PTFE tank cleaners

Hydrofluoric acid is well known for its ability to dissolve many materials including glass. Consequently many traditional ‘chemically resistant’ materials such as stainless steel are not suitable for use in tank cleaning applications where hydrofluoric acid exposure is likely. A further problem is that in many applications hydrofluoric acid can cause crystalisation of waste products onto surfaces which could potentially clog and block nozzles on cleaning systems.

One particular cleaning application required a cleaning diameter of almost 4m (tank volume 38m³), so using static nozzles was not feasible. The potential problem of crystalisation meant that the small orifices found in many typical spray balls were likely to be an issue. While most spinning or rotary tank cleaners could achieve the required reach, their metallic components would not withstand the challenges associated with cleaning these tanks. 

The only slight problem on this application was the need to adapt the standard BSP threaded connections to those that were compatible with the existing pipework. However, once a simple thread adaptation was made, the HydroWhirl Poseidon tank cleaners proved to be an effective solution to a challenging application.

In addition to the essential requirement of chemical and corrosion resistance, the other design features of the HydroWhirl system ensure rapid cleaning and less water use as they operate at lower pressures compared to static tank wash systems. Also, connectivity should be simple and flexible given the possible variations at each site and this is helped by the options of pipe, tube or DIN clip-on; threaded connections are available on request.

The use of FDA-approved materials means the cleaners are suitable for clean-in-place (CIP) applications. The spray characteristics of the HydroWhirl system are designed for slow spinning and longer spray dwell time on the target surface. The Spray Nozzle People say the result is increased impact compared to conventional rotating designs.