In high-risk industrial sectors such as petrochemicals, shipbuilding, and aerospace, flammable and explosive gases, dust, and liquids are ubiquitous. Traditional cleaning equipment, lacking explosion-proof design, may cause catastrophic accidents due to electrical sparks or high temperatures during operation. Explosion-proof high-pressure washers, with their unique safety protection mechanisms and highly efficient cleaning capabilities, have become indispensable "safety guardians" in these scenarios.
Technical Principles
The core of explosion-proof high-pressure washers lies in minimizing operational risks through physical isolation and material optimization. Its technical implementation includes two key modules:
Explosion-proof Structural Design
The equipment uses explosion-proof motors, explosion-proof electrical boxes, and anti-static housings, conforming to international explosion-proof standards (such as BT4/CT4 levels). Taking a certain model as an example, its motor housing is made of 304 stainless steel, effectively preventing internal electrical sparks from contacting the external explosive environment; the explosion-proof electrical box has an embedded temperature sensor that automatically cuts off power when the internal temperature exceeds a threshold, preventing the high temperature from igniting flammable materials. Furthermore, all electrical components of the equipment are IP67 certified, resisting dust and water immersion, ensuring stable operation in harsh environments.
High-Pressure Water Jet Generation
Water is pressurized to 250 bar (some models can reach over 500 bar) using an industrial-grade crankshaft pump, and then sprayed through a 0.3mm orifice fan-shaped nozzle to form a high-speed water jet. Its impact force can reach hundreds of kilograms per square centimeter, sufficient to remove grease, rust, or chemical residues from the inner walls of pipes. For example, when cleaning oil storage tanks, the high-pressure water jet can penetrate a 10-centimeter-thick layer of sludge, improving cleaning efficiency by more than 80% compared to traditional manual scrubbing.
Functional Features
The explosion-proof high-pressure washer not only meets basic cleaning needs but also achieves a dual improvement in safety and efficiency through intelligent design:
Multi-Scenario Adaptability
The equipment supports stepless pressure adjustment (50-250 bar), suitable for different materials and types of dirt. For example, when cleaning the hull of an aluminum alloy ship, a low-pressure mode of 50 bar is used to avoid surface damage; when cleaning the inner walls of cast iron pipes, a high-pressure mode of 200 bar is switched to thoroughly remove rust. Some models are also equipped with a rotating nozzle that can rotate 360 degrees inside the pipe, achieving 100% cleaning coverage.
Safety Protection System
Leakage Protection: A built-in leakage circuit breaker automatically cuts off the power supply when an abnormal current is detected (e.g., leakage exceeding 30mA within 0.1 seconds) to prevent electric shock.
Pressure Safety Valve: When the pump head pressure exceeds a set value (e.g., 280 bar), the safety valve automatically opens to release pressure, preventing pipe bursts.
Visual Filter: A transparent filter is equipped at the water inlet, allowing real-time monitoring of water quality and removal of impurities, preventing abnormal pressure caused by nozzle clogging.
Mobility: Featuring a four-wheeled structure with brakes, the equipment, weighing only 150kg, can still be pushed by a single person, making it suitable for operation in confined spaces.
Environmental and Economic Efficiency
The equipment supports 60℃ hot water cleaning and allows the addition of biodegradable cleaning agents to reduce chemical pollution. Taking the cleaning of a 100-meter-long oil pipeline as an example, the water consumption for a single operation is only 1.5 tons, saving 90% of water compared to traditional chemical cleaning; moreover, the wastewater can be recycled after simple treatment, aligning with the trend of green industrial development.
Application Scenarios
Explosion-proof high-pressure cleaners are used throughout the entire high-risk industrial chain, with their value particularly evident in the following areas:
Petrochemical Industry
In oil refineries, equipment needs regular cleaning of reaction vessels, heat exchangers, and the inner walls of storage tanks to remove oil stains and coke. After adopting explosion-proof high-pressure cleaners, a large refining company can now clean three storage tanks per day with a single unit, increasing efficiency fivefold compared to manual cleaning and avoiding the risks of open flame operations. Furthermore, the equipment can also be used to clean wax deposits on the inner walls of oil pipelines, restoring pipeline flow capacity and reducing energy consumption.
Shipbuilding and Repair
After long-term voyages, ships accumulate a large amount of marine organisms (such as barnacles and algae) and oil stains on their hulls, increasing drag. Explosion-proof high-pressure cleaners, using 200-bar high-pressure water jets, can quickly remove these deposits, restoring the hull's smoothness. For example, in a cleaning project for a 10.000-ton cargo ship, the equipment completed the entire ship cleaning within 48 hours, shortening the construction period by 70% compared to traditional sandblasting processes, and eliminating dust pollution.
Aerospace Industry
Aircraft engine maintenance requires the removal of carbon deposits and fuel residue from turbine blades. Explosion-proof high-pressure cleaners, using a 50-bar low-pressure pulse mode and specialized cleaning agents, can thoroughly clean turbines without damaging the blades, ensuring engine performance. After using this technology, an aviation maintenance company reduced its engine maintenance cycle from 72 hours to 24 hours, lowering annual maintenance costs by 3 million yuan.
Municipal and Environmental Engineering
In municipal sewer cleaning, the equipment can be equipped with rotating nozzles to reach deep into pipes and remove silt and debris. In a city drainage system renovation project, an explosion-proof high-pressure cleaner could unclog 500 meters of pipe per day, 20 times more efficient than traditional bamboo strip cleaning methods, and avoiding the safety risks of manual manhole work.
Future Trends
With the advancement of Industry 4.0 and green manufacturing, explosion-proof high-pressure cleaners are evolving in the following directions:
AI-Assisted Cleaning
Some equipment has integrated cameras and image recognition systems, which can automatically identify the type and distribution of dirt and dynamically adjust the cleaning pressure and nozzle angle. For example, when cleaning nuclear power plant cooling towers, the system analyzes the thickness of the fouling and precisely adjusts the cleaning pressure from 150 bar to 180 bar, ensuring thorough cleaning while avoiding damage to the equipment.
Modular Design
Future equipment will feature detachable pump heads, nozzles, and piping, allowing users to quickly replace components as needed. For instance, one model supports rapid switching between a "hot water module" and a "cold water module" to adapt to different cleaning scenarios; another model is equipped with an "anti-corrosion module," which extends the equipment's lifespan in chemical environments through a special coating.
New Energy Driven
To reduce carbon emissions, some companies are developing electric explosion-proof high-pressure cleaners. Powered by lithium batteries, these machines offer up to 8 hours of runtime and operate at a noise level below 65 decibels, making them suitable for nighttime operations or noise-sensitive environments (such as around hospitals and schools).
Explosion-proof high-pressure cleaners are not only cleaning tools in high-risk industrial sectors but also "invisible guardians" of safe production. From deep cleaning of oil pipelines to precision maintenance of aircraft engines, from efficient decontamination of ship surfaces to thorough dredging of municipal pipe networks, they use technology to mitigate risks and innovation to improve efficiency. With the integration of intelligent and green technologies, this equipment will continue to drive industrial cleaning towards a safer, more efficient, and more sustainable direction, contributing key strength to global industrial safety.
