WO1987006479A1

WO1987006479A1 - Method of defence against oil damages and container for applying of method

Info

Publication number: WO1987006479A1
Application number: PCT/FI1987/000052
Authority: WO
Inventors: Matti Peurala
Original assignee: Pipetek Oy
Priority date: 1986-04-25
Filing date: 1987-04-24
Publication date: 1987-11-05
Also published as: FI861747A; AU7351687A; FI861747A0

Abstract

At oil damages the spreading out of oil absorbing peat or its properties changing chemicals or other materials is inefficient and slow. In the method according to the invention in defence against oil damages or fire a container transferable by a flying device is filled with for the purpose suitable mainly pulverous material, the container is lifted up and transported with the flying device to a wished spot in regard of the oil damage or the fire, the gate of the container is opened and the material contained inside the whole container is dropped simultaneously onto the wished spot and the empty container is brought back to the filling place for refilling. The container for applying of the method consists of a casing (1), inside which is arranged a space for pulverous material, on the upper opening of the casing turnable attached covering plate (2) and on the lower opening of the casing turnable attached gate (3).

Description

METHOD OF DEFENCE AGAINST OIL DAMAGES AND CONTAINER FOR APPLYING OF METHOD

The objective of the invention is a method of defence against oil damages. Additionally the objective of the invention is a container for applying of the method.

The defence against oil damages occurring in the waters is difficult and requires a lot of equipment and labour. The oil spreads on the surface of the water and it is en¬ deavoured to recover it before it reaches the shores, be¬ cause the cleaning of the shores is much more troublesome than the removing of oil from the water surface. In the collecting of oil it has proved useful to let it be ab¬ sorbed in such material, which impedes and retards its movement on the water surface and which is easy to col¬ lect from the water or the shores, or the treatment of the oil chemically in such a way, thats its properties are changed. Such materials are for instance peat, glass wool, chemical substances suitable for the purpose as well as other materials. E.g. peat absorbs and binds a relatively large quantity of oil, peat does not move along with the water as rapidly as oil and peat is easy to collect from the water as well.

The above mentioned materials are nowadays spread out from vessels by feeding the material on the water sur- face by means of manpower or machines. When spreading mechanically out the material particularly for this pur¬ pose designed special vessels are needed, which are ex¬ pensive and often at a distance when the damage occurs. The spreading out of the material without machinery is slow and inefficient. Additionally heavy sea might impede the spreading out of the material from the vessels and also the storage spaces on the vessels are limited, so it might become necessary to interrupt the oil defence when departing for additional material supplies. The aim of the invention is to bring about a method of de¬ fence against oil damages, by means of which some disad¬ vantages connected with the present methods are removed. In particular the aim of the invention has been to bring forward a method, by means of which the oil defence ma¬ terial can be spread out on a wished spot of the oil da¬ mage area or its vicinity quickly, efficiently and in large quantities. Additionally, the aim of the invention is to bring about a container for applying of the method, which container is safe and easy to use.

The aim of the invention is achieved with a method and a device, which are characterized mainly by it, what has been presented in the patent claims.

In the method according to the invention a container transferable by a flying device is filled with a for the purpose suitable mainly pulverous material, the con¬ tainer is elevated and transported by the flying device, favourably a helicopter, to a wished spot in relation to the oil damage, the gate of the container is opened and the material contained in the container is dropped in one lot on the wished spot and the empty container is trans¬ ported back to the filling place for refilling. As the filling place is used a usually near the oil damage locat¬ ed area, which is accessible with motor vehicles. On some occasions as a filling place can for instance an island be used, where the material needed is brought by one fly¬ ing device and an other one transports the container. The filled container is opened at a for the purpose suitable height, whereat the pulverous or possibly granular mate¬ rial leaves the container in one lot spreading out some¬ what when coming down. The spreading height can be accord¬ ing to the circumstances be chosen in such a manner, that the material possibly spreads about somewhat, but still is capable to treat the oil in that particular area. When using the method in accordance with the invention the de¬ fence material can be transported and spread out to the wished area quickly and efficiently.

In a favourable application of the method in accordance with the invention the container is connected with the flying device with detachable bearer devices and the gate is opened at the wished spot by giving the operation con¬ trols of the container gate opening apparatus the gate opening signal by using a wireless connection, favourably a radio signal. As bearer devices can be used for instance steel wire ropes or corresponding, and the container is not coupled to the flying device in any other way, so it is extremely easily detachable. The gate of the container is opened by giving the operation controls the opening signal from the flying device or possibly from somewhere else, for instance from a vessel or from a ground station. The opening signal can be given in a known way. Under these circumstances it is not necessary to connect the container with the flying device, whereat as well work as time is saved.

In an other favourable application the empty container is changed in the filling place to a filled container by detaching the bearer devices from the consoles, the fly¬ ing device is transferred to the filled container, the filled container is coupled to the flying device and brought to the wished spot. Hereby when transporting the other container to the oil damage spot and back the emp¬ tied container is refilled. The flying device is used ef¬ ficiently and the defence material is brought to the place of the damage quickly and without interruption. The con¬ tainer is filled in a way suitable for the purpose either manually or mechanically.

In the following the invention is explained more explicati- vely by referring to the attached drawing, where figure 1 presents one application of the container for applying of the method in accordance with the invention seen from the side, and figure 2 presents the container in accordance with figure 1 seen from the other side.

In the application in accordance with figures 1 and 2 the container consists of a casing 1, in the upper open¬ ing of the casing turnable attached covering plate 2 and in the lower opening of the casing turnable attached gate 3. The casing is to its form mainly round and in this ap¬ plication it is arranged to be tapered to its lower part. Inside the casing is the space, where the pulverous mate¬ rial is placed. The size of the contained can vary in an optional way according to the utilization mode.

On the outer wall of the casing close to the lower open¬ ing are fixed from their one end the cylinders 4. The cy¬ linders are fixed from their other end to the gate 3 parts through the intermediation of the brackets 11. The gate is formed of two parts, which are hinged to the edges of the opening. The gate halves are locked with the help of a clamp 5, which is presented on figure 2. The clamp in its locking position prevents the gate from opening. On the outer wall of the casing are further fixed the actuator 6 of the cylinders and the operation controls 8 to control the operation of the actuator. In this application the actuator 6 is a pneumatic accumulator and the cylinders are pneumatic cylinders and also the clamp is arranged to operate pneumatically. The pneumatic accumulator is con- nected with the cylinders and the clamp by means of com¬ pressed-air hoses (not presented on the figures).

The covering plate 2 of the container is attached turn- able to the casing by means of the on figure 2 presented pivoting device 9. The pivoting device is a tenon-formed device, which is fixed on the wall of the casing close to the edge of the opening and arranged to reach higher than the level of the opening. The pivoting device is as such in a known way arranged so, that the covering plate of the container can be turned aside supported by it. On the wall of the casing are fixed the locking devices 12, by means of which the covering plate is closed tightly to the casing, when it is turned on top of the upper opening.

On the casing wall close to the upper opening are further fixed the consoles 7, supported on which the container can be elevated and transported. Additionally in this applica- tion the legs 13 of the container are connected with each other by means of skids 14 for moving of the container by pulling when it is on the ground.

When filling the container the covering plate of the con- tainer is turned on the side and the gate is in the clos¬ ed-position. After the filling the bearers of the flying device are attached to the consoles, the container is lifted up into the air and transported to the wished spot of the oil damage area. On the wished spot and at the wish- ed height the container gate opening signal is given wire¬ less to the operation controls. The operation controls activate the pneumatic accumulator, from where the com¬ pressed-air is led first to the gate clamp, which by in¬ fluence of the compressed-air is opened, and after that to the cylinders, which open the gate halves in the open-po¬ sition presented in figure 1 with broken lines. Hereby the material, such as for instance peat, chemical com¬ pound or corresponding contained in the container, falls mainly in one lot the whole container-full simultaneously onto the object spot.

During the transport the container can easily begin a ro¬ tating movement. In order to prevent this, onto the casing have in this application been attached the ailerons 10, which protrude from the casing on both sides of the actu¬ ator . After that the container has been emptied, it is trans¬ ported back to the filling place, detached from the fly¬ ing device, onto the flying device is attached the other, during the transport operation filled container and the operation mode is carried on in the above described way.

As flying devices can for the purpose suitable known fly¬ ing devices be used, out of which the helicopter is the most suitable for this purpose.

The invention .is not limited to the presented favourable application, but it can be varied within the limits of the patent claims.

Claims

1. Method of defence against oil damages, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in, that a container transportable by a flying device is filled with a for the purpose suitable, mainly pulverous material, the container is elevated and transported by the flying device, favourably by a heli¬ copter, to a wished spot in relation to the oil damage, the gate of the container is opened and the material con¬ tained inside the container is dropped on the wished spot and the empty container is brought back to the filling place for refilling.

2. Method in accordance with the patent claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the container is con¬ nected with the flying device in a detachable way and, that the gate of the container is opened on the wished spot by giving with a wireless connection, favourably with a radio signal, the gate opening signal to the operation controls of the gate opening apparatus.

3. Method in accordance with the patent claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that on the filling place the empty container is changed to a filled container by detaching the bearers from the consoles, the flying device is transferred to the filled container, the filled con- tainer is attached to the flying device and brought to the wished spot, whereby during the time the other container is transported to the wished spot and back the emptied container is refilled.

4. Container for applying of the method in accordance with patent claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the container consists of a casing (1), inside which is ar¬ ranged a space for the pulverous "material, in the upper opening of the casing a turnable attached covering plate (2) and an in the lower opening of the casing turnable at¬ tached gate (3) and, that on the casing close to the gate are fixed cylinders (4) for the opening of the gate, on the side of the casing is^" attached the actuator (6) of the cylinders and that in the upper part of the casing are fix¬ ed consoles (7) for the lifting and transporting of the container.

5. Container in accordance with the patent claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that on the casing close to the actuator is attached the operation controls (8) for the operation of the actuator and, that the operations con¬ trols are arranged to be activated by a wireless connec¬ tion, favourably with a radio signal.

6. Container in accordance with the patent claim 4 or 5 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the actuator is a pneumatic accumulator and, that the cylinders are pneu¬ matic cylinders, to which are led compressed-air hoses from the pneumatic accumulator.

7. Container in accordance with some of the patent claims 4-6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that on the upper part of the casing a tenon-formed pivoting device (9) is fixed, which is arranged to reach higher than the wall of the casing and onto which the covering plate is attached, whereby the covering plate has been arranged turnable sup¬ ported on the pivoting device.

8. Container in accordance with some of the patent claims 4-7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that on the sides of the casing on both sides of the actuator are fixed from the casing protruding ailerons (10) for prevention of ro¬ tating of the container during the transport.

9. Container in accordance with some of the patent claims 4-8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the legs (13) of the container- are connected with each other by skids (14) for moving of the container by pulling when on ground.