INDUSTRIAL TANK CLEANING

Honeywell Aerospace - Yeovil, BA20

Client's Challenge

Honeywell Aerospace required specialist industrial tank cleaning at their Yeovil facility as part of maintenance and quality assurance works on an altitude-style chamber.

The chamber required full internal and external cleaning, degreasing, disinfection, and surface preparation prior to repainting, to meet strict aerospace safety, hygiene and finish standards.

Due to the critical nature of the equipment and the live manufacturing environment, all works needed to be delivered using controlled, approved methods that would not introduce contamination risk, chemical residue, or surface integrity issues prior to painting works.

Assessment & Planning  

APT ICC conducted a detailed site assessment in coordination with Honeywell Aerospace engineering and facilities teams to confirm:

• Internal and external contamination levels
• Safe access and working constraints
• Cleaning and degreasing requirements prior to painting
• Verification that no chemical residue could remain on surfaces
• Compliance with Honeywell Aerospace safety and quality protocols

A full RAMS package was produced and approved, ensuring the cleaning and preparation process aligned with aerospace operational and quality standards.

    Methodology

    APT ICC delivered a controlled, aerospace-compliant cleaning and preparation programme:

    1. Internal and external spray-and-wipe cleaning
    All internal and external tank surfaces were cleaned using a spray-and-wipe method, allowing full control of application and eliminating the risk associated with flooding or uncontrolled wash-down processes.

    2. Degreasing and disinfection
    APT ICC’s in-house chemical UltraClean MB was applied to degrease and disinfect all surfaces, effectively removing oils, residues and contamination while remaining suitable for aerospace environments.

    3. Detail cleaning of associated services
    Cable trays, pipework, electrical cabling and power points were cleaned using the same controlled spray-and-wipe methodology to ensure consistency and hygiene compliance.

    3. Surface preparation wipe-down
    Following cleaning, all surfaces were wiped down using a dedicated surface preparation wipe to confirm no residual grease or chemical film remained prior to painting works.

    4. Release for painting works
    Once cleanliness and residue-free conditions were verified, the chamber was released ready for priming and painting in accordance with Honeywell Aerospace specifications.

    Industrial Degreasing Tank Clean at Honeywell

    Site Access & Logistics

    Industrial Degreasing Tank Clean at Honeywell

    Equipment
    • Spray-and-wipe application systems for controlled industrial cleaning
    • Surface preparation wipe systems for pre-paint verification
    • Standard industrial access and safety equipment

    Chemicals
    • UltraClean MB – used for controlled degreasing and disinfection of internal and external tank surfaces

    • Surface preparation wipes – used to confirm removal of grease and chemical residue prior to painting

    No abrasive, aggressive or damaging chemicals were used at any stage of the works.

    The Results
    APT ICC successfully completed the industrial tank cleaning and surface
    preparation programme to Honeywell Aerospace’s required specification.

    Key outcomes included:
    • Internal and external chamber surfaces cleaned, degreased and disinfected
    • No residual grease or chemical film prior to painting works
    • Chamber released ready for repainting without delays
    • Works delivered safely within a live aerospace manufacturing environment
    • Full compliance with Honeywell Aerospace quality and safety requirements

    The client confirmed satisfaction with the standard of cleaning, preparation quality and professional delivery.