MOBILE MANIPULATOR-ROBOT FOR INSPECTION OF INCLINED WATER PIPELINES

Currently, many emphases are placed on the possibility of limiting excavation works in the event of water pipelines or sewage systems failure. For this purpose, various types of inspection and repair robots/manipulators are used, which can enter the installation's interior without the need to get into the pipe physically (e.g. with an excavator). Mobile robots allow you to diagnose the problem (or provide information on which section the failure occurred) and in some cases, to repair (unplug) the installation without needing heavy machinery. Unfortunately, the limitation of this type of mobile manipulator is the ability to move along relatively flat sections and the adaptation of the robot's geometry to the variable diameter of the pipe. The article presents the concept and construction of a robot prototype that allows it to move along sloping pipes. The design of the robot has been equipped with a variable geometry of the drive, enabling the appropriate coefficient of friction when working in an inclined pipeline. The design solutions used were presented, as well as the test results of the prototype made. The presented solution can successfully reduce the need to use heavy equipment to monitor the quality of water supply and sewage systems. The article shows the potential benefits of using mobile inspection robots to reduce the adverse human impact on the environment (following the principles of sustainable development)