OIL & GAS Industry: Cleaning Large Equipment with Ultrasonic Power

Those responsible for cleaning equipment in refineries or petrochemical plants often ask us what alternative methods exist to traditional hydroblasting. The main concerns are usually the high consumption of water that needs to be treated or disposed of, and the dangers associated with the extremely high pressures involved.

Our answer is clear and simple: Industrial Ultrasonic Powered Baths.

These machines utilize the physical principle of ultrasonic power induced in a liquid to generate cavitation. The technology has been known for decades (desktop tanks for jewelers and watchmakers are common) and offers an effective and efficient cleaning method.

Thanks to our partnership with ULTRATECNO, we offer industry operators EXTRA LARGE high-power solutions. The powerful 28 kHz cavitation, combined with specific detergents, effortlessly removes dirt from the moving parts of Oil & Gas plants (tube bundles, valves, column plates, etc.), typically hydrocarbons and refinery by-products.

This solution is ideal for plant maintenance shutdowns where numerous elements need to be cleaned and time is always limited. In fact, this solution offers many advantages:

• The tanks are completely autonomous: they can operate in remote areas without the continuous presence of an operator;

• A single tank can host many small elements at the same time, allowing for enormous time savings;

• Very low water consumption - up to 10 times less than hydroblasting - as the same bath can be used multiple times;

• Safety: The tanks operate at relatively low temperatures and with modest concentrations of detergent, and there are no dangerous high-pressure jets.

• They are portable units mounted on 20- or 40-foot container platforms, making them easy to install on-site. Designed for outdoor use with a steel structure capable of operating in all weather conditions.

They are available in different sizes - standard or customized - for special applications. Robust design and construction for heavy-duty and industrial use with an optional lifting platform.

Ultratecno has built the largest ultrasonic power bath in the world (57,000 liters - read our article on the subject) for cleaning large process components such as entire tube bundles up to 9 meters long.