NL1023983C2 - System for limiting water pollution. - Google Patents

Description

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SYSTEM FOR LIMITING WATER POLLUTION

The present invention relates to a system for limiting the spread of a contamination, such as oil, over a surface water.

Such systems are generally known per se, wherein a floating body 10, which is horizontally oriented in use, is used to hang a dense flap or apron extending vertically into the surface of the water. The flap or apron serves to stop the contamination, and was previously always closed and to a considerable extent rigid. In the known systems, ballast weights can be hung on the flap or skirt to allow it to extend downwards.

The known systems, and in particular those which are considered suitable for use on the high seas, are in particular due to the use and weight of the dense rigid thick flaps or aprons and, as a result thereof, generated by the floats buoyancy very heavy. A weight of 40 kilograms per linear meter is certainly not unusual. The buoyancy of the known systems is therefore also high, and a known system can exhibit a buoyancy of at least 750 kilograms per linear meter.

However, the combination of weight and buoyancy results in the disadvantage that the stability of the known systems is extremely low, in particular under the influence of flow and wave action. As a result, the known systems can easily turn over or tip over and thus immediately lose the intended functionality to stop the contamination.

Furthermore, the high weight and large dimensions of the known systems is a major obstacle to the expansion or commissioning of those systems at the site of a contamination. In many countries, this conflicts with prevailing legislation on working conditions and permitted weights that employees may use. As a result, complex installations on board ships that are used to expand the known systems are necessary, but are virtually not available.

The present invention has for its object to remedy or at least reduce the aforementioned disadvantages of the known art. A system is provided for this purpose, which comprises: at least one elongated foldable cloth-shaped screen; and with at least in use a number of spreaders, which can be attached or attached to the screen, and which in use spread the cloth-shaped screen to extend partly above and partly below the surface of the surface water.

A system according to the invention can have a much lower weight than before, and therefore the usability and manageability is improved. Because the weight of an I screen can be much lower than that of the previously used I closed flaps or aprons, the buoyancy to be supplied by floats no longer needs to be that high.

In a particularly favorable embodiment, the I system according to the invention can have the feature that the I spreaders comprise floats. Because the spreaders form an integral part of the floats, and vice versa, a considerable simplification of systems according to the invention has been realized with respect to other embodiments, in which new spreaders are provided separately as a supplement to known floats.

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The spreaders are preferably inflatable, so that the systems can be extremely compact for their transport.

Preferably, in the state mounted on the element 5, the spreaders extend substantially transversely to the longitudinal direction of the screen. These then have a substantially vertical orientation, so that they respond to wave impact in a manner comparable to a float, which entails a favorable stability.

Furthermore, a weight may be provided on the side directed downwards during use of at least some of the spreaders. As a result, the stability is further improved.

The screen can also be rolled up and down. This advantageously provides an easy to transport and commissioning and commissioning configuration.

The screen preferably comprises a fine-meshed fabric for passage of water and / or wind and for stopping the contamination. This contributes considerably to a further weight reduction, and at the same time increases stability, because the elements, and in particular the wind, have no or at least much less control over the screen.

Preferably, the system further comprises coupling means for connecting at least two screens. The screens can therefore be easily linked when they are switched off. At least some of the spreaders may comprise the coupling means. This is in particular favorable with regard to the number of components in the system, because in each case a spreader can be arranged on two screens simultaneously in order to connect both the screen and the same. In an embodiment with the spreaders fixed 1 0239 83

4 I

on a screen, the spreader can be on one end of I

the screen comprise or form the coupling means. I

Furthermore, the screen preferably has a sufficient I

strength to be dragged through the water in use, I

5 for example with a boat. Thus it is possible to use the I

boat to accurately position and screen the screens I

moving, and thereby possibly also removing the contamination I

to facilitate their clean up. I

The invention will be described in detail below

10 with reference to the accompanying drawings, I

showing a preferred embodiment of the invention, and I

wherein: I

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the I

Use of a system according to the present I

invention; and I

Figure 2 shows a detail from Figure 1. I

Figure 1 shows a view of the method I

20 on which a system 1 according to the invention is used at I

limiting the spread of a pollution, I

here an oil leakage 2 from a ship 3. An I

boat 4 deployed to position or position the system 1. I

On the boat 4 a number of rolls 5 are loaded with I

25 around it an elongated foldable cloth-shaped screen 6. On I

the screen 6 are arranged in advance with spreaders 7 or these I

spreaders are applied to the screen 6 when the I

the screen for turning it off is unrolled from the I

roles 5. I

The spreaders 7 serve around the screen in any case I

keep upright, with a part of its height I

below, and the remainder thereof above the I

water surface 8, as shown in Figure 2. Without the I

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5 spreaders 7 the screen 6 would not remain in the position shown in figure 2, because it is not sufficiently rigid for this purpose. That is why it is a screen-shaped screen.

Namely, the screen 6 is a fine-meshed fabric that can let through wind and water, and holds back thicker substances, such as the oil pollution 2.

The screen 6 is unrolled from the boat 4 from a respective one of the rollers 5, and is sturdy enough to be dragged through the water with the aid of the boat. The screen 6 is therefore not only cloth-shaped and preferably a fine-meshed fabric, but also made of a sufficiently strong material to be able to be dragged through the boat 4.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the spreaders 7 are also floating bodies. These can be made of solid material with a sufficient buoyancy, but for space saving during transport, the spreaders 7 are preferably inflatable, but then provisions are required on the boat 4 to inflate the spreaders 7. The spreaders 7, which spread the screen 6 substantially in the vertical direction, are for this purpose provided with inflation valves 8, which also serve to allow the spreaders 7 to deflate after use.

In order to promote the stability of the system, weights 9 can be provided on the screen 6 or on (selected) of the spreaders, or when the screen 6 is placed in the water. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2 weights 9 are suspended from all spreaders 7 with a chain connection 10, but any other type of connection will also prove to be usable.

Figure 2 also shows that the system 1 comprises two screens 6 and 6 'there. The facing ends of the screens 6 and 6 "are with (not further 1023983

shown) coupling means to one of the spreaders 7 I

affixed which also with reference number I for distinction

11 is indicated. I

The coupling means can, like the spreaders 7 at the I

5 unrolling the screen 6 or 6 'to the screens should be I

mounted, simultaneously engage both screens 6 and 6 '. I

Alternatively, if the spreaders 7 already have I

fixedly attached to the screens, a free end I

without a spreader 7 of one of the screens 6 and 6 'with the I

10 spreader 7 to the one of the screens 6 and 6 '

facing end of the other of the screens 6 and 6 '

be connected to other or possibly similar I

coupling means than those with which the spreaders 7 in advance I

fixed to the screens 6 and 6 '. I

Now in the foregoing a specific embodiment I

of a system according to the present invention

described and shown in the accompanying drawings, I

It should be noted that the invention is in no way to this I

explicit embodiments is limited, but I

20 is only limited by the definitions of the following

following conclusions. Thus, in the foregoing description, I

Some alternatives listed for the specific I

properties, such as those shown in the drawings.

To this is added that spreaders can also

25 can be used with a horizontal orientation around I in use

to spread the screens between the floats. The weights

can be incorporated in the spreaders, for example at the bottom of I

the interior of hollow, inflatable floating bodies, which I

also act as spreaders. Weights can also be added to the I

The bottom of the screens themselves are hung, or there are I

processed in the screens themselves, for example in the form of an I

perpendicular. The coupling means can be I

are formed, for example as hooks, clamps, through the meshes I

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7 of fabric from which the screens may be formed, strung threads, etc. These coupling means therefore do not therefore have to be associated with the spreaders and / or floats, but can be designed separately therefrom.

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Claims (10)

A system for limiting the spread of a contamination, such as oil, over a surface water, comprising: at least one elongated pliable cloth-like screen; and with, at least in use, a number of spreaders, which I can attach to or attach to the screen, and which in use spread the cloth-like screen to extend partly above and partly below the surface of the surface water. I stretch. I The system of claim 1, wherein the spreaders I comprise floats. I 3. System as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the spreaders are inflatable. I System as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the I spreaders, in the condition mounted on the element, extend substantially transversely to the longitudinal direction of the screen I. I 5. System as claimed in claim 4, wherein a weight is provided on the side directed downwards in use of at least some of I the spreaders. I System according to a preceding claim, wherein the screen can be rolled up and unrolled. I 7. System as claimed in claim 1 or 6, wherein the I screen comprises a fine-meshed fabric for passage of water I and / or wind and for stopping the contamination. I 8. System as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, further comprising coupling means for connecting at least two screens to each other. I 8 I CONCLUSIONS I 9. System as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least some of the spreaders comprise the coupling means. I 1023963 1 I V * · The system of any preceding claim, wherein the screen has sufficient strength to be dragged through the water in use, for example with a boat. 1023983