The fluidized reduction furnace gas duct cleaning robot is a mobile robot similar to Gibbon in a way that it operates in an environment difficult for a person to access due to high temperature and poisonous gas.

Designed to remove reduced iron (instantaneous temperature of 600℃) in a form of sedimentary high temperature dusts from a 25m long gas duct in a given period of time, dustproof and cooling was critically considered in order for robot to continuously operate in a dusty environment of 90℃. The robot has various operating modes. At the end-effector of the robot, a Bucket or an Air Suction Tool can be attached to collect dusts in the dump or directly remove via suction.

The system was downsized using mHPU(4-modules) as the hydraulic power source and can be remotely controlled by a wireless controller. Several cameras and lights are integrated into the system in order to visually monitor the operating environment inside the duct and various sensor systems are included to track the position and location of the robot. Also, different control modes such as torque control for emergent situations like collision and automated drive are possible.

– Project supported by POSCO.