Q & A > Question Details
A bitumen tank that has not been cleaned in 20 years required cleaning, our concern is Phosphoric/fire hazard. How can we control that?
Will degreasing, organic salt (removal of rust) then KmNo4 final rinse help?
During fe removal, it will have h2s; will that be a concern?
KmNo4 at 1% solution; is that sufficient to remove all the phosphoric?
 
Answers
22/09/2011 A: Mike Watson, Tube Tech International Ltd, mike.watson@tubetech.com
To ensure a guaranteed clean, best to combine a chemical and/or a remote mechanical cleaning method which TubeTech.com adopted for Shell Global Clients. If deposit is coke like in consistency (see video clip on TubeTech's website) chemicals rarely have sufficient strength to remove it not to mention the high volumes and possible cost required.
16/09/2011 A: Berthold Otzisk, Kurita Europe GmbH, Berthold.Otzisk@kurita-water.com
Removal of pyrophoric iron species with KMnO4 bears some risks and is no longer a recommended procedure. A modern chemical cleaning and degassing program will eliminate pyrophoric iron and will scavenge the hydrogen sulphide. Kurita can provide chemicals and equipment to clean the bitumen tank.
Please see the PTQ article "Chemical cleaning and degassing refinery equipment“
*** This article is now available for download on the eptq.com homepage ***
15/09/2011 A: Marcello Ferrara, ITW SrL, mferrara@itw.it
We have developed a technology to clean the tank online, with no man entry and recovery and reuse hydrocarbons, by operating on a closed loop basis. Subsequent to that we also perform another step to remove pyrophorics, always working on a closed loop basis.