Pure Technologies : ROBOTIC SPEED DEMON DELIVERS 18,000 FEET OF PIPELINE CONDITION DATA IN A SINGLE DAY

'We absolutely crushed our previous distance covered in a single day...'

A growing number of proactive municipal utilities and power generating operators across North America are reaping the benefits of deploying the latest robotics crawler from Pure Technologies (Pure) to assess the condition of their pipeline networks and save millions of dollars in water loss and prevented breaks.

Unlike slower, limited-distance crawlers, Pure's third generation robotic transporter can quickly navigate up to 1.8 miles (2.9 kilometres) through potable or turbid wastewater with ease, and deliver live video and integrity information that can aid in detecting leaks and other anomalies in underground pipes. Since introduction, the latest PureRobotics® platform has delivered data over more than 28,000 metres of pipe and has been deployed for clients including Austin Water Utilities, The City of Ottawa, City of El Paso and Louisville Water.

'The rollout of our latest generation robot will deliver additional benefits to our clients by providing detailed, real-time, internal condition data in about half the time as the previous generation,' stated Mark Holley, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Pure Technologies. 'This will reduce our inspection time and correspondingly reduce any facility downtime. In addition, the modular design allows us to customize tools to inspect a broader variety of pipeline sizes and types.'

Robot's faster speed important for time-critical shutdowns
The PureRobotics pipe inspection system is a modular transporter designed to carry sensors and tools through dewatered pipe or while submerged in depressurized pipes. The advanced robotic crawler is safer than manned inspections, especially for wastewater and where regulations are keeping people out of pipelines in favour of unmanned solutions.

With the new generation of robot, the speed is doubled to 85 feet per minute, which greatly improves efficiency in the field, a huge benefit during time-critical shutdowns.

The standard system features HD digital, pan tilt zoom, closed circuit television for live video streams. The robot can be equipped with a variety of specialized tools including an inertial measurement unit for XYZ mapping geographic information, 3-D LIDAR scanning tools, electromagnetic sensors for assessing the structural integrity of pipelines, or pull condition assessment tools such as 2-D laser technology that can precisely measure a pipeline's size, shape and level of corrosion.

PureRobotics deployed on reclaimed water line for nuclear plant

Recently the latest generation PureRobotics platform was deployed during a multi-tool inspection for a reclaimed water line operated by a major U.S. nuclear plant.

Since 1998, the plant has assessed its reclaimed water pipeline using electromagnetic technology (EM) from Pure Technologies to ensure the station continues to operate safely. The inspections cover prestressed concrete cylinder pipes (PCCP) that range from 96 inches to 144 inches in diameter.

The EM inspections are typically performed using the PureRobotics™ delivery platform, or by using manned inspection tools so the pipeline can be visually inspected as well. Electromagnetic inspection provides high quality condition assessment data for understanding the structure integrity of large-diameter pressure pipelines. For the nuclear plant, it is used to assess the number of broken prestressing wire wraps on the PCCP pipeline.

During the latest scheduled EM inspection conducted in 2017, Pure deployed its latest generation robotic crawler.

Robotic crawler beats record and delivers 18,000 feet of condition data in single day

What made the inspection so remarkable was the speed of the robot and inspection distance covered during the time-critical shutdown. The inspection set a record for distance covered in a daily inspection, upwards of 18,000 feet of condition assessment footage delivered per day, compared to previous record of 11,000 feet. The robotic inspection covered total distance of nearly 14 miles.

'We absolutely crushed our previous distances covered in a single day,' said James Milward, lead developer for Pure's robotic crawler. 'The conditions were right, and because we leapfrogged the access points, we finished way ahead of schedule. When you've only got a small window of inspection time during a scheduled shutdown, any time saved is a bonus for the client. They were very happy with the outcome.'

Good data, faster inspection times, better efficiency, no hiccups, you couldn't ask for a better inspection project.