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Research on configuration design and operation effect evaluation for ultra high voltage (UHV) vertical insulator cleaning robot

Yu Yan (State Grid of Hunan Electric Power Company Maintenance Company, Changsha, China)
Wei Jiang (Wuhan Textile University – Hubei Key Laboratory of Digital Textile Equipment, Wuhan, China; Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Intelligent Live Working Technology and Equipment (Robot), Changsha, China and Live Inspection and Intelligent Operation Technology State Grid Corporation Laboratory, Changsha, China)
An Zhang (Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, China)
Qiao Min Li (Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, China)
Hong Jun Li (Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, China)
Wei Chen (Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, China)
YunFei Lei (State Grid of Hunan Electric Power Company Maintenance Company, Changsha, China)

Industrial Robot

ISSN: 0143-991x

Article publication date: 17 October 2019

Issue publication date: 16 January 2020

169

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to the three major problems of low cleaning efficiency, high labor intensity and difficult to evaluate the cleaning effect for manual insulators cleaning in ultra high voltage (UHV) converter station, the purpose of this paper is to propose a basic configuration of UHV vertical insulator cleaning robot with multi-freedom-degree mechanical arm system on mobile airborne platform and its innovation cleaning operation motion planning.

Design/methodology/approach

The main factors affecting the insulators cleaning effect in the operation process have been analyzed. Because of the complex coupling relationship between the influencing factors and the insulators cleaning effect, it is difficult to establish its analytical mathematical model. Combining the non-linear mapping and approximation characteristics of back propagation (BP) neural network, the insulator cleaning effect evaluation can be abstracted as a non-linear approximation process from actual cleaning effect to ideal cleaning effect. An evaluation method of robot insulator cleaning effect based on BP neural network has been proposed.

Findings

Through the BP neural network training, the robot cleaning control parameters can be obtained and used in the robot online operation control, so that the better cleaning effect can be also obtained. Finally, a physical prototype of UHV vertical insulator cleaning robot has been developed, and the effectiveness and engineering practicability of the proposed robot configuration, cleaning effect evaluation method are all verified by simulation experiments and field operation experiments. At the same time, this method has the remarkable characteristics of sound versatility, strong adaptability, easy expansion and popularization.

Originality/value

An UHV vertical insulator cleaning robot operation system platform with multi-arm system on airborne platform has been proposed. Through the coordinated movement of the manipulator each joint, the manipulator can be positioned to the insulator strings, and the insulator can be cleaned by two pairs high-pressure nozzles located at the double manipulator. The influence factors of robot insulator cleaning effect have been analyzed. The BP neural network model of insulator cleaning effect evaluation has been established. The evaluation method of robot insulator cleaning effect based on BP neural network has also been proposed, and the corresponding evaluation result can be obtained through the network training. Through the system integration design, the robot physical prototype has been developed. For the evaluation of other operation effects of power system, the validity and engineering practicability of the robot mechanism, motion planning and the method for evaluating the effect of robot insulator cleaning have been verified by simulation and field operation experiments.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the 2019 Opening fund for Hubei Key Laboratory of Digital Textile Equipment (DTL2019010). Hubei Provincial Department’s Education Research Project (B2019067) and Intelligent Live Working Technology and Equipment (Robot) Hunan Province Key Laboratory Open Funding (2019KZD1005).

Citation

Yan, Y., Jiang, W., Zhang, A., Li, Q.M., Li, H.J., Chen, W. and Lei, Y. (2020), "Research on configuration design and operation effect evaluation for ultra high voltage (UHV) vertical insulator cleaning robot", Industrial Robot, Vol. 47 No. 1, pp. 90-101. https://doi.org/10.1108/IR-08-2019-0167

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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