Inspection method and unmanned inspection device for wind power generation facility

Abstract

To provide an inspection method and an unmanned inspection device for a wind power generation facility.SOLUTION: This inspection method for inspecting a wind power generation facility 200 by using an unmanned inspection device 100 comprises: a step of applying, by a transmitter 221 installed in the wind power generation facility 200, an electromagnetic wave to a down-conductor 231 provided in a blade 230 of the wind power generation facility 200; a step of mounding a receiver 103 having a first mode in which at least the reception sensitivity of the electromagnetic wave is high and a second mode in which the reception sensitivity of the electromagnetic wave is lower than that in the first mode on the unmanned inspection device 100, and flying it near a receptor 232 provided in the blade 230; a step of bringing a contact instrument 102 of a conductive material connected to the receiver 103 into contact with the receptor 232; and a step of confirming conduction upon reception of the electromagnetic wave applied to the down-conductor 231 through the receptor 232 and the contact instrument 102 by the receiver 103 which operates in a weak mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an inspection method and an unmanned inspection device for wind power generation equipment. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, to protect the blades of wind power generation facilities from lightning, receptors are provided at the tips of the blades. The lightning current received by the receptor is guided to the tower by the down conductor inside the blade, and is then earthed from the tower.

[0003] Such grounding conditions may deteriorate over time or due to lightning strikes on the blades, etc. For example, if the down conductor is broken, even if the receptor receives lightning, it will be difficult to pass the lightning current to the ground, etc., which may damage the blades. Therefore, it is necessary to perform a continuity test on the down conductor to check whether the grounding condition is appropriate.

[0004] Conventionally, workers have generally traveled to the receptor using ropework and carried out continuity tests using a tester (a measuring device for measuring resistance) that they brought with them, but such work at high altitudes places a heavy burden on the workers and takes a long time to complete. Therefore, in recent years, a technique has been developed for inspecting wind power generation facilities using unmanned inspection equipment equipped with a continuity tester mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle such as a drone in order to perform continuity tests safely and quickly (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-183996 A [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-143600 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, a continuity test is performed by measuring resistance, so a conductive cable needs to be connected to the continuity tester mounted on the drone (see paragraph 0025 and Figure 2 of Patent Document 1). As a result, the drone flies while towing the cable, which may hinder the safe flight of the drone.

[0007] Therefore, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2, "a modulated signal current is passed through the down conductor from a transmitter provided on the base side of the blade, and modulated electromagnetic waves are sent out of the blade via the down conductor or a receptor, while a remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a receiver for receiving the modulated electromagnetic wave magnetic field signal is brought close to the blade, and whether or not the electromagnetic wave magnetic field signal is received is confirmed" (see paragraph 0088 of Patent Document 2). However, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2, even if the down conductor is broken, if the break distance is short, there is a possibility that it will be erroneously determined to be conductive (described later).

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an unmanned inspection device for inspecting wind power generation equipment, which are capable of inspecting wind power generation equipment safely and reliably. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] One aspect of the present invention is an inspection method for inspecting wind power generation equipment using an unmanned inspection device, comprising the steps of: a transmitter installed on the wind power generation equipment applying electromagnetic waves to a down conductor provided on a blade of the wind power generation equipment; mounting a receiver having at least a first mode having high receiving sensitivity of the electromagnetic waves and a second mode having lower receiving sensitivity of the electromagnetic waves compared to the first mode on the unmanned inspection device and flying it near a receptor provided on the blade; bringing a contact device made of a conductive material connected to the receiver into contact with the receptor; and confirming continuity by the receiver operating in the second mode receiving the electromagnetic waves applied to the down conductor through the receptor and the contact device.

[0010] Another aspect of the present invention is an unmanned inspection device for inspecting wind power generation equipment, comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle, a control device for controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle, a receiver having at least a first mode having high reception sensitivity of electromagnetic waves and a second mode having lower reception sensitivity of the electromagnetic waves compared to the first mode, and a contact device made of a conductive material connected to the receiver, the unmanned inspection device flies in the vicinity of a receptor provided on a blade of the wind power generation equipment, brings the contact device into contact with the receptor, and causes the receiver operating in the second mode to receive the electromagnetic waves applied to a down conductor provided on the blade through the receptor and the contact device. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a wind power generation facility inspection method and unmanned inspection device that can inspect wind power generation facility safely and reliably. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram showing an overall image of a method for inspecting a wind power generation facility according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the tip of a receptor in an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3]4 is a flowchart showing a method for inspecting a down conductor in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 5A to 5C are diagrams for explaining a method for inspecting a down conductor in an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a down conductor in the embodiment of the present invention when it is normal (conducting). [Figure 6] 11 is a diagram showing a case where an abnormality occurs in a down conductor (disconnection) in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the flight of an unmanned inspection device as a comparative example. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the continuity test (resistance measurement) shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] 1 is a configuration diagram showing an unmanned inspection device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 10] 1 is an external view showing an example of a continuity tester according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining an example of a continuity test in the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment described below is merely an example. In other words, the embodiment described below can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. In addition, parts with the same reference numerals in the drawings represent the same or similar parts unless otherwise specified.

[0014] [overview] The method for inspecting wind power generation facilities according to the embodiment of the present invention is a technology for safely and reliably conducting continuity tests of down conductors using a drone equipped with a continuity tester. If continuity cannot be confirmed, the location of the break is determined. Since the method can be used for all blade stop positions and all receptor shapes, it is possible to perform continuity tests simply and quickly.

[0015] [Overall configuration example] 1 is a configuration diagram showing an overall image of an inspection method for a wind power generation facility 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, a case where the wind power generation facility 200 is installed on land 300 will be described as an example, but the basic configuration is the same when the facility is installed offshore.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, a worker U on the ground 300 uses the unmanned inspection device 100 to check the continuity of the down conductor 231. The worker U has a terminal T such as a proportional system for operating the unmanned inspection device 100, and can refer to two monitors M1 and M2 installed on the ground 300. The monitor M1 is a display device for outputting images captured by the blade receptor imaging camera 106 mounted on the unmanned inspection device 100. The monitor M2 is a display device for outputting images captured by the receiver imaging camera 105 mounted on the unmanned inspection device 100. The type of the monitors M1 and M2 is not particularly limited, and may be a monitor integrated with the terminal T, an external monitor, or a substitute monitor such as a tablet.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 1, the wind power generation facility 200 includes a tower 210 erected on the ground 300, a nacelle (not shown) provided on the top of the tower 210, a hub 220 provided in front of the nacelle, and three blades 230, 240, and 250 supported by the hub 220. The blades 230, 240, and 250 are wind turbine blades that rotate when exposed to wind. The hub 220 connects the bases of the blades 230, 240, and 250 to the rotor shaft. The nacelle houses a gearbox, a generator, and other components connected to the hub 220 via the rotor shaft. The tower 210 supports the blades 230, 240, and 250, the hub 220, and the nacelle, and also serves as a passageway for various cables.

[0018] The following description focuses on the blade 230, but the same is true for the other blades 240 and 250. That is, the blade 230 is a windmill blade that rotates by receiving the wind, and is made of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) or the like that is lightweight and resistant to corrosion. The tip of the blade 230 is provided with a receptor 232 made of a conductive material (e.g., copper). The receptor 232 is a lightning receiving part for flowing a lightning current to the ground or the like. The lightning current received by the receptor 232 is guided to the tower 210 by the down conductor 231 provided on the blade 230, and flows to the ground through the down conductor 211 provided on the tower 210. The down conductor 231 may be a normally used conductive wire (e.g., copper wire). The down conductor 211 may also be a normally used grounding conductor for lightning protection (e.g., copper wire). If a plurality of receptors 232 are provided on the surface of the blade 230, it is possible to further improve the lightning capture performance.

[0019] As already explained, since such a grounding condition may deteriorate, it is necessary to check whether the grounding condition is appropriate by conducting a continuity test of the down conductor 231. In the embodiment of the present invention, the following method is adopted to safely and reliably check the down conductor 231.

[0020] That is, a transmitter 221 is installed in advance on a down conductor 231 in the hub 220, and an electromagnetic wave is applied from the transmitter 221 to the down conductor 231. Although the transmitter 221 is depicted outside the hub 220 in FIG.

[0021] As shown by the arrow F1 in Fig. 1, a worker U manually operates a terminal T to launch the unmanned inspection device 100 from the ground 300, and when the unmanned inspection device 100 reaches the vicinity of a receptor 232 provided on a blade 230, the operator switches from manual operation to autonomous flight. The unmanned inspection device 100 is an unmanned aerial vehicle such as a drone equipped with a continuity tester, and the detailed configuration will be described later.

[0022] As shown by the arrow F2 in FIG. 1, after the unmanned inspection device 100 approaches the receptor 232, image analysis (image recognition) is performed by AI (Artificial Intelligence) based on the image captured by the blade / receptor photographing camera 106 attached to the telescopic rod, and the target receptor 232 is captured. As a result, the unmanned inspection device 100 slowly approaches the receptor 232 as a target, and the contact device 102 attached to the front end of the telescopic rod is brought into contact with the receptor 232. If there is electrical continuity at the time of this contact, the receiver 103 mounted on the unmanned inspection device 100 reacts (e.g., an LED lamp flashes), so that the continuity can be confirmed on the monitor M2 on the ground 300 based on the image captured by the receiver photographing camera 105. When the receiver 103 notifies the continuity with a buzzer sound, the buzzer sound can be detected by a microphone mounted on the unmanned inspection device 100 and can be notified to a terminal T operated by a worker U on the ground 300.

[0023] In the above explanation, the unmanned inspection device 100 switches from manual flight to autonomous flight when it reaches the vicinity of the receptor 232, but whether it is manual flight or autonomous flight is not the main focus of the present invention and is not particularly limited. For example, the worker U may manually perform the entire series of flights while watching the monitor M1 on the ground 300 based on the image captured by the blade / receptor capturing camera 106.

[0024] Although not mentioned in the above description, the telescopic rod of the unmanned inspection device 100 may be equipped with a shock absorbing mechanism to reduce the impact when the contact device 102 comes into contact with the receptor 232. Since such a shock absorbing mechanism is not the main focus of the present invention, a detailed description of it will be omitted here.

[0025] [Receptor type] 2 is a schematic diagram showing the tip of a receptor 232 of a wind power generation facility 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) illustrates a tip type, (B) illustrates a disk type, and (C) illustrates a rod type. As shown in FIG. 2(A), (B), and (C), all types of receptors 232 are exposed from the blades 230, so it is possible to capture the shape of the blades 230 with the blade / receptor capturing camera 106, and perform image recognition based on the captured image to capture the receptor 232. Of course, receptors 232 of types other than the tip type, disk type, and rod type can also be captured in a similar manner.

[0026] In Fig. 2, the image-recognized receptor 232 is surrounded by a frame W, but the image recognition technology is not the main focus of the present invention. A worker U may visually check the tip of the blade 230 while watching a monitor M1 on the ground 300. In any case, it is possible to perform a continuity test regardless of the shape of the receptor.

[0027] [Continuity test procedure] Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing a method for inspecting the down conductor 231 in the embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram thereof. An example of a continuity test procedure will be described below with reference to Figs. 3 and 4. Here, it is assumed that a cable breaker detector PTR620 manufactured by Goodman Co., Ltd. is used as the transmitter 221 and the receiver 103. Of course, this detector is merely an example, and other transmitters 221 and receivers 103 may be used in reality.

[0028] First, the blade 230 to be inspected is selected, and the transmitter 221 is installed in the hub 220 in advance (FIG. 3, step S1). Normally (during power generation), the down conductor 231 and the down conductor 211 are electrically connected, and the down conductors 231 and 211 are grounded. Therefore, in a state in which the down conductor 231 and the down conductor 211 are electrically separated from each other, the lead wire 222 of the transmitter 221 must be connected to the down conductor 231 in the hub 220, and the lead wire 223 of the transmitter 221 must be connected to the down conductor 211 in the tower 210. Here, the transmitter 221 is installed in the hub 220, but the transmitter 221 may be installed in a nacelle.

[0029] Next, an electromagnetic wave is applied from the transmitter 221 to the down conductor 231 in the selected blade 230 (FIG. 3, step S2). The frequency of this electromagnetic wave is desirably a low frequency, such as 33.3 kHz, that is easy to propagate through a conductor. "Applying an electromagnetic wave" can also be rephrased as "inputting a search signal" or "inputting an input signal." As a result, the electromagnetic wave propagates from the transmitter 221 in the hub 220 to the receptor 232, as shown by the arrow D1 in FIG. 4.

[0030] Next, the receiver 103 mounted on the unmanned inspection device 100 is set to a weak mode (described later), and the unmanned inspection device 100 is flown close to the receptor 232 provided at the tip of the blade 230 to be inspected (FIG. 3, step S3). The unmanned inspection device 100 is equipped with various test devices required for continuity testing, and is set to an appropriate operation mode.

[0031] Next, the contact device 102 attached to the unmanned inspection device 100 is brought into contact with the receptor 232 (FIG. 3, step S4). As a result, as shown by the arrow D2 in FIG. 4, if the receiver 103 receives an electromagnetic wave (search signal), it is possible to confirm that electricity flows through the down conductor 231, that is, continuity (FIG. 3, steps S5→S6). On the other hand, if the receiver 103 does not receive an electromagnetic wave, it is possible to detect that no electricity flows through the down conductor 231, that is, a break in the line (FIG. 3, steps S5→S7).

[0032] Furthermore, when a break is detected (FIG. 3, step S7), the receiver 103 may determine the position of the break in the down conductor 231 by identifying the positions where the receiver 103 can receive the electromagnetic waves and the positions where the receiver 103 cannot receive the electromagnetic waves (FIG. 3, step S8). A detailed description will be given later.

[0033] Here, the procedure for the continuity test for the down conductor 231 and the receptor 232 of the blade 230 has been described, but similar continuity tests are performed for all three blades 230, 240, and 250. For the wind power generation facility 200 as a whole, a continuity test is also performed for the hub 220 - nacelle - tower 210. However, since the continuity tests for the hub 220, nacelle, and tower 210 are all performed indoors, it is not necessary to follow the above procedure.

[0034] In this example, the receiver 103 is already set to the low mode when the unmanned inspection device 100 takes off (FIG. 3, step S3), but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the receiver 103 only needs to be in the low mode when the continuity is confirmed. For example, even if the receiver 103 is not set to the low mode at the time of takeoff, it is sufficient that the receiver 103 is set to the low mode by remote control after takeoff and is in the low mode when the continuity is confirmed.

[0035] [Necessity of contact device contact] The receiver 103 used in the embodiment of the present invention can receive electromagnetic waves either in contact or non-contact mode, but has strong and weak modes for electromagnetic wave reception sensitivity. In strong mode, even weak electromagnetic waves can be received, making it suitable for cases where the target object is within a certain distance (for example, up to about 3 m) (≒ non-contact), such as searching for cables inside walls or ceilings. In weak mode, reception is only possible with strong electromagnetic waves, making it suitable for reliable testing without errors caused by contact.

[0036] Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, in order to perform a reliable continuity test without false detection, the continuity is confirmed by "weak mode & contact." "Weak mode & contact" refers to a state in which the receiver 103 is operated in the weak mode and the contact device 102 is in contact with the target object (hereinafter the same).

[0037] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the down conductor 231 in the embodiment of the present invention when it is normal (conductive). Arrow D1 in the figure indicates electromagnetic waves. If the down conductor 231 is conductive, electromagnetic waves of a substantially constant intensity propagate to the receptor 232 as shown by arrow D1 in Fig. 5(A). Therefore, as shown in Fig. 5(B), continuity can be correctly determined in "strong mode & contact", "strong mode & non-contact", and "weak mode & contact". On the other hand, continuity cannot be determined in "weak mode & non-contact" (non-conductivity determination).

[0038] In other words, under normal circumstances (continuity), when receiver 103 is in the weak mode, it does not receive electromagnetic waves (search signal) unless contact device 102 is in contact with receptor 232. On the other hand, when receiver 103 is in the strong mode, it receives electromagnetic waves even if contact device 102 is not in contact with receptor 232.

[0039] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an abnormality (disconnection) in the down conductor 231 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the diagram, arrows D1a and D1b indicate electromagnetic waves, and the width of the arrows D1a and D1b indicates the qualitative electromagnetic wave intensity. Even if the down conductor 231 is disconnected, if the disconnection distance L is short, for example, about 1 mm, the electromagnetic waves propagate as radio waves, as shown by arrow D1b in FIG. 6(A). That is, the electromagnetic waves radiated from the disconnected end 231A of the down conductor 231 on the hub 220 side propagate through the space of the disconnection part and are guided to the tip of the disconnection part of the opposing down conductor 231 (the disconnected end 231B of the down conductor 231 on the receptor 232 side). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6(B), in the "strong mode & contact" and "strong mode & non-contact", there is a possibility of erroneously determining continuity (possibility of erroneous detection). On the other hand, in "weak mode & non-contact", it can correctly determine that there is a break, but in "weak mode & non-contact", it cannot determine that there is continuity (non-continuity determination).

[0040] In other words, in the event of an abnormality (disconnection), when the receiver 103 is in the low mode, the electromagnetic waves are not received even if the contact device 102 is in contact with the receptor 232. In contrast, when the receiver 103 is in the high mode, if the abnormality to be inspected is a disconnection that is less than a specific disconnection distance, the electromagnetic waves are received even if the contact device 102 is not in contact with the receptor 232.

[0041] For the above reasons, in order to perform a reliable continuity test without false positives, it is necessary to check the continuity using "weak mode & contact". Patent Document 2 (JP Patent Publication No. 2021-143600) uses a method of receiving electromagnetic waves without contacting the receptor 232 (see paragraphs 0054 and 0059 of Patent Document 2), so even if the down conductor 231 is broken, it may be erroneously determined to be conductive if the break distance L is short. In contrast, in the embodiment of the present invention, continuity check is performed using "weak mode & contact", so that a reliable continuity test without false positives can be performed even if the break distance L is short.

[0042] Here, the receiver 103 has two operation modes, a strong mode and a weak mode, but the number of modes of the receiver 103 and the reception sensitivity of each mode are not limited to this. That is, the receiver 103 only needs to have at least a first mode with high reception sensitivity of electromagnetic waves and a second mode with lower reception sensitivity of electromagnetic waves than the first mode. For example, even if the receiver 103 has four modes, A, B, C, and D, a continuity test similar to the above can be performed as long as the four modes include modes corresponding to the first and second modes. In this way, the number of modes of the receiver 103 and the reception sensitivity of each mode are not limited to the above example, and can be adjusted (set) as appropriate.

[0043] [Applicability to blade stop angle using wireless continuity tester] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the flight of the unmanned inspection device 100 as a comparative example. Here, assuming a case where a continuity test is performed by resistance measurement, a case where a lead wire 401 is connected to a contact device 102 attached to the unmanned inspection device 100 is illustrated. As shown in FIG. 7, if the starting point of the continuity tester is the hub 220, the intermediate positions of the blades 230, 240, and 250 can be set as the starting point. Therefore, compared to the case where the starting point is the ground as shown in FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1, the lead wire length (lead wire weight) is reduced by up to half or more, which is advantageous for drone flight (the influence of wind on the lead wire, payload).

[0044] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram, and the ratio of each part is different from the actual one. However, the following will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 7(B). For example, as shown in FIG. 7(B), assume that the height from the tower bottom to the hub 220 is 150 m, and the height from the tower bottom to the top end of the blade 230 is 250 m. In this case, in order to bring the contact device 102 attached to the unmanned inspection device 100 into contact with the receptor 232, the unmanned inspection device 100 needs to be raised by about 250 m when the starting point is the ground, whereas the unmanned inspection device 100 only needs to be raised by about 100 m when the starting point is the hub 220. That is, as described above, it can be seen that the lead wire length is reduced to a maximum of more than half.

[0045] However, even when the continuity tester starts at the hub 220 in this way, there is a possibility that the lead wire 401 may become entangled in the propeller of the unmanned inspection device 100 when the unmanned inspection device 100 flies downward, as shown in Fig. 7(A). Also, as shown in Fig. 7(B) and Fig. 7(C), when the unmanned inspection device 100 flies upward or sideways, loads such as the weight of the lead wire 401 itself and wind pressure received by the lead wire 401 may be applied, which may impede the safe flight of the unmanned inspection device 100.

[0046] In contrast, in the embodiment of the present invention, since there is no need to connect lead wires to the continuity tester mounted on the unmanned inspection device 100 (see FIG. 1), steps S1 to S8 shown in FIG. 3 can be performed without depending on the stop angle of the blade 230. The stop angle here includes the pitch angle. In this way, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to perform a simple, safe, and quick continuity test that is not dependent on the stop angle of the blade 230.

[0047] [Details of wired continuity test (resistance measurement)] Fig. 8 is a diagram for explaining the continuity test (resistance measurement) shown in Fig. 7. As shown in Fig. 8, when performing resistance measurement, a digital multimeter 400 is attached inside the hub 220. The digital multimeter 400 is a measuring instrument (tester) that can measure multiple basic elements of electricity (voltage, current, resistance) with a single unit. The digital multimeter 400 is connected to the object to be measured, and a known current is passed through it to determine the resistance value from the voltage change during that time.

[0048] For example, the negative terminal of digital multimeter 400 is connected to unmanned inspection device 100 via lead wire 401, and the positive terminal is connected to down conductor 231 via lead wire 402. This allows current to be supplied from digital multimeter 400 to unmanned inspection device 100, and a continuity test is performed by bringing conductive contact device 102 mounted on unmanned inspection device 100 into contact with receptor 232. If down conductor 231 is disconnected, no current flows and measurement becomes impossible (over-range), making it possible to detect an abnormality in down conductor 231 (lack of continuity).

[0049] [Unmanned inspection device] 9 is a configuration diagram showing an unmanned inspection device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The unmanned inspection device 100 is an unmanned aerial vehicle such as a drone equipped with a continuity tester.

[0050] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, an arm 120 is attached around a main body 101, and a propeller 130 is connected to the arm 120. In addition, a leg 140 is attached to the lower part of the main body 101. The main body 101 houses a control device 101a, a drone battery 101b, and the like. The control device 101a is a controller for controlling the drone, and is composed of, for example, a microcomputer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a non-volatile memory. The drone battery 101b is a battery for the drone, and is, for example, a lithium ion battery or a lithium polymer battery.

[0051] A receiver 103 that receives electromagnetic waves from a transmitter 221 is mounted below the main body 101, and a camera 105 for photographing the receiver 103 is attached. A microphone that detects the buzzer sound of the receiver 103 may also be attached.

[0052] An extendable rod 109 is attached to the top of the main body 101 as a support for mounting the contact device 102 and the blade / receptor photographing camera 106. That is, the contact device 102 made of a conductive material (e.g., copper) is attached to the front end of the extendable rod 109, and an extension cable 104 extends from the contact device 102 along the extendable rod 109, electrically connecting the contact device 102 and the receiver 103. In addition, the blade / receptor photographing camera 106 is attached to the extendable rod 109 facing forward. The blade / receptor photographing camera 106 is a camera for photographing the blade 230 and the receptor 232, and image recognition can be performed based on the photographed image. Furthermore, a buffer mechanism 108 is provided slightly forward of the blade / receptor photographing camera 106. The buffer mechanism 108 is for softening the impact when the contact device 102 comes into contact with the receptor 232, and is composed of, for example, a damper.

[0053] Incidentally, the receiver 103 is charged and used in a non-powered state. In addition, if no signal (no electromagnetic waves are received) continues for a certain period of time, such as 5 minutes, the power is automatically turned off to conserve the battery. On the other hand, the receiver 103 is provided with a constant power-on mode so that the power is not turned off even when there is no signal. In a continuity test of the down conductor 231, since a no-signal state (disconnected state) may continue, it is desirable to use the receiver 103 in the constant power-on mode. However, in this case, the battery (remaining charge) decreases quickly, and it becomes necessary to recharge it many times (or to own multiple devices and replace them every time the power runs out). Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the constant power supply cable 110 of the receiver 103 is connected to the drone battery 101b, so that power is constantly supplied from the drone battery 101b to the receiver 103. By adopting such a power supply method, the receiver 103 can be operated more stably, and the continuity test can be performed more reliably.

[0054] In addition, although not shown in Fig. 9, the unmanned inspection device 100 is equipped with various functional parts that are equipped in a typical drone. For example, it is equipped with a communication device for communicating with the terminal T, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, an inertial measurement unit, etc. Images captured by the receiver imaging camera 105 and the blade / receptor imaging camera 106 are sent by the communication device of the unmanned inspection device 100 and output to monitors M1 and M2 on the ground 300.

[0055] [Wireless continuity tester] Fig. 10 is an external view showing an example of a continuity tester in an embodiment of the present invention. In the above explanation, a cable breaker detector PTR620 made by Goodman Co., Ltd. is used, but other continuity testers can also be used. The continuity tester shown in Fig. 10 is merely an example, and it goes without saying that it may differ from the actual one.

[0056] As shown in Fig. 10(A), the transmitter 221 has connection parts 221C and 221D on the upper part of the main body 221A. One connection part 221C is connected to the down conductor 231 by a lead wire 222, and the other connection part 221D is connected to the down conductor 211 by a lead wire 223. As shown in Fig. 10(B), only one connection part 221E may be provided on the upper part of the main body 221A, and the lead wire connected to the connection part 221E may be bifurcated, one of which is connected to the down conductor 231 and the other to the down conductor 211. When the power button 221B is pressed, an electromagnetic wave is applied to the down conductor 231.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 10C, the receiver 103 has an antenna unit 103E on top of the main body 103A. An extension cable 104 is connected to the antenna unit 103E. When the strong mode button 103B is pressed, it operates in strong mode, and when the weak mode button 103C is pressed, it operates in weak mode. When the receiver 103 is receiving an electromagnetic wave (search signal), the LED lamp 103D flashes. Instead of this method of notifying with the LED lamp 103D, it may be possible to notify with a buzzer sound. Alternatively, it may be possible to notify with the LED lamp 103D and with a buzzer sound as well.

[0058] [Continuity test example] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an example of a continuity test in an embodiment of the present invention. As already described, as shown in FIG. 11(A), when the down conductor 231 is broken, the continuity cannot be confirmed through the receptor 232 provided at the tip of the blade 230 with the receiver 103 in the weak mode. In this case, since the broken part is closer to the hub 220 than the current test position, it is desirable to move the unmanned inspection device 100 closer to the hub 220 and perform the continuity test. For example, as shown in FIG. 11(B), the receiver 103 may be switched to the strong mode, the unmanned inspection device 100 may be moved along the down conductor 231, and the continuity test may be performed without bringing the contact device 102 into contact with the receptor 232. This allows the receiver 103 to identify the positions where it can receive electromagnetic waves and the positions where it cannot receive them, so that it is possible to determine the position where the break is occurring (FIG. 3, step S8).

[0059] [Characteristic configuration and its effects] As described above, the inspection method for the wind power generation equipment 200 in the embodiment of the present invention is an inspection method for inspecting the wind power generation equipment 200 using the unmanned inspection device 100, and includes the steps of: a transmitter 221 installed in the wind power generation equipment 200 applying electromagnetic waves to a down conductor 231 provided on a blade 230 of the wind power generation equipment 200; mounting a receiver 103 having at least a first mode (e.g., a strong mode) with high electromagnetic wave receiving sensitivity and a second mode (e.g., a weak mode) with lower electromagnetic wave receiving sensitivity compared to the first mode on the unmanned inspection device 100, and flying it near a receptor 232 provided on the blade 230; bringing a contact device 102 made of a conductive material connected to the receiver 103 into contact with the receptor 232; and confirming continuity by the receiver 103 operating in the weak mode receiving the electromagnetic waves applied to the down conductor 231 through the receptor 232 and the contact device 102. This makes it possible to perform a reliable continuity test without erroneous detection even when the break distance L is short, making it possible to provide an inspection method for inspecting the wind power generation facility 200 safely and reliably.

[0060] Furthermore, if the continuity cannot be confirmed, a step may be included in which the receiver 103 identifies a position where the receiver 103 can receive electromagnetic waves and a position where the receiver 103 cannot receive electromagnetic waves, thereby judging the position of the disconnection of the down conductor 231. This makes it possible to quickly inspect the wind power generation facility 200.

[0061] Specifically, when the continuity cannot be confirmed through the receptor 232 provided at the tip of the blade 230 with the receiver 103 in the weak mode, the receiver 103 may be switched to the strong mode, the unmanned inspection device 100 may be moved along the down conductor 231, and a continuity test may be performed without contacting the contact device 102 with the receptor 232. This makes it possible to identify the positions where the receiver 103 can receive electromagnetic waves and the positions where it cannot receive them, and therefore to determine the location of the disconnection.

[0062] Furthermore, the transmitter 221 may be connected to a down conductor 231 in the hub 220 that supports the blade 230. This allows the transmitter 221 to be easily installed. Of course, the location where the transmitter 221 is installed is not limited to inside the hub 220, as long as the electromagnetic waves can propagate from the base to the tip of the blade 230.

[0063] Moreover, the above-described steps are performed independently of the stop angle of the blades 230. In other words, the inspection method for the wind power generation facility 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention is applicable to all blade stop positions.

[0064] In addition, the unmanned inspection device 100 in an embodiment of the present invention is an unmanned inspection device 100 that inspects a wind power generation facility 200, and is equipped with an unmanned aerial vehicle, a control device 101a for controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle, a receiver 103 having at least a first mode (e.g., a strong mode) having high electromagnetic wave receiving sensitivity and a second mode (e.g., a weak mode) having lower electromagnetic wave receiving sensitivity than the first mode, and a contact device 102 made of a conductive material connected to the receiver 103, and flies in the vicinity of a receptor 232 provided on a blade 230 of the wind power generation facility 200, brings the contact device 102 into contact with the receptor 232, and causes the receiver 103 operating in the weak mode to receive the electromagnetic waves applied to the down conductor 231 provided on the blade 230 through the receptor 232 and the contact device 102. This makes it possible to perform a reliable continuity test without erroneous detection even when the break distance L is short, making it possible to provide an unmanned inspection device 100 that inspects the wind power generation facility 200 safely and reliably.

[0065] Furthermore, the drone battery 101b may be provided, and the receiver 103 may be used in a constantly powered-on state and may be constantly powered by the drone battery 101b. By adopting such a power supply method, it is possible to perform a continuity test more stably. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 100 Unmanned inspection device 101 Main body 101a Control device 101b Drone Battery 102 Contact device 103 Receiver 104 Extension Cable 105 Receiver camera 106 Blade Receptor Shooting Camera 108 Buffer mechanism 109 Telescopic rod 110 Continuous power supply cable 120 Arm 130 Propeller 140 Legs 200 Wind power generation facilities 210 Tower 211 Down Conductor 220 Hub 221 Transmitter 230 Blade 231 Down Conductor 232 Receptor 240 Blade 250 Blade M1 Monitor M2 Monitor T-Terminal

Claims

1. An inspection method for inspecting a wind power generation facility using an unmanned inspection device, comprising: A transmitter installed in the wind power generation facility applies an electromagnetic wave to a down conductor provided on a blade of the wind power generation facility; a step of mounting a receiver having at least a first mode having a high reception sensitivity of the electromagnetic wave and a second mode having a lower reception sensitivity of the electromagnetic wave compared to the first mode on the unmanned inspection device, and flying the unmanned inspection device in the vicinity of a receptor provided on the blade; contacting said receptor with a contact device of conductive material connected to said receiver; confirming continuity by the receiver operating in the second mode receiving the electromagnetic waves applied to the down conductor through the receptor and the contact device; A method for inspecting wind power generation equipment, including:

2. The method for inspecting wind power generation equipment according to claim 1, further comprising a step of determining the location of a break in the down conductor by identifying positions where the receiver can receive the electromagnetic waves and positions where the receiver cannot receive the electromagnetic waves if the continuity cannot be confirmed.

3. The method for inspecting wind power generation equipment described in claim 2, wherein, when continuity cannot be confirmed through a receptor provided at the tip of the blade with the receiver in the second mode, the receiver is switched to the first mode, the unmanned inspection device is moved along the down conductor, and a continuity test is performed without contacting the contact device with the receptor.

4. The method for inspecting a wind power generation facility according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitter is connected to a down conductor in a hub that supports the blade.

5. A method for inspecting a wind power generation facility, comprising carrying out each step according to any one of claims 1 to 4, without depending on a stop angle of the blades.

6. An unmanned inspection device for inspecting wind power generation facilities, Unmanned aerial vehicles and A control device for controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle; a receiver having at least a first mode having a high reception sensitivity of electromagnetic waves and a second mode having a lower reception sensitivity of the electromagnetic waves than the first mode; a contact of conductive material connected to said receiver; An unmanned inspection device that flies near a receptor provided on a blade of the wind power generation equipment, brings the contact device into contact with the receptor, and causes the receiver operating in the second mode to receive the electromagnetic waves applied to the down conductor provided on the blade through the receptor and the contact device.

7. further comprising a battery for the unmanned aerial vehicle; 7. The unmanned inspection device according to claim 6, wherein the receiver is used in a constantly powered-on state and is constantly powered by a battery for the unmanned aerial vehicle.

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