Selecting and Maintaining a Tank Cleaning Nozzle System
Knowing the application and its cleaning requirements is half the battle in choosing the most suitable tank cleaning nozzle system.
Cluster assembly for tank cleaning
Tank cleaning cluster assembly
Flat V spray nozzle used in tank cleaning assemblies
Solid stream nozzle for high impact tank cleaning
Corrosion resistant flat-V spray nozzle
When trying to figure out the best nozzle for a particular cleaning application, one needs to ask, “What is the nozzle going to do?” If the answer to that question involves washing or cleaning smaller storage tanks or cleaning machines in place, then a tank washing/cluster assembly nozzle system might be right. Once installed, a cluster imparts a spray pattern over a wider target area, providing full coverage of the tank interior. A properly fitted cluster can provide the needed cleaning of tanks with diameters less than 10 feet.
The Application Must Fit the Nozzle
Cluster assemblies are typically designed to hold up to 13 individual nozzles. They are usually based on an NPT connection, and are best suited for use with full-cone patterns, providing maximum coverage. Also, they are available in a wide variety of flow rates to meet the needs of the application. Higher flow rates would be used as the difficulty of cleaning the surface increases, with some units able to handle 90+ gpm at 100 psi.
Life Expectancy and Maintenance
Cluster assemblies in cleaning applications are used to spray anything from pure water to water mixed with detergent or acidic/caustic cleaning fluids. The cleanliness and abrasiveness of the fluid being sprayed is one of many factors related to a nozzle’s life expectancy. Other factors include duration of continuous use and the pressure being used. Clogging is probably the biggest maintenance factor that affects the consistency of spray patterns in tank cleaning applications; however, nozzle wear is another important issue that needs to be consistently monitored. Brass, steel and stainless steel nozzles are also candidates for corrosion and require regular, visual inspection.
Once a cluster assembly is selected, installed and operating, it should be regularly monitored to make sure it is always giving its best performance. Many companies have a regular maintenance schedule. They may take their machines down once a week for minor maintenance and every three or four months for major maintenance. In a program like this, it’s good to check the nozzles every week until they have proven that they will perform over the long term. They should then be checked every quarter or every six months. Since it’s difficult to determine a nozzle’s performance without being able to see the spray, other methods must be used to check for blockages and wear. The pressure gage is the best method in this case. If the pressure in the feed pipe is going up, the nozzle is probably plugged. If the pressure in the pipe is going down, then the nozzle might be worn and leaking. There could also be a leak elsewhere in the system, but the nozzle is one of the first places to look.
Conclusion
Once a cluster assembly has been selected as the best solution, sizing it and fitting it with nozzles is simple. However, no matter which nozzles are installed, regular maintenance and cleaning, coupled with change of worn nozzles, will minimize downtime and improve the bottom line.
