Inherently Safe Mobile Platform for Hazardous Tank Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conducting tank inspections in hazardous environments, such as those containing flammable substances, is challenging due to safety concerns and the need for human intervention, which is labor-intensive and disruptive to operations.
Innovation Solution
A mobile platform is designed to be inherently safe, equipped with a control unit, propulsion system, and power supply, allowing it to operate autonomously within a tank filled with energetic substances without an external umbilical connection, using a rotary power device inside an explosion-proof enclosure to prevent sparks from escaping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If human work crews enter the tank interior to perform inspections, then inspection tasks can be performed, but safety hazards increase and operations are disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection system performs tasks autonomously without human intervention. The mobile platform navigates independently, sensors automatically scan tank walls, and data is collected and transmitted without requiring human presence in the hazardous environment, thereby eliminating safety hazards while maintaining inspection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of human operators with an automated mobile platform equipped with sensors. This substitution eliminates the need for human crews to physically enter the tank, removing the safety hazard associated with human exposure to hazardous environments while preserving the inspection function
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the tank is emptied and purged before inspection, then safety is improved, but inspection time and operational disruption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automated inspection system can operate in hazardous atmospheres without requiring the tank to be emptied or purged. The platform independently navigates and performs inspections while the tank remains in its operational state with flammable substances present, eliminating the time-consuming preparation steps while maintaining safety through automation and remote operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to operate safely in the presence of flammable substances by using inherently safe components and containment strategies. The mobile platform and its equipment are configured to prevent ignition sources from contacting the hazardous atmosphere, allowing inspections to proceed without purging the tank, thus avoiding operational disruption and time loss
3Object-affected harmful factors
If remotely operated inspection devices are used, then human safety is improved, but labor intensity and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from remote operation requiring human control to fully autonomous operation. The mobile platform independently navigates using onboard sensors, automatically positions inspection equipment, collects data, and transmits results. This eliminates the need for operators to manually control the device while maintaining human safety, and the added intelligence actually reduces overall system complexity by removing the human-in-the-loop control infrastructure
4Use of energy by moving object
If an opening is created for umbilical access, then power and data transmission are enabled, but exposure of hazardous materials to the external environment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous mobile platform carries its own power supply (battery) and onboard electronics, eliminating the need for an external umbilical cable. This self-contained design allows the platform to operate completely independently within the sealed tank environment, preventing any opening or connection that would expose hazardous materials to the external environment while still providing all necessary power and data processing capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the power supply and control electronics from the external environment and places them directly on the mobile platform itself. By taking out the umbilical connection requirement and integrating power and control systems onto the platform, the design eliminates the opening needed for cable access, thereby preventing hazardous material exposure while maintaining full operational capability
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 efficient and safe tank inspections without human intervention, reducing operational disruptions and ensuring the safety of both personnel and the environment by preventing sparks from igniting flammable substances.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one inherently safe enclosure of the mobile platform prevents a spark occurring inside the at least one inherently safe enclosure from passing to an exterior of the at least one inherently safe enclosure
Implementation Method 2
a rotary power device positioned inside the at least one inherently safe enclosure that supplies power to a drive assembly positioned outside the at least one inherently safe enclosure
Data Source
AI summary
A method of performing a selected task in a tank containing an energetic substance uses an inherently safe mobile platform that includes a marker detector, a control unit, a power supply, a propulsion system, and an inherently safe enclosure. The inherently safe enclosure prevents a spark occurring inside the inherently safe enclosure from passing to an exterior of the inherently safe enclosure. All spark-generating components of the mobile platform are positioned inside the inherently safe enclosure. The method includes lowering the mobile platform into the tank, at least partially submerging the mobile platform in the energetic substance, and detecting a marker using the marker detector. No active physical carrier connects the mobile platform to an object exterior of the tank while the mobile platform is in the tank.