JP2001354191A - Method and device for underwater scattering powder oil gelling agent - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the diving length and times of a diver, and to suppress an outflow of remaining oil in a damaged tank by safely scattering a large amount of powder oil gelling agent at one time. SOLUTION: This method of underwater scattering of the powder oil gelling agent discharges a mixture of the powder oil gelling agent and water into a water area where oil and objective chemical substances float from a lower part in the water for gelation of the oil and the objective chemical substances, thereby suppressing diffusion. This device for underwater scattering of the powder oil gelling agent is composed of a gelling agent automatically supplying device 1, an agitating tank 2 for the powder oil gelling agent and water, a circulation pipe device 9 provided on the agitating tank through one or plural valves 6 and pumps 7, and a discharging hose portion 11 branching off from a discharging port 14 of the pump through a discharging valve 10. The powder oil gelling agent and the water in the agitating tank are agitated and mixed by a pressure water flow from the pump of the circulation pipe device. The mixture is partially sent to the agitating tank, and partially passed through the discharging valve to be scattered from a lower part of the area of the oil and the objective chemical substances from a tip end of the discharging hose portion.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a ship (oil and chemical substance) in which a part (outer plate) of a hull structure is damaged due to a marine accident or the like.
The present invention relates to spraying of a powdered oil gelling agent in water to gel the oil remaining in a tank and a chemical substance of interest after the oil has flowed out, and to confine the same in the tank.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The oil in a damaged ship tank is temporarily replaced with seawater and then maintained in a state of equilibrium with water pressure. Inevitable. Oil spilled / emerged from the ship can be treated by spraying powder from the air or dispersant, but it is not expected to have any effect on oil remaining below the surface of the water. To deal with. When the residual amount is large, it is possible to suction from the water surface, but it is difficult to recover even a trace amount of oil adhering to the member or the like. Dispersants have the ability to be dispersed and stirred into oil floating on the surface of water to emulsify and disperse them in fine particles.Recently, self-diffusion types have been developed and put to practical use, but have remained in the hull below the water surface The function for oil is not considered. Liquid oil gelling agents require forced agitation after spraying on the oil surface and are not suitable for residues inside the hull.
Therefore, in the event of a marine accident, a method is used in which a diver holds a powdered oil gelling agent underwater while holding it, and injects and sprays it through a breach of the outer plate, or sprays it in the sea with air.

In the method of diving by a diver, the amount of the gelling agent that can be transported by one dive of the diver is small, and the gelling agent bag is cut off and opened, and sharp breaks are scattered. Therefore, even if there is underwater lighting, it is difficult to maintain a stable posture, and there is always danger.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention reduces the diving amount of a diver, makes it possible to spray a large amount of powdered oil gelling agent safely at a time, and more reliably prevents the outflow of residual oil and the like. It is intended to make it possible to move to a nearby dock more safely by suppressing the outflow of oil and the like.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems A mixture of powdered oil gelling agent and water is brought into contact with a water area in which oil and a target chemical substance float from below the water, and the oil and the target chemical substance are gelled. A method for spraying a powdered oil gelling agent in water, comprising: A stirring tank for stirring the oil gelling agent and water, a circulation pipe device provided through the stirring tank with one or more valves and a pump, and a discharge hose portion branched from a discharge port of the pump through a discharge valve The mixed water of the powdered oil gelling agent and water in the stirring tank is stirred and mixed by the pressure water flow from the pump of the circulation pipe device, and the mixed water of the powdered oil gelling agent and water discharged from the pump is , Part sent to the stirring tank It filled-and some are water sprinkling device of the injection freely and powder oil gelling agent from the top end of the discharge hose through the discharge valve to the target substance zone.

[0006]

[Outline of powdered oil gelling agent] Powdered oil gelling agent (hereinafter referred to as "powder agent") is a powdery material containing a high molecular weight polymer as a main material and added with additives for efficient operation and stable storage. The product is a solid product, and is recognized as a material to control discharged oil by the Law for the Prevention of Marine Pollution and Maritime Disasters revised on November 30, 1995.

[0007] The high molecular weight polymer, which is a main component, utilizes the property of taking in oil (including some chemical substances other than oil) into tissues and confining it. Affinity (capture function) and intermolecular connection (network function) proceed simultaneously to generate a gelling reaction (the liquid loses fluidity and becomes elastic rubber or jelly).

[0008] Polymers dissolve upon contact with oil, loosen the molecular chains and weaken the bonds between the molecules, but swell with the molecular chains remaining to form gelled oil, and the hardness increases over time. There is an increasing nature.

This phenomenon acts only on oil and repels water, so that only oil is gelled in a state where oil and water are mixed. However, since the water on the surface cannot be excluded, the formed gelled oil contains water.

Those that have obtained the type approval of the competent minister (Minister of Transport) have no practical danger (toxicity, flammability, irritation, etc.) and are insoluble in water. These do not require forced stirring because the gelling reaction proceeds by contact. Conventional "liquid gelling agents" require forced agitation to effect the reaction. The formed gelled oil and unreacted powder have a specific gravity of 1.0 or less and float, so that they can be easily restrained and collected.

[0011]

[Procedures for spraying in water] A mixed water of powdered oil gelling agent having the above properties and water is released from below the water and brought into contact with the water area in which the oil and the target chemical substance are suspended. Is characterized in that the fluidity of the oil and the chemical substance is restrained by gelling the chemical substance to suppress the diffusion of the oil and the chemical substance. The gelling agent has a shape in which the gelling agent smoothly falls and flows out. A shut-off valve or the like (not shown) is provided at a lower portion so that the outflow to the inlet 3 of the stirring tank 2 can be controlled.

The agitation tank 2 has an effective shape and strength to vigorously agitate water (either fresh water or seawater) mixed with the powdered agent and to inject and discharge the mixed water into an area under water pressure. It is designed as follows.

In order to generate a water flow in the stirring tank 2,
The mixed water of the water and the powdered agent taken from the intake pipe of the water source (intake seawater) into the intake port 4 comprises tank outlets 5 and 5, valves 6 and 6 ′, a pump 7, and a supply pipe 8 to the stirring tank 2. The mixture is stirred and circulated by the circulation pipe device 9.

The powder and water in the stirring tank 2 are supplied to a pump 7
Agitated and mixed by the pressure water flow from the tank outlet 5,
5 is sent to a pump 7 via a valve 6, and a part of the mixed water of the water and the powder discharged from the pump 7 is sent to the stirring tank 2 via a valve 6 ′ and circulates, and a part is mixed with a discharge valve 10. And is injected and sprayed from the tip of the discharge hose section 11 below the oil and the target chemical substance area in the water.

The amount of mixed water supplied to the pump 7 is
The distribution of the circulation of the mixed water discharged from the pump 7 to the stirring tank 2 and the injection and dispersion into the oil and target chemical substance areas are controlled by operating the valve 6 ′ and the discharge valve 10.

The powder agent to be supplied to the stirring tank 2 is stored in advance, and is additionally supplied to the gelling agent automatic supply device 1 as needed, and water is supplied from surrounding seawater or the like as appropriate. For this purpose, the stirring tank 2 is provided with a monitoring window (not shown).

For the discharge hose section 11 for guiding the powder (mixed water) from the discharge valve 10 to the target area, necessary joints and pipes are used in accordance with the passage distance and water depth (water pressure).

An automatic gelling agent supply device 1, a stirring tank 2,
The circulation pipe device 9 and the like are integrated and provided with a brake device and a caster stand 15 (not shown) for practical use, so that they can be easily arranged on a ship, etc. You can move to.

The automatic gelling agent supply device 1 is arranged at the upper part of the stirring tank 2 and has a shut-off valve (not shown) at the lower part. The powder agent falls naturally by gravity and is supplied to the stirring tank 2.
An opening or the like for additional supply is provided at the top, and closed when not needed.

The stirring tank 2 has a powder agent and water supply inlet 3 and a water inlet 4 at an upper part, and a mixed water tank outlet 5 at a lower part.
5. An inlet 12 connected to the supply pipe 8 from the pump 7 is provided in the middle stage, and a monitoring window (not shown) inside the tank is attached. The material, dimensions and shape are determined according to the assumed situation, but the strength required to withstand the discharge water pressure and the stirring pressure from the pump 7 is required, and the mixing of the powder and the outflow to the pump inlet 13 are efficient. The shape should go well.

The pump 7 is arranged at the lowest stage of the apparatus such as the stirring tank 2 and the circulation pipe device 9 in order to efficiently move the mixed water, and the pump 7 is discharged from the stirring tank 2 through the suction port 13 and the discharge port 14. The water is distributed by the supply pipe 8 by the stirring tank 2 and the discharge hose section 11 below the target area for oil and chemicals in the water. The capacity of the pump is of a water quantity and pressure suitable for the situation, and the motive power is electric drive because explosion proof is required.

[0022]

Effect of the present invention compared with the prior art The method of controlling with a powder was a method of spraying the powder from above the target area or a method of holding an operator in water and immersing and releasing it. The method of spraying from the air is effective for oil floating on the water surface, but cannot control the source of spills below the water surface. According to the actual example, the method by the diving operator is extremely difficult (portable amount is too small, does not emit spontaneously due to water pressure, restrictions due to waves and sway, etc.), and its execution is poor. In contrast, according to the method and apparatus of the present invention, a hose or the like is inserted into the hull breach, and the mixed water of the powdered material and water is injected and sprayed below the oil and the target chemical substance area under the water. The powder is evenly sprayed to generate gelled oil and reduce the fluidity. Since the oil layer solidified from below, it was possible to limit the outflow due to the swaying and moving of the hull, and in the actual example, the outflow during the movement to the repair location could be suppressed.

[0023]

[Effect] Oil and liquid chemicals (effective powder) remaining in the damaged hull are gelled in the tank of the hull, restricting fluidity and suppressing outflow, reducing fluidity. Therefore, spillage due to swaying and movement of the hull can be limited, and first-aid measures at the site and movement to a repair site are facilitated.

It is easy to suppress outflow from a break below the waterline, improving work safety, simplifying the procedure for injecting powder, and facilitating transportation and installation of the apparatus.

The powdered oil gelling agent used in the present invention does not require forced stirring because the gelling reaction for oil proceeds regardless of the presence of water if the powdered agent in the mixed water comes into contact with oil. Because of its hydrophobicity and low specific gravity, it naturally floats when released into water. However, since it is a fine powder, it takes time to diffuse and float under the influence of water pressure, so that it is necessary to mix it with the induced water flow for efficient dispersion and release.

When the powder is injected from below the oil layer remaining in the hull compartment such as an oil tank, the powder agent floats up, gelling oil is generated from the portion in contact with the oil, and solidified from the lower side of the oil layer. Fluidity is suppressed. Even if the oil region above the gelled oil layer remains liquid, the seepage downward is suppressed, so that the outflow to the outside of the hull can be prevented. It has been confirmed in practice that if the formation of gelling oil is sufficient, it is possible to prevent the oil from flowing out due to the turbulent water flow in the compartment caused by the waves, the sway and movement of the hull.

Based on the principle of recovering oil and liquid chemicals spilled into the sea promptly and preserving the environment and ensuring safety, research is also conducted on the method of releasing powders into water. Although the treatment of oil floating on the water surface is not greatly different from the method generally used conventionally and the method of using the powder agent, the present invention accurately restrains and collects residual oil below the water surface And a more effective practical application is expected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory front view of a device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of attachment of the device of the present invention to a caster stand.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 is a gelling agent automatic supply device 2 is a stirring tank 3 is an inlet 4 is an inlet 5 is a tank outlet 6, 6 is a valve 7 is a pump 8 is a supply pipe 9 is a circulation pipe device 10 is a discharge valve 11 is a discharge hose Part 12 is an inlet 13 is an inlet 14 is an outlet 15 is a caster stand

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Koichi Ueda 5-7-9, Minamikarasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo (72) Inventor Makoto Suguro 1-2-12, Kasoshigaya, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo (72) Inventor Kuniyasu Fujiwara Tokyo 3-23-13 Kitami, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo (72) Inventor Katsuo Mori 15-14-202, Nishihama-cho, Toyohashi-shi, Aichi (72) Inventor Seio Abe 3-4-31, Suido-cho, Kameda-cho, Nakagamabara-gun, Niigata ) Inventor Katsumi Kitamura 721 Kanuma, Chigasaki-shi, Kanagawa F-term (reference) 4G035 AB44 AB46 AB54 AC31 AE13 4G075 AA13 AA37 BB10 BD16

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A method in which a mixed water of a powdered oil gelling agent and water is brought into contact with a water area in which oil and a target chemical substance float from below the water to contact the same, thereby causing the oil and the target chemical substance to gel. A method for spraying a powdered oil gelling agent in water, wherein the fluidity of the oil and the chemical substance is restrained and the diffusion is suppressed. 2. A gelling agent automatic supply device, a stirring tank for stirring the powdered oil gelling agent and water coming from the container,
The stirring tank comprises one or more valves, a circulation pipe device provided via a pump, and a discharge hose portion branched from a discharge port of the pump via a discharge valve. And water are stirred and mixed by the pressure water flow from the pump of the circulation pipe device, and the mixed water of the powdered oil gelling agent and water discharged from the pump is partially sent to the stirring tank, and partially discharged by the discharge valve. An underwater spraying device for a powdered oil gelling agent that can be sprayed from the tip of a discharge hose portion to pass oil and water from below a target chemical substance area in water.