This paper describes the design and prototype implementation of a miniature climbing robot with magnetic adhesion, developed for the inspection of gas turbines. It can be inserted through an entrance hole of only Ø15mm and then unfolds to a magnetic crawler with 2 traction units and an antenna module for holding the camera. This crawler is able to move on vertical and overhanging ferromagnetic ...

Introduction The current trend towards miniaturization, portability and, more generally, ubiquitous intelligence has led to the development of a wide range of new products such as laptops, cellular phones, PDAs, etc. However, the power requirements of such systems have received much less attention: typically, traditional battery-operated electronic systems are used. Nevertheless, the energy den...

Rotating Machinery and Measurement Technology Section at Southwest Research Institute, in San Antonio, Texas. His research interests are in the areas of turbomachinery aerothermal fluid dynamics, process system analysis, energy management, advanced thermodynamic cycles, instrumentation and measurement, and combustion technology. He is widely experienced in performance prediction, off-design fun...

Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods are being developed at Argonne National Laboratory for thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) applied to components in the hot-gas path of advanced high-efficiency and low-emission gas turbines, including syn-gas fired turbines. As TBCs become “prime reliant,” it becomes important to know their conditions nondestructively to assure the reliability of these compo...