GB2145005A - Oil-collecting vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

An oil-collecting vessel comprises a pair of floating booms which extend ahead to direct floating oil towards an inclined sieve plate mounted at the front of the vessel. Water flows through the sieve plate while oil is urged up the plate, by the motion of the vessel, into the mouth of a suction pipe, which conveys an oil-water mixture to a settling tank.

Description

SPECIFICATION Oil catcher one The concept of "Oil Catcher One" is primarily to deal with oil slicks on water whether they be created by a tanker disaster, eg: The Tory Canyon or The Amoco cadiz, or for other reasons.

The advantages over the normal way of dealing with oil slicks, ie: Natural break up of the oil caused by the water movement and the subsequent oxygenating of same, or by spraying the oil with a detergent type fluid to accelerate the break up and possible sinking of the oil, are as follows. (At line 48) Figure 1. Stanchion fixed to ship to support booms.

Figure la. Possible alternate method of highering and lowering floats by means of a slide type mechanism.

Figure 2. Boom assembley hydraulically operated from the ship to higher and lower floats.

Figure 3. Float assembly hydraulically operated from the ship so as to widen or narrow the intake.

Figure 4. Side elevation of separater consisting of sieve type adjustable plate, angled.

Figure 5. Front elevation of separater.

Figure 6. Vacuum pipe.

Figure 7. Storage tank with drain of for water.

Figure 8. Vacuum pump.

"Oil Catcher One" is designed to be fixed to the bow of a ship (In the formal drawings to follow it is proposed to give this an alternative of a universal fixing) by means of a hydraucally operated boom or slide type mechanism it would lower into the water before the bow a 'V' shaped float assembley adjustable from the ship to offer a wider or narrower opening (In the formal drawings to follow it is proposed to incorporate telescopic or swinging arm extensions to widen the catcher to accomodte more or less oil as the ship proceeds in a forward motion). In the neck of the 'V' there will be a barrier plate adjioning which will be an angled plate designed sieve like to allow the water to pass through while the oil is forced forwards and upwards by the movement of the ship to a vacuum operated receiver pipe.The oil would then be sucked up the pipe and into a storage tank when after the natural separation had taken place any surplus water would be drained off. Whether the tank was in a tanker type ship or merely positioned as a removeable object in or on any suitable ship would depend on the ammount of oil in question and is therfore inconsequential at this point.

The main advantages of salvaging the oil rather than trying too disperse it chemically are: From an environmental point of view there would be far less contamination to wild life and polution to the water and possibly coastline in general. As crude oil is not chemically effected by fresh or salt water-unless left for a long period-the salvagers would have a disposable asset-in the form of the reclaimed oil plus a fee for the lease or hire of the ship or ships.

It is envisaged tht the "Catcher" would operate in a similar fashion to a combined harvester (direction wise) ie: moving up and down the slick and naturally turning at either end.

Should the fitting be made universal as mentioned earlier-then with a slick of great area several ships could be employed.

Naturally it is not assumed that 100% of the oil could be collected and until tests are made we cannot specify a percentage.

1. A device for removing oil from a water surface comprising a separater assembley with sieve type adjustable plate and mouth to vacuum pipe, a flot assembly hydraulically operated; to give buoyancy and full control of the intake of liquid, this extending to a hydraulically operated boom assembley located on the gathering vessel, from were the extension of the vacuum pipe is connected to a recepticle having in turn qualities to separate the oil from water gathered with same, the arrangment being such that a vacuum pump is accomodated to create the flow of liquid.

2. device according to claim 1. wherein the boom assembly has a universal fixing.

3. A device according to claim 1. or 2.

wherein the device has a permanant fixing.

4. A device according to claims 1. 2. or 3. wherein the alternate method of adjustment of the separater and float assembley is by means of a slide type assembley.

5. A device substancially described herein with reference to Figures 1. and 1 a to Figure 8 of the drawings presented previousely.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Oil catcher one The concept of "Oil Catcher One" is primarily to deal with oil slicks on water whether they be created by a tanker disaster, eg: The Tory Canyon or The Amoco cadiz, or for other reasons. The advantages over the normal way of dealing with oil slicks, ie: Natural break up of the oil caused by the water movement and the subsequent oxygenating of same, or by spraying the oil with a detergent type fluid to accelerate the break up and possible sinking of the oil, are as follows. (At line 48) Figure 1. Stanchion fixed to ship to support booms. Figure la. Possible alternate method of highering and lowering floats by means of a slide type mechanism. Figure 2. Boom assembley hydraulically operated from the ship to higher and lower floats. Figure 3. Float assembly hydraulically operated from the ship so as to widen or narrow the intake. Figure 4. Side elevation of separater consisting of sieve type adjustable plate, angled. Figure 5. Front elevation of separater. Figure 6. Vacuum pipe. Figure 7. Storage tank with drain of for water. Figure 8. Vacuum pump. "Oil Catcher One" is designed to be fixed to the bow of a ship (In the formal drawings to follow it is proposed to give this an alternative of a universal fixing) by means of a hydraucally operated boom or slide type mechanism it would lower into the water before the bow a 'V' shaped float assembley adjustable from the ship to offer a wider or narrower opening (In the formal drawings to follow it is proposed to incorporate telescopic or swinging arm extensions to widen the catcher to accomodte more or less oil as the ship proceeds in a forward motion). In the neck of the 'V' there will be a barrier plate adjioning which will be an angled plate designed sieve like to allow the water to pass through while the oil is forced forwards and upwards by the movement of the ship to a vacuum operated receiver pipe.The oil would then be sucked up the pipe and into a storage tank when after the natural separation had taken place any surplus water would be drained off. Whether the tank was in a tanker type ship or merely positioned as a removeable object in or on any suitable ship would depend on the ammount of oil in question and is therfore inconsequential at this point. The main advantages of salvaging the oil rather than trying too disperse it chemically are: From an environmental point of view there would be far less contamination to wild life and polution to the water and possibly coastline in general. As crude oil is not chemically effected by fresh or salt water-unless left for a long period-the salvagers would have a disposable asset-in the form of the reclaimed oil plus a fee for the lease or hire of the ship or ships. It is envisaged tht the "Catcher" would operate in a similar fashion to a combined harvester (direction wise) ie: moving up and down the slick and naturally turning at either end. Should the fitting be made universal as mentioned earlier-then with a slick of great area several ships could be employed. Naturally it is not assumed that 100% of the oil could be collected and until tests are made we cannot specify a percentage. CLAIMS

1. A device for removing oil from a water surface comprising a separater assembley with sieve type adjustable plate and mouth to vacuum pipe, a flot assembly hydraulically operated; to give buoyancy and full control of the intake of liquid, this extending to a hydraulically operated boom assembley located on the gathering vessel, from were the extension of the vacuum pipe is connected to a recepticle having in turn qualities to separate the oil from water gathered with same, the arrangment being such that a vacuum pump is accomodated to create the flow of liquid.

2. device according to claim 1. wherein the boom assembly has a universal fixing.

3. A device according to claim 1. or 2.

wherein the device has a permanant fixing.

4. A device according to claims 1. 2. or 3. wherein the alternate method of adjustment of the separater and float assembley is by means of a slide type assembley.

5. A device substancially described herein with reference to Figures 1. and 1 a to Figure 8 of the drawings presented previousely.