Optimizing Operations with the DT640: The Tank Inspectors

What is the DT640?
Minimizing Divers

We were thrilled to speak to Dan and Jo Hulands of The Tank Inspectors to learn more about how they use remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for their services. With over 30 years of direct water tank construction and liner installation experience, The Tank Inspectors offer a variety of tank inspection and cleaning services complete with comprehensive reports and video footage. Used by clients ranging from fire management agencies to asset management firms to mining companies, The Tank Inspectors reduce OH&S risks with robotic solutions.

With home bases in Perth, Adelaide, Cairns, Brisbane and Melbourne, the Australian based tank inspectors offer a multitude of services including:

We spoke to the pair more specifically about their ROV tank cleaning and inspection services. Using the DT640 VAC, The Tank Inspectors are able to thoroughly inspect and clean a variety of tanks for their clients.

What is the DT640?

A purpose built ROV, the DT640 is designed to work in tough underwater environments. A unique solution to various inspections and tasks, the DT640 is equipped with a camera specially designed to work in low light conditions to provide high quality feedback.

With lithium ion battery power, the DT640 does not require a topside power source making the vehicle easily portable. The 360 degree turn radius makes the DT640 a highly maneuverable vehicle providing operators with an effective way in which to inspect underwater infrastructure.

The DT640 VAC Crawler is equipped with an 18-inch dual intake vacuum head to provide operators with an effective and convenient way in which to conduct tank cleanings. Available in the standard DT640 VAC package and the DT640 VAC XL package, the DT640 has a solution for you.

There are several factors about the DT640 VAC that allow The Tank Inspectors to excel in their field.

Let us help find the right fit for your inspection and tank cleaning projects

Minimizing Divers

The use of the DT640 allows The Tank Inspectors to avoid using divers for every single inspection. Operations Manager Jo Hulands noted that where the team used to have to put a diver in the water, they can now use the ROV, “pretty much 80% of the tanks that we do we can clean with the vacuum cleaner.”

By using the ROV in lieu of a human diver, The Tank Inspectors not only keep humans safe but save time and money. In addition to OH&S standards regarding people in tanks and limiting the time people can actually be in the tanks, Dan noted that with the ROV “there’s a lot less set up time, divers require a lot of set up.” Furthermore, the divers require scheduling and coordinating where the DT640 can be deployed quickly and conveniently.

In addition to saving time, the use of the DT640 saves the Tank Inspector team significant amounts of money, with Dan and Jo estimating that the ROV is “40% of the cost of using divers.” “In fact,” Jo continued, “many diving companies themselves use the ROV to limit dive time by scoping out jobs with the DTG3 and undertaking cleans with the DT640.”

Dan also observed that, “the divers know about diving - they don’t necessarily know about tanks. All of our operators know about tanks and have been working with tanks for many years.” With the ROV, tank experts can get their eyes underwater to conduct specialized inspections and cleaning.

Furthermore, the ROVs can be sanitized using a chlorine solution, making meeting health standards feasible. With a sanitized vehicle, The Tank Inspectors can safely conduct clean water inspections and cleanings without contaminating the water.