Wind Turbine Blade Modeling From Reference-Blade Drone Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Small drones equipped with limited sensors, such as cameras, struggle to accurately measure distances to wind turbine blades due to insufficient sensing capabilities, particularly when features are indistinct or tilted, leading to reduced measurement accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A device and method for modeling blades using a reference blade model, generating a virtual straight line and coordinate system based on sensing data, and predicting and correcting modeling results for other blades to overcome spatial limitations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a small drone with limited sensors is used for wind turbine inspection, then the drone's size and maneuverability are improved, but the measurement accuracy of blade distance is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual three-dimensional model (copy) of the wind turbine blade based on imaging data captured by the drone's camera. This digital replica allows for accurate measurement and analysis of blade geometry without requiring physical contact or advanced sensing equipment on the drone, thus resolving the contradiction between small drone size and measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an image processing and modeling system as an intermediary between the drone's limited camera sensors and the final measurement results. By processing images through coordinate system transformations and three-dimensional reconstruction algorithms, the system bridges the gap between simple optical sensing and precise geometric measurement
2Device complexity
If a camera is used for distance measurement instead of lidar sensors, then the drone's sensor load is reduced, but the distance measurement accuracy is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces direct mechanical/optical ranging systems (like lidar) with an indirect imaging-based measurement approach. By using a camera to capture images and then performing computational three-dimensional reconstruction through coordinate transformations, the system achieves distance measurement functionality without requiring complex ranging hardware
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms two-dimensional image data captured by the camera into three-dimensional spatial information through coordinate system transformations and modeling. This dimensional conversion allows the system to extract depth and distance information from planar images, compensating for the camera's inherent limitation in direct distance measurement
3Adaptability or versatility
If blade modeling is performed on tilted surfaces with cone angles, then complete blade inspection is achieved, but the modeling complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the complex task of modeling tilted blade surfaces into sequential steps: capturing images from multiple positions, establishing local coordinate systems for each image, transforming coordinates to a unified system, and progressively building the three-dimensional model. This segmentation makes the complex modeling process manageable and systematic
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary coordinate system establishment and image positioning before conducting the actual three-dimensional modeling. By pre-processing the imaging data to account for tilt angles and cone angles, the system simplifies the subsequent modeling operations and handles complex geometries more efficiently
Data Source
AI summary
A device for modeling blades comprises a data collection module configured to receive sensing data of a drone for a reference blade included in a wind turbine, and a modeling module configured to generate a blade model by performing modeling on the wind turbine based on the sensing data, wherein the modeling module comprises: a reference blade model generation unit configured to generate a reference blade model by performing modeling on the reference blade, and another blade model generation unit configured to generate another blade model for at least one other blade included in the wind turbine based on the reference blade model.