01 December 2022
Robots for autonomous inspection of HVDC Converter Halls
The robots will allow for frequent automated inspections whilst removing the need to interrupt electricity supply, lowering risks of undiscovered defects, and unplanned outages.
Background
In 2021 Elia Group has launched a collaboration with Siemens Energy, Ross Robotics and Nemo Link to develop EMC autonomous robots, which it will use for the inspection of its HVDC converter halls across Belgium and Germany. Siemens Energy, Nemo Link, Ross Robotics and Elia Group collaborate over development of autonomous robots to optimise the inspection of HVDC converter halls.
The robots will allow for frequent automated inspections whilst removing the need to interrupt electricity supply, lowering risks of undiscovered defects, and unplanned outages.
The four partners will develop autonomous robots, which will be fully compatible with electromagnetic fields, meaning they can be used in a converter hall environment. These robots will be adapted versions of a robot developed by Ross Robotics. Siemens Energy, the industry leader in HVDC technology, will contribute to the project by providing its expertise in developing electronic components in harsh EMC conditions.
The end products will carry smart sensors, helping to detect potential issues, reduce the risk of unexpected outages and minimize downtime for ad hoc repair work. This will maximize both the operation time of converter halls and the continuous flow of renewables across Elia Group’s grid.
- The sensors installed on the base platform include the following:
- RGB camera which have high definition 30x zoom;
- High grade thermal imaging camera;
- High precision industrial strength pan-tilt unit which holds the cameras;
- Audio sensor, microphone;
- Range of environment sensors incl temperature, relative humidity and illumination;
Next Steps
In September 2022, after completing multiple laboratory tests the team hit the halfway point of the HVDC Converter Hall robot project, which paves the way to production cycles and preparatory for operational deployment in 2023.
Partners
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