In-pipe Robotic System for Pipe-joint Rehabilitation in Fresh Water Pipes

TL;DR

This paper presents a robotic system designed to navigate and repair pipe joints in fresh water supply pipes by crawling inside and applying restoration materials, featuring a six-legged wheel configuration for comprehensive pipe coverage.

Contribution

Introduction of a novel in-pipe robot with a six-legged wheel design capable of cleaning and sealing pipe joints in water supply systems.

Findings

Robot successfully navigates inside pipes

Effective cleaning and sealing of pipe joints demonstrated

Design allows full 3D coverage of pipe interior

Abstract

The robot's objective is to rehabilitate the pipe joints of fresh water supply systems by crawling into water canals and applying a restoration material to repair the pipes. The robot's structure consists of six wheeled-legs, three on the front separated 120{\deg} and three on the back in the same configuration, supporting the structure along the centre of the pipe. In this configuration the robot is able to clean and seal with a rotating tool, similar to a cylindrical robot, covering the entire 3D in-pipe space.