Adaptive soft robot for complex multiple scenes: navigating pipelines,
valves, and pressure vessels
Abstract
Pipelines, valves, and pressure vessels (PVs) are vital components in
nuclear power, thermoelectric, and chemical systems, operating under
high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. Ensuring their safe
operation requires regular inspections, which current robotic systems
cannot fully address due to the diverse and challenging environments. To
address this need, we propose a robotic system featuring a narrow-waist
spring torso, airbag foot supports, and propeller negative pressure
adsorption. The robot exhibits three key features: First, the
narrow-waist spring torso enables extensive telescopic and
multi-directional bending deformation, allowing it to navigate sharp
turns and avoid edges of necks within stop valves. Second, the airbags
offer exceptional passive compliance and large deformation capacity,
adapting to significant size variations and shape changes within valve
cavities for reliable anchoring. Third the propeller negative pressure
adsorption allows the robot to traverse PV inner walls with poor surface
conditions, such as corrosion and scaling. The robot employs a worm-like
creeping motion to adapt to complex internal channels and varying
curvatures of pipelines and PVs. Experimental results demonstrate the
robot’s ability to smoothly traverse a DN125 stop valve (84 mm-125 mm
internal diameter) and move between pipelines and PVs. This confirms its
capability to operate across multiple scenes, adapting to wall curvature
radii from 55.5 mm to infinity and handling bosses, shape changes and
size variations. This robotic system provides a valuable reference for
designing non-disassembly internal inspection robots in gas and liquid
transport systems, enhancing safety and reliability in high-temperature
and high-pressure environments.