Liquid purification or separation – Processes – Separating
Patent
1982-02-11
1984-08-28
Hruskoci, Peter A.
Liquid purification or separation
Processes
Separating
2102423, 210923, E02B 1504
Patent
active
044683235
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of removing an oil layer floating on water by means of towing sweeping arms which enclose a mutual diverging angle of less than 180.degree.--seen in the towing direction--and wherein near a collecting place of oil a sucking up and pressing away of oil is performed.
Such a method is very urgent in case of accidents with oil tankers as a result of which an environmental catastrophe by pollution cannot, or only partly be prevented.
In case of an accident with a super tanker very large quantities of oil may be ejected and spoiled into the sea in an uncontrollable manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
On applying the methods known up till now in some way a quantity of oil can be removed up to a maximum of 100 to 200 m.sup.3 per hour. This limitation relates in general not only to a small areal capacity (m.sup.2 /h) depending on the apparatus to be used, but also to circumstances when no possibilities are available for storing large quantities of oil owing to which the cleaning activities (the method) always have (has) to be interrupted in order to pump over the collected oil or to remove the same.
It also been proposed in the art to store the collected oil in flexible containers; however, this appears to be not only costly but will also be difficult. Besides there is the important problem of safety, because oil on sea belongs to fuels (imco code II) having an inflammation point below 60.degree. C.
In order to transport or handle such inflammable liquids aboard the work vessel a number of safety measures are to be carried out, especially relating to the storage of oil with a view to the crew's accommodation and to the position of the engine room.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a method which effectively solves the above described problems or which at least provides a considerable improvement of performing such a method.
According to the invention this is attained in that a floating barge or scow is applied as one of the sweeping arms, in combination with a sweeping arm pastened thereto, while a towboat is used fastened to the scow and to the sweeping arm by means of a tow cable, a mobile power unit on the scow driving a pump near one end of the sweeping arm which pump sucks in the reclaimed oil and pumps the latter into the scow whereas water having been separated from the oil is discharged from the lower part of the said scow.
The provision of a floating scow adapted for use on sea entails that in the method according to the invention a very only simple vessel need be used which can be towed in an inclined position by the towboat.
This sea going scow is equipped with a mobile displaceable power unit, mostly a so-called hydraulic power pack which can be obtained on the market. In the method according to the invention only one sweeping arm and a so-called plunge pump are required. With the aid of this sweeping arm and the long lateral side of the applied scow the oil floating on the water is swept towards the collecting place. The pump (mostly hydraulically driven) positioned at this place presses the collected oil/water mixture to a tank positioned on the sea-going scow.
A separation of air and water takes place in this tank after which the subjacent water is pumped overboard by means of a plung pump. As soon as the tank is filled with oil, a new stand-by scow can be fastened to the vessel and the filled scow whether or not in combination with preceding scows, can be returned to a nearby harbour. The mobile power unit on the disconnected scow is then transferred to the new scow.
As described above the method according to the invention provides the possibility of an almost uninterrupted cleaning up of a polluted sea surface with the aid of very simple means. A further advantage consists in that the invention permits a number of elements to keep stand-by at points along the coast which are most threatened. Said elements can immediately be put into operation after receiv
REFERENCES:
patent: 3661263 (1972-05-01), Peterson et al.
patent: 3701430 (1972-10-01), Tuttle
patent: 4014795 (1977-03-01), in't Veld
patent: 4056472 (1977-11-01), Teandate
patent: 4182679 (1980-01-01), van Hekle
Cohen Sharon T.
Hruskoci Peter A.
Jaskiewicz Edmund M.
Staat der Nederlanden
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