SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CLEANING ELEVATED OPEN STORAGE TANKS

1 . A system for extracting and processing sludge from an elevated open storage tank, the system comprising:

one or more vacuum generation assemblies, the one or more vacuum generation assemblies including one or more compressors configured to provide a pressurized fluid and one or more vacuum generators each having one or more venturi mechanisms configured to receive the pressurized fluid and generate a vacuum flow using a venturi effect;

a submersible robot including a water jet configured to receive a pressurized water stream and a suction head configured to receive the vacuum flow generated by the one or more vacuum generation assemblies, the submersible robot being configured to deliver the pressurized water stream via the water jet to fluidize the sludge within the elevated open storage tank, thereby to yield a fluidized sludge, and configured to extract the fluidized sludge from the elevated open storage tank via the suction head; and

one or more sludge processing devices configured to receive and process the fluidized sludge, thereby to yield a recovered water stream and sediment, the recovered water stream being recycled to form at least a portion of the pressurized water stream.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more vacuum generation assemblies are configured to generate a pressure that ranges from about 400,000 Pascals to about 900,000 Pascals to generate the vacuum flow.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum flow generated by the one or more vacuum generation assemblies ranges from about 200 cubic feet per minute to about 800 cubic feet per minute at 100 pounds per square inch.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the water jet of the submersible robot is fluidly connected to a water pump via a high-pressure hose to receive the pressurized water stream, and the suction head of the submersible robot is fluidly connected to the one or more vacuum generation assemblies via a vacuum hose having a diameter of at least 6 inches to receive the vacuum flow.

5 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of vacuum boxes configured to receive and collect the fluidized sludge extracted by the submersible robot and configured to provide the fluidized sludge to the one or more sludge processing devices.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of vacuum boxes is fluidly connected to (i) the one or more vacuum generation assemblies to receive the vacuum flow, (ii) the submersible robot to provide the vacuum flow to the suction head, and (iii) the one or more sludge processing devices to provide the fluidized sludge to the one or more sludge processing devices.

7 . The system of claim 5 , comprising a diaphragm pump fluidly connected between the plurality of vacuum boxes and the one or more sludge processing devices, the diaphragm pump being configured to pump the fluidized sludge from the plurality of vacuum boxes to the one or more sludge processing devices.

8 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of vacuum boxes each comprise one or more water jets fluidly connected to a water pump and configured to receive and deliver a second pressurized water stream to maintain or restore fluidization of the fluidized sludge within the plurality of vacuum boxes.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the recovered water stream is recycled to form at least a portion of the second pressurized water stream.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sludge processing devices comprise a shaker, a desander, a desilter, a centrifuge, or any combination thereof.

11 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a flocculant supply configured to combine one or more flocculants with the fluidized sludge before or during processing the fluidized sludge within the one or more sludge processing devices.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the elevated open storage tank has a height of at least 45 feet, and wherein the one or more vacuum generation assemblies comprise:

a first vacuum generation assembly including a first vacuum generator having four venturi mechanisms fluidly connected to receive the pressurized fluid from a first compressor; and

a second vacuum generation assembly including a second vacuum generator having four venturi mechanisms fluidly connected to receive the pressurized fluid from a second compressor.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more compressors comprise one or more air compressors and the pressurized fluid comprises compressed air.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more vacuum generation assemblies comprise one or more hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) scrubbers fluidly connected to the one or more vacuum generation assemblies and configured to remove H 2 S gas from an exhaust stream of the one or more venturi mechanisms of the one or more vacuum generators.

15 . A method of extracting and processing sludge from an elevated open storage tank, the method comprising:

lowering a submersible robot through an open top of the elevated open storage tank;

activating a first water pump to supply a first pressurized water stream to a water jet of the submersible robot, thereby to yield a fluidized sludge;

activating one or more vacuum generation assemblies to provide a vacuum flow to a suction head of the submersible robot, thereby to extract the fluidized sludge from the elevated open storage tank using the vacuum flow;

providing the fluidized sludge to one or more sludge processing devices;

activating the one or more sludge processing devices to process the fluidized sludge, thereby to yield a recovered water stream and sediment; and

recycling the recovered water stream to form at least a portion of the first pressurized water stream.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the lowering of the submersible robot through the open top of the elevated open storage tank comprises providing control signals to a crane operably connected to the submersible robot to cause the crane to lower the submersible robot through the open top of the elevated open storage tank.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the providing of the fluidized sludge to the one or more sludge processing devices comprises:

delivering the fluidized sludge extracted by the suction head of the submersible robot directly to the one or more sludge processing devices via a vacuum hose that is fluidly connected between the suction head of the submersible robot and the one or more sludge processing devices.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the providing of the fluidized sludge to the one or more sludge processing devices comprises:

delivering the fluidized sludge into a plurality of vacuum boxes; and

activating a diaphragm pump to pump the fluidized sludge from the plurality of vacuum boxes to the one or more sludge processing devices.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

determining that a volume of the fluidized sludge in the plurality of vacuum boxes is less than a predefined minimum volume, and in response, deactivating at least the diaphragm pump and the one or more sludge processing devices to cease sludge processing until the volume of the fluidized sludge in the plurality of vacuum boxes is greater than or equal to the predefined minimum volume.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

determining that a volume of the fluidized sludge in the plurality of vacuum boxes is greater than a predefined maximum volume, and in response, deactivating at least the one or more vacuum generation assemblies and the first water pump to cease sludge extraction and collection until the volume of the fluidized sludge in the plurality of vacuum boxes is less than or equal to the predefined maximum volume.

21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the providing of the fluidized sludge to the one or more sludge processing devices further comprises:

activating a second water pump to supply a second pressurized water stream to one or more vacuum box water jets to maintain or restore fluidization of the fluidized sludge within the plurality of vacuum boxes.

22 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the providing of the fluidized sludge to the one or more sludge processing devices comprises:

combining the fluidized sludge with one or more flocculants and providing the combination of the fluidized sludge and the one or more flocculants to the one or more sludge processing devices for processing.