Case Study – Power Generation Inspections with Climbing Robots
Posted: 2018-7-16
Already popular within the food and beverage sector and with global dairy processors such as Fonterra, Murray Goulburn, Friesland Campina and Heineken, Invert Robotics’ technology is proving a much safer and faster ‘disruptor’ in the non-destructive inspection services market.
The company is now applying its technological benefits and services to the energy generation industry with stunning results.
At the heart of state-owned CS Energy are five coal-fired units (one unit at Kogan Creek Power Station and four units at Callide Power Station). Each unit includes a large boiler (partly resembling a big firebox) comprised of steel tubes carrying the steam that subsequently drives a turbine and powers the generator to produce electricity for dispatch into the network.
Overall, CS Energy dispatches over a third of Queensland’s electricity output and, with a trading portfolio of 4,105 megawatts (which includes to hydro-electric units at Wivenhoe near Brisbane), is a major provider of electricity to Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM).
As proponents of best practice and safety, CS Energy has a strict inspection schedule for its coal-fired boilers. Ranging from 40 to 60 meters in height, preliminary inspections are done after boilers have been in operation for a nominal two years and then a major overhaul is undertaken after a nominal four years.
This two-year plus two-year process is repeated throughout the lifetime of a boiler.
Being absolutely essential, inspections have to be carefully budgeted for, in both time and money – particularly as it costs the company, on average, up to $1.0 million per day to have a boiler down in terms of lost energy output.
CS Energy’s Head of Energy Technology & Innovation, Dr Chris Spero, had heard about Invert Robotics through industry sources.
"Traditionally (with the human inspection approach) it can take up to three days to get up safe scaffolding, and two days to dismantle the scaffolding at the completion of an inspection.
"This means we’re looking at a minimum of about five days plus the inspection time and/or repair time before the boiler can be returned to service.
"We are always looking for ways to improve the safety of our operations and to improve the efficacy of our processes.
"Invert Robotics patented climbing technology with its magnetised feet offered a safer and lower-cost method for conducting pre-overhaul inspections of steel boilers to assess the physical condition of the furnace (firebox) section of our coal-fired" Dr Spero said.
In January 2018, CS Energy had an opportunity to use Invert Robotics technology to inspect the furnace section of their Kogan Creek coal-fired boiler in South East Queensland. At 60 meters high and 18 meters wide, this all-steel megalith built in 2007 is the largest coal-fired boiler in Australia.
Robot ‘Alfie’ accompanied by Invert Robotics’ Sale and Services Manager Cameron Knight and Service Engineer Logan Cooper, arrived on site at Kogan Creek and immediately got to work.
Cameron is a mechanical engineer who has spent his career involved with industrial robotics, the majority spent working with remotely-operated vehicles in the oil and gas industry.
"It is good ‘home grown’ innovation, put together in a really clever way to service a really needed purpose."
"The inspection was completed during what we call a ‘mini-shut shutdown’ of the boiler and our expectation was that Alfie’s data would help the CS Energy team to further streamline their work repair schedule," Cameron explained.
"The inspection involved remotely driving Alfie to points of interest and to zoom in, take images and data that was then relayed back to the operator to share with the client.
"For this inspection, areas of particular interest included the burners; any circumferential cracking of the boiler tubes; any cracking of the steel membrane between boiler tubes; ash build-up, and any damage to the boiler nose; and any ash build up or damage to pendant superheaters."
Alfie, Cameron and Logan completed the required work within two days, including 12 hours of active inspection time.
"It was all done so safely and without the need for scaffolding and for people to work inside the boiler itself," said Dr Spero.
"Safety can’t be understated as people inside could be exposed to falling pieces of solidified ash and the use of robotics eliminates this risk.
"Moreover, the maneuverability of the (robotic) device was great, and from a number of angles we were able to receive high quality images that did not require people climbing in and out of boiler."
"For us this was a new approach, we are very encouraged by the results and we want to investigate additional functions for the robot technology such as thickness measurement," Dr Spero said.
"It is good ‘home grown’ innovation, put together in a really clever way to service a really needed purpose."
Dr. Spero believes more of this type of innovation needs to be encouraged throughout the industry.
The company is now applying its technological benefits and services to the energy generation industry with stunning results.
At the heart of state-owned CS Energy are five coal-fired units (one unit at Kogan Creek Power Station and four units at Callide Power Station). Each unit includes a large boiler (partly resembling a big firebox) comprised of steel tubes carrying the steam that subsequently drives a turbine and powers the generator to produce electricity for dispatch into the network.
Overall, CS Energy dispatches over a third of Queensland’s electricity output and, with a trading portfolio of 4,105 megawatts (which includes to hydro-electric units at Wivenhoe near Brisbane), is a major provider of electricity to Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM).
As proponents of best practice and safety, CS Energy has a strict inspection schedule for its coal-fired boilers. Ranging from 40 to 60 meters in height, preliminary inspections are done after boilers have been in operation for a nominal two years and then a major overhaul is undertaken after a nominal four years.
This two-year plus two-year process is repeated throughout the lifetime of a boiler.
Being absolutely essential, inspections have to be carefully budgeted for, in both time and money – particularly as it costs the company, on average, up to $1.0 million per day to have a boiler down in terms of lost energy output.
CS Energy’s Head of Energy Technology & Innovation, Dr Chris Spero, had heard about Invert Robotics through industry sources.
"Traditionally (with the human inspection approach) it can take up to three days to get up safe scaffolding, and two days to dismantle the scaffolding at the completion of an inspection.
"This means we’re looking at a minimum of about five days plus the inspection time and/or repair time before the boiler can be returned to service.
"We are always looking for ways to improve the safety of our operations and to improve the efficacy of our processes.
"Invert Robotics patented climbing technology with its magnetised feet offered a safer and lower-cost method for conducting pre-overhaul inspections of steel boilers to assess the physical condition of the furnace (firebox) section of our coal-fired" Dr Spero said.
In January 2018, CS Energy had an opportunity to use Invert Robotics technology to inspect the furnace section of their Kogan Creek coal-fired boiler in South East Queensland. At 60 meters high and 18 meters wide, this all-steel megalith built in 2007 is the largest coal-fired boiler in Australia.
Robot ‘Alfie’ accompanied by Invert Robotics’ Sale and Services Manager Cameron Knight and Service Engineer Logan Cooper, arrived on site at Kogan Creek and immediately got to work.
Cameron is a mechanical engineer who has spent his career involved with industrial robotics, the majority spent working with remotely-operated vehicles in the oil and gas industry.
"It is good ‘home grown’ innovation, put together in a really clever way to service a really needed purpose."
"The inspection was completed during what we call a ‘mini-shut shutdown’ of the boiler and our expectation was that Alfie’s data would help the CS Energy team to further streamline their work repair schedule," Cameron explained.
"The inspection involved remotely driving Alfie to points of interest and to zoom in, take images and data that was then relayed back to the operator to share with the client.
"For this inspection, areas of particular interest included the burners; any circumferential cracking of the boiler tubes; any cracking of the steel membrane between boiler tubes; ash build-up, and any damage to the boiler nose; and any ash build up or damage to pendant superheaters."
Alfie, Cameron and Logan completed the required work within two days, including 12 hours of active inspection time.
"It was all done so safely and without the need for scaffolding and for people to work inside the boiler itself," said Dr Spero.
"Safety can’t be understated as people inside could be exposed to falling pieces of solidified ash and the use of robotics eliminates this risk.
"Moreover, the maneuverability of the (robotic) device was great, and from a number of angles we were able to receive high quality images that did not require people climbing in and out of boiler."
"For us this was a new approach, we are very encouraged by the results and we want to investigate additional functions for the robot technology such as thickness measurement," Dr Spero said.
"It is good ‘home grown’ innovation, put together in a really clever way to service a really needed purpose."
Dr. Spero believes more of this type of innovation needs to be encouraged throughout the industry.
