IP Library Granted Patent US 10,130,978
Granted Patent B2
US 10,130,978 · App. 14/885,242 · Granted Nov 20, 2018

Cleaning method of oil tank and cleaning device of same

Inventors: Katsuhiko Kawakami (Tokyo, JP); Guiqing Xu (Tokyo, JP); Masayuki Kidokoro (Tokyo, JP); Yasuo Uchida (Tokyo, JP); Masanao Kato (Tokyo, JP); Masanao Mitsuhata (Tokyo, JP); Shouzou Sugihara (Kanagawa, JP); Tsukasa Mitsuta (Tokyo, JP); Takayuki Nakazawa (Tokyo, JP)
Assignees: SOFTARD INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.; JXTG NIPPON OIL & ENERGY CORPORATION
B08B9/0933B01D21/2472B01F5/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,130,978
App. No.
14/885,242
Granted
Nov 20, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Crude oil is discharged from an oil tank. A nozzle is inserted into a support opening formed in advance on a roof of the oil tank. A cleaning liquid containing LCO is injected from the nozzle over the sludge accumulated inside the oil tank after the crude oil is discharged from the oil tank. The cleaning liquid in which the sludge is dissolved is discharged from the oil tank and is returned to the oil tank for recycle cleaning. Subsequently, the cleaning liquid in which the sludge is dissolved is discharged from the oil tank.

Claims (25)

1. A method of cleaning an inside of an oil tank provided with a roof having an existing opening, the method comprising:

a preparation step of inserting a nozzle into the existing opening;

a cleaning step of injecting from the nozzle cleaning liquid comprising LCO (Light Cycle Oil) obtained by distillation of hydrocarbon oil by fluid catalytic cracking to sludge accumulated in the inside of the oil tank after crude oil is discharged from the oil tank to dissolve the sludge with cleaning liquid, discharging cleaning liquid in which the sludge is dissolved from the oil tank, and returning cleaning liquid in which the sludge is dissolved to the oil tank; and

a sludge discharging step of discharging cleaning liquid in which the sludge is dissolved from the oil tank after cleaning the inside of the oil tank, wherein

the cleaning step comprises: a circulation step of discharging cleaning liquid in which the sludge is dissolved from the oil tank and returning cleaning liquid in which the sludge is dissolved to the oil tank; and a back-flow step of back-flowing cleaning liquid in which the sludge is dissolved in a direction opposite from a circulation direction of cleaning liquid in which the sludge is dissolved in the circulation step,

the sludge comprises a soft sludge forming an upper layer and a hard sludge forming a lower layer,

the cleaning liquid comprises a soft sludge cleaning liquid for dissolving the soft sludge and a hard sludge cleaning liquid for dissolving the hard sludge,

the soft sludge cleaning liquid comprises the LCO and crude oil,

the hard sludge cleaning liquid comprises the LCO and a chemical agent comprising a surfactant and limonene,

the cleaning step comprises: a soft sludge cleaning step of cleaning the soft sludge with the soft sludge cleaning liquid; and a hard sludge cleaning step of cleaning the hard sludge with the hard sludge cleaning liquid,

in the soft sludge cleaning step, the circulation step is conducted for a predetermined time and subsequently the back-flow step is conducted, and

in the hard sludge cleaning step, the circulation step and the back-flow step are repeated.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

the hard sludge cleaning liquid comprises an amount of the LCO at 1.0 time or more relative to an amount of the hard sludge accumulated in the oil tank.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein

the hard sludge cleaning liquid comprises crude oil.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein

the sludge discharging step comprises: a soft sludge discharging step of discharging the cleaning liquid in which the soft sludge is dissolved from the oil tank; and a hard sludge discharging step of discharging the cleaning liquid in which the hard sludge is dissolved from the oil tank, and

the hard sludge cleaning step is conducted after the soft sludge discharging step.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

the preparation step comprises a sludge measurement step of measuring an amount of the sludge accumulated in the inside of the oil tank after the crude oil is discharged and before the nozzle is inserted to the existing opening.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

the sludge discharging step comprises a sludge measurement step of measuring an amount of the sludge accumulated in the inside of the oil tank.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

the sludge discharging step further comprises feeding water to the oil tank after the fluid in which the sludge is dissolved is discharged.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 8, 2020
From: JXTG NIPPON OIL & ENERGY CORPORATION
To: ENEOS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053719/0580 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 10130978 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053602 FRAME 0169. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE APPLICATION NO. SHOULD BE 14885242. Recorded Aug 27, 2020
From: JXTG NIPPON OIL & ENERGY CORPORATION
To: ENEOS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053621/0675 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 5, 2018
From: JX NIPPON OIL & ENERGY CORPORATION
To: JXTG NIPPON OIL & ENERGY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047761/0675 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 16, 2015
From: KAWAKAMI, KATSUHIKO; XU, GUIQING; KIDOKORO, MASAYUKI; UCHIDA, YASUO; KATO, MASANAO; MITSUHATA, MASANAO; SUGIHARA, SHOUZOU; MITSUTA, TSUKASA; NAKAZAWA, TAKAYUKI
To: SOFTARD INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.; JX NIPPON OIL & ENERGY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036813/0143 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2014-213918 · Oct 20, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160107206A1 · Apr 21, 2016