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Pipeline Inspection Vehicle

In 2002, an innovative new tool was envisioned by a small Salt Lake City, Utah based company. Wanting to improve the safety and maintenance of liquid and gas transfer pipelines, Emtek came to Coda Octopus Colmek for help in making this vision a reality.

Gas and liquid transfer pipelines are highly regulated due to extreme safety concerns over the delicate and populous environments they traverse. These lines literally criscross the nation under cities and through open wilderness areas. Pipelines range in size and length from a few inches in diameter and a dozen yards to over 6 feet in diameter and thousands of miles long. Historically, visual on-site inspections have been necessary to ensure pipeline integrity and safety compliance. This process is time consuming, expensive and difficult.

By using new tools such as in-line probes or inspection vehicles, pipeline operators can get a clearer picture of system health and identify potential problem areas before an accident occurs.

The envisioned Emtek pipeline inspection vehicle had to meet a number of stringent performance characteristics. Size, mission duration, power consumption, data recording volume and environmental operating conditions were all areas of concern. These, and all other critical design parameters, were successfully satisfied by the Emtek/Coda Octopus Colmek design.

The resulting vehicle utilized 144 separate sensors sampling at a rate of 1407 times per second to measure and record the pipe walls thickness and integrity. Pipe section joints, valves and corrosion spot locations were identified and recorded for monitoring and maintenance purposes. The vehicle used the latest technology in terms of digital circuitry, software and applied physics principles.

Coda Octopus Colmek staff was responsible for the main control processors, all software functions and data recording activities, and Emtek handled the vehicle platform itself. The resulting 77 long, 450 lb. inspection vehicle can operate at up to 8 mph, has a range of over 250 miles, a 50 hours mission duration, and can operate in 120 degree liquid at up to 2000 psi. of pressure.

By working together, Emtek and Coda Octopus Colmek created an innovative cost effective tool for use in the gas and liquid pipeline transfer industry.