Conceptual design of a pressure hull for an underwater pole inspection robot

Abstract

The conceptual design of a pressure hull design for an underwater pole inspection system is presented in this study. One of the critical elements in designing the pole-climbing robot is an enclosure for the electronic components that can sustain high pressure and with good protection for underwater application. Four main steps are required in designing the system: selection of the shape of the hull, material selection, hull thickness requirement based on depth limit and safety factor, and end closures design compatible with the hull and design requirements. This study suggests that the preferable material for the proposed structural construction of an underwater pressure hull is aluminum alloy 6061-T6. The methodological approaches applied in the design criteria include analytical calculation and a numerical method for results verification based on the circular cylindrical shape. This paper also proposes that these underwater structures should be able to operate up to 200 m depth.