Online pressurised process vessel cleaning lance retractable to outside of safety valve during emergency sealing of vessel

摘要

An apparatus for the removal of solids deposited in a pressurised process vessel 2 comprises a hollow lance 4 with a cleaning fluid injection nozzle insertable into, and retractable from the vessel 2 interior via an inlet port 3/3a and an automatic safety valve 14, such that the nozzle may be retracted to the exterior of both the vessel and the shut-off valve 14 so that the vessel can be closed off in the event of a system alarm/ failure/ emergency. The lance 4 is supplied with cleaning fluid via a flexible hose 5, surrounded co-axially by an external pressure hose casing 6 within which the nozzle is contained upon retraction. Fluid tight seals connect the flexible hose 5 at one end to the inlet port, and at the other to a linear actuator 8, such as a ram, to actuate the motion of the lance. The cleaning fluid fluidizes the solid for subsequent removal, which may take place via an exit port which may be in/ form part of the external pressure hose casing. The apparatus further comprises means 11 for energising the linear actuator 8 and an energy store 12, which features may by interacting hydraulics-based components. The automatic safety valve 14 may form part of an assembly which further includes a second valve 15 for manually controlling the inflow of cleaning fluid into the container.