Hydroblast Cleaning Solutions: An Overview
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In case you are not familiar with our Hydroblast Cleaning Solutions process, we have put together a quick overview to show you just how beneficial this technology can be for your facility.
By giving you the what, where, when, who, how, and why about hydroblasting, we hope to give you a good idea of what to expect when you ask us to send a team of Thompson personnel to perform routine maintenance or an emergency cleaning job.
What?
All of our hydroblast cleaning solutions are founded on the same scientific principle: utilizing high pressure water from positive displacement pumps in conjunction with properly engineered, matched nozzles for maximum impact force to remove adhering deposits but without damaging the underlying surface. Most other cleaning methods, such as sandblasting, use particles that can damage the surface underneath as well as introduce additional foreign debris to an area that is required to stay clean.
Hydroblasting also cleans without raising heat levels through excessive friction, another potential problem with competing cleaning methods.
Our complete fleet of high pressure pumps range from 12,000 PSI / 45 GPM to mega units properly branded as “Big Pumps.” The latter are carried on their own tractor trailers and deliver water at up to 10,000 PSI and 1,200 GPM.
Where?
We can hydroblast in a wide variety of settings, due to the non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and debris-free nature of the medium. Hydroblasting is particularly useful for quickly, thoroughly, and safely cleaning equipment such as:
- Boilers and BOP equipment throughout
- Heat exchangers and evaporators
- Process lines
- Tanks and other vessels
In areas of a facility or power plant that must be protected from sparks or intense heat, hydroblasting is often the best cleaning option. Combustible dust, heat-sensitive equipment, and flammable liquids are a few considerations that our professionals take into account when recommending a hydroblast cleaning solution.
When?
Many plant maintenance personnel are accustomed to scheduling lengthy periods of downtime for boiler cleaning and other large-scale maintenance projects. Our hydroblasting solutions—particularly when combined with automated technology—reduce downtime to a minimum, getting industrial units cleaned and back online much more quickly than older cleaning methods. In the best case scenario, an evaluation of the equipment and job parameters often determines that our technicians can perform remote and/or automated hydroblasting without taking the equipment offline at all.
In contexts in which downtime costs thousands of dollars in lost production per hour, avoiding downtime becomes an extremely beneficial feature of select hydroblast cleaning operations. Who? Whether handling a hydroblasting tool himself or controlling an automated system remotely, each technician that works with one of our industrial cleaning clients has extensive practical training as well as a thorough knowledge of all safety protocols that apply to the job at hand.
Our custom-built training module simulates difficult jobs, providing our hydroblasting technicians with the hands-on experience they need to become experts before they ever arrive on a client’s property.
How?
Our seasoned personnel evaluate each cleaning project, determining its unique challenges and deciding which of our hydroblast cleaning solutions is best suited for it. Often, the location of the unit to be cleaned or its surrounding infrastructure make it very difficult to reach. We regularly surprise our clients by devising creative, efficient ways to complete cleaning jobs that previously seemed all but impossible. More and more of our hydroblasting applications are relying on our automated technologies.
Over the past few years, we have made our robotic tools more powerful, accurate, and versatile than ever before, and our research division continues to push this exciting field further ahead. The results are drastically improved safety for client facilities and employees, plus reduced cleaning times and costs.
Why?
The best reasons to choose Thompson Industrial Services’ hydroblast cleaning solutions are:
- Safety. We put the protection of yours and our workers and plant property first in line, meeting and exceeding both OSHA and client safety standards.
- Speed. Our creative approaches to equipment cleaning cut clients’ downtime by over half on a regular basis.
- Thoroughness. Clients often comment that they have never seen their equipment as clean or efficient as it is after a hydroblast cleaning by Thompson, nor as rapidly either.
- Cost. Faster cleaning means less expensive downtime, and increased efficiency means lower overall energy costs and better production.
We would love to discuss your facility’s specific industrial cleaning needs and which of our hydroblast cleaning solutions is the best fit for them. Other hydroblasting solutions include metal and concrete cutting, ultra-high pressure applications, and hydro-demolition.
