GJ 18 tank-cleaning machine by Alfa Laval outperforms older model

John Brooks Company carries the Alfa Laval GJ 18.

Alfa Laval tank cleaning products are available through John Brooks Company Limited. The supplier was working with a Quebec-based leading transportation and logistics leader that was using an Alfa Laval GJ 4 tank-cleaning machine in trailer wash bays and asked the customer to conduct a trial to compare the performance of this unit with the recently introduced GJ 18 upgrade.

Internal buildup of sediment

The GJ 18 was designed to offer twice the operational hours that the GJ 4 provided and to be less expensive to maintain. So the customer put the GJ 18 into operation to clean trailers, using 378 litres per minute of wash fluid at 125 pounds per square inch and 87 degrees Celsius. The new unit did not stop working until after 100 days of operation.

Inspection by John Brooks Company revealed some internal buildup of sediment, with most components in good condition. Of the parts that required replacement, the majority did because of impact of the unit and the carbide being shattered, the first time this had been seen with this unit. Broken parts included cracked body bearings, chipped and worn carbide, and worn bottom surfaces of rotor carbides, while parts that needed replacement included the rotor shaft assembly, input/output shaft seals, gear bushings, labyrinth seals, and gear-train washers. Repair costs totalled $469; replacement costs totalled $809.

Final results: The run-to-failure time, or period before maintenance is required, was 2.4 times higher for the GJ 18 than the maximum of 1,000 hours for the GJ 4. And the run-to-failure parts costs were $809 for the GJ 18 (excluding the parts damaged from impact), significantly less than the typical $1,200-$1,400 figures for the GJ 4. It was obvious to the customer that the GJ 18 outperformed the older model.

The GJ 18 tank-cleaning machine is recommended for the toughest debris and residue, withstanding challenging tasks that require high temperatures and high chemical concentrations. Watch this video for a closer look:

For more information, contact John Brooks Company.

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