Pipeline Inspection Robot

VALUE PROPOSITION

Pipelines represent a major supporting industry for utilities and are used in a variety of applications such as for natural gas, water, and oil, as well as residential distribution. Natural gas pipelines alone travel over 2.5 million miles, delivering 28.3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas to customers in the United States alone. There is an ongoing need for inspecting and maintaining these pipelines. A robot is developed with features which increase its effectiveness in navigating and inspecting small-gauge pipes such as residential gas mains and industrial pipe networks.

DESCRIPTION OF TECHNOLOGY

Residential gas mains are smaller in diameter and more complex than transportation pipelines. This technology is a multi-link articulated robot with the following defining characteristics:

Easily swappable linear springs to hold tension between opposite sides of a pipe.
A structured light sensor to visualize irregularities in interior pipe walls.
Battery powered capabilities, as well as onboard processing, to facilitate tether-less operation (though a tether can be attached if necessary for failure mitigation).
Individually controlled wheels at each of the joints, allowing for increased control while navigating turns and junctions.

A working prototype has been developed, tested, and used as a platform to test a camera and structured light optical sensing system. Using the structured light sensor, the robot accurately identified and rendered examples of material loss in plastic pipes. The robot has been tested in pipes as small as 4” in diameter, and has shown the ability to navigate corners, Y-junctions, and T-junctions. The robot’s motors are equipped with encoders, which provide additional precision in evaluating the robot’s position.

BENEFITS