Tank Cleaning by Pressure Washer

Did you realise that with the right attachment, pressure washers can automatically clean inside closed tanks and vessels? This is useful for many industries such as food production or paint manufacturing. B & G Cleaning have developed special systems to clean larger storage tanks automatically using high volume pumps, but it is also possible to use a high pressure cleaner with a specially designed rotating head.

How the Tank Cleaning Nozzle Works

There are a number of options available depending on the size of the vessel and the soiling to be washed. The principle of operation is to place the tank cleaning nozzle into the tank in a position that the nozzle can be the most effective. When the water flow is started it flows from two or three nozzles which rotate in two planes. The flow is delivered as a straight pencil jet with high impact, so that within a few minutes the nozzles have impacted on every surface of the vessel.
There are two ways of delivering water to the nozzle, low pressure with high volume or low volume at high pressure. The cleaning effect is proportional to both flow and pressure so both techniques work well. B & G are happy to offer advice as to the most effective method in a given situation.
High pressure tank washing does have the advantage of reducing the water flow which reduces the cost. This is particularly effective when hot water is being used because the costs are higher and so the savings can be significant.
The time it takes to clean a vessel is dependent upon the type and amount of soiling on the vessel walls. To determine the time it takes to clean a tank it is a matter of trialling the cleaning to see how long it takes. If the trial is carried out under worse case conditions then you can be sure that the cleaning will be effective in all conditions. Because the cleaning is carried out with minimal operator involvement, it is important to include some form of timer when operating a tank cleaning nozzle.

Types of Pressure Washer Tank Nozzles

Electrical Motor Drive
This model is usually fitted with a 240volts motor which operates with a switch. The water is connected separately and is controlled by means of a valve on the water inlet line. The most common models use two nozzles positioned 180 degrees apart
Water Motor Drive
These models are generally more expensive. The water flow is passed over either small turbines or pistons to enable the nozzles to be moved through two planes. Nozzles can be two, three or four positioned symmetrically. The nozzle starts to clean immediately the water is turned on.

For more information about tank cleaning, talk to B & G Cleaning for great advice and value.