SPRAY NOZZLES FOR TANK CLEANING APPLICATIONS

Tank cleaning is an important process in many industrial applications and can be time-consuming and expensive without the correct solution for the given application. Storage tanks, process vessels, reactors, and process equipment can vary significantly in scope and size across all industries. However, most tanks must be cleaned before and after to ensure sanitation and prevent product contamination.

Tank cleaning nozzles can help to maximize the efficiency of cleaning applications by ensuring proper distribution of the cleaning media and maximizing impact from the available flow rate and pressure of the system, reducing operating and disposal costs. They can offer significant time and money saving over other cleaning options such as "fill and drain" or manual entry (especially in hazardous environments).

COMMON APPLICATIONS

Bright Beer Tanks

Brew Kettles

Fermentation Tanks

Mixers

Cooking Kettles

Large Commercial Ovens and Freezers

Reactors

Process Vessels

Underground Storage Tanks (UST) and Above Ground Storage Tanks (AST)

Oil and Gas Storage Tanks

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There are several factors to take into consideration for choosing the right tank cleaning nozzle for your application. The information should be used as a recommendation intended to make it easier to choose the right nozzle.

TANK CLEANING CONSIDERATIONS

Soil Classifications
Types Of Operating Principles
Mechanical Cleaning Action
Rotational Vs Static Spray
Planning Guide For Tank Cleaning
Resources

Soil Classifications

Soils are classified into three categories, which correlate with the type of operating principle and tank cleaning nozzles. Once you identify the type of soil being removed, you can determine which tank cleaning nozzles to select from.
Class 1 - Light Soil, Easy Removal
Soil is liquid residue or light powder that is not anchored to the surface and can be easily wiped away. Spray impact is not a significant factor.
Class 2 - Moderate Soil, Medium Wash
Soil is anchored to the surface. The strategy of repeated spray impact, temperature, and chemicals are necessary to remove these types of moderate soils.
Class 3 - Heavy Soil, Difficult Cleaning
Soil is heavily caked on the surface. A longer dwell time is required to aid in the cleaning process. Spray impact is critical and solid jet streams are commonly used for soil removal.

Types of Operating Principles

STATIONARY
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Class 1 – Soil Classification
Stationary nozzles, also known as static nozzles, have no moving parts. The low-maintenance designs of our innovative HydroClaw and spiral TW provide sizable free passage superior to standard static spray balls. The versatile size range and narrow form of the TW series ensure compatibility with small vessel openings.
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TW Spiral

Stationary Tank Cleaning Nozzle
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LEM

Stationary Tank Cleaning Nozzle
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Clump

Stationary Tank Cleaning Nozzle
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HydroClaw®

Stationary Tank Cleaning Nozzle
Reactionary Force
Detail Reactionary Force Spray Pattern Icon
Class 2 –Soil Classification
These are fluid-driven tank cleaning nozzles use the reaction force of the spray media to drive the rotation of the nozzle head. These provide complete 360° coverage and efficient cleaning through impact and repetition. Rotating nozzles increase tank washing efficiency over static spray balls, saving time and money by reducing water and cleaning agent consumption, while decreasing downtime.
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HydroWhirl® Mini PVDF

Reactionary Force Tank Cleaning Nozzle
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HydroWhirl® Mini SS

Reactionary Force Tank Cleaning Nozzle
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HydroWhirl® S

Reactionary Force Tank Cleaning Nozzle
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HydroWhirl® Poseidon

Reactionary Force Tank Cleaning Nozzle
ROTARY JET
Detail of Straight Jet Spray Pattern Icon
Class 3 –Soil Classification
Rotary jets use the spray media flowing through internal gears on the body to rotate sets of high impact jet nozzles through an efficient 2-axis orbital pattern, providing complete 360° coverage. The jet pattern nozzles utilized on these assemblies provide significantly more impact and impingement force than other styles of tank cleaning nozzles, making them ideal for hard-to-clean residues and larger vessels.
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Compact HydroWhirl® Orbitor 100

Rotary Jet Tank Cleaning Nozzle
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HydroWhirl® Orbitor

Rotary Jet Tank Cleaning Nozzle

Mechanical Cleaning Action

Traditional static spray balls are typically used for rinsing or removing light soils. These do not provide complete cleaning coverage because the static sprays create voids in the surface area where not much cleaning action occurs. Static spray balls produce a low mechanical force which consumes more time, water, and chemical solvents. Rotational spray devices provide greater mechanical force and are a better choice for cost savings and reducing cleaning cycle times.

MECHANICAL FORCE
The amount of spray impact applied to the surface area by the spray device
TIME
The duration required to clean a tank by combining mechanical force temperature, and chemical action
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TEMPERATURE
Temperature at which the cleaning is performed
CHEMICAL ACTION
Effect of chemical solutions or possibly hot water to aid in dissolving eroding soils on the tank surface

Static vs Rotational Spray

Traditional static spray balls are typically used for rinsing or removing light soils. These do not provide complete cleaning coverage because the static sprays create voids in the surface area where not much cleaning action occurs. Static spray balls produce a low mechanical force which consumes more time, water, and chemical solvents. Rotational spray devices provide greater mechanical force and are a better choice for cost savings and reducing cleaning cycle times.
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Efficient Cleaning & Cost Savings With Rotational Spray Devices
An indexed, fluid-driven device that optimizes the pressure and flow creates high impact cleaning jets, producing mechanical force to systematically sweep the entire surface of a tank. The diagram below is an illustration of the effect of greater mechanical force reducing time, temperature, and chemicals, saving on water consumption and production time.
Greater mechanical force will reduce chemicals, time, and temperature.

Planning Guide For Precise Tank Cleaning

There are several factors to consider when selecting the right tank cleaning nozzle for your cleaning application. The following guidelines should be kept in mind when planning. BETE has decades of experience with cleaning tanks and continues to improve spray performance with new and improved nozzle technology. Our engineering spray experts can evaluate your new or existing process to recommend solutions for achieving optimal cleaning performance and reliability.

TANK SIZE

Tanks come in various sizes and shapes. Choosing the right tank cleaning device depends on the type of soil being cleaned and the tank diameter.
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PUMP CAPACITY & SIZE
The pipe size being used depends mainly on the required flow rate and should be chosen so that the pressure losses in the pipe system are as low as possible. The required static operating pressure must be directly available at the nozzle and the pump power must be matched to this.
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NOZZLE ARRANGEMENT

The nozzles must be positioned in the upper part of the tank where possible. Nozzles placed too close to the ceiling of the tank will deflect off the curved tank ceiling and cleaning impact is lost.

Guideline for nozzle placement

(H3) Nozzle = 1/3 Overall Tank Height (H)

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FILL LINE
Nozzles that are permanently mounted inside the tank, should be positioned above the fill line. This prevents the nozzle from coming in contact with the product, which can result in bacteria build-up and cross contamination. Nozzles containing any gears or ball bearings should be removed after the cleaning cycle because bacteria can adhere to the crevices.
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DRAIN HOLE SIZE

The tank drainage by gravity rate is to be selected to prevent the level of liquid from rising during the cleaning process. Make sure the drain can handle whatever volume is put into the tank.
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SPRAY SHADOWS

Agitators, baffles, and pipes prevent the areas behind them from being reached directly by the spray. For this reason, more than one nozzle must be installed inside the tank. The nozzles should be positioned for the sprays to overlap, so that they can effectively clean the tank.

RESOURCES

BETE HydroClaw Winery Tank Cleaning Solution Case Study

Download PDF

BETE HydroClaw Tomato Processing Case Study

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BETE HydroWhirl Poseidon Chemical Processing Tanks Case Study

Download PDF

HydroClaw Chemical Processing Case Study

Download PDF

BETE HydroWhirl Orbitor 100 Potato Chip Flavoring Case Study

Download PDF

HydroClaw Tank Cleaning Solution for Brewery Lauter Tun Case Study

Download PDF

HWO Water Storage Tank Cleaning Case Study

Download PDF

Equipment & Tank Washing Brochure

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SI/METRIC Equipment & Tank Washing Brochure

Download PDF

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