Large vertical metal tanks are the primary vessels for the storage and turnover of crude oil, and the accuracy of their capacity calibrations are of great significance. The optical reference line method (ORLM) is used for capacity calibration and is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and hazardous, because of the elevated work. This paper aims to present a robot to overcome the problems above. We propose a tracked wall-climbing robot (TWCR) with permanent magnetic adhesion tracks, a collapsible scale, and an optional shovel-like rust remover that enable the TWCR to move stably on tank surfaces and perform the ORLM. Two sets of field tests (internal ORLM and external ORLM) indicate that capacity calibration by the TWCR is time saving, convenient, and safe, in addition to being accurate and reliable.

As high hydrostatic pressure is the main feature of deep-sea environment, pressure test is an important part in the development of deep-sea instruments and equipment. An ultrahigh pressure (UHP) chamber with several interface ports is designed and manufactured for pressure test. In this paper, the finite element analysis (FEA) is applied to the failure analysis of the chamber, including the elastoplastic analysis and the local overstrain failure assessment. The analysis results show that the design meets the requirements.