ANYbotics, a specialist provider of robotic inspection solutions, has launched a new gas leak and presence detection solution for its ANYmal quadruped robot.
The company says its technology is “set to transform how industrial sites identify and manage costly and hazardous gas leaks”.
ANYmal’s new solution offers a comprehensive approach to industrial gas leak detection.
It integrates advanced, modular gas detectors with a 360° acoustic imaging payload to precisely pinpoint leak sources and simultaneously measure ambient gas concentrations.
The cutting-edge acoustic imaging camera is capable of detecting a wide array of common industrial gas leaks, such as steam, compressed air, vacuum, toxic gases, and hydrocarbons.
It can also identify partial discharge events and mechanical anomalies. The system then quantifies the rate and cost of a detected loss, and delivers these actionable insights directly into Data Navigator, ANYbotics’ inspection data and asset management platform.
Gas leaks are an invisible yet significant problem in industrial environments, especially in petrochemical plants where many gases are fugitive.
A single, undetected gas leak can cost a facility over $57,000 annually, which can quickly add up, beyond the immediate safety risks. ANYbotics’ new solution tackles these challenges head-on.
ANYmal robot’s new mobile acoustic imaging camera offers unparalleled coverage and flexible access to areas that are difficult and costly to reach with traditional static sensors.
This empowers inspection and maintenance teams to not only detect more leaks, but also proactively identify vulnerabilities in critical pipework, helping to prevent future leaks and realise significant annual cost reductions.
Thanks to the new Gas Presence Detection solution’s modular design, users can independently swap in multiple gas detectors to suit different gases, including oxygen, hydrocarbons, ammonia and many others, then calibrate them on-site.
This inherent flexibility allows ANYmal to continuously monitor various gas concentrations around its body during both autonomous and teleoperated missions, greatly enhancing safety in areas where static sensors offer limited coverage.
The system also provides customer-configurable thresholds that trigger an alarm upon overexposure.
Traditional manual inspections often miss existing leaks and early indicators of pipework failure, such as subtle temperature changes or unusual noises.
Because these inspections are tedious, inconsistently tracked, and often infrequent, critical equipment can go unchecked, allowing many gas leaks to go unnoticed and leading to costly, potentially dangerous situations.
ANYbotics says its new Gas Leak and Presence Detection solution “eliminates guesswork and human error”, and reliably detects leaks regardless of size or environmental conditions, ensuring thorough, consistent and regular monitoring that manual methods simply can’t provide.
Péter Fankhauser, CEO of ANYbotics, says: “Our new Gas Leak and Presence Detection solution is a game-changer for industrial leak detection and prevention.
“By combining ANYmal’s autonomous navigation with modular gas detectors and a 360° acoustic imaging payload, we’re providing a powerful, flexible tool that significantly enhances safety and drives substantial cost savings for our customers.
“Our autonomous mobile robots can now detect the source of leaks, quantify the loss, and alert personnel in real-time. By extending coverage across the entire facility, we’re providing a level of precision and efficiency that reduces operational costs, improves safety, and lowers emissions.”
The new Gas Leak and Presence Detection solution is already demonstrating significant impact during early adopter projects with ANYbotics’ leading industrial partners in sectors such as energy, metals, mining, and oil and gas.
Patrik d’Allens, head of technical services at DSM-Firmenich, says: “Gas Leak Detection fits into our data and maintenance strategy and gives us peace of mind so we can focus on value-creating tasks.”
