Drone-based insulator cleaning system for transmission towers

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cleaning system for transmission tower insulators using a drone, and more specifically, to a cleaning system for transmission tower insulators using a drone that utilizes insulation safety control technology to prevent insulation damage and electric shock accidents that may occur during the cleaning process of insulators of transmission towers, which are high-voltage power facilities. A cleaning system for a transmission tower insulator according to the present invention comprises a self-generating power unit, a magnetic filter, a quality sensor, a pressure pump, an on / off valve, and a control means. The self-generating power unit is mounted in a cleaning pipe through which the cleaning fluid flows, so as to generate electricity from the flow of the cleaning fluid used to clean the insulator of the transmission tower. The magnetic filter is mounted in the cleaning pipe to remove metallic impurities from the cleaning fluid. The quality sensor is mounted in the cleaning pipe to measure the conductivity, temperature, iron concentration, and pressure of the cleaning fluid that has passed through the magnetic filter. The pressure pump is mounted in the cleaning pipe to supply the cleaning fluid that has passed through the quality sensor to a drone for cleaning the insulator of the transmission tower. The on / off valve is mounted in the cleaning pipe to open and close the supply of the cleaning fluid to the pressure pump. The above control means receives power from the above self-generating power source to operate the above magnetic filter, and receives data from the above quality sensor; if the measurement value of the above quality sensor is within a reference value, it opens the above shut-off valve so that the cleaning solution is supplied to the above pressure pump.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning system for transmission tower insulators using a drone, and more specifically, to a cleaning system for transmission tower insulators using a drone that utilizes insulation safety control technology to prevent insulation damage and electric shock accidents that may occur during the cleaning process of insulators of transmission towers, which are high-voltage power facilities. Background Technology

[0002] Recently, technology for cleaning power facilities such as high-voltage transmission lines, insulators, and transformers using drones is being actively researched and commercialized.

[0003] This is because it offers the advantage of efficiently cleaning using drones capable of remote or autonomous flight, without the need to directly deploy personnel in environments involving work at heights or a high risk of electric shock.

[0004] However, ensuring insulation safety is the biggest challenge in drone-based cleaning systems. Over time, the water or cleaning solution used for cleaning may become contaminated with impurities, metallic components (especially iron), or conductive ions, which can increase its electrical conductivity. This is because, when the cleaning solution is sprayed onto high-voltage insulators or power lines, the risk of electric shock or short-circuit accidents increases due to current leakage or insulation breakdown.

[0005] Existing drone cleaning systems merely controlled pump pressure or spray volume and could not detect the conductivity or insulation status of the cleaning solution in real time; furthermore, the distance sensing function had low precision, resulting in a constant risk of accidents due to failure to secure insulation distance.

[0006] In addition, if the power supply is unstable or communication is interrupted during the cleaning process, immediate safety controls (such as shutting off valves or retracting drones) become impossible, which could lead to extremely dangerous situations during high-voltage proximity operations.

[0007] Therefore, there is a growing need for an integrated insulation safety control system that can inspect the quality of the cleaning solution in real time, comprehensively determine insulation maintenance distance information, automatically shut off cleaning as soon as a risk is detected, and move the drone to a safe distance.

[0008] In particular, such a system must be able to independently supply power through self-generation even during cleaning, and simultaneously perform remote monitoring and log storage via communication networks (LTE, 5G, satellite). Prior art literature

[0009] Registered Patent No. 10-2778443 (Registration Date: March 4, 2025) Published Patent No. 10-2023-0164374 (Publication Date: December 4, 2023) Published Patent No. 10-2018-0133190 (Publication Date: December 13, 2018) Published Patent No. 10-2025-0088431 (Publication Date: June 17, 2025) The problem to be solved

[0010] The present invention aims to provide a system for cleaning insulators, such as insulators of transmission towers, which are high-voltage power facilities, using a drone capable of preventing insulation damage and the risk of electric shock.

[0011] Generally, the electrical conductivity of cleaning solutions used for drones can increase over time due to external environmental factors, metallic foreign substances, or conductive contaminants. In such cases, there is a risk that current may leak through the solution during cleaning, leading to insulation breakdown or electric shock accidents. Additionally, if the cleaning nozzle approaches the surface of the insulator too closely due to changes in the drone's attitude or wind pressure during flight, there is a possibility of arc discharge occurring if the insulation distance is not maintained.

[0012] Existing drone cleaning systems lacked the capability to detect these risks in advance or automatically shut them down, causing inconvenience as operators had to manually monitor the cleaning status or stop the pump. In particular, changes in cleaning fluid quality, such as increases in conductivity or drops in pressure, were difficult to detect visually, raising concerns about potential electric shock accidents or insulation damage.

[0013] Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to provide a cleaning system equipped with an insulation safety control function that monitors the electrical and physical quality of the cleaning solution in real time, automatically stops the cleaning if the result deviates from safety standards, and simultaneously analyzes the distance information between the cleaning nozzle and the insulator in real time to immediately retract the drone when the distance approaches below a critical distance.

[0014] In addition, the present invention aims to provide a cleaning system for transmission tower insulators using a drone that can simultaneously secure cleaning efficiency and insulation stability by automatically returning defective cleaning solution to a tank for re-purification when the quality of the cleaning solution is abnormal. means of solving the problem

[0015] A cleaning system for a transmission tower insulator according to the present invention comprises a self-generating power unit, a magnetic filter, a quality sensor, a pressure pump, an on / off valve, and a control means. The self-generating power unit is mounted in a cleaning pipe through which the cleaning fluid flows, so as to generate electricity from the flow of the cleaning fluid used to clean the insulator of the transmission tower. The magnetic filter is mounted in the cleaning pipe to remove metallic impurities from the cleaning fluid. The quality sensor is mounted in the cleaning pipe to measure the conductivity, temperature, iron concentration, and pressure of the cleaning fluid that has passed through the magnetic filter. The pressure pump is mounted in the cleaning pipe to supply the cleaning fluid that has passed through the quality sensor to a drone for cleaning the insulator of the transmission tower. The on / off valve is mounted in the cleaning pipe to open and close the supply of the cleaning fluid to the pressure pump. The above control means receives power from the above self-generating power source to operate the above magnetic filter, and receives data from the above quality sensor; if the measurement value of the above quality sensor is within a reference value, it opens the above shut-off valve so that the cleaning solution is supplied to the above pressure pump.

[0016] In addition, the cleaning system for the transmission tower insulator described above preferably further includes a drone, a hose, and a distance sensor. The drone cleans the insulator with the cleaning solution. The hose is connected to the drone to supply the cleaning solution supplied from the pressure pump to the drone. The distance sensor is mounted on the drone to measure the distance to the insulator and transmit it to the control means. Here, it is preferable for the control means to shut off the opening / closing valve when the value measured by the distance sensor is less than a critical distance. Effects of the invention

[0017] According to the present invention, by measuring the conductivity, temperature, iron concentration, and pressure of the cleaning solution in real time through a quality sensor, any degradation in the insulation performance of the cleaning solution can be detected immediately. Based on the data measured by the quality sensor, if the control means determines that the cleaning solution is non-compliant with the standard values, it automatically closes the shut-off valve and stops the pressure pump, thereby preventing the highly conductive cleaning solution from being sprayed onto the surface of the insulator.

[0018] In addition, the cleaning solution returns to the cleaning solution tank through the return line and passes through the pre-filter and magnetic filter again to remove impurities and restore insulation performance, so insulation stability can be maintained while reusing the cleaning solution.

[0019] In addition, the drone's distance sensor detects the spray distance to the insulator in real time during cleaning, and if it approaches below a critical distance, the control means immediately stops spraying and transmits a retreat command to the drone, thereby preventing electric shock accidents caused by failure to secure the insulation distance.

[0020] In addition, since power can be supplied to control means and sensors through a self-generating power source utilizing the flow rate of the cleaning fluid, the system can be operated autonomously even at sites where external power is not connected. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0021] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of one embodiment of a cleaning system for a transmission tower insulator according to the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0022] An embodiment of a cleaning system for a transmission tower insulator according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

[0023] The cleaning system for a transmission tower insulator according to the present invention is a system that cleans an insulator (6), such as an insulator of a transmission tower (6), by receiving a cleaning solution from a cleaning pipe (3) of a cleaning solution tank (1). To this end, the cleaning system for a transmission tower insulator includes a self-generating power generator (10), a pre-filter (12), a magnetic filter (14), a quality sensor (16), a pressure pump (18), an opening / closing valve (20), a drone (22), a hose (24), and a distance sensor (26).

[0024] The cleaning solution is supplied from the cleaning solution tank (1) through the cleaning pipe (3). First, a self-generating power unit (10) is installed in the cleaning pipe (3) through which the cleaning solution flows so as to generate electricity from the flow of the cleaning solution. That is, the self-generating power unit (10) is a small turbine-type generator installed in the cleaning pipe (3) through which the cleaning solution flows. When the cleaning solution is moved by the pump, the turbine blades rotate due to the flow velocity, and this rotation drives the coil to generate current. Therefore, the autonomous operation of the system of this embodiment is possible even without an external power supply.

[0025] The pre-filter (12) is a primary filtration device that the cleaning liquid passes through first before moving to the pressure pump (18) or other sensors. It filters out mainly large particles, dust, plastic, debris, sand, and sediment from the cleaning liquid. That is, the pre-filter (12) primarily filters the cleaning liquid flowing through the cleaning pipe (3) to remove impurities. By removing large impurity particles in the cleaning liquid through the pre-filter (12), mechanical contamination can be removed, preventing clogging of the pump and valve, and improving the efficiency of the magnetic filter (14).

[0026] A magnetic filter (14) is installed in the cleaning tube (3) to remove metallic impurities from the cleaning solution that has been primarily filtered by the pre-filter (12). That is, the magnetic filter (14) uses magnetic force to remove magnetic metal particles (especially iron particles) in the cleaning solution. Thus, the magnetic filter (14) captures and removes fine iron particles, steel particles, and iron oxide particles mixed in the cleaning solution using magnetic force. Since these particles are one of the main causes of increased electrical conductivity of the cleaning solution, they are very important for maintaining insulation performance. When these metal particles are removed, the cleaning solution does not conduct electricity, and thus insulation is maintained. In addition, if there are many metallic foreign substances in the cleaning solution, they can cause interference with the signal of the quality sensor (16), so the measurement value of the quality sensor (16) can be stabilized.

[0027] The quality sensor (16) is a monitoring device that measures the electrical and physical properties of the cleaning solution in real time. To this end, the quality sensor (16) is mounted on the cleaning tube (3) to measure the conductivity, temperature, iron concentration, and pressure of the cleaning solution that has passed through the magnetic filter (14).

[0028] As conductivity and iron concentration values ​​increase in a cleaning solution, its insulation performance deteriorates. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity of a cleaning solution generally increases with temperature. In other words, even with the same chemical composition, rising temperatures activate ion movement within the cleaning solution, allowing current to flow more easily. For example, in the case of water-based cleaning solutions, conductivity increases by approximately 2 to 3% for every 10°C rise in temperature. Therefore, temperature-based correction is required to evaluate the conductivity of a cleaning solution as an insulation criterion.

[0029] And if the temperature of the cleaning solution is excessively high, it can cause micro-cracks and thermal deformation on the surface of an insulator such as an insulator, and the nozzle of the drone (22), the sealing rubber of the hose connection, and the internal parts of the pressure pump may deteriorate due to heat. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the temperature to correct the conductivity value and to determine a danger signal if it exceeds a certain temperature.

[0030] Furthermore, during the cleaning of insulators, it is crucial that the cleaning solution is sprayed continuously at a constant pressure. If the pressure drops below a certain level, current may momentarily flow through the interrupted spray section, posing a risk of electric shock and insulation breakdown. Additionally, constant pressure is necessary to ensure uniform spraying of the cleaning solution and to allow it to flow at a steady rate across the insulator surface to remove impurities. Since unstable pressure can result in an uneven cleaning pattern and the possibility of current leakage in parts of the insulator surface, pressure measurement is required.

[0031] A pressure pump (18) is mounted on a cleaning pipe (3) to supply cleaning fluid that has passed through a quality sensor (16) to a drone (22).

[0032] An opening / closing valve (20) is installed in the cleaning pipe (3) to open and close the supply of cleaning fluid to the pressure pump (18). When the opening / closing valve (20) is open, the cleaning fluid is supplied to the pressure pump (18), and when it is closed, it is returned to the cleaning fluid tank (1).

[0033] The control means (22) receives power from the self-generating power generator (10) and operates the magnetic filter (14). Then, it receives data from the quality sensor (16), and if the measured value of the quality sensor (16) is within the reference value, it opens the shut-off valve (20) so that the cleaning solution is supplied to the pressure pump (18). That is, if the values ​​of iron concentration, electrical conductivity, temperature, pressure, etc., are all within the reference value, the shut-off valve (20) is opened and the cleaning solution is supplied to the drone (24) by the pressure pump (18). The control means (22) is capable of communicating with the data server (30), so the data measured by the quality sensor (16) is transmitted to the data server (30). The data server (30) not only stores the data transmitted from the control means (22), but also allows an operator to check the measured value of the quality sensor (16) in real time from a distance.

[0034] The drone (24) cleans the insulator (6) of the transmission tower (5) with a cleaning solution supplied from the pressure pump (18). Therefore, the drone (24) is equipped with a spray nozzle (25) capable of spraying the cleaning solution.

[0035] The hose (26) serves to supply cleaning fluid from the pressure pump (18) to the drone (24). Thus, the hose (26) is connected from the pressure pump (18) to the spray nozzle (25) of the drone (24).

[0036] The distance sensor (28) is mounted on the drone (24) and measures the distance to the insulator (6) and transmits it to the control means (22).

[0037] If the distance between the drone (24) and the insulator (6) of the transmission tower (5) is not secured, electrical, thermal, and mechanical hazards may occur simultaneously. High voltage of tens of thousands of volts (V) to hundreds of kV flows around the insulator of the transmission tower (5), and air acts as an insulator. However, if the drone gets too close to the insulator, an electric field exceeding the insulation strength of the air is formed, which can cause sparks. When this arc occurs, the drone frame, spray nozzle, and cleaning fluid become current paths, creating a risk of electric shock and explosion.

[0038] In addition, if the insulation distance is insufficient, a strong electromagnetic field may induce a current in the control board inside the drone, causing a malfunction. Therefore, it is essential to safely secure the distance between the drone (24) and the insulator (6). Thus, when the value measured by the distance sensor (28) is transmitted to the control means (22), the control means (22) blocks the opening / closing valve (20) if the measured value is less than the critical distance, thereby preventing the cleaning fluid from being supplied to the drone (24). Then, the drone (24) also moves autonomously to move beyond the critical distance.

[0039] The data server (30) communicates with the control means (22) to store measurement values ​​such as the quality sensor (16) and distance sensor (28), and displays them to the operator. Then, the operator can know the condition of the cleaning solution and the proximity of the drone (24) to the insulator (6) even from a distance.

[0040] Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the cleaning solution can be supplied to the drone (24) only when it is in a safe state after removing impurities and metallic components from the cleaning solution. Thus, insulation damage and the risk of electric shock can be prevented. Explanation of the symbols

[0041] 1 : Cleaning solution tank 3 : Cleaning pipe 5 : Transmission tower 6 : Insulator 10 : Self-generating power supply 12 : Pre-filter 14 : Magnetic filter 16 : Quality sensor 18 : Pressure pump 20 : Shut-off valve 22 : Control means 24 : Drone 25: Spray nozzle 26: Hose 28 : Distance sensor 30 : Data server

Claims

Claim 1 A cleaning solution tank for storing a cleaning solution for cleaning the insulator of a transmission tower; a cleaning pipe through which the cleaning solution supplied from the cleaning solution tank flows; a self-generating power source mounted on the cleaning pipe to generate electricity from the flow of the cleaning solution; a pre-filter mounted on the cleaning pipe to primarily remove particulate impurities contained in the cleaning solution before the cleaning solution moves to a pressure pump or sensor; a magnetic filter mounted on the cleaning pipe to capture and remove magnetic metal particles contained in the cleaning solution that has passed through the pre-filter using magnetic force; a quality sensor mounted on the cleaning pipe to measure the conductivity, temperature, iron concentration, and pressure of the cleaning solution that has passed through the magnetic filter; a pressure pump mounted on the cleaning pipe to pressurize and supply the cleaning solution that has passed through the quality sensor to a drone; a hose connected to the pressure pump and the spray nozzle of the drone to supply the cleaning solution supplied from the pressure pump to the spray nozzle of the drone; a distance sensor mounted on the drone to measure the distance to the insulator of the transmission tower; and the The apparatus includes an opening / closing valve mounted on the cleaning pipe to open / close the supply of the cleaning solution by a pressure pump, and a control means that receives power from the self-generating power source to operate the magnetic filter and receives data from the quality sensor and the distance sensor to control the opening / closing valve. The control means corrects a reference value for the conductivity based on the temperature measured by the quality sensor, such that the reference value for the conductivity decreases as the measured temperature is higher than the reference temperature. If the conductivity measured by the quality sensor is within the corrected reference value, the iron concentration and the pressure are within their respective reference values, and the distance between the drone and the insulator measured by the distance sensor is greater than or equal to a critical distance, the opening / closing valve is opened to supply the cleaning solution to the spray nozzle of the drone through the pressure pump. If the conductivity deviates from the corrected reference value, or if at least one of the iron concentration and the pressure deviates from the reference value,A cleaning system for a transmission tower insulator characterized by blocking the opening and closing valve to stop the supply of the cleaning solution to the spray nozzle of the drone when the distance between the drone and the insulator measured by the distance sensor is less than a critical distance. Claim 2 A cleaning system for a transmission tower insulator according to claim 1, wherein when the shut-off valve is opened, the cleaning solution is supplied to the pressure pump, and when the shut-off valve is closed, the cleaning solution is recovered to the cleaning solution tank; the control means further includes a data server that performs data communication with the control means, wherein if the distance between the drone and the insulator measured by the distance sensor is less than a critical distance, the control means blocks the shut-off valve and controls the autonomous driving of the drone so that the drone moves beyond the critical distance, and the data server stores data regarding the conductivity, temperature, iron concentration, and pressure measured by the quality sensor to provide a worker with the ability to check the measurement values ​​of the quality sensor in real time from a distance.

Images