[Haichuan Chemical Salary News] Sinopec Pilots Explosion-Proof Robots for Inspecting Oil Depots
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According to Sinopec News Network, on November 14, when the reporter arrived at the production area of Beihai Station, they saw from a distance a building with a blue roof and white walls; driven by curiosity, they approached it closely. Liu Yong, a technician at Beihai Station, said, “This is the home of our good partner—the intelligent explosion-proof inspection robot. It’s pretty cool, right?” ” Beihai Station is the oil transfer station of South China Branch with the largest storage capacity, the most comprehensive set of facilities, and the greatest floor area. It has a storage capacity of 350,000 cubic meters and 2,595 pieces of equipment; as a result, there is significant pressure regarding safe production, and the workload for employees is high. Therefore, the South China Sales Branch selected Beihai Station as a pilot site for intelligent explosion-proof inspection robots, aiming to create intelligent stations. Give it a home. Following Nansha Station and Zhuhai Station, Sales South China has chosen Beihai Station as the third oil transfer station to serve as a pilot site for intelligent explosion-proof inspection robots. Everyone was very happy to hear this news, looking forward to meeting this new friend soon. However, to enable the inspection robot to settle here, it is first necessary to lay tracks for it and build a \"home\"—a charging station. Starting in January 2018, Li Benfang, the deputy director of the Nanning Management Office, visited Beihai Station on three occasions to conduct on-site inspections, walking back and forth through the production area in search of the best location for the charging facilities and the most efficient routes for inspections. Li Benfang realized that Beihai Station involved frequent process operations and a large number of devices, so it was necessary to make thorough preparations for the arrival of the inspection robot and provide it with a suitable home. Once the design drawings for the inspection tracks and charging stations were ready, the Nanning management office promptly organized the construction work. After 63 days of hard work, on July 15, the 820-meter-long inspection track was completed, and the charging station was equipped with new charging units and communication equipment. “The inspection robot finally has its own home. ” Technician Liu Yong smiled with relief. “During these 63 days, we have been on duty day after day to carry out monitoring, hoping that ‘Xingzhe’ will join the big family at Beihai Station as soon as possible. ”said Su Yong, the HSSE inspector at Beihai Station. They were particularly friendly when they met. On July 20th, Liu Yong, a technician from Beihai Station, arrived early in front of the comprehensive building, as if waiting for something. It turned out that on this day, the long-awaited inspection robot was coming. Recalling that moment, Liu Yong was overwhelmed with emotion and could find no words to express it: \"When the actual inspection took place, I was extremely excited; meeting them for the first time made them seem especially friendly.\" ” Upon opening the overall package, what comes into view are the robot’s two high-definition cameras, which appear particularly bright under sunlight. The lens wipers are like its eyelashes, ensuring its eyes stay clear at all times. The height can be adjusted flexibly from 1.3 to 1.8 meters, ensuring that devices of varying heights can be scanned. Its means of transportation are four black wheels, which ensure it moves steadily along the inspection path. “It was running for the first time; I was curious and a bit worried, wanting to know how it worked, and also concerned about whether such a machine could truly carry out inspection tasks effectively ”With doubts in mind, the on-duty employee Mo Xianchao shared his feelings from back then. Accompanying it throughout the process, I watched as the inspection robot came out of its \"home\", moved along the inspection path, stopping from time to time to scan the parameters and operating conditions of devices such as pressure gauges and main pumps. Mo Xianchao also maintained real-time communication with the station control room via walkie-talkie, comparing the backend parameters scanned by the device with those on-site; it was only after repeated verifications showed consistency that he gradually began to trust it. When the inspection robot approaches two meters from its \"home\", the rolling door opens automatically. When it returned to the charging booth, the door closed automatically again. “Seeing this with my own eyes is truly stunning, and it only strengthens my belief in the power of technology. ”Mo Xianchao was moved to write. With care everywhere, the arrival of the inspection robot brought joy to all employees at Beihai Station, who took great care of it as well. “We wipe away the dust from it every day to keep it clean, and check the charging station and other equipment. “ “Worried that it might feel lonely, I sometimes use my inspection time to walk with it. ”Huang Guangbing, an oil transfer worker at Beihai Station, has a special fondness for robots. Although it is a robot, the employees inside treat it as a friend. Especially under harsh weather conditions, everyone is very worried about its safety, fearing it might get hurt. On September 17, this year’s super typhoon Mangkhut made a fierce landfall. The staff on duty at Beihai Station keep a close eye on the weather conditions, and before the typhoon arrives, they reinforce the charging stations and check equipment such as charging ports. Subsequently, the robot was locked inside the charging room to prevent damage from the typhoon. Right after the typhoon passed, the staff on duty rushed to the charging station and carefully checked its supporting equipment; only when they saw that it was in perfect condition did they breathe a sigh of relief. At the same time, they also repeatedly helped improve the inspection robot, making it better suited to the environment at the Beihai Station and allowing it to grow together with everyone else. From 19:00 to 24:00 on November 12, pump replacement work will be carried out at Beihai Station, involving X-ray inspection of the fuel supply pumps. Due to the high level of X-ray radiation, Lu Wei, the manager of the Beihai Station, decided to suspend manual inspections in certain production areas and replace them with robot inspections, successfully completing the inspection tasks. After more than five months of development, the inspection robots now offer accurate alerts and a high recognition rate, serving as a pair of intelligent eyes for Beihai Station. “Since its introduction, station staff have a reliable partner for inspections, giving them greater confidence in the safety of the station. ” For Lu Wei, the manager of Beihai Station, inspection robots have become a great help to him. (Zhong Jisen, Dove)
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This intelligent robot, named “Xingzhe 2”, is 1.3 meters tall when its gimbal is not raised, while its height increases to 1.8 meters once the gimbal is raised. It weighs 420 kilograms, has four agile drive wheels, and a pair of sharp \"eyes\" on top of its head. The eyes are actually two cameras that can rotate 360 degrees, enabling them to collect data and detect abnormalities. Technician Lin Jian Tian explained that although this robot is not large in size, it integrates multiple functions. In particular, its “eyes” consist of two cameras that can rotate 360 degrees: one is a high-definition zoom camera, and the other is an infrared camera. “Relying on high-definition cameras and infrared thermal imaging devices, efficient inspections of on-site equipment can be carried out. The lens wiper can remove water droplets and dust from the lens glass, keeping the surveillance footage clear. ” Lin Jian Tian understood very well the function of its “eyes”. “For the on-site inspection point calibration of “Xingzhe 2”, a total of 27 parking points were set up. During each inspection, it has to collect and identify 109 targets. At 11:24 on March 10, 2018, when \"Xingzhe 2\" was conducting its inspection in the main transfer pump area, it was found that the liquid level in one of the oil cups was low. It then issued an alarm to alert the staff to take action promptly, preventing an accident from occurring. Inside the station control room, Lin Jian Tian can receive the data collected in real time by the robot, and use the software platform to remotely control the inspection robot. “Intelligent inspection robots are equipped with audio and visual alarm functions; any abnormalities detected during the inspection process will trigger an alarm through the robot’s speaker, and at the same time, audio and visual alarms will be displayed on the remote control station in the control room. ” Ke Jinlong, the leader of Class 2, has already figured out its temperament. “Intelligent inspection robots are designed specifically for the environment within oil transfer stations; they navigate automatically along pre-set routes, stopping at designated locations to carry out their tasks. ”Li Zheng, the system service engineer in charge of robot calibration, said that it has infrared thermal imaging capabilities, which allow for real-time analysis to generate temperature curves; in the event of a fire or abnormally high temperatures in the equipment during robot inspections, it issues alarm alerts, thus playing a role in assisting with firefighting efforts. Li Zheng listed some of the functions of “Xingzhe 2”. It has a combustible gas detection function that can detect oil leaks at the site and issue an alarm immediately. It features an emergency obstacle avoidance function that detects people and objects in the inspection path, enabling emergency shutdown to ensure the safety of personnel and equipment. It features oil spot detection capability, enabling it to identify oil leaks on the equipment and trigger alarms at the remote control station. “Since we have it, we feel much more at ease. ” Zeng Zhijie, the station master of Nansha Station, shared his thoughts. Eight inspections are carried out daily, around the clock. On September 8th, at the Nansha oil transfer station in South China, the \"Xingzhe\" was moving along the designated inspection route. Every time it travels a certain distance, the inspection robot stops to automatically read and record data, as well as to provide real-time alerts. Zeng Zhijie, the station master of Nansha Station, explained that an intelligent robot covers a distance of 450 meters in one round of inspection, takes 62 minutes to complete one cycle, and consumes 13% of electricity in doing so. On average, the equipment within the station is inspected 8 times per day, ensuring round-the-clock, high-frequency inspections. Since the “Xingzhe” was put into operation, it has been running continuously without any failures to date. After several months of close interaction with the \"walker,\" Zeng Zhijie has become friends with it. Now, he monitors its operation on a daily basis; during the periods when it is not being charged, he uses a cloth to clean off dust from it and checks whether there is any dirt on the camera lenses that could affect its ability to capture images. “I feel a bit uneasy whenever I don’t see it for a day. ” When talking about the advantages of explosion-proof inspection robots, Zeng Zhijie listed them one by one: not only do they possess the functions of traditional control and inspection equipment, but they can also use their own \"nose,\" \"eyes,\" and \"ears\" to conduct comprehensive mobile inspections of equipment. Their inspection methods are more professional than those used by humans, and they are more advanced than traditional inspection techniques. Zeng Zhijie said that when they first heard about the launch of the intelligent inspection robot project, the employees were very interested and eager to see it implemented. When it arrived at the oil transfer station and entered the commissioning phase, everyone rushed over to watch, asking the manufacturer’s staff about its functions. “Of course, some employees are skeptical, thinking it is unlikely to accurately assess the condition of the equipment. ” Zeng Zhijie recalled the scene from back then. After three months of trial operation, the employees who had been skeptical initially changed their minds and recognized the robot’s achievements. Currently, the employees are quite satisfied with its inspection results. “The intelligent robot has been at the Nansha oil transfer station for ten months now, and through observation I have found that it is a great helper for efficient management, a vigilant protector of safe production, and a good companion for intelligent pipelines. ”Zeng Yongqiang, the monitor of Class 1, voiced what everyone was thinking. “Of course, robots aren’t omnipotent either. ” Shifting the topic, Zeng Zhijie admitted that inspection robots were introduced at the Nansha oil transfer station more than a decade after it went into operation. Due to limitations related to the location of pipelines and equipment on site, there are still some areas where the robots cannot reach at present. Zeng Zhijie was thinking that the next step would be to add another fixed-track aerial robot, to be placed between the main pumping area and the metering area, so as to enable more comprehensive inspections of those two areas. Currently, three oil transfer stations in South China under the Sales South China division are piloting robot inspections, and their advantages and benefits have already become apparent. “We will continue to advance technological innovation, enhance the use of intelligent technologies and products, and strive to build intelligent refined oil pipelines. ” Tian Zhongshan, General Manager of Sales in South China, said with confidence.
Explosion-proof inspection robot for underground utility tunnels
The robot is equipped with a unique “USR Optimal System,” which consists of three main components: the track foundation system, the robot aggregation system, and the 3D spatial digital management platform. By installing pipes on the top of the utility tunnel, robots collect video and environmental data from inside the tunnel, enabling real-time monitoring of any damage or blockages there. At the same time, they monitor harmful gases such as methane, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon monoxide, which can cause explosions and pose a threat to the safety of workers underground. This allows for the precise identification of potential hazard locations, thereby achieving safe, efficient, and modular management of urban utility tunnels. Chongqing Hande High-Tech Co., Ltd., the company responsible for the research, development, and production of this robot, established itself in Dazu High-Tech Zone in 2014. It has forged partnerships with more than a dozen research institutions, including the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and the 713rd Research Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corporation. The company mainly produces intelligent products such as pipeline crawling robots, sonars, high-definition cameras, flexible pushrod electronic endoscopes, and special-purpose robots. It is currently the only high-tech enterprise in China that manufactures robots for underground utility tunnels. The company has obtained international quality system certifications, and its products have received various approvals, including those for use in the European Union and the United States, as well as certifications for explosion-proof products. A representative from the Investment Promotion Department of Dazu High-Tech Zone said that in addition to being used for inspections of urban underground spaces, the “You System” can also be employed to identify potential hazards in areas such as rail transit, mining ports, and nuclear power plants where high-risk operations take place.
The factory also needs to be modified to create barrier-free pathways. Additionally, detection on multi-layer platforms also needs to be addressed.
The platform can be equipped with cameras for monitoring purposes; for example, it can have infrared sensors and gas detectors, and it can also perform intelligent tracking