• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    System of inspection of metallic surfaces, or of composite materials, able to detect the existence of structural defects or disturbing elements such as corrosion, ice, impurities, etc. Two robots with displacement capability allow the dynamic transmission and reception of data without previous establishment of the measurement points, they manage to cover large surfaces. Furthermore, with optimized inspection routines, large areas can be covered in the shortest time possible considering also the possibility of operating with a wide range of excitation frequencies in order to adapt to different thicknesses and materials. It achieves the reduction of both maintenance costs and risks of material or personal damage, facilitating inspections in areas of difficult access and improving the quality with respect to inspections carried out by conventional systems. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)
    公开号:ES2657833A1
    申请号:ES201631160
    申请日:2016-09-06
    公开日:2018-03-07
    发明作者:Carlos Quiterio GÓMEZ MUÑOZ；Fausto Pedro GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ；Alberto PLIEGO MARUGÁN
    申请人:Universidad de Castilla La Mancha；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    Technical Field of the Invention
    The invention pertains to the field of structural analysis systems by means of non-destructive tests, more specifically it relates to a remote controlled system capable of dynamically measuring through the use of piezoelectric transducers, capable of identifying disturbances caused by internal or external agents. in different structures through the application of guided waves.
    Background of the invention
    Currently there are a large number of devices and structural elements that require different types of inspections to ensure their safety, reliability and availability throughout their useful life. In some cases, inspections allow preventive maintenance work, while in others they are used as diagnostic tools. These inspections allow you to evaluate the status of a certain component, device or equipment through various techniques. The fact of preventing possible failures, or diagnosing structural health problems in time, generally leads to economic savings, an improvement in safety and availability and, depending on the field of application, the reduction of risks of different magnitude that may result in material damage. and for people and / or the environment.
    These inspections are very useful in fields such as aeronautics, wind energy, photovoltaic or thermo-solar energy, and in many other fields of industry. In these fields, there are frequent elements to be inspected that are difficult to access for human resources or measuring equipment, which can lead to two negative consequences: the loss of quality of the inspection and the substantial increase in the costs of the inspection.
    The existence, for example, of cracks in structures, corrosion, impurities,
    ice or other elements, may cause disturbances in the correct
    operation of devices or structures. For example: the accumulation of ice on the blades of a wind turbine can cause a loss of performance in it and constitutes a possible risk agent; Corrosion in the pipes of the solar thermal systems also increases the yield losses and the risk of cracks that can cause leaks;
    dirt in photovoltaic panels leads to a loss in absorption
    energy associated with a drastic reduction in performance.
    For the detection of the aforementioned disturbing elements, there are many patents related to the application of guided waves for inspection
    of the structural state of different materials. Among these patents fit
    stand out, for the similarity with the present, as far as ice detection is concerned
    refers, US2775679, CN101201413, US6425286, US5191791, US5296853. For
    the detection of corrosion in the materials some techniques are collected in the
    following documents EP2265677, US201100242788, US5526689, US20150053009. On the other hand, the detection of pollutants from the
    surface or impurities can be performed, among others, by systems
    collected in US7312454, US7126123, US5822054. If the objective is the detection of cracks or other structural defects, such detection can be
    do, for example, by employing techniques and systems included in the
    documents W02011071241, US7312454, US20030030002.
    In general, the systems and techniques included in the patents mentioned in the previous paragraph are aimed at detecting and locating specific disturbing elements, be it corrosion, ice, surface contamination,
    structural defects, etc. However, the system proposed in this
    document is focused on the detection, location and determination of all
    them, which is made possible thanks to two characteristics: the versatility of the technique to be used and the way of executing it, which, applied
    together, they assume a differential value with respect to other similar systems. This makes this proposal innovative with respect to
    mentioned. The system presented in this patent consists of the issuance and
    Guided wave reception. This technique is frequently used in
    some of the documents already indicated and, in addition, it is also used as
    base technique in systems defined in the following patents: US6799466B2, US6079273A US6367328B1, US7798000B 1, US20080127732A1, US8285495B2, US3063290. In these patents, the application of this technique
    is restricted to the determination of specific disturbing elements, so
    that the existence of a disturbing element not considered can happen
    unnoticed, with the consequent risk that such presence could carry. In the system defined in this document this problem is addressed as a novelty, considering a general analysis of the possible coexistence of several
    Elements of this type. Despite the versatility of this technique, due to its ability to detect different types of disturbing elements, it should be
    mention that its application is limited, depending on the material and the maximum excitation frequency of the transducer, to the inspection of materials not exceeding several centimeters thick.
    On the other hand, the way in which guided waves are usually generated
    entails the emission and reception of them in a static way, that is to say, the emmissions and reception of waves are made from fixed points and
    Preset This makes surface inspection impossible in some cases.
    difficult to access, as well as the possibility of analyzing large areas. Advantageously, this proposal can be implemented in similar robots
    to those included in the following documents: ES1050311, US6276478, US4971591, US8978792, US20080017433. The present proposal can implement a piezoelectric transducer similar to that described in EP1983584A2. Brief Description of the Invention
    The invention forms a fully flexible and dynamic system for structural health inspection and detection of disturbing elements. superficial. The items to be examined are restricted to small pieces
    thickness (plates, pipes, sheets, etc.) whose materials may be different
    nature, well isotropic, among which are mainly the
    metals, or anisotropic, of which composite materials are worth mentioning. This inspection system consists of two climber-type robots capable of moving on surfaces arranged in any
    inclination. Sometimes, depending on the kind of structure to analyze, the
    system will use different types of robots. These robots are specialized
    in the displacement by different structures, such as tubular, curved, flat structures, etc.
    Each robot will have a function, either emitter or receiver, so that in each of them a system of emission and / or reception of waves will be coupled
    guided. The system to be coupled to each of the robots will consist of:
    • An interd piezoelectric transducer matched, for example, one of the type of
    macro-fiber, which is capable of emitting ultrasound from an electrical excitation (emitting mode) and, conversely, is capable of converting
    ultrasonic vibrations in electrical signals (receiver mode);
    • A mechanical pressure module that will be used to hold the piezoelectric sensor on the surface to be inspected;
    • Two wireless or cable communication modules, one of them capable of transmitting and receiving data from a control station, and the other
    able to communicate with the other robot;
    • The robot that acts as a guided wave receiver will also have a
    an internal unit for signal processing, which will allow alarms to be generated automatically when any disturbing element is detected, thanks to this unit the sending of data to the control station is not necessarily continuous, since only such data transmission will be necessary when situations occur in which the conclusions of the information received by the robot are not clear;
    • Each of the robots can be equipped with a video camera in order to detect visible anomalies on the surface of the element to be inspected.
    • The system would additionally have a control station where
    The emission conditions of the waves are generated, such as excitation frequencies, number of cycles in the ultrasonic pulses, etc. In this station, the itineraries followed by both robots, the routines of generation and reception of waves, the sending of data from the robots, the weather conditions that guarantee the security of the system, etc. are also controlled.
    In summary, the following advantages and substantial improvements over similar existing systems can be highlighted in the system here:
    • The device stands out for the versatility in the execution of the measurementsbeing able to adapt to different types of materials and structures, and ofvarious shapes such as plates, tubes, etc.
    • The system is able to detect and locate different types of defectsstructural such as internal defects, cracks, corrosion,delamination, etc.
    • The team has great flexibility in the regulation ofGuided wave generation parameters depending on the material ainspect such as excitation frequency, number of cycles, etc.
    • The system is able to detect disturbing elements located in thesurfaces, such as ice or dirt.
    • The device is capable of sending ultrasonic waves from a pointin any direction of the surface.
    • It is a dynamic system in which large areasThey can be inspected automatically.
    • Little technical knowledge is required for its use, since theSignal processing is done implicitly within therobots and that inspection routines would be predefined.
    • The analysis of the signals registered inside the receiving robotallows to reduce the computational cost in the evaluation of the datafrom the command center.
    • It is a compact system with great ease to be transported.
    • The price of transducers is not high.
    • Supports camera adaptation for visual inspection.
    Brief description of the figures For better understanding of how much has been exposed, some are accompanied
    figures in which, schematically and only by way of non-limiting example,
    a practical case of realization is represented. These figures are detailed in the "detailed description of the invention" section.
    In FIG. 1 shows a general outline of the different elements that make up the inspection system.
    In FIG. 2 shows a profile view of one of the climbing robots that would make up the system. In this figure the detail of the elements is presented
    which are incorporated into the robot.
    FIG. 3 schematically shows the process of emission and reception of guided waves. It shows how the ultrasonic wave crosses the material medium
    from a transmitter transducer to a receiver.
    FIG. 4 shows an example of the measurement routines that would be programmed in the robots in order to optimize the time needed to inspect a
    certain area. The route to be followed by the
    system robots.
    Detailed description of the invention
    The present embodiment refers to a system like the one shown schematically in FIG. 1, where the most outstanding parts are indicated. As an example, it is shown in FIG. 2 the application of the system on a wind turbine blade 5 that presents a defect in its structure 6. It can be
    observe that the surface of said blade is traveled and inspected by the
    action of two climbing robots, one of them the emitting robot 1 with the task
    of emitting the guided waves and the other receiving robot 2 in charge of receiving them. These robots are equipped with two wireless communication modules 3 which will allow communication between them and with a control station 4 from where the inspection parameters are programmed and controlled.
    As specified above, the type of robot to be used may vary depending on the shape of the structure to be inspected, being able to deal with tubular or flat structures, and depending on the inclination of the same. As shown in FIG. 2, the receiving robot 2 will be equipped with a mechanical pressure device 8 that exerts force on the surface to be analyzed, and at whose end a piezoelectric transducer of the macro-fiber composite type 7 is located, which corresponds to a low-cost sensor and great fiexibility in the frequencies of emission and reception. The robot, in turn, is equipped with a signal register and signal processor module 9, designed to generate alarms that will be transmitted to the control station by identifying certain patterns that may correspond to defects or disturbing elements. In addition, the communication unit of each robot will have two wireless communication modules 10 and 11 that will allow the transmission of information from the robot to the control station, as well as the sending of information between both robots, respectively. The first communication module 10 allows the data collected in the measurements to be sent to the control station. The second communication module 11 is responsible for accurately measuring the relative positions between the two robots in order to determine parameters such as the distance between them, which is of great relevance when analyzing the guided waves received.
    More precisely, FIG. 3 shows how the process of emission and reception of guided waves by robots is carried out. First, the emitting robot 1 is positioned in the location defined by the control station 4 and then the positioning module 8 is activated, which in this embodiment is of a mechanical pressure type, to place the emitting transducer 12 on the surface
    6. Once the emitting robot 1 has been positioned, the receiver transducer 14 is positioned. When both transducers 12, 14 have been correctly positioned on the surface, the guided wave 13 is emitted, which will be transmitted to through the material and will carry useful information about its status.
    Finally, the implementation of measurement routines that minimize the duration of the inspection and the path of the robots is considered, depending on the type of structure to be analyzed.
    FIG. 4 shows, by way of example, how the route would be automated and
    robot positioning points in a laminar structure
    rectangular. Itineraries are defined followed by the sending robot 1 and the robot
    receiver 2. As you can see, the robot that travels the most distance is the
    5 receiver 2 since at the time of signal processing it is recommended in
    many cases to compare signals that have been emitted from the same
    point, with the aim of recognizing changes in patterns
    characteristic of the waves.Numerical References:
    10 1 emitting robot. 2 Receiving robot.
    3 Wireless communication unit.
    4 Control station.5 Wind turbine blade.
    15 6 Surface to be inspected. 7 Macro-fiber sheet.
    8 Mechanical pressure module.9 Signal processing unit.
    10 Communication module with control station. 20 11 Communication module between robots. 12 Transducer emitter.
    13 Guided wave.14 Receiver transducer.
    权利要求:
    Claims (7)
    [1]
    1. System for inspecting a surface (6) by guided waves (13) characterized in that it comprises a control station (4), a sending robot (1) Yun receiving robot (2), where each robot (1, 2) comprises :
    - a communication unit (3) configured to communicate between robots and with
    the control station (4);
    - a piece-electric transducer (12,14) configured to transform signals
    ultrasonic in electrical signals and vice versa, where said ultrasonic signals icas
    they are multidirectionally guided waves (13) across the surface (6) to
    to inspect;
    - a signal processing unit (9) configured to detect anomalies
    based on a comparison between the ultrasonic signal sent by the robot
    transmitter (1) with the ultrasonic signal received by the receiving robot (2).
    [2]
    2. System for inspecting a surface according to claim 1,
    characterized in that the part-electric transducer (12,14) comprises a macro-fiber sheet (7).
    [3]
    3. System for inspecting a surface according to claim 2,
    characterized in that said transducer (12,14) comprises a mechanical pressure module (8) coupled to the macro-fiber sheet (7) to inspect the surface (6)
    [4]
    4. System for inspecting a surface according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the receiving robot (2) further comprises a video camera.
    [5]
    5. System to inspect a surface according to any one of the
    previous claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the unit of
    Communication (3) is wireless.
    System for inspecting a surface according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the robot (1,2) is
    configured to generate an automated alarm in case of anomalies.
    [7]
    7. System to inspect a surface according to any one of the
    10 previous claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the robot (1, 2) is a climber
    [8]
    8. System to inspect a surface according to any one of the
    previous claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the control station (4) is configured to establish inspection routines and algorithms that
    15 robots (1, 2) are responsible for executing automatically.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    ES2657833B1|2018-12-14|
    引用文献:
    公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题
    GB2169102A|1984-10-24|1986-07-02|British Cast Iron Res Ass|Non-destructive testing|
    US20020134161A1|2001-03-22|2002-09-26|The Regents Of The University Of California|Guided acoustic wave inspection system|
    US20150177194A1|2012-07-04|2015-06-25|Beijing Institute Of Technology|Dual Robot Detection Apparatus For Non-Damage Detection|
    CN103395064A|2013-07-30|2013-11-20|武汉大学|Rack pipe detection robot based on ultrasonic guided wave technology|
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