Online Oil Tank Cleaning Robot

The Challenge & Vision

The Draco project is critical for the Oil & Gas sector, targeting the enormous operational challenges of cleaning hazardous industrial storage tanks. Draco is engineered for online operation, meaning it can perform cleaning while the tank remains active, significantly reducing downtime and maximizing human safety.

Key R&D Breakthroughs:

• 1.
  Heavy-Duty Tethered Deployment System: Integrated hydraulic power and sludge discharge through a robust tether, enabling continuous operation in live tank environments.
• 2.
  4-DOF Submerged Mobility: High-torque front and rear propellers with side thrusters provide four degrees of freedom, allowing precise navigation through dense, opaque crude oil.
• 3.
  Sonar-Based Mapping: Fusion of sonar sensors and explosion-proof cameras enables real-time tank floor mapping and navigation in zero-visibility conditions.
• 4.
  Integrated Sludge Conditioning Mechanism: Onboard stirrer and mixer break down hardened sediment and viscous sludge into a pumpable form for efficient extraction.
• 5.
  High-Throughput Hydraulic Extraction: A 120 LPM hydraulic screw pump enables continuous, high-volume sludge removal while the tank remains fully operational.
• 6.
  CIMFR-Certified Remote Monitoring: Operators monitor depth, orientation, and temperature in real time from a safe control centre, ensuring a complete no-man-entry workflow.