1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates a system and method of cleaning surfaces with fluid. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a system and method for cleaning tanks, vessels, and other enclosed volumes with articulating and rotating spray nozzles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tanks, vessels, and other enclosed volumes routinely require cleaning. The challenge is to clean the surfaces of the enclosed volumes and other structures sufficiently to accept the next process in minimal time and with minimal cleaning fluid. Current market trends demand minimal time and minimal expense. Current environmental trends demand minimal fluid usage. Current safety trends demand minimal entry by personnel into confined spaces. Enclosed volumes are especially challenging. The contours of the inner surfaces and restricted access of enclosed surfaces make a difficult job more demanding.
Prior efforts have attempted to solve the challenges of cleaning enclosed volumes. Examples include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,245,554, 3,420,444, 3,931,930, 4,056,227, 5,020,556, 5,217,166, 5,395,053, 5,896,871, 6,422,480, 6,561,199, 6,640,817, 7,300,000, Re. 36,465, and US Publ. No. 2006/0065760. Commercial systems are also available for review on the Internet including: www.autojet.com/tankwash/reference.asp, www.gamajet.com/products/iv.html, and www.oreco.com/sw17371.asp. Most of the spray systems include one or more rotating nozzles about a longitudinal axis of the spray systems and many include telescoping the nozzle(s) into the enclosed volume. In some disclosures, the cleaning fluid is the driving medium for the rotation. In some disclosures, a nozzle is angularly fixed as it is rotated about the longitudinal axis within the enclosed volume. In some disclosures, the nozzles can be moved to different angles and oscillate during the rotation, but are dependent on the rotation. In some disclosures, the nozzle angle may be independently controlled from the rotation.
However, the mode of changing nozzle angles during rotation is not entirely satisfactory with current known systems. The degree and ease of control, speed, and efficiency are believed to have commercial limitations with known systems. A different system and method is needed.