Apparatus and method for heat exchanger inspection

An apparatus for heat exchanger inspections comprising processing circuitry configured to:

• receive image data from a camera associated with a robot so that a field of view of the camera encompasses a surface of the heat exchanger;
• determine a plurality of heat exchanger characteristics in the image data;
• compare the plurality of heat exchanger characteristics to data describing the heat exchanger surface;
• determine a current location on the heat exchanger surface, and an orientation angle with respect to a reference position on the heat exchanger surface, of the robot based on the comparison of the plurality of heat exchanger characteristics to the heat exchanger surface data;
• identify the plurality of heat exchanger characteristic based on the current location;
• measure distortion in the image data;
• adjust the orientation angle of the robot based upon the measured distortion;
• and
• determine a position of an end effector attached to the robot based on the current location and the orientation angle.

A method for inspecting a heat exchanger comprising:

• receiving image data from a camera associated with a robot so that a field of view of the camera encompasses a surface of the heat exchanger;
• determining a plurality of heat exchanger characteristics in the image data;
• comparing the plurality of heat exchanger characteristics to data describing the heat exchanger surface;
• determining a current location on the heat exchanger surface, and an orientation angle with respect to a reference position on the heat exchanger surface, of the robot based on the comparison of the plurality of heat exchanger characteristics to the heat exchanger data;
• identifying the plurality of heat exchanger characteristic based on the current location;
• measuring distortion in the image data;
• adjusting the orientation angle of the robot based upon the measured distortion;
• and
• determining an end effector position based on the current location and the orientation angle.

A method of inspecting a heat exchanger, comprising:

• disposing a camera on a surface of the heat exchanger;
• acquiring a first image of the heat exchanger surface by the camera;
• identifying in the first image at least two first features of the heat exchanger surface, where respective positions of the at least two first features on the heat exchanger surface are known;
• identifying in the first image a plurality of second features of the heat exchanger surface;
• determining respective positions of the plurality of second features on the heat exchanger surface based upon the respective positions of the at least two first features on the heat exchanger surface;
• moving the camera on the heat exchanger surface;
• acquiring a second image of the heat exchanger surface by the camera;
• identifying at least two features of the heat exchanger surface in the second image;
• and
• correlating the at least two features of the heat exchanger surface in the second image to respective features of the heat exchanger surface identified in the first image based on a comparison of the second image to the first image.

A method of inspecting a heat exchanger, comprising:

• disposing a camera on a surface of the heat exchanger;
• acquiring an image of the heat exchanger surface by the camera;
• identifying in the image at least two first features of the heat exchanger surface, where respective positions of the at least two first features on the heat exchanger surface are known;
• identifying in the image a plurality of second features of the heat exchanger surface;
• determining respective positions of the plurality of second features on the heat exchanger surface based upon the respective positions of the at least two first features on the heat exchanger surface;
• estimating a position of the camera on the heat exchanger surface based on a predetermined positional relationship between the camera and the image;
• measuring distortion in the image;
• and
• adjusting the estimated position of the camera based on the measured distortion.