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JudgeHoltman t1_j2ipk7s wrote

We do this all the time now with what's basically a GoPro strapped to an RC car for about 10% of the price. You don't even need wifi for location because you can count the rotations or just measure the string you tied to the end.

These robots don't actually stop leaks. They just spot them. The real trick is getting the pipe repaired which comes at significant expense and inconvenience to everyone in the area.

You can slickline the pipe, but more cost for less infrastructure. But even then it still reduces the pipe's diameter, so you can only do that so many times before you need to whole ass replace the pipe.

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beamer145 t1_j2j35zj wrote

I am wondering how easy is it to spot cracks in pipes on camera images from the inside ? If there is a cm wide gap I suppose it is visible, but small cracks ? Especially if there is dirt in the pipe ?

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JudgeHoltman t1_j2j56mz wrote

Take it a step further.

What if you discover a crack less than 1cm in width with this fancy robot or my GoPro on an RC car?

Are you really going to fix it? How? Is it worth it? Or would you just wait until the crack gets big enough that it would be easily visible on a camera anyway?

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dern_the_hermit t1_j2jlsp7 wrote

Probably use the information for modeling future maintenance/replacement schedules and such. Less "we see a crack, let's fix it" and more like "we're seeing X new cracks a week, let's bump up the maintenance of this sector by Y months" or whatever.

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Reluxtrue t1_j2jp1pu wrote

Also if you spot a small crack you note the plcement it and keep checking it regularly to see if it is getting bigger.

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CheekyHusky t1_j2k7qdb wrote

It's not even needed. I work at a water utility company and we have pressure sensors on the pipes that will alert if there is a drop. This robot stuff is just bullshit over engineering for a problem that doesn't need solving.

The real problem as stated above, is getting to and repairing those leaks.

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beamer145 t1_j2kjhtt wrote

I would expect it is still could be useful, unless the sensors allow to pinpoint the target area within a few meters ? Otherwise you have to start digging up the whole pipe section that is covered by a sensor ? Or am i missing something obvious ?

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CheekyHusky t1_j2kowel wrote

So the network sensors detect flow / loss of pressure in a section of pipe.

When the team goes out to investigate, they have other sensors that use acoustics to pinpoint the leak. I personally work in software development so I don't actually deal with the leaks myself so unable to explain 100%, but from my understanding they place them at each end of a section of pipe they know there is a leak at, and then the vibrations will pin point where the leak is.

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beamer145 t1_j2l0uaz wrote

Ah that is actually pretty cool (and does indeed seem to make little robots nearly useless).

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lyokowarri0r t1_j2kfx9t wrote

I'm currently working on an AI to do this spotting to allow for faster and cheaper inspections. Been a long process but it's decently hard because each contractor doing the inspection could have different cameras and text on the images.

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EmilyU1F984 t1_j2izpff wrote

Just need to start reaming those pipes and putting in epoxy. That would be repeatable endlessly.

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platonicgryphon t1_j2jq16f wrote

The article shows a picture of the device you are referring to vs these machines, these are much smaller and would effectively live in the pipes, so measuring rotations or string length won't work. They are also working on an injectable sealant that can be used before the cracks become leaks.

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SAnthonyH t1_j2junsc wrote

How do you get an RC signal at that distance

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t3a-nano t1_j2l8jia wrote

Your average off the shelf DJI drone can do like 6 miles, it’s mind boggling.

I assume it’d be a tiny fraction of that inside of a pipe though.

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JudgeHoltman t1_j2ljvj7 wrote

The systems I've seen really just use a long cable/wire. Pretty low-tech.

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mtaw t1_j2k5a8p wrote

Just get one of those killer pipe-welding robots from Diamonds Are Forever.

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