Robots for servicing metal equipment
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorsTariq A. Khathami, Mazin M. Fathi, Abdullah M. Salma, Abdulrahman E. Sayed, Massad S. Alanzi, Maher Hamed Alerwi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A robot for servicing metal equipment in a hydrocarbon refinery includes a robot. The robot includes a body and a plurality of magnetic wheels operatively attached to the body. The plurality of magnetic wheels are operable to attached the robot to a metal surface of the metal equipment. The robot also includes a plurality of propellers coupled to the body of the robot.
Claims20
A robot for servicing metal equipment in a hydrocarbon refinery, the robot comprising:
- a body;
- a plurality of magnetic wheels operatively attached to the body, where the plurality of magnetic wheels are operable to attach the robot to a metal surface of the metal equipment;
- a plurality of propellers coupled to the body;
- one or more inspection sensors coupled to the body, where the one or more inspection sensors are operable to determine a location, a thickness, or both of solid deposits formed on one or more surfaces of the metal equipment;
- and
- a magnet coupled to the body, where the magnet is operable to produce a magnetic field that attracts a metallic object toward the magnet to impact the one or more surfaces of the metal equipment to loosen the solid deposits formed on the one or more surfaces of the metal equipment.
A system for traversing a metal surface of metal equipment, the system comprising:
- a hollow structure comprising an internal volume and an interior surface;
- a plurality of robots configured to traverse the metal surface of the metal equipment;
- a metallic object disposed within the hollow structure;
- one or more inspection sensors operable to determine a location, a thickness, or both of solid deposits formed on the interior surface of the hollow structure;
- at least one location sensor coupled to each of the plurality of robots;
- a magnet, where the magnet is operable to produce a magnetic field that attracts the metallic object toward the magnet to impact the interior surface of the hollow structure to loosen the solid deposits formed on the interior surface of the hollow structure;
- and
- a control system communicatively coupled to the plurality of robots, where the control system comprises a processor, at least one memory module communicatively coupled to the processor, and machine readable and executable instructions stored on the at least one memory module, wherein the machine readable and executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to automatically:
- activate a plurality of propellers for at least one of the plurality of robots;
- position the plurality of robots on the metal surface;
- and
- activate the one or more inspection sensors.
A process for traversing a metal surface, the process comprising:
- activating a plurality of propellers for at least one of a plurality of robots, where at least one location sensor is coupled to each of the plurality of robots;
- positioning the plurality of robots on the metal surface;
- activating one or more inspection sensors for at least one of the plurality of robots, where the one or more inspection sensors are operable to determine a location, a thickness, or both of solid deposits formed on the metal surface;
- and
- activating a magnet for at least one of the plurality of robots, where the magnet is operable to produce a magnetic field that attracts a metallic object toward the magnet to impact the metal surface to loosen the solid deposits formed on the metal surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.