GB2481080A

GB2481080A - Oil recovery vessel

Info

Publication number: GB2481080A
Application number: GB1016700.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Bispham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-06-07
Filing date: 2010-10-05
Publication date: 2011-12-14
Anticipated expiration: 2030-10-05
Also published as: GB201016700D0; GB2481080B; GB201015965D0; GB201009477D0

Abstract

The invention relates to an oil recovery vessel 1 comprising a floating hull structure 2 with at least one internal cavity 3, pump means 5 to pump water in and out of the cavity 3 from a point adjacent the bottom of the hull structure, to lower and raise the freeboard of the hull structure, an aperture 7 in the hull structure which can be raised and lowered above and below the ambient waterline by lowering and raising the freeboard of the hull structure, a weir 8 adjacent the aperture having height adjustment means controlled by the level of fluid in the internal cavity, the weir moving from a low position to a high position causing the aperture 7 to be sealed, and a discharge outlet 10 for removing fluid from the cavity. In use the vessel can float on water with oil on its surface. The oil is brought into the cavity through the aperture with the oil retained in the cavity being removed through the discharge outlet.

Description

Title: OI1Recovery Vessel The present invention relates to an oil recovery vessel.

There are currently two principle methods of clearing up oil contamination in water. The first involves chemical spraying of oil floating on the water sur1ce to sink the oil. This causes damage to the coral and plant lilè, and creatures living in the water. The second involves burning the oil which causes air pollution and still leaves a residue on the surface of the water which has to be managed in an unsatisfactory way, for example sinking it.

The invention seeks to provide a solution to this problem.

According to the present invention there is provided an oil recovery vessel comprising: a) a floating hull structure to float on water having at least one internal cavity, b) pump means to pump water in and out of the or each cavity from a point adjacent the bottom of the hull structure to lower and raise the freeboard of the hull structure, c) an aperture for the or each cavity in the hull structure which can be raised and lowered above and below the ambient waterline by lowering and raising the freeboard of the hull structure, d) a weir adjacent the or each aperture having height adjustment means controlled by the level of fluid in the or each internal cavity, said weir moving from a low position to a high position causing said aperture to be sealed, and e) a discharge outlet for fluid in the or each cavity above the point adjacent the bottom of the hull structure, in use the vessel can float on water with oil on its surfce, the pump can then be operated to lower the vessel's freeboard by flooding the or each cavity and so lower the aperture under the water level, water with surface oil can flow into the or each aperture and over the weir substantially separating oil from water into the cavity, water in the cavity is then pumped out so lowering the weir and allowing oil to flow over the weir, and water can then be pumped into the cavity so raising the weir and sealing the aperture, and oil retained in the cavity can be removed through the discharge outlet.

Preferably the or each weir is a plate hinged to an internal cavity adjacent the bottom of an aperture, said plate being buoyant in water whereby it moves from a low position when the water level in the cavity is low to a high position sealing said aperture when the water level in the cavity rises.

Preferably the pump means is located in a tube extending from an aperture adjacent the bottom of the hull structure.

Preferably the vessel has an enclosed oil boom, in use, extending from the aperture and enclosing an area of water with oil on its surface.

Preferably the vessel has one or more buoyancy chamber to maintain the vessel in a stable position in use.

In one embodiment the vessel has a mesh on the aperture to strain out and prevent coagulated oil and other objects entering the cavity.

In another embodiment the vessel has a chute adjacent the top of the cavity to expel coagulated oil from the cavity.

En another embodiment the vessel has two cavities, and the aperture for each cavity is fed water from a pie-chamber with a weir to separate coagulated oil. The pre-chamber may have a chute adjacent the top of the pie-chamber to expel coagulated oil from the pie-chamber.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a first embodiment, Figures 2A,28,2C,2D,2E show schematic cross section views of the embodiment of Figure 1 in operation, Figure 3 shows a second embodiment, and Figure 4 shows a third embodiment.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown an oil recovery vessel 1.

Vessel I has floating hull structure in the form of a barge 2 to float on water having an internal cavity in the form of a hold 3. A lid 4 is provided fbr the hold 3.

Pump means in the form of a pump 5 is provided to pump water in and out of the bold 3 from an opening 6 adjacent the bottom of the hold 3 to lower and raise the freeboard of the bai'ge 2.

Pump 5 may be provided in a short tube 5A extending into the hold 3 from opening 6.

A rectangular aperture 7 is provided in the barge wall which can be raised and lowered above and below the ambient waterline by lowering and raising the freeboard of the barge 2. An aperture mesh 7A is provided to strain out and prevent coagulated oil and other objects entering the hold 3.

A weir in the form of a buoyant rectangular plate S is hinged along its lower edge 8A by hinges 9 to the hold wall adjacent the bottom of an aperture 7. Being buoyant in water, it moves from a low position when the water level in the hold 3 is low to a high position sealing aperture 7 when the water level in the hold 3 rises.

A discharge outlet 10 is provided for fluid in the hold in the hold wall above opening 6.

Barge 2 has buoyancy chambers 11 A, 113(11 B not visible) to maintain the vessel in a stable position in use.

Vessel I has an enclosed oil boom 12, in use, extending in a loop from either side of aperture 7 the aperture and enclosing an area of water with oil on its surfuce. Alternatively a pair of booms may project in "V-shape" to funnel oil to the vessel 1. The or each boom may be self propelled to move it into any desired position.

Vessel I works as follows. Floating vessel 1 is taken to an oil slick and its boom 12 is extended around the slick to contain it. The oil slick "A" is floating on water "B". At this point the vessel I is fully buoyant with its hold 3 empty, and aperture 7 is above the waterline as shown in Figure 2A.

PumpS is then operated to draw water "B" through opening 6 to flood hold 3 so reducing the vessel's buoyancy thus lowering the vessel's freeboard so lower the aperture 7 under the oillwater level as shown in Figure 23. Buoyant plate 8 starts to lilt as the water rises. In this position water with surface oil can flow into the aperture 7 and start to flow over the weir as provided by plate 8 substantially separating oil from water into the hold 3.

As shown in Figure 2C, water in hold 3 is then pumped out by pump 5 through opening 6 so lowering plate 8 allowing more oil "A" to flow over the plate 8 into the hold 3 so collecting oil in the hold 3.

As shown in Figure 2D, pump 5 is again operated to draw water "B" through opening 6 to flood hold 3 so reducing the vessel's buoyancy thus lowering the vessel's freeboard. Flooding of the hold 3 forces the buoyancy plate S to rise and seal the aperture 7. Oil can then be drawn through discharge outlet 10 either whilst the vessel 1 is in situ (e.g. into a neighbouring ship) or when the vessel I has been taken to a suitable port.

In operation the buoyancy chambers II A, 1 lB can be adjusted to keep the vessel I level.

Referring now to Figure 3 there is shown an alternative embodiment to that shown in Figure 1.

In Figure 3 vessel I is designed to collect coagulated oil from water. Vessel 1 of Figure 3 works in exactly the same way as vessel 1 in Figure 1, except that mesh 7A is removed allowing coagulated oil to enter the hold 3. Also instead of discharging collected oil through a discharge outlet 10, coagulated oil is removed from hold 3 through a discharge chute 13 into the hold of another vessel or other container.

Referring now to Figure 4 there is shown an alternative embodiment to that shown in Figures I and 3. In Figure 4 a vessel 21 is a double barge made up effectively of two barges 2 of the type show in Figure 1 in side by side relationship. Each barge 2 works in exactly the same way as the barge of Figure 1 except that they can be operated out of phase with each other whereby one barge can be collecting oil whilst the other is discharging oil. Also instead of aperture 7 of each barge being in direct contact with oil on water, the apertures 7 are fed with oil and water through a pie-chamber 14 with a buoyancy weir plate 15 to pie-separate oil on water, before oil on water is separated from water in each barge 2. The pie-chamber 14 may have a chute 16 (similar to chute 13 in Figure 3) adjacent the top of the pie-chamber to expel coagulated oil from the pre-chamber which is prevented from passing through mesh 7A in each barge 2. In this respect a separate valve 17 may be provided in each barge 2 to allow the pie-chamber to be flooded or drained of water using either of the pumps 5.

The invention may take a form different to that specifically described above. For example, vessel I is shown in a schematic form for the purposes of illustratiOn in the drawings, but it may have a more pointed bow and otherwise be more hydrodynamic in shape. Also dampers such as sea anchors may be used to dampen movement of the vessel, e.g. to dampen raising of a bow section, when water is pumped in and out of the hold 3. Also the or each pump 5 could be set at an angle to provide propulsion to the vessel as well as be used to pump water in and out of each hold.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing fmm the scope of the present invention.

(1) Valve 17 used to discharge coagulated oil via chute 16 in vessel 4 referred to on page 7 of patent application. The manually operated valve 17 should be positioned in pre-chamber 14 below aperture 7. Close oil outlets 10 when pump 5 operates to discharge coagulated oil. The valve 17 is opened to allow water to flow into pre-chamber 14, raising the water level up to and expel out of vessel via chute 16. The valve 17 is necessary as both weirs 8 close shut as water raises.

(2) Referring now to figure 5, there is an alternative embodiment to that shown in figures 1.3 and, in figure one barge arrangement used in vessel 4 is employed in figureS. Positioned above the bottom of the hull structure, spaced big enough for a pump5to be fitted in the stem of the vessel. The pump 5 previously in the barge deck area is fitted in the stem area low down in the barge. This arrangement allows for the continuous collection of oil into the vessel 5, at the same time as oil is discharged from the barge section into another vessel.

Valve 17 will not be required. Apart from the pump 5 location changes, the vessel will operate exactly the same way as a single barge in vessel 4.(See drawings 5 and 5a enclosed) (3) The weirs 8 and 15 should be bigger than the aperture.

(4) Booms 12 should be two separately controlled booms that can form many shapes including a ioop if required, as per fig. 3 and4.

(5) The oil outlet 10 will have a stop-cock lOa to isolate the flow of oil. -i 10

Claims

CLAIMS1. An oil recovery vessel comprising: a) a floating hull structure to float on water having at least one internal cavity, b) pump means to pump water in and out of the or each cavity from a point adjacent the bottom of the hull structure to lower and raise the freeboard of the hull structure, c) an aperture for the or each cavity in the hull structure which can be raised and lowered above and below the ambient waterline by lowering and raising the freeboard of the hull structure, d) a weir adjacent the or each aperture having height adjustment means controlled by the level of fluid in the or each internal cavity, said weir moving from a low position to a high position causing said aperture to be sealed, and e) a discharge outlet for fluid in the or each cavity above the point adjacent the bottom of the hull structure, in use the vessel can float on water with oil on its surface, the pump can then be operated to lower the vessel's freeboard by flooding the or each cavity and so lower the or each aperture under the water level, water with surface oil can flow into the or each aperture and over the or * : each weir substantially separating oil from water into the or each cavity, water in the or each ****** * cavity is then pumped out so lowering the or each weir and allowing oil to flow over the or * ** * * 0 each weir, and water can then be pumped into the or each cavity so raising the or each weir and sealing the or each aperture, and oil retained in the or each cavity can be removed through the !: ** or each discharge outlet.V
2. An oil recovery vessel according to claim 1, wherein the or each weir is a plate hinged to an internal cavity adjacent the bottom of an aperture, the or each plate being buoyant in water whereby it moves from a low position when the water level in the or each cavity is low to a high position sealing the or each aperture when the water level in the or each cavity rises.
3. An oil recovery vessel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pump means is located in a tube extending from an aperture adjacent the bottom of the hull structure.
4. An oil recovery vessel according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the vessel has an enclosed oil boom, in use, extending from the aperture/s and enclosing an area of water with oil on its surface.
5. An oil recovery vessel according to any preceding claim, wherein the vessel has one or more buoyancy chambers to maintain the vessel in a stable position in use.
6. An oil recovery vessel according to any preceding claim, wherein the vessel has a mesh on a a.....* the or each aperture to strain out and prevent coagulated oil and other objects entering the or * *a.,a * . each cavity. # ., * . I
7. An oil recovery vessel according to any of claims I to 5, wherein the vessel has a chuteIIa:. adjacent the top of the or each cavity to expel coagulated oil from the or each cavity.V
8. An oil recovery vessel according to any preceding claim, wherein the vessel has two cavities, and the aperture for each cavity is fed water from a pre-chamber with a weir to separate coagulated oil.
9. An oil recovery vessel according to claim 8, wherein the pre-chamber has a chute adjacent the top of the pre-chamber to expel coagulated oil from the pre-chamber.
10. An oil recovery vessel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings. S.... * .***SSI * S *5 * . S S. * * S.. p. * * S * S St.