Design and experimental research of magnetic bridge on large pressure equipment wall-climbing robot

GUO Wei-can1,2, ZHENG Mu-lin1,2, LING Zhang-wei1,2, CHEN Yong-gui1,2

(1.Zhejiang Academy of Special Equipment Science, Hangzhou 310020, China;
2.Key Laboratory of Special Equipment Safety Testing Technology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310020, China)

Abstract: Aiming at the problem of insufficient adsorption forces on magnetic wheels of the wheeled wall-climbing robot used in large-scale pressure vessels, the magnetic adsorption structure of the wall-climbing robot was optimized and experimentally studied. Through the physical analysis of the force state and the adsorption force requirements for the wallclimbing robot, a magnetic adsorption method combined magnetic wheels and magnetic bridge was proposed. The established finite element simulation model was used to determine appropriate length, thickness, width of permanent magnets, and study the effect of the air gap between the magnetic bridge and the vessel wall on the adsorption forces of the wall-climbing robot. Moreover, the experimental test device of magnetic adsorption forces was designed and conducted to experimentally study the variation of magnetic adsorption forces, with which the finite element analysis results were compared. The results indicate that the designed magnetic bridge provided sufficient adsorption forces for the wheeled wall-climbing robot, which effectively avoided the wheel sliding during the robot climbing process.

Key words: wall-climbing robot; magnetic bridge; adsorption force; structure design