Cleaning Tanks and Armoured Vehicles with ph-cleantec

Special Requirements in Cleaning Tanks and Military Vehicles

Cleaning tanks and armoured military vehicles places significantly higher demands on technology and personnel than cleaning conventional trucks. Components such as the CBRN crew compartment, gear box and engine compartment require special cleaning solutions that work efficiently even on oily and greasy contaminations and large, difficult-to-access structures.

CBRN proctection system, crew compartment
Turret
Engine, engine parts and engine compartment
Gearbox and transmission
Torsion bars and torsion bar suspensions
Leakages and ruptured hoses, e.g. during test runs

These components are not only technically sophisticated, but also large and heavy, and usually coated with old oils and greases that are difficult to remove. Therefore, it is all the more important to be able to easily access these parts and efficiently clean oily and greasy residues – ideally without disassembly.

Maintenance and/or repair of tank chassis Leopard — Impressive dimension: Cleaning a tank chassis (Leopard) during maintenance

Limitations of Previous Cleaning Methods

AI cleaners and pressure washers are frequently used to clean tanks and tracked vehicles. Pressure washers are undoubtedly useful for removing heavy soiling from exterior surfaces, such as the hull and tracks.

But cleaning, for example, the CBRN crew compartment or the transmission with AI cleaners or high pressure is simply not efficient in terms of time and results. The same holds for cold and bio-wash tables as parts have to be removed, and large components like the gearbox cannot be cleaned at all. Dry ice works but is far too expensive, much too slow, and not readily available as it requires special ordering.

AI cleaners are also harmful to health and the environment, as are cold wash stations which are becoming less and less accepted.

cleaning a tank (Leopard), engine room — Engine room of a tank (Leopard) during cleaning

Our Solution: Low-Pressure Hot Cleaning Technology for Tank Cleaning

In contrast, the innovative low-pressure hot cleaning process offers an effective and resource-saving method for cleaning tanks:

High temperatures: Cleaning temperatures of up to 95 °C quickly and thoroughly remove even the most stubborn contaminants such as waste oils and greases.
Low pressure: With pressures of up to 7.5 or 14 bar, sensitive parts are protected, backflow is minimal, and contaminants are not spread throughout the workshop; instead, they are removed quickly and effectively.
Accessibility of parts without disassembly: Thanks to the mobility of the device on one hand, various lances, nozzles and hoses on the other, even hard-to-reach parts can be cleaned efficiently and in place that would otherwise have to be removed and reinstalled.
Environmental friendliness: The almost complete absence of chemical additives makes this method particularly safe for health and the environment, and saves considerable costs in terms of labor and expensive chemicals.

Instead of using noxious solvents (cold or bio-wash tables, A1 cleaner), our devices work with plain (tap) water. If anything, an alkaline cleaner (soap) can be added in low concentration (1-3%) to further accelerate the cleaning process. This is typically recycled multiple times. At the same time, the low water consumption (1.8 to 2.8 liters per minute) prevents the typical flooding.

Tank cleaning, engine compartment Wiesel — Cleaning the engine compartment of a tank (Wiesel) with spray lance of a 1000 SR

Advantages of our cleaning solution

Efficiency and quality:

Significant time savings due to fast and thorough cleaning (80-90% less working time)
Particularly efficient with stubborn contaminations such as used oil, greases, soot and grime
High accessibility, even to hard-to-reach areas, thanks to special lances and nozzles and because the device is mobile
Protection of sensitive components, such as cables and connectors, through low pressure.

Optimal working conditions:

Minimal backsplash and no aerosols
Often, cleaning directly on the component is possible without disassembly
Cost-efficient use of hot water with little or no use of alkaline cleaners (soap).

Minimal environmental footprint:

No use of harmful chemicals, increasing environmental compatibility
Low costs for procurement and disposal of the cleaning medium (tap water).

Versatility and cost-effectiveness:

Universal cleaning system for various applications and high efficiency
Comparatively low investment costs, minimal resource requirements, and little working time result in high profitability and rapid amortization.

tank motor cleaned - front view — Tank motor dismantled, front view

Tank motor cleaned, side view — Tank motor dismantled, side view

Tank cleaning with ph-cleantec: How does it work in practice?

In practice, tanks and tracked vehicles are usually cleaned with 1500 SR-DP type devices (up to 14 bar, 32A), because cleaning with these devices is even faster than with a 1000 SR (up to 7.5 bar, 16A).

The devices are mobile and have a 60-litre tank that is filled with tap water. Parts in the tank are usually cleaned with a lance, often using a separate dirty water collection tray that is combined with the basic device. Smaller parts are generally cleaned with the aid of various nozzles in the separate parts cleaning level.

mobile, with 60l tank, lance and parts cleaning level from stainless steel

dirt water collector with filter and recycling

Summary

ph-cleantec offers a highly efficient, safe and environmentally friendly method for cleaning tanks and armoured vehicles. Low operating costs, low investment requirements and high occupational safety make ph-cleantec's low-pressure hot cleaning system the ideal solution for military workshops, maintenance facilities and service providers in the defence sector.

ph-cleantec makes cleaning faster, safer and significantly more cost-effective — while achieving exceptional cleaning results.