Design and wall motion analysis of an isolated phase bus wall-climbing inspection robot

ObjectiveAiming at the problems of narrow space, low efficiency and potential safety risks in manual inspection of the isolated phase bus (IPB), a wall-climbing inspection robot was designed to replace manual work, meeting the motion requirements such as steering, circular motion, horizontal-vertical pipe section transition and obstacle crossing inside the IPB.MethodsFirstly, a combined scheme of crawler-type moving wheel set and elastic jacking mechanism was adopted to realize wall-climbing function and establish a 3D model, adapting to the complex inner wall environment of the IPB. Secondly, force analysis was carried out on the robot in vertical wall-climbing and steering states to determine the critical pressure value for stable motion. Then, dynamic simulation was conducted using Adams software to verify the rationality of pressure parameters. Finally, the IPB test platform was built, a prototype was manufactured and various motion performance verifications were completed.ResultsThe results indicate that the unilateral spring force of the elastic jacking mechanism in the range of 112-266 N could ensure stable motion. Prototype tests confirm that the robot could smoothly pass through the bellows section (wave pitch 136 mm), complete the transition from horizontal to vertical pipe sections, adapt to the IPB pipelines with gaps of 270-315 mm, and realize all-round inspection, verifying the effectiveness of the design and providing a reference for automatic inspection design of the IPB.