Underwater Cleaning Robots & Drones

Bristola's patented equalization chamber acts as an airlock-type entry system. The robot is lowered through any standard manhole 24 inches in diameter or greater while the tank remains full and in production. This eliminates the need to drain, degas, or shut down the facility before cleaning begins.

Bristola's systems are designed for anaerobic digesters, biogas facilities, covered lagoons, wastewater treatment plants, food and beverage processing facilities, oil and gas refineries, pulp and paper mills, steel mills, and industrial liquid storage tanks across multiple industries globally.

No. Bristola's entire system is a zero-human-entry solution. The remote-controlled submersible robot handles all cleaning operations from outside the tank via a winch and flexible hose system. This fully eliminates confined space entry requirements and the associated OSHA regulatory burdens and employee safety risks.

Based on documented case studies, facilities save approximately $80,000 per tank per year. Bristola's annualized cost is approximately $170,000 compared to $250,000 for traditional cleaning methods. Savings come from eliminating production downtime, temporary storage requirements, and the logistical costs of conventional confined-space tank cleaning operations.

Bristola's equalization chamber entry system is available for both new facility builds and retrofits on existing infrastructure. The entry portal is designed to fit any manhole 24 inches in diameter or greater, making it highly adaptable for facilities already in operation without requiring major structural modifications.

Bristola's system includes sonar navigation, real-time performance monitoring, sediment mapping, and data evaluation and reporting tools. The full-service platform evaluates facility condition, stores performance data, and generates reports — giving operators measurable insight into tank health, sludge accumulation, and cleaning effectiveness over time.