US2064373A - Apparatus for cleaning containers - Google Patents

Description

15, 1936. J. G. CARRIERE ET A1.

APPARATUS FVOR CLEANING CONTAINERS Filed Aug. so, 1935 Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS Fon CLEANING CONTAINERS Application August 3o, 1935, serial No. 38,536 y 2 Claims.

This invention relates to the cleaning of contalners which have been used for holding liquid hydrocarbon material. As an example of these may be mentioned the compartments of tank ships, railroad tank cars, tank trucks and storage tanks. l

These containers are used in large numbers for the transportation and storage of such hydrocarbons as gasoline, kerosene, lubricating oil, fuel oil. crude oil, acetone, benzol and other products.

It sometimes becomes necessary that the same vessels be used for a `different product than previously. In such cases it is necessary that the vessel be thoroughly cleaned before the new product is run in, in order to avoid contamination.

This is especially true where a tank previously used for dark colored products is used for water white products or where a white product of very strict specications as to purity has to be stored or shipped.

'I'he present system of cleaning the tanks involves a long and laborious process. The first operation is generally to steam out the tanks with open steam and thereafter to scrape and rinse them with kerosene or gasoline.

Besides the labor involved the above method of cleaning has not been entirely satisfactory as certain gums, polymerized petroleum products, asphaltic material, etc., lodged in seams, corners, valves and other inaccessible places are not removed.

The residue often becomes dislodged at a later time thus contaminating the product often to such an extent as to' cause its rejection by the customer. y

Especially is this true where products such as amyl acetate used in the manufacture of photographic lms and other like products are shipped. With such products it isessential that high stapdards of purity be maintained.

It is a purpose of this invention to devise a process of cleaning containers which will be less laborious than those heretofore employed.

It is another object of this invention to devise a process for the cleaning of tanks which will be more effective than those previously used. It is a further object of this invention to devise apparatus for carrying out the above process.

The further objects of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of my invention throughout which reference is made to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a particular embodiment of the invention.

Figure I is a plan view of a dome attachment for a tank car.

Figure II is an end elevation of the dome attachment.

Figure III is an elevation of tank car partly in section showing cleaning operation.

Referring to Figures I and II the device of my 5 invention comprises a steel or other metallic plate I adapted to t the top opening of the dome of a railroad tank car. The outer edge of the dome cover is provided with a number of slots 2 adapted to receive the upper ends of swing bolts the lower l0 ends of which are attachedvto the dome of the tank car as is a usual construction. Passing thru the plate I and secured thereto are two pipes 3 and 4 which are of sufficient length to extend to the bottom of the tank car when the plate is in 15 position on the top of the dome. Attached to the lower end of the pipes.3 and 4 is a flat coil of pipe 5, the ends of which are joined to the ends of the pipes 3 and 4 so as to form a complete circuit. The coil 5 is of Such shape that it will read- 20 ily pass through the opening in the top of the dome of a tank car and is so arranged that the face of the coil is horizontal when in position.

To the edge of the plate I a wire 6 is connected the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained.

Into the top of the plate I a T fitting l is screwed, the upper arms of which are connected to a pressure gauge 8 and a safety valve 9 respectively.

The method of operation with the above described apparatus is better understood with reference to Figure III in which I0 is a railroad tank car requiring cleaning.

The procedure is as follows:the dome cover of the tank car is removed and a suitable amount of solvent, for example acetone is run into the tank car. The device shown in Figures I and II is lowered into place. The plate I is first grounded by connecting the wire 6 with which the plate is provided to the frame of the loading rack cr to 40 the railroad track. 'I'he plate I is then fastened into position by means of the swing bolts with which the tank car dome is fitted. The pipe 3 is connectedby means of flexible hose II to a steam line I2 provided with a valve I3. 'Ihe pipe 4 is connected to a steam return line I4 having a steam pressure gauge I5 and steam trap I6. 'I'his steam line I4 may lead to other tank cars being cleaned or may connect with a steam condensing system. After all the connections have been tightened the steam is turned on at valve I 3. The steam passes through the coil 5 which is submerged in the acetone, and heats the acetone so that part of it vaporizes. The vapor upon reaching the shell of the tank car condenses thereon.

The acetone readily removes all the foreign matter, which together with the condensed acetone vapors runs down the sides of the tank car and collects in the bottom. This action continues as long as steam passes through the coil. By regulation of the pressure of steam in the coil the amount of heat imparted to the acetone can be controlled. This in turn affects the pressure inside the tank which may be read from pressure gauge 8.

After a sufficient length of time, the steam is turned off. The drain leg I1 of the tank car is then connected to a storage tank and upon opening a valve in the drain leg the acetone and foreign matter are removed from the tank car. The acetone can be recovered from the material removed from the tank car by distillation. As a speciiic example of working conditions I have found that when cleaning a tank car of 8000 gallons capacity that if 500 gallons of acetone are run in, and the pressure maintained in the tank at 15 lbs.V per square inch that in twenty-four hours the tank is rendered perfectly clean so that the purest products can be safely shipped.

With the process above described fresh acetone is continually contacting the foreign matter on the Walls, no matter how dirty the acetone in the bottom of the tank becomes, for as the acetone has a much lower boiling point than the matter removed from the walls, it alone will be vaporized. In this way, it will be'seen that the same acetone is used again and again in a pure state.

While we have described our process with reference to the cleaning of a railroad tank car using acetone, it should be understood that the process may be applied to other containers and that a solvent other than acetone may be used as for example, other ketones such as methyl ethyl ketone.

We claim as our invention:

1. An apparatus for use in the cleaning of tank cars provided with domes, comprising a plate adapted to t the dome opening in the top of a tank car, inlet and outlet pipes passing through said plate and attached thereto, a pipe coil attached to the lower ends of said pipes, said coil being adapted to lie along the bottom of said tank car and to be readily removable from said tank car through` said opening, a pressure gauge and a safety valve mounted in said plate.

2. An apparatus for use in the cleaning of tank cars provided with domes, comprising a plate adapted to t the dome opening in the top of a tank car, inlet and outlet pipes passing through said plate and attached thereto, a pipe coil attached to the lower ends of said pipes, said coil being adapted to lie near the bottom of said tank car and to be readily removable from said tank car through said opening, a steam trap connected to said outlet pipe, a steam line connected to said inlet pipe and a. grounding clamp attached to said plate.

JOHN G. CARRIERE. LUDWIG ROSENSTEIN.

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