Robot for cleaning attachments of submarine oil delivery pipe

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning robot for attachments of a submarine oil conveying pipe. The cleaning robot comprises a main body frame, an underwater driving mechanism, an air jet cleaning mechanism, a coating mechanism and an intelligent control system. Underwater propellers are symmetrically arranged on the two sides of the main body, and stable propulsive force is provided through vector propellers; a high-pressure air jet cleaning module is integrated on the right side to quickly remove attachments outside the oil conveying pipe, and the cleanliness is monitored in real time in cooperation with a camera; and the paint repairing module is arranged on the left side, paint is conveyed to a liquid guide box through a liquid pump, and uniform coating is achieved by combining pre-cleaning of a dirt removing plate and coating of a brush strip. The cleaning, coating and intelligent control functions are integrated, time sequence operation of all the modules is coordinated through the main control computer, the problems of low efficiency, pipeline damage and single function of a traditional method are solved, and the maintenance efficiency and the coating quality of the oil conveying pipe are remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of oil pipeline maintenance technology, and in particular to a robot for cleaning attachments on subsea oil pipelines. Background Technology

[0002] Pipeline technology is a method of transporting oil over long distances using pipelines. This method offers advantages such as high transportation efficiency, low overall cost, and high safety. my country currently has 122,700 kilometers of crude oil pipelines with a transportation capacity of 100 million tons per year, which has greatly promoted my country's crude oil trade and provided tremendous development opportunities.

[0003] Traditional methods for cleaning subsea oil pipelines rely on ROVs equipped with mechanical brushes or high-pressure water jets, or even manual underwater cleaning. These methods are limited in function, require separate cleaning and coating operations, are inefficient, can easily damage pipelines with mechanical brushes, consume a lot of energy with water jets which are limited by water depth, have low control precision, and lack real-time monitoring and dynamic adjustment capabilities. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a robot for cleaning attachments on subsea oil pipelines, thereby solving the aforementioned problems in the prior art.

[0005] The technical solution of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: A robot for cleaning attachments on a subsea oil pipeline includes a main body. Underwater drive mechanisms are fixedly connected to both the left and right sides of the main body. A high-pressure fluid cleaning mechanism is fixedly connected to the right side of the upper surface of the main body. A counterweight box is fixedly connected to the middle of the upper surface of the main body. A surface treatment mechanism is fixedly connected to the left side of the upper surface of the main body. Handles are fixedly connected to both sides of the upper surface of the main body. The underwater drive mechanism, the high-pressure fluid cleaning mechanism, and the surface treatment mechanism are connected and communicated through protective pipes. Perforations are provided on both the left and right sides of the upper surface of the main body.

[0006] The beneficial effects of this invention are: integrated cleaning and coating, improving work efficiency by 40%; using air jet instead of high-pressure water gun, reducing energy consumption by 30%; dynamically adjusting jet pressure, coating thickness and center of gravity position, adapting to water depths of over 500 meters; and integrating air jet cleaning, coating repair and intelligent control modules in complex environments to achieve highly efficient integrated operation.

[0007] Based on the above technical solution, the present invention can be further improved as follows: Furthermore, the underwater drive mechanism includes a protective cover and a thruster, with the thruster fixedly installed inside the protective cover.

[0008] Furthermore, the high-pressure fluid cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning machine housing, with shooting mechanisms fixedly connected to both the left and right sides of the cleaning machine housing. A distributor located below the shooting mechanism is fixedly connected to the left side of the cleaning machine housing. Three mounting brackets are fixedly connected to the right side of the lower surface of the main body. Nozzles are fixedly installed inside the mounting brackets. The nozzles and the distributor are connected through a distributor pipe. A jet aerator is fixedly installed inside the cleaning machine housing near the distributor. The jet aerator and the distributor are connected through an air guide pipe. A main control unit is fixedly installed inside the cleaning machine housing. The distributor pipe is connected to a perforation on the right side of the upper surface of the main body.

[0009] Furthermore, the shooting mechanism includes a housing, on the outside of which a camera and a probe are fixedly mounted.

[0010] Furthermore, the surface treatment mechanism includes a paint shell and multiple shock absorbers. The multiple shock absorbers are fixedly installed at equal intervals on the left side of the lower surface of the main body. The main body is connected to a protective plate through the shock absorbers. Multiple positioning wheels are fixedly installed on the lower surface of the protective plate. Two cleaning plates are fixedly connected to the right side of the lower surface of the protective plate. A paint plate is fixedly connected to the left side of the lower surface of the protective plate. A controller is fixedly installed on one side inside the paint shell. A filling container is fixedly installed on the other side inside the paint shell. A liquid pump located between the controller and the filling container is fixedly installed inside the paint shell. The inlet and outlet of the liquid pump are both fixedly connected to liquid guide pipes. The filling container, the liquid pump, and the paint plate are connected through the liquid guide pipes. The liquid guide pipes are sleeved with a perforation opened on the left side of the upper surface of the main body.

[0011] Furthermore, the coating plate includes a liquid guiding box, a brush strip is fixedly connected to one side of the lower surface of the liquid guiding box, and a material hole is opened on the other side of the lower surface of the liquid guiding box.

[0012] The beneficial effects of adopting the above-mentioned further solution are: air jet stripping of the attached material, and real-time monitoring of cleanliness during the stripping process. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a side view of the high-pressure fluid cleaning mechanism of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a top sectional view of the outer casing of the cleaning machine of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a side view of the surface treatment mechanism of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a top sectional view of the coating casing of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a bottom view of the coating panel of the present invention.

[0014] The attached diagram lists the components represented by each number as follows: 1. Main body; 2. Underwater drive mechanism; 3. High-pressure fluid cleaning mechanism; 4. Counterweight box; 5. Surface treatment mechanism; 6. Handle; 7. Protective pipe. 20. Protective shield; 21. Thruster; 30. Cleaning machine housing; 31. Shooting mechanism; 32. Diverter; 33. Mounting bracket; 34. Nozzle; 35. Diverter pipe; 36. Jet aerator; 37. Air guide pipe; 38. Main control unit. 310. Housing; 311. Camera; 312. Searchlight. 50. Paint shell, 51. Shock absorber, 52. Protective plate, 53. Positioning wheel, 54. Cleaning plate, 55. Paint plate, 56. Controller, 57. Loading container, 58. Liquid pump, 59. Liquid guide pipe; 550. Liquid guide box; 551. Brush strip; 552. Material hole. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The principles and features of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The examples given are only for explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0016] like Figure 1 As shown in Embodiment 1 of the present invention, a robot for cleaning attachments on a subsea oil pipeline includes a main body 1. An underwater drive mechanism 2 is fixedly connected to both the left and right sides of the main body 1. A high-pressure fluid cleaning mechanism 3 is fixedly connected to the right side of the upper surface of the main body 1. A counterweight box 4 is fixedly connected to the middle of the upper surface of the main body 1. A surface treatment mechanism 5 is fixedly connected to the left side of the upper surface of the main body 1. Handles 6 are fixedly connected to both sides of the upper surface of the main body 1. The underwater drive mechanism 2, the high-pressure fluid cleaning mechanism 3, and the surface treatment mechanism 5 are connected in a continuous manner through a protective pipe 7. Perforations are provided on both the left and right sides of the upper surface of the main body 1.

[0017] The robot is designed with an arc shape to better conform to the shape of the oil pipeline, improving both mobility and cleaning effectiveness. During the cleaning process, the high-pressure fluid cleaning mechanism 3 and the surface treatment mechanism 5 work together. As the robot moves along the oil pipeline, the high-pressure fluid cleaning mechanism 3 first removes shellfish, algae, or other attached organisms from the outside of the pipeline, while the surface treatment mechanism 5 removes residual debris and simultaneously applies coating to the outside of the pipeline, achieving continuous cleaning and coating operations. The counterweight box 4 can be configured with appropriate counterweights according to the water source conditions, making the robot more stable during movement. The handle 6 is equipped with an integrated buoyancy airbag, making robot retrieval and placement more efficient. The protective pipe 7 used to connect various devices adopts a double-layer stainless steel corrugated pipe with layered isolation of internal wiring, improving underwater safety. This embodiment integrates modular drive, high-pressure jet cleaning, and intelligent coating technologies, and is suitable for oil pipeline maintenance scenarios with water depths of 500 meters or less, improving work efficiency by more than 40% compared to traditional ROVs.

[0018] like Figure 1-2 As shown in Embodiment 2 of the present invention, a robot for cleaning attachments to a subsea oil pipeline, based on Embodiment 1, includes an underwater drive mechanism 2 comprising a protective shield 20 and a thruster 21, with the thruster 21 fixedly installed inside the protective shield 20. The thruster 21 employs a dual-propeller design, supporting 360-degree steering adjustment, and can be replaced with waterjet propulsion, magnetohydrodynamic propulsion, etc., depending on the actual situation, adapting to complex seabed current environments. The protective shield 20 protects the propellers from entanglement.

[0019] like Figure 2-3As shown in Embodiment 3 of the present invention, a robot for cleaning attachments on a subsea oil pipeline is based on Embodiment 1. The high-pressure fluid cleaning mechanism 3 includes a cleaning machine housing 30. Camera mechanisms 31 are fixedly connected to both the left and right sides of the cleaning machine housing 30. The camera mechanism 31 includes a housing 310, and a camera 311 and a probe 312 are fixedly installed on the outer side of the housing 310. During the robot's cleaning process, the cleaning effect can be monitored in real time, achieving visual assistance. A diverter 32 located below the camera mechanism 31 is fixedly connected to the left side of the cleaning machine housing 30. Three mounting brackets 33 are fixedly connected to the right side of the lower surface of the main body 1. Nozzles 34 are fixedly installed inside the mounting brackets 33. The nozzles 34 and the diverter 32 are connected through a diverter pipe 35. A jet aerator 36 is fixedly installed inside the cleaning machine housing 30 near the diverter 32. The jet aerator 36 and the diverter 32 are connected through an air guide pipe 37. A main control unit 38 is fixedly installed inside the cleaning machine housing 30. The diverter pipe 35 is connected to a perforated opening on the right side of the upper surface of the main body 1. The main control unit 38 transmits real-time data via an externally connected fiber optic cable, supporting remote control and autonomous operation mode switching. Upon receiving a cleaning command, the main control unit 38 starts the jet aerator 36. The jet aerator 36 receives gas from an external gas supply device and generates high-speed gas, which is then introduced into the distributor 32 for diversion. After diversion, the high-speed gas passes through three diversion pipes 35 and is introduced into nozzles 34 at different locations, allowing the high-speed gas to directly act on the surface of the oil pipeline, thus completing the first step of cleaning. The nozzles 34 are arranged in a fan shape, covering a width of 1.2 meters on the surface of the oil pipeline, and the jet angle is adjustable.

[0020] like Figure 4-6As shown in Embodiment 4 of the present invention, a robot for cleaning attachments on a subsea oil pipeline is based on Embodiment 1. The surface treatment mechanism 5 includes a paint shell 50 and multiple shock absorbers 51. The multiple shock absorbers 51 are fixedly installed at equal intervals on the left side of the lower surface of the main body 1. The main body 1 is connected to the guard plate 52 through the shock absorbers 51. Multiple positioning wheels 53 are fixedly installed on the lower surface of the guard plate 52. The damping coefficient of the shock absorbers 51 is adjustable. They work with the positioning wheels 53 to fit the surface of the oil pipeline, ensuring constant paint pressure. They can also self-adjust according to the undulations of the oil pipeline to ensure close contact with the surface of the oil pipeline. Two cleaning plates 54 are fixedly connected to the right side of the lower surface of the guard plate 52, and a paint plate 55 is fixedly connected to the left side of the lower surface of the guard plate 52. The cleaning plates 54 have a certain angle to push the attachments outward, preventing the paint from being blocked by the attachments, and also preventing the pusher 21 from being worn. A controller 56 is fixedly installed on one side inside the coating shell 50, and a loading container 57 is fixedly installed on the other side inside the coating shell 50. The loading container 57 can store epoxy resin anti-corrosion coating to improve the corrosion resistance of the oil pipeline, and can also store capsaicin coating to repel aquatic organisms and prevent them from adhering to the outside of the oil pipeline without affecting the ecological environment. A heating device can also be added inside the loading container 57 to maintain the fluidity of the coating through electric heating. A liquid pump 58 is fixedly installed inside the coating shell 50 between the controller 56 and the loading container 57. The inlet and outlet of the liquid pump 58 are fixedly connected to the liquid guide pipe 59. The loading container 57, the liquid pump 58, and the coating plate 55 are connected through the liquid guide pipe 59, which is sleeved with a perforation on the left side of the upper surface of the main body 1. After receiving the coating command, the controller 56 starts the liquid pump 58, which introduces the coating inside the loading container 57 into the coating plate 55 through the liquid guide pipe 59. The coating plate 55 includes a liquid guide box 550. A brush strip 551 is fixedly connected to one side of the lower surface of the liquid guide box 550, and a feed hole 552 is opened on the other side of the lower surface of the liquid guide box 550. The coating flows out from the feed hole 552 and adheres to the surface of the oil delivery pipe. The brush strip 551 spreads the coating evenly. With the improvement of technology, the coating can be upgraded to spraying, further improving efficiency.

[0021] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A robot for cleaning attachments on subsea oil pipelines, comprising a main body (1), characterized in that: The main body (1) is fixedly connected to the left and right sides with an underwater drive mechanism (2), the upper surface of the main body (1) is fixedly connected to the right side with a high-pressure fluid cleaning mechanism (3), the upper surface of the main body (1) is fixedly connected to the middle with a counterweight box (4), the upper surface of the main body (1) is fixedly connected to the left side with a surface treatment mechanism (5), the upper surface of the main body (1) is fixedly connected to the two sides with a handle (6), the underwater drive mechanism (2), the high-pressure fluid cleaning mechanism (3) and the surface treatment mechanism (5) are connected through a protective pipe (7), and the upper surface of the main body (1) is provided with perforations on both the left and right sides.

2. The subsea oil pipeline attachment cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The underwater drive mechanism (2) includes a shield (20) and a thruster (21), the thruster (21) being fixedly installed inside the shield (20).

3. The subsea oil pipeline attachment cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The high-pressure fluid cleaning mechanism (3) includes a cleaning machine housing (30). A shooting mechanism (31) is fixedly connected to both the left and right sides of the cleaning machine housing (30). A distributor (32) located below the shooting mechanism (31) is fixedly connected to the left side of the cleaning machine housing (30). Three mounting brackets (33) are fixedly connected to the right side of the lower surface of the main body (1). A nozzle (34) is fixedly installed inside the mounting bracket (33). The nozzle (34) and the distributor (32) are connected through a distributor pipe (35). A jet aerator (36) is fixedly installed inside the cleaning machine housing (30) on the side near the distributor (32). The jet aerator (36) and the distributor (32) are connected through an air guide pipe (37). A main control unit (38) is fixedly installed inside the cleaning machine housing (30). The distributor pipe (35) is connected to a perforated sleeve on the right side of the upper surface of the main body (1).

4. The subsea oil pipeline attachment cleaning robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The shooting mechanism (31) includes a housing (310), on the outside of which a camera (311) and a probe (312) are fixedly mounted.

5. The subsea oil pipeline attachment cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The surface treatment mechanism (5) includes a paint shell (50) and multiple shock absorbers (51). The multiple shock absorbers (51) are fixedly installed at equal intervals on the left side of the lower surface of the main body (1). The main body (1) is connected to the guard plate (52) through the shock absorbers (51). Multiple positioning wheels (53) are fixedly installed on the lower surface of the guard plate (52). Two cleaning plates (54) are fixedly connected to the right side of the lower surface of the guard plate (52). A paint plate (55) is fixedly connected to the left side of the lower surface of the guard plate (52). One side of the inside of the paint shell (50) A controller (56) is fixedly installed. A filling container (57) is fixedly installed on the other side inside the paint shell (50). A pump (58) located between the controller (56) and the filling container (57) is fixedly installed inside the paint shell (50). The inlet and outlet of the pump (58) are both fixedly connected to a guide pipe (59). The filling container (57), the pump (58) and the paint plate (55) are connected through the guide pipe (59). The guide pipe (59) is connected to a perforation on the left side of the upper surface of the main body (1).

6. The subsea oil pipeline attachment cleaning robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The coating plate (55) includes a liquid guide box (550), a brush strip (551) is fixedly connected to one side of the lower surface of the liquid guide box (550), and a material hole (552) is opened on the other side of the lower surface of the liquid guide box (550).

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