EP1338341B1 - Device for cleaning the interior of containers e.g. tanks - Google Patents

Abstract

The cleaning head for tank interiors has a rotary ball with spray nozzles. It has a housing sleeve (2) on which nozzle carrying head (1) is mounted. The housing sleeve carries turbine (3) with turbine shaft (3c) extending into the nozzle head and mounted on bearing arm (3). The bearing arm has planetary gear (5) for rotary movement to engage n inner tooth gear (1d) on the head.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a device for cleaning the inside of containers, e.g. Tanks, according to the preamble of independent claim 1 or 3.

STATE OF THE ART

A device for cleaning the inside of containers, for example tanks, is known, for example, with regard to its basic structure from DE 26 45 401 A1 . Such a device is also known in specialist circles as a so-called aiming jet cleaner. Similar to container cleaning using a spray ball, it is based on the low-pressure cleaning principle. In contrast to spray ball cleaning, in which more or less the entire inner surface of the tank is simultaneously supplied with cleaning liquid through a large number of holes in the spray ball, a slow-moving fan jet only drows up partial areas of the container wall in a target jet cleaner. It has been shown that such a fan jet on the container wall causes an interval rinse with pulsating gush, whereby in comparison to the spray ball, despite the greatly reduced cleaning fluid throughput, cleaning is at least effective.

The long-known jet cleaner is driven by a self-cleaning flow gear, which draws its drive energy from the flow energy of the cleaning fluid supplied to the cleaner. The flow gear is a turbine which is arranged outside the tank in the cleaning liquid inlet. As a rule, the speed of the turbine shaft is transmitted via a worm gear and then an angular gear to a drive linkage which is guided into the tank interior up to a nozzle holder. Such a jet cleaner drive is, on the one hand, very easy to maintain, since all expandable parts are installed outside the tank to be cleaned (see, for example, company document 4.003.0 "Cleaning Devices" from Tuchenhagen, Büchen, page 3), but on the other hand, such a drive design is necessary Large gear ratios and the required change in direction of the power flow between the direction of the turbine shaft and the direction of the axis of rotation of the nozzle holder, both in terms of space and cost, are relatively complex.

From DE 198 11 421 A1 a tank cleaning device is known which has a turbine driven by the flow energy of the supplied cleaning liquid in a non-rotatable housing part of its housing. The rotational movement of the turbine is transmitted via a planetary gear to a nozzle holder which is rotatable about a first axis of rotation with respect to the rotationally fixed housing part. The latter drives a nozzle arrangement via a bevel gear, which is rotatably mounted on the nozzle holder about a second axis of rotation. In this case, two nozzles of the nozzle arrangement equipped with a total of four nozzles are arranged at an acute angle to one another as a V formation, the two V formations essentially pointing in opposite directions. This nozzle arrangement enables the tank cleaning device to be inserted into narrow tank openings.

Another tank cleaning device is described in US Pat. No. 5,333,630 A , in which a nozzle holder equipped with nozzles executes rotary movements superimposed on one another about a first and a second axis of rotation. The nozzle holder is driven by a turbine driven by the flow energy of the cleaning liquid supplied, the kinematics of the transmission between the turbine and nozzle holder essentially corresponding to that according to DE 198 11 421 A1. The tank cleaning device known from US 53 33 630 A is not only designed to be self-cleaning with regard to its inner areas through which the cleaning liquid flows, but all the passage gaps between components which are moved relative to one another are flowed through for the purpose of their cleaning in each case with a limited amount of cleaning liquid which flows into the Be guided in such a way that the outer surfaces of the tank cleaning device are also cleaned.

A device for cleaning the inside of containers, e.g. tanks, of the generic type, in which the rotary movement of the turbine shaft is transmitted indirectly to a bearing arm which is arranged so as to be rotatable and guided about the axis of rotation by means of a cross member mounted in the housing and coaxially with the axis of rotation of the nozzle holder known from GB 11 96 511 A. The nozzle holder, the axis of rotation of which runs coaxially to the longitudinal axis of the stationary housing and also of the turbine shaft, is also used there for the external mounting of a nozzle housing which can be rotated about a second axis of rotation, this second axis of rotation forming an angle of 90 degrees with respect to the axis of rotation of the nozzle holder. In this respect, this tank cleaning device also has the movement kinematics of a tank cleaner described in US Pat. No. 5,333,630 A , which is characterized in that a nozzle housing equipped with at least one nozzle executes superimposed rotary movements about a first and a second axis of rotation. The rotation around the second axis of rotation is not always helpful or necessary in view of the desired cleaning effect (interval flushing with pulsating gush, as mentioned above). In contrast to US 53 33 630 A, in the device according to GB 11 96 511 A, the gear parts are arranged in a separate housing, through which the cleaning fluid acting and driving the device does not flow, so that the gear is not self-cleaning.

The tank cleaning devices according to DE 198 11 421 A1, US 53 33 630 A and GB 11 96 511 A are compared to the so-called DE 26 45 401 A1 on the one hand significantly more compact, but on the other hand constructive much more complicated.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an internal cleaning device of containers, e.g. Tanks, of the generic type, that create slowly ongoing and at the same time very compact and structurally relatively simple is.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The task is accomplished by a device with the features of the independent Claim 1 or 3 solved. Advantageous embodiments of the invention Device are the subject of dependent claims.

The nozzle holder designed as a hollow body does not only take at least one Nozzle for generating one or more spray jets and the necessary space for supplying the cleaning liquid, but instead also part of the housing of the device in which the turbine shaft and all Gear parts to transform the speed of the turbine shaft to the extreme low speed of the nozzle holder (a few revolutions per minute) arranged are. Another decisive measure is that the turbine in the tubular housing part of the housing in the immediate vicinity of its penetration point is arranged with the nozzle holder. This makes it possible Place the turbine and gearbox in close proximity to each other, so that on more or less long transmission linkage between these two components, which may need to be adapted to the local conditions from case to case are dispensed with.

A first embodiment of the proposed device provides for the rotary movement of the turbine shaft to be transmitted directly to the bearing arm which, according to an advantageous embodiment, is mounted in a crossmember in such a way that it executes a movement guided about the axis of rotation of the nozzle holder. A so-called planet gear is rotatably arranged on this bearing arm and engages on the one hand with a first internally toothed outer wheel on the nozzle holder and on the other hand with a second internally toothed outer wheel on the housing. A gearbox arrangement in this regard allows a large transmission ratio to be achieved by selecting the number of teeth of these outer wheels, which can otherwise only be achieved with multi-stage gearboxes and / or by incorporating a worm gearbox. If, for example, the number of teeth of the two outer wheels equally meshing with the planet gear differs by at least one tooth, then a gear ratio of i ₂ = 90/1 is possible with number of teeth of 90 and 91, for example.

A second embodiment of the proposed device enables an even greater transmission ratio between the driving turbine and the driven nozzle holder, specifically in that between the turbine shaft and the bearing arm, which is arranged so as to be rotatable and guided about the axis of rotation by means of a cross member mounted in the housing and coaxially with the axis of rotation Intermediate gear is provided. This intermediate gear can be designed in a variety of ways. It has proven to be expedient if it is designed as a spur gear, in which the turbine shaft carries a pinion at its end facing away from the impeller, which pinion engages with a third internally toothed outer wheel which is fixedly connected to the bearing arm. Depending on the gear ratio i _{1 of} this intermediate gear, the overall gear ratio i _{ges of} the drive for the device according to the invention can be increased accordingly.

The drive proposed in the context of the present invention builds in a surprising manner Way compact and space-saving, so that the nozzle holder in on can be carried out in a known manner as a hollow sphere. In this hollow sphere are the transmission, the connecting means between the latter and the turbine and Sufficiently dimensioned flow cross sections to at least one on the nozzle holder arranged nozzle arranged. In addition, the nozzle holder from tubular housing part of the housing penetrated centrally.

The nozzle holder, which is designed as a hollow ball, is an almost ideal one represents a geometric shape for a cleaning device in a tank to be cleaned, on the other hand, as a geometric structure, the sphere creates ideal spatial conditions for the necessary in the context of the proposed device Components within this spherical structure. Accessibility to the drive parts within the device this is very simple and effective Way ensured that the nozzle holder in a on the longitudinal axis of the tubular housing part vertically standing meridian plane divided is. This division is usually carried out in a positive and non-positive manner, for example Screwing or so-called snap ring elements for use come.

If, as a further proposal provides, the arrangement is made in such a way that the axis of rotation of the nozzle holder with the longitudinal axis of the tubular housing part coincides, then there is a particularly simple, symmetrical Arrangement in which the impeller of the turbine has the passage cross section of the completely fills the tubular housing part. The turbine is thus undiminished Supply path for the cleaning liquid, as a rule tubular housing part and the feed line for cleaning liquid with the same cross-section and are geometrically congruent.

As another proposal provides, the first internally toothed outer wheel has a number of teeth z ₁ = 91 and the second internally toothed outer wheel has a number of teeth z ₂ = 90, so that a transmission ratio of i ₂ = 90/1 is given , measured according to a further proposal, the transmission ratio of the intermediate gear with i ₁ = 4/1, then a total gear ratio of the drive of i _ges = 90/1 yields x 4/1 = 360/1. In practice, this means that the driving turbine, depending on the cleaning fluid throughput, operates in a speed range of around 300 to 800 min ^-1 , depending on the design of the planetary gear and the intermediate gear, a speed down to 1 to 2 min ^{- 1 is} possible, so that the task of creating an extremely slow-running device for cleaning the inside of containers, which at the same time is compact, is solved in a very impressive manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figur 1

einen Meridianschnitt durch eine erste Ausführungsform der vorgeschlagenen Vorrichtung, bei der die Drehbewegung der Turbinenwelle unmittelbar auf einen Lagerarm übertragen wird und

Figur 2

gleichfalls im Meridianschnitt eine zweite Ausführungsform der vorgeschlagenen Vorrichtung, bei der die Drehbewegung der Turbinenwelle unter Zwischenschaltung eines als Stirnradgetriebe ausgebildeten Zwischengetriebes mittelbar auf den Lagerarm übertragen wird.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing and are described below. Show it

Figure 1

a meridian section through a first embodiment of the proposed device in which the rotational movement of the turbine shaft is transmitted directly to a bearing arm and

Figure 2

likewise in the meridian section, a second embodiment of the proposed device in which the rotary movement of the turbine shaft is transmitted indirectly to the bearing arm with the interposition of an intermediate gear designed as a spur gear.

REFERENCE SIGN LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED

1

Injectors

1.1

first nozzle holder part

1.2

second nozzle holder part

1a

first nozzle

1b

second nozzle

1c

bearing part

1d

first internally toothed outer wheel

2

casing

2a

tubular housing part

2 B

outer bearing bracket

2c

inner bearing bracket

2d

second internally toothed outer wheel

3

turbine

3a

Wheel

3b

hub

3c

turbine shaft

3d

bearing arm

3e

counterweight

4

traverse

5

planet

6a

first nozzle holder bearing

6b

second nozzle holder bearing

7a

first turbine bearing

7b

second turbine bearing

8th

pinion

9

internally toothed outer wheel

D

axis of rotation

L

longitudinal axis

i _total

Overall ratio

i ₁

Gear ratio intermediate gear

i ₂

Planetary gear ratio

z ₁

Number of teeth of the first internally toothed outer wheel 1 d

z ₂

Number of teeth of the second internally toothed outer wheel 2d

z ₃

Number of teeth of the planet gear 5

z ₄

Number of teeth of the pinion 8

z ₅

Number of teeth on the internally toothed outer wheel 9

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A rotatably mounted nozzle holder 1 ( FIG. 1 ) designed as a hollow ball carries a first nozzle 1a on its ball surface and diametrically to this a second nozzle 1b. It is penetrated centrally by a tubular housing part 2a, which is part of a stationary housing 2. The part of the housing 2 which is arranged in the interior of the nozzle holder 1 is divided into an outer bearing bracket 2b and an inner bearing bracket 2c fastened by means of arms (not designated in more detail). The outer bearing support 2b serves to receive a first nozzle holder bearing 6a in its upper region and a second nozzle holder bearing 6b in its lower region. About these two bearing points 6a, 6b, the nozzle holder 1 is rotatably mounted and guided on the housing 2, the first nozzle holder bearing 6a the upper region of the nozzle holder 1 in the region of its penetration point with the tubular housing part 2a and the second nozzle holder bearing 6b the lower region of the nozzle holder 1 in the form of a bearing part 1c.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the nozzle holder 1 is in one on one Longitudinal axis L of the tubular housing part 2a vertical meridian plane divided, so that a first nozzle holder part 1.1 and below a second nozzle holder part 1.2 arise. The connection of both nozzle holder parts 1.1 and 1.2 are expediently positive and non-positive, for example via screw elements or a so-called snap ring connection, the are not shown and designated in the exemplary embodiment.

A turbine 3 is arranged with an impeller 3a, a hub 3b and one in the latter Turbine shaft 3c in the tubular housing part 2a in the immediate vicinity Arranged in proximity to its penetration point with the nozzle holder 1. The Turbine shaft 3c is guided into the nozzle holder 1 and there in the inner bearing bracket 2c stored twice. The storage in the upper area is used for this first turbine bearing 7a and in the lower area a second turbine bearing 7b. The end of the turbine shaft 3c facing away from the turbine 3 is fixed with a bearing arm 3d connected by means of an outside on the inner bearing bracket 2c and coaxial to an axis of rotation D of the nozzle holder 1 is arranged to be rotatable and guided about the axis of rotation D. The bearing arm 3d carries in rotatable arrangement of a planet gear 5, the one hand with a first internally toothed outer wheel 1d, which is in fixed connection with the second Nozzle holder part 1.2 of the nozzle holder 1 stands, and on the other hand with a second internally toothed outer wheel 2d, which is fixed to the outer bearing bracket 2b of the Housing 2 is connected, is engaged. For the purpose of mass balancing is on the side opposite the bearing arm 3d with the Turbine shaft 3c connected counterweight 3e.

The impeller driven by the energy of the incoming cleaning agent 3a of the turbine 3 transmits its rotational movement to the turbine shaft 3c and thus synchronized with the bearing arm 3d, which is in a fixed connection and in a radial Distance to the turbine shaft 3c is arranged. The rotating movement of the Bearing arm 3d is additionally supported by the one that is concentric with the turbine shaft 3c Traverse 4 led. In the area of the bearing arm 3d, the cross member 4 is preferred fork-shaped, so that the planet gear 5, the rotatable is arranged on the bearing arm 3d, a limitation in the axial direction on both sides experiences. The number of teeth of the internally toothed outer wheels 1d and 2d differ appropriately by a tooth, and the toothing is related formed on the planet gear 5 such that the latter equally on the same pitch circle diameter with the first and the second internally toothed Outer edge 1d or 2d is engaged. This results in a complete Circulation of the bearing arm 3d in connection with the planet gear mounted on it 5 a circumferential shift between the two internally toothed outer wheels 1d and 2d according to the pitch corresponding to a tooth.

If, for example, as is provided, the number of teeth of the first internally toothed outer wheel 1d with z ₁ = 91 and that of the second internally toothed outer wheel 2d with z ₂ = 90 teeth is selected, then after 90 rotations of the bearing arm 3d there is a total relative displacement between the first and second internally toothed outer wheels 1d and 2d by one full turn. A planetary gear designed in this way thus has a transmission ratio of i ₂ = 90/1, so that, for example, 90 revolutions of the turbine 3 result in one revolution of the nozzle holder 1.

According to a second embodiment ( FIG. 2 ), the rotary movement of the turbine shaft 3c is transmitted indirectly to the bearing arm 3d. This is done by interposing an intermediate gear, which in the exemplary embodiment shown is designed as a spur gear with a pinion 8 and an internally toothed outer wheel 9. The pinion 8 is arranged on the end of the turbine shaft 3c facing away from the impeller 3a and is in constant engagement with the internal toothing of the outer wheel 9, which is firmly connected to the bearing arm 3d.

If, for example, as is proposed, the transmission ratio of the intermediate gear is carried out with i ₁ > 1, preferably i ₁ ≥ 4: 1, then the drive has a total transmission ratio i _tot = i ₁ xi ₂ , ie in the present case i _tot = 4/1 x 90/1 = 360/1. A gear ratio i ₁ = 4/1 can be achieved, for example, with a number of teeth z ₄ = 15 for the pinion 8 and a number of teeth z ₅ = 60 for the internally toothed outer wheel 9. The planet gear 5 within the planetary gear 5, 1d, 2d is carried out in both embodiments, for example with a number of teeth z ₃ = 20.

Both the planetary gear 5, 1d, 2d and the intermediate gear 8, 9 (figures 1 and 2) are arranged and configured in the nozzle holder 1 such that all built-in parts are surrounded by liquid, so that the entire drive has self-cleaning properties. The same applies to the storage of the nozzle holder 1 on the outer bearing bracket 2b via the nozzle holder bearings 6a and 6b and also for the storage of the turbine shaft 3c in the inner bearing bracket 2c via the turbine bearings 7a and 7b. Here the cleaning liquid takes over both cleaning as well as lubricating function. The entire invention Device can be made in a metallic version, the application upcoming metallic materials both against cleaning agents consistently designed with the necessary sliding and friction behavior have to be. The construction can also be done using suitable non-metallic Materials, e.g. suitable plastics. Beyond that a combination of metallic and non-metallic materials is also provided.

Claims (8)

1. Device for cleaning the interior of containers, for example tanks,

   with a stationary housing (2) which can be inserted into an aperture of a tank, the housing being connected to a supply line for a cleaning fluid via a tubular housing part (2a) and comprising a nozzle carrying head (1) with at least one nozzle (1a, 1b) rotatable about a rotational axis (D) relative to the housing (2),

   with a turbine (3) arranged in the flow path of the cleaning fluid supplied and driven by its flow energy, the turbine driving the nozzle carrying head (1) with a circular movement,

   with the nozzle carrying head (1) which is constructed as a hollow body, this hollow body partially receiving the housing (2) and being penetrated by the tubular housing part (2a),

   with the turbine (3) which is arranged in the tubular housing part (2a) in the immediate vicinity of where it penetrates the nozzle carrying head (1),

   with a turbine shaft (3c) which is introduced into the nozzle carrying head (1) and mounted there in the housing (2),

   and with a planetary gear (5) (number of teeth z₃) rotatably arranged on a bearing arm (3d), the planetary gear engaging on the one hand with a first internally toothed internal ring gear (1d) on the nozzle carrying head (1) and on the other hand with a second internally toothed internal ring gear (2d) on the housing (2),

   the internal ring gears (1d, 2d) differ from one another with regard to their respective number of teeth (z₁, z₂) by at least one tooth,

   characterised in that
   the rotational movement of the turbine shaft (3c) is transferred directly to the bearing arm (3d).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the bearing arm (3d) is arranged so as to be rotatable and guided about the rotational axis (D) by means of a cross rail (4) mounted in the housing (2) coaxially to the rotational axis (D).
3. Device for cleaning the interior of containers, for example tanks,

   with a stationary housing (2) which can be inserted into an aperture of a tank, the housing being connected to a supply line for a cleaning fluid via a tubular housing part (2a) and comprising a nozzle carrying head (1) with at least one nozzle (1a, 1b) rotatable about a rotational axis (D) relative to the housing (2),

   with an impeller (3a) of a turbine (3) arranged in the flow path of the cleaning fluid supplied and driven by its flow energy, the turbine driving the nozzle carrying head (1) with a circular movement,

   with the nozzle carrying head (1) which is constructed as a hollow body, this hollow body partially receiving the housing (2) and being penetrated by the tubular housing part (2a),

   with the turbine (3) which is arranged in the tubular housing part (2a) in the immediate vicinity of where it penetrates the nozzle carrying head (1),

   with a turbine shaft (3c) which is introduced into the nozzle carrying head (1) and mounted there in the housing (2),

   the rotational movement of the turbine shaft (3c) being directly transferred to a bearing arm (3d) which is arranged so as to be rotatable and guided about the rotational axis (D) by means of a cross rail (4) mounted in the housing (2) coaxially to the rotational axis (D),

   and with a planetary gear (5) (number of teeth z₃) rotatably arranged on the bearing arm (3d), the planetary gear engaging on the one hand with a first internally toothed internal ring gear (1d) on the nozzle carrying head (1) and on the other hand with a second internally toothed internal ring gear (2d) on the housing (2),

   the internal ring gears (1d, 2d) differing from one another with regard to their respective number of teeth (z₁, z₂) by at least one tooth,

   characterised in that
   the rotational movement of the turbine shaft (3c) is transferred via an intermediate drive (8, 9) to the bearing arm (3d) and in that the turbine shaft (3c) carries a pinion (8) (number of teeth z₄) on its end facing away from the impeller (3a), the pinion engaging with a third internally toothed internal ring gear (9) (number of teeth z₅) tightly connected to the bearing arm (3d).
4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the nozzle carrying head (1) is designed as a hollow sphere and is centrally penetrated by the tubular housing part (2a).
5. Device according to claim 4, characterised in that the nozzle carrying head (1) constructed as a hollow sphere is designed to be bisected in a meridian plane located perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (L) of the tubular housing part (2a).
6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the rotational axis (D) coincides with the longitudinal axis (L) of the tubular housing part (2a).
7. Device according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterised in that the intermediate drive (8, 9) comprises a gear ratio of i₁ > 1, preferably i₁ ≥ 4:1.
8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the first internally toothed internal ring gear (1d) comprises a number of teeth z₁ = 91 and the second internally toothed internal ring gear (2d) comprises a number of teeth z₂ = 90.

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