An automatic motorized feeder pipe inspection robot

자율 주행형 급수 배관 검사

The outlet feeder pipe thinning in a PHWR (Pressured Heavy Water Reactor) is caused by high pressure steam flow inside the pipe, which is a well known degradation mechanism called FAC (Flow Assisted Corrosion). In order to monitor the degradation, the thickness of the outlet bends closed to the exit of the pressure tube should be measured and analyzed at every official overhaul. This paper develops an automatic feeder pipe inspection system that can minimize the irradiation dose by automating the measurement process. The robot can move by itself on the feeder pipe by using an inch worm mechanism, which is constructed by two gripper bodies that can fix their body on the pipe and one extendable and retractable body connected the two gripper bodies to move forward and backward.