Basic Study for Wireless Power Transfer to a Pipeline Inspection Robot

Abstract

Our goal is to transfer power to a pipeline inspection robot by using microwave. We calculated cutoff frequencies and attenuation coefficients of each propagation mode by electromagnetic theory of a waveguide, since a gas pipeline can be regarded as a circular waveguide. We simulated a joint part of pipes, and found that the loss caused by a joint part is much smaller than the attenuation of the microwave. We conducted simulations on curved pipes as well and clarified how propagation modes convert at curved pipes.