Three-Articulated-Wheel Magnetic Crawler for Pipe Inspection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The periodic inspection of elevated assets in the oil and gas industry, such as high-elevation pipes and structures, is challenging due to difficulty in access, leading to costly and hazardous scaffolding setups.
Innovation Solution
A magnetic crawler with three articulated magnetic wheels that can navigate and inspect ferromagnetic cylindrical surfaces, using independent drive wheels and a passive rear wheel for adaptive curvature contact, along with ultrasonic testing sensors for non-destructive thickness measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If scaffolding is erected to access high-elevation pipes for inspection, then inspector access is enabled, but cost and safety hazards increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical scaffolding system with a magnetic crawler that uses magnetic adhesion forces to climb and inspect pipes. The crawler employs magnetic wheels with permanent magnets that adhere to the ferromagnetic pipe surface, eliminating the need for physical scaffolding structures and associated safety hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic crawler is self-propelled and self-supported through magnetic adhesion, requiring no external scaffolding or support structures. The system serves itself by using the pipe's own magnetic properties to provide both propulsion and support forces.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple magnetic wheels are used to ensure stable contact on curved surfaces, then adaptability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs articulation joints that allow the magnetic wheels to dynamically adjust their orientation and position relative to the pipe surface. The articulation mechanism enables the wheels to conform to curved surfaces through rotational degrees of freedom, maintaining stable contact without requiring additional wheels.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic wheel assembly is segmented into modular components including the wheel, articulation joint, and mounting structure. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates easy adjustment of the wheel configuration to match various pipe curvatures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables cost-effective and safe inspection of curved surfaces by maintaining tangential contact and adaptive maneuverability, allowing for robust two-dimensional mapping of surface thickness without the need for scaffolding.
Implementation Method 1
only three articulated magnetic wheels coupled to the chassis and configured to tangentially contact and magnetically adhere to the cylindrical surface
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A magnetic crawler configured to navigate on and inspect a ferromagnetic cylindrical surface is provided. The crawler includes a chassis, a controller configured to control the crawler, a probe configured to inspect the cylindrical surface under the control of the controller, and only three articulated magnetic wheels configured to tangentially contact and magnetically adhere to the cylindrical surface. The wheels include two drive wheels respectively coupled to the chassis by two articulation joints and configured to drive the crawler in a desired direction on the cylindrical surface by actively rotating the two drive wheels independently about respective drive axes of rotation by respective drive motors under the control of the controller: and a rear wheel coupled to the chassis by a rear articulation joint and configured to passively rotate about a rear drive axis of rotation in response to the active rotations of the two drive wheels.