Underwater robot working floating platform for hydropower station monitoring

Abstract

An underwater robot working floating platform for hydropower station monitoring, the underwater robot working floating platform comprising: a floating platform (1), a plurality of buoys (2) being arranged below the floating platform (1), and a platform central axis water channel (3) having a side opening being formed between the buoys (2); a permanent floating debris barrier (4); a storage cabinet (5), which defines a receiving cavity capable of receiving an underwater robot and an umbilical cable reel; a hoisting mechanism, which can hoist the underwater robot between the receiving cavity and the platform central axis water channel (3); and an umbilical cable limiter (6). The working floating platform and the permanent floating debris barrier (4) are fixed to each other, such that the problems of complexity and safety caused by high-altitude operations when lowering an underwater robot from the top of a dam of a hydropower station into the water are reduced.

Description

Underwater robot working platform for hydropower station monitoring

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application is based on the Chinese patent application with application number 202311518941.X and application date November 15, 2023, and claims the priority of the Chinese patent application. The entire content of the Chinese patent application is hereby introduced into this application as a reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of intelligent inspection equipment for water conservancy projects, and in particular to an underwater robot working platform for monitoring hydropower stations. Background Art

[0004] Underwater robots are important equipment for hydropower station dams and underwater inspections. They are generally carried out by ship or suspended from the top of the dam to carry out water operations. In particular, in front of hydropower station dams with permanent pollution-blocking floats, water operations can only be carried out by hanging from the top of the dam.

[0005] There are currently several problems with the underwater robot entry operation method suspended from the dam top: 1. The crane release device requires the coordinated operation of more than three workers, which is inconvenient to operate and makes it difficult for the underwater robot to enter the water; 2. The umbilical cable is entered into the water vertically parallel to the vertical surface of the dam body and is prone to entanglement with the trash rack of the permanent trash float (a trash rack with a depth of 1500mm-2000mm is generally installed under the permanent trash float). To avoid the above problems, the underwater robot's entry position needs to be frequently changed during operation, which is cumbersome to operate, inefficient, and difficult to achieve underwater inspection work across the permanent trash float; 3. A special storage depot is required to store the underwater robot, and the underwater robot needs to be transported before and after operation, which is time-consuming.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this application is to provide an underwater robot working platform for hydropower station monitoring to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present application provides the following solution: The present application provides an underwater robot working platform for monitoring a hydropower station, comprising:

[0009] A floating platform, wherein a plurality of buoys are provided below the floating platform, and a platform central axis waterway with an opening on one side is formed between the plurality of buoys, and the direction of the opening of the platform central axis waterway is toward the front of the floating platform; the floating platform is provided with through grooves on the upper and lower surfaces corresponding to the platform central axis waterway;

[0010] A permanent pollution-blocking float, which is fixedly connected to the rear end of the floating platform;

[0011] A storage cabinet is provided on the floating platform, a sealing door is provided on the top of the storage cabinet, and a receiving cavity capable of accommodating an underwater robot and an umbilical cable spool is defined in the storage cabinet;

[0012] A lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism being arranged on the floating platform and capable of lifting the underwater robot between the accommodating cavity and the central axis waterway of the platform;

[0013] An umbilical cable limiter is provided on the floating platform, the umbilical cable can be clamped into the limiting pulley of the umbilical cable limiter, and one end of the umbilical cable is fixedly connected to the umbilical cable spool, and the other end is fixedly connected to the underwater robot.

[0014] Furthermore, the lifting mechanism includes:

[0015] The hanger is fixedly arranged on the floating platform and close to the rear end of the floating platform; the slide rail is fixedly arranged

[0016] Placed on the hanger, the slide rail is arranged along the length direction of the central axis waterway of the platform;

[0017] A crane is slidably connected to the slide rail.

[0018] Furthermore, it also includes: a waterway bottom plate, which is located in the central axis waterway of the platform and is made of a steel grid, one end of which is hinged to the floating platform, and both sides are connected to the floating platform through multiple clips; there is a hook above the clip, and the lifting mechanism can unfasten the clip through the hook.

[0019] Furthermore, when the buckle is released, the waterway bottom plate can be rotated downward along the hinge between the waterway bottom plate and the floating platform until it reaches a vertical state.

[0020] Furthermore, the length of the waterway bottom plate is at least 3000 mm.

[0021] Furthermore, a limiting chute is provided on the waterway bottom plate. When the waterway bottom plate is in a vertical state, the limiting chute is located at the lower end of the waterway bottom plate, and the umbilical cable can be inserted into the limiting chute.

[0022] Furthermore, the umbilical cable limiter is slidably connected to the floating platform along the length direction of the platform central axis waterway.

[0023] Furthermore, the accommodating cavity is also provided with a maintenance platform.

[0024] This application discloses the following technical effects:

[0025] This application provides an underwater robot work platform that integrates multiple functions such as storage, lifting, control, and maintenance. The floating platform is fixed to a permanent trash buoy and floats on the water surface via buoys, greatly reducing the tediousness and safety issues caused by high-altitude operations when hoisting the underwater robot into the water from the top of the hydropower station dam. When using this application to launch the underwater robot into the water, only one person is required to operate the lifting mechanism and another person to operate the underwater robot. Two people can easily complete the entire operation, reducing labor costs compared to the method of hoisting the underwater robot into the water from the top of the dam (which requires no fewer than three people). A storage cabinet is installed on the floating platform to provide storage space for the underwater robot and its supporting umbilical cable equipment, eliminating the need for a separate equipment storage warehouse and reducing the equipment transportation process. A waterway floor made of steel grid is installed in the central axis waterway of the platform. The waterway floor is flippable and enters the water in a vertical position. It can also separate the umbilical cable from the trash rack below the permanent trash buoy, preventing the umbilical cable from entangled with the trash rack. Therefore, the underwater robot does not need to frequently change its entry position during operation. In addition, the waterway bottom plate can greatly reduce the risk of entanglement when the underwater robot crosses the permanent pollution-blocking buoy in the reverse direction, making it possible to carry out underwater inspection work by crossing the permanent pollution-blocking buoy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0027] Figure 1 is a top view of the present application;

[0028] Figure 2 is a left side view of this application;

[0029] Figure 3 is a front view of this application;

[0030] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the waterway bottom plate structure;

[0031] Figure 5 is a side view of the waterway bottom plate;

[0032] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the limiting chute structure;

[0033] Among them, 1. floating platform; 2. pontoon; 3. platform central axis waterway; 4. permanent pollution prevention float; 5. storage cabinet; 6. umbilical cable limiter; 7. hanger; 8. slide rail; 9. crane; 10. waterway bottom plate; 11. buckle; 12. limiting slide; 1201, baffle; 1202, hinge; 1203, rotary spring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0035] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the present application is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0036] 1 to 5 , the present application provides an underwater robot working platform for monitoring a hydropower station, comprising: a platform 1, a plurality of buoys 2 are arranged below the platform 1, a platform central axis waterway 3 with an opening on one side is formed between the plurality of buoys 2, the platform central axis waterway 3 opening is trumpet-shaped, and its opening direction is toward the front of the platform 1; a through groove is opened through the upper and lower surfaces of the platform 1 corresponding to the platform central axis waterway 3; a permanent debris float 4, which is fixedly connected to the rear end of the platform 1; a storage cabinet 5, which is arranged on the platform 1. A sealed door is provided on the top of the storage cabinet 5, and a storage chamber capable of accommodating the underwater robot and the umbilical cable spool is defined in the storage cabinet 5; a lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism is provided on the floating platform 1, and the lifting mechanism can lift the underwater robot between the accommodating chamber and the platform central axis waterway 3; an umbilical cable limiter 6, the umbilical cable limiter 6 is provided on the floating platform 1, and the umbilical cable can be clamped into the limiting pulley of the umbilical cable limiter 6, and one end of the umbilical cable is fixedly connected to the umbilical cable spool, and the other end is fixedly connected to the underwater robot.

[0037] In an embodiment of the present application, the lifting mechanism includes: a hanger 7, which is fixedly arranged on the floating platform 1 and close to the rear end of the floating platform 1; a slide rail 8, which is fixedly arranged on the hanger 7 and is arranged along the length direction of the platform central axis waterway 3; a crane 9, which is slidably connected to the slide rail 8.

[0038] In an embodiment of the present application, it also includes: a waterway bottom plate 10, which is located in the platform's central axis waterway 3 and is made of a steel grid. One end of the waterway bottom plate 10 is hinged to the floating platform 1, and both sides are connected to the floating platform 1 through multiple clips 11; there is a hook above the clip 11, and the lifting mechanism can unfasten the clip 11 through the hook.

[0039] In the embodiment of the present application, when the buckle 11 is released, the waterway floor 10 can rotate downward along its hinged connection with the floating platform 1 until it reaches a vertical position. The buckle 11 is similar to existing elastic lock structures. Pulling upward releases the buckle 11, allowing the waterway floor 10 to flip downward along the hinged connection. The length of the waterway floor 10 is at least 3000 mm.

[0040] In some embodiments, the waterway floor 10 can also be hinged to the floating platform 1 using a hydraulic telescopic rod. When the hydraulic telescopic rod is extended, the waterway floor 10 can be flipped downward, and when the hydraulic telescopic rod is shortened, the waterway floor 10 can be flipped upward and reset.

[0041] In the embodiment of the present application, a limiting chute 12 is provided on the waterway floor 10. When the waterway floor 10 is in a vertical position, the limiting chute 12 is located at the lower end of the waterway floor 10, and the umbilical cable can be inserted into the limiting chute 12. The limiting chute 12 is generally V-shaped, and when the umbilical cable is inserted, it can prevent the umbilical cable from moving freely when the underwater robot is stopped. As shown in FIG6 , the limiting chute 12 includes a baffle 1201, a hinge 1202, and a swing spring 1203. The lower end of the waterway bottom plate 10 forms a V-shaped trough. The baffle 1201 is hinged to the trough wall via the hinge 1202. A swing spring 1203 is disposed between the baffle 1201 and the trough wall. Under normal conditions, the swing spring 1203 supports the baffle 1201 to maintain its horizontal position. When the underwater robot drives the umbilical cable to press down on the baffle 1201, the swing spring 1203 compresses, causing the two baffles 1201 to move downward, forming a gap in the middle that allows the umbilical cable to pass through (compression occurs when the baffle 1201 is subjected to a weight of more than 2 kg). The umbilical cable is then clamped into the gap below the baffle 1201 to form a limit. Similarly, when the underwater robot is retrieved, the umbilical cable can overcome the elastic force of the swing spring 1203 to push the baffle 1201 upward and release the limit.

[0042] In the embodiment of the present application, the umbilical cable stopper 6 is slidably connected to the floating platform 1 along the length direction of the platform central axis waterway 3. The floating platform 1 is provided with a slide rail 8 adapted to the umbilical cable stopper 6.

[0043] In the embodiment of the present application, the housing chamber is also equipped with a maintenance platform, and a work platform is provided on the floating platform 1 for operators to maintain and repair the underwater robot in the housing chamber. An electrical box or gasoline generator is installed on the floating platform 1 to power the underwater robot, crane, umbilical cable spool, and other electrical equipment. The crane is controlled by an electronic control device. A dedicated operating platform for the underwater robot can also be provided on the floating platform 1 to enhance the overall intelligent and information-based operation.

[0044] The specific working process is as follows:

[0045] Open the sealed door of the storage cabinet 5, hoist the underwater robot to the platform's central axis waterway 3 through the crane 9 and the slide rail 8, insert the umbilical cable into the limiting pulley of the umbilical cable limiter 6, and the underwater robot can drive out along the platform's central axis waterway 3 after self-inspection.

[0046] When it is necessary to reversely cross the permanent pollution-blocking float 4 from underwater, first hoist the underwater robot to the platform's central axis waterway 3 according to the above process, then connect the crane 9 to the hook of the buckle 11, and the crane 9 pulls the hook upward to release the locking state of the buckle 11, so that the waterway bottom plate 10 is flipped into the water along the hinge between it and the floating platform 1 until the waterway bottom plate 10 reaches a vertical state, move the umbilical cable limiter 6 to the top of the waterway bottom plate 10, and clamp the umbilical cable into the limiting pulley of the umbilical cable limiter 6.

[0047] Start the underwater robot and make it dive below the waterway bottom plate 10. Move the underwater robot to the rear of the permanent pollution-blocking float 4 so that the umbilical cable is stuck in the limiting chute 12. Then the underwater robot can be operated to start crossing the permanent pollution-blocking float 4.

[0048] When the underwater robot needs to be recovered, the underwater robot is stopped at a water depth of not less than 3000mm, and then the rotating motor of the umbilical cable spool is started (the rotating motor can also be set in the accommodating chamber) to reset the underwater robot upward. During the process, the umbilical cable can automatically separate from the limiting slide 12 (the clamping force between the two is very small, which will only limit the free movement of the umbilical cable when the underwater robot stops operating). When the underwater robot moves to the platform central axis waterway 3, first use the crane 9 to reset the waterway bottom plate 10, then open the sealed door of the storage cabinet 5, and hoist the underwater robot back to the storage cabinet 5. If maintenance is required, the underwater robot can be hoisted to the maintenance platform in the accommodating chamber, and the operator can perform maintenance work on the underwater robot on the work platform. If no maintenance is required, the sealed door of the storage cabinet 5 can be directly closed, and the underwater robot can be fixed and stored through the storage cabinet 5.

[0049] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "transverse", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0050] The embodiments described above are merely descriptions of the preferred methods of the present application and do not limit the scope of the present application. Without departing from the design spirit of the present application, various modifications and improvements made to the technical solutions of the present application by ordinary technicians in this field should fall within the scope of protection determined by the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. An underwater robot working platform for monitoring a hydropower station, comprising: A floating platform, wherein a plurality of buoys are arranged below the floating platform, and a platform central axis waterway with an opening on one side is formed between the plurality of buoys, and the opening direction of the platform central axis waterway faces the front of the floating platform; the floating platform is provided with through grooves on the upper and lower surfaces corresponding to the platform central axis waterway; A permanent trash-blocking float, which is fixedly connected to the rear end of the floating platform; A storage cabinet, the storage cabinet is arranged on the floating platform, a sealing door is arranged on the top of the storage cabinet, and a receiving cavity capable of receiving an underwater robot and an umbilical cable spool is defined in the storage cabinet; A lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism is arranged on the floating platform, and the lifting mechanism can lift the underwater robot between the accommodating cavity and the central axis waterway of the platform; An umbilical cable limiter is arranged on the floating platform, the umbilical cable can be clamped into the limiting pulley of the umbilical cable limiter, and one end of the umbilical cable is fixedly connected to the umbilical cable reel, and the other end is fixedly connected to the underwater robot.

2. The underwater robot working platform for monitoring a hydropower station according to claim 1, wherein: The lifting mechanism comprises: A hanger, the hanger being fixedly disposed on the floating platform and close to the rear end of the floating platform; A slide rail, the slide rail is fixedly arranged on the hanger, and the slide rail is arranged along the length direction of the central axis waterway of the platform; A crane is slidably connected to the slide rail.

3. The underwater robot working platform for monitoring a hydropower station according to claim 1, further comprising: The waterway bottom plate is located in the waterway of the central axis of the platform and is made of a steel grid. One end of the waterway bottom plate is hinged to the floating platform, and both sides are connected to the floating platform through a plurality of buckles. A hook is provided above the buckle, and the lifting mechanism can unfasten the buckle through the hook.

4. The underwater robot working platform for monitoring a hydropower station according to claim 3, wherein: When the buckle is unlocked, the waterway bottom plate can be rotated downward along the hinge between the bottom plate and the floating platform until it reaches a vertical state.

5. The underwater robot working platform for monitoring a hydropower station according to claim 4, wherein: The length of the waterway bottom plate is at least 3000 mm.

6. The underwater robot working platform for monitoring a hydropower station according to claim 4, wherein: A limiting slide groove is arranged on the waterway bottom plate. When the waterway bottom plate is in a vertical state, the limiting slide groove is located at the lower end of the waterway bottom plate, and the umbilical cable can be inserted into the limiting slide groove.

7. The underwater robot working platform for monitoring a hydropower station according to claim 3, wherein: The umbilical cable stopper is slidably connected to the floating platform along the length direction of the platform central axis waterway.

8. The underwater robot working platform for monitoring a hydropower station according to claim 1, wherein: The accommodating cavity is also provided with a maintenance platform.

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