LUNAR ROVER – Superfast Robotic Tank Cleaning Unit

The Robotic Tank Cleaning Unit is a remotely controlled, explosion-protected, hydraulically driven, all-wheel drive chassis. The Robot equipped with the washout system (by the use of the hot pressure water) and collection system, consisting of the auger and internal buffer tank. The oil products, liquefied to condition of emulsion, and collected in buffer tank are sucked out by a sludge pump. Special equipment allows both horizontal and vertical surfaces up to 13 feet (4 m) to be quickly cleaned in a wide range of temperatures and viscosities of the products.

Remote control is possible via pneumatic signals, while remote monitoring is possible via explosion-proof CCTV.

The robot differs from its peers primarily in its capacity of up to 3,000 cubic feet (75 m³) of sludge per hour at a cleaning front of 4 feet (1.2 m) and a distance of up to 650 feet (200 m) from the Complex's base.

The Robotic Unit is delivered to the site in a disassembled state. The distance from the base of the Complex to the Storage Tanks is up to 650 feet (200 m):

• control — via pneumatic tubes from the remote control;
• the heated pressure water — through the high pressure hose from the pump module (located at the base);
• vacuum — through a hard suction hose from the outside vacuum module (located at the base);
• remote CCTV cameras on the Robot and on the wall or roof of the storage tank — by cable.

The Robot is remotely controlled from the base of the Complex.

• The Pressure module is triggered, comprising a Water Heater and a Vacuum Module.
• The auger and the wheels drive are connected and the water blasting jet nozzles are activated.
• The flow of heated pressure water dilutes and liquefies the oil products to emulsion consistency, allowing them to be conveyed by a rotating auger to the vacuum pump inlet and further transported through the hose to the collection tank. The operator controls collection of the oil-emulsion with the help of control panel, observing the picture from the video cameras located on the Robot and on the wall of the storage tank.

A wired explosion-proof wide-angle camera is placed directly on the robotic unit.
An additional explosion-proof camera with a zoom lens can be placed near the manhole or on the roof of the oil storage tank to allow zoom in.

The cameras produces the image on the surveillance monitor without delay. Cable length (on the coil) is 500 feet (150 m).
The image is transmitted via explosion-proof cable to a video recorder, to which a monitor is connected, divided into the required number of segments.