Using crude oil tankers may seem easy, wait until the times comes to do the cleaning. There however are several procedures of Crude Oil Storage Tank Cleaning that have been used over the years and new improved methods that employed by some contractors. This process involves the removal of bottom sludge, separating it into oil and solid matter and the actual receptacle washing.
In the conventional method, the sludge is removed from storage chamber's bottom, a process that can take between 90 to 120 days. This is done with experienced personnel and machines and with more operators, the stage can take less like 2 to 3 months. And when using receptacle cleaning machines that are remotely operated will take double the time as compared to human operators.
The second step in the conventional method is to treat the oil sludge. This involves separating the sludge into three components; recovered oil, solids and waste water. This is done inside the receptacle.
Once all this has been done, the receptacle is subjected to high pressure cleaning to wash its walls, roof and floor. A process called sand blasting is then employed so as to de-rust and d-paint the chamber. This stage can take around 50 days for one team and 30 days if two teams are working simultaneously on it. The outer walls of the storage chamber will require another 1 t o2 months de-painting and de-rusting. One can choose to sue the more expensive but effective ultra-high pressure cleaning so as to save time.
There is a one step cleaning method that has been developed and used by some companies. In this process, diesel is pumped through nozzles in a jet fixed on the receptacle's roof. This washes the sludge dissolving it after which the sludge/diesel mixture is pumped out of the storage chamber.
Using this method may be efficient but some solid sludge may take time to dissolve. For a 100,000KL tank this may take up to 4 months to dissolve. Temporary storage of the diesel/sludge mixture should be made as it is planned how to separate them into oil, solid and water. Another receptacle is required to contain the pumped out mixture when a receptacle is being cleaned.
Other than these methods, there is a two step procedure. It is quite advanced and cleans tanks in a matter of weeks compared to the months it takes to clean with the other methods. In the first step, a submerged rotary jet mixer violently and thoroughly mixes the sludge dissolving it into a suspended mixture, a process referred to as re-suspension. Here, about 90% of the oil is recovered for recycling and use. This only requires 7 days to set up the machine and 3 days to do the mixing.
The second step can be skipped if the client feels so. But if there is a need, then the residual sludge is removed. And since it is only 10%, the process will take way less time. And after the thorough and violent mixing, the remaining sludge is quite soft and easy to handle as compared to when using the conventional method of Crude Oil Storage Tank Cleaning.
In the conventional method, the sludge is removed from storage chamber's bottom, a process that can take between 90 to 120 days. This is done with experienced personnel and machines and with more operators, the stage can take less like 2 to 3 months. And when using receptacle cleaning machines that are remotely operated will take double the time as compared to human operators.
The second step in the conventional method is to treat the oil sludge. This involves separating the sludge into three components; recovered oil, solids and waste water. This is done inside the receptacle.
Once all this has been done, the receptacle is subjected to high pressure cleaning to wash its walls, roof and floor. A process called sand blasting is then employed so as to de-rust and d-paint the chamber. This stage can take around 50 days for one team and 30 days if two teams are working simultaneously on it. The outer walls of the storage chamber will require another 1 t o2 months de-painting and de-rusting. One can choose to sue the more expensive but effective ultra-high pressure cleaning so as to save time.
There is a one step cleaning method that has been developed and used by some companies. In this process, diesel is pumped through nozzles in a jet fixed on the receptacle's roof. This washes the sludge dissolving it after which the sludge/diesel mixture is pumped out of the storage chamber.
Using this method may be efficient but some solid sludge may take time to dissolve. For a 100,000KL tank this may take up to 4 months to dissolve. Temporary storage of the diesel/sludge mixture should be made as it is planned how to separate them into oil, solid and water. Another receptacle is required to contain the pumped out mixture when a receptacle is being cleaned.
Other than these methods, there is a two step procedure. It is quite advanced and cleans tanks in a matter of weeks compared to the months it takes to clean with the other methods. In the first step, a submerged rotary jet mixer violently and thoroughly mixes the sludge dissolving it into a suspended mixture, a process referred to as re-suspension. Here, about 90% of the oil is recovered for recycling and use. This only requires 7 days to set up the machine and 3 days to do the mixing.
The second step can be skipped if the client feels so. But if there is a need, then the residual sludge is removed. And since it is only 10%, the process will take way less time. And after the thorough and violent mixing, the remaining sludge is quite soft and easy to handle as compared to when using the conventional method of Crude Oil Storage Tank Cleaning.
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