Energy self-sufficient climbing robot, anchor chain digital twin inspection system

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of energy self-sufficient chain climbing robot, anchor chain digital twin inspection system, it is suitable for marine engineering and deep sea anchoring system in-service detection technical field.The technical scheme used in the present application is: a kind of energy self-sufficient chain climbing robot, comprising: robot torso;Bionic variable stiffness chain holding walking mechanism, connected to the robot torso, for embracing anchor chain and bidirectional climbing along anchor chain, and dynamic adjustment holding force to adapt to sea current impact;Vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting module, integrated in the contact position of bionic variable stiffness chain holding walking mechanism and anchor chain, for converting vortex-induced vibration generated by sea current flowing through anchor chain into electric energy, power supply for robot;Weak connection release mechanism, installed in the bionic variable stiffness chain holding walking mechanism, for executing the autonomous separation action of robot and anchor chain.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a self-sufficient chain-climbing robot and a digital twin inspection system for anchor chains. It is applicable to the field of in-service inspection technology for marine engineering and deep-sea mooring systems. Background Technology

[0002] As the lifeline of deep-sea floating structures (such as suspended wind turbines, floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) units, and semi-submersible platforms), anchor chains endure long-term wave fatigue, seawater corrosion, and seabed abrasion. Their structural health directly impacts platform safety and operational lifespan. Existing anchor chain inspection technologies suffer from the following core deficiencies: 1. Insufficient detection capability: Traditional remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) can only conduct external surface observations and cannot obtain the continuous strain distribution of the entire anchor chain. Furthermore, they completely fail in marine areas with severe biofouling and cannot detect internal hidden damage such as corrosion pits and fatigue cracks. 2. Outdated deployment model: Although the method of pre-burying sensors such as optical fibers can achieve monitoring, the sensors are permanently buried on the seabed with the anchor chain, which is costly, difficult to maintain and prone to failure, resulting in a large number of electronic devices left on the seabed, forming marine electronic waste. 3. Endurance and communication bottlenecks: Traditional underwater robots rely on battery power, resulting in short single-operation time and making it impossible to achieve long-term monitoring; under extreme sea conditions, traditional underwater acoustic communication has poor reliability, making it difficult to achieve multi-robot collaboration and real-time data transmission. 4. Numerous operational limitations: Manual inspections are limited by diving depth and working windows, making it impossible to cover the continuous monitoring needs of the anchor chain throughout its entire life cycle, and also poses a high safety risk. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an energy-self-sufficient chain-climbing robot and an anchor chain digital twin inspection system to address the above-mentioned problems.

[0004] The technical solution adopted in this invention is: an energy-self-sufficient chain-climbing robot, comprising: Robot torso; A biomimetic variable stiffness chain-hugging walking mechanism is connected to the robot's torso. It is used to hug the anchor chain and crawl along the anchor chain in both directions. The gripping force can be dynamically adjusted to adapt to the impact of ocean currents. The vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting module is integrated at the contact point between the biomimetic variable stiffness chain-holding walking mechanism and the anchor chain. It is used to convert the vortex-induced vibration generated by the ocean current flowing through the anchor chain into electrical energy to power the robot. A weak connection release mechanism is installed on the biomimetic variable stiffness chain-carrying walking mechanism to perform the autonomous separation action between the robot and the anchor chain.

[0005] Through the above-mentioned technical means, the robot can achieve stable attachment and autonomous movement on the anchor chain, and achieve energy self-sufficiency by utilizing the vortex-induced vibration naturally present in the marine environment, thus completely breaking through the bottleneck of underwater equipment endurance; at the same time, the robot's autonomous separation is achieved through the weak connection release mechanism, laying the foundation for the reuse of core equipment and avoiding the permanent abandonment of electronic equipment on the seabed.

[0006] As a preferred embodiment, the biomimetic variable stiffness chain-hugging walking mechanism includes a wraparound arm structure and an active wheel; The active wheel is driven by an electric motor to enable the robot to walk bidirectionally along the anchor chain; the wraparound arm structure includes a pair of robotic arms, with passive wheels installed at the ends of the robotic arms. The robotic arm includes multiple rigid arm segments connected sequentially by joints, and all rigid arm segments of the arm-hugging structure are connected by a tensile elastic bionic rib. The driving wheel located above the anchor chain, together with the driven wheels located at the lower left and lower right of the anchor chain, grips the anchor chain tightly under the tension of the elastic bionic ribs.

[0007] Through the above technical means, a three-point gripping structure is adopted to adapt to the special geometry of the alternating links of the anchor chain, ensuring that the robot is always in stable contact with the anchor chain during walking; the tensile elastic bionic rib provides basic gripping force for the gripping arm, the structure is simple and reliable, and there is no need for a complex hydraulic or pneumatic system, which reduces the risk of failure of underwater equipment.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment, the biomimetic variable stiffness chain-hugging walking mechanism is equipped with an impedance control module. The impedance control module adjusts the tension of the elastic biomimetic rib in real time based on the ocean current impact state, thereby dynamically changing the clamping force of the chain-hugging walking mechanism.

[0009] Through the above technical means, variable stiffness control of the chain clamping mechanism is achieved: the clamping force is reduced when the ocean current is calm, reducing energy consumption and mechanism wear; the clamping force is increased in extreme sea conditions (such as typhoons), improving the robot's attachment stability and survivability, and ensuring normal operation in harsh marine environments.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment, the weak connection release mechanism is a tension release structure with an embedded fuse, installed on the tension elastic bionic rib; when a recycling command is received, the fuse is energized to release the tension of the tension elastic bionic rib, causing the chain-holding mechanism to open, thereby achieving autonomous separation of the robot from the anchor chain.

[0011] Through the above-mentioned technical means, a pure electric-driven fuse-type release structure is adopted, which is simple in structure, fast in response, and highly reliable. It can achieve rapid separation of the robot from the anchor chain without underwater human intervention, providing a reliable guarantee for the recovery and reuse of the robot.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment, the vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting module includes a piezoelectric energy harvesting unit array, a rectifier energy storage circuit, and a battery pack; The piezoelectric energy harvesting unit array converts the mechanical energy of eddy-induced vibration into alternating current, which is then rectified and regulated by the rectifier energy storage circuit and stored in the battery pack.

[0013] Using the aforementioned technical means, the robot generates electricity by utilizing the natural vortex-induced vibration of the anchor chain under the action of ocean currents, without the need for external energy supply, thus enabling long-term stationing and monitoring of the robot.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment, the vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting module is also equipped with a maximum power point tracking control unit, which is used to adjust the energy harvesting parameters according to the real-time ocean current velocity to achieve maximum energy capture under different flow velocity conditions.

[0015] By employing the aforementioned technical means, the system can adapt to changes in ocean current velocity in different sea areas, optimize energy harvesting efficiency, and ensure a stable power supply for the robot even in environments with large fluctuations in current velocity.

[0016] As a preferred option, the piezoelectric energy harvesting unit array can be replaced with a micro turbine generator.

[0017] The above-mentioned technical means have expanded the applicable sea area range of the robot. In low-velocity sea areas with current speeds below 0.3m / s, the use of micro turbine generators can increase the power generation efficiency by 2-3 times, ensuring energy self-sufficiency.

[0018] As a preferred option, it also includes: An anchor chain medium communication unit, mounted on the robot's torso, is used to transmit data using the anchor chain itself as a low-frequency vibration waveguide.

[0019] By using the above-mentioned technical means and taking the anchor chain itself as a communication medium, the problems of poor reliability and susceptibility to interference in traditional underwater acoustic communication under extreme sea conditions are avoided, and stable data transmission and self-organizing network communication between multiple underwater robots are realized.

[0020] A digital twin inspection system for anchor chains includes: The energy-self-sufficient chain-climbing robot described above; A multi-physics fusion detection array, integrated into the chain-climbing robot, includes a laser strain scanner and an electromagnetic ultrasonic sensor; The surface control and digital twin center communicates with the chain-climbing robot to receive the detection data transmitted back by the robot, and then reconstructs the three-dimensional spatial morphology of the anchor chain based on the monitoring data, and predicts the remaining fatigue life of each link of the anchor chain.

[0021] Through the above-mentioned technical means, the surface strain and internal damage of the anchor chain can be detected simultaneously, and the original detection data can be transformed into decision-level life warning information, providing a scientific basis for the maintenance and replacement of the anchor chain.

[0022] As a preferred embodiment, the water surface control and digital twin center includes a digital twin server, which has a built-in anchor chain three-dimensional morphology inversion algorithm and a Transformer architecture AI fatigue prediction model. The morphological inversion algorithm reconstructs the three-dimensional spatial morphology of the anchor chain based on strain data, mileage data, and positioning data transmitted back by the robot, through the integral of the strain-curvature conversion formula; the AI ​​fatigue prediction model combines wave statistics data and material SN curves to calculate the remaining fatigue life of each link in real time.

[0023] Through the above-mentioned technical means, the accurate reconstruction of the three-dimensional shape of the anchor chain and the real-time prediction of the remaining fatigue life are realized, which can detect potential structural damage in advance and avoid catastrophic accidents. The AI ​​model based on the Transformer architecture has powerful time series data processing capabilities, higher prediction accuracy and stronger generalization ability.

[0024] The beneficial effects of this invention are: by integrating a vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting module into the chain-holding mechanism, this invention utilizes the natural vortex-induced vibration of the anchor chain to generate electricity, thereby achieving long-term energy self-sufficiency for the robot. This upgrades the traditional "one dive, one recovery" operation mode to "long-term stay, on-demand inspection," eliminating the need for frequent dives for resupply and significantly reducing operating costs.

[0025] This invention employs a multi-physics field fusion detection scheme combining a laser strain scanner and an electromagnetic ultrasonic sensor. The laser strain scanner acquires the continuous micro-strain distribution on the chain link surface, while the electromagnetic ultrasonic sensor can penetrate the bio-attachment layer to detect internal hidden damage without the need for a coupling agent. This fundamentally solves the industry problem of optical detection failing in contaminated environments.

[0026] This invention enables the autonomous separation and recovery of the robot from the anchor chain through a weak connection release mechanism with an embedded fuse. After recovery, the robot can be redeployed after simple maintenance and calibration, thus avoiding the permanent abandonment of a large number of electronic devices on the seabed, eliminating marine electronic waste, and significantly reducing the monitoring cost throughout the entire life cycle.

[0027] The biomimetic variable stiffness chain-grabbing walking mechanism of this invention dynamically adjusts the gripping force through an impedance control algorithm to ensure stable attachment of the robot under extreme sea conditions such as typhoons; the anchor chain medium communication uses the anchor chain itself as a waveguide, ensuring stable and reliable communication and enabling synchronous load monitoring of multiple robots under extreme working conditions.

[0028] This invention combines digital twin technology with an AI life prediction model to achieve continuous monitoring and health management of anchor chains throughout their entire lifecycle, from installation to decommissioning. It can provide early warning of structural damage, ensure the safe operation of deep-sea floating structures, and has extremely high engineering application value and significant economic benefits. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure (deployment state) of the energy-self-sufficient anchor chain digital twin inspection robot system provided by the present invention. Figure 2 is Figure 1 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of a medium-energy self-sufficient chain-climbing robot platform (a, structural diagram of the biomimetic variable stiffness chain-holding mechanism; b, schematic diagram of the vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting module; c, layout diagram of the multi-physics field fusion detection array). Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of anchor chain medium communication and multi-machine networking provided by the present invention; Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the inspection and recycling method provided by the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional visualization interface of the anchor chain digital twin constructed in this invention.

[0030] 1-Anchor chain; 1.1-Link I; 1.2-Link II; 2-Energy-self-sufficient chain-climbing robot; 2.1-Robot torso; 3-Bionic variable stiffness chain-carrying walking mechanism; 3.1-Rigid arm segment; 3.1.1-First rigid arm segment; 3.1.2-First rigid arm segment; 3.1.3-Third rigid arm segment; 3.2-Joint; 3.3-Tension elastic bionic rib; 3.4-End support; 3.5-Perforation; 3.6-Pin; 3.7-Wheel axle; 3.8-Passive wheel; 3.9-Elastic damping ring; 4- Vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting module; 4.1- Piezoelectric energy harvesting unit; 4.2- Rectifier energy storage circuit; 4.3- Battery pack; 4.4- Motor; 4.5- Electric drive control center; 4.6- Drive wheel; 4.7- Flange; 5-Multi-physics fusion detection array; 5.1-Laser strain scanner; 5.2-Electromagnetic ultrasonic sensor; 5.3-Inertial measurement unit; 6-Anchor chain medium communication unit; 6.1-Vibration signal generator; 6.2-Vibration signal receiver; 6.3-Signal encoding and decoding module; 7-Airborne edge computing unit; 8- Surface control and digital twin center; 8.1- Central control system; 8.2- Underwater acoustic communication base station; 8.3- Digital twin server; 8.4- Display; 9-Mother ship / platform; 10-USBL beacon (robot mounted); 11-Weak connection release mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0032] Example 1: This example provides a digital twin inspection system for anchor chains, including a self-sufficient chain-climbing robot, a multi-physics fusion detection array, and a surface control and digital twin center.

[0033] The anchor chain includes link I and link II of the same shape and size, which are alternately connected to form the anchor chain. For ease of subsequent description, this embodiment assumes that link I is in a horizontal state and link II is in a vertical state.

[0034] In this example, the self-sufficient chain-climbing robot adopts a streamlined pressure-resistant shell design, approximately 2.5m in length, 1.2m in width, and 1.0m in height, weighing approximately 1.8 tons in air. It is designed to operate at depths up to 3000 meters. The robot mainly consists of a robot torso, a biomimetic variable stiffness chain-grabbing walking mechanism, a vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting module, a weak connection release mechanism, and an anchor chain medium communication unit.

[0035] In this embodiment, a biomimetic variable stiffness chain-carrying walking mechanism is installed under the robot's torso. The anchor chain passes through the center of the mechanism, which includes a wraparound arm structure and a drive wheel.

[0036] The wraparound arm structure includes a pair of robotic arms symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the anchor chain. Each robotic arm is a three-segment rigid hinge structure, consisting of a first rigid arm segment, a second rigid arm segment, and a third rigid arm segment. The first end of the first rigid arm segment is hinged to the robot's torso via a joint, and the second end is hinged to the first end of the second rigid arm segment via a joint. The second end of the second rigid arm segment is hinged to the first end of the third rigid arm segment via a joint. A passive wheel is fixedly installed at the end of the third rigid arm segment.

[0037] In this example, the wraparound arm structure is equipped with a tension-elastic bionic rib. Both ends of the rib are connected to two third rigid arm segments of the same arm structure. The threading path is as follows: one end is fixed to the left third rigid arm segment → passes sequentially through holes in the left second rigid arm segment and the left first rigid arm segment → passes through holes in the right first rigid arm segment and the right second rigid arm segment → the other end is fixed to the right third rigid arm segment. The tension-elastic bionic rib is always under tension, providing a basic clamping force of approximately 5kN for the arm.

[0038] In this embodiment, the two passive wheels of the wraparound arm structure can be used to abut against the lower left and lower right of link I respectively, and the direction of the force exerted by the passive wheels on link I is towards the central axis of link I (i.e., the central axis of the anchor chain).

[0039] In this embodiment, the drive wheel is installed at the bottom of the robot's torso and directly above the anchor chain. It is driven by a motor through a flange. The drive wheel can abut against the top of link II, and the force exerted by the drive wheel on link I is directed toward the central axis of link II (i.e., the central axis of the anchor chain).

[0040] In this embodiment, four sets of biomimetic variable stiffness chain-climbing walking mechanisms are installed below the robot's torso. The distance between two adjacent walking mechanisms is half the distance between two adjacent chain links I (or two adjacent chain links II) on the anchor chain. This ensures that the chain-climbing robot has two active wheels abutting the top of chain link II and two passive wheels of the wraparound arm structure abutting the bottom of chain link I at any position on the anchor chain, thereby ensuring that the chain-climbing robot can operate stably on the anchor chain.

[0041] In this embodiment, the biomimetic variable stiffness chain-hugging walking mechanism is equipped with an elastic damping ring. The elastic damping ring connects the robot's torso and the first rigid arm segment, providing elastic buffering and auxiliary gripping force. The elastic damping ring has a built-in pin to prevent the robotic arm from separating from the robot's torso under extreme conditions such as strong tides and storms.

[0042] The biomimetic variable stiffness chain walking mechanism is also equipped with an impedance control module. This module detects the vibration signal of the mechanism generated by the impact of the ocean current in real time and dynamically changes the clamping force by adjusting the tension of the elastic biomimetic ribs: when the ocean current is calm, the tension is reduced to reduce energy consumption and mechanism wear; when the ocean current increases or a typhoon strikes, the tension is increased to improve the clamping stiffness and prevent the robot from falling off.

[0043] In this embodiment, the vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting module is integrated into the contact area between the biomimetic variable stiffness chain-carrying walking mechanism and the anchor chain, including a piezoelectric energy harvesting unit array, a rectifier energy storage circuit, a 5kWh battery pack, and an electric drive control center.

[0044] When the ocean current flows over the anchor chain and generates vortex-induced vibration, the vibration is transmitted to the piezoelectric energy harvesting unit array through the arm structure. The piezoelectric units convert the mechanical vibration into alternating current, which is then rectified and regulated by the rectifier energy storage circuit and stored in the battery pack to power all the robot's electrical units. Actual measurements show that under an ocean current velocity of 0.5 m / s, the average daily energy harvesting is approximately 0.3 kWh, which can meet the energy consumption requirements of the robot's daily 2-hour inspection operation.

[0045] The vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting module is also equipped with a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control unit, which can adjust the energy harvesting parameters according to the real-time ocean current velocity to achieve maximum energy capture under different flow velocity conditions.

[0046] In this embodiment, the weak connection release mechanism is a tension release structure with an embedded fuse, installed in series on the tension elastic bionic rib. When the recovery command is received from the surface control center, the robot autonomously crawls to the top of the anchor chain recovery point. The control system powers on the weak connection release mechanism, melting the fuse connected in series on the tension elastic bionic rib, and the tension of the bionic rib disappears instantly. The two robotic arms open outward under their own weight and the rebound of the elastic damping ring, the drive wheel and the driven wheel disengage from the anchor chain, the robot separates from the anchor chain, and waits for the mother ship to recover it.

[0047] In this embodiment, the anchor chain medium communication unit is mounted on the robot's torso and includes a piezoelectric ceramic vibrator (vibration signal generator), a high-sensitivity accelerometer (vibration signal receiver), and a signal encoding / decoding module. The piezoelectric ceramic vibrator has an adjustable operating frequency of 50-500Hz, an effective communication distance along the anchor chain of not less than 2km, and a communication rate of not less than 100bps.

[0048] The anchor chain medium communication unit uses the anchor chain itself as a low-frequency vibration waveguide to modulate data into a low-frequency vibration signal and transmit it along the anchor chain, realizing data transmission and self-organizing network communication between multiple underwater robots, thus avoiding the problem of poor reliability of traditional underwater acoustic communication under extreme sea conditions.

[0049] In this embodiment, a multiphysics fusion detection array is integrated at the front end of the biomimetic variable stiffness chain-walking mechanism, including a laser strain scanner, an electromagnetic ultrasonic sensor, and an inertial measurement unit (IMU).

[0050] The laser strain scanner operates based on digital image correlation, with a working distance of 100-300 mm, a measurement accuracy of no less than ±20 με, a sampling frequency of 100 Hz, and a spatial resolution of 1 mm. It is used for non-contact measurement of the surface micro-strain distribution of anchor chain links.

[0051] The electromagnetic ultrasonic sensor operates at a frequency of 1-5MHz, with a penetration depth of 0-20mm. It can penetrate a biofilm layer with a thickness of not less than 5mm. The sampling frequency is 1kHz, and the detection point spacing is 0.5m. It is used to detect corrosion pits, fatigue cracks, and cross-sectional thinning damage inside anchor chains without the need for coupling agent to penetrate the biofilm layer.

[0052] The attitude accuracy of the inertial measurement unit is no less than 0.01°, which is used to record the robot's attitude angle, acceleration and walking distance in real time, providing a benchmark for the spatial positioning of the detection data.

[0053] In this embodiment, the robot is also equipped with a USBL beacon, which works in conjunction with the USBL base station on the mother ship to achieve absolute positioning of the robot with a positioning accuracy of not less than 0.5% slant distance.

[0054] In this embodiment, the surface control and digital twin center is located in the control room of the mother ship or platform, and includes a central control system (industrial control computer), an underwater acoustic communication base station, a digital twin server (high-performance computing workstation), and a visualization display.

[0055] The central control system connects to the robot via an underwater acoustic communication base station or anchor chain medium communication, and is used to issue commands and receive detection data.

[0056] The digital twin server incorporates an anchor chain 3D morphology inversion algorithm and a Transformer architecture AI fatigue prediction model. The morphological inversion algorithm uses the robot's walking distance as a benchmark, matches the laser strain data with the absolute position, combines USBL positioning data as geometric constraints, and reconstructs the three-dimensional spatial morphology of the entire anchor chain through the integral of the strain-curvature conversion formula. The AI ​​fatigue prediction model is based on the Transformer architecture. The training data includes wave statistical spectrum, material SN curve and historical measured data. It can combine the strain spectrum acquired in real time to estimate the remaining fatigue life of each link in real time.

[0057] The visualization display presents a 3D visualization interface of the anchor chain digital twin, showing strain cloud diagrams, fatigue life lists, and directly outputs decision-level early warning information, such as "Remaining life of the 35th link is 2.3 years".

[0058] The workflow of the anchor chain digital twin inspection system in this embodiment includes the following steps: S1. Long-term deployment and energy self-sufficiency: After the anchor chain is laid or during the scheduled inspection window, the robot is hoisted to the top of the target anchor chain by the mother ship. The biomimetic variable stiffness chain-grabbing walking mechanism is activated, and the robot autonomously crawls to the predetermined stopping position in the middle of the anchor chain, entering a low-power standby mode. The vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting module continues to work to replenish the battery pack. The system is set to automatically wake up at 2:00 AM every day (during a period of relatively calm ocean currents) to perform inspection tasks.

[0059] S2. Multiphysics Fusion Detection: After daily wake-up, the robot descends along the anchor chain to the contact point and then returns, traveling at a speed of 0.2 m / s. During this journey, data from the laser strain scanner, electromagnetic ultrasonic sensor, inertial measurement unit, and USBL position data are collected simultaneously. The onboard edge computing unit preprocesses and compresses the raw data for storage.

[0060] S3. Anchor Chain Media Network Communication: When the weather forecast indicates that a typhoon is about to pass, the surface control center sends a "typhoon monitoring mode" command through the underwater acoustic communication base station. The robot exits the low-power mode and enters continuous data acquisition mode. At the same time, multiple robots on adjacent anchor chains build an underwater self-organizing network through the anchor chain media communication unit, exchange tension and strain data of each anchor chain in real time, and transmit them along the anchor chains to the underwater acoustic communication base station at the top of the platform, and then forward them to the surface control center, realizing the complete acquisition of the synchronous load spectrum of each anchor chain under extreme conditions.

[0061] S4. Digital Twin Reconstruction and Lifespan Early Warning: The digital twin server of the surface control center runs a fusion inversion algorithm and an AI prediction model to reconstruct the three-dimensional shape of the anchor chain and predict the remaining fatigue life. The results are displayed on a visualization interface and early warning information is output.

[0062] S5. Robot Recovery and Reuse: When the robot reaches its preset maintenance cycle (e.g., 6 months) or completes a specific monitoring task, a recovery command is sent from the water surface. The robot autonomously crawls to the recovery point at the top of the anchor chain and activates the weak connection release mechanism to separate from the anchor chain. The mother ship locks the robot's position via USBL positioning and hoists it for recovery. After the operators rinse the robot with fresh water, dry it, calibrate its sensors, and inspect its structural components, it is ready for the next monitoring task.

[0063] Example 2: This example is basically the same as Example 1, except that the configuration of the multiphysics fusion detection array is optimized.

[0064] Considering the more severe biofouling in shallow sea areas (up to 50mm thick), this embodiment enhances the transmission power of the electromagnetic ultrasonic sensor, increasing its penetration depth to 50mm, while reducing the wake-up frequency of the laser strain scanner (activating it only when biofouling is confirmed to be minor). Furthermore, an electrochemical corrosion sensor is integrated into the anchor chain mechanism to monitor the corrosion tendency of the anchor chain surface potential in real time, forming a three-dimensional fusion detection capability of "strain + damage + corrosion," further improving the detection accuracy and comprehensiveness in shallow sea environments.

[0065] Example 3: This example is basically the same as Example 1, except for the selection of the vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting module.

[0066] In sea areas with current velocities below 0.3 m / s, the piezoelectric energy harvesting efficiency decreases significantly. This embodiment replaces the piezoelectric energy harvesting unit array with a micro-turbine generator, utilizing the locally accelerated water flow passing through the chain-holding mechanism to drive the micro-turbine rotation, resulting in a 2-3 times higher power generation efficiency compared to the piezoelectric method. Simultaneously, the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm is retained to adapt to maximum energy capture under different flow velocity conditions, ensuring the robot can still achieve energy self-sufficiency in low-velocity sea areas.

[0067] Example 4: This example is basically the same as Example 1, except that the application scenario is expanded.

[0068] This system is also suitable for temporary monitoring during anchor chain laying. Before laying the anchor chain, a robot is pre-installed on it and enters the water along with the chain. During the laying process, the robot collects real-time data on the anchor chain's entry into the water, its contact point with the bottom, and the tension at the bottom. This data is transmitted back in real-time via the anchor chain's communication unit, assisting the construction vessel in adjusting the anchor position and ensuring the anchor chain lands precisely on the designed catenary line. After laying is completed, the robot is not retrieved but directly enters long-term in-service monitoring mode, achieving integrated "construction monitoring + in-service monitoring" and further reducing project costs.

[0069] The above 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, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A self-sufficient chain-climbing robot, characterized in that, include: Robot torso; A biomimetic variable stiffness chain-hugging walking mechanism is connected to the robot's torso. It is used to hug the anchor chain and crawl along the anchor chain in both directions. The gripping force can be dynamically adjusted to adapt to the impact of ocean currents. The vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting module is integrated at the contact point between the biomimetic variable stiffness chain-holding walking mechanism and the anchor chain. It is used to convert the vortex-induced vibration generated by the ocean current flowing through the anchor chain into electrical energy to power the robot. A weak connection release mechanism is installed on the biomimetic variable stiffness chain-carrying walking mechanism to perform the autonomous separation action between the robot and the anchor chain.

2. The energy-self-sufficient chain-climbing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The biomimetic variable stiffness chain walking mechanism includes a wraparound arm structure and a drive wheel; The active wheel is driven by an electric motor to enable the robot to walk bidirectionally along the anchor chain; the wraparound arm structure includes a pair of robotic arms, with passive wheels installed at the ends of the robotic arms. The robotic arm includes multiple rigid arm segments connected sequentially by joints, and all rigid arm segments of the arm-hugging structure are connected by a tensile elastic bionic rib. The driving wheel located above the anchor chain, together with the driven wheels located at the lower left and lower right of the anchor chain, grips the anchor chain tightly under the tension of the elastic bionic ribs.

3. The energy-self-sufficient chain-climbing robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The biomimetic variable stiffness chain-hugging walking mechanism is equipped with an impedance control module. The impedance control module adjusts the tension of the elastic biomimetic rib in real time based on the impact state of the ocean current, thereby dynamically changing the clamping force of the chain-hugging walking mechanism.

4. The energy-self-sufficient chain-climbing robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The weak connection release mechanism is a tension release structure with an embedded fuse, installed on the tension elastic bionic rib; when a retrieval command is received, the fuse is energized to release the tension of the tension elastic bionic rib, causing the chain-holding mechanism to open, thus realizing the autonomous separation of the robot from the anchor chain.

5. The energy-self-sufficient chain-climbing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting module includes a piezoelectric energy harvesting unit array, a rectifier energy storage circuit, and a battery pack. The piezoelectric energy harvesting unit array converts the mechanical energy of eddy-induced vibration into alternating current, which is then rectified and regulated by the rectifier energy storage circuit and stored in the battery pack.

6. The energy-self-sufficient chain-climbing robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting module is also equipped with a maximum power point tracking control unit, which is used to adjust the energy harvesting parameters according to the real-time ocean current velocity to achieve maximum energy capture under different flow velocity conditions.

7. The energy-self-sufficient chain-climbing robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, In sea areas with low current velocities, the piezoelectric energy harvesting unit array can be replaced with a micro turbine generator.

8. The energy-self-sufficient chain-climbing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: An anchor chain medium communication unit, mounted on the robot's torso, is used to transmit data using the anchor chain itself as a low-frequency vibration waveguide.

9. A digital twin inspection system for anchor chains, characterized in that, include: The energy-self-sufficient chain-climbing robot according to any one of claims 1 to 8; A multi-physics fusion detection array, integrated into the chain-climbing robot, includes a laser strain scanner and an electromagnetic ultrasonic sensor; The surface control and digital twin center communicates with the chain-climbing robot to receive the detection data transmitted back by the robot, and then reconstructs the three-dimensional spatial morphology of the anchor chain based on the monitoring data, and predicts the remaining fatigue life of each link of the anchor chain.

10. The anchor chain digital twin inspection system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The water surface control and digital twin center includes a digital twin server, which has a built-in anchor chain 3D morphology inversion algorithm and a Transformer architecture AI fatigue prediction model. The morphological inversion algorithm reconstructs the three-dimensional spatial morphology of the anchor chain based on strain data, mileage data, and positioning data transmitted back by the robot, through the integral of the strain-curvature conversion formula; the AI ​​fatigue prediction model combines wave statistics data and material SN curves to calculate the remaining fatigue life of each link in real time.

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