Robot Developed in Russia to Diagnose Pipelines
The system is designed to detect structural defects before gas begins flowing through the pipes.
Engineers at the Higher School of Automation and Robotics within the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University have developed a robotic system for diagnosing main gas pipelines.
According to Oleg Shmakov, associate professor at the Higher School of Automation and Robotics, new pipelines are typically inspected only after gas is introduced. But potential defects can damage equipment. The St. Petersburg team has therefore developed a rapid primary inspection technology that can be used during pipeline construction.
The development is a robotic platform capable of traveling distances of up to 60 kilometers inside pipelines with a diameter of 1,400 millimeters and inclines of up to 30 degrees. An energy recovery system improves the robot’s efficiency. Researchers are also developing algorithms to automatically detect defects based on data collected by the system’s sensors.
AI to Analyze the Data
The first prototype is already undergoing pilot industrial testing. Data collected from the sensors are being analyzed to guide further upgrades. The new autonomous diagnostic system is expected to be deployed in 2027.
