An exit mechanism, an entry mechanism, an exit method, and an entry method

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of pipeline robots, specifically disclosing an exit mechanism, an entry mechanism, an exit method, and an entry method. The method includes a transfer pipeline, one end of which is connected to a natural gas pipeline, and the other end connected to the outside. Multiple switches are spaced apart along the axial direction of the transfer pipeline, each switch capable of opening or closing the flow in the pipeline. When the pipeline robot moves inside the natural gas pipeline, all switches are closed. When the pipeline robot exits from the natural gas pipeline to the outside, it enters the transfer pipeline. As the pipeline robot moves downstream along the transfer pipeline, the upstream switch opens when the robot approaches it, and closes after the robot passes the upstream switch. As the pipeline robot continues downstream, each approaching a switch opens that switch. This method effectively ensures the safe exit of the pipeline robot from the high-pressure natural gas pipeline to the outside.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pipeline robots, and in particular to an exit mechanism, an entry mechanism, an exit method, and an entry method. Background Technology

[0002] Railway transportation, road transportation, waterway transportation, air transportation and pipeline transportation play an important role in economic production as the five major modes of transportation in the national economy. At present, the safety inspection of oil and gas pipelines has attracted more and more attention from scientific researchers.

[0003] In related technologies, pipeline robots are needed for safety inspections inside natural gas pipelines. In actual operations, the environment inside natural gas pipelines is usually high pressure. When the pipeline robot needs to exit the pipeline, a physical transfer mechanism is required to ensure that the pipeline robot can safely exit from the high-pressure natural gas pipeline to the outside world.

[0004] To address these issues, we propose an exit mechanism, an entry mechanism, an exit method, and an entry method. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an exit mechanism, an entry mechanism, an exit method, and an entry method to ensure that a pipeline robot can safely exit from a high-pressure natural gas pipeline to the outside world.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0007] In a first aspect, this application proposes a physical transfer mechanism, comprising a transfer pipe, one end of which is connected to a natural gas pipeline and the other end to the outside; a plurality of switches, the plurality of switches being spaced apart along the axial direction of the transfer pipe, each switch capable of opening or closing the flow of the transfer pipe; when a pipeline robot moves inside the natural gas pipeline, all switches are closed; when the pipeline robot exits from the natural gas pipeline to the outside and enters the transfer pipe, as the pipeline robot moves from upstream to downstream along the transfer pipe, the upstream switch opens when the pipeline robot approaches the upstreammost switch, and closes after the pipeline robot passes the upstreammost switch; as the pipeline robot continues to travel downstream along the transfer pipe, each of the switches it approaches opens.

[0008] By adopting the above technical solution, when the pipeline robot is operating normally within the natural gas pipeline, all switches are closed to prevent natural gas leakage from the transmission pipeline. When the pipeline robot needs to exit the natural gas pipeline to the outside world, it enters the transmission pipeline and travels from upstream to downstream. When the pipeline robot approaches the first switch, the first switch opens, and the pipeline robot continues to travel. After passing the first switch, the first switch closes, at which point the pressure between the first and second switches is the same as the pressure inside the natural gas pipeline. Then, the pipeline robot continues to travel, and when it approaches the second switch, the second switch opens. At this point, the space for natural gas in the transmission pipeline changes from the space between the first and second switches to the space between the first and third switches, reducing the pressure of the natural gas in the transmission pipeline. The pipeline robot continues to travel, and when it approaches the third switch, the third switch opens. This process continues, with the downstream switches opening sequentially, gradually reducing the natural gas pressure in the transmission pipeline until it reaches a suitable level. Finally, the last switch opens, and the pipeline robot exits the transmission pipeline to the outside world, thus ensuring its safe exit.

[0009] In a further embodiment, after the pipeline robot passes through the upstream switch, all remaining switches are closed after the pipeline robot passes through that switch.

[0010] By adopting the above technical solution, the pressure inside the transmission pipeline can be reduced more quickly, thus reducing the number of switches required.

[0011] In a further embodiment, a gas storage component is also included, the gas storage component having its inlet located between the two downstream switches and connected to the transmission pipe.

[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, the gas storage component can recover natural gas in the transmission pipeline, thereby effectively preventing natural gas leakage in the transmission pipeline, and can also store the natural gas, thereby saving energy.

[0013] In a further embodiment, four switches are provided, and the four switches are sequentially designated as a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, and a fourth switch along the upstream to downstream direction of the transmission pipeline; the space between the first switch and the second switch is a high-pressure chamber, the space between the second switch and the third switch is a medium-pressure chamber, and the space between the third switch and the fourth switch is a low-pressure chamber, and the air inlet end of the gas storage component is connected to the low-pressure chamber.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, the transmission pipeline is divided into three chambers: high, medium, and low pressure. This ensures that the pipeline robot can exit to the outside world according to the three air pressure levels, while also ensuring that the number of switches in the transmission pipeline is appropriate.

[0015] In a further embodiment, the high-pressure chamber, medium-pressure chamber, and low-pressure chamber have the same volume.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solution, the air pressure in each chamber can be reduced proportionally, which is more conducive to the pipeline robot adapting to changes in external air pressure.

[0017] Secondly, this application also discloses an entry mechanism, which includes the exit mechanism described in the first aspect. The gas storage component further includes an outlet end. The inlet end of the gas storage component is connected to the low-pressure chamber and the medium-pressure chamber, and the outlet end is connected to the medium-pressure chamber and the high-pressure chamber. A first inlet valve is provided between the inlet end and the low-pressure chamber, and a second inlet valve is provided between the inlet end and the medium-pressure chamber. A first outlet valve is provided between the outlet end and the medium-pressure chamber, and a second outlet valve is provided between the outlet end and the high-pressure chamber.

[0018] By adopting the above technical solution, when the pipeline robot needs to enter the natural gas pipeline from the outside, the second, third, and fourth switches are first closed, and the first switch is opened, allowing natural gas from the pipeline to enter the high-pressure chamber. Then, the first switch is closed, and the pressure in the high-pressure chamber is the same as the pressure in the natural gas pipeline. Next, the second switch is opened and then closed, at which point the pressure in the medium-pressure chamber is lower than that in the high-pressure chamber. Next, the fourth switch is opened, allowing the pipeline robot to enter the transfer pipeline, and then the fourth switch is closed. Then, the third switch is opened, connecting the medium-pressure and low-pressure chambers, and the pressure in the medium-pressure chamber decreases. After the pipeline robot passes through the third switch, the third switch is closed, and the pipeline robot stops. Then, the first inlet valve and the first outlet valve open, gradually drawing natural gas from the low-pressure chamber into the medium-pressure chamber, and the pressure in the medium-pressure chamber gradually returns to its previous level. Then, the second switch opens, and the pipeline robot continues to move. After the pipeline robot passes through the second switch, the second switch closes, and the pipeline robot stops. The second inlet valve and the second outlet valve open, and the gas storage component draws natural gas from the medium-pressure chamber into the high-pressure chamber, gradually restoring the pressure in the high-pressure chamber to the pressure in the natural gas pipeline. Finally, the first switch was turned on, and the pipeline robot continued to walk into the natural gas pipeline.

[0019] Thirdly, this application also discloses an exit method, which includes the following steps: a pipeline robot enters the transmission pipeline and walks along the transmission pipeline from upstream to downstream; when the pipeline robot approaches the upstreammost switch, the upstreammost switch is opened; the pipeline robot continues to walk, and after passing the upstreammost switch, the switch is closed; the pipeline robot continues to walk, and each time it approaches a switch, the switch is opened; the downstreammost switch is opened, and the pipeline robot exits from the transmission pipeline to the outside world.

[0020] In a further embodiment, the pipeline robot continues to move, and each time it approaches a switch, after the switch is turned on, the following step is included: after the pipeline robot passes the switch, the switch is turned off.

[0021] In a further embodiment, a gas storage component is also provided between the two downstream switches. After the pipeline robot walks between the last two switches, the following steps are also included: closing the upstream switch and the downstream switch, and opening all switches between the two switches; the gas storage component is evacuated to store the natural gas in the transmission pipeline; the downstream switch is opened, and the pipeline robot exits from the transmission pipeline to the outside.

[0022] Fourthly, this application also discloses an entry method, which includes the following steps: closing the second switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch, and opening the first switch; closing the first switch; opening the second switch, and then closing the second switch; opening the fourth switch, allowing the pipeline robot to enter the transmission pipeline, and closing the fourth switch; opening the third switch, allowing the pipeline robot to walk along the transmission pipeline from downstream to upstream; after the pipeline robot passes the third switch, the third switch is closed, and the pipeline robot stops; opening the first inlet valve and the first outlet valve, allowing the gas storage assembly to pump natural gas from the low-pressure chamber to the medium-pressure chamber; opening the second switch, allowing the pipeline robot to continue walking; after the pipeline robot passes the second switch, the second switch is closed, and the pipeline robot stops; opening the second inlet valve and the second outlet valve, allowing the gas storage assembly to pump natural gas from the medium-pressure chamber to the high-pressure chamber; opening the first switch, allowing the pipeline robot to continue walking into the natural gas pipeline.

[0023] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: When the pipeline robot is operating normally within the natural gas pipeline, all switches are closed to prevent natural gas leakage from the transmission pipeline. When the pipeline robot needs to exit the natural gas pipeline to the outside world, it enters the transmission pipeline and travels from upstream to downstream. When the pipeline robot approaches the first switch, the first switch opens, and the pipeline robot continues to travel. After passing the first switch, the first switch closes, at which point the pressure between the first and second switches is the same as the pressure inside the natural gas pipeline. Then, the pipeline robot continues to travel, and when it approaches the second switch, the second switch opens. At this point, the space for natural gas in the transmission pipeline changes from the space between the first and second switches to the space between the first and third switches, reducing the pressure of the natural gas in the transmission pipeline. The pipeline robot continues to travel, and when it approaches the third switch, the third switch opens. This process continues, with downstream switches opening sequentially, gradually reducing the gas pressure in the transmission pipeline until it reaches a suitable level. Finally, the last switch opens, and the pipeline robot exits the transmission pipeline to the outside world, thus ensuring the safe exit of the pipeline robot to the outside world. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the exit structure in an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the exit method in the embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the entry structure in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the entry method in the embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the gas path in which the gas storage component draws natural gas from the low-pressure chamber to the medium-pressure chamber in an embodiment of this application.

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the gas path in an embodiment of this application, showing how the gas storage component draws natural gas from the medium-pressure chamber to the high-pressure chamber.

[0030] In the diagram: 1. Transfer pipeline; 11. High-pressure chamber; 12. Medium-pressure chamber; 13. Low-pressure chamber; 2. First switch; 3. Second switch; 4. Third switch; 5. Fourth switch; 6. Gas storage assembly; 61. Air pump; 62. Gas storage tank; 63. First inlet valve; 64. Second inlet valve; 65. First outlet valve; 66. Second outlet valve; 7. Natural gas pipeline; 8. Pipeline robot. Detailed Implementation

[0031] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, features defined as "first", "second", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.

[0032] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0033] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0034] Please see Figure 1 This application provides an embodiment of an exit mechanism, which includes a transfer pipeline 1 and multiple switches. One end of the transfer pipeline 1 is connected to a natural gas pipeline 7, and the other end is connected to the outside. Multiple switches are disposed within the transfer pipeline 1, spaced apart along the axial direction of the transfer pipeline 1. Each switch can open or close the flow in the transfer pipeline 1. When the pipeline robot 8 moves within the natural gas pipeline 7, all switches are closed. When the pipeline robot 8 exits from the natural gas pipeline 7 to the outside, the pipeline robot 8 first enters the transfer pipeline 1. As the pipeline robot 8 moves downstream along the transfer pipeline 1, the upstream switch opens when the pipeline robot 8 approaches it, and closes after the pipeline robot 8 passes the upstream switch. As the pipeline robot 8 continues to move downstream along the transfer pipeline 1, each switch opens upon approaching it.

[0035] When the pipeline robot 8 is operating normally within the natural gas pipeline 7, all switches are closed to prevent natural gas leakage from the transfer pipeline 1. When the pipeline robot 8 needs to exit the natural gas pipeline 7 to the outside, it enters the transfer pipeline 1 and travels upstream to downstream. When the pipeline robot 8 approaches the first switch, the first switch opens, and the pipeline robot 8 continues to travel. After the pipeline robot 8 passes the first switch, the first switch closes. At this point, the pressure between the first and second switches is the same as the pressure inside the natural gas pipeline 7. Then, the pipeline robot 8 continues to travel, and when it approaches the second switch, the second switch opens. At this point, the space for natural gas in the transfer pipeline 1 changes from the space between the first and second switches to the space between the first and third switches. The pressure of the natural gas in the transfer pipeline 1 decreases. Taking the equal spacing of the switches as an example, the pressure in the space occupied by the pipeline robot 8 changes from P to... Pipeline robot 8 continued moving, and upon approaching the third switch, the third switch opened, and the pressure in the space where pipeline robot 8 was located increased from [previous value]. Transform into In sequence, the downstream switches are opened one by one, causing the gas pressure in the transmission pipeline 1 to gradually decrease until it reaches a suitable pressure. Then, the last switch is opened, and the pipeline robot 8 exits from the transmission pipeline 1 to the outside world, thus ensuring that the pipeline robot 8 can safely exit to the outside world.

[0036] Furthermore, after the pipeline robot 8 passes the upstream switch, all remaining switches close after the pipeline robot 8 passes that switch. Still assuming the switches are evenly spaced, with this control method, when the pipeline robot 8 approaches the second switch, the second switch opens, and the pressure in the space where the pipeline robot 8 is located changes from P to... After the pipeline robot 8 passes the second switch, the second switch closes. At this time, the pipeline robot 8 is located between the second and third switches, and the pressure in the space where the pipeline robot 8 is located remains at [pressure value missing]. As the pipeline robot 8 continues to advance, it approaches the third switch 4, which then opens. The pipeline robot 8 is now positioned between the second switch 3 and the fourth switch 5, doubling the size of the space it occupies. The pressure in this space increases from [previous pressure]. Transform into It can be seen that through this control method, the pressure in the space where the pipeline robot 8 is located decreases faster, which can reduce the number of switches used and allow the pipeline robot 8 to exit to the outside world more quickly.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment of this application, each switch may be a PE ball valve or other permeable valve body.

[0038] Furthermore, refer to Figure 1 This exit mechanism also includes a gas storage component 6. The gas inlet of the gas storage component 6 is located between the two downstream switches and is connected to the transmission pipeline 1. When the last switch is opened, the natural gas in the transmission pipeline 1 will leak out. By installing the gas storage component 6, the natural gas in the transmission pipeline 1 can be recovered, thereby effectively preventing natural gas leakage in the transmission pipeline 1, and the natural gas can be stored, thereby saving energy.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the gas storage assembly 6 includes a vacuum pump 61 and a gas storage tank 62. The inlet end of the vacuum pump 61 is connected to the transmission pipeline 1, and the gas storage tank 62 is connected to the outlet end of the vacuum pump 61, for storing the natural gas drawn from the transmission pipeline 1 by the vacuum pump 61. In other embodiments, the gas storage assembly 6 may also employ other structures capable of vacuuming and storing gas.

[0040] Furthermore, refer to Figure 1 In a preferred embodiment of this application, four switches are provided, which are sequentially arranged as first switch 2, second switch 3, third switch 4, and fourth switch 5 along the upstream to downstream direction of the transmission pipeline 1. The space between first switch 2 and second switch 3 is a high-pressure chamber 11, the space between second switch 3 and third switch 4 is a medium-pressure chamber 12, and the space between third switch 4 and fourth switch 5 is a low-pressure chamber 13. The air inlet of the gas storage component 6 is connected to the low-pressure chamber 13. Dividing the transmission pipeline 1 into three chambers (high, medium, and low pressure) ensures that the pipeline robot 8 can exit to the outside according to the three pressure levels, while also ensuring that the number of switches in the transmission pipeline 1 is appropriate.

[0041] To enable the pipeline robot 8 to better adapt to changes in air pressure as it moves from upstream to downstream, the high-pressure chamber 11, medium-pressure chamber 12, and low-pressure chamber 13 are all of the same volume. This configuration allows the air pressure in each chamber to decrease proportionally, making it easier for the pipeline robot 8 to adapt to changes in external air pressure.

[0042] In other implementations, the number of switches can be other numbers, such as 5, 6, etc., and the number of switches can be determined according to the actual air pressure.

[0043] Based on the above exit structure, refer to Figure 2 This application discloses an exit method, including the following steps:

[0044] S1. Pipeline robot 8 enters transfer pipeline 1 and moves from upstream to downstream along transfer pipeline 1;

[0045] S2. When the pipeline robot 8 approaches the upstream switch, the upstream switch opens;

[0046] S3. Pipeline robot 8 continues to move, and after passing the upstream switch, the switch closes.

[0047] S4. Pipeline robot 8 continues to move, and each time it approaches a switch, the switch turns on.

[0048] S5. The downstream switch is turned on, and the pipeline robot 8 exits from the transfer pipeline 1 to the outside.

[0049] In order to reduce the pressure in the space where the pipeline robot 8 is located more quickly, a step is included between steps S4 and S5: S41. After the pipeline robot 8 passes through the switch, the switch is closed.

[0050] In order to recover the natural gas in transmission pipeline 1, as described above, the exit mechanism also includes a gas storage component 6. Following step S41, the following steps are also included:

[0051] S42. When the pipeline robot 8 moves between the two downstream switches, both downstream switches are closed.

[0052] S43. The gas storage assembly 6 is evacuated to store the natural gas stored in the transmission pipeline 1 into the gas storage assembly 6.

[0053] After the above steps, when step S5 is performed and the downstream switch is opened, no natural gas will leak out. Moreover, as the gas storage component 6 continuously extracts natural gas from the space where the pipeline robot 8 is located, the pressure on the pipeline robot 8 gradually and continuously decreases to zero. When the downstream switch is opened, the pressure on the pipeline robot 8 does not change abruptly, further reducing the impact of pressure changes on the pipeline robot 8.

[0054] After steps S42 and S43, natural gas still remains in transfer pipeline 1. Therefore, in order to remove the residual natural gas in transfer pipeline 1, the following steps are included after step S5:

[0055] S6. Close the downstream switch;

[0056] S7. Turn on all switches between the first and last switches;

[0057] S8. The gas storage component 6 is evacuated to store the natural gas in the transmission pipeline 1 into the gas storage component 6.

[0058] After the above steps, the natural gas remaining in transmission pipeline 1 is removed, thereby reducing the potential for hazards.

[0059] Based on the aforementioned exit mechanism, this application also discloses an embodiment of an entry mechanism, referring to... Figure 3Based on the original exit mechanism, the gas storage assembly 6 also includes a gas outlet. The gas inlet of the gas storage assembly 6 is connected to the low-pressure chamber 13 and the medium-pressure chamber 12, and the gas outlet is connected to the medium-pressure chamber 12 and the high-pressure chamber 11. A first gas inlet valve 63 is provided between the gas inlet and the low-pressure chamber 13, and a second gas inlet valve 64 is provided between the gas inlet and the medium-pressure chamber 12. A first gas outlet valve 65 is provided between the gas outlet and the medium-pressure chamber 12, and a second gas outlet valve 66 is provided between the gas outlet and the high-pressure chamber 11.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the first intake valve 63, the second intake valve 64, the first exhaust valve 65, and the second exhaust valve 66 can all be solenoid valves. Compared to the air storage assembly 6 mentioned in the exit mechanism, in the entry mechanism, the air storage assembly 6 includes two suction pumps 61 and an air storage tank 62. The suction end of one suction pump 61 is connected to the transmission pipe 1, and the exhaust end is connected to the air storage tank 62. The suction end and exhaust end of the other suction pump 61 are connected, and the exhaust end is connected to the transmission pipe 1.

[0061] Based on the aforementioned entry institutions, referring to Figure 4-Figure 6 This application embodiment discloses an entry method, including the following steps:

[0062] A1. Close the second switch 3, the third switch 4, and the fourth switch 5, and open the first switch 2;

[0063] A2. Turn off the first switch 2;

[0064] A3. Turn on the second switch 3, then turn off the second switch 3;

[0065] A4. Open the fourth switch 5, and the pipeline robot 8 enters the transfer pipeline 1. Close the fourth switch 5.

[0066] A5. Turn on the third switch 4, and the pipeline robot 8 will move from downstream to upstream along the transfer pipeline 1;

[0067] A6. When the pipeline robot 8 passes through the third switch 4, the third switch 4 closes, and the pipeline robot 8 stops;

[0068] A7. The first inlet valve 63 is opened, the first outlet valve 65 is opened, and the gas storage assembly 6 draws the natural gas in the low-pressure chamber 13 to the medium-pressure chamber 12.

[0069] A8. The second switch 3 is turned on, and the pipeline robot 8 continues to move;

[0070] A9. When the pipeline robot 8 passes through the second switch 3, the second switch 3 closes, and the pipeline robot 8 stops;

[0071] A10. The second inlet valve 64 is opened, the second outlet valve 66 is opened, and the gas storage assembly 6 draws the natural gas in the medium-pressure chamber 12 to the high-pressure chamber 11.

[0072] A11. The first switch 2 is opened, and the pipeline robot 8 continues to move into the natural gas pipeline 7.

[0073] The following details each step. The four switches are evenly spaced, and we assume the natural gas pressure in pipeline 7 is P. For A1, after opening the first switch 2, the natural gas in pipeline 7 enters between the first switch 2 and the second switch 3, and the gas pressure between the first switch 2 and the second switch 3 is P. For A2, after closing the first switch 2, the gas pressure between the first switch 2 and the second switch 3 remains P. In A3, the second switch 3 is opened first, and the gas between the first switch 2 and the second switch 3 diffuses between the first switch 2 and the third switch 4, causing the gas pressure to change to... After the second switch 3 is closed, a sealed space is formed between the first switch 2 and the second switch 3, and the gas pressure is... A sealed space is formed between the second switch 3 and the third switch 4, and the gas pressure is...

[0074] Next, in A4, first open the fourth switch 5, and the pipeline robot 8 enters the transfer pipeline 1. Then, close the fourth switch 5, creating a sealed space between the third switch 4 and the fourth switch 5. In A5, open the third switch 4, and the gas between the second switch 3 and the third switch 4 diffuses between the second switch 3 and the fourth switch 5, increasing the gas pressure. Change to This ensures that when the pipeline robot 8 initially experiences natural gas pressure, the pressure is relatively low, preventing large pressure fluctuations and thus reducing the impact of gas pressure on the pipeline robot 8.

[0075] For A6, after the third switch 4 is closed, the gas pressure of the second switch 3 and the third switch 4 remains the same.

[0076] In A7, refer to Figure 5 The gas storage assembly 6 gradually draws the natural gas from between the third switch 4 and the fourth switch 5 (low-pressure chamber 13) to between the second switch 3 and the third switch 4 (medium-pressure chamber 12), and the gas pressure between the second switch 3 and the third switch 4 is reduced from... Gradually increase to

[0077] In A8, the natural gas pressure between the first switch 2 and the second switch 3 is... The natural gas pressure between the second switch 3 and the third switch 4 is also... Therefore, after the second switch 3 is opened, the pressure of natural gas between the first switch 2 and the third switch 4 remains at [value missing].

[0078] In the next step A9, the second switch 3 is closed, and the pressure between the first switch 2 and the second switch 3 remains constant.

[0079] Next, refer to Figure 6 In step A10, the gas storage assembly 6 gradually draws the natural gas between the second switch 3 and the third switch 4 (medium-pressure chamber 12) to between the first switch 2 and the second switch 3 (high-pressure chamber 11), and the gas pressure of the first switch 2 and the second switch 3 is adjusted from... Gradually increase to P, at which point the pressure on the pipeline robot 8 is the same as the pressure inside the natural gas pipeline 7.

[0080] Finally, in step A11, the first switch 2 is opened, and the pressure on the pipeline robot 8 remains constant, allowing it to continue moving into the natural gas pipeline 7.

[0081] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as exemplary and non-limiting, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0082] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. An exit mechanism, characterized in that, include: The transmission pipeline (1) is connected at one end to the natural gas pipeline (7) and at the other end to the outside. Multiple switches are provided at axial intervals along the transmission conduit (1), and each switch can open or close the flow of the transmission conduit (1); When the pipeline robot (8) walks inside the natural gas pipeline (7), all switches are closed; When the pipeline robot (8) exits from the natural gas pipeline (7) to the outside, it enters the transmission pipeline (1). As the pipeline robot (8) moves from upstream to downstream along the transmission pipeline (1), when the pipeline robot (8) approaches the upstreammost switch, the upstreammost switch opens. After the pipeline robot (8) passes the upstreammost switch, the switch closes. As the pipeline robot (8) continues to travel downstream of the transfer pipeline (1), each time it approaches a switch, the switch is turned on; After the pipeline robot (8) passes through the upstream switch, all the remaining switches are closed after the pipeline robot (8) passes through that switch. Gas storage component (6), the gas inlet of the gas storage component (6) is located between the two downstream switches and is connected to the transmission pipe (1); The switch is provided in four parts, and the four switches are, in order, the first switch (2), the second switch (3), the third switch (4) and the fourth switch (5) along the upstream to downstream direction of the transmission pipe (1); The space between the first switch (2) and the second switch (3) is a high-pressure chamber (11), the space between the second switch (3) and the third switch (4) is a medium-pressure chamber (12), the space between the third switch (4) and the fourth switch (5) is a low-pressure chamber (13), and the air inlet of the gas storage assembly (6) is connected to the low-pressure chamber (13).

2. The exit mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The high-pressure chamber (11), medium-pressure chamber (12), and low-pressure chamber (13) have the same volume.

3. An entry mechanism, characterized in that, Includes the exit mechanism according to any one of claims 1-2, the gas storage assembly (6) further includes an outlet end, the inlet end of the gas storage assembly (6) is connected to the low pressure chamber (13) and the medium pressure chamber (12), and the outlet end is connected to the medium pressure chamber (12) and the high pressure chamber (11); A first intake valve (63) is provided between the intake end and the low-pressure chamber (13), and a second intake valve (64) is provided between the intake end and the medium-pressure chamber (12); A first air outlet valve (65) is provided between the air outlet end and the medium pressure chamber (12), and a second air outlet valve (66) is provided between the air outlet end and the high pressure chamber (11).

4. An exit method based on the exit mechanism of claim 1, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The pipeline robot (8) enters the transfer pipeline (1) and walks from upstream to downstream along the transfer pipeline (1); When the pipeline robot (8) approaches the upstream switch, the upstream switch is opened; The pipeline robot (8) continues to move, and after passing the upstream switch, the switch closes. The pipeline robot (8) continues to move, and each time it approaches a switch, the switch is turned on; The downstream switch is turned on, and the pipeline robot (8) exits from the transmission pipeline (1) to the outside world.

5. The exit method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The pipeline robot (8) continues to move, and each time it approaches a switch, the switch is turned on, and the following steps are also included: After the pipeline robot (8) passes through the switch, the switch is closed.

6. The exit method according to claim 5, characterized in that, A gas storage assembly (6) is also provided between the two downstream switches. After the pipeline robot (8) walks to the space between the last two switches, the following steps are also included: Close the upstream and downstream switches, and open all switches between the two switches; The gas storage component (6) is evacuated to store the natural gas stored in the transmission pipeline (1); The downstream switch is turned on, and the pipeline robot (8) exits from the transmission pipeline (1) to the outside world.

7. An entry method based on the entry mechanism of claim 3, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Close the second switch (3), the third switch (4) and the fourth switch (5), and open the first switch (2); Close the first switch (2); Turn on the second switch (3), and then turn off the second switch (3); Open the fourth switch (5), and the pipeline robot (8) enters the transfer pipeline (1); close the fourth switch (5). When the third switch (4) is turned on, the pipeline robot (8) moves from downstream to upstream along the transmission pipeline (1); When the pipeline robot (8) passes through the third switch (4), the third switch (4) closes and the pipeline robot (8) stops; The first inlet valve (63) is opened, the first outlet valve (65) is opened, and the gas storage assembly (6) draws the natural gas in the low-pressure chamber (13) to the medium-pressure chamber (12); The second switch (3) is turned on, and the pipeline robot (8) continues to move; When the pipeline robot (8) passes through the second switch (3), the second switch (3) closes and the pipeline robot (8) stops; The second inlet valve (64) opens, the second outlet valve (66) opens, and the gas storage assembly (6) draws the natural gas in the medium-pressure chamber (12) to the high-pressure chamber (11); The first switch (2) is turned on, and the pipeline robot (8) continues to walk into the natural gas pipeline (7).

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