Robotic Arm Media Blasting System for Tank Interior Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for cleaning and painting large storage tanks, such as water towers, are time-consuming, dangerous, and lead to significant downtime, requiring operators to frequently adjust harnesses and often necessitate expensive equipment rentals to maintain water pressure.
Innovation Solution
A surface media blasting system with an extendable arm and pivotable mechanism allows for safe and efficient media blasting of interior and exterior surfaces, either manually or by robot, reducing the need for operators to be inside the tank or on scaffolds for extended periods, and enabling remote control and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If operators use traditional harness suspension methods for media blasting inside water towers, then they can perform cleaning work, but the process becomes extremely time-consuming and dangerous requiring frequent harness adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
A robotic arm system acts as an intermediary between the operator and the blasting medium. The robot positions and maneuvers a blasting head along the water tower interior surfaces, eliminating the need for operators to physically traverse the structure on harnesses. This intermediary robotic system performs the dangerous and time-consuming work while operators control from a safe, stationary location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical system of harness suspension and operator movement with an automated robotic mechanical system. The robotic arm with multiple joints and actuators provides precise, programmable positioning of the blasting head, substituting the unsafe and inefficient human-operated harness system.
2Ease of manufacture
If operators work inside water towers using traditional methods, then cleaning can be performed, but operator safety is compromised with injuries being extremely common
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the operator from the hazardous environment inside the water tower. By placing the blasting head on a robotic arm that can be controlled from outside the tower, the operator is completely removed from the dangerous workspace, eliminating exposure to falling media, structural hazards, and the need for harness safety equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system performs the cleaning task autonomously once programmed, without requiring continuous human intervention inside the hazardous environment. The robot navigates, positions, and operates the blasting head independently, making the system self-sufficient in the dangerous workspace while humans remain in safe control areas.
3Productivity
If traditional media blasting methods are used with operators on scaffolds or inside tanks, then cleaning work can be done, but extensive equipment and personnel are required increasing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm system is designed to perform multiple functions: it can position the blasting head for media blasting, maneuver around the water tower interior, and potentially perform other maintenance tasks. This single multi-functional robotic platform replaces the need for separate scaffolding systems, harness equipment, and multiple operators, simplifying the overall equipment requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution decreases water tower downtime, reduces operator fatigue and injury risks, and lowers costs by allowing faster and more efficient cleaning and painting processes with fewer workers required, while enabling the use of robots for improved precision and safety.
Implementation Method 1
propels the abrasive material through the blast corridor and blast opening against the surface
Implementation Method 2
The abrasive material and water form a blast stream which impacts on a surface to treat the surface
Implementation Method 3
The vacuum force pulls the surface debris, abrasive particulate and water (i.e., waste stream) from the blast head along a vacuum hose into a recovery tank
Implementation Method 4
The waste stream is filtered resulting in cleaned water recycling through the system
Implementation Method 5
pressurizes the pure water to about 3,000 psi for washing operations or about 6,000 psi for deburring operations
Data Source
AI summary
The system delivers media blasting material to an interior surface of a large storage tank comprises a substantially upright support structure secured to the surface to be blasted. The upright support structure is preferably vertical. A frame extends across the upright support structure. An extendable arm is affixed to the frame at a section. The section is securely and pivotably attached to the section in such a way to enable the arm to rotate freely inside the large storage tank, so that the blaster secured at the end of the extendable arm can blast the entire interior surface of the large storage tank while the upright support structure remains in place. A robot blaster is positioned at the end of the extendable arm and performs the media blasting. A work station is located nearby the site of the large storage tank and controls the position of the extendable arm relative to the interior surface being blasted via a processor and the operation of the blasting delivery system. The surfaces to be blasted may also include the exterior surface of all types of large storage tanks and structures, ship hulls, exterior and interior building wall surfaces.