All About Tank Cleaning Services

C Moore • Apr 14, 2023

 

Tank Cleaning Services

 

Our clients turn to us when they need a solution. Within a vast number of chemical and manufacturing industries, this can be a broad category Considering tanks (also called reactors, vessels, tanks, totes, railcars, and compartments…) can be in every industry, of every size, of various compositions, and with multiple components, having the ability to discern the right approach is critical.


Customers need tanks cleaned for various reasons, including the best use of the tank, creating more available capacity (removing solids build-up), preparing for tank inspections, contamination or product issues, and other causes.

These tanks can contain hazardous chemicals, resins, oils, water, sediment, paint, fibers, food materials, and powders; you name it. Applying the right approach to tank cleaning will be based on several factors. First, the material for removal: liquid, solid, or sludge. Hazardous, non-hazardous, safety considerations, time constraints, disposal/recycling/transferring (the client wants to keep the material).


Also, the definition of clean. “How clean is clean?” is a common expression, and it differs from client to client, project to project. Here are a few examples:


  • Material removal only
  • Remove material, pressure wash interior
  • Remove material, hot water pressure wash (for certain chemicals, oils to be sure)
  • Remove material, water blast at 10K, 20K PSI for a certain level of clean
  • Removal of solids (vacuum if flowable, chiseled/hammered for hardened solids, etc)

Using different water pressure levels for cleaning is based on the efficacy of removing material and the tank’s integrity. A 10K or 20K PSI water-blaster will cut through fiberglass or plastic tanks. Consideration of the tank composition is another component of choosing the right tool.

Safety


To minimize risk, tanks can be cleaned remotely using automated tools such as 2D or 3D tools that can be lowered into the tank for water-blasting efficiency without entry. Also, tank cleaning can be done with poles/wands to stay outside the tank where access allows this, or a point of entry would prohibit entry. This approach works for some tanks, but unfortunately, not all. Many tanks contain baffles or coils for either flow or heating. These are difficult to clean around/behind if using automated tools or external cleaning. Utility hole access can also influence whether this is a good approach.


If a remote approach is not feasible, a confined space entry is required. This means the cleaning will be done from inside the tank. There are numerous safety requirements to do this, and only fully-trained personnel can perform this type of work. See last month’s blog for more details on confined space entry. Other safety considerations include working at heights, scaffolding (both interior and exterior), slips/trips/falls, lifting/turning (especially if bucket removal is required), atmospheric and chemical considerations, access entry (utility hole size, location), and other hazards that are anticipated in drawing up a confined space entry permit.

Disposal



The material that remains in the tank before cleaning, as mentioned above, requires action. Whether disposal or not, removing the material can be accomplished by vacuum (this can apply to all types of materials), by hand, or by gravity. Each method has additional considerations, such as where to store the material. For vacuum removal, either vacuum boxes or frac tanks are standard for larger volumes. Totes or drums may apply to smaller books. When using a pressure washer or water-blaster, it is essential to recognize the flow and volume of water generated as it will influence the resulting amount of material. Depending on flammable vapors, vacuum services may require a liquid-ring vacuum truck.

Summary


When evaluating and performing such cleaning projects, it is valuable to have experience in scoping and understanding what clients need—then making it happen with quality, efficiency, and safety.


First Environmental uses vacuum trucks, water blasters (PW, hot water PW, 10K, 20K), line lances, air chisels, air hammers, and hard work to address these specific areas of attention within various tank cleaning settings.


Our teams have real-world experience with cleaning each of the above and solving our customers’ most challenging problems.


Our mission: Exist for our Customers by Fixing Their Problems and Making Them Happy.


Our goal: To be the most desired industrial cleaning service.

 

To schedule a cleaning service or to speak with a representative about other industrial cleaning services call First Environmental today.

 

sampling
23 Feb, 2024
Sampling and analytical are the collection method and test results used to make decisions about certain materials. For First Environmental, this is usually about waste disposal and profiling, but it can also be about abatement or health & safety. We utilize third party companies to do the analytical work, but helping our clients collect samples and finding the most appropriate (or required) test methods and sampling approach is something we get involved in daily. We also use trained experts to monitor specific materials that have toxicity to humans (asbestos, heavy metals). Sampling for disposal purposes The sampling is usually about the characteristics of certain waste materials, and the focus is on physical properties of the waste. Examples such as ignitability, corrosivity and reactivity, as well as various metal and organic materials are derived directly from the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and its supporting regulations found in the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR 261). These sampling methods are designed to test for these physical properties or the presence of materials when tested that exceed a specified threshold which is identified in this section. “Totals” analytical provides a quantifiable result about the presence of certain materials in a sample. A TCLP (toxic characteristic leaching procedure) analytical is the basis for RCRA determination. Sampling for each of these items varies according to the test method, but ultimately are about determining whether the waste is hazardous or non-hazardous by these definitions. Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities (TSDF’s) have requirements about what types of materials they can receive and manage, including hazardous waste or non-RCRA waste, and this analytical or testing allows them to corroborate their ability to handle it. While the focus here is on hazardous waste, it can also apply to other property types including radioactive, TSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act), etc… 
vacuuming solids
05 Jan, 2024
Discover the essentials of vacuuming solids with First Environmental: key insights into vac truck capabilities, handling various materials, and effective industrial cleaning.
steel tank
By First Environmental 28 Nov, 2023
Water Stuff Using water to clean surfaces is as common as it gets. We wash our hands, we clean the dishes, we use a shower to get clean, and so on. This leads to one of our favorite discussions, flow versus pressure. The shower is pretty low pressure, so is the faucet. Even the Grand Canyon is an example of flow that is pretty low pressure (even the rapids). The flow of water will ‘cut’ stuff, it just takes a really long time. Same thing if you’ve ever left the hose on in the backyard for too long and it ‘cuts’ into the soil creating its own canyon. These are low-pressure circumstances. Adding pressure to that water changes a few things, but we are pretty familiar with those effects. If you add a nozzle to a garden hose, the sharper focus can remove/move more effectively. A garden hose without a nozzle moves easy items (leaves, debris…) and with a nozzle it is more focused and moves thicker items (caked on dirt/soil). If we turn that nozzle into a “pressure-washer” at 2000-4000 PSI, it removes certain “dirts/oils” with ease cleaning a patio or driveway making it look like new. When we kick up the pressure, the flow actually decreases, so you start to get the impact of the water in a more focused way where it is used to remove stubborn materials (resins, paints, hardened materials). Using a 10K or 20K water-blaster is a common way to clean tanks, trenches, grates, and other surfaces that get build-up of various types. On our path towards the 40K, it worth noting that a 10K or 20K water-blaster can cut softer materials (fiberglass, plastic, etc…).
More Posts
Share by: