Gas-Driven Endoscopic Robot for Visual Inspection of Corrosion Defects Inside Gas Pipelines

The internal inspection of corrosion in large natural gas pipelines is a fundamental task for the prevention possible failures. Photos and videos provide direct proof defects. However, implementation this technique limited by fast robot motion poor lighting conditions, with high-quality images being key to its success. In work, we developed gas-driven pipeline endoscopic (GDPER) visual inner wall surfaces pipelines. GDPER consists driving, odometer, vision modules connected universal joints. It designed work 154 mm gas-pressurized up maximum 6 MPa, allowing it smoothly pass through bends cross-ring welds at speed 3 m/s using pressure driving. Test results have shown that HD MP4 video files can be obtained, location defects on detected intelligent image post-processing. function enables survey very long without impacting transport pipage.