Research On A Pipeline Robot Based-on Spherical Aircraft

Pipeline plays a very important role in industrial production and daily life, the safeoperation of pipelines requires a variety of detection technology and equipment to protectand preserve. Pipeline robot is an important testing equipment, and thus pipeline robot hasreceived wide attention and developed rapidly. After years of exploration and research,there are a lot of real products. From the structure and walking principle, pipeline robotcan be divided into the wheel, crawler, creep, multi-legged crawling and other structuralforms. However, due to the diversity and complexity of the pipeline environment, there isnot a pipeline robot can satisfy the various needs of the pipeline operations, especially inthe case of unusual shaped pipe, and there are obstacles in pipe.Existing pipeline robots generate the power to go forward by means of the frictionbetween the robots and the pipeline, this is also that it can·t be well adapted to the complexenvironment of pipe, there are the problems that are difficult to turn and limited to diameter.This paper presents a completely different pipeline robot structure, using gas injectiontechnology to make the robot suspended in the pipeline, it isn·t contact with the wall in themovement of the inside of the pipe. After analysis and preliminary experimental validationof several viable programs, this paper chooses the spherical aircraft structure, this is thefirst time of pipeline robot based on spherical aircraft. Experimental prototype based onspherical aircraft structure pipe robot utilizes the basic structure of the helicopter sculls,plus the spherical high elastic plastic protective cover, the drive motor, batteries, and thecontrol panel are located in the bottom of the spherical bodies. This structure shape and theoverall position of the center of gravity is very suitable for the movement of the robot in thepipeline, but also enables the robot to maintain stable flight, and naturally remain thepropeller vertically upwards state after landing.The control board of spherical pipeline robot, with the microchip PIC16F1825 launched by the Microchip company recently as the master chip, also configure the infrareddistance detection circuit, gyroscope circuit, motor drive circuits, communication circuits,and power conversion circuit. The robot can be stably suspended in the inside of the pipeby Integral separation PID control, also can control the height of the suspension. By way ofa wired or wireless communication to control the robot to achieve the basic operation, suchas forward, backward, turn, suspensions, floor. The running test results of experimentalprototype verify the feasibility of the spherical pipeline robot, and laid the foundation forfurther engineering and practicality.