EP3720764B1

EP3720764B1 - Floating device for blocking and recovering pollutants

Info

Publication number: EP3720764B1
Application number: EP18815040.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jacopo PALMIERI
Original assignee: Heureka Ambiente Srl
Current assignee: Heureka Ambiente Srl
Priority date: 2017-12-05
Filing date: 2018-11-27
Publication date: 2022-12-28
Anticipated expiration: 2038-11-27
Also published as: EP3720764A1; WO2019111286A1

Description

This invention relates to a floating device for blocking and recovering pollutants, in particular present on the surface of a river or an expanse of water.
More in detail, the invention relates to a floating device of the said type, designed and made in particular for blocking and recovering floating pollutants in the liquid ad solid phase, such as algae or hydrocarbons present on the surface of a river, or expanse of water, but which can be used for any site in which water is present, for which the recovery of pollutants is necessary.
The description below relates to a floating device for blocking and recovering pollutants installed in a canal, or pond or lake or river or sea, hereafter simply referred to as water, but it is quite apparent how the same should not be considered limited to this specific use.
As is well known, there are currently floating devices or barriers, installed in water, which have a first portion which protrudes from the surface of the water and a second ballasted portion, which remains submerged below the water because of the ballast.
Said known devices are designed solely for blocking oils and hydrocarbons and do not provide for the blocking of other pollutants and/or the recovery of the hydrocarbons.
It is evident how these known devices are not adequate for blocking and recovering pollutants of other type, such as algae, leaves, fragments plastic or paper, and for recovering the blocked hydrocarbons.
The relevant prior art includes also the patent applications US 5169 526 A , US 2011/266200 A1 and US 4752393 A .
In light of the above, the aim of the invention is therefore to provide a floating device for blocking and recovering pollutants which is easy to use, easy to transport on the recovery site and mobile on the water.
Another aim of the invention is to provide a floating device which has a function that is active, when connected to a further device which generates a negative pressure for recovering pollutants blocked by the floating device, and simultaneously passive since it can carry out the blocking and recovery of the pollutants even if stationary or if it is connected to pulling means such as small or large boats or drones.
A further aim of the invention is to provide a modular floating device provided with coupling elements for ensuring flexibility and adaptability, in such a way that it can adopt shapes adequate for the recovery of pollutants in areas having an irregular geometry, such as gorges or corners of a surface of water.
The specific object of this invention is therefore a floating device, for blocking and recovering pollutants dispersed in environmental sites provided with water, comprising at least one hollow elongate body, designed to be positioned on the water, provided with an inner surface, designed to receive said pollutants, and an external surface designed to be in contact with the water; an opening is made on a portion of said external surface, for the entry, in use, of said pollutants inside said at least one hollow body.
When the floating device is in use immersed in water it has a first portion immersed in water and a second portion emerged from the water, and said opening is positioned at the surface of the water.
According to the invention, said floating device can comprise at least one stabilizing element coupled to said first portion, said stabilizing element being provided with a first end and a second end opposite to said first end. Said first end is substantially wedge-shaped and is positioned at said opening, in such a way as to make contact with the pollutants present on the surface of the water. Said second end has a substantially rounded shape for favouring the stabilization and the floating.
Again, according to the invention, said floating device can comprise a sliding bulkhead which passes from an open position, wherein said sliding bulkhead is retracted with respect to the water, to a closed position, wherein said bulkhead is extracted and close to the water, so as to partially or totally cover said opening.
Further, according to the invention, said hollow elongate body extends along a main axis of longitudinal extension and can comprise a first end prima and a second end opposite said first end.
Preferably, according to this invention, on said first end there is a coupling element for coupling with external elements, and on said second end there is coupling element for coupling with external elements.
Again, according to this invention, on said first end there is an openable portion for coupling with a suction system, and on said second end there is an openable element for coupling with a suction system.
Further, according to the invention, said coupling element of said first end and said coupling element of said second end can be coupled to a plurality of further floating devices.
Preferably, according to this invention, said floating device can comprise a light source positioned on said at least one hollow body powered by batteries or by a photovoltaic panel.
Preferably, according to the invention, said floating device can comprise a tank coupled to said external surface for the collection of said pollutants.
Preferably, according to the invention, said contact surface of said stabilizing element with the water is corrugated in order to ensure a stable contact with the pollutants present in the water.
The invention is now described, by way of example and without limiting the scope of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of it, in which:

Figure 1 shows a front perspective view of the floating device for blocking and recovering pollutants according to this invention;
Figure 2 shows a side view of the device of Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows a front view of a detail of Figure 1;
Figure 4 shows a front view of a part added in the device of Figure 1;
Figure 5 shows a schematic side view of a second embodiment of the device according to the invention; and
Figure 6 shows a front view of the connection in series of several floating devices according to the invention.

The similar parts will be indicated in the various drawings with the same numerical references.
With reference to Figure 1, the floating device B for blocking and recovering pollutants according to the invention comprises an elongate hollow body 1 extending along an axis of extension X.
The term pollutants means elements in a liquid and solid phase, organic such as algae, leaves, and inorganic such as hydrocarbons, emulsions, plastic bags, packages used for various purposes and objects of various kinds which can float on the water.
Said hollow body 1 is positioned in a canal, or pond or lake or river or sea, hereafter simply defined as water A, in such a way that a first portion 1_a of said hollow body 1 is immersed below the surface of the water A and the remaining second portion 1_b is emerged with respect to the surface of the water A.
Said hollow body 1 has an inner surface 11 and an external surface 12.
An opening 13 is made on a portion of said external surface 12; when said floating device B is positioned in the water A, said opening 13 is positioned substantially at the surface of the water A, in such a way as to allow the entry of pollutants present in the water A, from the surface of the water A towards said inner surface 11.
As shown in Figure 3, said opening 13 can be partially or totally closed by means of a sliding bulkhead 131 passing from an open position, wherein said bulkhead 131 is retracted with respect to the surface of the water A, so as to leave uncovered said opening 13, to a closed position, wherein said bulkhead 113 is extracted and close to the surface of the water A, so as to partially or totally cover said opening 13.
Said bulkhead can also have a different shape, without however departing from the scope of protection of the invention.
Said bulkhead 131 can be actuated manually or automatically.
Said hollow body 1 is provided with a first 14 and a second 15 closed end.
Said first end 14 is provided with a coupling element 141 and an openable portion 142.
Similarly, the second end 15 is also provided with a coupling element 151 and an openable portion 152.
Said coupling element 141 of said first closed end 14 and coupling element 151 of said second end 15 are designed for coupling with recovery mean, not shown in the drawings, which are used for withdrawing said floating device B from the water A towards land.
Said coupling elements 141 and 151 are also used for the coupling with further floating modules, as described in detail below.
Said openable portion 142 of said first end 14 and openable portion 152 of said second end 15 are designed for the connection to further floating modules, when they are coupled by means of said coupling elements 141 and 151, as described in detail below.
As shown in Figure 2, said hollow body 1 is also provided with at least one stabilizing element 16 positioned at said opening 13.
Said stabilizing element 16 can have different geometries; according to the preferred embodiment described, it has a substantially elongate parallelepiped shape.
More specifically, said stabilizing element is provide with a first end 161 and a second end 162 opposite said first end 161.
Said first end 161 is substantially wedge-shaped and is positioned at said opening 13, in such a way as to make contact with the pollutants present on the surface of the water A.
Said second end 162 has a substantially rounded shape for favouring the stabilization and the floating.
The contact surface of said stabilizing element 16 with the water is corrugated in order to ensure a stable contact with the pollutants present in the water.
Said stabilizing element 16 prevents the hollow body 1 from sinking when the inner surface 11 is filled with the pollutants contacted.
Said stabilizing element 16 and said first 161 and second 162 ends can adopt different shapes, providing the floating of said floating device B is ensured, without however departing from the scope of protection of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
With reference to Figure 4, it is possible to house in said hollow body 1 a shaft 17 rotating about said axis X, to which is coupled a plurality of brushes 171 which are, therefore, also rotary.
Said plurality of rotary brushes 171 is made of oil-absorbent material or relative to the substance to be recovered and has the purpose of cleaning said inner surface 11.
Said floating device B is provided with at least one light source, of the LED type, not shown in the drawings, in such a way that it is visible in poor night time visibility conditions or in the presence of fog.
Said light source can be power by batteries or by photovoltaic means, such as a photovoltaic panel.
Moreover, said floating device B comprises a known probe for measuring hydrocarbons present in the water A, positioned close to said first portion 1_a.
Said probe can be connected to said source of light, in such a way that it emits luminous signals when the probe detects the presence of hydrocarbons dissolved in the water A.
With reference to figure 5, according to a second embodiment of the invention, said floating device B' comprises all the features described for the first embodiment B and also comprises a tank 18 for the collection of the pollutants contacted on the surface of the water A.
The tank 18 is immersed completely or partially in the water A and receives the pollutants contacted by gravity.
Said tank 18 can be connected to a suction system, not shown in the drawings, for drawing out and cleaning the tank 18 of pollutants, in such a way as to increase the collection capacity of said floating device B'.
Said floating device B comprises a filter cartridge C for filtering the pollutants dissolved in the water which can be housed at various points of the floating device B, such as, for example, in the tank 18 or in a part of said immersed portion 1b.
Both the first embodiment of said floating device B and the second embodiment of said floating device B' can comprise the insertion of elements necessary to provide ballast for said floating device B and/or B' for stabilizing it in a predetermined position.
With reference to Figure 6, when it is necessary to use a floating device B with large dimensions, it is possible to connect the single floating device B to a plurality of modules B₁, B₂, ..., B_n by means of said coupling element 141 of said first end 14 and coupling element 151 of said second end 15.
Said coupling between the modules B, B₁, B₂, ..., B_n is not rigid, so the resulting floating device can easily adapt to various geometries of the environmental site in which it is located.
When said modules B, B₁, B₂, ..., B_n are coupled together, a tubular coupling element is used to hydraulically connect the modules by means of said openable portions 142, so as to connect said modules B, B₁, B₂, ..., B_n to a suction system which draws out the contacted pollutants.
Similarly, the connection in series can also be achieved for the second embodiment of the floating device B'.
The operation of the device B described above is carried out as follows.
When it is necessary to block and recover the pollutants present in an environmental site provided with water A, said floating device B is positioned on the water surface A in a predetermined zone of the site.
When said pollutants are close to said floating device B they enter into contact with said stabilizing element 16 which passively favours the entrance into said hollow body 1 through said opening 13.
If said floating device B is stationary on the water A, it will collect the pollutants present in its vicinity until said inner surface 11 is filled.
If said floating device B is coupled to suction means by means of said openable portion 142 of said first end 14 and openable portion 152 of said second end 15, the pollutants entering said hollow body 1 are sucked out in order to increase the collection capacity of said floating device B.
If said floating device B is connected to pulling means such as small or large boats or drones by means of said coupling element 141 of said first end 14 and said coupling element 151 of said second end 15, said floating device B can make contact with and therefore collect all the pollutants present on the water A, even in different zones of the environmental site in which it is positioned.
Also in this case, the floating device B can be connected to suction means.
Said sliding bulkhead 131 can be moved remotely either manually or automatically in order to vary the gap of said opening 13, passing, therefore, from said open position to said closed position, on the basis of the dimensions of the pollutants to be recovered.
Said plurality of rotary brushes 171 move on the basis of the speed of flow of the air sucked by said suction means, and allow further recovery, and in a separated fashion, of part or all of the pollutants or hydrocarbons dispersed since during rotation they slide on said inner surface 11.
The residue collected in this way by said plurality of rotary brushes 171 falls to the bottom of said hollow body 1 of said floating device B or falls in said tank 18 of said floating device B'.
The operation of said second embodiment of said floating device B' is unchanged with respect to the operation described above.
The only variation is due to the fact that the pollutants which enter through said opening 13 fall into said tank 18 from which they are then drawn out by suction means.
When it is necessary to collect pollutants in a vast environmental site, it is possible to connect the single floating device B to a plurality of other floating devices B₁, B₂, ..., B_n by means of said coupling element 141 of said first end 14 and said coupling element 151 of said second end 15.
In this case, a flexible coupling element is used which puts into communication said openable portions 142 of each module B₁, B₂, ..., B_n so as to allow the suction means to such the pollutants entering said hollow body 1 of all said modules B₁, B₂, ..., B_n.
The modular connection is also achieved between modules of the second embodiment of said floating device B' by means of the same coupling elements.
Said coupling elements 141 and 152 of the modules present at the ends can also be coupled to recovery means for the movement of the entire modular device on the water A.
As is apparent from the above description, the floating device B according to the invention allows the blocking and recovery of pollutants dispersed on the water according to a method which is easy to make and use.
This invention is described by way of example only, without limiting the scope of application, according to its preferred embodiments, but it shall be understood that the invention may be modified and/or adapted by experts in the field without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept, as defined in the claims herein.

Claims

Floating device (B, B'), for blocking and recovering pollutants dispersed in environmental sites provided with water (A), comprising at least one hollow elongated body (1), capable to be disposed on the water (A), provided with an inner surface (11), capable for receiving said pollutants, and an external surface (12) capable to be in contact with the water (A), when in use, on a portion of said external surface (12), an opening (13) is obtained for the entry of said pollutants inside said at least one hollow body (1), when said floating device (B, B') is in use immersed in water (A) this one has a first portion (1a) immersed in water (A) and a second portion (1b) emerging from the water (A), said opening (13) arranges itself in correspondence of the water surface (A), it comprises at least one stabilizing element (16) coupled to said first portion (1a), said floating device (B, B') is characterized
in that said stabilizing element (16) is provided with a first end (161) and a second end (162) opposite said first end (161), wherein said first end (161) is substantially wedge-shaped and is positioned at said opening (13), in such a way as to make contact with the pollutants present on the surface of the water (A), and

in that said second end (162) has a substantially rounded shape for favouring the stabilization and the floating.
Floating device (B, B') according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a sliding bulkhead (131) passing from an opening position, wherein said sliding bulkhead (131) is retracted with respect to the water (A), to a closed position, wherein said bulkhead (113) is extracted and close to water (A), so as to partially or totally cover said opening (13).
Floating device (B, B') according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized
in that said hollow elongated body (1) develops along a main longitudinal axis (X), and

in that said hollow elongated body (1) comprises a first end (14) and a second end (15) opposite to said first end (15).
Floating device (B, B') according to the preceding claim, characterized
in that a coupling element (141) is arranged on said first end (14) for coupling with external elements, and

in that a coupling element (151) is arranged on said second end (15) for coupling with external elements.
Floating device (B, B') according to anyone of claims 3 or 4, characterized
in that an openable portion (142) is arranged on said first end (14) for coupling with a suction system, and

in that an openable portion (142) is arranged on said second end (15) for coupling with a suction system.
Floating device (B, B') according to anyone of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that said coupling element (141) of said first end (14) and coupling element (151) of said second end (15) can be coupled to a plurality of further floating devices (B1, B2, ..., Bn; B'1, B'2, ..., B'n).
Floating device (B, B') according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a light source arranged on said at least one hollow body (1) powered by batteries or by a photovoltaic panel.
Floating device (B, B') according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a tank (18) coupled to said outer surface (12) for the collection of said pollutants.
Floating device (B, B') according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact surface of said stabilizing element (16) with the water is corrugated in order to ensure a stable contact with the pollutants present in the water.