Device for inspecting vessel surfaces
Abstract
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.
- Inventors:
-
- Aiken, SC
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 870198
- Patent Number(s):
- 5473953
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 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; /73/324/
Citation Formats
Appel, D Keith. Device for inspecting vessel surfaces. United States: N. p., 1995.
Web.
Appel, D Keith. Device for inspecting vessel surfaces. United States.
Appel, D Keith. Sun .
"Device for inspecting vessel surfaces". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870198.
@article{osti_870198,
title = {Device for inspecting vessel surfaces},
author = {Appel, D Keith},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995}
}