Patent ID: 6926776
Filing Date: 2005-08-09
Classification: B08B,F17C,F26B

Abstract:
1. A method for cleaning rail tank cars containing a chemical comprising the steps of: providing a rail tank car consisting essentially of a quantity of a chemical therein wherein the rail tank car has a plurality of valves for attaching a plurality of pipes thereto wherein the chemical is selected from the group consisting of chlorine gas and sulfur dioxide gas; providing a dry input gas for injecting into the rail tank car; heating said dry input gas to a temperature of between about 100° F. and 300° F; providing a tank having a neutralizing material contained therein connected to the rail tank car; injecting the rail tank car with a discrete quantity of the heated input gas to form an input gas/chemical mixture; removing the input gas/chemical mixture from the rail tank car; injecting the input gas/chemical mixture into the tank for neutralizing the chemical; releasing the input gas from the tank; injecting further discrete quantities of heated input gas to form further input gas/chemical mixtures; removing the further quantities of input gas/chemical mixtures from the rail tank car; injecting the further input gas/chemical mixtures into the tank for neutralizing the chemical until the level of chemical within the rail tank car has reached a predetermined level; and releasing the further quantities of input gas from the tank.