3 is bolted to a long fixed bracket 6. The long fixed bracket 6 supports the outer disc 7, and the entire detection device is hung below the UAV. A fixed disc 10 covers the outer disc 7. The battery compartment 8 in the middle contains the battery, which powers the motor. Multiple copper pillars 11 stand on the outer pad 9. A support plate 12 is mounted on top of the copper pillars 11. The motor is mounted on the support plate 12. The motor output shaft passes down through the pad 9 and the outer disc 7, sending power to the transmission mechanism below.

[0027] Example 3 Based on the above embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, an internal gear ring is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the rotating disk 13. Three planetary gears 14 are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction in the inner cavity of the rotating disk 13. All three planetary gears 14 mesh with the rotating disk 13, and the three planetary gears 14 mesh with a central drive gear 19. The central drive gear 19 meshes with a horizontal rotating gear 18. The horizontal rotating gear 18 is located between the corresponding support plate and the planetary gears 14, and is connected to the motor on the corresponding support plate. A vertical drive gear 21 is coaxially connected to the top of the central drive gear, and the vertical drive gear 21 meshes with a vertical transmission gear 20. The vertical transmission gear 20 is located between the corresponding support plate and the planetary gears 14, and is connected to the motor on the corresponding support plate. A lead screw 35 is coaxially connected to the central drive gear 19 and the vertical drive gear 21, and the lead screw 35 passes through the base plate 15 and is connected to a lead screw nut.

[0028] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows: When the motor connected to the horizontal rotating gear 18 starts, its output shaft drives the horizontal rotating gear 18 to rotate. The teeth of the horizontal rotating gear 18 engage the teeth of the central drive gear 19, causing the central drive gear 19 to rotate around its own axis. When the central drive gear 19 rotates, its teeth simultaneously engage the teeth of the three planetary gears 14. Each of the three planetary gears 14 rotates around its own pivot, and simultaneously, the teeth of the planetary gears 14 engage the teeth of the internal gear ring of the rotating disk 13, pushing the rotating disk 13 to rotate horizontally. The rotating disk 13 drives the base plate 15 and its fixed frame 30, transmission mechanism, detection table 33, and grinding table 34 to rotate horizontally together. At the same time as the central drive gear 19 rotates, the vertical drive gear 21, which is coaxially fixed to it, rotates synchronously. The teeth of the vertical drive gear 21 engage the teeth of the vertical transmission gear 20, which idles in a state where the connected motor follows its rotation. The coaxially fixed lead screw 35 also rotates synchronously with the central drive gear 19. When the lead screw 35 rotates, it pushes the lead screw nut axially through the threaded pair, causing the base plate 15 and its components to move vertically. Horizontal rotation and vertical lifting occur simultaneously, with the motor connected to the vertical transmission gear 20 in a de-energized follow-up state during the rotation, without locking the transmission chain. When lifting needs to be adjusted separately, the motor connected to the vertical transmission gear 20 starts, which in turn actuates the vertical drive gear 21, causing the coaxial central drive gear 19 and lead screw 35 to rotate. At this time, horizontal rotation also occurs synchronously, and the two are linked. Similarly, when horizontal rotation is required separately, the motor connected to the horizontal rotation gear 18 is started, and the vertical direction follows.

[0029] Example 4 Based on the above embodiments, such as Figure 4As shown, two sets of transmission mechanisms are provided, corresponding to the testing table 33 and the grinding table 34 respectively; each set of transmission mechanisms includes a rotary motor 22, a bevel gear A23, a transmission bevel gear A24, and a transmission rod 28; the fixed frame 30 is composed of two parallel fixed plates, and the transmission housing 29 is provided between the two fixed plates; a motor support is bolted to the upper end face of the base plate 15 near the fixed frame 30, and the rotary motor 22 is fixed on the motor support; the output shaft of the rotary motor 22 passes through one side fixed plate and is coaxially fixed to a transverse rotating shaft, which is rigidly fixed to the side wall of the transmission housing 29, and the other end of the transverse rotating shaft is rotatably supported by a bearing on another fixed plate. On the fixed plate; bevel gear A23 is keyed to the transverse rotating shaft and located in the inner cavity of the transmission housing 29; bevel gear A23 meshes with transmission bevel gear A24, and transmission bevel gear A24 is fixedly connected to the upper end of transmission rod 28; transmission bevel gear B25 is fixedly connected to the lower end of transmission rod 28, and transmission bevel gear B25 meshes with bevel gear B26; bevel gear B is coaxially fixedly connected to transverse rotating shaft 27, and the two ends of transverse rotating shaft 27 are rotatably assembled to the two side walls of transmission housing 29, and the two ends of transverse rotating shaft extend out of transmission housing 29 and are fixedly connected to swing arm bracket 32; the lower end of swing arm bracket 32 ​​is fixedly connected to shock absorber bracket, and the two sets of swing arm brackets 32 are respectively connected to the testing table 33 and the grinding table 34.

[0030] In this embodiment, when the rotary motor 22 starts, its output shaft drives the transverse rotating shaft to rotate. The transverse rotating shaft simultaneously drives two things to rotate synchronously: first, the transmission housing 29, rigidly connected to the transverse rotating shaft, rotates as a whole; second, the bevel gear A23, keyed to the transverse rotating shaft and located within the cavity of the transmission housing 29. When the bevel gear A23 rotates, it engages the teeth of the transmission bevel gear A24, causing the transmission bevel gear A24 to rotate around its own axis, driving the transmission rod 28, which is fixed to its upper end, to rotate synchronously. The transmission rod 28 drives the lower transmission bevel gear B25 to rotate, and the transmission bevel gear B25 engages the teeth of the bevel gear B26, causing the bevel gear B26 to drive the coaxially fixed transverse rotating shaft 27 to rotate within the side walls of the transmission housing 29. The transverse rotating shaft 27 extends out of the transmission housing 29 at both ends, causing the swing arm bracket 32 ​​to swing around the axis of the transverse rotating shaft 27. When the swing arm bracket 32 ​​swings, it causes the detection table 33 or grinding table 34 connected to its lower end to extend outwards or retract inwards from the side of the transmission housing 29.

[0031] Since both bevel gear A23 and transmission housing 29 are fixed to the same transverse rotating shaft, there is no relative movement between them. Therefore, when transmission housing 29 rotates, the meshing position relationship between bevel gear A23, transmission bevel gear A24, transmission rod 28, transmission bevel gear B25, and bevel gear B26 inside it remains unchanged, and the power transmission is continuously effective. The two sets of transmission mechanisms work independently, controlling the unfolding and retraction of the inspection table 33 and the grinding table 34 respectively; the two sets of transmission mechanisms are symmetrically arranged on the base plate, so that the center of gravity of the UAV remains balanced during operation.

[0032] Example 5 Based on the above embodiments, the testing table 33 includes a flange base plate, a connecting seat, and a buffer spring. A swing arm bracket 32 ​​is fixedly connected to the side wall of the flange base plate. The flange base plate has multiple sets of mounting countersunk holes. A connecting seat is fixedly connected to the flange base plate. The connecting seat is composed of a circular base plate fixedly connected to a hollow cylindrical body. A buffer spring is installed inside the cylindrical body and partially extends out of the body. One end of the buffer spring is fixed to the circular base plate, and the other end is fixedly connected to a camera. The grinding table 34 includes a motor support frame, which is fixedly connected to the swing arm bracket 32. A grinding motor is fixedly connected to the motor support frame.

[0033] In this embodiment, when the detection platform 33 is working, the swing arm bracket 32 ​​drives the entire detection platform 33 to swing in front of the lightning receiver via the flange base plate. The camera is floatingly mounted inside the cylinder of the connecting seat via a buffer spring. When the detection platform 33 approaches the lightning receiver, the camera abuts against the surface of the lightning receiver, and the buffer spring is compressed and deformed, causing the camera to adaptively conform to the surface of the lightning receiver. At the same time, the buffer spring absorbs the impact force at the moment of contact. When the grinding platform 34 is working, the swing arm bracket 32 ​​drives the grinding platform 34 to swing in front of the lightning receiver via the motor support frame, so that the steel brush is directly facing the surface of the lightning receiver. The grinding motor starts, driving the steel brush to rotate and grind the surface of the lightning receiver.

[0034] Example 6 Based on the above embodiment, it also includes a triangular support plate and multiple telescopic rods 16. The triangular support plate is located inside the rotating disk 13. The upper ends of the multiple telescopic rods are respectively fixed to the lower end face of the triangular support plate. The lower ends of the telescopic rods 16 are slidably engaged with the base plate 15. Shock-absorbing telescopic springs are sleeved on the telescopic rods. The lower end faces of the three planetary gears 14 are rotatably connected to the three corners of the triangular support plate through pins. The multiple shock-absorbing telescopic springs are respectively arranged below each planetary gear 14.

[0035] In this embodiment, during the rotation of the planetary gear 14, its lower end face is rotated at the corner of the triangular support plate via a pin. The upper end of the telescopic rod 16 is fixed to the lower end face of the triangular support plate, and its lower end is slidably engaged with the base plate 15. When the rotating disk 13 rotates or the base plate 15 vibrates, the triangular support plate undergoes axial displacement relative to the base plate 15. The telescopic rod 16 slides in the mating hole of the base plate 15, and the shock-absorbing telescopic spring sleeved on the telescopic rod 16 is compressed or extended to absorb vibration energy and achieve shock absorption. Since the telescopic rod 16 is arranged circumferentially and the sliding engagement restricts the circumferential rotation of the triangular support plate, the triangular support plate does not rotate with the revolution of the planetary gear 14, but only floats axially.

[0036] Example 7 This embodiment provides a method for intelligent inspection of wind turbine blade lightning arresters based on drones. Using the intelligent inspection device provided in the above embodiment, the method includes: flying the drone 1 to the vicinity of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester, capturing and identifying images of the lightning arrester surface using a camera, determining whether there are contaminants on the lightning arrester surface, and if there are contaminants, using a polishing table 34 to polish the surface with a steel brush, and then performing a re-inspection after polishing. When the re-inspection is passed, the rotating disk 13 sends a traveling wave signal to the wind turbine blade lightning arrester through the detection table 33, and the ground receives the signal to determine whether the conductor is faulty. After completion, the detection table 33 and the polishing table 34 are retracted, and the drone flies away.

[0037] The polishing process is as follows: After the camera captures an image of the lightning arrester's surface, image processing technology is used to identify contaminants. The image undergoes grayscale conversion, filtering and noise reduction, and edge detection preprocessing to extract color and texture features from the lightning arrester's surface. These extracted features are compared with a pre-defined database of oxide or contaminant image features to identify the presence of oxides or contaminants on the surface. Based on the identification results, an automatic decision is made: if contaminants are identified and their coverage area or grayscale difference exceeds a pre-defined threshold, polishing is required and the polishing step is executed; if no contaminants are identified or the contaminant index does not exceed the pre-defined threshold, polishing is not required, and the polishing step is skipped, directly proceeding to the detection step. After polishing, the camera captures an image of the lightning arrester's surface again, repeating the above image processing and identification process. The identification result is compared with the identification result of the first captured image to determine whether the contaminants have been removed.

[0038] Furthermore, the rotary motor is started, and the transmission rod 28 is driven by the meshing of the bevel gear and the transmission bevel gear, which drives the grinding table 34 to rotate and unfold around the transverse rotating shaft 27, so that the grinding table 34 extends outward from the side of the transmission housing 29 and approaches the lightning arrester; the rotating disk 13 achieves horizontal rotation adjustment of the grinding table 34 through the coordinated cooperation of the planetary gear set, the horizontal rotating gear 18 and the vertical transmission gear 20, and achieves vertical lifting adjustment of the grinding table 34 through the lead screw 35, so that the steel brush is aligned with the surface of the lightning arrester; The specific testing operation is as follows: After the re-inspection is passed, the rotary disk 13 rotates, aligning the testing platform 33 with the lightning receiver. The testing platform 33 is unfolded through the transmission rod 28, bringing the camera at the front of the testing platform 33 close to the lightning receiver. When the testing platform 33 approaches the lightning receiver, the buffer spring is compressed and deformed. A traveling wave signal is sent to the lightning receiver through the testing platform 33. The traveling wave signal is transmitted through the internal wires of the lightning receiver and received by the ground receiving end below the wind turbine using an electromagnetic coil. If the ground receiving end does not receive the traveling wave signal or the traveling wave signal attenuates beyond the threshold, it is determined that there is an open circuit or short circuit fault in the internal wires of the lightning receiver. After the test is completed, the transmission rod 28 rotates in the opposite direction through the bevel gear set, driving the testing platform 33 and the grinding table 34 to rotate around the transverse rotating shaft 27 and retract to the side of the transmission housing 29 and reset to the initial position. The drone 1 then flies away.

[0039] In summary, this invention uses a drone as a flight platform and a rotating disk to achieve horizontal rotation and vertical lifting adjustment of the inspection and polishing tables. Two symmetrically arranged transmission mechanisms drive the inspection and polishing tables to independently deploy and retract, realizing a complete process for identifying, polishing, and detecting contaminants on the surface of the lightning arrester, thus improving the safety and efficiency of high-altitude inspection. The drone and image recognition technology used in this invention both employ existing mature technologies, and the various components work together to form a complete intelligent inspection solution.

Claims

1. A wind turbine blade lightning arrester intelligent inspection device based on a drone, using a drone (1) as the suspension body, characterized in that, The device includes an outer disc (7), the bottom of the drone (1) is connected to the outer disc (7) via a connecting shaft (5), the outer disc (7) is provided with a rotating disk (13), the lower end face of the rotating disk (13) is connected to a base plate (15), a fixing frame (30) is bolted to the base plate (15), a transmission mechanism is provided on the fixing frame (30), the transmission mechanism is connected to a testing table (33) and a grinding table (34); a camera is provided on the testing table (33), a grinding motor is provided on the grinding table (34), and a steel brush is connected to the output end of the grinding motor.

2. The intelligent inspection device for wind turbine blade lightning arresters based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The UAV (1) includes four wing rods (2), each of which is connected to a vector shaft (3) at the end. The vector shaft (3) is connected to a rotor (4). The bottom of the vector shaft (3) is fixedly connected to a connecting shaft (5), and the connecting shaft (5) is bolted to a long fixed bracket (6). The long fixed bracket (6) is fixedly connected to an outer disc (7). The upper end face of the outer disk (7) is connected to a fixed disk (10) by bolts, and a battery compartment (8) is fixed at the center of the fixed disk (10); a circular hole is opened in the center of the outer disk (7), and a pad (9) is provided in the circular hole. The pad (9) is fixed between the outer disk (7) and the rotating disk (13). It also includes two sets of copper pillars, each set of copper pillars includes multiple copper pillars (11), one end of the multiple copper pillars (11) is connected to a support plate (12), and the other end is fixed to a pad plate (9). A motor is connected to the support plate (12), and the motor passes through the outer disc (7) and the fixed disc (10) and is located in the battery compartment (8).

3. The intelligent inspection device for wind turbine blade lightning arresters based on unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 2, characterized in that, The inner circumferential surface of the rotating disk (13) is provided with an internal gear ring, and three planetary gears (14) are evenly arranged in the circumferential direction in the inner cavity of the rotating disk (13); the three planetary gears (14) are all meshed with the rotating disk (13), and the three planetary gears (14) are meshed with a central drive gear (19); the central drive gear (19) is meshed with a horizontal rotating gear (18); the horizontal rotating gear (18) is located between the corresponding support plate and the planetary gears (14), and is connected to the motor on the corresponding support plate; The top of the central drive gear is coaxially connected to a vertical drive gear (21), and the vertical drive gear (21) meshes with a vertical transmission gear (20); the vertical transmission gear (20) is located between the corresponding support plate and the planetary gear (14), and is connected to the motor on the corresponding support plate. The central drive gear (19) is coaxially connected to the vertical drive gear (21) by a lead screw (35), and the lead screw (35) passes through the base plate (15) and is connected to a lead screw nut.

4. The intelligent inspection device for wind turbine blade lightning arresters based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The transmission mechanism is provided in two sets, corresponding to the testing table (33) and the polishing table (34) respectively; each set of transmission mechanism includes a rotary motor (22), a bevel gear A (23), a transmission bevel gear A (24) and a transmission rod (28). The fixing frame (30) is composed of two parallel fixing plates, and the transmission housing (29) is provided between the two fixing plates. A motor support is bolted to the upper end face of the base plate (15) near the fixed frame (30), and a rotary motor (22) is fixed on the motor support; the output shaft of the rotary motor (22) passes through a fixed plate on one side and is coaxially fixed to a transverse rotating shaft, which is rigidly fixed to the side wall of the transmission housing (29), and the other end of the transverse rotating shaft is rotatably supported on another fixed plate through a bearing; The bevel gear A (23) is keyed to the transverse rotating shaft and located in the inner cavity of the transmission housing (29); the bevel gear A (23) meshes with the transmission bevel gear A (24), and the transmission bevel gear A (24) is fixedly connected to the upper end of the transmission rod (28); the lower end of the transmission rod (28) is fixedly connected to the transmission bevel gear B (25), and the transmission bevel gear B (25) meshes with the bevel gear B (26); The bevel gear B is coaxially fixed to a transverse rotating shaft (27). The two ends of the transverse rotating shaft (27) are rotatably mounted on the two side walls of the transmission housing (29). The two ends of the transverse rotating shaft extend out of the transmission housing (29) and are fixed to a swing arm bracket (32). The lower end of the swing arm bracket (32) is fixed to a shock-absorbing bracket. The two sets of swing arm brackets (32) are respectively connected to the testing table (33) and the grinding table (34).

5. The intelligent inspection device for wind turbine blade lightning arresters based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) according to claim 4, characterized in that, The testing platform (33) includes a flange base plate, a connecting seat and a buffer spring. The side wall of the flange base plate is fixedly connected to a swing arm bracket (32). The flange base plate has multiple sets of mounting countersunk holes. The connecting seat is fixedly connected to the flange base plate. The connecting seat is composed of a circular base plate fixedly connected to a hollow cylindrical body. The cylindrical body is provided with a buffer spring and part of it extends out of the cylindrical body. One end of the buffer spring is fixed to the circular base plate, and the other end is fixedly connected to a camera.

6. The intelligent inspection device for wind turbine blade lightning arresters based on unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 5, characterized in that, The grinding table (34) includes a motor support frame, which is fixedly connected to the swing arm bracket (32), and a grinding motor is fixedly connected to the motor support frame.

7. The intelligent inspection device for wind turbine blade lightning arresters based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a triangular support plate and multiple telescopic rods (16). The triangular support plate is located inside the rotating disk (13). The upper ends of the multiple telescopic rods are respectively fixed to the lower end face of the triangular support plate. The lower end of the telescopic rod (16) is slidably engaged with the base plate (15). Shock-absorbing telescopic springs are sleeved on the telescopic rods. The lower end faces of the three planetary gears (14) are rotatably connected to the three corners of the triangular support plate through pins. The multiple shock-absorbing telescopic springs are respectively arranged below each of the planetary gears (14).

8. A method for intelligent inspection of lightning arresters on wind turbine blades based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), using the intelligent inspection device as described in claim 7, characterized in that, include: The drone (1) is flown to the vicinity of the lightning arrester of the wind turbine blade. The camera collects images of the lightning arrester surface and identifies them to determine whether there are contaminants on the lightning arrester surface. If there are contaminants, the steel brush is used to polish them by unfolding the polishing table (34). After polishing, a re-inspection is carried out. When the re-inspection is passed, the rotating disk (13) is attached to the lightning arrester of the wind turbine blade through the detection table (33) to send a traveling wave signal. The ground receives the signal to determine whether the wire is faulty. After completion, the detection table (33) and the polishing table (34) are retrieved and the drone flies away.

9. The intelligent inspection method for wind turbine blade lightning arresters based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) according to claim 8, characterized in that, The polishing process is as follows: After the camera captures an image of the lightning receiver surface, it identifies contaminants through image processing technology and automatically performs polishing; the rotary motor is started, and the transmission rod (28) is driven by the meshing of the bevel gear and the transmission bevel gear, which drives the polishing table (34) to rotate and unfold around the horizontal rotating shaft (27), so that the polishing table (34) extends outward from the side of the transmission housing (29) and approaches the lightning receiver; the rotating disk (13) works in coordination with the planetary gear set, the horizontal rotating gear (18) and the vertical transmission gear (20) to realize the horizontal rotation adjustment of the polishing table (34), and realizes the vertical lifting adjustment of the polishing table (34) through the lead screw (35), so that the steel brush is aligned with the surface of the lightning receiver; the polishing motor is started to drive the steel brush to rotate for polishing; after polishing is completed, the camera captures an image again and compares it with the image captured for the first time to determine whether the contaminants have been removed. If they have not been removed, the polishing is repeated; if they have been removed, the detection is performed.

10. The intelligent inspection method for wind turbine blade lightning arresters based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) according to claim 8, characterized in that, The specific inspection operation is as follows: After the re-inspection is passed, the rotating disk (13) rotates to align the inspection platform (33) with the lightning receiver. The inspection platform (33) is unfolded through the transmission rod (28) so that the camera at the front end of the inspection platform (33) is close to the lightning receiver. When the inspection platform (33) is close to the lightning receiver, the buffer spring is compressed and deformed. The inspection platform (33) sends a traveling wave signal to the lightning receiver. The traveling wave signal is transmitted through the wires inside the lightning receiver. The ground receiving end below the wind turbine receives the traveling wave signal with an electromagnetic coil. If the ground receiving end does not receive the traveling wave signal or the traveling wave signal attenuates beyond the threshold, it is determined that there is an open circuit or short circuit fault in the wires inside the lightning receiver. After the inspection is completed, the transmission rod (28) rotates in the opposite direction through the bevel gear set, driving the inspection platform (33) and the grinding table (34) to rotate around the transverse rotating shaft (27) and return to the side of the transmission housing (29) and reset to the initial position. The drone (1) flies away.

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