High-efficiency inspecting method for mobile robots based on task planning for heat transfer tubes in a steam generator

Abstract Many heat transfer tubes are distributed on the tube plates of a steam generator that requires periodic inspection by robots. Existing robots usually involved in issues: Robots with manipulators need complicated installation due to their fixed base; mobile suffer from low running efficiency because structural restricts. Since there thousands be checked, task planning is essential guarantee precise, orderly, and efficient process. Most in-service check using row-by-row column-by-column planning. This leads unnecessary inspections, resulting long shutdown affecting regular operation nuclear power plant. Therefore, this paper introduces structure control system dexterous robot proposes method. method proceeds into three steps: allocation, base position search, sequence To allocate regions, calculates tool work matrix criterion evaluate sub-region. And then all tasks contained sub-region considered globally search positions. Lastly, we apply an improved ant colony algorithm for determine orders according planned path. We validated optimized conducting experiments our sheet. The results show proposed can accomplish full coverage few repetitive or redundant inspections it increases 33.31% compared traditional algorithms.