Every five years, the system of industrial petrochemical plants is checked for leaks in the Netherlands. In most of the high-pressure distribution mains, passive data loggers or pipe-inspection gauges are frequently used. However, with this method, low-pressure distribution mains cannot be inspected because the pipes in this case all have a smaller diameter including different types of intersections (e.g. T-joints, bends). Usually, maintenance and inspection-routines become tougher to execute and with these junctions, it becomes problematic to evaluate specific parts in the low-pressure network parts. In addition, since people can’t fit inside these pipes, the approach for inspecting them is by using above ground methods which involve removing layers of isolation material.
There’s already an existing solution to resolve these problems i.e. the PIRATE project. The primary objective of the Pipe Inspection Robot for Autonomous Exploration project (PIRATE) is to develop an autonomous robot platform for in-pipe inspection of a small diameter, low pressure (metropolitan) gas distribution mains. The current RaM group is working on the autonomous inspection of industrial pipelines with the framework of ‘Smart Tooling’. The main focus of the Smart Tooling project focuses on the automation in the process industry i.e. making maintenance safer, cheaper, cleaner, and more efficient by developing new robot prototypes and tools.
Robot technology is an important development in many industries, but because it is relatively new there are some uncertainties. Relative to this, the PIRATE also aims to improve automation in the development industry by achieving a safer, cheaper, and more efficient maintenance.
Hence, concerning the main objectives of the PIRATE, the main goal of this project is to:
“Design and build a new, innovative mechatronic version of the PIRATE robot using servo motors and laser-cut parts in order to simplify the design further. This includes also the possibility to control the new robot and manually navigate it through pipes using electronics with the most feasible approach.”