Orbital cleaner

Orbital cleaner

An orbital cleaner is an automatic wet cleaning system for cleaning the interior of mixers, reactors and process vessels. It is permanently installed in the upper part of a vessel. Cleaning water or cleaning media are fed into an integrated nozzle system at a defined pressure.

Unlike simple tank washing nozzles, which only rotate around one axis, orbital cleaners perform a superimposed movement. They rotate around their own longitudinal axis. In addition, the spray nozzles rotate around a second axis arranged at right angles to the first. This creates a spatially complex spray movement that systematically covers the entire container volume. Compared to simple rotary washing nozzles, a significantly higher cleaning intensity is achieved.

The superimposition of the movements is achieved by an integrated planetary gear. Depending on the design, this is driven electrically or pneumatically. In some designs, the planetary gear is driven directly by the energy of the incoming cleaning medium.

Orbital cleaners usually operate at high pressure. The high exit velocity of the cleaning jets increases the cleaning effect.

Modern developments separate the two perpendicular rotations from each other. Each axis has its own drive. The movements are freely programmable. Speed, direction of rotation, standstill times and cleaning sequences can be set individually. This allows critical areas to be cleaned more intensively, while other zones are subjected to less pressure.