Modularized in-pipe robot capable of selective navigation Inside of pipelines

Abstract

In this paper we present an in-pipe robot, called MRINSPECT V (Multifunctional Robotic crawler for In-pipe inSPECTion V), which is under development for the inspection of pipelines with a nominal 8-inch inside diameter. To travel freely in every pipeline element, the robot adopts a differential driving mechanism that we have developed. Furthermore, by introducing clutches in transmitting driving power to the wheels, MRINSPECT V is able to select the suitable driving method according to the shape of the pipeline and save the energy to drive in pipelines. The robot aiming for autonomous navigation is configured with four modules serially connected. Two active driving modules are located in front and rear of the system, respectively. Passive modules are linked between the driving modules. This module-based robot can fit to narrow and winding pipelines by using the novel mechanism such as the specially designed module-joints. In this paper, the critical points in the design and construction of the proposed robot are described with the preliminary results of experiments that yield good mobility and increased efficiency.