*Article* **Chimney Sweeping Robot Based on a Pneumatic Actuator**

**Peter Ján Sinˇcák 1, Ivan Virgala 1, Michal Kelemen 1,\*, Erik Prada 1, Zdenko Bobovský <sup>2</sup> and Tomáš Kot <sup>2</sup>**

<sup>1</sup> Department of Mechatronics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Košice,


**Abstract:** The need of improving the quality of professions led to the idea of simplification of processes during chimney sweeping. These processes have been essentially the same for tens of years. The goal of this paper is to bring an automation element into the chimney sweeping process, making the job easier for the chimney sweeper. In this paper, an essentially in-pipe robot is presented, which uses brushes to move while simultaneously cleaning the chimney or pipeline. The problem of the robot motion was reduced using an in-pipe robot due to the environments and obstacles that the robot has to face. An approach of using a pneumatic actuator for motion is presented along with the mechanical design. The next part of this paper is focused on the mathematical model of the robot motion, as well as its simulation and testing in the experimental pipeline. The simulations were compared with the experimental measurements and a few analyses were conducted describing the simulation model and its differences with the real robot, as well as considering certain parameters and their impact on the performance of the robot. The results are discussed at the end of the paper.

**Keywords:** chimney; cleaning; in-pipe robot; pneumatic actuator; simulation

**1. Introduction**

The increasing trend of automation, the introduction of robotic systems into various professions, is on its way across all fields. However, one of the professions that has remained unchanged since its very beginning is the chimney-cleaning profession. The process of chimney sweeping has been essentially the same since the 18th century. Nowadays, the main concerns of the chimney-cleaning process are the safety of the chimney cleaner and the fact that it is a physically demanding process. This knowledge led to the idea of designing a system for locomotion inside the chimney as well as cleaning it, thereby improving the whole process. To start off, the problem was generalized into an in-pipe robotic system, due to the similarities of the environments that the robot is going to move in.

In the following sections of this paper, a brief overview of the related works that inspired our design process is presented. These works represent innovations in the area of in-pipe robots. In the subsequent section, the paper focuses on the principle of motion that is used for the actuation of this robotic system. Further, the mechanical design is developed, as well as a mathematical model that describes the forces involved in the actuation process of this robot. To prove the concept of this robot, a computer simulation was created, determining travel distance at certain frequencies of the actuation. To evaluate the created simulations, the verification of the proposed robotic system was carried out, and the results were evaluated in the conclusion of this paper.
