Abstract: Sludge disintegrating apparatus comprises, in accordance with a first embodiment (11), a floating roof (2) of a floating roof type oil storage tank (1) through which the pressurized liquid spurting devices (11) are axially disposed so as to be axially movable relative to the roof (2), rotatable about the axes of the devices (11), and bendable through an angle .beta. so as to provide the apparatus with three different mode movements. To effect the change in geometrical configuration of the devices (11) so as to attain their bent modes, each device (11) includes a rotary cylinder (12) and a liquid-spurting cylinder (14) which are operatively engaged with each other along inclined interfaces (21, 21'). A rotary rod (29) is connected to cylinder (14) so as to rotate the same relative to cylinder (12) so as to achieve the 90.degree. re-orientation of cylinder (14) relative to cylinder (12) as seen in phantom in FIG. 3.

Abstract: The sludge collecting in a floating roof type oil storage tank is disposed of by inserting a compressed liquid spurting device in a straightened state into the tank through an orifice in the floating roof, feeding compressed liquid to the spurting device, causing the spurting nozzle of the device to be swung about the device proper and, at the same time, releasing the compressed liquid against the sludge inside the tank thereby causing the sludge to be disintegrated and fludized by the force of the compressed liquid, and allowing the fludized sludge to be drawn into a reservoir whose interior is under negative pressure.