Tank cleaning using remotely controlled manway mounted robotic system

• US 5,740,821 A
• Filed: 07/09/1996
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hyrdochem Industrial Services, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Landry Service Co., Inc. (Clean Harbors Incorporated)
• Inventors: Arnold, Kermit R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US08/677,389
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 134/181, 134/172, 134/167 R, 134/198, 134/177, 134/175, 134/113, 15/302, 15/321, 239/264
• US Class Current: 134/113
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/093 by the force of jets or sprays B08B9/0813 , B08B9/20 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/0933 Removing sludge or the like from tank bottoms

Abstract

A cleaning system capable of passing through a manway entry point into a storage tank to be cleaned is disclosed. A remotely controllable robotic cannon for spraying diluent or water is provided which has a light source and CCTV camera axially mounted on the cannon nozzle assembly. Mounting systems permit sidewall or overhead deployment of the system as desired. Operators situated remotely can view and control the cleaning system via TV monitors.

Claims

1. A remotely controllable robotic cannon nozzle system sized and adapted for mounting in a manway port in a storage tank containing waste sludge or material to be removed, comprising:

a hollow mounting arm attachable to a manway or port cover on one end and having on its opposite end a pivotally mounted arm, said pivot being hydraulically powered and having on its end a second hydraulically powered pivot;

a cannon nozzle being attached to said second hydraulically powered pivot and having mounted therewith an axially aligned video camera, and an axially aligned light source;

means for supplying cleaning fluid to said nozzle under controllable pressure, the direction of said nozzle being remotely controllable by an operator, controlling the position of said first and second hydraulically powered pivots, in response to video images produced by said camera and said light source; and

an evacuation nozzle and hose means attached thereto, being remotely controllable by said operator for pumping a pumpable slurry of effluent from the tank to be cleaned.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the intensity of said light source is also remotely controllable by the operator.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said video camera has a zoom lens and its magnification factor is remotely controllable by the operator.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the supplied cleaning fluid is a heated diluent supplied at relatively low pressure of between one and two hundred pounds per square inch.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the supplied cleaning fluid is water supplied at a relatively high pressure in excess of one thousand pounds per square inch.