Vehicle and method for the independent inspection of hard-to-reach inner spaces

• US 9,487,254 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Rochat, Frederic, Schoeneich, Patrick, Mondada, Francesco, Moser, Roland Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANS, BRYAN A
• Application Number:
  US12/950,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20110174565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,181 Days
• Field of Search: 180/167, 180/218
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/024 specially adapted for moving on inclined or vertical surfaces endless-track vehicles for ascending or descending stairs B62D55/075; hand-carts with provision for travelling up or down stairs B62B5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/08 Testing mechanical properties G01M11/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0033 by determining damage, crack or wear
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0075 by means of external apparatus, e.g. test benches or portable test systems G01M5/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0091 by using electromagnetic excitation or detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0489 Self-propelled units

Abstract

A vehicle is provided for the independent inspection of hard-to-reach inner spaces which are bounded by ferromagnetic inner walls, especially in large cast parts, such as steam chests of a steam turbine. The vehicle includes at least two wheels which are rotatable around a common axis, are at a distance from each other in the axial direction, and can be driven independently of each other. With such a vehicle, the entire inner space can be inspected if the vehicle has adherence elements which hold the vehicle against the gravity force with the wheels on the respective inner wall.

Claims

1. A vehicle for independent inspection of ferromagnetic surfaces, the vehicle comprising:

a housing having a single common axis passing therethrough;

two wheels rotatable around the common axis arranged a distance from each other in an axial direction of the common axis adjacent opposed ends of the housing and operable to be driven independently of each other through separate common axis centered drive shafts and drives; and

two permanent magnets arranged on an underside of the housing with each of the two permanent magnets abutting a different one of the opposed ends of the housing adjacent to each of the two wheels; and

a separate adherence element enclosed within each of the two wheels to hold the wheels in engagement with the ferromagnetic surfaces,

wherein the two wheels and the two permanent magnets are arranged to hold the housing stable in a fixed orientation with respect to a ferromagnetic surface upon motion of the two wheels on the ferromagnetic surface.

2. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adherence element in each wheel comprises at least one permanent magnet.

3. The vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least two permanent magnets are associated with the two wheels, respectively.

4. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the drives is supplied with power from an energy storage which is accommodated in the vehicle, and each of the drives is controlled by a control unit which is accommodated in the vehicle.

5. The vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control unit receives control commands from outside the inner space wirelessly.

6. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two wheels are interconnected by an elastically flexible cross-member which acts as a spring suspension.

7. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is cylindrical.

8. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of:

cameras, optical sensors, electric sensors, electromagnetic sensors and ultrasonic sensors accommodated with at least one of the two wheels.

14. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adherence element enclosed within each wheel is decoupled from the wheel of the vehicle so that the wheel may rotate on the common axis relative to the adherence element remaining oriented towards the inner wall.

16. The vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the housing is cylindrical and a diameter of the cylindrical housing is less than a diameter of either of the two wheels.

17. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adherence element enclosed within each wheel is arranged asymmetrically to the common axis.

18. The vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least two permanent magnets have a circumference to engage a wall at least perpendicular to the ferromagnetic surface also engaged.

9. A method for independently inspecting inner spaces bound by ferromagnetic surfaces, the method comprising:

introducing a vehicle comprising a housing having a single common axis

passing therethrough, and two wheels rotatable around the common axis with the two wheels arranged a distance from each other in an axial direction of the common axis adjacent opposed ends of the housing, into an inner space;

arranging two permanent magnets on an underside of the housing with each of the two permanent magnets abutting a different one of the opposed ends of the housing adjacent to each of the two wheels;

providing a separate adherence element enclosed within each of the two wheels to hold the wheels in engagement with the ferromagnetic surfaces; and

driving each of the wheels independently of the other through separate common axis centered drive shafts and drives for inspection of inner spaces,

wherein the two wheels and the two permanent magnets are arranged to hold the housing stable in a fixed orientation with respect to a ferromagnetic surface upon motion of the two wheels on the ferromagnetic surface.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the adherence element in each wheel comprises at least one permanent magnet.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising inspecting the inner wall using at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of:

cameras, optical sensors, electric sensors, electromagnetic sensors and ultrasonic sensors, which is arranged on the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising controlling the vehicle from outside the inner space wirelessly.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting data obtained by the at least one sensor to outside the inner space wirelessly.

15. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the adherence element enclosed within each wheel is decoupled from the wheel of the vehicle so that the wheel may rotate on the common axis relative to the adherence element remaining oriented towards the inner wall.