A wind power blade lightning receptor mounting device and a mounting method thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of wind power maintenance, in particular to a wind power blade lightning receptor installation device and installation method convenient to maintain, the present application comprises a mounting plate, the mounting plate is provided with an exposure hole, the bottom of the mounting plate is provided with two mounting racks, the mounting racks are distributed on both sides of the exposure hole, a conductive ball is rotatably connected between the mounting racks, and the top of the conductive ball is clamped into the exposure hole; the bottom of the mounting plate is provided with a first support, a conductive block is connected to the first support through a first elastic element, the conductive block abuts against the conductive ball, and the end of the conductive block away from the conductive ball is electrically connected with a conductive circuit, and the conductive circuit is integrated in the wind power blade; the bottom of the mounting rack is provided with a second support, and a polishing block is connected to the second support through a second elastic element, and the polishing block abuts against the conductive ball. The technical scheme of the present application is used to improve the convenience of lightning receptor maintenance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wind power maintenance technology, and more specifically, to a wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device and installation method that are easy to maintain. Background Technology

[0002] As wind turbines continue to grow in size, with unit capacities increasing from kilowatts to megawatts and even ten megawatts, hub height and blade length are also constantly increasing. As the most prominent component of a wind turbine, the blade's tip-to-ground height increases significantly with the increase in unit capacity, resulting in a marked improvement in its ability to attract lightning strikes. This leads to a further increase in the lightning damage rate of large-capacity units. When the non-lightning arrester area of ​​the blade is struck by lightning, it can cause structural damage, ranging from minor damage to blade breakage, structural fracture, and even major safety accidents such as tower collapse due to gravity imbalance. Therefore, the reliability of the blade lightning protection system is crucial for the safe operation of wind turbines.

[0003] The lightning protection system for wind turbine blades typically consists of an air arrester installed on the blade surface, a down conductor inside the blade, and a grounding device. The air arrester is generally made of copper or aluminum alloy, and its function is to quickly discharge the lightning current to the ground through the down conductor when lightning strikes directly.

[0004] Existing lightning arresters are typically made of aluminum alloys, such as 5-series or 2-series aluminum alloys. To ensure the aerodynamics of the blades, the structures of the lightning arrester exposed on the blade surface are usually quite smooth to reduce abnormal airflow disturbances caused by blade rotation. The lightning arrester contains conductive wires within the blades, which connect to the nacelle and then to the ground. Because the conductive wires are encased in the blades, they are virtually immune to corrosion. However, the structures of the lightning arrester exposed on the blade surface, due to direct contact with the atmosphere, are susceptible to corrosion, forming an oxide film that reduces conductivity and decreases the probability of attracting lightning. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides a wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device and method that are easy to maintain, thereby improving the convenience of lightning arrester maintenance.

[0006] This invention is achieved through the following technical solution: a wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device that is easy to maintain, including an installation plate, an exposure hole on the installation plate, two installation brackets at the bottom of the installation plate, the installation brackets being distributed on both sides of the exposure hole, and a conductive ball being rotatably connected between the installation brackets, with the top of the conductive ball being inserted into the exposure hole;

[0007] The bottom of the mounting plate is provided with a first bracket, and a conductive block is connected to the first bracket through a first elastic element. The conductive block abuts against the conductive ball, and a conductive line is electrically connected to the end of the conductive block away from the conductive ball. The conductive line is integrated into the wind turbine blade.

[0008] The mounting bracket has a second support at the bottom, and a grinding block is connected to the second support via a second elastic element. The grinding block abuts against the conductive ball.

[0009] Furthermore, the conductive block is located on the side of the conductive ball near the root of the wind turbine blade, and a sealing ring is fixedly connected to the exposed hole. The sealing ring is used to seal the gap between the conductive ball and the exposed hole.

[0010] Furthermore, the grinding block is provided with an arc-shaped groove, and several grinding teeth are provided in the arc-shaped groove.

[0011] Furthermore, the conductive ball is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket via a rotating shaft, which extends beyond the mounting bracket. A drive component for driving the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket.

[0012] Furthermore, the driving component includes a shaft with a rope fixed and wound on it. A driving hole is provided on the mounting plate, and a metal block is engaged in the driving hole. The end of the rope away from the shaft is fixedly connected to the metal block. The shaft is used to drive the rotating shaft to rotate.

[0013] Furthermore, a pawl is unidirectionally hinged to the shaft body, and a third elastic element is provided between the pawl and the shaft body. A sleeve is fixedly connected to the side of the shaft near the shaft body, and several ratchet teeth are arranged circumferentially on the inner side of the sleeve body, which mesh with the pawl.

[0014] Furthermore, the rotating shaft includes a first transmission section and a second transmission section, and the first transmission section and the second transmission section are connected by a reducer.

[0015] Furthermore, the metal block is wrapped with an insulator, the top of the metal block is arc-shaped, and the shaft is equipped with a torsion spring for driving the shaft to reset.

[0016] The maintenance method for the aforementioned wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device includes preparing a drone, with an electromagnet fixedly connected to the bottom of the drone via a probe, controlling the drone to fly near the metal block, using the electromagnet to attract the metal block and pull it outward, causing the rope to drive the shaft to rotate, which in turn causes the conductive ball to rotate, exposing the uncorroded surface of the conductive ball to the exposure hole, while a grinding block grinds the conductive ball, removing the corroded surface of the conductive ball.

[0017] The installation method of the aforementioned easy-to-maintain wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device includes:

[0018] Step 1: During the manufacturing of wind turbine blades, holes for mounting plates are reserved and conductive lines are pre-embedded.

[0019] Step 2: Install the mounting plate on the hole to fill the hole, and then electrically connect the conductive line to the conductive block.

[0020] The technical solution of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0021] In this design, the conductive ball serves as the conductive part that guides lightning. The top of the conductive ball is inserted into the exposure hole, making the exposed part of the conductive ball on the surface of the wind turbine blade an arc-shaped protrusion, which can effectively guide the flow and reduce interference with the airflow around the wind turbine blade.

[0022] Because the exposed parts of the wind turbine blades are affected by the atmosphere, their conductivity is reduced by atmospheric corrosion, which makes them less effective at attracting lightning. Therefore, the conductive ball is designed to be rotatable. When the user rotates the conductive ball, its surface rubs against the grinding block, thereby scraping away the corrosion layer and restoring the lightning-attracting function of the conductive ball, ensuring that the lightning-attracting work can proceed normally.

[0023] Since the conductive ball is designed to be rotatable, the structure that directs the current from the conductive ball to the ground needs to remain electrically connected to the conductive ball after it rotates. Therefore, a conductive block driven by an elastic element is provided. The conductive block can be held in place by the elastic element and pressed against the conductive ball, so that the conductive ball remains grounded after the corrosion layer is removed by rotation. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is an isometric schematic diagram of an embodiment of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device of the present invention, which is easy to maintain;

[0025] Figure 2 This is another isometric view of an embodiment of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device of the present invention for easy maintenance;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a rear view schematic diagram of an embodiment of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device and installation method for easy maintenance according to the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a side view schematic diagram of an embodiment of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device of the present invention, which is easy to maintain;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a side sectional view of an embodiment of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device of the present invention, which is easy to maintain;

[0029] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the ratchet and pawl teeth of an embodiment of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device for easy maintenance according to the present invention;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a speed reducer according to an embodiment of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device for easy maintenance of the present invention.

[0031] Reference numerals: 1. Mounting plate; 2. Exposed hole; 3. Mounting bracket; 4. Conductive ball; 5. First bracket; 6. Conductive block; 7. Conductive line; 8. Second bracket; 9. Grinding block; 10. Sealing ring; 11. Rotating shaft; 12. Driving component; 13. First elastic component; 14. Second elastic component; 1101. First transmission section; 1102. Second transmission section; 1103. Reducer; 1201. Shaft; 1202. Rope; 1203. Metal block; 1204. Pawl; 1205. Third elastic component; 1206. Sleeve; 1207. Racket; 1208. Torsion spring. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0034] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0035] The following detailed description illustrates the specific implementation method:

[0036] Example 1

[0037] As attached Figures 1-7 As shown, a wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device that is easy to maintain includes a mounting plate 1 with an exposure hole 2. Two mounting brackets 3 are bolted to the bottom of the mounting plate 1. The mounting brackets 3 are distributed on both sides of the exposure hole 2. A conductive ball 4 is rotatably connected between the mounting brackets 3, and the top of the conductive ball 4 is inserted into the exposure hole 2.

[0038] The bottom of the mounting plate 1 is bolted to a first bracket 5. A conductive block 6 is connected to the first bracket 5 via a first elastic element 13. The conductive block 6 abuts against the conductive ball 4. The end of the conductive block 6 away from the conductive ball 4 is electrically connected to a conductive line 7. The conductive line 7 is integrated into the wind turbine blade.

[0039] The bottom of the mounting bracket 3 is bolted to a second bracket 8. A grinding block 9 is connected to the second bracket 8 via a second elastic element 14. The grinding block 9 abuts against the conductive ball 4. The grinding block 9 has an arc-shaped groove with several grinding teeth inside. Both the first elastic element 13 and the second elastic element 14 are springs.

[0040] The conductive ball 4 is rotatably connected to the mounting frame 3 via a rotating shaft 11. The rotating shaft 11 extends beyond the mounting frame 3, and a driving component 12 for driving the rotating shaft 11 is mounted on the mounting frame 3. The driving component 12 includes a shaft 1201, on which a rope 1202 is fixed and wound. A driving hole is provided on the mounting plate 1, and a metal block 1203 is engaged in the driving hole. One end of the rope 1202 away from the shaft 1201 is fixedly connected to the metal block 1203. The shaft 1201 is used to drive the rotating shaft 11 to rotate.

[0041] The metal block 1203 is wrapped with an insulator, the top of the metal block 1203 is arc-shaped, and the shaft 1201 is provided with a torsion spring 1208 for driving the shaft 1201 to reset.

[0042] The maintenance method for the aforementioned wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device includes preparing a drone, with an electromagnet fixedly connected to the bottom of the drone via a probe, controlling the drone to fly near the metal block 1203, using the electromagnet to attract the metal block 1203 and pull the metal block 1203 outward, causing the rope 1202 to drive the shaft 1201 to rotate, which in turn drives the conductive ball 4 to rotate, exposing the uncorroded surface of the conductive ball 4 to the exposure hole 2, while the grinding block 9 grinds the conductive ball 4, grinding away the corroded surface of the conductive ball 4.

[0043] The installation method of the aforementioned wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device, which is easy to maintain, is characterized by comprising:

[0044] Step 1: During the manufacturing of the wind turbine blades, holes are reserved for mounting plate 1 and conductive lines 7 are pre-embedded.

[0045] Step 2: Install mounting plate 1 on the hole to fill the hole, and electrically connect conductive line 7 to conductive block 6.

[0046] In this embodiment, the conductive ball 4 serves as the conductive part that guides lightning. Made of aluminum alloy, the conductive ball 4 has stronger conductivity than the wind turbine blade, attracting lightning strikes that would otherwise hit the blade to the conductive ball 4 during thunderstorms, thus preventing damage to the blade. The top of the conductive ball 4 is inserted into the exposure hole 2, making the exposed portion of the conductive ball 4 on the wind turbine blade surface an arc-shaped protrusion, which effectively guides the flow and reduces interference with the airflow around the wind turbine blade.

[0047] Because the exposed parts of the wind turbine blades are affected by the atmosphere, their conductivity is reduced by atmospheric corrosion, which makes them less effective at attracting lightning. Therefore, the conductive ball 4 is designed to be rotatable. When the user rotates the conductive ball 4, its surface will rub against the grinding block 9, thereby scraping away the corrosion layer on the surface and restoring the lightning-attracting function of the conductive ball 4, so as to ensure that the lightning-attracting work is carried out normally.

[0048] Since the conductive ball 4 is designed to be rotatable, the structure that leads the current of the conductive ball 4 to the ground needs to remain electrically connected to the conductive ball 4 after the conductive ball 4 rotates. Therefore, a conductive block 6 driven by an elastic element is provided. The conductive block 6 can be held and pressed on the conductive ball 4 by the elastic element, so that the conductive ball 4 remains grounded after the corrosion layer is removed by rotation.

[0049] Because the lightning protection device is integrated into the wind turbine blades, but the blades are mounted on the wind turbine generator, maintenance personnel cannot directly access them and can only reach the blades via ropes or a suspended platform for maintenance. Therefore, further optimization is needed to facilitate maintenance and reduce its complexity.

[0050] A drive unit 12 is integrated on one side of the mounting bracket 3. The drive unit 12 drives the conductive ball 4 to rotate by driving a rotating shaft coaxial with the conductive ball 4. The drive unit 12 consists of a shaft 1201 with a rope 1202 wrapped around it. When the rope 1202 is pulled, it drives the shaft 1201 to rotate, thereby rotating the conductive ball 4 to remove the corrosion layer for maintenance.

[0051] A metal block 1203 is connected to the rope 1202, and the metal block 1203 is exposed outside the blade. The user can use a drone equipped with an electromagnet to attract the metal block 1203. Through the lifting action of the drone, the metal block 1203 is pulled outward, which in turn pulls the rope 1202, causing the shaft 1201 to rotate. In turn, the shaft 1201 drives the rotating shaft 11 to rotate, which in turn rotates the conductive ball 4, completing the maintenance of removing the corrosion layer. This process can be performed by a drone, eliminating the need for operators to work at height.

[0052] Since the magnetically attracted metal blocks 1203 are all conductive, it is necessary to electrically connect the metal blocks 1203 to the conductive line 7, or to wrap the metal blocks 1203 with an insulating layer to reduce the probability that lightning is attracted by the metal blocks 1203 and is not conducted to the ground.

[0053] Example 2

[0054] The difference from the above embodiment is that the conductive block 6 is located on the side of the conductive ball 4 near the root of the wind turbine blade, and a sealing ring 10 is installed on the exposed hole 2. The sealing ring 10 is used to seal the gap between the conductive ball 4 and the exposed hole 2.

[0055] The conductive block 6 is located on the side of the conductive ball 4 near the root of the wind turbine blade. When the wind turbine blade rotates, the conductive block 6 is subjected to centrifugal force and moves towards the conductive ball 4, thus ensuring an effective electrical connection with the conductive ball 4. The sealing ring 10 can seal the gap between the conductive ball 4 and the exposure hole 2, thereby reducing the ingress of rainwater, atmosphere, etc., and reducing the probability of corrosion of the internal structure of the wind turbine blade.

[0056] Example 3

[0057] The difference from the above embodiment is that a pawl 1204 is unidirectionally hinged to the shaft 1201, and a third elastic element 1205, which is an elastic sheet, is provided between the pawl 1204 and the shaft 1201. A sleeve 1206 is welded and fixed to the side of the rotating shaft 11 near the shaft 1201. A plurality of ratchet teeth 1207 are arranged circumferentially on the inner side of the sleeve 1206, and the ratchet teeth 1207 mesh with the pawl 1204. The rotating shaft 11 includes a first transmission section 1101 and a second transmission section 1102, and the first transmission section 1101 and the second transmission section 1102 are connected by a reducer 1103.

[0058] The drone's lift is limited, and if the conductive ball 4 is severely corroded, the drone may be unable to pull the rope 1202. Therefore, the transmission of rotational force needs to be optimized.

[0059] The function of the pawl 1204 and ratchet 1207 is to ensure that the shaft 11 and the shaft body 1201 can transmit rotation in one direction only. That is, the shaft body 1201 only drives the shaft 11 to rotate when it rotates forward. Specifically, when the shaft body 1201 rotates forward, the pawl 1204 will engage the ratchet 1207, so that the rotational force of the shaft body 1201 is transmitted to the shaft 11. When the shaft body 1201 rotates in reverse, due to the change in the direction of rotation, the pawl 1204 will not engage the ratchet 1207, and rotation cannot be transmitted.

[0060] By setting up the pawl 1204 and the ratchet 1207, when the electromagnetic attraction of the drone's electromagnet disappears and the shaft 1201 is reset under the action of the torsion spring 1208, the rotating shaft 11 will not be reset.

[0061] To increase torque, a reducer 1103 is installed at the rotating shaft 11. The function of the reducer 1103 is to reduce the rotation speed and amplify the torque, so that the angle of rotation of the conductive ball 4 driven by the drone's rope body 1202 is reduced, but the torque driving the conductive ball 4 to rotate is increased, thereby effectively amplifying the lift force of the drone, so that the corrosion of the conductive ball 4 is ground off by the grinding block 9.

[0062] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device that is easy to maintain, characterized in that, Includes a mounting plate (1), which has an exposure hole (2). The bottom of the mounting plate (1) has two mounting brackets (3), which are distributed on both sides of the exposure hole (2). A conductive ball (4) is rotatably connected between the mounting brackets (3), and the top of the conductive ball (4) is inserted into the exposure hole (2). The mounting plate (1) has a first bracket (5) at the bottom. A conductive block (6) is connected to the first bracket (5) through a first elastic element (13). The conductive block (6) abuts against the conductive ball (4). The end of the conductive block (6) away from the conductive ball (4) is electrically connected to a conductive line (7). The conductive line (7) is integrated into the wind turbine blade. The mounting bracket (3) has a second bracket (8) at the bottom. A grinding block (9) is connected to the second bracket (8) via a second elastic element (14). The grinding block (9) abuts against the conductive ball (4).

2. The wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device for easy maintenance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conductive block (6) is located on the side of the conductive ball (4) near the root of the wind turbine blade. A sealing ring (10) is fixedly connected to the exposed hole (2). The sealing ring (10) is used to seal the gap between the conductive ball (4) and the exposed hole (2).

3. The wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device for easy maintenance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The grinding block (9) has an arc-shaped groove, and several grinding teeth are provided in the arc-shaped groove.

4. The wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device for easy maintenance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conductive ball (4) is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket (3) via a rotating shaft (11). The rotating shaft (11) extends through the mounting bracket (3) to the outside of the mounting bracket (3). A driving component (12) for driving the rotating shaft (11) to rotate is fixedly connected on the mounting bracket (3).

5. The wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device for easy maintenance according to claim 4, characterized in that, The driving component (12) includes a shaft (1201), a rope (1202) is fixed and wound on the shaft (1201), a driving hole is provided on the mounting plate (1), a metal block (1203) is engaged in the driving hole, and one end of the rope (1202) away from the shaft (1201) is fixedly connected to the metal block (1203). The shaft (1201) is used to drive the rotating shaft (11) to rotate.

6. The wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device for easy maintenance according to claim 5, characterized in that, A pawl (1204) is unidirectionally hinged to the outside of the shaft (1201). A third elastic element (1205) is provided between the pawl (1204) and the shaft (1201). A sleeve (1206) is fixedly connected to the side of the rotating shaft (11) near the shaft (1201). Several ratchet teeth (1207) are provided circumferentially on the inner side of the sleeve (1206). The ratchet teeth (1207) mesh with the pawl (1204).

7. The wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The rotating shaft (11) includes a first transmission section (1101) and a second transmission section (1102), and the first transmission section (1101) and the second transmission section (1102) are connected by a reducer (1103).

8. The wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device for easy maintenance according to claim 5, characterized in that, The metal block (1203) is wrapped with an insulator, the top of the metal block (1203) is arc-shaped, and the shaft (1201) is provided with a torsion spring (1208) for driving the shaft (1201) to reset.

9. A maintenance method for the wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The process includes preparing a drone, with an electromagnet fixedly connected to the bottom of the drone via a probe. The drone is controlled to fly to the vicinity of the metal block (1203). The electromagnet attracts the metal block (1203) and pulls it outward, causing the rope (1202) to drive the shaft (1201) to rotate, which in turn drives the conductive ball (4) to rotate, exposing the uncorroded surface of the conductive ball (4) to the exposure hole (2). At the same time, the grinding block (9) grinds the conductive ball (4), so that the corroded surface of the conductive ball (4) is ground off.

10. An installation method for the wind turbine blade lightning arrester installation device based on claim 8, characterized in that, include: Step 1: During the manufacturing of wind turbine blades, holes are reserved for mounting plates (1) and conductive lines (7) are pre-embedded. Step 2: Install the mounting plate (1) on the hole so that the mounting plate (1) fills the hole and electrically connect the conductive line (7) to the conductive block (6).

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