A Basic Study of a Mobile Inspection Robot Movable the Long Distance in Small Diameter Pipes.

Abstract

This paper describes the feasibility of an in-pipe mobile inspection robot which is able to move the long distance in small diameter pipes, using the pneumatic and vacuum pressure switched by an electromagnetic valve for driving power of the robot. We propose that the electromagnetic valve must be attached near the pneumatic actuator in order to move the long distance. The pneumatic pressure of+300 kPa and vacuum pressure of-80 kPa are supplied to the electromagnetic valve by two feeding tubes which are 140m long. The fabricated robot attached with 4 friction rings at double ends of actuator could move the distance of 20m in the inner diameter of 44mm vinyl chloride pipe at the time of 15 minutes. From this basic study, we confirmed that the inspection robot may be able to move the long distance, if the inspection robot is combined by 4 or 5 driving robots.