Mine pipeline inspection robot design and traction performance analysis

In response to the problem of gas extraction pipeline damage and leakage inspection, a spiral mine pipeline inspection robot with pipeline inspection and motion control functions is designed. The structure and inspection and control system scheme of the robot are introduced. A mechanical analysis model is established for the operation of robots in pipelines, and the factors affecting the robot's traction performance are studied through dynamic simulation. The results show that the traction force of the robot during operation in the pipeline is related to the pipeline material, spiral angle, and the normal force between the pipeline wall and the driving wheel. The optimal spiral angle for robots operating in pipelines of different materials is different. When operating in pipelines of the same material, the traction force is higher in the absence of medium transportation than in the presence of medium transportation. The traction force of the robot increases with the increase of normal force. But there is no significant change in the optimal spiral angle. As the spiral angle increases, the traction force first increases and then decreases, reaching its maximum at a spiral angle of 40°. To improve the performance of robots passing through curved pipes, a variable spiral angle bending strategy is proposed. The robot actively controls the spiral angle to change in a sinusoidal pattern with the rotation of the spiral motion unit, so that the spiral angle on the inner side of the pipeline is smaller than that on the outer side. A robot testing platform to test the mine pipeline inspection robot is established. The results show that the optimal spiral angle for the robot to operate in the straight pipe is 40°. The traction performance of the robot can be improved by increasing the normal force. When using the variable spiral angle bending strategy, the robot has better performance and stability in passing through curved pipes compared to fixed spiral angle bending.