Robotic self-propelled system for production and installation of photopolymer pipelines

Abstract

FIELD: automated pipeline construction technologies.SUBSTANCE: invention relates to transporting extracted oil, namely the continuous production and laying of a pipe made of photopolymer resin with a reinforced frame directly into a trench. The robotic self-propelled system consists of a chassis with a power module equipped with a hydraulic station and an electrical installation, a control and monitoring system for the entire system, a chassis with a transport module with containers for storing photopolymer resin and reinforcing material, a chassis with a production module equipped with an extruder, a reinforcement device, an extrusion head, a photocuring unit and a flaw detection unit. The pipe is produced continuously by feeding photopolymer resin into an extruder that forms the inner layer of the pipeline, reinforcing it by wrapping it with reinforcing material, applying a second photopolymer layer to the reinforced inner layer of the pipeline, exposing it to light for photocuring, checking the parameters of the manufactured pipe in a flaw detection unit, and lowering the pipeline into a trench.EFFECT: production and flaw detection of a pipeline from a photopolymer reinforced pipe is achieved with its simultaneous laying in a prepared trench, reducing construction time, and increasing the reliability and quality of the pipeline.5 cl, 2 dwg

Description

[0001] Field of technology to which the invention relates

[0002] The invention relates to the field of automated robotic systems intended for the continuous production and laying of pipelines, used primarily for systems for collecting oil extracted from wells.

[0003] The complex is designed for automated production, reinforcement, photocuring, flaw detection and installation of photopolymer pipelines directly into a trench without the need for transporting finished sections, welding or making butt joints.

[0004] State of the art

[0005] Currently, the oil and gas industry uses steel pipelines to transport extracted oil. These are manufactured in factories and installed on-site using welding or splicing. This technology requires the use of lifting equipment, complex installation, and quality control due to the risk of weld defects, which slows construction. Furthermore, metal pipes are susceptible to corrosion and require constant protection—electrochemical, paint, or lining.

[0006] Composite pipelines, manufactured in factories and installed on-site using a butt joint method, are also used. This technology requires the use of lifting equipment and complex installation, which reduces construction speed. Furthermore, the use of composite pipelines is subject to uncontrolled leak risks at the butt joints.

[0007] Patent WO 2012 / 113035 A1, 2012, "Mobile Plastics Extrusion Plant," is known. This solution discloses a mobile plant for producing plastic pipes directly on a construction site, eliminating the need to transport long sections and welding. Disadvantages: the plant does not provide for pipe reinforcement, does not lay the pipe in place in a trench, does not use photocuring, and does not include an automatic control system or certification of the manufactured pipeline parameters. Operation is performed by an operator.

[0008] US Patent 4,558,971 A, 1985, "Continuous Pipeline Fabrication Method," is known. This solution proposes a method for continuously fabricating pipelines on-site using mechanical winding and pulling of material along a trench. Disadvantages: this solution is an early mechanical method, does not allow for the use of modern reinforced photopolymer materials, does not include automated monitoring and control systems, and does not integrate all technological processes into a single system.

[0009] International application WO 2018 / 228972 A1, 2018, "Pultrusion method and equipment for preparing a fiber-reinforced composite," is known. This invention describes modern equipment for pultrusion and continuous fiber reinforcement with the formation of composite products. Disadvantages: the device is not mobile, is not intended for direct formation of a pipeline in a trench, and does not provide for photocuring or automatic certification of geometric parameters.

[0010] US Patent 8,951,029 B2, 2015, "Mobile Plastics Extrusion Plant," is known. The invention describes a mobile extrusion plant for producing plastic products on-site, including elements for transporting and accommodating process equipment. Disadvantages include: no integrated pipe reinforcement and curing processes, no on-site pipe laying in a trench, no real-time geometric and process parameter monitoring system, and no automatic pipeline section certification function. This solution is considered a prototype.

[0011] Thus, at the current level of technology there are no solutions that ensure continuous production, reinforcement and installation of photopolymer pipelines directly into a trench with simultaneous flaw detection of the manufactured pipe.

[0012] Disclosure of the essence of the invention

[0013] The objective of the invention is to create a robotic self-propelled complex that ensures the continuous production and laying of photopolymer pipelines directly into a trench, as well as automatic certification of the technological and geometric parameters of the process by flaw detection of the manufactured pipe.

[0014] The technical result of the invention consists in ensuring the automation of the pipeline construction process, reducing labor costs and installation times, increasing the reliability and quality of the pipeline by eliminating joints, and also in ensuring documentation of the parameters of each manufactured section of the pipeline.

[0015] The technical result is achieved in that the robotic self-propelled complex for the production and laying of photopolymer pipeline includes three self-propelled wheeled chassis connected to each other: the first chassis is a power module with a hydraulic station and an electrical installation based on an internal combustion engine, and a control system for the entire robotic complex; the second chassis is a transport module containing tanks with photopolymer resin and reinforcing material; the third chassis is a production module including an extruder, a device for weaving a reinforcing frame, a photocuring unit, a flaw detection unit, and, connected to the production module, a laying device that lays the finished photopolymer pipeline in a pre-prepared place, wherein the chassis are connected to each other by a rigid coupling, which is automatically controlled by a control system that controls the movement of the complex along the required trajectory of movement at a given speed.

[0016] The control system has the ability to carry out automatic monitoring, recording the length and depth of the laid section of the pipeline, the coordinates of the start and end of the pipeline, the wall thickness and the presence of voids in the wall of the pipeline, the parameters of reinforcement and curing of the pipeline, the date and time of laying the pipeline, as well as the state of the technological equipment of the complex and its chassis.

[0017] The robotic complex is designed with the ability to continuously form and lay photopolymer pipes directly into a pre-prepared trench or on supports.

[0018] The control system has the ability to carry out pipeline certification.

[0019] The robotic complex is designed with the ability to operate in autonomous, automatic and semi-automatic modes.

[0020] The drawings show:

[0021] Fig. 1 shows the process of production and laying of photopolymer pipe in a pre-dug trench, the following designations are adopted: 1 - power module, 2 - transport module, 3 - production module, 4 - laying device, 5 - photopolymer pipeline;

[0022] Fig. 2 shows a diagram of the pipe production in the production module, the following designations are used: 6 - extruder, 7 - reinforcing frame weaving device, 8 - extrusion head, 9 - photocuring unit, 10 - flaw detection unit, 5 - photopolymer pipeline.

[0023] The robotic self-propelled complex comprises three self-propelled wheeled chassis connected to each other by a controlled coupling: the first chassis is a power module 1 with a hydraulic station and an electrical installation based on an internal combustion engine, a control system for the entire robotic complex; the second chassis is a transport module 2 containing tanks with photopolymer resin and reinforcing material; the third chassis is a production module 3 including an extruder 6, a device for weaving a reinforcing frame 7, a photocuring unit 9, a flaw detection unit 10, and, connected to the production module 3, a laying device 4 that lays a photopolymer pipeline 5 in a pre-prepared trench or on supports in the middle. The chassis, connected to each other by a rigid coupling, rotate relative to each other automatically, using the control system.

[0024] Implementation of the invention

[0025] A self-propelled robotic system consisting of three self-propelled chassis connected by a controlled coupling, with a power module 1, a transport module 2, and a production module 3 mounted on them, is installed in a pre-prepared section of the pipeline trench. Power module 1 operates the hydraulic and electrical systems of the system and controls the operation of the entire robotic system. Photopolymer resin and reinforcing material are fed from transport module 2 to production module 3. Extruder 6 forms the inner layer of the pipeline by pre-curing it with light, after which reinforcing cage weaving device 7 winds the reinforcing cage onto the formed inner layer of the pipeline, and extrusion head 8 applies an outer layer of photopolymer onto the wound reinforcing cage on the inner layer of the pipeline.Next, the fully formed pipeline passes through a photocuring unit 9, where the pipeline material is polymerized under the influence of radiation.

[0026] The fully manufactured, photocured pipeline passes through flaw detection unit 10, where it undergoes X-ray inspection and eddy current thickness measurement across the entire cross-section to record the results in an electronic pipeline passport. The electronic pipeline passport is generated in the control system's memory based on readings from the flaw detection unit and the system's process and navigation sensors.

[0027] Next, the photopolymer pipeline 5, which has passed the flaw detection test, is centered in the middle of the trench using the laying device 4 and lowered to its bottom or laid in the center of the supports.

[0028] The pipe production and laying process is continuous – as the robotic system automatically moves over the trench, the pipeline is formed, flaw-detected, and laid at the bottom of the trench. Tanks with photopolymer resin and reinforcing material are periodically replenished as needed, without interrupting the pipeline production and laying process.

[0029] The robotic self-propelled complex is designed for the production of pipes with a diameter of 80 mm to 114 mm and is equipped with a hydraulic station and an electrical installation based on an internal combustion engine, which allows it to be used in remote areas without an external power supply.

[0030] Each wheel of the chassis of the complex is equipped with its own hydraulic drive, controlled by the control system located on the power module 1. The control system is equipped with the necessary technological sensors: lidar-type position sensors relative to the trench, positioning on the ground using a satellite navigation system, an artificial vision system consisting of four wide-angle cameras installed on each of the chassis of the complex and forming a control zone within a 360-degree radius around the complex.

[0031] By setting the rotation speed of each wheel, the system's control system maintains a predetermined trajectory for each self-propelled chassis. As a result, the robotic self-propelled system moves along the pipeline laying profile with the specified accuracy and speed, ensuring the correct placement of the completed pipeline.

[0032] During the manufacturing and installation of photopolymer pipes, the control system of the robotic self-propelled complex automatically monitors and certifies the manufactured pipeline, records its length and depth of the laid section, the coordinates of the beginning and end of the laid pipeline, the wall thickness and the presence of defects, reinforcement and curing parameters, the date and time of installation, as well as the condition of the process equipment and chassis.

[0033] The complex can operate in two modes: fully autonomous – in which movement and process control are carried out by the navigation and automatic control system, and semi-automatic – in which the operator sets the parameters and controls the execution of operations.

[0034] Thus, the robotic self-propelled complex ensures a full cycle of production and installation of pipelines on-site, increases the reliability and quality of pipes, reduces labor intensity and construction costs, and provides automatic documentation of the process.

Claims

1. A robotic self-propelled complex for the production and laying of photopolymer pipelines, comprising three interconnected self-propelled wheeled chassis: the first chassis is a power module with a hydraulic station and an electrical installation based on an internal combustion engine, and a control system for the entire robotic complex; the second chassis is a transport module containing tanks with photopolymer resin and reinforcing material; the third chassis is a production module including an extruder, a device for weaving a reinforcing frame, a photocuring unit, a flaw detection unit and a laying device connected to the production module, which lays the finished photopolymer pipeline in a pre-prepared place, wherein the chassis are interconnected by a rigid coupling, which is automatically controlled by a control system that controls the movement of the complex along the required trajectory of movement at a given speed.

2. A robotic complex according to paragraph 1, in which the control system has the ability to carry out automatic control, recording the length and depth of the laid section of the pipeline, the coordinates of the beginning and end of the pipeline, the wall thickness and the presence of voids in the wall of the pipeline, the parameters of reinforcement and curing of the pipeline, the date and time of laying the pipeline, as well as the state of the technological equipment of the complex and its chassis.

3. A robotic complex according to paragraph 1, which is designed with the possibility of continuously forming and laying a photopolymer pipe directly into a pre-prepared trench or on supports.

4. A robotic complex according to paragraph 1, in which the control system has the ability to carry out pipeline certification.

5. A robotic complex according to paragraph 1, which is designed with the ability to operate in autonomous, automatic and semi-automatic modes.

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