No more worries about gas pipe leaks and pipes with new robot systems

After 12 years of manufacturing research, a group of engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, created a robotic system capable of finding all leaks in all pipelines.

This technology can help reduce operating costs for water supply companies and prevent environmental problems caused by pipe leaks.

The robot can be inserted into the water pipe through any available fire hydrant nearby and can also be easily retrieved using the integrated positioning system on the body.

Complete robot system consists of 2 parts.Part 1 is a device that drops a pipe with a similar shape to a small badminton ball; By using sensitive detectors on the rubber tail section, the device automatically collects data on different pressure points in the water supply hose to find the leak location and marks the points to be addressed.

Plumbing detection robot of MIT engineering group.(Photo: MIT).

Part 2 is an analytical computer, placed on the ground. The computer will analyze the data that these robots return, information about pressure and GPS location data will be cross-checked to produce specific results.

The robot passed the field tests on the extremely cleverly constructed and detailed test pipes of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Saudi Arabia. The results were surprising, 100% of the leak points were detected.

Currently, the system is being deployed on a large scale in Monterrey, Mexico to help the city save $ 80 million in costs due to pipeline leaks. According to statistics, 40% of the water here is wasted for this reason.

This research is also the solution to two serious problems in the current water distribution network. That is one-fifth of the clean water of factories that are being wasted due to leaks and the second is the incompatibility between technology looking for spoiled spots with pipes.

In the future, the engineering team hopes the product will be able to penetrate any pipeline in the world; and beyond that, robots can repair damaged areas within the pipeline without human support.

However, the purpose of the initial and final research of the group is to reduce the risk of gas leakage from pipes. Current air ducts are only maintained at a low level with inaccurate set up maps; If the leak continues, at some point the entire pipeline may explode.

Thus, in addition to cost savings, the product also promises to minimize the risks associated with flammable liquid leakage to protect the lives of people as well as the surrounding environment.