EP1062049B1 - Tank-cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a tank cleaning device with an insertable into an opening of a tank Housing, one with a feed line for the Cleaning fluid connected non-rotatable Housing part and one opposite the non-rotatable Housing part rotatable about a first axis of rotation Has nozzle holder, and with at least one Nozzle holder rotatable about a second axis of rotation arranged nozzle arrangement with four nozzles.

A similar tank cleaning device is out of the EP 0 430 659 A2 known. This well-known Tank cleaning device has a narrow Housing that you can even in a narrow tank opening can introduce. The nozzle arrangement has only two Nozzles arranged at an angle of 180 ° to each other are. When inserting the housing into a tight Tank opening, the nozzle assembly is rotated so that the common axis of the two nozzles parallel to Longitudinal axis of the housing stands. The tank opening therefore only needs a slightly larger one Diameter than the narrow housing of the Tank cleaning device. A small tank opening can advantageously be made much cheaper be considered a big one.

The two nozzles generate during the Cleaning process on the inside of the tank certain net-like spray pattern, which at a fixed ratio of the two Rotational movements around the two mentioned axes of rotation after a certain number of turns repeated and has a fixed "mesh size". The through the liquid jets on the Lanes drawn inside the tank get one fixed density, also by a long Cleaning time cannot be increased because the liquid jets repeatedly on the same Run tracks.

It is therefore the case with other known devices Cleaning density by the arrangement of four instead two nozzles reduced. The four nozzles are in the known nozzle arrangements always in uniform Angular distances of 90 ° to each other arranged. The reason for this is that the Nozzles in the known tank cleaning devices evenly around a usually horizontal arranged axis of rotation while the entire nozzle arrangement evenly by one usually rotates vertical axis of rotation. Both results in uniform 90 ° angular distances between the nozzles there is therefore an even surface on the inside of the tank Spray pattern without major gaps.

The known nozzle arrangements with four nozzles have but the disadvantage that when inserted into a tight Tank opening no longer all nozzle axes parallel to Longitudinal axis of the housing can be adjusted, at least not without further complex constructive Activities. You are therefore at very narrow tank openings forced to shorten the nozzle length, but this too a poorer quality of the liquid jet and less effective cleaning with leads to poorer cleaning results. This means but that so far there is no tank cleaning device with four nozzles there through a narrow tank opening fits and still a cleaning effect Liquid jet delivers.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to specify a tank cleaning device that at simple construction a thorough cleaning of tanks allowed with narrow tank openings.

The object is achieved in that in each case two nozzles of the nozzle arrangement in the tip Angles to each other are arranged as a V formation, the two V-formations essentially in point in opposite directions.

Surprisingly, it turned out that one with the arrangement of the nozzles according to the invention in acute-angled V-formation a uniform Spray patterns can create without large gaps. If one rotates this nozzle arrangement so that the one V-formation facing up and the other facing down, then the longer extension of the nozzle arrangement is in Direction aligned with the longitudinal axis of the housing. The minimum required diameter of the tank opening is then only by the housing width and the narrower extent of the nozzle arrangement determined.

In a preferred embodiment, that the rotation of the nozzle holder about the first Axis of rotation and the rotation of the nozzle arrangement around the second axis of rotation mechanically coupled are and have a fixed relationship to each other, so that the spray pattern after a certain Number of rotations repeated and that the acute angle of the V-formations with respect to uniform spray pattern on the ratio of two rotations are coordinated. With a fixed Ratio of turns can then be skilful Choice of the acute angle an even Spray patterns are generated without major gaps, that essentially does not differ from the spray pattern known tank cleaning devices with four each arranged at right angles different.

If the first axis of rotation is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the Housing coincides and is perpendicular to the second Axis of rotation is arranged and if the ratio of two turns is 45:43, then it is in Optimal with regard to a uniform spray pattern, that the acute angle of the V formations is about 40 ° be. With this arrangement of the axes of rotation uniform rotary movements with simple means be generated. It can be calculated that the above Ratio of the two rotations the following angles between the nozzles to achieve a uniform Spray pattern come into question: 90.00 °; 81.63 °; 73.26 °; 64.88 °; 56.51 °; 48, 14 °; 39.77 °; 31.40 °; 23.02 °; 14.65 °; 6.28 °. The one chosen here represents An angle of 39.77 °, or around 40 °, an advantageous Compromise with regard to an evenly dense Spray pattern with the smallest possible tank opening.

Also the measure that the two V formations are arranged symmetrically to each other so that two nozzles each in opposite directions point contributes to the uniformity of the spray pattern at.

When the two V formations are offset from each other are arranged so that their tips each in radial distance from the second axis of rotation, wherein the line connecting the two peaks in the essentially perpendicular to the bisector of the stands at two acute angles, the nozzles can be under optimal use of the small installation space be advantageously long to the quality of the liquid jet and the effectiveness of the Improve cleaning.

If in the elongated and narrowly trained a turbine and a gearbox for driving the rotatable nozzle arrangement in this way are arranged that from the supply line under Pressure inflowing cleaning fluid the housing flows through and drives the turbine before turning it off emerges from the nozzles, you get a slim Device for insertion into narrow Tank openings is suitable and a simple one Includes drive for the two rotary movements a thorough and even cleaning of the Ensure tank interior surfaces.

The invention can be further improved in that between one around the rotational movement of the nozzle arrangement the second axis of rotation driving element and the Drive shaft of the nozzle arrangement an angular play of approximately 180 ° is provided. This will put in the area the angular play an alignment of the nozzle arrangement in the longitudinal direction of the housing from any Rotation position allows without the Rotary drive should be activated. One can therefore those for insertion into a narrow tank opening possibly not correctly positioned Align the nozzle arrangement by hand without the Having to turn the drive elements and without otherwise required for the drive Consuming cleaning liquid unnecessarily.

In an advantageous embodiment of the above Angular play is the drive shaft with a radial protruding pin beyond its outer diameter provided that in a direction of rotation over a Angle range of 180 ° extending recess in Hub area rotatable on the drive shaft stored bevel gear engages.

Another advantageous embodiment provides that a non-rotatably connected to the drive shaft, plate-shaped veneer in the hub area an axially projecting inwards and turning in the direction of rotation first extending over an angular range of 90 ° Has projection that on the drive shaft rotatable bevel gear in the hub area axially outwards against the first projection protruding, in the same axial area as the first protruding and turning in the direction of rotation extending over an angular range of 90 ° has second projection, so that the relative Rotation between the plate-shaped veneer and the bevel gear against each other in the direction of rotation abutting projections to an angular range of Is limited to 180 °. The protrusions can be on simple way of manufacturing, especially when Cast the bevel gear and the facing with it be molded without further Steps are required, such as inserting one Pin in the drive shaft.

Further advantages and details of the invention result from the following description of a Embodiment with reference to the drawings.

Figur 1

eine erfindungsgemäße Tankreinigungsvorrichtung in einer Draufsicht;

Figur 2

eine Seitenansicht derselben Tankreinigungsvorrichtung;

Figur 3

eine geschnittene Darstellung derselben Tankreinigungsvorrichtung;

Figur 4

ein Detail einer erfindungsgemäßen Tankreinigungsvorrichtung in einer weiteren Ausführungsform;

Figur 5

ein mit der erfindungsgemäßen Tankreinigungsvorrichtung erzeugtes Spritzmuster;

Figur 6

einen Ausschnitt aus den Spritzmustern von Tankreinigungsvorrichtungen mit vier und mit zwei Düsen im direkten Vergleich.

The figures show in detail:

Figure 1

a tank cleaning device according to the invention in a plan view;

Figure 2

a side view of the same tank cleaning device;

Figure 3

a sectional view of the same tank cleaning device;

Figure 4

a detail of a tank cleaning device according to the invention in a further embodiment;

Figure 5

a spray pattern generated with the tank cleaning device according to the invention;

Figure 6

a section of the spray pattern of tank cleaning devices with four and with two nozzles in direct comparison.

The invention shown in the figures Tank cleaning device consists of a housing 1, in a narrow tank opening, not shown is insertable and therefore has a slim shape. The housing has a non-rotatable housing part 2, the at its top a feed opening 3 for connection a feed line, not shown, for the Has cleaning fluid. Furthermore, the Housing 1 has a nozzle holder 4 which is opposite the non-rotatable housing part 2 about a first axis of rotation 5 is rotatably arranged. On the nozzle holder 4 is one Nozzle arrangement 6 is rotatable about a second axis of rotation 7 stored.

The nozzle arrangement 6 has four nozzles 8, 9, 10, 11, of which two 8, 9 and 10, 11 in the tips Angle 12 of approximately 40 ° to one another as a V formation 13 or 14 are arranged. The two V formations 13, 14 are arranged to each other so that they in opposite directions 15 point. Thereby creates a nozzle arrangement 4 which in the directions 15 has a greater extent than transverse to this Directions 15.

If you turn the nozzle arrangement 4 by turning it like this, as shown in the figures, i.e. with the directions 15 parallel to the longitudinal direction of the housing 1 aligns, then the tank cleaning device even inserted into very narrow tank openings become.

The two V formations 13, 14 are symmetrical arranged to each other, the nozzles 9 and 10 in opposite directions 15 and on the other hand, the nozzles 8 and 11 in corresponding point in opposite directions. How best to recognizable in FIG. 1 are the V formations 13, 14 also staggered so that their Tips 16, 17 at a distance from the second axis of rotation 7 lie. The connecting line 18 is between the two tips 16, 17 approximately perpendicular to the respective bisectors 19, 20 of the two acute angle 12. Of course you can two V formations 13, 14 to improve the Compactness of the nozzle arrangement 4 also differently than in shown embodiment offset, in particular shifted along the bisector 19, 20, be arranged.

As best seen in Figure 3, is the first Rotation axis 5 perpendicular to the second rotation axis 7 arranged and coincides with the longitudinal axis of the housing 1 together. The non-rotatable housing part 2 is elongated and narrowly designed to fit through tight Tank openings fit. Flows through the feed opening 3 Cleaning fluid under pressure in the interior of the housing 1. In the housing part 2 is a turbine 21 arranged with a stator 22 and a rotor 23. The rotor 23 sits on a rotor shaft 24 with the also a sun gear 25 of a planetary gear 26 is rotatably connected.

The cleaning fluid flows by shoveling the Stator 22 and the rotor 23 and drives this. The rotor 23 rotates the sun gear 25 and this drives first rotating gears 27, which in turn rotationally fixed with second rotating gears 28 are connected. The second gears 28 run on an internal toothing 29 of a rotating part 30 um, the rotatably connected to the rotatable nozzle holder 4 is. The first gears 27 run on one Internal teeth 31 of the rotatable housing part 2 around. The two gears 27, 28 have the same number of Teeth. One internal toothing 29 has one around Tooth different number of teeth than the other Internal toothing 31 so that after one revolution of the two gears 27, 28, the rotating part 30 and Nozzle holder 4 according to the difference in Number of teeth at a small angle to the have rotated housing part 2.

The rotatable housing part 2 has in its lower Area a conical toothing 32 that with one arranged on the second axis of rotation 7 Bevel gear 33 is engaged. The bevel gear 33 is rotatably with the rotatable about the second axis of rotation 7 mounted nozzle assembly 6 connected. If the Turbine drive the nozzle holder 4 forcibly around the first axis of rotation 5 rotates, the second axis of rotation 7 pivoted and the bevel gear 33 rolls on the conical toothing 32 of the rotationally fixed Housing part 2 from. The bevel gear 33 rotates Nozzle arrangement 6 about the second axis of rotation 7. Both Rotational movements are uniform.

The conical toothing 32 has 45 teeth while the bevel gear 33 has only 43 teeth. This means, that generated by the nozzles 8, 9, 10, 11 Spray pattern only after 45 revolutions of the Nozzle arrangement 6 and after 43 revolutions of the Nozzle holder 4 repeated. The result is mechanical coupling with the fixed 45:43 ratio between the two Rotary movements together with the acute angle 12 of 40 ° an optimal coordination.

The cleaning liquid flows after the turbine 21 also through the planetary gear 26 and then arrives in the nozzle holder 4, from where it into the Nozzle assembly 6 is finally pressed out of the To exit nozzles 8, 9, 10, 11 and the Hosing down the inside of the tank. Due to the uniform double rotation around the two Axes of rotation 5, 7, a spray pattern is generated evenly covers the inside of the tank.

Such a spray pattern is shown in FIG. 5. The webs drawn by the liquid jet are in the essentially evenly over the inside of the tank distributed. A direct comparison between the Spray patterns of a four-nozzle machine and one Figure 2 shows two-nozzle machine. How to do it easily can see the distances between adjacent tracks and the mesh size in a two-nozzle machine twice the size of a four-nozzle machine.

As can be seen in Figure 3, the Drive shaft 36 of the nozzle arrangement 6 with a pin protruding radially beyond its outer diameter 34 provided, in a designated bore the drive shaft 36 is pressed. The pin 34 protrudes radially outwards and engages in a recess 35 in the hub area of the on the drive shaft 36 rotatably mounted bevel gear 33. The recess 35 extends in the direction of rotation over a Angular range of 180 °, so that the bevel gear 33rd with respect to the drive shaft 36 within the Angle play can rotate up to 180 ° before the Pin 34 on one of the boundaries of the recess 35 stops in the direction of rotation and the drive shaft 36 is driven by the bevel gear 33.

This measure ensures free rotation of the rotationally connected to the drive shaft 36 Nozzle arrangement 6 within the angular play fixed bevel gear 33 so that an alignment of the two V formations 13, 14 in Longitudinal direction of the housing even when the drive is at a standstill is possible.

In the modified shown in Figure 4 Realization of the angular play is the back of the nozzle holder 4 covering with the drive shaft 36 non-rotatably connected and together with this rotating, plate-shaped cover 37 in her Hub area with an axially inwardly projecting Projection 38 equipped in the direction of rotation extends over an angular range of 90 °. That on the drive shaft 36 rotatably mounted bevel gear 33 is also with a in its hub area axial projection 39 equipped in the axial Outward direction opposite first protrusion 38 protrudes in the same axial area as this and in Direction of rotation also over an angular range of Extends 90 °.

The two projections 38, 39 cover together an angular range of 180 ° so that the relative Rotation between the plate-shaped cover 37 and the bevel gear 33 by the in the direction of rotation abutting projections 38, 39 on the remaining angular range of also 180 ° is limited. With this arrangement you can the bevel gear 33 opposite the facing 37 turn within the angular play by up to 180 °, before the projection 39 of the bevel gear 33 in Direction of rotation on the projection 38 of the panel 37 stops and the drive shaft 36 over the Facing 37 is driven by the bevel gear 33.

For self-cleaning of the tank cleaning device a special spray nozzle 40 is provided which in upper area of the non-rotatable housing part 2 arranged and their spray direction down in Direction of the nozzle arrangement 6 is aligned. It can also spray nozzles for the Self cleaning can be provided.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

casing

2

housing part

3

feed

4

Injectors

5

axis of rotation

6

nozzle assembly

7

axis of rotation

8th

jet

9

jet

10

jet

11

jet

12

angle

13

V formation

14

V formation

15

directions

16

top

17

top

18

connecting line

19

bisecting

20

bisecting

21

turbine

22

stator

23

rotor

24

rotor shaft

25

sun

26

planetary gear

27

gears

28

gears

29

internal gearing

30

turned part

31

internal gearing

32

gearing

33

bevel gear

34

pen

35

recess

36

drive shaft

37

facing

38

head Start

39

head Start

40

nozzle

Claims (9)

1. A tank cleaning device with a housing (1) which may be introduced into an opening of a tank and which comprises a rotationally fixed housing part (2) connected to a supply conduit for the cleaning fluid, and a nozzle holder (4) rotatable with respect to the rotationally fixed housing part (2) about a first rotation axis (5), and with at least one nozzle arrangement (6) with four nozzles (8, 9, 10, 11) which is rotatably arranged on the nozzle holder (4) about a second rotation axis (7), characterised in that in each case two nozzles (8, 9, 10, 11) of the nozzle arrangement (6) are arranged at an acute angle (12) to one another as a V-formation (13, 14), wherein the two V-formations (13, 14) point in essentially opposite directions (15).
2. A tank cleaning device according to claim 1, characterised in that the rotation of the nozzle holder (4) about the first rotation axis (5) and the rotation of the nozzle arrangement (6) about the second rotation axis (7) are mechanically coupled to one another and have a fixed ratio to one another so that the spray pattern is repeated after a certain number of rotations, and that the acute angles (12) of the V-formations (13, 14) are matched to the ratio of the two rotations with regard to a uniform spray pattern.
3. A tank cleaning device according to claim 2, characterised in that the first rotation axis (5) coincides with the longitudinal axis of the housing (1) and is arranged perpendicular to the second rotation axis (7), that the ratio of the two rotations is 45:43 and that the acute angles (12) of the V-formations (13, 14) are roughly 40°.
4. A tank cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the two V-formations (13, 14) are arranged symmetrically to one another so that in each case two nozzles (8, 11; 9, 10) point in opposite directions.
5. A tank cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the two V-formations (13, 14) are arranged displaced to one another so that their tips (16, 17) in each case lie at a radial distance to the second rotation axis (7), wherein the connection line (18) between the two tips (16, 17) is essentially perpendicular to the angle bisecting lines (19, 20) of the two acute angles (12).
6. A tank cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that in the elongately and narrowly designed rotationally fixed housing part (2), for driving the rotatable nozzle arrangement (6), there are arranged a turbine (21) and a gear (26) in a manner such that the cleaning fluid being supplied under pressure from the supply conduit flows through the housing (1) and drives the turbine (21) before it exits from the nozzles (8, 9, 10, 11).
7. A tank cleaning device according to claim 6, characterised in that between an element (4, 32, 33) driving the rotational movement of the nozzle arrangement (6) about the second rotational axis (7) and the drive shaft (36) of the nozzle arrangement (6) there is provided an angular play of roughly 180°.
8. A tank cleaning device according to claim 7, characterised in that the drive shaft (36) is provided with a pin (34) which projects radially beyond its outer diameter and which engages into a recess (35) in the hub region of a bevel wheel (33) rotatably mounted on the drive shaft (36), said recess extending in a first rotational direction over an angular region of 180°.
9. A tank cleaning device according to claim 7, characterised in that a plate-like facing (37) connected to the drive shaft (36) in a rotationally fixed manner, in the hub region comprises an axially inwardly projecting first projection (38) extending in the rotational direction over an angular range of 90°, that a bevel wheel (33) rotatably mounted on the drive shaft (36), in the hub region, comprises a second projection (39) which projects axially outwards opposite to the first projection (38), projects in the same axial region as the first projection (38) and extends in the rotational direction over an angular range of 90°, so that the relative rotation between the plate-like facing (37) and the bevel wheel (33) is limited to an angular range of 180° by way of the projections (38, 39) abutting one another in the rotational direction.

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