ATEX Zone 0 Robot for safe tank cleaning
With the remote-controlled ATEX Zone 0 Robot, we offer a pioneering technology for the safe and efficient cleaning of industrial tanks.
ATEX Zone 0 Robot
AT ETS Degassing, responsibility for the safety of people and the environment is always of the uttermost importance. Therefore, our portfolio also included another innovative technology: we rent out the efficient ATEX Zone 0 Robot for no-men-entry maintenance and cleaning of industrial tanks.
The robot is remote-controlled so that tank cleaning can be carried out from a safe distance. This means that employees no longer have to work in the dangerous ATEX Zone 0, where there are enormous risks despite safety equipment.
The ATEX Zone 0 Robot for tank cleaning works quickly, does not get tired and cleans reliably and thoroughly – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Previously, manual tank cleaning had to be carried out in four shifts by three cleaners each with expensive protective equipment – with a considerable risk to the health and safety of the workers. This risk is a thing of the past now with the ATEX Zone 0 Robot!
The ATEX Zone 0 Robot is a compact and robust all-rounder made of high-quality stainless steel and meets all current environmental and safety standards. It offers maximum grip on the floor using patented magnetic chain links and a powerful hydraulically operated arm that applies 2,000 Newton meters of force in any direction. It provides a safe, efficient and cost-effective method of removing hazardous and non-hazardous materials from industrial containers.
Tank cleaning from a safe distance
The ATEX Zone 0 Robot can be operated from a safe distance in a mobile cabin. It is controlled via two joysticks and an HD monitor that shows all of the robot’s movements in real-time. The robot is equipped with three cameras and LED lighting, eliminating the need for the expensive extra lighting that was previously required for the tank.
The robot is part of the sophisticated ESOT system (Equipment Set for Oil Tank Cleaning), which is easy to set up and control. Additionally, ESOT includes a mobile, ventilated cabin (Transportable Vented Cabin, TVC). It also complies with all applicable European safety standards and is certified for ATEX Zone 1. The radio remote control and the hydraulic unit are located inside the cabin.
Maximum grip on the floor, cleaning with hydraulic gripper arm
The robot itself can be used in ATEX Zone 0 and impresses with maximum grip on the floor with the help of patented magnetic chain links. To make the operator’s work easier, the robot has two semi-automatic settings. These allow it to concentrate on the direction of travel.
The robot’s continuously repeating, versatile arm movements allow it to move with ease even through thick mud. The powerful arm, which is controlled by hydraulics, claws in every direction with 2,000 Newton meters.
The robot is connected to a suction truck outside the tank via a hose. It transports the material picked up via a suction head in the shortest possible time – regardless of whether it is fuel oil, crude oil, sludge or similar materials.
Certified technology, trained staff
ETS Degassing provides customers with the robot exactly when and for as long as they need it – maintained and fully functional. Of course, we also take care of delivery and removal. No matter where this location is: ETS Degassing rents out world-wide!
The robot is the first to be certified for ATEX Zone 0 and complies with safety regulations. Every system component complies with all important European standards. ETS Degassing also adheres to the following norms and standards: SSCP 2016, SCC**2016, ISO 9001:2015. All safety-relevant parts are intrinsically safe and – like the mechanical parts – can be used within ATEX Zones in accordance with the guidelines for tank farms and refineries.
The essential prerequisite for safe robot-assisted cleaning and efficient processes is trained personnel. On request, our ETS Degassing specialists can therefore provide practical training for your operators. We prepare your employees directly on site for the specific maintenance or cleaning task. We make your staff fit to handle the robot and the entire ESOT system and rehearse their use.
Keeping an eye on the entire cleaning cycle
We offer you a safe and emission-free cleaning of tanks and vacuum trucks. ETS Degassing doesn’t just focus on the rough cleaning of the tanks – therefore, the tank that is to be cleaned is connected to a mobile ETS vapor combustion unit before the robot enters it. This creates a slight vacuum inside the tank that prevents vapors from escaping.
Once the automated rough cleaning is completed, manual fine cleaning can begin immediately. The VOC concentration in the tank – after the combustion chamber and robot have been used – is 0 % lower explosion limit. Cleaners who now enter the tank only need a respirator mask with filter to remove the few remaining dirt residues.
But not only the tank is connected to our mobile combustion chamber – so is the vacuum truck. This is because dangerous gas concentrations also form here, where the hazardous substances end up. Instead of simply releasing them into the environment – a practice that is as harmful as it is common -, we burn the gases at a combustion rate of almost 100 %.