A fan blade maintenance inspection apparatus

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of maintenance and detection equipment of fan blade, and the equipment includes basket, blade clamp, blade tip limiting clamp and mechanical arm. The fixation of fan blade can be realized by blade clamp and blade tip limiting clamp on basket, to provide stable operating environment for mechanical arm to complete fan blade detection and maintenance. Camera on mechanical arm can help operator to observe the surface condition of blade immediately, especially the surface condition of blade lightning arrester and drain hole, and polishing head on mechanical arm can complete the cleaning of blade surface. The detection equipment avoids the risk of manual high-altitude operation on one hand, and on the other hand, compared with the way of maintenance using unmanned aerial vehicle equipment, the manufacturing and use cost of equipment is also lower, and more maintenance equipment can be carried.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of wind turbine blade repair and testing, and specifically relates to a wind turbine blade repair and testing device. Background Technology

[0002] When wind turbines operate in open areas, their blades are the most vulnerable component to lightning strikes. Therefore, wind turbine blades are typically equipped with lightning arresters to absorb lightning energy and prevent damage. Because lightning arresters operate in harsh environments for extended periods, they are susceptible to failure. To ensure the safe operation of the wind turbine, the grounding resistance of the lightning arresters must be regularly inspected and maintained.

[0003] In traditional inspection work, maintenance personnel are typically transported to the vicinity of the lightning arrester on the wind turbine blades using a suspended platform. The test leads are then connected to the arrester to measure its resistance, and manual grinding and repair are performed. However, this high-altitude work method poses significant safety hazards and is prone to accidents. To mitigate these risks, existing technologies have developed methods using drones to replace manual lightning arrester inspection and repair. Drones carry test leads and grinding equipment, and a robotic arm is mounted on the drone. The robotic arm connects the test leads to the lightning arrester, forming a complete test circuit from the arrester to the grounding terminal, thus completing the lightning arrester resistance test. Simultaneously, the grinding equipment on the robotic arm performs grinding operations on the lightning arrester. Compared to the traditional suspended platform-based high-altitude inspection method, the drone inspection mode offers significantly higher safety.

[0004] However, using drones for wind turbine blade maintenance still presents numerous technical challenges: During the process of connecting the drone's robotic arm to the lightning arrester, the stability and precision of drone operation must be strictly ensured; and when the robotic arm grinds the lightning arrester, not only must the relative distance between the drone and the wind turbine blades be maintained, but the impact of vibrations from the grinding equipment on the drone's stability while hovering must also be avoided. These factors place extremely high demands on the drone's payload capacity and operational stability, which not only increases the cost of using drones for wind turbine blade maintenance and inspection, but also, due to the limitations of the drone's own spatial dimensions, it must maintain a certain distance from the wind turbine blades, which also affects the accuracy of the robotic arm when grinding the lightning arrester, posing a challenge to the robotic arm's own working precision. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the main objective of this invention is to provide a low-cost and easy-to-operate wind turbine blade repair and inspection device. This device not only boasts high safety but also reduces the requirements for the payload and stability of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It demonstrates excellent practicality for the inspection and repair of wind turbine blades, particularly for the inspection and repair of lightning arresters on wind turbine blades.

[0006] In order to achieve the purpose of this utility model, the following technical solution is provided:

[0007] A maintenance and inspection device for wind turbine blades includes a basket, blade clamps, blade tip limiting clamps, and a robotic arm. The basket is a three-dimensional frame structure, comprising an upper frame, columns, and a lower frame. The upper and lower frames are connected by multiple columns. The upper frame has a U-shaped opening, allowing wind turbine blades to enter the three-dimensional frame through the opening. Two blade clamps mounted on the columns or the upper frame can move towards each other to clamp and secure the blades inside the three-dimensional frame. The blade tip limiting clamp is located below the two blade clamps and is a V-shaped limiting block with its V-shaped opening facing upwards. The V-shaped tip of the V-shaped limiting block has a... The fixed slot allows the blade tip to be inserted into the fixed slot of the V-shaped limiting block after the blade enters the three-dimensional frame through the up-and-down movement of the basket. A robotic arm is also installed on the basket, with its base fixed to the lower frame. The robotic arm includes a fixed end and a moving end. The fixed end of the robotic arm is connected to the base, and the moving end of the robotic arm is equipped with a grinding head and a camera. The camera is installed behind the grinding head, which can obtain a complete field of view of the grinding head's contact parts and capture and transmit video of the grinding head grinding the blade. At the same time, the robotic arm can also adjust the camera's shooting angle by moving to observe whether the blade tip of the wind turbine blade has entered the fixed slot of the V-shaped limiting block.

[0008] Furthermore, the robotic arm controls the moving end via an electric actuator.

[0009] Furthermore, the grinding head, robotic arm, and three-dimensional frame can form a conductive circuit.

[0010] Furthermore, the distance by which the two blade clamps move toward each other can be controlled, and the part of the blade clamp that contacts the blade is U-shaped.

[0011] Furthermore, the robotic arm also includes a horizontal motion servo and a pitch motion servo. The horizontal motion servo is mounted on the base of the robotic arm and is responsible for controlling the horizontal rotation of the robotic arm. The pitch motion servo is mounted on the output shaft of the horizontal motion servo and is responsible for controlling the up and down swing of the robotic arm.

[0012] Furthermore, the output end of the pitch motion servo is connected to the electric push rod of the moving end of the robotic arm via a U-shaped bracket.

[0013] Furthermore, the equipment for repairing and testing wind turbine blades can be used for the repair and testing of lightning arresters on wind turbine blades.

[0014] Furthermore, the grinding head can be replaced with a drill bit.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0016] 1. This invention redesigns the suspended platform. By installing blade clamps and blade tip limiting clamps, the blades can be well fixed, making it convenient for grinding and testing equipment to inspect and repair the fixed blades.

[0017] 2. The grinding head is connected to the robotic arm and the three-dimensional frame to form a conductive circuit. After the grinding head makes contact with the blade lightning arrester, the detection wire is then connected to the three-dimensional frame of the wind turbine tower and the basket to form a detection circuit for the blade lightning arrester. The resistance of the lightning arrester can then be tested using detection equipment to detect the working status of the lightning arrester.

[0018] 3. By installing a grinding head and a camera on the robotic arm, operators can observe the grinding status of the blades in real time, thereby controlling the working progress of the grinding head.

[0019] 4. The basket adopts a three-dimensional frame structure design, which is simple and low in cost. Compared with drones, it is easier to strengthen the basket structure to bear greater loads, thereby carrying more and heavier maintenance and testing equipment. After the basket is fixed to the blade, it is also easier to make the robotic arm maintain the stability of operation.

[0020] 5. The cleaning process of the drainage holes at the blade tips also requires maintaining the stability of the drainage hole cleaning tool. Based on the good fixation and stability of the basket formed by the present application for the blade, after replacing the grinding head with a drill bit, the basket of the present application can also be used for the unblocking of drainage holes, avoiding the need for operators to perform high-altitude operations. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The disclosure of this utility model will become more readily understood with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout several drawings denote the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings depict only some embodiments disclosed in this application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a suspended basket structure for wind turbine blade maintenance and inspection according to some embodiments of this application.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the blades entering the three-dimensional frame of the hanging basket according to some embodiments of this application.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a blade clamp clamping a blade according to some embodiments of this application.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a V-shaped limiting block according to some embodiments of this application.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the robotic arm installation according to some embodiments of this application.

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a basket lifting operation for wind turbine blade maintenance and inspection according to some embodiments of this application.

[0028] In the diagram: 1-Hanging basket, 2-Blade clamp, 3-Blade tip limit clamp, 4-Mechanical arm, 5-Upper frame, 6-Lower frame, 7-Base, 8-Horizontal motion servo, 9-Pitch motion servo, 10-U-shaped bracket, 11-Grinding head, 12-Camera, 13-Lightning receiver. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0030] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0031] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to 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 embodiments of this application.

[0032] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; 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; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0033] A maintenance and inspection device for a fan blade disclosed in an embodiment of the present application can be used for the inspection and maintenance of fan blades, especially for the inspection and maintenance of lightning arresters on fan blades.

[0034] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a hanging basket structure for the maintenance and inspection of a fan blade in some embodiments of the present application. As Figure 1 shown, the maintenance and inspection device for the fan blade includes a hanging basket 1, blade clamps 2, tip limit clamps 3, and a robotic arm 4.

[0035] Figure 1 Among them, the hanging basket 1 is a three-dimensional frame structure. The three-dimensional frame structure includes an upper frame 5, columns, and a lower frame 6. The upper frame and the lower frame are connected by multiple columns. The upper frame has a "U"-shaped opening, and the "U"-shaped opening allows the fan blade to enter the three-dimensional frame through the opening. Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of a blade entering the three-dimensional frame of the hanging basket in some embodiments of the present application. Referring to Figure 2 , the "U"-shaped opening form of the upper frame can be known, and the way the blade enters the three-dimensional frame of the hanging basket can be known.

[0036] Continue to refer to Figure 1 , the two blade clamps 2 installed on the upper frame can move towards each other to clamp and fix the blade entering the three-dimensional frame. Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of a blade clamp clamping a blade in some embodiments of the present application. According to some embodiments of the present application, the part of the blade clamp in contact with the blade can be designed to be U-shaped, which matches the arc surface of the blade to better clamp the blade. At the same time, the material of the part of the blade clamp 2 in contact with the blade can be an elastic material, which has a certain flexibility to better fit the blade surface and avoid damaging the blade when clamping the blade.

[0037] Continue to refer to Figure 1 , the tip limit clamp 3 is located below the two blade clamps. The tip limit clamp 3 is a V-shaped limit block with a V-shaped opening facing upwards. A fixing groove is provided at the V-shaped tip of the V-shaped limit block. When the blade enters the three-dimensional frame through the U-shaped opening, the tip of the blade can be inserted into the fixing groove of the V-shaped limit block by moving the hanging basket up and down. Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of a V-shaped panel in some embodiments of the present application. Referring to Figure 4 , it can be known that the tip of the fan blade is inserted into the fixing groove of the V-shaped limit block, so that the tip is restricted from swinging.

[0038] Continue to refer to Figure 1The basket is also equipped with a robotic arm 4. The base 7 of the robotic arm is fixed on the lower frame 6. The robotic arm includes a fixed end and a moving end. The fixed end of the robotic arm is connected to the base 7. The moving end of the robotic arm is equipped with a grinding head 11 and a camera 12. The camera 12 is installed behind the grinding head 11, which can obtain a complete field of view of the grinding head contact parts and shoot and transmit the working video of the grinding head grinding the blades. At the same time, the robotic arm can also move to adjust the shooting angle of the camera to observe whether the blade tip of the wind turbine blade enters the fixing groove of the V-shaped panel.

[0039] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the robotic arm also includes a horizontal motion servo 8 and a pitch motion servo 9. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the horizontal motion servo 8 is mounted on the base 7 of the robotic arm and is responsible for controlling the horizontal rotation of the robotic arm; the pitch motion servo 9 is mounted on the output shaft of the horizontal motion servo 8 and is responsible for controlling the vertical swing of the robotic arm. The moving end of the robotic arm is controlled by an electric push rod, and the output end of the pitch motion servo is connected to the electric push rod of the moving end of the robotic arm by a U-shaped bracket 10.

[0040] To facilitate the movement and stability of the suspended platform, both the upper and lower frames are equipped with hoisting rope mounting holes. The main hoisting rope mounting holes are located on the upper frame, while the auxiliary hoisting rope mounting holes are located on the lower frame. The position of the hoisting rope mounting holes does not affect the entry of the blades into the three-dimensional frame through the U-shaped opening. Multiple auxiliary hoisting rope mounting holes are distributed on the lower frame.

[0041] The lightning arrester on the wind turbine blade is typically connected to the base of the wind turbine tower (e.g., using a metal wire or other suitable conductive wire), which in turn connects to the ground. When the wind turbine blade is struck by lightning, the lightning arrester receives the current generated by the lightning strike. This current is then transmitted through the conductive wire to the base of the wind turbine tower and finally to the ground, thus protecting the wind turbine blade from lightning damage. To facilitate the testing of the lightning arrester 13, the grinding head, robotic arm, and three-dimensional frame can form a conductive circuit, allowing the conductivity of the lightning arrester to be tested through methods such as resistance measurement.

[0042] For example, in some embodiments, one end of the multimeter is connected to a cable on the three-dimensional frame, and the other end is connected to the base of the wind turbine tower. Since the grinding head, robotic arm, and three-dimensional frame can form a conductive circuit, once one end of the multimeter is connected to the three-dimensional frame via a cable, the multimeter is connected to the lightning arrester, forming a conductive loop. This allows the detection of the lightning arrester's channel resistance, ultimately determining whether the lightning arrester's lightning protection function meets the requirements. In some embodiments, the cable on the three-dimensional frame can also be suspended on a basket using a drone, or connected to one end of the multimeter using manual splicing or other methods.

[0043] The following specific embodiment further illustrates the suspended platform operation of this application.

[0044] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a suspended platform lifting operation used for wind turbine blade maintenance and inspection.

[0045] Step 1: Install and anchor the suspended platform lifting system. This involves using four winches and a rope system. The system typically uses four ropes connected to the winches to precisely control the position of the suspended platform. These winches can independently adjust the length and tension of each rope to achieve stable lifting of the platform. The main winch connects to the main rope and controls the vertical movement of the platform, while the remaining winches and ropes adjust the platform's horizontal position to prevent displacement due to wind or swaying. The combined action of the four winches ensures stable lifting of the platform and its stability while suspended in the air.

[0046] In step 1, first connect the main rope to the hoisting hole, then connect the pulley to the traction rope. Use a rope climber to pass the main hoisting rope through the pulley, connecting one end to the winch and the other end to the suspended platform. Next, connect the remaining winches and ropes. Connect one end of the remaining ropes to the winch and the other end to the suspended platform.

[0047] Then the main winch continues to wind up the rope, while the auxiliary winch adjusts the angle and slowly lifts the basket. The basket's posture is observed, and the horizontal position is finely adjusted using the rope connected to the auxiliary winch until the basket reaches the predetermined height.

[0048] Step 2: Observe through the camera on the suspended platform whether the blades enter the frame through the "Z"-shaped opening in the upper frame of the platform, and whether the blade tips are inserted into the V-shaped tip fixing slot of the V-shaped panel. With the help of the camera, the operator controls the main winch and auxiliary winch to adjust the platform's posture, allowing the blades to enter the frame and ensuring the blade tips are inserted into the V-shaped tip fixing slot. Once the blade tips are inserted into the V-shaped tip fixing slot of the V-shaped panel, the operator can remotely control the blade clamp to move towards the blade, clamping the blade and thus securing the blades in place. The fixing of the blade tips through the V-shaped tip fixing slot and the blade clamp securing the blades together ensures the stability of the blades from the blade tip to the clamping section, guaranteeing stability during subsequent inspection and maintenance of this section of the blade by the robotic arm.

[0049] Step 3: After the wind turbine blades are fixed, the operator controls the horizontal and vertical movements of the robotic arm. Using a camera on the robotic arm, the operator can observe the surface condition of the wind turbine blades, especially the lightning arrester, and clean the surfaces of the blades and arrester using a grinding head. After the grinding head contacts the lightning arrester, the resistance value can be measured using a multimeter or similar method to more accurately determine whether the lightning arrester needs grinding and cleaning, and whether the resistance value after grinding and cleaning meets the usage requirements.

[0050] In some embodiments, if the drainage holes on the blade tip become clogged, water can accumulate inside the blade, affecting its structural strength and service life. Therefore, to solve the problem of water accumulation inside the blade and ensure its normal operation and structural safety, a grinding head can be replaced with a drill bit. The drill bit is used to drill holes in the drainage holes at the blade tip to unclog them. By using a drill to unclog the drainage holes, the normal operation of the blade drainage system can be ensured, preventing blade performance degradation or malfunction due to poor drainage.

[0051] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit it. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A maintenance and inspection device for wind turbine blades, comprising a basket, blade clamps, blade tip limit clamps, and a robotic arm, characterized in that, The suspended platform has a three-dimensional frame structure, comprising an upper frame, columns, and a lower frame. The upper and lower frames are connected by multiple columns. The upper frame has a U-shaped opening, allowing the fan blades to enter the three-dimensional frame from the opening. Two blade clamps mounted on the columns or upper frame can move towards each other to clamp and secure the blades entering the three-dimensional frame. A blade tip limiting clamp is located below the two blade clamps. The blade tip limiting clamp is a V-shaped limiting block with its V-shaped opening facing upwards. The V-shaped tip of the limiting block has a fixing groove. When the blade enters the upper frame from the U-shaped opening... After being placed inside the frame, the blade tip can be inserted into the fixing groove of the V-shaped limiting block by moving the basket up and down. A robotic arm is also installed on the basket. The base of the robotic arm is fixed on the lower frame. The robotic arm includes a fixed end and a moving end. The fixed end of the robotic arm is connected to the base. The moving end of the robotic arm is equipped with a grinding head and a camera. The camera is installed behind the grinding head, which can obtain a complete field of view of the grinding head contacting the parts, and shoot and transmit the working video of the grinding head grinding the blade. At the same time, the robotic arm can also adjust the shooting angle of the camera by moving to observe whether the blade tip of the wind turbine blade has entered the fixing groove of the V-shaped limiting block.

2. The maintenance and testing equipment for wind turbine blades as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The grinding head, robotic arm, and three-dimensional frame can form a conductive circuit.

3. The maintenance and testing equipment for wind turbine blades as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The robotic arm controls the moving end via an electric actuator.

4. The wind turbine blade maintenance and testing equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The distance at which the two blade clamps move toward each other can be controlled, and the contact area between the blade clamps and the blades is U-shaped.

5. The wind turbine blade maintenance and testing equipment as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The robotic arm also includes a horizontal motion servo and a pitch motion servo. The horizontal motion servo is mounted on the base of the robotic arm and is responsible for controlling the horizontal rotation of the robotic arm. The pitch motion servo is mounted on the output shaft of the horizontal motion servo and is responsible for controlling the up and down swing of the robotic arm.

6. The wind turbine blade maintenance and testing equipment as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The output end of the pitch motion servo is connected to the electric stack push rod at the moving end of the robotic arm via a U-shaped bracket.

7. A maintenance and testing device for wind turbine blades as described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The equipment for repairing and testing wind turbine blades can be used for the repair and testing of lightning arresters on wind turbine blades.

8. A maintenance and testing device for wind turbine blades as described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The grinding head can also be replaced with a drill bit.

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