Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
  • E02B15/00—Cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water; Apparatus therefor
  • E02B15/04—Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like floating materials by separating or removing these materials
  • E02B15/10—Devices for removing the material from the surface
  • E02B15/101—Means floating loosely on the water absorbing the oil
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02A20/00—Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use
  • Y02A20/20—Controlling water pollution; Waste water treatment
  • Y02A20/204—Keeping clear the surface of open water from oil spills

Definitions

• This invention relates to a method and apparatus for remov ⁇ ing oil from a water surface and particularly to an improved method and apparatus for effecting the continuous removal and recovery of large quantities of oil from extended area water surfaces.
• This invention may be briefly described as an improved me ⁇ thod and apparatus for removing oil from a water surface and which, in its preferred embodiment, includes a modularly asse b- lable, self-propellable catamaran type vessel defining a longi ⁇ tudinal oil collection channel of inverted U-shape.
• Large surface areas of oil collecting material for example, polypropylene, in the form of elongate endless belts or ropes are freely and loosely supported on the water surface to move therewith and are abvanced through the inverted U-shaped channel countercurrent to the direction of vessel advance and preferrably at a zero differential velocity relative to the water surface to maximixe oil collection.
• the preferred oil collecting material is polypro ⁇ pylene, formed in thin strips and radially disposed about a core belt or rope.
• oil collecting material in continuous flat wide belt or sheet form is possible and contemplated in the present invention, a series of independent rope belts is greatly preferred because it allows further freedom of movement in the lateral direction between the individual belts due to the presence of debris or other obstacles.
• the subject invention includes the conjoint usage of the catamaran hulls or sections thereof to temporarily store the oil removed from the water sur ⁇ faces.
• An object of this invention is the provision of impro method and apparatus for effecting the collection of oil from surface of water in calm waters as well as in relativ turbulent waters when needed and at relattively high speeds.
• Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of an improved oil collec ⁇ tion apparatus incorporating the principles of this invention.
• Figure 2 is a schematic side elevation of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a vertical section as taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.
• a catamaran t vessel formed of a pair of elongate spaced hull sectio.ns 10, spanned by a deck section 14 suitably constituted, at least part, of metal grating or the like and supported by a plural of cross beams removably securable to the hull sections 10,
• the transversely spaced hull sections 10 and 12 and the overly deck assembly generally define an inverted generally U-shaped collection channel 16 running the full length of the vessel w the surface of the water disposed intermediate the hull sectio
• the hull section 10, 12 and overlying decking may be pref ricated in easily assemblable modular sections of, for examp readily transportable 20 foot lengths, and detachably joined at 18 to form an assembled structure.
• the hull secti 10, 12 are of multi-co partmented construction. Some of th compartments may be filled with buoyant foam material wh others may be utilized for storage of collected oil.
• the oil collecting material herein employed is slack loose when the vessel is at rest and thus floats loosely upon water surface and allows substantial "give" or movement of t material under water action; hence particular depth of catamar hull section immersion is not a critical or determinati operative parameter and additionally this looseness allows oper tion of the vessel at higher speeds as discussed more ful below.
• each of the catamaran hu sections 10, 12 mounted in an inboard motor 20 controllable both as speed and helm response from an operating console 22 mounted the deck section 14.
• an inboard motor 20 controllable both as speed and helm response from an operating console 22 mounted the deck section 14.
• an operating console 22 mounted the deck section 14.
• Peripherally disposed abo the deck section 14 is a guard rail assembly 24.
• the oil collecting material employed in the practice of the herein described invention may be any of a number of types of materials. For example, sponge may be used, in a sheet or other continuous belt configuration, for collection by absorbtion.
• the material preferred for use in the present invention is polypropylene, formed into the structure disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
• Such structure is essentially comprised of an elongate core strand having a multiplicity of thin guage narrow polypropylene strips extending generally radially there ⁇ from and constituting a relatively loose mass of individually discrete strands or strips that compositely provide a markedly extensive or expanded surface area for the oleophilic attraction and adherence of oil.
• the composite structure is both easy to handle and effective in removing the olepohilically adherent- oil from the oleophilic material prior to its reexposure to oil .
• Such material will hereinafter be termed an "elongate oleophilic rope element" or "elongate oleophlic rope material.”
• each of these assemblies includes a pair of compres- sively engaged drive rollers 34, 36, adapted to advance an assem ⁇ blage of a plurality of elongate oleophilic rope elements, for example, three endless belt type oil ropes 38a, 38b, and 38c in the direction indicated by the directional arrows 40.
• a plurality of guide rollers 44 and 46 to direct the path of travel of the elongate oleophlic rope elements from the drive rollers 34, 36 downwardly into loose, floating disposi ⁇ tion on the water surface intermediate the catamaran hull sections 10 and 12 adjacent to the bow of the vessel.
• the lowermost bow guide roller 46 is located substantially above the water line "W.L.” (for example three feet above in an exemplary vessel of forty feet in length) with the ropes having several extra feet of slack which allows the slack oil collecting material 38 to contact and ride onto the init contacted water surface freely or loosely with substantial " permitting it (note 38') to be easily moved longitudinal vertically in response to wave or other water action, as we laterally.
• the rope elements 38 float freely on the wate surface without being taut or ri presented or under any substantial tension or restraint ad to the water surface contact and its contemplated movement.
• Suitable spacing means such as vertically disposed ba mounted at each end to a housing 54, are desirably includ maintain the elongate oleophilic rope elements,* for example 38b and 38c, in a desired laterally spaced relation .during travel through the drive asemblies 30 and 32.
• a guide roll assemb Mounted on the rear of the deck section 14 and prefe well above the water level "W.L.” is a guide roll assemb adapted to elevate the oil saturated oleophilic rope ele from engagement with the water surface and to direct them an elongate catch pan 52 on which they are supported during advance as effected by the drive rollers 34, 36. Suitable such as radially extending plates or flanges are included i guide rolls assembly 50 to maintain the oil rope belt laterally spaced relation.
• the catch pan 52 drains towar driving and separation assemblies 30, 32.
• Each of the oleopo rope element driving and oil separation assemblies 30 includes a housing 54 and an oil sump from which collected o transferred via schematically illustrated conduit 58 and pu are also utilized to transfer collected oil from the compart 62 to other storage vessels.
• the separated modular co ents thereof are adapted to be shipped via air or other means of transportation to the locus of their intended us there assembled.
• the main modular compo thereof may comprise the illustrated two catamaran hull sections, the deck gratings, the oleophilic rope clement driving and oil sepoaration assemblies, the control console assemblies and the like, or may include further sub-assemblies thereof.
• the readily transportable modules are readily assembled to form the structure depicted in the drawings. The assembled structure is then towed to or drive under its own power to the locus of spillage.
• the illustrated vessel is adapted to be ad ⁇ vanced through the oil spill at a predetermined speed.
• rate of advance may be considered as the water moving from the bow to the stern at a rate of Vw knots.
• the oleophilic rope element driv ⁇ ing and oil separation assemblies 30 and 32 are adjusted to ef ⁇ fect a displacement of those portions of the endless belt elong- gate oleophilic rope elements floating upon the water and dis ⁇ posed within the oil collection channel intermediate the cata ⁇ maran hull sections 10 and 12 in the bow to stern direction at a predetermined speed, for example, at a rate of V knots.
• each of the oleophilic rope element driving and oil separation assemblies serves a plurality of separate and discrete endless belt type elongate oleophlic rope elements and whose composite transverse extend substantially fills the trans ⁇ verse space between the hull sections 10 and 12.
• the speed of displacement V of the elongate oleophilic rope elements is substantially equal to or slightly in excess of that of V of the elongate oleophilic rope elements is substantially equal to or slightly in excess of that of V
• optimum conditions will be established with respect to dwell time for oleophlic pick up of the oil on the strands of the oleophlic rope material.
• each set of the elongate oleophilic rope elements for example, 3aa, 38b, 28c, will sclective- ely and preferentially entrain oil from the water surface an they pass upwardly and over the guide roll assembly 50 effe vely separate appreciable quantities of the oil from the w surface.
• the guide roll assembly 50 directs the elongage o philic rope elements 38 on to the surface of the catch pan 5 support the same as it is advanced into the bite of the pressively engaged drive rollers 34 and 36.
• the drive roller and 36 which preferably have a surface of elastically deform material, serve both to advance the endless belts of elon oleophilic rope material in the manner described and to pressively squeeze or otherwise displace most of the entra oil from the surfaces of the elongate oleophilic rope materia it advances therepast.
• Such separated oil is collected in sumps from which it is removed and stored in the tank section of the catamaran hull sections 10 and 12.
• the depth of immersion of the catamaran hull sect 10 and 12 is not critical since all collection activity t place on the water surface within the channel marginally def by such hull sections.
• the loose floatation of the oil collec materials, such as the elongate oleophilic rope elements 38, only maintains the same contact with the floating oil but renders the unit effectively impervious to floating debris or in the water, and within limits, to the degree of turbulenc the water surface since the free floating oleophilic mate will travel over and around any debris and will generally con to the water surface contour.
• Exemplary dimensions for a vessel as illustrated and actually buit, tested and successfully used are a forty (12.2m) aluminum catamaran vessel for inland waters use. Such a vessel can be disassembled and the total vessel stored in two eight-foot-by-eight-foot-by-twenty-foot standard containers. The vessel was powered by two diesel engine driven outdrives and was designed for recovery rates of up to one hundred and seventy-five gp (662 1/m) .
• Each hull had its own plant and oil recovery system and was capable of operating independently of each other.
• the vessel had an on-board storage capability of two thousand gallons (7,570 1) and its own discharge pumps for unloading purposes. Further specfications and exemplary details are outlined below:
• a vessel at least generally identical to the foregoing was successfully tested for effective oil recovery at speeds up to five kts.
• the vessel land its oil collecting materials can be of various sizes and configurations from for example a single hull with the oil collecting materials hung off its side to the preferred multi-hull configurations with centrally defined chan ⁇ nels.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Removal Of Floating Material (AREA)
• Cleaning Or Clearing Of The Surface Of Open Water (AREA)
• Manufacture Of Porous Articles, And Recovery And Treatment Of Waste Products (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (2)

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Citations (10)

• 1978
  • 1978-06-07 NL NL7806198A patent/NL7806198A/xx not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1978-06-08 NO NO782003A patent/NO782003L/no unknown
  • 1978-06-08 JP JP6929278A patent/JPS5433488A/ja active Pending
  • 1978-06-08 WO PCT/US1978/000011 patent/WO1978000014A1/en unknown
  • 1978-06-08 DK DK255278A patent/DK255278A/da not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1978-12-28 EP EP78900011A patent/EP0007933A1/en not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (10)

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