MICROBOT PIGGING SYSTEM AND METHOD

摘要

A self-adjusting microbot pigging system for cleaning the interior of a pipe, the system comprises a plurality of microbots, each microbots comprises a propulsion device and a programmable computer processor operatively associated with the propulsion device, each of said processors programmed to instruct its associated propulsion device to operate in cooperation with one or more of the other microbot propulsion devices of said plurality of microbots to form a pig in the pipe.

主权项

1. A microbot pigging system for cleaning the interior of a pipe, the system comprising:
a. a plurality of microbots, each microbot comprising an automated attachment mechanism configured to releasably attach said microbot to at least one other of said plurality of microbots; b. a drive configured to urge the plurality of microbots through the pipe; and c. a programmable computer processor having computer executable instructions, the computer processor being operatively associated with and thereby adapted to control one or more of the attachment mechanisms; wherein the computer processor is programmed to instruct at least one of the attachment mechanisms of one or more of the plurality of microbots to attach to at least one other of the plurality of microbots to collectively form a pig within the pipe.