Sciphyn Benefits
Unique solutions that keep your facility in full operation and workers out of dangerous spaces.
Robotic Micro-Dredging
What is Robotic Micro-Dredging
At Sciphyn, we have pioneered the field of robotic micro-dredging. Don’t worry if you haven’t heard that term before – before working with us most of our clients hadn’t, either. That’s because it’s a rapidly-growing field that we practically invented from the ground up.
In simple terms, robotic micro-dredging just means cleaning industrial tanks, containers, ponds, basins and spaces using machines. You could think of our robots like larger and sturdier versions of pool cleaners. Once they have been lowered into a space, they can remove sludge and other debris. Then, using a proprietary filtering system, they send the water back out without contaminating the surrounding space.
This innovative process represents a blend of cutting-edge technology and industrial know how. Even better, it offers significant advantages over traditional tank cleaning methods.
Robotic Cleaning Benefits
Why Use Robots to Remove Sludge
Businesses around the globe are realizing the many substantial benefits of using robots to remove sludge from tanks, ponds, basins, and more, including:
Safety – robots can be operated in tight spaces and dangerous environments without risking the lives of humans. Eliminate confined space entry and fast paced work environments.
Efficiency – micro-dredging robots can be deployed to remove the sludge without shutting down the tank or basin. No Turnaround – No Shutdown.
Cost and Environmental Savings – in most situations it can be far more cost-effective to use robotic micro dredging than traditional tank cleaning methods. Our unique method can significantly reduce the waste of water and costly chemicals.
Safety
In any area of business or industrial operations, safety should be a top concern. There is no good reason to put lives at risk unless it’s absolutely necessary.
At Sciphyn, we are proud to say we use state-of-the-art robotics to keep men and women out of harm’s way. As any industrial site manager or executive knows, cleaning sediment, sludge, and debris from submerged tanks and structures can be an incredibly dangerous job. Divers lose their lives every year working in tight environments. With our technology there isn’t any need for them to take those risks.
Our robots eliminate the need for confined space entry and because we work outside of turnarounds, our robots can eliminate the fast-paced work environment.
Liability Reduction
In many industries, industrial tank cleaning can be an enormous challenge. Not only are divers placed in submerged areas for cleaning, but workers may also be exposed to dangerous chemicals or find themselves in close proximity to hazardous equipment.
Additionally, operators can’t afford to have their plants and equipment sitting idle. Shortening maintenance windows can involve thousands of man hours with crews working 24/7 shifts. In those situations the potential for accidents – including those that lead to injury or expensive damage – increases dramatically.
By contracting robotic micro dredging through Sciphyn, organizations around the world are drastically reducing risks, liabilities, and disruptions during the industrial cleaning process. Not only do we take away the need for human divers, but our technology allows us to clean spaces while they remain in operation. That means there is no need to change normal routines or put workers in stressful or difficult situations.
Efficiency
Because every customer, project, and situation is different, the efficiency benefits of robotic micro dredging may be experienced differently from one case to the next. However, years of experience have shown us that there are several benefits to using robotic cleaners instead of human divers.
Increased Uptime – your unit or facility doesn’t have to go off-line when you opt for robotic cleaning. Because sediment isn’t ejected into the surrounding water, you can maintain normal operations while our robots do their work.
Consistency – robots don’t get tired, and don’t require breaks or days off. They simply keep working at the same consistent pace, from one hour and day to the next, until the job is done. This can speed the cleaning process up and avoid the need for complicated schedules or project management.
Cost and Environmental Savings
Generally speaking, the major savings associated with robotic tank cleaning fall into a few related categories:
No Loss of Productivity – for many of the companies we serve, taking a tank or facility offline can cost millions of dollars per day. By cleaning equipment while it’s in operation (and without affecting water quality) we remove one of their biggest bottom-line concerns.
Insurance and Liability Savings – hiring divers to clean industrial tanks means bringing in life-support equipment, staffing a three-man rescue team, and paying the big insurance premiums that come with placing a human in a confined space with limited air. These costs don’t have to be paid for robotic micro dredging.
No Expensive Disruptions – even after a costly and time-consuming planning process, traditional tank cleaning can result in injuries, equipment damage, and substantial overtime costs that can stretch into millions of dollars. Our robots do their work safely and efficiently without any of these problems.
No Disposal of Water or Chemicals – our closed loop filtering system can remove the sludge and return the water and costly chemicals back into your system. There is no need to drain the tank or basin and then refill and retreat it.
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Our Services
Robotic Sludge Removal
Our Micro-Dredging sludge removal robots can clean in spaces where human divers can't; including submerged spaces with toxic chemicals or restricted access. We remove, dewater, and dispose of your sludge while you remain in full operation - no shutdown required.
ROV Visual Inspections
With our high-performance ROVs, we comprehensively evaluate and record the underwater structural condition of a tank or basin to evaluate structural integrity, corrosion, and sediment distribution. Our visual inspections include a full written report and recorded video documentation.
Sludge Mapping
Using robots and sonar, we provide a detailed 3D map showing sludge and sediment distribution throughout your tank, pond or basin and a comprehensive report outlining all of the collected data. All of this can be done without shutting down.
Ultrasonic Thickness Data Collection
By combining our Micro-Dredging sludge removal services, ROV visual inspection, and U/T data collection capabilities, we provide all of the information an inspector will need for certain NFPA and API inspection standards without having to take the tank out of service.
