Square Robot, a robotic tank inspection device, continues advancements in measuring tank bottom settlement.
By inspecting the tank bottom while it is under load, tank owners are able to get a better representation of the tank’s settlement without any concern about the bottom “bouncing back” when it is taken out-of-service for inspection.
These advancements allow Square Robot to provide an accurate differential elevation map of the tank in accordance with API 653.
Traditionally, tank bottom settlement is measured as a part of an API 653 out-of-service inspection, where the team uses laser levels starting at the shell and moving across the diameter to the center, and lasering a point every 10ft until the center has been reached.
This antiquated system poses several challenges to tank owners when it comes to reviewing the data. The biggest challenge is the “bounce back” that can occur in tank bottoms, where they revert to their designed shape, after the load from the product is removed.
Square Robot’s in-service tank inspections can provide an accurate tank bottom settlement report because the product remains inside the tank.
The SR-1 robot naturally contacts the tank bottom via three omnidirectional wheels. While rolling in contact with the bottom, the robot acquires Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT) data for bottom thickness examination and simultaneously collects pressure data with its onboard pressure sensor.
Jerome Vaganay, CTO Square Robot, said: “We are always looking at ways to provide tank owners with the most accurate reporting on the health of their tank.
“By using the sensors on our robot, we can produce an accurate and high-density tank bottom differential elevation map.”
For more information visit www.squarerobots.com
