JP6329969B2 - Conveyor suitable for lifting floating waste or other waste directly under water - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a conveyor suitable for lifting floating waste or other waste just below the surface of the water. The present invention can be used in the field of surface waste cleaning up to several meters deep for different types of waste containing hydrocarbons.

  It has long been known that there is an enormous accumulation of plastic in all oceans of the earth resulting from emissions from marine vessels or land. The effects on marine fauna, exacerbated by the lower absorption of greenhouse gases and the inevitable lack of oxygen production by phytoplankton, are causing great damage. It is the situation of the so-called Pacific Trash Vortex, one of the five regions of the earth with a greater accumulation of plastic waste.

  In addition, the growing demand for oil extraction requires both deeper and more untapped ecosystems, both on land and offshore, even in regions with untouched ecosystems, which is a tragic consequence for ecology. Risk increases exponentially. In this scenario, global climate change is added and catastrophic events such as floods, landslides, hurricanes and storms, and earthquakes that produce direct and indirect damage such as tsunami with huge amounts of waste. Result in For example, the earthquake and massive tsunami that occurred in Japan in March 2011 produced a huge amount of different waste that was drawn by water into the open sea. According to the United States Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), such waste amounts to over 1 million tons and most will arrive on the west coast of the United States within a few years. Other major environmental destruction, such as those recently caused by Moby Prince, Prestige, Exxon Valdez, Deep Horizon, for practical and effective treatment of contaminated areas This resulted in a huge oil spill that required rapid recovery of large quantities of hydrocarbons.

  All these environmental destructions occur frequently in the open seas under adverse weather conditions, which are normal in the area of the (open sea), and waves and winds are present in skimmers and other pollution control devices of the prior art. Sufficient remedial measures to negate the activity are not allowed.

  In one aspect of these problems, inefficient solutions, such as re-adapted fishing nets or tape-like skimmers, have long been provided, especially with respect to the recovery of marine waste and particularly small rubble. The methods and techniques currently used for the recovery of liquid contaminants are, for example, the tape-shaped skimmers described above or the traditional disk-shaped oil skimmers, which operate only at very low speeds, even slightly adverse weather conditions. When it comes to situations, it can't work, and in the face of major contamination events, it has ineffective results.

  U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,827 describes a loop-shaped tape having a number of flexible blades. The tape is mounted between two end drums. The tape extends at the bottom in the runway for water and waste, avoiding the backflow of contaminants.

  U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,735 describes a skimmer for removing a layer of oil from the surface of a body of water. The skimmer has a vane conveyor that lifts contaminated water onto a collection ship.

  U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,965 discloses the collection of suspended material with compartments having weirs designed to receive the material to be collected and a system for emptying such compartments An apparatus is disclosed. The system has a conveyor belt with flexible blades that allow floating material to be drawn.

  The mentioned patents mentioned, in particular, withdraw solid waste such as plastics and other floating debris because the conveyor belts used are inclined with respect to the free surface. Not suitable for. That is, since the blade, which is normally perpendicular to the belt, is in a position inclined with respect to the free surface, it is not possible to perform an effective operation for collecting all the suspended waste.

  International patent application WO 2005/097592 describes a floating waste collection device mounted in the bow region of a ship and comprising a waste receptacle and a collection container. The inflow of contaminants from the water surface is carried into the receptacle at the inlet, below the free surface and adjacent to the runway in such a way that the contaminants can be accommodated in the collection vessel.

  Unlike the aforementioned blade-type conveyor, the recovery device according to patent application WO 2005/097592 allows the water surface to be substantially horizontal with respect to the free surface provided that slight inclinations that cause a flow towards the recovery container are ignored. Can be scooped. The latter (collection vessel) is in the ship at a depth deeper than this inlet.

  It is clear that such a recovery device has the disadvantage of transporting too much water with the waste into the recovery container. This increases as the speed of the ship increases. In addition, the recovered material is separated and moved into the ship to a height higher than the height of the container for further processing.

  The present invention aims to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art systems described above.

  The main objective of the present invention is to provide a conveyor for lifting the waste from a body of water where the waste floats or moves at various depths. Waste substantially maintains its position in water.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor that allows only floating waste to be lifted and does not allow the water in which it is soaked to be lifted.

  Still another object of the present invention is to allow selective recovery of oil slicks on the water, such as hydrocarbons, and various sizes of solid floating waste as well as large rubble and debris. Is to provide.

  Overall, it is an object of the present invention to provide a waste lifting conveyor that is particularly simple, effective and reliable.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a multifunctional waste lifting conveyor that can recover a large amount of contaminants in a short time.

  Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a waste lifting conveyor that can be employed even in different water environments, different rural and adverse weather environments.

  Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a waste lifting conveyor that is relatively simple to manufacture and that uniquely employs techniques already well utilized in other technical fields.

  It is also an object of the present invention to provide a waste pick-up conveyor that can be intubated into various structures of conveying means that can be oriented at an adjustable depth relative to the free surface.

  These and other objects are conveyors including steps that can be moved along an infinite loop with rising and return areas, suitable for lifting floating waste or other waste just below the water surface, Each stage has a tread plate that is maintained parallel to the other tread plates in the ascending region, each tread plate holding the waste and releasing it when the return region begins. This is achieved according to the invention using a conveyor that is provided with protruding means.

  Advantageously, each tread plate can be rotated inside a prismatic body that rotatably supports it. The means for holding the waste is intended to collect the liquid material and is in the form of a brush fixed at right angles to the tread plate. Optionally, the means for holding the waste is intended to collect solid material and is in the form of spikes fixed at right angles to the tread plate. Such means may be located on the opposite side of each tread plate.

  Suitably, the space between the rising and returning areas of the conveyor staircase is covered with a case that is designed to at least prevent waste from being inserted between one stage and the other. .

  A device adapted to remove the waste from the steps is provided at the end of the rising area of the staircase, the device holding a static organ in the form of a comb or holding the waste A rotating drum fitted with a radial bar protruding so as to form a comb that fits between means for.

  Advantageously, the conveyor according to the invention is arranged inside a support and transport structure that at least partly surrounds the conveyor, the structure being openable to delimit only laterally and downwardly. is there.

  On each step of the staircase, the tread plate can be rotated by local command or remote control to allow the tread plate to reveal either one or the other side depending on the facing contaminants, One side has a flexible brush for liquid and small / medium shards, the other side has a metal spike for the case of wood or plastic and other floating debris Yes.

  The advantageous features of the present invention, suitable for use on any medium / large vessel, are for the improvement of large quantities of mineral oil and hydrocarbons as a result of environmental destruction at sea or along the coast, by the same system. The ability to make practical and effective interventions in this way ensures an effective recovery of contaminated water.

  The conveyor of the present invention located inside the support and transport structure can be located either inside the stern, in the middle of the ship or in front of the ship.

  Compared to the prior art, several important features of the present invention emerge. That is, the recovery means can be changed based on the nature of the contaminant. The surface of the tread plate is parallel to the water surface if the rear part is not inclined, and in this case is suitable for raising the conveyor. The recovery can be mixed by alternate steps with tread plates having different recovery means, if there is a special need. The support and transport structure prevents the conveyor from being adversely affected by the detrimental effects of adverse weather conditions.

Additional features and advantages of the present invention include suggestive and thus non-limiting, preferred but non-exclusive, floating waste or other waste directly below the surface of the water, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will become more apparent from an embodiment of a conveyor suitable for lifting.
FIG. 2 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a conveyor according to the present invention in a first recovery device. It is an enlarged view of the detail of the conveyor of FIG. It is a figure which shows the detail of FIG. 2 in the modification of the collection | recovery means of a conveyor. FIG. 6 is a partial isometric view of the conveyor of FIG. 1 in a second collection device. It is the schematic which expands and shows the collection | recovery means of the conveyor of FIG. It is a figure which expands further partially the collection | recovery brush means of the conveyor of FIG. 1, and is shown partially. Figure 2 is a schematic isometric view of the entire case for the conveyor of Figure 1; FIG. 2 is a schematic isometric view of the conveyor of FIG. 1 inside a support and transport structure in a closed configuration. FIG. 2 is a schematic isometric view of the conveyor of FIG. 1 inside a support and transport structure in an open configuration. FIG. 3 is a partial isometric view of the top of the conveyor of the present invention. It is a partial perspective view of the conveyor of this invention arrange | positioned ahead of a ship. It is a partial side view of the conveyor of this invention arrange | positioned at the side of the stern of a ship.

  Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown an isometric view of a conveyor suitable for lifting floating waste or other waste just below the surface of the water according to the present invention. The conveyor includes a staircase indicated generally as 1, the plurality of steps 2 being movable along a loop having a rising region 3 and a return region 4. The plurality of steps 2 have a tread plate 5 that is maintained parallel in the ascending region 3.

  According to the invention, each tread plate 5 is provided with a protruding means adapted to hold (waste). For example, such projecting means includes spikes 6 projecting upward from one surface of each stage of the tread plate 5. As shown in the partial isometric view of FIG. 4, a protruding means in the form of a brush 7 for holding waste is provided on the opposite surface of the tread plate 5 on the tread plate 5. It is fixed at a right angle.

  As discussed below, to recover waste, the conveyor 1 of the present invention is partially submerged in a water mass from which contamination is to be removed.

  The tread plate 5 is hinged to allow it to take two opposite rest positions, one with spikes 6 and the other with an upward facing brush 7. The configuration with spikes 6 is shown as an enlarged isometric view in FIG. In the same FIG. 3, the transition to the second configuration with the brush 7 is shown.

  A manual handle that allows the tread plate 5 to be turned upside down is shown and indicated generally at 8. It is clear that the horizontal position of the tread plate 5 is locked by means not shown. In addition to manual reversal of each tread plate, although not shown here, remote reversal can also be provided.

  If the tread plate 5 of the step is not reversed, the number of faces can be reduced to one and may be more than two in other embodiments not shown.

  As appropriate, each tread plate is disposed in a prismatic body 9 that rotatably supports the tread plate in the illustrated and described embodiment. It is clear that the spike 6 is a means designed to collect solids and the brush 7 is used to collect oil films such as hydrocarbons and other particulate waste.

  The arrangement of spikes 6 and brushes 7 on the tread plate is shown in a detailed side view of the step of FIG. 5, in which the central pivot 10 and the liquid waste is collected and retained. An enlarged isometric view of the brush 7 that can be formed by a plurality of disks 11 made of a material suitable for the purpose is shown.

  As shown in the isometric view of FIG. 7, the conveyor 1 of the present invention has a gap between the rising region and the return region of the staircase, and is indicated by 12 in FIG. The gap 12 is covered by a housing 13 in order to prevent at least waste from being caught between one stage and another stage. In the lower part and the upper part of the conveyor, the conveyor has a lower curved case 14 and an upper curved case 15 separately.

  The lower end of the conveyor is submerged to a depth that can be changed by adjusting attachment means for the ship. The highest position of the conveyor 1 is in the lowest tread plate, i.e. in FIG. 7, so that the wastes lean against them (tread plates) and are held by the spikes 6 or possibly the brushes 7 and the contaminated liquid adheres to them. Suitably, the tread plates shown at 51, 52 and 53 are at the same horizontal level below the surface of the water.

  The lower curved case 14 ends with an upper portion having a comb-shaped end 16 through which the spike 6 or brush 7 passes, and the upper case 15 has teeth as a means for holding waste, A comb-shaped stationary member 17 having teeth through which the spike 6 or the brush 7 passes through the gap may be provided. As shown in FIG. 9, a slope 18 facing the recovery container 19 is disposed downstream of the comb-shaped stationary member 17. 8 and 9 are schematic isometric views of the conveyor of the present invention within the support and transport structure 20 in the closed and open configurations, respectively.

  In the conveyor of the present invention, instead of the comb-shaped stationary member 17, an apparatus 21 is provided that removes waste from the steps and allows the waste to be removed. This device 21 is a motor provided with a radial bar 23 protruding like a comb that fits between means for holding waste, either teeth 6 or brushes 7 or different. A rotating drum 22 having Apparatus 21 is shown in FIG. 10, which is a partial isometric view of the top of the conveyor of the present invention.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the conveyor of the present invention is located inside the support and transport structure 20 shown in the perspective view of FIG. Is embodied. This support and transport structure 20 can only be opened to define the lateral and lower boundaries of the conveyor and at least partially surrounds the conveyor.

  In the side view of FIG. 12, the support and transport structure 20 is applied in the lateral direction of the stern of the ship. What is indicated by broken lines in FIGS. 11 and 12 is a possible free surface.

  Eventually, the conveyor of the present invention can be embodied in a collection system having the following configuration.

1. A support and transport structure that is fixed to one or both sides of the exterior of the ship and is comprised of:
A hollow metal body, which has a mouth wider than the body itself for water / waste stream inlets, ending in the sea. The position of this structure can also be changed vertically and horizontally with respect to the height of the ship and the water surface to be treated, i.e. the submergence of the mouth can be changed at different depths from the water surface, And the said mouth part can be moved from the hull of the ship to which the collection system is attached. The hollow metal body in a particular form, whose cross section is inclined inwardly from the mouth, has the advantage that, unlike known techniques, it does not require the presence of a pump system or the exclusion of water to be treated. doing.
Said body having the function of closing and opening the mouth part and also expanding the size of the mouth part in the release stage in order to transport further water into the structure and to the recovery system Panels arranged towards the sea on the mouth of the.
A plurality of means arranged on the stern of the ship or on the body of the structure and adapted to operate the support and transport structure;
A plurality of pistons adapted to change dimensions, i.e. the internal volume of the support and transport structure;
A plurality of nozzles adapted to introduce water or air having a desired pressure and temperature into the support and transport structure;
A plurality of nozzles positioned at different heights on the rear side (of the structure) for the discharge of water entering the support and transport structure; It has a remote control for opening and closing the nozzle.
-Multiple sensors to allow the recovery of such materials on the ship's hull, in particular to allow detection of objects with relevant dimensions, and restraints for the protection of aquatic fauna and Control system.

2. Semi-rigid, semi-submersible floating barriers with variable length and attached to the opening and closing panels of the support and transport structure mouths increase the width of the associated basin On purpose, towed by boat.

3. A conveyor for lifting waste according to the present invention includes the following configuration.
-Variety depending on equipped vessels, driven by separate feed motors, suitable for use in contaminated water and actuated clockwise or counterclockwise by remote control Staircase with a motor, including a stainless steel material of various sizes.
-A plurality of steps forming said staircase; Each stage has a tread plate or a pivotable lid that can be rotated 360 degrees around its axis by manual or remote control. Each step may have at least two sides and different means for holding contaminants on each side, ie, brush, metal spike, or non-slip rubber mat, etc., depending on the contaminants facing, or There may be surfaces with different holding means.
-Rotating system of various surfaces on each stage. In order to reveal the surface with the means for holding the desired contaminants, in one possible form, on both sides of the top of the stair frame, by means of protrusions that rotate the step during operation in the rising area of the stair Done.
A plurality of fixed brushes arranged on all steps of the staircase and on the entire surface of the step; These brushes are formed by rods of plastic material or other flexible material to hold even millimeter-sized materials that are trapped and carried by the water stream, and at their height and around the entire circumference. And has a filament arranged at 90 degrees on the rod so as to cover the surface of the rod.
-A plurality of metal spikes placed on all stages to hold very large size and weight wood or metal waste.
-A plurality of rollers arranged at the end of the stairs from the inside of the ship and rotating in the same direction as the stairs. Throughout their length, there are variable diameter and length cylinders fixed externally perpendicular to the central axis of the roller, and a vertical slit with a width slightly larger than the width of the brush rod. And a variable number of comb-like structures. Optionally, a fixation system can also be installed. The system has, as a rotating roller, a variable number of comb-like structures with vertical slits slightly wider than the width of the brush rod. In both cases, the slit is arranged to allow the passage of the rod and to clean the brush filament, thereby removing contaminants collected on the surface of the “comb”.
-A sorting system by vibration, density, etc., for sorting solids from liquids, located inside the ship and at the end of the staircase, below a roller with a "comb".
One or more conveyor belts for the recovery of the waste recovered by the stairs and their transport towards the treatment line. The conveyor belt is arranged at the end of the sorting system.
A “ghiotta” system, which is a water collection unit located under the sorting system for the recovery of hydrocarbons separated and recovered by “combs” from the filaments of the brush. The water basin is connected to the tank of the ship by a tube and its suction system.
-Ship units and stairs located at the edge of a sealed box that are manufactured from metal or other stainless steel materials, if not amphibious, suitable for aggressive environments and contain a staircase system.

  The system has two functional options.

  1. The support and transport structure is an element that is fixed to the outside of the ship and surrounds the contaminant recovery system. In this case, the staircase is arranged inside an external structure that is connected to the hull of the ship and ends on one side towards the side of the ship, where comb-shaped rollers and separation systems are arranged. On the other side, the support and transport structure ends outward, where the mouth extends towards the sea. In this case, the support and transport structure has the task of protecting the system from wave motion alongside supporting the stairs, and weather conditions that are prohibited for all other recovery systems in the prior art. And allow it to work at speed.

  2. In a non-illustrated application, the aforementioned support and transport structure is fixed outside the ship and does not surround the stairs. In this case, the transport structure is completely hollow and extends from the bow to the stern on both sides of the ship. The recovery mouth is at the front and the transport structure is towards the stern or of a hull with a U-shaped pipe that carries a jet of water recovered by the ship as it is moving forward. Ending towards the inside. Therefore, the steps for collecting the pollutants are arranged inside the hull, not inside the transport structure. Furthermore, in order to allow complete removal, a catchment for any waste that is not captured immediately is placed below the stairs and partially submerged in the work phase.

  In both of the two functional options, there are no restrictions on the recovery speed, weather conditions and marine conditions without the option of a ship equipped with the system. Briefly, the present invention relates to a modular machine associated with a marine unit for the recovery of large quantities of pollutants in water and can operate at high feed rates or adverse weather and marine conditions. One of the main features of the system is the area of contaminant confinement / recovery and structural conformity, which can change size by remote operation without direct operator intervention. These changes, for example in the case of floods, tsunamis, landslides, floods, flowing into the water, are of different types, sizes and weights of solids, liquids or a mixture of these facing contaminant types. Accordingly, it may be employed. These changes do not require a port stop or shelter, but can also occur when the ship unit is working. This feature ensures full adaptability to the system and results in the ability to intervene in all situations with a single machine, floating material, plastic, paper, wood, light metal or simple From fine hydrocarbons with simple opalescence and solids of any shape, size or weight, and heavy hydrocarbons such as sludge or tar To capture. Such systems are designed to be installed on existing ships such as ferry ships, low-low ships, mounted on loading or unloading bridges, or for re-use purposes in large horizontal spaces. Attached to military amphibious ships that have become abandoned. These spaces not only allow the collection system to be accommodated, but also allow for any processing line for the collected waste.

Claims (10)

A conveyor comprising a staircase in which a stage (2) is movable along an infinite loop having a rising area (3) and a return area (4), suitable for lifting floating waste or other waste directly under the water surface ,
Each stage (2) has a tread plate (5) that is maintained parallel to the other tread plates in the ascending region (3),
Each tread plate (5) is provided with projecting means (6; 7) adapted to hold the waste and release it when the return area (4) begins .
Each tread plate (5) has two faces, one is opposite the other,
The tread plate (5) can be turned upside down.
Each tread plate (5) includes a prismatic body (9) that rotatably supports the tread plate (5), and the means configured to hold the waste includes the prismatic body ( 9) Arranged in such a manner as to protrude upward from
Conveyor characterized by that. The means adapted to hold the waste is intended to collect solid material and is in the form of spikes (6) fixed at right angles to the tread plate (5). The conveyor according to claim 1 , wherein The means adapted to hold the waste is intended to collect liquid material and is in the form of a brush (7) fixed at right angles to the tread plate (5). The conveyor according to claim 1 , wherein The space (12) between the rising area (3) and the return area (4) of the staircase so as to prevent at least waste insertion between one stage (2) and another stage The conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor is covered with a case (13). A conveyor comprising a staircase in which a stage (2) is movable along an infinite loop having a rising area (3) and a return area (4), suitable for lifting floating waste or other waste directly under the water surface ,
Each stage (2) has a tread plate (5) that is maintained parallel to the other tread plates in the ascending region (3),
Each tread plate (5) is provided with projecting means (6; 7) adapted to hold the waste and release it when the return area (4) begins.
The lower curved case (14) and the upper curved case (15) are at the lower end and the upper end of the conveyor, respectively.
The conveyor has attachment means for connecting the conveyor to the ship,
The attachment means is provided with height adjusting means, and the conveyor is such that the lowermost tread plates (51, 52 and 53) are at the same horizontal level under the water surface and the waste can lean against them. the projecting means; in such a way can be held by (6 7), wherein by adjustment of the mounting means to the changeable depth relative to said marine vessel, features and to Turkey conveyer that its lower end is submerged in water. 2. Conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that a device adapted to remove waste from the steps is provided at the end of the rising area (3) of the steps. The apparatus adapted to remove waste from the stage comprises a comb-shaped stationary member (17) having a plurality of teeth between which the means adapted to hold the waste passes. a conveyor as claimed in claim 6, the inclined surface (18) facing the receiving tank (19), characterized in that it contains. The device adapted to remove waste from the stage comprises a radial bar (23) protruding so as to be inserted as a comb between the means adapted to hold the waste 7. A conveyor according to claim 6 , characterized in that it comprises a drum (22) with a rotatable motor, provided with a motor. 2. Conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveyor is arranged inside a support and transport structure (20) that at least partially surrounds the conveyor. Such a support and transport structure (20) at least partly surrounding the conveyor (1) can be opened to delimit only the lateral and lower sides of the conveyor (1). The conveyor according to claim 9 .

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