“ Many plants were built 40 to 80 years ago with most of the pipes underground , so they are old , hard to access , and can accumulate excessive , hardened debris that must be removed ,” says Bill Benner , Senior Project Manager for Ventilation Power Cleaning ( VPC ), a Seattle , WAbased firm that provides vacuum truck services to remove various industrial debris .

“ If this kind of debris is transported by pipe to onsite clarifiers , digesters , sewer vaults , or treatment plants , it can disrupt and overburden the process as it collects and hardens ,” Benner adds . “ A similar problem occurs when rain washes debris in outdoor processing or storage areas into basins , ponds , or reservoirs prior to transport through pipes for further treatment .”

The task of steel mill pipe cleaning typically falls to third party cleaning companies like VPC , which come to facilities with a vacuum truck and perform the work periodically , unless emergency debris removal is required .

Advanced Cleaning Solutions for Steel Mill Pipes

According to Benner , most wastewater pipes are typically 300-500 ’ long and 12-46 ” in diameter . Special nozzles are used to propel a hose connected to a vacuum truck down the pipeline and back using water jets . The nozzle must supply enough force to dislodge any debris and carry it back using water pressure , to be suctioned out by the vacuum truck .

“ Industrial plants cannot afford production downtime , so we rely on high-performance nozzles to get the job done quickly and reliably . Using the right nozzle and technique can be the difference between cleaning out a pipe within 20 minutes or having it take hours , days , or fail completely ,” says Benner .

Fortunately , an assortment of high-performance , stainless steel hose nozzles is available to expedite the removal of any debris buildup in steel mill pipes .

Optimizing Performance- High Efficiency Nozzles

As is known in the industry , there are tiers of nozzles rated for performance and water efficiency : Tier 1 ( about 30 % efficient ), Tier 2 ( 50-60 % efficient ), and Tier 3 ( 75-98 % efficient ). Low-performance Tier 1 nozzles tend to use only 30 % of the available energy , wasting 70 % due to excessive turbulence . Tier 2 nozzles are more efficient but still inadequate for tougher jobs . In contrast , the most effective Tier 3 nozzles have tight water patterns that efficiently clean the

pipe floor / wall . In addition , the units create a powerful water stream that not only moves debris long distances but also propels the nozzle .

“ We rely on the highest-efficiency Tier 3 nozzles by KEG because they provide the two most important things we need : the ability to move the hose and nozzle down the entire length of pipe to the debris location , along with the ability to push the debris out of the line with water pressure so we can remove it with the vacuum truck ,” says Benner .

KEG Technologies , a manufacturer of industrial , sewer and storm lines products including Tier 1 to Tier 3 nozzles , floor cleaners , and chain cutters , is a member of NASSCO , the National Association of Sewer Service Companies .