# US 7,744,700 B2 · Aqueous tube cleaning apparatus and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,744,700 B2 - Document ID: US7744700B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/399,959 - Filed: 2009-03-08 - Published: 2009-07-02 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2005-01-28 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Inventors: David M. Kozy; Daniel L. Nydegger; Wiliam R. Schell; Kin Y. Wong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7744700B2 ## CPC - B08B 9/023: Cleaning the external surfaces {(B08B9/021 takes precedence)} - B08B 9/0323: {Arrangements specially designed for simultaneous and parallel cleaning of a plurality of conduits} - B08B 9/0325: {Control mechanisms therefor} - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL ## Abstract An aqueous tube cleaning apparatus and method includes a cleaning receptacle and a vertical receptacle, which is taller than the cleaning receptacle. A tube, or bundle of tubes, is placed in the cleaning receptacle, extending through an inlet port from the vertical receptacle, and a gate is closed to clamp the tubes in place. The vertical receptacle is then filled with a fluid, and the pressure created by gravity forces the fluid through and around the tubes, cleansing the inner and outer surfaces of the tubes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of cleaning at least one tube being open on both ends and having an inner surface and an outer surface, comprising the steps of: installing the tube in a cleaning receptacle connected to a vertical receptacle, the vertical receptacle being taller than the cleaning receptacle; aligning the cleaning receptacle and vertical receptacle with a tank containing a fluid; supplying the fluid to the vertical receptacle; and forcing the fluid in the vertical receptacle to flow under pressure created by gravity through and around the tube to clean the inner and outer surfaces of the tube. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: clamping the tube in place through an inlet port located between the vertical receptacle and the cleaning receptacle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the step of clamping the tube in place through the inlet port comprises: sliding individual elements of a gate into contact with the tube. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein: the individual elements are contiguously aligned and slidable relative to one another such that when the gate is closed, the individual elements generally conform to a contour of the outer surface of the tube. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the tube comprises a bundle of tubes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the tank comprises a wash tank containing a cleaning solution fluid; the step of supplying the fluid to the vertical receptacle comprises: pumping the cleaning solution fluid into the vertical receptacle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of: draining the cleaning solution fluid from the cleaning receptacle after forcing the cleaning solution fluid to flow through and around the tube. ### Claim 8 A method of cleaning at least one tube having an inner surface and an outer surface, comprising the steps of: installing the tube in a cleaning receptacle connected to a vertical receptacle, the vertical receptacle being taller than the cleaning receptacle; supplying a fluid to the vertical receptacle; forcing the fluid in the vertical receptacle to flow through and around the tube to clean the inner and outer surfaces of the tube; moving the cleaning receptacle and vertical receptacle successively over at least two solution tanks, each solution tank containing fluid; and stopping the cleaning receptacle and vertical receptacle at each solution tank and pumping the fluid from the solution tank into the vertical receptacle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the solutions tanks comprise a first rinse tank and a second rinse tank containing first and second rinse fluids, respectively, the method further comprising the steps of: pumping the first rinse fluid from the first rinse tank to a waste system; transferring the second rinse fluid from the second rinse tank to the first rinse tank; and replenishing the second rinse tank. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of: maintaining a temperature of the fluid in at least one of the solution tanks within a predetermined range. ### Claim 11 A method of cleaning at least one tube having an inner surface and an outer surface, comprising the steps of: clamping the tube in place through an inlet port located between a vertical receptacle and a cleaning receptacle, the vertical receptacle being taller than the cleaning receptacle; aligning the cleaning receptacle and vertical receptacle with a tank containing a fluid; supplying the fluid to the vertical receptacle; creating pressure in the fluid due to gravity; and channeling the fluid to flow through and around the tube under pressure of gravity to clean the inner and outer surfaces of the tube. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein: the tank comprises a wash tank containing a cleaning solution fluid; the step of supplying the fluid to the vertical receptacle comprises: pumping the cleaning solution fluid into the vertical receptacle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of: draining the cleaning solution fluid from the cleaning receptacle into the wash tank after channeling the cleaning solution fluid through and around the tube. ### Claim 14 A method of cleaning at least one tube having an inner surface and an outer surface, comprising the steps of: clamping the tube in place through an inlet port located between a vertical receptacle and a cleaning receptacle, the vertical receptacle being taller than the cleaning receptacle; supplying a fluid to the vertical receptacle; channeling the fluid through and around the tube to clean the inner and outer surfaces of the tube; moving the cleaning receptacle and vertical receptacle successively over at least two solution tanks, each solution tank containing fluid; sensing when the vertical receptacle and cleaning receptacle are aligned with each of the solution tanks; and stopping the cleaning receptacle and vertical receptacle at each solution tank and pumping the fluid from the solution tank into the vertical receptacle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of: heating the fluid in at least one of the solution tanks. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the solutions tanks include a first rinse tank and a second rinse tank containing first and second rinse fluids, respectively, the method further comprising the steps of: pumping the first rinse fluid from the first rinse tank to a waste system; transferring the second rinse fluid from the second rinse tank to the first rinse tank; and replenishing the second rinse tank. ### Claim 17 A method of cleaning a tube having an inner surface and an outer surface, comprising the steps of: clamping the tube in place through an inlet port located between a vertical receptacle and a cleaning receptacle by sliding individual elements of a gate into contact with the tube, the vertical receptacle being taller than the cleaning receptacle; providing a cleaning solution fluid from a wash tank to the vertical receptacle; channeling the cleaning solution fluid to flow under pressure created by gravity through and around the tube to clean the inner and outer surfaces of the tube; draining the cleaning solution fluid from the cleaning receptacle; aligning the cleaning receptacle and the vertical receptacle with a first rinse tank containing a first rinse fluid; pumping the first rinse fluid into the vertical receptacle such that the first rinse fluid flows through and around the tube; draining the first rinse fluid from the cleaning receptacle; aligning the cleaning receptacle and the vertical receptacle with a second rinse tank containing a second rinse fluid; providing the second rinse fluid to the vertical receptacle such that the second rinse fluid flows through and around the tube; and draining the second rinse fluid from the cleaning receptacle into the second rinse tank. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of: draining the cleaning solution fluid and the first and second rinse fluids from a supply pump when the fluids are drained from the cleaning receptacle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of: heating and maintaining a temperature of at least one of the cleaning solution fluid and the first and second rinse fluids within a predetermined range. ### Claim 20 A method of cleaning a tube having inner and outer surfaces using an aqueous tube cleaning system comprising a cleaning receptacle, a vertical receptacle, an inlet port located between the cleaning receptacle and vertical receptacle, and a gate for opening and closing the inlet port, the vertical receptacle being taller than the cleaning receptacle, the method comprising the steps of: installing the tube in the cleaning receptacle such that the tube extends through the inlet port and into the vertical receptacle; clamping the tube in place through the inlet port by sliding individual elements of the gate into contact with the tube; pumping a cleaning solution fluid from a wash tank into the vertical receptacle using a supply pump; increasing the pressure at a bottom of the vertical tank as the cleaning solution fluid level rises in the vertical tank; forcing the cleaning solution fluid under the pressure created by gravity through and around the tube to clean the inner and outer surfaces of the tube; draining the cleaning solution fluid from the cleaning receptacle and from the supply pump; aligning the cleaning receptacle and the vertical receptacle with a first rinse tank containing a first rinse fluid; pumping the first rinse fluid into the vertical receptacle using the supply pump such that the first rinse fluid flows through and around the tube; draining the first rinse fluid from the cleaning receptacle and from the supply pump; aligning the cleaning receptacle and the vertical receptacle with a second rinse tank containing a second rinse fluid; pumping the second rinse fluid to the vertical receptacle using the supply pump such that the second rinse fluid flows through and around the tube; and draining the second rinse fluid from the cleaning receptacle and from the supply pump.