APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AN OIL TANK HEATER SYSTEM

Abstract

An apparatus for cleaning components of a conventional oil tank heater includes a pair of containment drums, a drop cloth selectively mountable over the burner end or exhaust end of the heater tube for deflecting debris into the associated drum, and a high-pressure water hose having a nozzle with rearwardly-directed discharge ports. With one drum mounted over each of the heater tube's burner and exhaust ends, and with the drop cloth mounted over a selected one of the heater tube ends, the nozzle may be inserted under the drop cloth and into other end of the heater tube and manipulated as required within the heater components. High-pressure wash water streams exiting the nozzle ports are thus directed against the inner surfaces of the stack or other heater components traversed by the nozzle. The high-pressure water streams dislodge accumulated contaminants, which are deflected by the drop cloth into one of the collection drums and conveyed therefrom to a collection vessel. Manipulation of the nozzle within the burner's exhaust stack and other components is facilitated by propulsive forces generated by the high-pressure water exiting the nozzle's rearwardly-directed discharge ports.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10,984,315 filed Nov. 8, 2004, and the disclosure of said earlier application is fully incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to industrial cleaning and clean-up methods, and more particularly to a process for removing contaminants from heater tubes and stacks of oil tank heater systems and collecting the contaminants for disposal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Oil storage tanks, such as those used for temporary field storage of crude oil, are commonly equipped with gas-fired or oil-fired heaters to lower the viscosity of the stored oil so that it is easier to pump. The components of a typical oil tank heater include a heater tube with a burner end, an exhaust end, and a stack for exhausting products of combustion. The burner end and exhaust end are closed during heater operation, but may be opened for maintenance and cleaning purposes.

The operation of such heaters produces as soot which builds up on the walls of the heater tubes and on the tank walls. This can result in blocked air flow in the system, inefficient heating, hot spots, and distortion of heater tubes. Accordingly, it is important to have effective means for periodic cleaning of heater system components to minimize or prevent these problems. It is also highly desirable for such heater system cleaning means to be operable in a way that effectively contains the materials removed from the heater system, without contaminating the air or soil in the vicinity of the heater cleaning operations.

The prior art discloses a variety of cleaning devices and systems for cleaning contaminants from items such as smoke stacks, heater tubes, boilers, and heat exchangers, as briefly summarized in the following paragraphs.

Girtanner et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 1,676,019) describe a device for the removal of soot from pockets and other parts of boilers where soot and fine dust constantly accumulate; specifically, the combination with a tubular suction member adapted to be inserted through a space where dust may accumulate, said suction member being provided with spaced inlets throughout its length, of a movable bar mounted upon and longitudinally extending above said tubular member, and means carried by said bar adapted to break up and loosen the caked dust collected within said space.

Crowley (U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,788) describes an apparatus for cleaning a stack smoke by removing particulate and gaseous pollutants therefrom, having a conduit in the stack for conducting the stack smoke therethrough and a conical deflector spaced above and across the top of the conduit to provide an annular passage for the stack smoke and a nozzle to deliver a curtain of water transversely to the direction of the deflected stack smoke to remove pollutants, the water then flowing to a collection tank and outlet line for discharge from the stack.

Hartman (U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,958) describes a cleaner for the products of combustion in a smoke stack in the form of a vertically elongated chamber having a multiplicity of inclined baffles extending from opposite sides of the chamber to beyond the center line thereof and water spray devices located intermediate of each pair of vertically spaced baffles. In the preferred form, the baffles are inclined inwardly and upwardly, so that water from the nozzles flows to the outer edges of each baffle where it is connected to a drain.

Kovac (U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,614) describes a dust and soot collector that surrounds a top portion of a stack or duct. Sprays of water are directed across a path of a gas flow exiting the stack. The water removes particles of dust and soot from the gas. A slush is created which falls into a peripheral trough and is removed.

Pembroke (U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,519) describes an apparatus for cleaning tubes which apparatus comprises a hollow barrel which is connected to a primary drum containing a coiled resilient tape so that the tape may pass from the drum along and out of one end of the barrel, an electric motor operatively connected to an inner end of the coil of tape and arranged to rotate the coil of tape and to drive the tape out of the barrel and to retract it into the drum, a cleaning device such as a brush attached to an outer end of the coil of tape, and a vacuum hose connected to the other end of the barrel and adapted for connection to a vacuum generating apparatus to create suction at said one end of the barrel, in which apparatus there is provided associated with the drum and the coil of tape a proximity switch sensor and a plurality of targets adapted to be sensed by the proximity switch sensor, relative rotation between the sensor and the targets causing the sensor to transmit impulses to a visible display device to indicate the amount of tape unwound from the coil.

Lake (U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,883) describes the filter tubes of a swimming pool filter which are cleaned by a spray nozzle connected to a high pressure water source and carried on the end of a wand adapted to be inserted slidably through the drain valve and moved back and forth to cause the spray nozzle to traverse back and forth beneath the tubes. Dirty water from the filter is discharged around the wand and through the drain valve.

Clark et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,632) describe a sootblower for the cleaning of internal surfaces of large scale boilers which are subject to the accumulation of soot or slag encrustations. In instances where a sootblower is used to project the jet of steam or a steam/air mixture, between actuation cycles, condensate can form in the sootblower or the associated piping. At the beginning of an actuation cycle the condensate is ejected from the sootblower. If the condensate impinges against the heat transfer surfaces inside the boiler it can cause damage to these surfaces through excessive thermal and mechanical shock. In accordance with this invention the sootblower is provided with a nozzle block assembly incorporating a condensate separator which causes condensate to be ejected by the lance tube away from impact with the heat transfer surfaces where it can be safely dissipated from the boiler without causing damage to the heat transfer surfaces which are cleaned using a substantially fully vaporous pure spray of sootblowing medium.

Wade (U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,543) describes a cleaning apparatus including a support device for supporting a spray member for receiving and spraying hot liquid onto a surface the be cleaned and a vacuum head for withdrawing liquid and material from the surface by reduced pressure. Also included are a container, a manifold having first and second chambers, a pump, and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger inlet is coupled to the first chamber and a flexible high pressure liquid conduit is coupled to the heat exchanger outlet and to the spray member by way of a control valve. The pump inlet is coupled to the second chamber and the pump outlet is coupled to the first chamber. A return conduit is coupled from the flow control valve to the second chamber. A pressure adjustment valve is coupled to the two chambers for controlling variations of the pressure in the two chambers and hence at the pump outlet.

Brown (U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,718) describes a sootblower for use in cleaning heat exchanger surfaces in which a drain is provided for selectively draining a portion of the blowing medium from the sootblower lance tube for discarding externally of the heat exchanger. The lance tube drain enables the discharge of blowing medium from the lance tube into the heat exchanger to be reduced during portions of a cleaning cycle in which the lance tube nozzles are not directed toward a surface to be cleaned yet enabling a minimum flow of blowing medium through the lance tube for cooling or other purposes without discharging the minimum flow of blow medium into the heat exchanger.

Gurstein (U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,094) describes an extraction cleaning device of the type having a cleaning head, a vacuum system for applying suction at the cleaning head, a holding tank for holding cleaning liquid, a pump for pressurizing the liquid, and a delivery line for delivering the pressurized liquid to the cleaning head wand, where it is sprayed onto a carpet, upholstery, etc. The device is improved by the addition of pressure reduction valve, having a calibrated orifice, which is hydraulically connected between the liquid delivery line and a return line to the holding tank. When the reduction valve is open, the delivery line pressure is reduced by the added leakage; this allows switching between high pressure jet spray for carpets and low pressure jet spray for upholstery, drapes, etc. For easy opening and closing of the reduction valve, it is preferably a solenoid valve activated by a switch.

Sivacoe (U.S. Pat. No. 6,391,121) describes a method of cleaning tubing in an operating heater, in which the tubing has an inlet and an outlet. While the heater is in operation, a pig is run through the tubing from the inlet to the outlet and then returned to the inlet along return tubing, in parallel connection to the heater tubing. A combined pig launcher and receiver mounted parallel to the tubing, and controlled with three way full port valves, is used to launch pigs into the tubing and remove them from the tubing. A boost pump is used to force pigs back from outlet to inlet.

Gertner-Hansen (U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,235) describes a method of cleaning flue gases from gaseous pollutants formed during combustion of oil during start-up of a boiler and/or operational disturbances in the boiler, wherein the boiler is for combustions of fuel including one of fossil fuel, coal, biomass fuel and waste. Flue gases are conducted from the boiler through a flue duct to a barrier filter for separation of particulate pollutants. Finely-dispersed particles are introduced into and mixed with the flue gases in the flue duct in at least one of upstream of and in the barrier filter. The finely-dispersed particles are separated in the barrier filter while forming a dust cake. Condensed gaseous pollutants and droplets are taken up on the surface of the finely-dispersed particles in the flue gases and in the dust cake.

Accordingly, the prior art references described above teach: a soot removing device (Girtanner); an apparatus for removing particulate and gaseous pollutants from stack smoke (Crowley); a smoke stack air washer (Hartman); an apparatus for collection of dust and soot by wetting (Kovac); an apparatus for cleaning tubes (Pembroke); a filter cleaning apparatus (Lake); a sootblower with condensate separator (Clark); a pump system for cleaning apparatus (Wade); a sootblower with lance bypass flow Brown); a dual pressure extraction cleaner, a method of cleaning a heater (Sivacoe); and a method of cleaning flue gases (Gertner-Hansen). Thus, the prior art shows, that it is possible to clean flues and flue gases effectively.

However, there remains a need for improved methods and apparatus for cleaning heater tubes and stacks of oil tank heating systems. In particular, there is a need for methods and apparatus which may be used in a more environmentally friendly manner than known methods. For example, the prior art teaches the cleaning of tubes using high pressure water jets, but thus produces undesirable effects including soot emissions which are difficult and expensive to deal with when using known techniques. Accordingly, one objective of the present invention is to provide a burner system cleaning method and apparatus which may be operated so as to reduce or prevent contamination of the air, soil, and other objects in the vicinity of burner cleaning operations. This is particularly desirable in order to reduce or eliminate the need to replace fill materials in the vicinity of oil tanks due to contamination during heating system cleaning operations.

Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is to enable the cleaning of a soot-laden stack without generating air-borne particulate.

A further objective of the invention is enable such cleaning while capturing all of the particulate in an aqueous runoff.

A still further objective of the invention is to enable thorough and effective cleaning of oil tank burner components quickly and with comparatively little post-operational clean-up being required.

The present invention is directed to the foregoing needs and objectives.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In general terms, the present invention is a method and associated apparatus for and apparatus for cleaning the interior surfaces of heater tubes and stacks of oil tank heater systems, in which a high-pressure water nozzle with rearwardly-directed jets is used to loosen and remove soot and other accumulated contaminants from the surfaces to be cleaned. The nozzle is adapted for connection to a hose or other flexible conduit connected to a high-pressure water source. As used in this document, references to the nozzle jets being rearwardly directed indicate that water exiting the jets will be directed toward the hose end of the nozzle. The jets are preferably configured at an outward angle away from the nozzle, such that water exiting the jets will be directed laterally as well as rearwardly away from the nozzle, to facilitate the direction of a stream of high-pressure water against surfaces to be cleaned, as described further below.

In accordance with the invention, two contaminant drums are provided, for mounting in association with a burner end and an exhaust end of the heater tube of an oil tank heater (said burner end and/or exhaust end having been opened for cleaning purposes). The apparatus includes debris-deflecting cover means, for temporarily covering either the burner end or the exhaust end as appropriate, and for deflecting, into an associated containment drum, any debris that is dislodged from the inner surfaces of the heater tube or stack, along with waste wash water. The containment drums are connected to drain conduit means adapted to convey collected debris and waste water to a debris-receiving means or disposal facility.

The water nozzle with rearwardly-directed jets provides the invention with several advantages over prior art methods and apparatus. First, the flow of high-pressure water out of the rearwardly-directed jets can produce a propulsive force that counteracts gravity to a significant extent so as to facilitate the insertion of the nozzle, and the high-pressure hose to which it is attached, upward into the heater stack or other components. Second, since all of the water flowing to the nozzle exits rearward of the nozzle, in addition to helping to dislodge contaminants, it also acts to wash the dislodged contaminants toward the opening (i.e., at the burner end or exhaust end of the heater tube) through which the nozzle and its associate hose have been inserted, thus facilitating the diversion of debris and waste water into the associated containment drum (with the assistance of the debris-deflecting cover means). Third, since all of the nozzle jets are rearwardly directed, the nozzle can be used to clean a vertical stack without the risk of water (and dislodged debris) being ejected out the top of the stack and causing environmental contamination.

Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention is a method for cleaning components of an oil tank heater, said heater having a heater tube with an open burner end and an open exhaust end, an exhaust stack with a top end and a bottom end, said bottom end of the exhaust stack being in communication with the heater tube near the exhaust end thereof, said method in one embodiment comprising the steps of:

• • (a) providing first and second containment drums, each having a top opening and a drain;
  • (b) mounting the first drum in association with said burner end, and mounting the second drum in association with said exhaust end;
  • (c) connecting drain conduit means between the tank drains and a debris-receiving means;
  • (d) securing a debris-deflecting cover means over the exhaust end such that said cover means can deflect debris exiting the exhaust end into the second drum through the top opening thereof;
  • (e) providing a hose connected at one end to a high-pressure water source, and connected at the other end to a nozzle, said nozzle having a plurality of rearwardly-directed jets;
  • (f) inserting the nozzle under the drop cloth, through the exhaust end of the heater tube, and into the exhaust stack through the bottom end thereof;
  • (g) activating the high-pressure water source so as to force high-pressure water out the rearwardly-directed nozzle jets; and
  • (h) moving the nozzle upward within the exhaust stack, such that high-pressure water from the nozzle jets is directed against interior surfaces of the stack so as to loosen accumulated debris therefrom, and so as to wash loosened debris downward within the stack and out the exhaust end of the heater tube, whereupon the debris is directed into the second containment drum by the debris-deflecting cover means;
    whereupon debris washed into the second containment drum passes through the drain thereof, and is conveyed to the debris-receiving means by the drain conduit means.

In the preferred embodiment, the above method further includes the steps of inserting the nozzle into the heater tube through the exhaust end thereof, and moving the nozzle within the heater tube, such that high-pressure water from the nozzle jets is directed against interior surfaces of the tube so as to loosen accumulated debris therefrom, and so as to wash loosened debris out the exhaust end of the heater tube, whereupon the debris is directed into the second containment drum by the debris-deflecting cover means.

The effectiveness of the method may be enhanced by the further steps of rotating the nozzle while it is positioned within the heater tube, and/or using a wash wand to loosen additional debris from interior surfaces of the heater tube.

In the embodiments described above, the method is practised by insertion of the nozzle into the heater tube through the burner end thereof. In particularly preferred embodiments, the method includes the additional steps of securing the debris-deflecting cover means over the burner end of the heater tube such that said cover means can deflect debris exiting said burner end into the first containment drum through the top opening thereof; inserting the nozzle under the drop cloth and into the heater tube through the burner end thereof; and moving the nozzle within the heater tube, such that high-pressure water from the nozzle jets is directed against interior surfaces of the tube so as to loosen accumulated debris therefrom, and so as to wash loosened debris out the burner end of the heater tube, whereupon the debris is directed into the first containment drum by the debris-deflecting cover means, whereupon debris washed into the first containment drum passes through the drain thereof, and is conveyed to the debris-receiving means by the drain conduit means. Optionally, the method in accordance with these preferred embodiments may include the further steps of rotating the nozzle while it is positioned within the heater tube and/or using a wash wand to loosen additional debris from interior surfaces of the heater tube.

In a second aspect, the invention is an apparatus for cleaning components of an oil tank heater, said heater having a heater tube with an open burner end and an open exhaust end, an exhaust stack with a top end and a bottom end, said bottom end of the exhaust stack being in communication with the heater tube near the exhaust end thereof, said apparatus comprising:

• • (a) first and second containment drums, each having a top opening and a drain, said first drum being mountable over said burner end, and said second drum being mountable over said exhaust end;
  • (b) debris-deflecting cover means selectively mountable over the burner end such that said cover means can deflect debris exiting the burner end into the first drum through the top opening thereof, or over the exhaust end such that said cover means can deflect debris exiting the exhaust end into the second drum through the top opening thereof;
  • (c) drain conduit means extending between the tank drains and a debris-receiving means; and
  • (d) a hose connected at one end to a nozzle, said nozzle having a plurality of rearwardly-directed jets, the other end of said hose being connectable to a high-pressure water source.

The debris-deflecting cover means may be provided in the form of a drop cloth. In the preferred embodiment, the drain conduit means comprises two primary conduits, each of which extends between one of the containment drum drains and the debris-receiving means. Alternatively, the drain conduit means may comprise two primary conduits extending from each containment drum drain and joined to a secondary conduit by means of a tee fitting, said secondary conduit being connected to the debris-receiving means. The debris-receiving means may be a simple gravity-fed collection vessel, from which collected debris and wash water may be held for pick-up and transport to a disposal site. In the preferred embodiment, however, the debris-receiving means comprises a vacuum apparatus, for sucking washings from the containment drums into a vacuum tank.

In a third aspect, the present invention is a nozzle having a front end, an inlet end adapted for connection to a hose, a sidewall enclosing an interior chamber in fluid communication with said inlet end, and a plurality of discharge ports extending through said sidewall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, in which numerical references denote like parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic depiction of the apparatus of the invention in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic depiction of the apparatus of the invention in accordance with an alternative embodiment.

FIG. 3A is a side view of a high-pressure nozzle with rearwardly-directed jets in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3B is a front end view of the nozzle shown in FIG. 3A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a typical oil tank heater has a heater tube 1, which has associated therewith a burner end 2 and an exhaust end 6, plus an exhaust stack 8 associated with exhaust end 6. Stack 8 is in communication with the interior of heater tube 1 so that products of combustion from the operation of the burners will be exhausted therethrough. Burner end 2 and exhaust end 6 will be closed during operation of the heater, but they may be opened for access to heater tube 1 and exhaust stack 8 for maintenance and cleaning purposes. Accordingly, in the context of this description of the invention, burner end 2 and exhaust end 6 may be considered to be open.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a first collection drum 9B is mounted in association with burner end 2, and secured using suitable attachment means such as straps 18, and a second collection drum 9E is similarly mounted in association with exhaust end 6. A drop cloth 7, or other cover capable of deflecting debris, is initially draped or placed over exhaust end 6 and secured by any suitable means such that the lower portion of drop cloth 7 is loosely draped into drum 9E as shown in the Figures. Collection drums 9B and 9E each have a drain 20, and drains 20 are connected to drain conduit means for conveying debris and wash water from drums 9B and 9E to suitable debris-receiving means. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the drain conduit means is provided in the form of tee-fitting 15 which connects to drain hose 16, and the debris-receiving means is provided in the form of a vacuum apparatus 17. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the drain conduit means is provided in the form of runoff troughs 10 each of which is connected to one of the tank drains 20, and runoff troughs 10 are configured so as to convey debris and wash water by gravity to debris-receiving means in the form of collection vessel 11.

To use the method of the invention, in accordance with one embodiment, a nozzle 14 with a plurality of discharge ports (also referred to as jets) 142 is attached to an end of a high-pressure hose 13. As illustrated in FIG. 3A, nozzle 14 has front end 14A, inlet end 14B adapted for connection to hose 13 (by way of threaded connection, quick-release connection, or any other known means), interior chamber 140, and sidewall 141. Jets 142 extend through sidewall 141 to allow high-pressure water entering chamber 140 from hose 13. Jets 142 are oriented so as to direct high-pressure water laterally outward away from nozzle 14. In the preferred embodiment, jets 142 are oriented at a rearward angle so as to direct high-pressure water not only laterally but also rearwardly, as conceptually indicated by flow arrows F in FIGS. 3A and 3B.

It is also preferable, though not essential, for jets 142 to be evenly spaced around the perimeter of nozzle 14 as indicated in FIG. 3B. An even spacing promotes uniform distribution of the high-pressure spray exiting nozzle 14, which will be beneficial in many applications. As well, uniform spacing of jets 142 will cause propulsive forces generated by rearwardly-directed jets 142 to act substantially concentrically with nozzle 14, thus assisting a user wishing to move nozzle 14 in a straight fashion. FIGS. 3A and 3B show nozzle 14 as having one set of six jets 142 equally spaced around the circumference of nozzle 14. However, other jet arrangements are possible without departing from the present invention. For example, nozzle 14 could have more than one set of jets of difference configurations, with each set of jets 142 having four, eight, or some other number of jets 142.

Nozzle 14 may be custom-fabricated to have an inlet end adapted for connection to hose 13 by any conventional means, with jets 142 providing the only outlet for water entering nozzle 14. Alternatively, nozzle 14 could be a modified version of a known type of nozzle that has a front discharge port 144 as conceptually illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B. In that case, angled, rearwardly-directed jets 142 are drilled or otherwise formed in the body of nozzle 14, and front port 144 is plugged so that all water entering nozzle 14 will exit in an angled, rearwardly-directed fashion. Although it is preferred for nozzle 14 to have no discharge ports that would discharge water in a forward-directed fashion (either straight forward or at a forward angle), this is not essential to the invention. In alternative embodiments, nozzle 14 may include one or more forward-directed jets provided that the total high-pressure water flow discharged by nozzle 14 is predominantly directed rearwardly.

To use the method and apparatus of the invention in accordance with the preferred embodiment, nozzle 14 is inserted under the loose portion of the drop cloth 7 and into exhaust end 6 of heater tube 1. A high-pressure wash unit 12 is activated, and wash water is forced through nozzle 14. Nozzle 14 is manually guided up exhaust stack 8 toward the top thereof. The upward movement of nozzle 14 is made easier by virtue of propulsive forces generated by the high-pressure water exiting the nozzle's rearwardly-directed jets 142. It has been found that the effectiveness of the method for cleaning stack 8 may be enhanced by manipulating nozzle 14 in a reciprocating fashion, both longitudinally (i.e., vertically) and rotationally. For example, nozzle 14 may be moved a few feet upward within stack 8, then pulled back a few feet and then pushed up again with a quarter turn of rotation, and then pulled a distance downward, then pushed further upward with a further quarter turn, pulled a distance downward again, and so on until the entire length of the stack 8 has been blasted and rinsed with the high-pressure water. Although such reciprocating movements may be beneficial and desirable, they are not essential to the method of the invention.

Upon completion of the cleaning of stack 8, the nozzle 14 is directed into exhaust end 6 of heater tube 1, drop cloth 7 is tucked into first collection drum 9B and nozzle 14 is pushed forward. After a few feet of forward motion, nozzle 14 is preferably rotated one turn and pulled back to the starting position, drawing particles loosened from inside heater tube 1 back to the entrance to burner end 2 where they are deflected by the drop-cloth 7 and guided into first collection drum 9B. Nozzle 14 is then pushed farther into burner tube 1 to loosen more particles, is turned or rotated a quarter turn, and pulled back toward the entrance to exhaust end 6. This forward/quarter-turn/pull-back motion is continued until nozzle 14 appears at burner end 2 of heater tube 1.

At this time, as an optional additional step, the water pressure may be turned off to allow nozzle 14 to be removed from exhaust end 6 of the heater tube 1. Nozzle 14 is then inserted into burner end 2 of heater tube 1, the water pressure is turned on again and the previously-described tube-cleaning process is repeated. This allows the high-pressure water to be used to loosen any stubborn particles that remain in heater tube 1 by blasting them from the opposite direction, and allows for a further rinsing of heater tube 1 to remove more loosened particles. This high-pressure water is then turned off, and the tube is inspected with the aid of a high-power light. If necessary, the cleaning process is repeated until substantially all the particles and debris have been removed from heater tube 1.

As an optional step after completion of the cleaning process described above, nozzle 14 is removed from hose 13, and a wash wand 19 is attached to hose 13. Burner end 2 of heater tube 1 often has stubborn particles that are baked onto the tube walls and are particularly hard to loosen with nozzle 14 pressure, in which case it becomes necessary to blast them away with the use of wash wand 19. Wash wand 19 has a more powerful spray than drop cloth 7 and is therefore better suited for loosening any remaining particles. Particles loosened by wash wand 19 are pushed out of heater tube 1 by means of the spray from wash wand 19. This high-pressure spray from wash wand 19 also provides a final rinse for the cleaning process to drive out any remaining debris and sooty water that may remain in heater tube 1.

Wash wand 19 may then be used to blast out a burner assembly 3 to remove all particles that have collected in the fuel gas chambers, to rinse any remaining soot or particles from the tube ends, and out of collection drums 9B and 9E, to blast out air filters, and to rinse the work area to wash any soot or debris down to the ground, thus leaving a clean work place.

Upon completion of this final rinse, collection drums 9B and 9E and their associated attachment means are removed from burner end 2 and exhaust end 6, whereupon the burner may be reassembled and returned to normal service.

Although the present invention has been described with specific reference to use with oil tank heater systems, persons skilled in the art of the invention will appreciate that the method and apparatus of the invention is readily adaptable for use with other types of equipment and appliances.

The words used in this specification to describe various embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but also as including any special meanings which may be suggested in the context of this specification with respect to structure, materials, or acts beyond the scope of the commonly understood meanings. Accordingly, if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the work or words describing the element.

The definitions of the words or elements of the embodiments of the invention described herein and related embodiments not described are intended to cover not only those specific combinations of elements literally described and claimed herein, but also all equivalent structure, material, or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense, it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements in the invention and its various embodiments or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim.

In this patent document, the work “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to means that items following that work are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one such element.

It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications of the present invention may be devised without departing from the essential concept of the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included in the scope of the claims appended hereto. Variants of the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalents within the scope of the invention and its various embodiments. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are intended to come within the scope of the defined elements. The invention and its various embodiments are thus to be understood as covering what is specifically illustrated and described above, and also all conceptual and practical equivalents and obvious substitutions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cleaning components of an oil tank heater, said heater having a heater tube with an open burner end and an open exhaust end, an exhaust stack with a top end and a bottom end, said bottom end of the exhaust stack being in communication with the heater tube near the exhaust end thereof, said apparatus comprising:

(a) first and second containment drums, each having a top opening and a drain, said first drum being mountable over said burner end, and said second drum being mountable over said exhaust end;

(b) debris-deflecting cover means selectively mountable over the burner end such that said cover means can deflect debris exiting the burner end into the first drum through the top opening thereof, or over the exhaust end such that said cover means can deflect debris exiting the exhaust end into the second drum through the top opening thereof;

(c) drain conduit means extending between the tank drains and a debris-receiving means; and

(d) a hose connected at one end to a nozzle, said nozzle having a plurality of discharge ports, the other end of said hose being connectable to a high-pressure water source.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one or more of the discharge ports are rearwardly-directed.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one or more of the discharge ports are angled outward from the nozzle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the debris-deflecting cover means is a drop cloth.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drain conduit means comprises two primary conduits, each of which extends between one of the containment drum drains and the debris-receiving means.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drain conduit means comprises two primary conduits extending from each containment drum drain and joined to a secondary conduit by means of a tee fitting, said secondary conduit being connected to the debris-receiving means.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the debris-receiving means comprises a vacuum apparatus, for sucking washings from the containment drums into a vacuum tank.

8. A nozzle having a front end, an inlet end adapted for connection to a hose, a sidewall enclosing an interior chamber in fluid communication with said inlet end, and a plurality of discharge ports extending through said sidewall.

9. The nozzle of claim 8 wherein one or more of the discharge ports are rearwardly-directed.

10. The nozzle of claim 8 wherein one or more of the discharge ports are angled outward from the nozzle.

11. The nozzle of claim 9 wherein one or more of the discharge ports are angled outward from the nozzle.