GB1525295A - Hydrodynamic cleaning apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

1525295 Cleaning the interior of hollow vessels IMPERIAL CHEMICAL INDUSTRY Ltd 15 July 1976 [15 July 1975 25 June 1976] 29647/75 and 26514/76 Heading A4F Apparatus for cleaning the interior of vessels such as chemical reactors 12 comprises a central support I rotatable or oscillatable e.g. by pneumatic unit 3 about its longitudinal axis, at least three arms 4 each having a spray nozzle 5 to emit a jet which, at least in a plane normal to the axis, is along the line of the arm, the arms being spaced around the longitudinal axis, preferably equiangularly, so that reaction forces from jets of cleaning liquid ejected from the nozzles are balanced in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, means 9, 10 to conduct cleaning liquid such as water or water mixed with steam and air to the nozzles 5, and means, such as pneumatic unit 8 coupled to a central worm (not shown) and worm-wheels 6, to rotate each arm 4 into limit positions (full lines of position A and dashed lines of position B in Fig. 2), respectively trailing and forward of a plane normal to the longitudinal axis, and into retainable positions therebetween (dashed lines of position A and full lines of position B in Fig. 2). The support 1 may be mounted on a steel column 2 as shown or on a hoist (13) as in Fig. 3 (not shown). The arms 4 may have different and/or adjustable lengths and each may have either two nozzles 5 or a nozzle providing two vertically-spaced jets, the jets issuing parallel to the length of the associated arm. Alternatively the two jets may diverge from one another and/or issue at an acute angle to the arm. The limit positions of the arms 4 are desirably parallel to the longitudinal axis or, if not, within 30 degrees of parallel. To clean a vessel 12 of the shape shown in Fig. 2 the apparatus is lowered into the vessel with the arms 4 in the trailing limit position (position A, full lines). Then with the apparatus as a whole stationary the support 1 is set rotating or oscillating whilst the arms are rotated, e.g. stepwise, outwards by the worm/worm-wheels 6 until they are normal to the longitudinal axis (dashed lines, position A). This cleans the top dome 13 of the vessel. Rotation of the arms 4 by the worm/worm-wheels 6 is then stopped and the cylindrical wall 14 of the vessel is cleaned by simultaneously rotating or oscillating the support 1 and lowering the apparatus as a whole (until position B, full lines is reached). Then with the apparatus as a whole held stationary again the arms 4 are further rotated by worm/worm-wheels 6 until the forward limit position (position B, dashed lines) is reached while the support 1 is oscillated or rotated thereby cleaning the domed bottom 15 of the vessel.