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Procedia Engineering 48 (2012) 287 294

MMaMS 2012

Bristled In-pipe Machine Inside Pipe With Geometric Deviations

Tatiana Kelemenova*, Michal Kelemena, ubica Mikova, Rastislav Bala,
a

Technical University of Koice, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

Abstract
Paper deals with in-pipe machine which locomotes inside pipe for inspection or drawing purposes. Several studies with bristles are
known. This paper includes analysis of geometric deviations influence to bristles behaviors. Simulations of the machine locomotion have
been done based on math model. Controlled bristles are proposed as improved solution of the interaction problems inside pipe.
2012 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd.Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Branch Office of Slovak Metallurgical Society at
Selection
and/or peer-review
under
responsibility
of the Branch
Office
of Slovak
Metallurgical
Society
of Metallurgy
and
Faculty
of Metallurgy
and Faculty
of Mechanical
Engineering,
Technical
University
of Koice
Open access
underatCCFaculty
BY-NC-ND
license.
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Koice.
Keywords: machine, pipe, geometric deviation,

Nomenclature
rp
displacement of free end of bristle (m)
rpGEOM change of displacement of free end of bristle (m)
rp_Dov limit of bristle tip displacement (m)
sB
travelled path of bristle (m)
vB
velocity of bristle (m/s)
y
bristle deflection (m)
yDOV
maximum limit of bristle deflection (m)
FN
normal force between bristle tip and pipe wall (N)
FNZ
desired value of normal force between bristle tip and pipe wall (N)
LS
length of bristle (m)
Greek symbols
1
montage angle of bristle to machine body axis (rad)
S
actual angle of bristle to machine body axis (rad)
1REG changed of angle of bristle to machine body axis (rad)

factor of characteristic radius

1. Introduction
There are many technical devices which involve pipe systems and constrained spaces (nuclear power plants, heat
exchangers, chemical plants, oil and gas industry devices, etc.). As a prevention of accidents and disasters, it is necessary to

* Corresponding author. Tel.: ++421-55-6022361.

E-mail address: tatiana.kelemenova@tuke.sk.

1877-7058 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd.Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Branch Office of Slovak Metallurgical Society at
Faculty of Metallurgy and Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Koice Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2012.09.516

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inspect these systems for any cracks and damages. Internal inspection from inner side of pipe is very often only one possible
way to inspect these systems. Several years many inspection crawlers have been developed for these purposes. Situation is
more complicated when inner pipe wall is dirty and pipe diameter is very small (less than 12 mm).
In-pipe machines very often use locomotion inside these pipes via wheels, tracks or legs. These conventional principles
tend to slipping when inner pipe wall is dirty. Also, it is complicated to design in-pipe machines with conventional
principles for locomotion inside small diameter pipes with geometric deviations. It means that inner diameter is not constant
and it varies in large interval around the nominal diameter value. Shape of the cross-section is not ideal circular but it has
elliptical shape or any different irregular shape. Thesis [1] shows that these deviations are very significant and it is
necessary to take into consideration in design of in-pipe locomotion devices.

Fig. 1. In-pipe machines for locomotion inside pipes

Unconventional locomotion principles are developed in works [2-11], which use bristles as carrier parts. Bristles are as
element for carrying of machine body inside pipe. Bristle is an elastic cantilever beam which is preloaded when in-pipe
machine is inserted into pipe. The principle of bristled locomotion lies on inertial stepping principle (inertial driving comes
from impact of machine bodies) or on anisotropic friction difference (fig. 2) (coefficient of friction is depend on bristle
moving direction). Consequently, bristles are also used for elimination of pipe geometric deviations. Thesis [1] shows that
passive bristles are able to eliminate only limited interval of geometric deviations.

Fig. 2. Friction difference in-pipe bristled machine principle

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2. Controlled bristles with regulation of normal force

All mentioned in-pipe machines [2-11] have used bristles only as passive elements. Passive bristles have been used also
for elimination of influence of pipe geometric deviations to normal force (also friction force) between bristles tips and inner
pipe wall. The vertical locomotion of in-pipe machine with passive bristles could be problematic if values of geometric
deviations overcome certain limits. The machine falls down if deviations causes increasing of inner diameter and machine
loses stability inside pipe. The machine will be blocked inside pipe if geometric deviations cause the too large decreasing of
inner pipe diameter.
Bristles with regulated properties (fig. 3) would be a significant contribution to solving of these mentioned locomotion
problems. It means that bristles should become to controlled compliant parts. Principle of controlled bristles leans on fact
that bristle properties changes to suitable values for obtaining of higher locomotion efficiency.
For locomotion based on friction difference, it means that normal force between bristle and pipe wall is decreased when
bristle should move in forward direction inside pipe. Bristle, which moves backwards, should have increased normal force
(also friction force) between the bristle tip and pipe wall. Consequently, normal force and also friction force is decreased in
front bristles and increased in back bristles when actuator elongates. Situation changes when actuator contraction occurs,
front bristles have higher normal force and back bristles have lower normal force.
This algorithm will increase friction difference between forward and backward moving of bristles and in causes
increasing of machine locomotion velocity and traction force.
Also influence of geometric deviations could be eliminated with these regulated bristles. Sensing of normal force gives
feedback information about the actual value of normal force, which can be compared with desired value of normal force.
The regulation error can be compensated with any suitable regulator.
Regulated bristles enable to achieve higher efficiency and also prevention of machine blocking inside pipe (fig. 3).
Another contribution is overall lower consumption of energy.

Fig. 3. Regulated bristle machine concept

Passive bristle is pure mechanical system and it is not able to fully compensate geometric deviation. Regulated bristle
module will involve also sensors, actuators, regulator and suitable control algorithm. Weakness of pure mechanical systems
will be compensated through the mechatronic conception (fig. 3) of machine with regulated bristles. The bristled in-pipe
machine becomes to intelligent machine with several useful properties.
The machine (fig. 3) consists of two modules with regulated bristles and one module with linear actuator for operation of
elongation and contraction.

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3. Regulation of bristle normal force to inner pipe wall

The regulation system for regulation of normal force of bristle is shown on figure 4. The aim of regulation is to
compensate disturbances. Controlled quantity is bristle normal force applied to inner pipe wall and value of this force is
sensed and used as feedback. Value of controlled quantity is compared with value of desired quantity and their difference is
sent to regulator input. Bristle deflection is obtained in block Bristle deflection sensor and it is compared with value of
allowed bristle deflection and this difference is sent to regulator input. This second feedback is designed as a prevention
of bristle damage, because there is a risk of plastic deformation of bristle. The value of allowed bristle deflection should
be corrected for ensuring of situation that value of bristle deflection is every time outside of the area of plastic deformation.
Regulator will adjust actuator for compensation of disturbance quantity, whereby desired value should be adjusted following
the bristle function principle (see previous chapters). Actuating quantity is change of bristle angle.

Fig. 4. Regulation scheme for bristle normal force regulation with action quantity change of bristle angle

Also it is possible to use different way bristle tip displacement as actuating quantity. Regulation structure will change
as shown on figure 5.
Designed regulation structure is necessary to use for front and back bristles group independently. The both regulation
structure has to be controlled with master controller. Master controller follows the locomotion principle of anisotropic
bristle friction difference. Another advantage of this structure is disturbance compensation.
The control structure allows increasing or decreasing the value of normal force between the bristle tip and inner pipe wall
and consequently friction force between bristle and inner pipe wall is changes following the locomotion principle.

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If linear actuator (fig. 3) elongates, friction force between front bristles and inner pipe wall should be decreased for
ensuring of maximum travelled path of front bristles. However, friction force between back bristles and inner pipe wall
should be increased for minimising of back bristles moving. Ideal state is if back bristles are stop and fixed in one position.
This phenomenon is often called as self-locking mechanism.
If linear actuator (fig. 3) contracts, friction force between front bristles and inner pipe wall should be increased for
ensuring of minimum or none travelled path of front bristles (front bristles are self-locked in their position). However,
friction force between back bristles and inner pipe wall should be decreased for ensuring of maximum travelled path of back
bristles. These steps allow obtaining maximum locomotion speed and minimum energy loss.

Fig. 5. Regulation loop for bristle normal force regulation with action quantity change of bristle displacement

4. Bristle as regulated object

Following the previous works, the bristle can be described through the math model, which can be used also in simulation
model for regulation process. This model is derived on the base of theory of pseudo rigid body for solving of compliant
mechanism mentioned in work [12, 13]. It is possible to write complex model of bristle:

LS sin 1 rp
y = LS sin 1 arcsin
LS

Also it is possible to derivate limit of bristle tip displacement:

(1)

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y
rp _ Dov = LS sin 1 sin 1 arcsin Dov
LS

(2)

The equation (1) is complex model of bristle and it is possible to explain for concrete value of bristle length (fig. 6 left).
It shows that maximum normal force between bristle tip and pipe wall is obtained for larger bristle angle and bristle tip
displacement. Normal force rapidly grows after bristle angle 45. This area has been characterized as area of self-locking
mechanism for obtaining of maximum value of friction force between the bristle tip and inner pipe wall. This model also
has been experimentally verified (fig. 6 right). Experimentally obtained graph is slightly wavy because of uncertainty of
measurements occurs during the experiments.

Fig. 6. Complex model of bristle (left) and its experimental verification (right)

Fig. 7 Simulation model of value of normal force.

On the base of previous mentioned knowledge, it is possible to create simulation model of normal force. This model is
necessary as subsystem for implementation into overall in-pipe machine model. Model is built as parametric model which is
suitable for simulation experiment of geometric deviations influence to in-pipe machine behaviours. Also, it is possible to

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try various parameters of machine for optimization of machine structure. Atypical parameters and working condition can be
simulated.
5. Concept of module with regulated bristles
Change of the bristle angle or change of displacement of bristle tip is possible to realize through the compliant
mechanism (fig. 8 left). The concept is coming from lever mechanism with combination of reduced cross-section of material.
Piezoelectric actuator force is applied to compliant mechanism and it is used for regulating of normal force value applied to
inner pipe wall. Compliant mechanism consists of three bristle connected with middle rosette. There is no problem with
attaching of bristles as before (fig. 8). The compliant part is inserted into case with preloaded piezoactuator.

Fig. 8. Concept of module with regulated bristles

Completed design of in-pipe machine with regulated bristles is shown on figure 9. It is analogical to regulated bristle
machine principle (fig. 3). Designed compliant three bristle part has been tested through the FEM analysis (fig. 9).

Fig. 9. In-pipe machine and analysis of compliant three-bristle part

Work [1] proposed and optimised several variant solution of the regulated bristle in-pipe machine. Ratio of transmission
depends on geometry and material properties of this compliant part, for obtaining of the maximum ratio of transmission.

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Conclusion
Application of regulated bristles allows increasing friction force difference in forward and backward motion of bristle.
Designed structure has several goals: improving of locomotion efficiency, compensation of error disturbances geometric
deviations of inner pipe wall, following of desired values of normal force, improving of energy balance etc.
There is an assumption that solved in-pipe machine will be realized in near future. Also there are several applications
where mechatronic approach to design improves the properties of system [14-17].

Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank to Slovak Grant Agency project VEGA 1/0085/12, VEGA 1/1205/12 and project Etalent - LOCOSNAKE. This contribution is also the result of the project implementation: Centre for research of control of
technical, environmental and human risks for permanent development of production and products in mechanical engineering
(ITMS:26220120060) supported by the Research & Development Operational Programme funded by the ERDF.

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