A CFD Investigation of Piping System Design for a Tank Cleaning Machine
Received: 23 July 2025 | Revised: 8 September 2025 | Accepted: 18 September 2025 | Online: 12 November 2025
Corresponding author: Choon Kit Chan
Abstract
In industries that focus on food, beverage, and pharmaceutical manufacturing, the hygiene of production equipment is mandatory and must always be maintained. Cleaning equipment for such an industry is essential and needs to be designed as required. This study addresses the need for uniform pressure distribution within the nozzle to ensure optimal operation. Equal spray direction, pressure, and distribution are necessary so that the water impact on the tank surface is uniform, thereby maximizing the cleaning effectiveness. This research develops a cleaning system for industrial material storage tanks. The proposed system utilizes pressurized water spraying to remove dust, particles, and unwanted substances that may compromise production quality. The experimental program compares eight piping ring configurations for tank cleaning equipment, where the ring has one inlet and eight outlets; each outlet is attached to a flat fan nozzle. To investigate the fluid flow in the designs, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation was used to examine fluid flow phenomena in the tank cleaning ring and identify the minor pressure drop at the nozzle. After selecting the best design, calculations were carried out to determine the pump's specifications used in the tank cleaning machine installation.
Keywords:
cleaning machine, piping system, fluid vortex, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), head loss, process innovationDownloads
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Copyright (c) 2025 Didi Widya Utama, Choon Kit Chan, Ravi Hardian, Agustinus Purna Irawan, Jeyagopi Raman
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