Device for inspecting vessel surfaces

Patent · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:870198

Appel, D Keith ^[1]

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1. Aiken, SC

A portable, remotely-controlled inspection crawler for use along the walls of tanks, vessels, piping and the like. The crawler can be configured to use a vacuum chamber for supporting itself on the inspected surface by suction or a plurality of magnetic wheels for moving the crawler along the inspected surface. The crawler is adapted to be equipped with an ultrasonic probe for mapping the structural integrity or other characteristics of the surface being inspected. Navigation of the crawler is achieved by triangulation techniques between a signal transmitter on the crawler and a pair of microphones attached to a fixed, remote location, such as the crawler's deployment unit. The necessary communications are established between the crawler and computers external to the inspection environment for position control and storage and/or monitoring of data acquisition.

• Research Organization: Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5473953
• OSTI ID: 870198
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

device
inspecting
vessel
surfaces
portable
remotely-controlled
inspection
crawler
walls
tanks
vessels
piping
configured
vacuum
chamber
supporting
inspected
surface
suction
plurality
magnetic
wheels
moving
adapted
equipped
ultrasonic
probe
mapping
structural
integrity
characteristics
navigation
achieved
triangulation
techniques
signal
transmitter
pair
microphones
attached
fixed
remote
location
deployment
unit
communications
established
computers
external
environment
position
control
storage
monitoring
data
acquisition
data acquisition
vacuum chamber
structural integrity
remote location
ultrasonic probe
position control
vessel surface
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