JP2023130749A - Inspection device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an inspection device capable of solving a problem of conventional technology without relying on a diver as well as grasping a position of a detected abnormal place and the like.SOLUTION: An inspection device for inspecting an ocean wind power generation facility includes an unmanned probe, image acquiring means, and underwater positioning means. The underwater positioning means has a transceiver installed on the ocean wind power generation facility and measures the position of the unmanned probe when the image acquiring means captures based on a signal received by the transceiver. Then, the state of exterior appearance of each facility composing the ocean wind power generation facility can be determined from an inspection image included in video acquired by the image acquiring means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to an inspection technique for an offshore wind power generation facility, and more specifically, it is possible to inspect each element of an offshore wind power generation facility using an unmanned exploration vehicle that can move underwater by remote control. This relates to inspection equipment.

Although electricity consumption in Japan temporarily began to decline due to the effects of the global financial crisis in 2008, it has continued to increase since the oil crisis in 1973, and between 1973 and 2007, It has expanded to 2.6 times. The reasons behind this include the spread of so-called home appliances such as air conditioners and electric carpets as living standards improve, and the spread of office automation (OA) equipment and communication equipment as the number of office buildings increases.

Up until now, the huge demand for electricity has been mainly supported by power generation using so-called fossil fuels such as oil and coal. However, in recent years, the depletion of fossil fuels and environmental problems associated with global warming have attracted attention, and power generation methods have gradually changed in response. As a result, while around 1973, as mentioned earlier, oil and coal-based power generation accounted for approximately 90% of the total power generation, by 2010 that proportion had decreased to 66%. Instead, nuclear power generation, which accounted for just over 10% of the total (in 2010), has increased. Nuclear power generation has a significant effect on reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional power generation methods, and because it can provide electricity at low cost, it has greatly contributed to Japan's electricity demand.

Furthermore, power generation methods using renewable energy are increasingly being adopted because they can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This renewable energy is energy that can literally be regenerated, such as sunlight, wind, geothermal, small and medium-sized hydropower, and woody biomass.It is a promising low-carbon energy source because it reduces greenhouse gas emissions and can be produced domestically. It is expected.

Among renewable energies, power generation methods that use wind power in particular have the advantage of high conversion efficiency of electrical energy. In general, the conversion efficiency of solar power generation is said to be about 20%, woody biomass power generation is about 20%, geothermal power generation is 10-20%, while wind power generation is said to be 20-40%. , can convert energy into electricity with higher efficiency than other power generation methods. Another feature of wind power generation is that, unlike solar power generation, it can generate electricity day and night. Due to these characteristics, wind power generation is already widely used as a main power generation method in Europe, and in Japan, it is expected to account for 1.7% of the power source mix in 2030 in efforts to improve the energy mix. We aim to take on the role of

Wind power generation is broadly divided into onshore wind power generation and offshore wind power generation, depending on the installation location.Of these, onshore wind power generation has the advantage of being easier to install than offshore wind power generation, and therefore can reduce costs. . On the other hand, offshore wind power generation does not suffer from the noise problems that land-based wind power generation has, it also avoids the risk of damage from falls, etc., and above all, it has the advantage of being able to stably obtain a large amount of wind power compared to land-based wind power generation. We are prepared. Japan, which has the world's sixth largest exclusive economic zone, is a suitable location for offshore wind power generation, and is thought to have the potential to become a promising source of renewable energy in the future.

In addition, different types of offshore wind power generation are adopted depending on the installation location, with fixed offshore wind power generation being suitable for waters shallower than 50 meters, and floating offshore wind power generation being suitable for waters deeper than 50 meters. . Among these, floating offshore wind power generation uses floating bodies floating in seawater, and is a method in which a power generation mechanism is installed on the floating body connected with mooring ropes, and the power generation mechanism generates electricity. Examples of floating body types include barge type, semi-sub type, spar type, and tension leg platform (TLP) type.

FIG. 8 is a side view schematically showing a spar type offshore wind power generation facility. As shown in this figure, a spar-type offshore wind power generation facility consists of a spar-type floating body floating in the sea, and a tower, rotor, nacelle, etc. installed on top of the spar-type floating body. The tower is a structure that supports the rotor and nacelle, and a spar-type floating body serves as the foundation of the tower. The rotor, which consists of blades and a hub, converts the wind into power, and the nacelle, which includes a speed increaser, generator, and transformer, converts the power into electricity, which is then transmitted through power cables (dynamic cables and submarine cables). This means that electricity is transmitted to land areas. Note that spar-type floating bodies are generally moored by the weight of catenary-shaped mooring lines.

Europe has been among the first to tackle offshore wind power generation, and wind farms using fixed-type offshore wind power generation have already been constructed, especially along the North Sea coast where there is a wide range of shallow waters. In Japan, on the other hand, unlike Europe, we are not blessed with shallow sea areas suitable for fixed offshore wind power generation, so floating offshore wind power generation is a promising option. In fact, in recent years there has been a movement to actively consider floating offshore wind power generation, and projects such as demonstration experiments are underway to make it a reality. New technologies related to floating offshore wind power generation have also been proposed; for example, Patent Document 1 describes an effective technique for manufacturing a spar-type floating body, and Patent Document 2 describes an effective technique for manufacturing a spar-type floating body on the sea. We are proposing effective techniques.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-001474 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-014509

Offshore wind power generation is naturally required to supply electricity over a long period of time, meaning that the facility will be operated for a long period of time. Therefore, offshore wind power generation facilities must be maintained in a healthy condition, and regular or temporary inspections are essential for this purpose. For example, the "Guidelines for Floating Offshore Wind Power Generation Facilities (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai)" stipulates that regular inspections and extraordinary inspections should be conducted after operation, and confirmation of the installation locations of floating facilities and seabed mooring points. It shows various inspection items, such as current status inspection of the entire length of the mooring line, and measurement of the amount of wear and tear on the mooring line. The guidelines also stipulate that underwater cameras and underwater televisions must be operated by skilled divers or approved underwater inspection robots.

However, in conventional inspection methods including the above-mentioned guidelines, techniques for determining the inspected position have not been specifically presented. Therefore, even if a diver or an underwater inspection robot is able to detect an abnormal location and obtain an image thereof, it is difficult to take countermeasures because the location cannot be specified. It is possible to install a satellite receiver for a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) on a work boat and use that work boat as a reference for positioning, but this would require the work boat to depart each time an inspection is carried out. In addition to lacking speed in starting inspections, it also does not lead to cost reductions.

Additionally, some issues can be pointed out regarding inspections by divers. The spar-type floating bodies used for floating offshore wind power generation can have a draft of around 100 meters, making it extremely difficult for divers to comprehensively check this, and in the first place, there are problems with reduced work efficiency and safety due to diving restrictions. be. Furthermore, in order to confirm the installation position of the seabed mooring point (anchor), it is necessary to dive close to the seabed, but this is also not realistic when considering the safety of the diver. It is possible to permanently install inspection equipment at each facility without relying on divers, but the inspection equipment may break down or be damaged each time the weather and sea conditions become severe, such as during a typhoon, so this inspection method is not recommended. can't be said to be reasonable either.

An object of the present invention is to solve the problems faced by the prior art, that is, to provide an inspection device that can determine the location of a detected abnormality without relying on a diver.

The present invention has been made by focusing on the use of an unmanned probe that moves underwater by remote control, and also performs inspections while measuring the position of the unmanned probe that moves underwater. This was done based on a completely new idea.

The inspection device of the present invention is a device for inspecting an offshore wind power generation facility, and includes an unmanned probe, an image acquisition device, and an underwater positioning device. Among these, unmanned exploration vehicles are means that can move underwater by remote control. Further, the image acquisition means is a means mounted on the unmanned exploration vehicle to acquire still images and moving images, and the underwater positioning means is means for measuring the position of the unmanned exploration vehicle moving underwater. Underwater positioning means has a transmitter/receiver (equipment that sends signals to the unmanned probe and receives signals from the unmanned probe) installed on the offshore wind power generation facility (particularly on a floating body), and transmits and receives signals from the unmanned probe. The position of the unmanned probe is measured based on the signal received by the unmanned probe when the image acquisition means takes the image. Then, the external appearance of each facility (for example, a floating body) constituting the offshore wind power generation facility can be determined from the inspection image included in the moving image (or still image) acquired by the image acquisition means.

The inspection device of the present invention may further include image analysis means. This image analysis means automatically detects abnormalities in each facility (for example, a floating body) that constitutes an offshore wind power generation facility by inputting an inspection image into a trained model constructed by machine learning.

The inspection device of the present invention may further include a satellite receiving means installed on the floating body. In this case, the position of the unmanned probe (for example, the coordinates of the Japanese geodetic system or the world geodetic system) is determined based on the position of the satellite receiving means calculated by the global positioning satellite system and the signal received by the transceiver.

The inspection device of the present invention may further include a laser irradiation means mounted on an unmanned exploration vehicle. This laser irradiation means is a means for irradiating two laser beams with a predetermined width. In this case, the image acquisition means acquires an image of the mooring line of the offshore wind power generation facility (floating body) irradiated with laser by the laser irradiation means. Then, by comparing the mooring rope in the image acquired by the image acquisition means with the two laser beams, the degree of wear and tear of the mooring rope can be determined.

The inspection device of the present invention may further include a tilt measuring means that is mounted on an unmanned exploration vehicle and has a tilt sensor. The operator can control the position and orientation of the tilt sensor by remotely operating the tilt sensor while checking the image acquired by the image acquisition means. The inclination of the mooring line can be measured by the operator bringing the inclination sensor close to the mooring line of the offshore wind power generation facility (floating body) and tilting the inclination sensor to match the inclination of the mooring line.

The inspection device of the present invention may further include magnetic exploration means mounted on an unmanned exploration vehicle. This magnetic exploration means is a means that can detect an anchor attached to a mooring line of an offshore wind power generation facility (floating body). In this case, the underwater positioning means can measure the position of the unmanned probe when the magnetic exploration means detects the anchor. Then, the installation position of the anchor can be measured by the magnetic exploration means and the underwater positioning means.

The inspection device of the present invention may also be configured such that a hangar for accommodating an unmanned probe is provided in a portion of an offshore wind power generation facility (particularly a floating body) located underwater. In this case, the unmanned exploration vehicle departs from the hangar when performing inspections, and is housed in the hangar when not inspecting.

The inspection device of the present invention has the following effects.
(1) Since offshore wind power generation facilities can be inspected accurately, at low cost, and safely, the healthy state of the facilities can be maintained.
(2) Since each facility can be inspected while grasping the location of the unmanned probe, the location of detected abnormalities can be identified, and countermeasures can therefore be taken without difficulty.
(3) Since inspections can be carried out without relying on divers, inspections can be carried out over a wide range of areas, including submarine mooring points, and work can be carried out efficiently without being subject to diving restrictions.
(4) By providing a hangar to house the unmanned probe, it is possible to prevent breakdowns and damage even in severe weather and sea conditions such as during typhoons, and there is no need to leave the ship every time inspections are carried out, allowing quick and timely inspections. The inspection can be started immediately.

FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing a situation in which a floating offshore wind power generation facility is inspected using the inspection device of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of the inspection device of the present invention. (a) A side view schematically showing a situation in which positioning is performed by a transponder, and (b) a partial sectional view schematically showing a satellite receiving means. (a) is a side view schematically showing the situation in which the laser irradiation means irradiates the mooring rope with laser, and (b) is a schematic diagram of an inspection image taken with two laser beams superimposed on the mooring rope. Model diagram shown. FIG. 3 is a side view schematically showing a situation where the inclination measuring means measures the inclination angle of the mooring line. FIG. 3 is a side view schematically showing a situation where the magnetic exploration means is measuring the installation position of the anchor. (a) is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an unmanned probe taking off from a hangar, and (b) is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an unmanned probe housed in the hangar. A side view schematically showing a spar-type offshore wind power generation facility.

An example of an embodiment of the inspection device of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing a situation in which an offshore wind power generation facility (in particular, a floating offshore wind power generation facility) is inspected using the inspection device of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the inspection device of the present invention performs various inspections by acquiring images with the image acquisition means 102 mounted on the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 while the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 moves underwater. It is something that can be done. For convenience, here, the image acquired by the image acquisition means 102 during the inspection will be particularly referred to as an "inspection image."

The inspection device of the present invention can inspect various parts of the offshore wind power generation facility, such as the appearance of the floating body FB that constitutes the floating offshore wind power generation facility, and the dynamic cable DC (undersea power line) including the intermediate buoy BM. In addition, it is possible to determine the wear and tear of the mooring line ML of the floating body FB, to measure the inclination of the mooring line ML, and to measure the installation position of the anchor AC.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of the inspection device 100 of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the inspection device 100 of the present invention includes an unmanned probe 101, an image acquisition means 102, an underwater positioning means 103, and further includes a satellite reception means 104, a laser irradiation means 105, an inclination measurement means 106, It can also be configured to include magnetic exploration means 107, image analysis means 108, model generation means 109, inspection image storage means 110, and learned model storage means 111.

Among the main elements constituting the inspection device 100, the image analysis means 108 and the model generation means 109 can be manufactured as dedicated devices, or can be made using a general-purpose computer device. This computer device is equipped with a processor such as a CPU, memory such as ROM and RAM, input means such as a mouse and keyboard, and a display, and includes a personal computer (PC), a server, a tablet PC such as an iPad (registered trademark), and a smartphone. It is composed of mobile terminals, etc. Further, the inspection image storage means 110 and the trained model storage means 111 can be stored in a general-purpose computer, or can be constructed in a database server. When building a database server, it can be placed on a local network (LAN: Local Area Network), or it can be a cloud server that stores it via the Internet. The image acquisition means 102 is capable of acquiring still images and moving images, and can use a digital video camera, a digital camera, a smartphone, a tablet PC, or the like.

Hereinafter, each main element constituting the inspection device 100 of the present invention will be explained in detail.

(Unmanned probe)
The unmanned exploration vehicle 101 is an ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle), also called an underwater drone, and is a mobile body that can move underwater by remote control. Note that various conventionally used ROVs can be used as the unmanned exploration vehicle 101, and it is particularly preferable to employ an ultra-small ROV (for example, a mass of 30 kg or less). Further, as described later, the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 is equipped with a transmitter 103B, a laser irradiation means 105, an inclination measurement means 106, and a magnetic exploration means 107, and can move underwater with these installed.

(Underwater positioning means)
The underwater positioning means 103 measures the position of the unmanned probe 101 moving underwater, and uses a positioning method using a laser, a positioning method using photogrammetry, a positioning method using radio waves, or a positioning method using a transponder. Various conventionally used positioning methods such as positioning methods can be employed. Among these, the transponder is a transmitter 103B ( In other words, it is a technique for measuring the position of an unmanned probe 101). The positioning procedure using the transponder will be explained below.

When the transceiver 103A transmits an interrogation signal SQ, which is a specific acoustic signal, the transmitter 103B that receives this transmits a response signal SR, and the transceiver 103A receives the response signal SR. Then, the distance between the transceiver 103A and the transmitter 103B is determined based on the time when the transceiver 103A transmits the interrogation signal SQ and the time when the response signal SR is received. If the positional coordinates (three-dimensional coordinates) of the transmitter/receiver 103A are known and the transmitter/receiver 103A is arranged at three or more locations, three types of spherical surfaces are set and their intersection points are determined as the positional coordinates of the transmitter 103B. (three-dimensional coordinates). Alternatively, if the transceiver 103A grasps the direction of the interrogation signal SQ and the response signal SR (direction in three-dimensional space), the position coordinates of the transmitter 103B can be determined by one transceiver 103A.

By the way, even if the position coordinates of the transceiver 103A are known, the position of the floating body FB changes due to rocking or the like, and the position of the transceiver 103A also changes accordingly. Therefore, it is also possible to install a satellite receiving means 104 on the floating body FB (particularly in the air) and measure its position using a satellite positioning system (GNSS). FIG. 3(b) is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing the satellite receiving means 104, and shows an example in which GPS (Global Positioning System) is particularly adopted among GNSS. As shown in this figure, the satellite receiving means 104 can be configured to include an RTK (Real Time Kinematic)-GPS antenna 104A, a GPS compass antenna 104B, and a motion sensor 104C. The RTK-GPS antenna 104A and the GPS compass antenna 104B receive radio waves from the satellite to determine the position coordinates (three-dimensional coordinates) of the satellite receiving means 104, and the motion sensor 104C detects the shaking of the satellite receiving means 104. can be specified. By understanding in advance the positional relationship between the satellite receiving means 104 and the transmitter/receiver 103A on the floating body FB, the positional coordinates of the transmitter/receiver 103A can be determined based on the positional coordinates of the satellite receiving means 104. , the position coordinates of the transmitter 103B (that is, the unmanned probe 101) can be determined. Note that the spatial arithmetic processing for calculating such position coordinates involves transmitting and receiving various data (transmission/reception) from the transceiver 103A or the satellite receiving means 104 to a land-based arithmetic device (for example, a PC) via a wireless (or wired) communication means. It is preferable to transmit the information (time, etc.) and then have the arithmetic device execute it.

(Image acquisition means)
The image acquisition means 102 mounted on the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 is capable of acquiring still images and moving images underwater, and can use a digital camera, a digital video camera, a smartphone, or the like. Further, the image acquisition means 102 can be configured to constantly (regularly) take images while the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 is moving underwater, or can take still images in response to remote control performed by an operator on land or on a ship. It is also possible to specify specifications for acquiring videos. In the case of photographing in response to remote control, it is preferable to display the image captured by the image acquisition means 102 on a display or the like in real time, so that the operator can perform remote control while checking the situation. Furthermore, the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 may be equipped with illumination means capable of illuminating the photographing range. The inspection image acquired by the image acquisition means 102 is then stored in the inspection image storage means 110. In storing the inspection image, it may be possible to store the inspection image directly in the inspection image storage means 110 configured in the image acquisition means 102, or it can be stored directly in the inspection image storage means 110 configured in the image acquisition means 102, or it can be stored on land from the image acquisition means 102 via wireless (or wired) communication means. The inspection image may be transmitted to the inspection image storage means 110 and stored therein.

Further, it is preferable that the inspection image is stored in the inspection image storage means 110 in association with its acquisition (photographing) time (linked). The underwater positioning means 103 measures the position of the unmanned probe 101 at relatively short intervals and records the time. This makes it possible to grasp the position of the unmanned probe 101 at the time the image was acquired (hereinafter referred to as the "photographing position"), that is, the position of the inspection target. As a result, for example, when acquiring an inspection image to observe the external appearance of the floating body FB, the photographing position (plane position and height) is determined, and therefore the position (plane position and height) of an abnormal part on the floating body FB. can be understood.

(Laser irradiation means)
The laser irradiation means 105 mounted on the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 irradiates the inspection target (especially the mooring line ML) with a laser LS, as shown in FIG. 4(a), with a predetermined width. It irradiates with two laser beams LS. Further, the laser irradiation means 105 can be designed to constantly (periodically) irradiate while the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 is moving underwater, or the laser irradiation means 105 can be configured to irradiate the unmanned probe 101 at all times (periodically) while it is moving underwater, or the laser irradiation means 105 can be configured to irradiate the unmanned probe 101 at all times (regularly) while it is moving underwater, or the laser irradiation means 105 can be configured to irradiate at all times (regularly) while the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 is moving underwater. It can also be designed to irradiate. When irradiating in response to remote control, it is preferable to display the image projected by the image acquisition means 102 on a display or the like in real time, so that the operator can perform remote control while checking the situation.

The width of the two laser beams LS irradiated by the laser irradiation means 105 is set to a dimension equivalent to the normal (when healthy) wall thickness of the mooring line ML (ring that constitutes the chain) when captured in the inspection image. It's good to do that. Thereby, by photographing the mooring rope ML with two laser beams LS superimposed on it, the degree of wear and tear of the mooring rope ML can be determined from the inspection image. For example, in FIG. 4(b), since the portion of the mooring rope ML where the links overlap is smaller than the width of the two laser beams LS, it can be determined that the wear has progressed to some extent. At this time, since the photographing position has been determined by the underwater positioning means 103, the position of the mooring line ML included in the inspection image can also be grasped. In the example of FIG. 4, the laser LS is irradiated and photographed at the location where the links of the mooring rope ML overlap (generally, the location where wear and tear is most likely to occur), but of course this is not limited to this. It is possible to irradiate the laser LS to any part of the area and photograph it.

(Inclination measurement means)
The inclination measuring means 106 mounted on the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 measures the inclination angle of the object to be inspected (in particular, the mooring line ML), as shown in FIG. By using the inclination angle of the mooring line ML measured here, the tension force acting on the mooring line ML can be calculated, that is, the soundness of the mooring line ML can be evaluated. As shown in this figure, the inclination measuring means 106 can be composed of an inclination sensor 106A that measures the inclination angle, an extendable arm 106B, and a ruler bar 106C attached to the tip of the arm 106B. The ruler bar 106C is a rod-shaped member made of angle iron, for example, and the inclination sensor 106A is fixed to a portion thereof. Hereinafter, a procedure for measuring the inclination angle of the mooring line ML using the inclination measuring means 106 shown in FIG. 5 will be described.

An image projected by the image acquisition means 102 is displayed on a display or the like in real time, and an operator on land or on a ship remotely controls the image while checking the image, thereby causing the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 to approach the target mooring line ML. When the unmanned probe 101 approaches the mooring line ML to a certain extent, the operator performs remote control while checking the image on the display etc. to extend the arm 106B and bring the ruler bar 106C into contact with the mooring line ML. By controlling the attitude of the probe 101 (or the arm 106B), the inclinations of the mooring rope ML and the ruler bar 106C are matched. When the ruler bar 106C is placed along the mooring line ML, the value measured by the inclination sensor 106A (that is, the inclination angle of the mooring line ML) is recorded. At this time, since the position of the unmanned probe 101 has been determined by the underwater positioning means 103, the measured position of the mooring line ML can also be grasped. Note that when recording the measured value of the tilt sensor 106A, the measured value can be transmitted from the tilt sensor 106A via a wireless (or wired) communication means to a storage means on land and stored therein.

(Magnetic exploration means)
The magnetic exploration means 107 mounted on the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 measures the installation position of the inspection target (especially the anchor AC), as shown in FIG. As shown in this figure, the anchor AC may be partially or completely buried in the seabed, and in that case, it is difficult for the image acquisition means 102 to discover the anchor AC. Therefore, the installation position of the anchor AC is measured by using the magnetic exploration means 107. The magnetic exploration means 107 starts exploration in response to a remote control performed by an operator on land or on a ship. At this time, it is preferable to display the image projected by the image acquisition means 102 on a display or the like in real time, so that the operator can perform remote control while checking the situation. Alternatively, measurements may be taken at all times (regularly) while the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 is moving underwater, and the measurement results may be recorded together with the measurement time.

The installation position of the anchor AC is determined from the position of the unmanned probe 101 when the magnetic exploration means 107 measures magnetism of a predetermined strength, that is, when the anchor AC is discovered. As described above, the position of the unmanned probe 101 is determined by the underwater positioning means 103. The inspection device 100 can also include an alert unit that notifies an operator on land or on a ship when the magnetic exploration unit 107 measures magnetism of a predetermined intensity. In this case, the alert means mounted on the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 may be configured to transmit information on the discovery of the anchor AC to output means on land or on a ship via a wireless (or wired) communication means.

(Image analysis means)
The image analysis means 108 is a means for determining the external appearance of the floating body FB and the dynamic cable DC including the intermediate buoy BM included in the inspection image, and applies the inspection image to the "trained model" generated by the model generation means 109. Abnormal locations are automatically detected by inputting information. This trained model is generated by machine learning a large amount of "teacher data" consisting of external images of the floating body FB, etc. in a normal state and external images of the floating body FB, etc. in an abnormal state. In particular, the dynamic cable DC and the intermediate buoy BM may be attached to more marine organisms than expected, causing the dynamic cable DC to land on the bottom, resulting in partial damage to the exterior. It is preferable to perform machine learning using inspection images of the DC and intermediate buoy BM as training data. Machine learning for generating a trained model can employ various conventionally used machine learning techniques in addition to deep learning such as CNN (Convolutional Neural Network). Further, the learned model generated by the model generation means 109 is stored in the learned model storage means 111.

(hangar)
The hangar 112 is a space provided in a portion of the floating body FB located underwater, and is capable of accommodating the unmanned exploration vehicle 101. Further, it may be provided with an opening/closing door DR that opens and closes in response to remote control performed by an operator on land or on a ship. As shown in FIG. 7A, when starting an inspection, the unmanned probe 101 starts from the hangar 112 by opening the door DR, and when the inspection is finished, the unmanned probe 101 moves to the hangar 112. Then, as shown in FIG. 7(b), when the unmanned probe 101 is accommodated in the hangar 112, the opening/closing door DR is closed. Therefore, when not being inspected, the unmanned probe 101 is always housed in the hangar 112.

The hangar 112 that houses the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 can have a structure that is filled with seawater, or can have a so-called dry structure that does not allow seawater to enter. If the structure is filled with seawater, the opening/closing door DR may have a fence-like structure, or the opening/closing door DR may not be provided. On the other hand, in the case of a dry structure, the hangar 112 is sealed by an opening/closing door DR, and is further provided with a pump or the like for forcibly draining seawater that has entered when the opening/closing door DR is opened. Furthermore, when the hangar 112 has a dry structure, it can also be provided with a facility for charging the unmanned exploration vehicle 101. Although FIG. 7B shows an outlet as a charging facility, various charging facilities can be installed, such as a charging board that charges when the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 is placed. .

(Example of use)
An example of inspecting an offshore wind power generation facility using the inspection device 100 of the present invention will be described. First, the door DR is opened and the unmanned probe 101 is launched from the hangar 112. Then, the image captured by the image acquisition means 102 is displayed in real time on a display on land or on a ship, and the operator moves the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 by remote control while checking the situation.

When the image acquisition means 102 acquires an inspection image of the external appearance of the floating body FB, the inspection image is transmitted from the image acquisition means 102 to the image analysis means 108 on land (or on a ship), and the inspection image is input into the learned model. It is determined whether the appearance of the floating body FB is normal or abnormal. At this time, since the photographing position has been determined by the underwater positioning means 103, it is possible to grasp the position of the floating body FB that has been determined to be normal/abnormal.

When an operator on land or on a ship confirms the mooring line ML displayed on the display, an inspection image of the two laser beams LS superimposed on the mooring line ML is obtained. Then, the inspection image is transmitted from the image acquisition means 102 to the display, and the operator determines the degree of wear and tear of the mooring line ML from the inspection image. At this time, since the photographing position has been determined by the underwater positioning means 103, it is possible to grasp the determined position of the mooring line ML.

Furthermore, when an operator on land or on a ship confirms the mooring line ML displayed on the display, the ruler bar 106C is controlled to be in line with the mooring line ML by remotely controlling the arm 106B and the unmanned exploration vehicle 101. . Then, the value measured by the inclination sensor 106A at that time (that is, the inclination angle of the mooring line ML) is recorded, and the tension acting on the mooring line ML is calculated based on the measured value to evaluate its soundness. . At this time, since the position of the unmanned probe 101 has been determined by the underwater positioning means 103, the measured position of the mooring line ML can be grasped.

When the unmanned exploration vehicle 101 moves to the vicinity of the initial (or previous inspection) anchor AC, the operator on land or on the ship starts measurement by the magnetic exploration means 107 by remote control, and the magnetic exploration means 107 reaches a predetermined strength. When the magnetic field is measured, it is recorded as the current anchor AC installation position. At this time, since the position of the unmanned probe 101 has been determined by the underwater positioning means 103, the installation position of the anchor AC can also be grasped.

When the series of inspections is completed, the unmanned probe 101 is moved to the hangar 112, and the opening/closing door DR is closed with the unmanned probe 101 housed in the hangar 112.

The inspection device of the present invention can be used for various types of floating offshore wind power generation, such as spar type, barge type, semi-sub type, and tension mooring type. According to the present invention, it is possible to accurately and safely inspect offshore wind power generation facilities at low cost, and as a result, the healthy state of the facilities can be maintained, which provides more active motivation for offshore wind power generation. Considering that the invention can be expected to provide a stable supply of energy while suppressing greenhouse gas emissions, the claimed invention can not only be used industrially, but can also be expected to make a significant contribution to society. It can be called an invention.

100 Inspection device 101 Unmanned probe 102 Image acquisition means 103 Underwater positioning means 103A Transmitter/receiver 103B Transmitter 104 Satellite receiving means 104A RTK-GPS antenna 104B GPS compass antenna 104C Motion sensor 105 Laser irradiation means 106 Inclination measuring means 106A Inclination sensor 106B arm 106C Ruler bar 107 Magnetic exploration means 108 Image analysis means 109 Model generation means 110 Inspection image storage means 111 Learned model storage means 112 Hangar AC Anchor BM Intermediate buoy DC Dynamic cable FB Floating body LS Laser ML Mooring line SQ Question signal SR Response signal

Claims (7)

A device for inspecting an offshore wind power generation facility,
An unmanned exploration vehicle that can move underwater by remote control,
an image acquisition means that is installed on the unmanned probe and acquires still images or videos;
underwater positioning means for measuring the position of the unmanned probe moving underwater;
The underwater positioning means is installed in the offshore wind power generation facility, and includes a transceiver that transmits a signal to the unmanned exploration vehicle and receives a signal from the unmanned exploration vehicle,
Further, the underwater positioning means is capable of measuring the position of the unmanned probe when the image acquisition means takes the image, based on the signal received by the transmitter/receiver,
From the inspection images included in the still images or videos acquired by the image acquisition means, it is possible to determine the external appearance of the facilities constituting the offshore wind power generation facility;
An inspection device characterized by: further comprising image analysis means for automatically detecting abnormalities in the facilities constituting the offshore wind power generation facility by inputting the inspection image into a trained model constructed by machine learning;
The inspection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: further comprising a satellite receiving means installed at the offshore wind power generation facility,
determining the position of the unmanned probe based on the position of the satellite receiving means calculated by a global positioning satellite system and the signal received by the transceiver;
The inspection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: Further comprising a laser irradiation means mounted on the unmanned exploration vehicle,
The laser irradiation means irradiates two laser beams with a predetermined width,
The image acquisition means acquires an image of the mooring line of the offshore wind power generation facility irradiated with a laser by the laser irradiation means,
By comparing the mooring rope in the image acquired by the image acquisition means with the two laser beams, the wear and tear of the mooring rope can be determined.
The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: Further comprising a tilt measuring means mounted on the unmanned exploration vehicle and having a tilt sensor,
The operator can control the position and orientation of the tilt sensor by remotely operating the image while checking the image acquired by the image acquisition means,
The operator can measure the inclination of the mooring line by bringing the inclination sensor close to the mooring line of the offshore wind power generation facility and tilting the inclination sensor to match the inclination of the mooring line.
The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: Further comprising a magnetic exploration means mounted on the unmanned probe,
The magnetic exploration means is capable of detecting an anchor attached to a mooring line of the offshore wind power generation facility,
The underwater positioning means is capable of measuring the position of the unmanned probe when the magnetic exploration means detects the anchor,
The installation position of the anchor can be measured by the magnetic exploration means and the underwater positioning means,
The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: A hangar for accommodating the unmanned exploration vehicle is provided in a portion of the offshore wind power generation facility located underwater,
When conducting an inspection, the unmanned probe departs from the hangar, and when not inspecting, the unmanned probe is stored in the hangar.
The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that:

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