Rigid–flexible coupling dynamics and structural optimization of a robotic arm for wellhead check-valve installation
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: To address the problems of long operation time and low success rate associated with manual installation of drill-string check valves during well blowout events, a foldable robotic manipulator was designed for the emergency installation of drill-string check valves. The blowout load acting on the check valve under blowout conditions was determined using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and both kinematic and rigid–flexible coupling dynamic models of the manipulator were established. Trajectory planning and structural optimization of the robotic system were subsequently conducted. The results indicate that the planned motion trajectory enables continuous and smooth variations in displacement, velocity, and acceleration, ensuring impact-free and stable operation. Under blowout loading conditions, the connection base, connecting frame, and rear upper arm were identified as the primary load-bearing components. After optimization, the mass and maximum equivalent stress of the rear upper arm were reduced by 33.54% and 21.06%, respectively. For the connecting frame, the mass and maximum equivalent stress decreased by 16.44% and 9.75%, respectively, while the seventh-order natural frequency increased by 5.54%. For the connection base, the mass and maximum equivalent stress were reduced by 8.05% and 2.82%, respectively, and the seventh-order natural frequency increased by 3.11%. These results demonstrate that the proposed design scheme and optimization methodology effectively achieve lightweight design of the wellhead check-valve installation robotic manipulator while improving its static and dynamic performance. The findings provide a theoretical basis and engineering guidance for the development and application of robotic systems for wellhead emergency intervention operations.
Source: Results in Engineering
Language: English
Subfield: Control and Systems Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,940
OpenAlex ID: W7168913774