Robotic self-propelled pipeline multisensory scanner - ROMUS

Clean water and sanitation are recognized as human rights. They also constitute the 6th sustainable development goal of the United Nations (UN). Water and sanitation is as such a concern for humanity. In Norway alone, there is a need for more than 300 billion NOK invested into municipality utilities. The infrastructure may belong to private water companies, publicly owned enterprises, or public services, but in the end the cost of newbuilds and maintenance is payed by the consumers and the community. Reliable decision support tools are therefor of general interest. Through the ROMUS project, Equanostic has developed an inspection system for water and wastewater pipes. A robot which is driven through the pipes to measure with both ultrasound and radar is at the core of the solution. A framework and algorithms for processing, as well as a user interface has also been developed. The system has been demonstrated at possible customers' test sites, both in Norway and Denmark.

A prototype system and framework for inline inspection of water and wastewater pipes has been developed. The system consists of a sensor head mounted on a robot which drives through the pipeline. Sensor heads have been developed both with ultrasound and radar sensors. The unit is controlled by an operator station which also receives the measurement data and presents it to the operator. Processing can be done by a remote computer. The prototype is a necessary step in the product development both proving the validity of the concept and working as a basis for discussion with partners and potential customers. The prototype has the potential to be developed to and validate more advanced modes of inspection and processing. Combined, the different sensing modes can provide deeper insight into the pipeline condition. Many possibilities also remain to be explored for the use of machine learning in the processing. Such analysis can contribute to further automation of the established processing, but also be a compliment to these methods.

The primary objective of this project is a robotic self-propelled autonomous and battery-driven pipeline multi-sensory scanner called ROMUS, which can inspect pipelines and its immediate surroundings for defects and faults. The core challenge of inspecting pipes is the limited access to the inner pipes. Additionally, the pipes may be either filled with water or air which require a different set of sensors. We will develop a multimodal combination of a high-resolution ultra-wideband impulse radio (UWB-IR) radar and ultrasonic transducers (UT) that provides full circumferential (360°) see-through capabilities from inside pipes filled with either air or water. The high-volume data achieved will be analysed by advanced signal processing and visualization algorithms in combination with machine learning algorithms providing not only visualization of the pipes, but also identify internal fatigue on the lattice structure and detect different types of deficiencies with precise geographical position. The service of pipeline inspection for industries such as water & wastewater and hydropower is called upon in relation to both construction and maintenance of pipelines. Hence, the market potential for a pipeline scanner such as ROMUS is closely related to the construction and maintenance market for these industries. A report published in 2017 by Norwegian Water BA estimates the municipal investment needs in water & wastewater infrastructure till 2040 to be approximately NOK 280 billion in Norway alone, whereby NOK 183 billion, or about NOK 7.3 billion per year, are in renewal of water & wastewater pipelines. Substantial revenue and profit can be made by selling the robot product and data services to pipeline owners, contractors, and inspectors worldwide, both governmental and private.