Square Robot, Inc.

Eric Levitt

Jerome Vaganay

William O'Halloran

Systems, methods and apparatus for launching and recovering a vehicle via a side manway of a tank are provided. A launcher is coupled to a vertical side of the tank via a manway adapter. The launcher includes a first side having a lid and a second side configured to couple with the manway adapter. The lid is removed from the first side of the launcher. An autonomous vehicle is loaded into the launcher via the first side of the launcher. The lid is placed on the first side of the launcher. The launcher can be pressurized with the autonomous vehicle inside the launcher. The manway adapter is opened at the second side of the launcher to release the flammable fluid into the launcher. Subsequent to opening the manway adapter, the autonomous vehicle launches from the launcher into the tank to perform a tank inspection process.

Systems, methods and apparatus for safe launch and recovery of an inspection vehicle

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for inspecting a tank containing a flammable fluid are provided. A vehicle configured to inspect the tank can include a propeller, a battery, a control unit, an inspection device, and a ranging device. The battery provides power to the propeller, the control unit, the inspection device, and the ranging device. The control unit generates a map of the tank and determines a first position of the vehicle on the map. The propeller moves the vehicle through the flammable fluid in the tank. The inspection device includes a pulsed eddy current array to obtain inspection data indicating a quality of a tank wall. The control unit causes the propeller to move the vehicle from the first position to a second position within the tank. The control unit obtains first inspection data indicating the quality of the tank wall, and stores the first inspection data.

Systems, methods and apparatus for in-service tank inspections

Systems, methods and apparatuses for inspecting a tank containing a flammable fluid are provided. The system includes a vehicle having a propeller, a latch mechanism, a pressure switch, and an inspection device. The system includes a control unit in communication with the propeller, the latch mechanism, and the inspection device, and electrically connected to the pressure switch. The control unit powers on responsive to the pressure switch detecting an ambient pressure greater than a minimum threshold. The control unit receives, from the latch mechanism, an indication of a state of the latch mechanism. The control unit determines that the cable used to lower the vehicle into the tank containing the flammable fluid is detached from the vehicle. The control unit commands the propeller to move the vehicle through the flammable fluid. The control unit determines a quality metric of a portion of the tank.

Systems, methods and apparatuses for inspecting a tank containing a flammable fluid are provided. A vehicle configured to inspect the tank can include a propeller, a battery, a control unit, an inspection device, and a ranging device. The battery provides power to the propeller, the control unit, the inspection device, and the ranging device. The control unit generates a map of the tank. The control unit determines a first position of the vehicle on the map of the tank. The propeller moves the vehicle through the flammable fluid in the tank. The inspection device determines a quality metric of a portion of the tank. The control unit causes the propeller to move the vehicle from the first position to a second position within the tank. The control unit determines the quality metric for the portion of the tank at the second position within the tank, and stores the quality metric.

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Lincolnville, ME, United States of America

Eric Levitt