Tank Cleaning

Traditional tank cleaning is a labor-intensive, time-consuming process that exposes workers to many hazards and risks. Jet Mixing reduces or eliminates the necessity of workers to enter the tank. It also provides cleaner and faster results, allowing operators to get the tank back into production faster.

Perfect for turnarounds, maintenance, optimizations, or repurposing tanks, and production lines.

Whitehawk management has been a leader in jet mixing for more than 10 years, we have patent technology and experience. We have discovered that the only jet mixing that will achieve what our clients are looking for, is a large-bore – high flow – high-pressure mixing.

With these mixing capabilities, we know that the chemical, heat, and slurry are mixed and lifted properly for the pumping out stage with minimal sludge remaining.

Whitehawk never stops improving our technology therefore our clients have a wide selection of nozzles to choose from when working with Whitehawk to plan for their next project.

Sensitive FLIR thermal imaging is used to identify trouble areas and build-up. Sludge, wax, and solids can be located so the proper equipment and cutters can be selected.

The use of CN Mixer technology makes it possible to dissolve heavy hydrocarbons, including asphalt, fuel oil, and other petroleum byproducts. We then recover any hydrocarbons for reprocessing, eliminating high costs with treatment and waste disposal.

After draining the tank the atmosphere inside needs to be vented with the discharge being filtered or scrubbed.

The atmosphere inside the tank and discharged from the filter or scrubber is monitored 100% of the time during this process and recorded.

Venting and scrubbing runs continuously until significant reductions in LELs are achieved, giving us the ability to install the jet mixing nozzles safely.

As seen here a customer production pipe is opened to feed the equipment being used to perform the jet mixing, creating a full circulation of the heated water, product, and chemicals.

The tank is flooded with a mixture of water and chemicals until it reaches a level in the 10” branch where pump suction can be achieved.

Two high-capacity pumps are used during the Jet Mixing process. These pumps can inject water into the tank through the mixers themselves or through the water draw connections into the tank sump.

This pump is equipped with a full data log and can be operated remotely with continuous feedback.

Whitehawk never stops improving our technology therefore our clients have a wide selection of nozzles to choose from when working with Whitehawk to plan for their next project.

Pictured here is one of the Jet Mixers used for cleaning. Jet mixers are available in a variety of configurations depending on the conditions and application.

They can have full three-dimensional articulation with remote control and can be fitted with cameras and other attachments for monitoring.

Compared to other similar equipment on the market, the CN Mixer is the only automatic equipment available, allowing full sweeping of the tank with high flow. The small size of the CN Mixer, compared to other equipment, allows the suction and discharge to be installed in the same manhole, eliminating long lines of tubing and hoses.

In programming the CN Mixer, the operator initially defines the diameter and height of the tank.

The canon is fully articulated and can move full rotation to 360 degrees.

The program scan sequence is entered, informing the points you want to reach inside the tank and the dwell time at each point, thus constructing a matrix. The hydraulic control system performs the cannon movement, as planned.

Jet mixing comes in all forms and sizes but we have discovered that the only jet mixing that will achieve what our clients are looking for, is a large-bore – high flow – high pressure mixing With these mixing capabilities, we know that the chemical, heat, and slurry is mixed and lifted properly for the pumping out stage with minimal sludge remaining.

Here you can see one of the Jet Mixers attached to the tank. Two mixers are used simultaneously to ensure that the entire tank is washed by the jets.

While Jet Mixing, the slurry of water, chemicals, and the residual product is continuously circulated through the mixers, pumps, and heater.

Care and attention are taken when setting up that all connections have had a pressurized leak check to ensure no product is spilled.

The CN Mixer is available in 2-inch, 3-inch, and larger diameter versions are ideal for tank and equipment cleaning operations because it can reach the entire internal region of the equipment with high flow and pressure (150 PSI) up to 300 feet.

Heating the mixture during the Jet Mixing is key to achieving superior results. This aids the chemical treatment in breaking the bonds of the heavy product inside the tank, as well as knocks out the gases so that slurry and solids can be removed easily.

The Maximum Operating Temperatures vary for each tank dependent on design temperatures.  Whitehawk’s standard equipment can heat up to  95c and auxiliary equipment can be brought to reach higher temperatures.

Several flow meters are included in the system to carefully measure the volumes of water and chemical added as well as the amount of slurry removed.

These measurements aid in calculating the volumes of product removed from the tanks as well as building history to aid in future cleaning of tanks with designs that are similar.

Care and attention are taken when setting up that all connections have had a pressurized leak check to ensure no product is spilled.

Spill trays are placed under all equipment to catch any drips.

Once the Jet Mixing cycle is completed the slurry is drained from the tank and the sumps and hoses are pumped out.

The slurry is hauled to disposal sites.

Whitehawk has multiple ways and destinations to dispose of the waste product, finding the most cost-effective disposal for each project individually.

The Jet Mixing has left the tank with Zero LEL, H2S, and Benzene readings. This represents a significant improvement in the safety of workers entering the tank.