Nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot

Abstract

The utility model discloses a nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot which comprises a plurality of joint assemblies, a plurality of walking assemblies, a plurality of cleaning assemblies, an idle wheel assembly and a detection assembly. According to the nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot, the multiple joint assemblies are connected with one another to form a multi-degree-of-freedom structure, and when the robot works in a pipeline, obstacle crossing can be achieved through butterfly valves by adjusting the overall bending angles of the joint assemblies. As the cleaning assembly is connected to the joint assembly, the cleaning assembly can surmount obstacles to pass through the butterfly valve when contracting along with the joint assembly and can be close to the inner wall of the pipeline when expanding along with the joint assembly, and the inner wall of the pipeline can be effectively cleaned. According to the nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot, the all-directional moving function can be flexibly achieved by arranging the walking assemblies, and the functions of advancing, retreating, left-right translation, in-situ rotation and the like of the pipeline cleaning robot can be achieved through cooperation of the walking assemblies in different rotating directions.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The utility model relates to pipeline cleaning technical field especially relates to a nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot. BACKGROUND

[0002] Since the twentieth century, with the rapid development of science and technology, as a safe and reliable low-cost material conveying device, pipeline system has been widely used in energy transportation, domestic water, industrial production and military equipment fields. Nuclear power base water supply and drainage pipeline has many problems in long-term operation, mainly including algae breeding, water pollution, pipeline corrosion and aging, rupture and leakage, sediment accumulation, fluid dynamics problems, etc. These problems not only affect the efficiency and safety of the system, but also may cause high maintenance cost. Effective pipeline cleaning and regular inspection are the key measures to prevent these problems.

[0003] At present, in nuclear power base and other industrial fields, the traditional pipeline cleaning method usually needs to empty each isolated pipeline section, then fill with water or cleaning agent, and take away the dirt by high-flow flushing. In order to achieve the expected cleaning effect, it is often necessary to repeatedly fill water, drain water and flush, causing a large amount of water resource consumption. Although the step-by-step isolation and high-flow flushing can remove the sediment, dirt and algae in the pipeline to some extent, due to the difference of sediment type and adhesion degree inside the pipeline and the existence of various bends, joints, dead angles and other areas in the pipeline, the traditional cleaning method is often difficult to clean thoroughly. And the step-by-step isolation of pipeline and the emptying, filling and high-flow flushing of each section need a long time, and involve a large amount of manual operation and resource allocation.

[0004] Therefore, in view of these disadvantages, it is necessary to provide a nuclear power base pool water supply and drainage pipeline cleaning robot, which can effectively improve the working efficiency of nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning, reduce labor cost, and ensure that the pipeline cleaning degree reaches high standard, thereby providing strong guarantee for the safe and stable operation of nuclear power plant. UTILITY MODEL CONTENT

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the utility model is to provide a nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot.

[0006] The utility model adopts the technical scheme for solving the technical problem: a nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot is constructed, which comprises a plurality of joint assemblies, a plurality of walking assemblies, a plurality of cleaning assemblies, an idler assembly and a detection assembly.

[0007] The plurality of joint assemblies are connected with each other to form a structure with multiple degrees of freedom.

[0008] Each walking assembly is connected to a joint assembly and is used for walking in the pipeline.

[0009] Each of the cleaning components is connected to one of the joint components and is used to clean the pipe;

[0010] The idler wheel assembly is connected to one of the joint assemblies and moves as the idler wheel assembly moves;

[0011] The detection component is connected to one of the joint components and is used to detect the condition inside the pipe.

[0012] In some embodiments, the joint assembly includes a first connecting joint, a second connecting joint, a joint drive mount, a joint driver, and a joint connector.

[0013] The joint drive mounting base is connected to the first connecting joint, and the joint driver is connected to the joint drive mounting base;

[0014] The output of the joint actuator is connected to the second connecting joint and is used to drive the second connecting joint to rotate.

[0015] The joint connector is connected to the joint drive mounting base and is used to connect the walking component or the cleaning component.

[0016] In some embodiments, adjacent joint components are connected via the first connecting joint and the second connecting joint.

[0017] In some embodiments, each of the walking components includes a walking driver, a walking connecting rod, and a walking wheel;

[0018] The walking driver is connected to the joint connector, and the output end of the walking driver is connected to the walking connecting rod. The walking driver is used to drive the walking connecting rod and the walking wheel to move.

[0019] The end of the walking connecting rod away from the walking driver is connected to the walking wheel.

[0020] In some embodiments, the traveling wheel is a Mecanum wheel, an omnidirectional wheel, or a differential wheel.

[0021] In some embodiments, each of the cleaning components includes a cleaning push drive, a cleaning telescopic rotary drive, a cleaning connecting rod, and a brush;

[0022] The cleaning push driver is connected to the joint connector, and the output end of the cleaning push driver is connected to the cleaning telescopic rotary driver. The cleaning push driver is used to drive the cleaning telescopic rotary driver to move up and down.

[0023] The output end of the cleaning telescopic rotary driver is connected to the cleaning connecting rod, and the cleaning telescopic rotary driver is used to drive the cleaning connecting rod and the brush to telescopically rotate.

[0024] The end of the cleaning connecting rod away from the cleaning telescopic rotary driver is connected to the brush.

[0025] In some embodiments, the idler wheel assembly includes an idler wheel connecting seat, an idler wheel connecting rod, and an idler wheel body;

[0026] The idler wheel connecting seat is connected to one of the first connecting joints, the idler wheel connecting rod is rotatably connected to the idler wheel connecting seat, and the idler wheel body is connected to one end of the idler wheel connecting rod.

[0027] In some embodiments, the detection component includes a detection connector, a detection driver, and a detection mounting base;

[0028] The detection connector is connected to one of the second connecting joints, the detection driver is connected to the detection connector, and the output end of the detection driver is connected to the detection mounting base. The detection driver is used to drive the detection mounting base to move.

[0029] In some embodiments, the detection component further includes a ranging sensor, a fill light, a gimbal motor, and a video inspection camera;

[0030] The ranging sensor, supplementary light, and gimbal motor are all mounted on the detection mounting base. The output end of the gimbal motor is connected to the video inspection camera, and the gimbal motor is used to drive the video inspection camera to move.

[0031] In some embodiments, the nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot further includes a control system, which is communicatively connected to the joint assembly, the walking assembly, the cleaning assembly, and the detection assembly.

[0032] The following are the beneficial effects of implementing this utility model: This nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot is constructed with multiple interconnected joint components to form a multi-degree-of-freedom structure. The overall structure adopts a serpentine shape, which is characterized by strong extensibility, high flexibility, and the ability to move in confined spaces. When working in pipelines, the robot can overcome obstacles by adjusting the bending angle of the joint components to pass through butterfly valves. Since the cleaning components are connected to the joint components, they can overcome obstacles by passing through butterfly valves when retracting with the joint components, and they can also approach the inner wall of the pipeline when expanding with the joint components, effectively cleaning the inner wall. This nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot also features a walking component that allows for flexible omnidirectional movement. Through the coordination of different rotation directions between the various walking components, the robot can move forward, backward, laterally, and rotate in place. It also has a detection component to detect the internal condition of the pipeline and provide real-time feedback. Additionally, an idler wheel component provides stable support during the robot's movement, ensuring smooth movement and maintaining balance during cleaning operations. This makes the robot's movement more stable under different pipeline conditions, preventing slippage or instability in complex pipelines. All components are linked together through joints, ensuring coordinated operation between the various components of the robot. This allows the pipeline cleaning robot to operate smoothly inside the pipeline and has a certain degree of flexibility and adaptability to complex pipeline environments. Attached Figure Description

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this utility model, the present utility model will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this utility model and should not be considered as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort. In the drawings:

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot in some embodiments of this utility model;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the joint assembly, walking assembly, and cleaning assembly in some embodiments of this utility model;

[0036] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A structural diagram from another direction;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the idler wheel assembly in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the detection component in some embodiments of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0039] To provide a clearer understanding of the technical features, objectives, and effects of this utility model, the specific embodiments of this utility model are now described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, it should be understood that the orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "longitudinal," "horizontal," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "head," and "tail" are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are constructed and operated in a specific orientation. They are only for the convenience of describing this technical solution and do not indicate that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0040] It should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," "fixing," and "setting" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; 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; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. When an component is referred to as being "on" or "below" another component, the component can be located "directly" or "indirectly" on the other component, or there may be one or more intermediary components. The terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are only for the convenience of describing this technical solution and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, features defined with "first," "second," "third," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0041] Please see Figures 1 to 5 This invention relates to a nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot, as described in some embodiments. The robot comprises multiple joint components 1, multiple walking components 2, multiple cleaning components 3, an idler wheel assembly 4, and a detection component 5. The joint components 1 are interconnected to form a multi-degree-of-freedom structure. Each walking component 2 is connected to one joint component 1 and is used to walk within the pipeline. Each cleaning component 3 is connected to one joint component 1 and is used to clean the pipeline. The idler wheel assembly 4 is connected to one of the joint components 1 and moves with it. The detection component 5 is connected to one of the joint components 1 and is used to detect the condition inside the pipeline.

[0042] Specifically, the detection component 5 is located at the front end of the pipe cleaning robot to monitor the condition of the pipe's inner wall in real time. Multiple joint components 1 form the main body of the pipe cleaning robot, creating a multi-joint, degree-of-freedom snake-like robot structure. The walking component 2 provides the necessary walking power for the pipe cleaning robot. The idler wheel component 4 is located at the rear end of the pipe cleaning robot, providing stable support during robot movement and ensuring smooth movement and balance during cleaning operations. In this embodiment, there are five joint components 1, five cleaning components 3, and five walking components 2. The number of these components can be adjusted according to actual needs in practical applications.

[0043] Understandably, this nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot is constructed by interconnecting multiple joint components 1 to form a multi-degree-of-freedom structure. The overall structure adopts a serpentine shape, characterized by strong extensibility, high flexibility, and the ability to move in confined spaces. When operating within pipelines, the robot can overcome obstacles by adjusting the overall bending angle of the joint components 1 to pass through butterfly valves. Since the cleaning component 3 is connected to the joint components 1, it can overcome obstacles and pass through butterfly valves when it retracts with the joint components 1, and it can also approach the inner wall of the pipeline when it expands with the joint components 1, effectively cleaning the inner wall of the pipeline. This nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot also features a walking component 2 that enables flexible omnidirectional movement. Through the coordination of different rotational directions between the various walking components 2, the robot can move forward, backward, laterally, and rotate in place. It also includes a detection component 5 to monitor the internal conditions of the pipeline and provide real-time feedback. Additionally, an idler wheel component 4 provides stable support during the robot's movement, ensuring smooth movement and maintaining balance during cleaning operations. This makes the robot's movement more stable under different pipeline conditions, preventing slippage or instability in complex pipelines. All components are interconnected via joints, ensuring coordinated operation and allowing the pipeline cleaning robot to run smoothly within the pipeline, possessing a certain degree of flexibility and adaptability to complex pipeline environments.

[0044] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the joint assembly 1 includes a first connecting joint 11, a second connecting joint 12, a joint drive mounting base 13, a joint actuator 14, and a joint connecting seat 15. The joint drive mounting base 13 is connected to the first connecting joint 11, and the joint actuator 14 is connected to the joint drive mounting base 13. The output end of the joint actuator 14 is connected to the second connecting joint 12 and is used to drive the second connecting joint 12 to rotate. The joint connecting seat 15 is connected to the joint drive mounting base 13 and is used to connect the walking assembly 2 or the cleaning assembly 3. Adjacent joint assemblies 1 are connected to each other through the connecting joint and the second connecting joint 12. The joint actuator 14 can be a servo motor. Servo motors are key components in industrial robots used to drive joint movement, mainly responsible for converting electrical energy into mechanical energy to drive the precise motion control of each joint of the robot. Servo motors play a crucial role in robots, and their core advantage lies in their high-precision position, speed, and torque control capabilities. The servo motor can precisely control the folding and extending angle of the second connecting joint 12 to adapt to the walking needs of different pipe diameters. It also has force control function, enabling force feedback and preventing deviation and slippage during long-term walking. The composition of multiple joint components 1 gives the pipe cleaning robot strong extensibility and flexibility, allowing it to move freely in narrow spaces. By adjusting the overall bending angle of the joint components 1, it can overcome obstacles, making it suitable for narrow pipes such as butterfly valves. This allows the cleaning component 3 on the pipe cleaning robot to smoothly cross obstacles in the retracted state.

[0045] Furthermore, each walking component 2 includes a walking driver 21, a walking connecting rod 22, and a walking wheel 23. The walking driver 21 is connected to the joint connecting seat 15, and the output end of the walking driver 21 is connected to the walking connecting rod 22. The walking driver 21 is used to drive the walking connecting rod 22 and the walking wheel 23 to move. The end of the walking connecting rod 22 away from the walking driver 21 is connected to the walking wheel 23. The walking wheel 23 is a Mecanum wheel, an omnidirectional wheel, or a differential wheel. In this embodiment, the walking wheel 23 is preferably a Mecanum wheel. Mecanum wheels have omnidirectional mobility, high maneuverability and controllability, smooth and precise motion control, and balanced loading and weight distribution, enabling the pipeline cleaning robot to move forward, backward, translate left and right, and rotate in place. The walking driver 21 can be a servo motor. In this embodiment, each walking component 2 uses a servo motor to control a pair of Mecanum wheels to ensure that the pipeline robot has strong driving capability and movement speed.

[0046] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, each cleaning component 3 includes a cleaning push drive 31, a cleaning telescopic rotary drive 32, a cleaning connecting rod 33, and a brush 34. The cleaning push drive 31 is connected to the joint connector 15, and its output end is connected to the cleaning telescopic rotary drive 32. The cleaning push drive 31 drives the cleaning telescopic rotary drive 32 to move up and down. The output end of the cleaning telescopic rotary drive 32 is connected to the cleaning connecting rod 33, which drives the cleaning connecting rod 33 and the brush 34 to telescopically rotate. The end of the cleaning connecting rod 33 away from the cleaning telescopic rotary drive 32 is connected to the brush 34. Specifically, the cleaning telescopic rotary drive 32 is a telescopic rotary motor. This motor allows the brush 34 to extend and retract according to the actual site conditions and rotates to clean the inner wall of the pipe. The rotation of the brush 34 effectively removes dirt and deposits from the inner wall of the pipe. The brush 34 can be customized with appropriate materials according to the actual working conditions and material of the pipe. It can be customized and replaced according to the inner diameter of the pipe being cleaned, and can completely fit the inner wall of the pipe. In addition, the cleaning push actuator 31 can be an electric push rod, which can adjust the height position of the brush 34 relative to the joint connecting seat 15. The position can be adjusted according to the actual situation so that the brush 34 can completely fit the inner wall of the pipe for cleaning. In this embodiment, there are two cleaning push actuators 31, which are arranged on both sides of the cleaning telescopic rotary actuator 32 to jointly drive the cleaning telescopic rotary actuator 32.

[0047] In other embodiments, high-pressure water jet, laser cleaning, or ultrasonic cleaning technologies may also be used to meet different cleaning needs.

[0048] like Figure 4 As shown, the idler wheel assembly 4 includes an idler wheel connecting seat 41, an idler wheel connecting rod 42, and an idler wheel body 43. The idler wheel connecting seat 41 is connected to one of the first connecting joints 11, the idler wheel connecting rod 42 is rotatably connected to the idler wheel connecting seat 41, and the idler wheel body 43 is connected to one end of the idler wheel connecting rod 42. Specifically, the idler wheel assembly 4 is located at the tail end of the pipe cleaning robot. There are two idler wheel bodies 43, which provide stable support during the movement of the pipe robot, ensuring that the robot can move smoothly and maintain its working balance during cleaning operations. This makes the movement of the pipe robot more stable under different pipe conditions, avoiding slippage or instability in complex pipes. In some embodiments, the idler wheel connecting seat 41 also has a cable interface to enable power and information transmission during wired transmission.

[0049] like Figure 5As shown, the detection assembly 5 includes a detection connector 51, a detection driver 52, and a detection mounting base 53. The detection connector 51 is connected to one of the second connecting joints 12. The detection driver 52 is connected to the detection connector 51, and its output is connected to the detection mounting base 53. The detection driver 52 is used to drive the detection mounting base 53 to move. The detection driver 52 can drive the detection mounting base 53 to rotate.

[0050] The detection component 5 also includes a ranging sensor 54, a supplementary light 55, a gimbal motor 56, and a video inspection camera 57. The ranging sensor 54, supplementary light 55, and gimbal motor 56 are all mounted on the detection mounting base 53. The output of the gimbal motor 56 is connected to the video inspection camera 57, which drives the camera's movement. Specifically, the video inspection camera 57 can consist of a lighting device, lens, camera module, high-speed image acquisition card, etc., enabling rapid remote and efficient inspection of the inside of the pipeline. The camera has supplementary lighting and low-light visibility functions. Combined with the surrounding supplementary light 55, the pipeline robot can use the video inspection camera 57 to perform video inspections of the surface conditions inside the pipeline, such as scale, cracks, and damage. The gimbal motor 56 allows the video inspection camera 57 to have different camera angles to ensure the inspection field of view. Furthermore, the ranging sensor 54 is preferably a TOF ranging sensor.

[0051] The nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot also includes a control system, which is communicatively connected to the joint assembly 1, the walking assembly 2, the cleaning assembly 3, and the detection assembly 5. This control system can control the movement of the joint assembly 1, the walking assembly 2, the cleaning assembly 3, and the detection assembly 5.

[0052] Furthermore, depending on the pipeline material and environmental conditions, different shell materials for pipeline robots can be selected to improve wear resistance, corrosion resistance, or high-temperature resistance.

[0053] It is understood that the above embodiments only illustrate preferred embodiments of the present utility model, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present utility model patent. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, the above technical features can be freely combined, and several modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present utility model, all of which fall within the protection scope of the present utility model. Therefore, all equivalent transformations and modifications made within the scope of the claims of the present utility model should fall within the coverage of the claims of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot, characterized in that, It includes multiple joint components (1), multiple walking components (2), multiple cleaning components (3), idler wheel components (4), and detection components (5); The multiple joint components (1) are interconnected to form a structure with multiple degrees of freedom; Each of the walking components (2) is connected to one of the joint components (1) and is used to walk in the pipe; Each of the cleaning components (3) is connected to one of the joint components (1) and is used to clean the pipe; The idler wheel assembly (4) is connected to one of the joint assemblies (1) and moves as the idler wheel assembly (4) moves; The detection component (5) is connected to one of the joint components (1) and is used to detect the condition inside the pipe.

2. The nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The joint assembly (1) includes a first connecting joint (11), a second connecting joint (12), a joint drive mounting base (13), a joint driver (14), and a joint connecting base (15). The joint drive mounting base (13) is connected to the first connecting joint (11), and the joint driver (14) is connected to the joint drive mounting base (13); The output end of the joint actuator (14) is connected to the second connecting joint (12) and is used to drive the second connecting joint (12) to rotate; The joint connector (15) is connected to the joint drive mounting base (13) and is used to connect the walking assembly (2) or the cleaning assembly (3).

3. The nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The adjacent joint components (1) are connected by the first connecting joint (11) and the second connecting joint (12).

4. The nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the walking components (2) includes a walking driver (21), a walking connecting rod (22), and a walking wheel (23); The walking driver (21) is connected to the joint connecting seat (15), and the output end of the walking driver (21) is connected to the walking connecting rod (22). The walking driver (21) is used to drive the walking connecting rod (22) and the walking wheel (23) to move. The end of the walking connecting rod (22) away from the walking driver (21) is connected to the walking wheel (23).

5. The nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, The traveling wheel (23) is a Mecanum wheel, an omnidirectional wheel, or a differential wheel.

6. The nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the cleaning components (3) includes a cleaning push drive (31), a cleaning telescopic rotary drive (32), a cleaning connecting rod (33), and a brush (34). The cleaning push driver (31) is connected to the joint connector (15), and the output end of the cleaning push driver (31) is connected to the cleaning telescopic rotary driver (32). The cleaning push driver (31) is used to drive the cleaning telescopic rotary driver (32) to move up and down. The output end of the cleaning telescopic rotary driver (32) is connected to the cleaning connecting rod (33), and the cleaning telescopic rotary driver (32) is used to drive the cleaning connecting rod (33) and the brush (34) to telescopically rotate. The end of the cleaning connecting rod (33) away from the cleaning telescopic rotary actuator (32) is connected to the brush (34).

7. The nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The idler assembly (4) includes an idler connecting seat (41), an idler connecting rod (42), and an idler body (43). The idler wheel connecting seat (41) is connected to one of the first connecting joints (11), the idler wheel connecting rod (42) is rotatably connected to the idler wheel connecting seat (41), and the idler wheel body (43) is connected to one end of the idler wheel connecting rod (42).

8. The nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The detection component (5) includes a detection connector (51), a detection driver (52), and a detection mounting base (53); The detection connector (51) is connected to one of the second connecting joints (12), the detection driver (52) is connected to the detection connector (51), and the output end of the detection driver (52) is connected to the detection mounting base (53). The detection driver (52) is used to drive the detection mounting base (53) to move.

9. The nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, The detection component (5) also includes a ranging sensor (54), a fill light (55), a gimbal motor (56), and a video inspection camera (57); The ranging sensor (54), the fill light (55), and the gimbal motor (56) are all mounted on the detection mounting base (53). The output end of the gimbal motor (56) is connected to the video inspection camera (57), and the gimbal motor (56) is used to drive the video inspection camera (57) to move.

10. The nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nuclear power plant pipeline cleaning robot also includes a control system, which is communicatively connected to the joint assembly (1), the walking assembly (2), the cleaning assembly (3), and the detection assembly (5).

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