A type of wind gate brake for hydropower stations

Abstract

This utility model discloses a windbreak brake for a hydropower station, belonging to the technical field of generator windbreak devices. It includes a brake body, a limit switch, a triggering component, a scale marking unit, and a distance detection component. The scale marking unit and the limit switch are provided on the housing of the lower cavity of the brake body. The limit switch is located on one side of the scale marking unit. A triggering component is provided on the outside of the limit switch. A distance detection component is provided on the limit switch. This utility model's windbreak brake for hydropower stations achieves standardized installation, precise adjustment, and real-time monitoring of the limit switch, ensuring the correct status signal output by the limit switch. This guarantees the normal operation of the brake body and provides a reference for later maintenance and reinstallation, improving equipment operation and maintenance efficiency and reducing costs and failure risks.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of generator wind gate devices, specifically a wind gate brake for a hydropower station. Background Technology

[0002] In the operation and control of hydropower station generator units, the damper brake is a core device for ensuring the safe start-up and shutdown of the unit. Its performance directly affects the stability of power production and the safety of the equipment. In existing technology, the braking principle of the damper brake is based on physical friction to achieve kinetic energy regulation: when the generator unit receives a shutdown command, multiple dampers distributed below the generator rotor synchronously perform a lifting action. Frictional resistance is generated through the contact between the brake blocks and the high-speed rotating rotor, gradually consuming the rotor's kinetic energy and allowing the unit to stop smoothly. During the start-up phase, all brakes must simultaneously drop, disengaging from the rotor to avoid creating additional resistance to rotor startup and ensuring the unit smoothly reaches its rated speed. Therefore, in actual operation, extremely high requirements are placed on the consistency of the damper brake's actions; simultaneous lifting and lowering must be strictly achieved. Any asynchronous action will lead to uneven force on the rotor, easily causing rotor sway, increased vibration, and other problems. In severe cases, it may cause the rotor to collide with other components, leading to equipment damage.

[0003] To ensure the synchronicity of the damper brake's operation, existing technology uses limit switches as status monitoring components. Limit switches are installed on both sides of each brake, and their operating logic is directly related to the brake's displacement: when the brake is raised to a preset braking position, the limit switch is triggered to output a raised signal; when the brake is lowered to the initial position, the switch is triggered to output a lowered signal. These signals are transmitted to the control system and serve as the core basis for determining whether the unit meets the conditions for starting and stopping—the corresponding operation is only allowed when the control system receives a unified status signal from all brakes. However, existing technology has significant drawbacks in practical applications: the installation accuracy of the limit switches is difficult to guarantee due to the constraints of the on-site installation environment. On the one hand, the narrow space and varying flatness of the foundation platform at hydropower stations limit installation operations; on the other hand, the current installation process relies excessively on the operator's personal experience to adjust the switch positions, making it impossible for multiple limit switches to be on the same reference horizontal plane. This inconsistency in installation height can cause abnormal signal output: when the brake has actually been raised or lowered into position, the limit switch may fail to trigger the corresponding signal due to positional deviation, leading to the control system misjudging the equipment status. The aforementioned problems directly lead to serious consequences: the control system triggers the protection mechanism upon receiving abnormal signals, preventing the unit from performing start-up and shutdown operations, resulting in generator start-up and shutdown failures; frequent start-up and shutdown attempts not only disrupt power generation plans and affect the stability of power supply, but also exacerbate equipment mechanical wear and tear, increase the risk of failure and operation and maintenance costs, and pose a serious threat to the safe and efficient operation of hydropower stations.

[0004] Therefore, how to solve the signal abnormality problem caused by insufficient installation accuracy of the limit switch of the windshield brake has become an urgent technical problem to be solved in this field, which is of great significance for improving the operational reliability of generator sets. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this utility model is to address the aforementioned shortcomings by providing a wind gate brake for a hydropower station. Through a calibration reference and laser monitoring, it achieves standardized installation, precise adjustment, and real-time monitoring of the limit switch, ensuring the limit switch outputs correct status signals. This guarantees the normal operation of the brake body and provides a reference for later maintenance and reinstallation, improving equipment operation and maintenance efficiency and reducing costs and failure risks. To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A wind gate brake for a hydropower station includes a brake body, a limit switch, a triggering component, a scale marking unit, and a distance detection component. The lower chamber of the brake body has a scale marking unit and a limit switch on its housing. The limit switch is located on one side of the scale marking unit. A triggering component is located on the outside of the limit switch. The triggering component is connected to the upper chamber of the brake body and moves up and down with the upper chamber to trigger the limit switch. A distance detection component is provided on the limit switch. The distance detection component is used to determine the distance between the component and the base plate of the triggering component.

[0007] Furthermore, the triggering component is a frame steel plate, the top of which is connected to the upper cavity of the brake by bolts, the bottom plate is located below the limit switch, and there is a gap between the end of the bottom plate near the lower cavity of the brake and the lower cavity of the brake.

[0008] Furthermore, the outer surface of the triggering component is provided with a hard chrome plating layer.

[0009] Furthermore, the scale marking unit is set vertically on the housing of the lower cavity of the brake, with a scale range of 0~200mm, a minimum scale interval of 1mm, and a scale line depth of 0.2mm.

[0010] Furthermore, a white fluorescent paint layer is provided on the outer surface of the scale marking unit.

[0011] Furthermore, the distance detection device is a laser distance sensor.

[0012] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0013] This utility model discloses a windbreak brake for a hydropower station, comprising a brake body, a limit switch, a triggering component, a scale marking unit, and a distance detection component. The lower cavity of the brake body has a scale marking unit and a limit switch on its housing. The limit switch is located on one side of the scale marking unit. A triggering component is located on the outside of the limit switch. The triggering component is connected to the upper cavity of the brake body and moves up and down with the upper cavity to trigger the limit switch. A distance detection component is provided on the limit switch to measure the distance between itself and the base plate of the triggering component. This hydropower station windbreak brake, through scale reference and laser monitoring, achieves standardized installation, precise adjustment, and real-time monitoring of the limit switch on the brake body. This ensures the limit switch outputs correct status signals, guaranteeing the normal operation of the brake body and providing a reference for later maintenance and reinstallation. This improves equipment operation and maintenance efficiency and reduces costs and failure risks. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This utility model relates to a wind gate brake for a hydroelectric power station.

[0015] In the attached diagram: 1-Brake body, 11-Upper chamber of brake, 12-Lower chamber of brake, 2-Limit switch, 3-Frame steel plate, 4-Scale marking unit, 5-Laser distance sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0016] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0017] It should be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “described” as used herein may also mean including the plural forms. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” and “having” are inclusive and therefore indicate the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not construed as requiring them to be performed in a particular order described or illustrated unless the order of performance is explicitly indicated. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be used.

[0018] Although terms such as first, second, third, etc., may be used in this document to describe multiple elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or segment from another. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms used herein do not imply order or sequence. Therefore, the first element, component, region, layer, or segment discussed below may be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer, or segment without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.

[0019] For ease of description, spatial relative terms may be used in the text to describe the relationship of one element or feature relative to another element or feature, as shown in the figure. These relative terms include, for example, "inside," "outside," "middle," "outer," "below," "below," "above," "over," etc. The meaning of such spatial relative terms includes different orientations of the device in use or operation, other than those depicted in the figure. For example, if the device in the figure is flipped, then an element described as "below other elements or features" or "below other elements or features" will subsequently be oriented "above other elements or features" or "above other elements or features." Therefore, the example term "below" can include both upper and lower orientations. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or in other directions), and the spatial relative descriptors used in the text will be interpreted accordingly.

[0020] A damper brake is a device that uses the combined action of mechanical structure and power drive to brake and release rotating machinery (such as a generator rotor). Its core principle is based on friction braking and precise displacement control. The damper brake consists of an upper and lower chamber. The lower chamber serves as a base and remains stationary during operation. The upper chamber is driven by hydraulic oil or compressed air and moves up and down relative to the lower chamber. A brake plate is located at the top of the upper chamber, moving up and down with the lower chamber. This brake plate contacts the rotating machinery, using frictional resistance to dissipate the machinery's kinetic energy, gradually slowing it down to a stop.

[0021] Example 1:

[0022] See attached Figure 1This utility model discloses a wind gate brake for a hydropower station, comprising a brake body 1, a limit switch 2, a triggering component, a scale marking unit 4, and a distance detection component. The brake body 1 includes an upper brake chamber 11 and a lower brake chamber 12, with the upper brake chamber 11 movable vertically relative to the lower brake chamber 12. A scale marking unit 4 is provided on the housing of the lower brake chamber 12. The scale marking unit 4 is a laser-etched scale, mechanically engraved, or electronically marked scale, with a scale range of 0-200mm, a minimum scale interval of 1mm, and a scale line depth of 0.2mm. The surface of the scale marking unit 4 is coated with white fluorescent paint for easy reading in low-light environments. The scale marking unit 4 provides a unified installation reference for the limit switch 2. The limit switch 2 is installed on one side of the scale marking unit 4. Using the scale marking unit 4 as a reference, the mounting base of the limit switch 2 is aligned with a preset scale line (e.g., a 50mm scale) and initially fixed with bolts. Understandably, when installing limit switches 2 on multiple brake bodies 1, the scale marking unit 4 is used as a reference to align the mounting base of the limit switches 2 with the preset scale lines. This ensures that all limit switches 2 are aligned with the same scale on the brake body 1, unifying the initial installation height and reducing deviations in the initial installation height. A trigger component is provided on the outside of the limit switch 2. The trigger component is a frame steel plate 3, with its outer surface plated with hard chrome to improve wear resistance and reduce long-term wear. The top of the trigger component is fixedly connected to the upper cavity 11 of the brake by bolts. The base plate is located below the limit switch 2, and there is a small gap between the end of the base plate near the lower cavity 12 of the brake and the lower cavity 12. This gap ensures that the vertical projection of the ball bearing at the bottom of the limit switch 2 is located on the base plate of the trigger component. The triggering component can move up and down along with the upper cavity 11 of the brake. The base plate of the triggering component moves upward and contacts the ball bearing at the bottom of the limit switch 2. When it moves to the preset braking position, it triggers the limit switch 2 to output a lifting signal; when the brake falls back to the initial position, the switch outputs a falling signal. A distance detection component, which is a laser distance sensor 5, is also fixed on one side of the limit switch 2. When the laser distance sensor 5 is mounted on the limit switch 2 using a dedicated adjustable bracket, its laser beam is precisely perpendicular to the base plate of the triggering component. The laser distance sensor 5 is used to measure the vertical distance between the laser distance sensor 5 and the base plate of the triggering component. The adjustable bracket is a conventional tool well-known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here. The installation positions of the limit switches 2 on multiple brake bodies 1 can be further adjusted using the laser distance sensor 5. The laser distance sensor 5 measures the travel distance of the trigger component base plate when the brake body 1 is raised and lowered, and compares the measurements in real time. The installation positions of the limit switches 2 are then further adjusted so that the travel consistency error of the limit switches 2 is ≤0.05mm. After synchronous calibration, the limit switches 2 are finally fixed.This utility model of a hydropower station wind gate brake achieves standardization, precise adjustment, and real-time monitoring of the limit switch 2 installed on the brake body 1 through a scale reference and laser monitoring. This ensures that the limit switch 2 outputs the correct status signal, thereby guaranteeing the normal operation of the brake body 1, improving equipment operation and maintenance efficiency, and reducing costs and failure risks.

[0023] Specifically, the installation position of the limit switch 2 is further adjusted using the laser distance sensor 5, and the specific operation is as follows:

[0024] During initial installation:

[0025] 1. After installing the laser distance sensor 5 on each brake body 1, lower the brake lower chamber 12 of the brake body 1 to the initial position and check the state of each brake body 1 at this time. This state is commonly known as the "return" state. The laser distance sensor 5 measures the distance between the bottom plate of the frame steel plate 3 and the laser distance sensor 5. Compare the distance obtained by the laser distance sensor 5 with the empirical value of the "return" distance. Adjust the position of the limit switch 2 installed on the brake body 1 again so that the value of the laser distance sensor 5 is close to the empirical value.

[0026] 2. Raise the upper chamber 11 of the brake body 1 to its maximum height and check the status of each brake body 1 at this time. This status is commonly referred to as the "active" state. When the brake body 1 is in the "active" state, it will trigger the limit switch 2 to send a corresponding signal. If the limit switch 2 on any brake body 1 does not send a corresponding signal, readjust the installation height of the limit switch 2 to make the limit switch 2 node in the "active" state. Record the distance measured by the laser distance sensor 5 at this time, and record the scale of the limit switch 2 installed on the brake body 1 at this time, which will be used as the empirical value for the "active" distance of the next limit switch 2.

[0027] During later maintenance:

[0028] When it is necessary to remove and repair the limit switch 2 on the wind gate brake of this hydropower station, when reinstalling the limit switch 2, you only need to reinstall the limit switch 2 according to the previously recorded scale value installed on the brake body 1 and the distance value measured by the laser distance sensor 5, and you can reinstall it in one go.

[0029] Previously, during normal unit operation, the lifting and lowering status of the air damper was monitored using the "action" and "reset" values ​​of the brake body 1. If the limit switch 2 failed, it would cause erroneous or non-operational switching signals, leading to unit start-up and shutdown failures. With this patent, the gap is converted into a visualized analog quantity by the laser distance sensor 5, and this analog quantity can communicate with the unit's local PLC. This allows for the addition of analog quantity criteria as backup criteria to the previously measured values, improving the success rate of unit start-up and shutdown.

[0030] Specifically, the laser distance sensor 5 can be the Keyence LR-TB5000, which features high precision, visualization, and intelligence. It has a measuring range of 0~500mm and an accuracy of ±0.03mm. It has a built-in OLED screen that displays the distance (unit: mm) in real time and supports manual switching of measurement modes. Maintenance personnel can directly read data without additional instruments, simplifying the adjustment process. It provides a 4~20mA analog signal that can be directly connected to the PLC's AI loop, seamlessly integrating with the PLC / DCS system for automated data acquisition and analysis. Other similar laser sensors include the Omron E3Z-LT81 or Panasonic HL-G1 series.

[0031] All technical features in this embodiment can be freely combined according to actual needs. The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solution of this utility model and are not intended to limit it. Although this utility model has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solution of this utility model without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solution of this utility model, and all such modifications and substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of this utility model. Technologies, shapes, and structural parts not described in detail in this utility model are all known technologies.

[0032] The above embodiments are preferred implementations of this utility model. In addition, other implementations are also included. Any obvious substitutions without departing from the concept of this technical solution are within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A hydroelectric plant shutter brake characterized by: The brake body (1), the travel switch (2), the trigger component, the scale identification unit (4) and the distance detection piece are included; the scale identification unit (4) and the travel switch (2) are arranged on the shell of the brake brake lower cavity (12) of the brake body (1); the travel switch (2) is located on one side of the scale identification unit (4); the trigger component is arranged on the outside of the travel switch (2); the trigger component is connected with the brake brake upper cavity (11) of the brake body (1) and moves up and down with the brake brake upper cavity (11) to trigger the travel switch (2); the distance detection piece is arranged on the travel switch (2); the distance detection piece is used for the distance between the distance detection piece and the bottom plate of the trigger component.

2. A damper brake for a hydroelectric power station according to claim 1, characterised in that: The trigger component is a frame steel plate (3), the top is connected with the brake brake upper cavity (11) through bolts, the bottom plate is located below the travel switch (2), and a gap is arranged between the end of the bottom plate close to the brake brake lower cavity (12) and the brake brake lower cavity (12).

3. A damper brake for a hydroelectric power station according to claim 2, characterised in that: The outer surface of the trigger component is provided with a hard chromium plating layer.

4. A damper brake for a hydroelectric power station according to claim 1, characterised in that: The scale identification unit (4) is arranged on the shell of the brake brake lower cavity (12) in the vertical direction, the scale range is 0-200mm, the minimum scale interval is 1mm, and the scale line depth is 0.2mm.

5. A damper brake for a hydroelectric power station according to claim 4, characterised in that: A white fluorescent paint layer is arranged on the outer surface of the scale identification unit (4).

6. A damper brake for a hydroelectric power station according to claim 1, characterised in that: The distance detection piece is a laser distance sensor (5).

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