Friction Stir Welding Crawler for Internal Repair and Refurbishment of Pipelines - FSWBot

用于管道内部修复和翻新的搅拌摩擦焊履带式 - FSWBot

• 批准号: 104056
• 金额: $ 187.38万
• 依托单位: FORTH ENGINEERING (CUMBRIA) LIMITED
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Collaborative R&D
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2018 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=104056
• 关键词: Friction; Stir; Welding; Crawler; Internal

"Steel pipelines corrode due to of the nature of the liquids they contain. Also, cracks can form over time leading to failure and leakage of the contents, resulting in severe economic losses and environmental pollution. To avoid this, inspection, evaluation, and repair activities are performed periodically. Internal cracks and areas of corrosion and metal loss are monitored by the use of intelligent inspection devices (PIGs) which carry special sensors. Sections of pipeline that are found to be likely to fail are reinforced using an externally applied bolt-on clamp which is both costly and is difficult and dangerous to install.The FSWBot project will see the development of a radical new solution to internal corrosion and cracks that form inside pipelines. Meeting the objective will result in a much cheaper, safer repair process that will enable pipeline asset owners and their service providers to produce very high- quality welds in steel pipelines without shutting down and purging petroleum pipelines and without the use of divers and surface vessels. This is of enormous importance especially in respect to inaccessible pipelines and those which are installed in parallel groups where space around pipes is restricted.The objective of the project is to develop a robotic platform with a payload consisting of unique hydraulic friction stir welding equipment which produces no sparks. Data obtained by prior high-resolution mapping of anomalies that are produced by metal loss and corrosion will be used to provide information for mission planning. Repair will be carried out in-situ using no external power and no welding consumables. The robot will generate electricity from the liquid flow in the pipeline via a variable pitch turbine diving a generator, which will supply power to a hydraulic pump and a battery which drives the magnetic tracks.FSWBot will bring about a step change in the competitiveness and growth for 3 UK business -- namely Forth Engineering, Proserv and Innvotek."

“由于管道所含液体的性质，钢管会被腐蚀。此外，随着时间的推移，可能会形成裂缝，导致内容物失效和泄漏，造成严重的经济损失和环境污染。为了避免这种情况，定期执行检查、评估和维修活动。内部裂缝、腐蚀区域和金属损失通过使用带有特殊传感器的智能检测设备（pig）进行监测。发现可能失效的管道部分使用外部应用的螺栓夹进行加固，这种夹具既昂贵又困难且安装危险。FSWBot项目将为解决管道内部腐蚀和裂缝问题提供全新的解决方案。实现这一目标将带来更便宜、更安全的维修过程，这将使管道资产所有者及其服务提供商能够在不关闭和清洗石油管道、不使用潜水员和水面船只的情况下，在钢管道中生产出非常高质量的焊缝。这是非常重要的，特别是对于难以接近的管道和那些安装在管道周围空间有限的平行组中的管道。该项目的目标是开发一个机器人平台，其有效载荷由独特的液压搅拌摩擦焊接设备组成，该设备不会产生火花。先前对金属损失和腐蚀造成的异常现象进行高分辨率测绘所获得的数据将用于为任务规划提供信息。现场维修，不使用外接电源，不使用焊接耗材。机器人将利用管道中的液体流动产生电力，通过一个变速涡轮驱动发电机，发电机将为液压泵和驱动磁轨的电池提供电力。FSWBot将为福斯工程、Proserv和innovotek这三家英国企业带来竞争力和增长的飞跃。”