Valmet, a leading provider of industrial technologies and services for the pulp, paper, and energy sectors, used Flyability’s Elios drone to inspect a recovery boiler. This innovative approach saved time and money while enabling access to areas that were previously difficult or dangerous to reach.

Key Benefits

Overview

Valmet is one of the world's top providers of industrial technologies and services, offering equipment and maintenance solutions for the pulp, paper, and energy industries. Their work includes delivering large, complex systems like boilers, tanks, and digesters, along with ongoing maintenance to ensure their reliability and performance.

Regular inspections are a crucial part of this maintenance process. However, traditional methods often require building scaffolding, which can be time-consuming and expensive. For large assets like recovery boilers, shutdowns during inspections can cost up to $1 million per day, making efficiency a top priority.

Customer Needs

As part of their ongoing efforts to improve efficiency, Valmet sought new ways to conduct inspections of boilers and tanks. They decided to test the Elios drone, which features a unique collapsible cage that allows it to navigate tight spaces and continue flying even after collisions.

During a scheduled inspection at their facility in Mörrum, Sweden, Valmet used the Elios to inspect a recovery boiler. The structure was massive—over 60 meters tall—with pipes forming its walls and circulating water inside. Black liquor was burned at high temperatures within the furnace.

Shutting down the boiler for inspection came at a steep cost—up to $1 million per day. Building scaffolding for the inspection could take two to three days, further increasing downtime and expenses. The scaffold itself was costly, adding around $20,000 to the total cost of each inspection.

Solution

By using the Elios, Valmet eliminated the need for scaffolding, allowing inspectors to start the inspection immediately. The drone was able to fly into tight spaces at the top and bottom of the boiler, capturing high-quality images and video footage without the need for physical access.

This real-time data allowed inspectors to assess the condition of critical components quickly and accurately, without the risks associated with manual inspections in confined or hazardous environments.

Results

The inspection was a complete success, with Valmet inspectors impressed by the quality of the visuals captured by the Elios. During the night shift, they worked closely with the Flyability team to develop and execute an inspection plan that covered the entire boiler.

The Elios flew for two hours inside the boiler, capturing video of every burner, pipe, and surface area. After the flight, the data was processed to extract key insights, which were then included in the final inspection report.

This report was handed over to the morning shift, enabling them to focus on specific areas that needed further attention. It also helped identify parts requiring immediate repairs, accelerating the overall maintenance process and reducing downtime.

Conclusion

Valmet is already exploring additional applications for the Elios drone beyond boiler inspections. Some of the potential use cases include:

• Recovery boilers with heavy deposits in their upper sections, where the Elios could provide a safety assessment before human entry.
• Circulating fluidized bed power boilers, where the cyclone makes manual inspections difficult. The Elios could help avoid these challenges.
• Ash hoppers, which are dangerous for manual inspections. Using the Elios could eliminate the need for people to enter these hazardous areas.

With its ability to navigate tight spaces and collect high-quality data, the Elios has proven to be a game-changer in industrial inspections, offering a safer, faster, and more cost-effective alternative to traditional methods.

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