Localization technique research of a pipeline robot based on the magnetic-dipole model

Abstract

The magnetic field distribution of an emission antenna is studied in this paper. When the slenderness ratio of the emission antenna is high, the emission antenna can be simplified as a magnetic dipole for practical application. The numerical results of the magnetic dipole magnetic field show that the magnetic magnitude distribution has a hump-shape, whose direction is perpendicular with the antenna axis direction. A localization method based on the hump-shape signal detection is presented. The experimental result shows that the precision can reach a value of ±5 cm. The method can be used to localize a pipeline robot working in a metal pipe.

Keywords

low frequency electromagnetic wave, magnetic dipole, localization, pipeline robot