Design, Development and Analysis of a Wall-Climbing Robot for Cleaning and Inspection of Coal-Fired Boilers

Abstract

The increasing demand for vertical wall work in industries, due to industrial upgrading and urbanization, has generated a need for efficient inspection and cleaning of vertical surfaces, e.g., massive coal-fired boilers. However, the traditional manual cleaning and inspection process is time-consuming, expensive, and dangerous that can result in potential casualties and significant economic loss. Therefore, Wall-Climbing Robots (WCRs), having the ability to maneuver on vertical surfaces, are increasingly becoming popular since they can perform automatic inspection and cleaning of boiler walls at a significantly faster/safer rate and at a lower cost. Recently, many automatic devices have emerged in literature, but no significant research on wall climbing robots is currently being done in Pakistan. This project aims to develop an indigenous wall-climbing robot, which will leverage permanent magnetic wheels to create a secure and stable grip that will ensure easy movement on vertical walls. The WCR is also fitted with a water jet system for cleaning sludge deposits and is equipped with a high-resolution camera for inspecting surfaces of boiler walls. Integrating these technologies in our solution enabled us to develop a cost-effective wall-climbing robot capable of efficiently performing inspection and cleaning of boiler walls/vertical surfaces.