Internal pressure vessel inspections are carried routinely, but the process of closing production, depressurising the vessel and transporting any fluids or liquids can cost a company over £1m within a few days. These inspections are currently carried out by humans and carry a high level of risk.
To combat these problems, the remotely controlled Chimera robot is being developed by a collaboration of UK companies for use across industries including oil and gas and nuclear.
The tethered Chimera is built in two components, giving it the flexibility required to climb internal vessel walls. The robot will have a camera attached to relay live images back to the operator and an ultrasonic phased array inspection system and LIDAR scanner will also be included to create a 3D map of the pressure vessel’s internal structure. A ‘snake’ arm can also be attached to carry out any minor repairs needed in such a confined space.
Cumbrian engineering firm Forth has developed the robotic platform of the Chimera project and has successfully trialled the machine to prove that the concept model carries out its functions.
In a statement, Joshua Oakes, a project engineer at Forth, said: “Chimera removes the human element from hazardous environments, and lets the work get carried out from a safe, remote distance.
“The job can also be completed in hours rather than days, with production not having to be stopped at all.”
Forth added that Chimera will come equipped with four heavy duty magnets each with a pull of 116kg worth of weight so it can climb interior walls and ceilings.
The machine features a four-track drive, and Forth said the operator will be able to steer each track individually to ensure it can be easily controlled. The machine’s two-part construction allows for a greater deal of flexibility and to enable the machine to be pulled back if power is lost in the machine’s motors. To reduce the risks of losing power, a water-cooling system has been included on the machine to keep the electrics cool during use.
The Innovate UK-backed programme has been supported by The Welding Institute, Headlight AI, Sound Mathematics, Nottingham University, Rolls Royce, Metallisation and Race.
Backers are now being sought to take Chimera (Comprehensive Highly Integrated Maintenance Engineer's Robotic Assistant) forward to commercialisation.
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