Structural and mechatronic aspects of the development of a robotic device for assessing geometric defects of pipelines

Reliable operation of small-diameter pipeline systems is an important task in ensuring the process safety of industrial facilities operating under high temperatures and pressures. One of the key factors influencing the occurrence of emergency situations is the thinning of pipe walls caused by erosion, corrosion, and stress corrosion cracking. In conditions of limited space and the impossibility of using standard non-destructive testing tools, there is an increasing need to develop compact automated solutions for internal diagnostics of pipeline geometric parameters. This paper presents the development and experimental study of a robotic diagnostic device designed for internal scanning of pipes with a minimum cross-sectional diameter of 130 mm. The device is a mechatronic system with eight drive wheels driven by gear motors and controlled by a Raspberry Pi 3 microcomputer. The body design is made using additive technologies and includes measurement and power modules located in separate sections. Laboratory tests have been conducted to confirm the operability of the device and its control algorithms. The developed software package ensures autonomous movement of the device, collection and recording of diagnostic data. The results obtained allow forming a detailed geometry of the pipeline, identifying areas with an increased level of ovality and deformations, which is important for assessing the residual resource. The developed solution can be used both in research tasks and as part of industrial non-destructive testing systems for small-diameter pipes.

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