Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Processes – Hollow work – internal surface treatment
Patent
1997-11-17
1999-11-09
El-Arini, Zeinab
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Processes
Hollow work, internal surface treatment
134 221, 134 24, 134 34, 134166R, 134167R, 134168R, 134169R, 134172, 134173, 134174, 134184, 134186, B08B 302, B08B 304, B08B 908, B08B 9093
Patent
active
059794712
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and a method for removing liquids from tanks or similar vessels.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
In certain industrial processes, liquid waste containing suspended solids may be discharged to a tank in which it is stored to await further treatment or disposal. After the liquid waste has been stored for a period of time, the suspended solids tend to settle and form a sludge at the bottom of the tank. When the liquid has to be removed from the tank the presence of the sludge makes it difficult to remove the entire contents of the tank.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for removing a liquid containing suspendible solid matter from a tank, the apparatus comprising at least one nozzle means located at a lower region of said tank where said solid matter tends to settle, a pump having an inlet submersed in said liquid and having an outlet communicating with said nozzle means, the pump being operable to withdraw said liquid into the inlet and transfer the liquid through the outlet to the nozzle means so as to agitate the suspendible solid matter, and liquid removal means located between said outlet and said nozzle means to remove a portion of said liquid being transferred to said nozzle means whereby the liquid is discharged from the tank.
Preferably drive means are operatively connected to said nozzle means whereby to effect rotation thereof.
The nozzle means may be located at the lower end of a vertically arranged pipe the upper end of which is operatively connected to said drive means.
Each nozzle means may comprise a pair of jet nozzles one of which faces in substantially the opposite direction to that of the other.
Preferably the apparatus comprises a plurality of nozzle means.
In a preferred embodiment the apparatus comprises three nozzle means.
Preferably each of said nozzle means has an associated valve means for controlling the supply of liquid to the nozzle means.
The pump may be suspended by cable means which is connected to a rotatable drum, and drive means operatively connected to said drum so as to effect rotation thereof, whereby rotation of said drum in one direction causes winding of the cable means around the drum so as to raise the pump and rotation of the drum in the other direction causes unwinding of the cable means from the drum so as to lower the pump.
Preferably the pump outlet communicates with a flexible hose which is wound around the drum, the drum being arranged for rotation on a hollow axle which communicates with the flexible hose and said nozzle means.
The drum may be rotatably mounted in a flask located above the tank, whereby rotation of the drum in said one direction can be effected to raise the pump into the flask.
The flexible hose may be wound around a further rotatable drum, the further drum being rotatable on a hollow axle which communicates with the flexible hose and said nozzle means.
Advantageously conveying means are provided for moving the flask away from the tank away from the tank.
The conveying means may comprise a pair of rails along which the flask is adapted to run.
Alternatively, the conveying means may comprise a plurality of air bearings provided on the flask, whereby the flask can be moved on a cushion of air derived from pressurised air supplied to said air bearings.
A radiation containment housing is preferably provided in the flask for accommodating the pump.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of removing a liquid containing suspendible solid matter from a tank equipped with liquid removal apparatus, the liquid removal apparatus comprising at least one nozzle means located at a lower region of said tank where said solid matter tends to settle, and a pump having an inlet submersed in said liquid and having an outlet communicating with said nozzle means, the method comprising the steps of agitating the suspendible solid matter by operating said pump so as to withd
REFERENCES:
patent: 4555063 (1985-11-01), Goettsch
patent: 5078799 (1992-01-01), Matter et al.
patent: 5409025 (1995-04-01), Semler et al.
Knight: "Sludge Retrieval, Treatment & Encapsulation," AG13.3-AG13.36 Dec. 1992.
Knight: "Basin Sludge Removal & Encapsulation Technology," Apr. 27, 1993, BNFL Inc., pp. 11-15.
BNFL Tank Retrieval Experience with Submerged Jet Technology, Oct. 1995, Los Alamos Technical Associates, Inc./BNFL, Inc., pp. 1-38.
Knight Mark A
Lee Charles R B
Wilby David K
British Nuclear Fuels PLC
El-Arini Zeinab
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