Saudi Arabian Oil Company

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Amjad Felemban

Fadl Abdellatif

Hesham A Jifri

Sahejad Patel

Jeff S Shamma

Ali J Alrasheed

Maha Nour

Hamad Al Saiari

Ahmed Al Brahim

An arrangement of cancellation electromagnets control magnetic adhesion of a wheel to a surface. The wheel has an inner annular disc composed of a non-magnetic material with apertures which retain electromagnets and permanent magnets, and an outer annular disc composed of a ferromagnetic material which is disposed on a side of the inner annular disc, with a non-magnetic isolator ring having curves extending in a serpentine manner. In one embodiment, the curves isolate the electromagnets from the permanent magnets. In another embodiment, the outer annular disc is rotated relative to the inner annular disc to dispose the curves of the serpentine isolator ring in a second position to allow magnetic interaction between the electromagnets and the permanent magnets to generate a second magnetic flux between the permanent magnets and the ferromagnetic surface which decreases adhesion of the wheel to the ferromagnetic surface. A method implements the system.

Electromagnets to control magnetic wheel adhesion

An apparatus includes a plate and a micro-protrusion baffle. The plate defines a microfluidic channel that is configured to flow a sample of lubrication oil. The microfluidic channel has an inlet for receiving the sample of lubrication oil. The microfluidic channel has an outlet for discharging the sample of lubrication oil. The plate defines walls of the microfluidic channel. The walls extend from the inlet to the outlet. The micro-protrusion baffle is located within the microfluidic channel between the inlet and the outlet. The micro-protrusion baffle extends from any of the walls. The micro-protrusion baffle includes a cyclic olefin copolymer. Dissolution of at least a portion of the micro-protrusion baffle in response to the sample of lubrication oil flowing through the microfluidic channel indicates a presence of hydrocarbon fuel in the sample of lubrication oil.

Detecting hydrocarbon fuels in lubrication oils

A method includes providing a cuvette containing a fluid sample having a first substance and emitting light from a light source through the cuvette containing the fluid sample for a duration of time. The cuvette is made of a material that at least partially dissolves in the presence of the first substance. Over the duration of time, the cuvette at least partially dissolves and an intensity of light that passes through the cuvette and the fluid sample changes at a rate. The method also includes receiving, by a light detector, the light that passed through the cuvette, measuring a change in intensity of the received light over the duration of time, and determining that the rate of change in intensity of the light over the duration of time is greater than a threshold rate of change.

Method to detect diesel in fluid samples using partially dissolvable cuvettes

A system and method passively normalize an ultrasonic dry coupled wheel probe as the probe traverses a surface of a structure to inspect the structure, such as a flat structure or a curved pipe. At least a pair of arms are configured to passively maintain normalization of the probe in a detection direction normal to the surface.

System and method for passive normalization of a probe

An unmanned aerial vehicle including a body and a docking mechanism coupled to the body is provided. The docking mechanism secures a magnetic crawler to the body during flight and during landing on a ferromagnetic cylindrical surface. The docking mechanism includes a docking hook that couples to the magnetic crawler and a linear actuator coupling the docking hook to the body. The docking hook includes passive latches that passively release the magnetic crawler from the docking hook onto the cylindrical surface after the landing, receive the magnetic crawler into the docking hook from the cylindrical surface after the releasing, and secure the magnetic crawler to the body during takeoff from the cylindrical surface after the receiving. The linear actuator lowers the docking hook and coupled magnetic crawler from the body to the cylindrical surface, and raises the docking hook and received magnetic crawler from the cylindrical surface to the body.

Mechanism for docking a magnetic crawler into a UAV

A magnetic crawler configured to navigate on and inspect a ferromagnetic cylindrical surface is provided. The crawler includes a chassis, a controller configured to control the crawler, a probe configured to inspect the cylindrical surface under the control of the controller, and only three articulated magnetic wheels configured to tangentially contact and magnetically adhere to the cylindrical surface. The wheels include two drive wheels respectively coupled to the chassis by two articulation joints and configured to drive the crawler in a desired direction on the cylindrical surface by actively rotating the two drive wheels independently about respective drive axes of rotation by respective drive motors under the control of the controller; and a rear wheel coupled to the chassis by a rear articulation joint and configured to passively rotate about a rear drive axis of rotation in response to the active rotations of the two drive wheels.

Growing community of inventors

Thuwal, Saudi Arabia

Amjad Felemban