Liquid purification or separation – Flow – fluid pressure or material level – responsive – Float
Patent
1994-07-20
1995-12-05
Upton, Christopher
Liquid purification or separation
Flow, fluid pressure or material level, responsive
Float
2102423, 210923, E02B 1504
Patent
active
054725976
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system of controlled floating aspirators to collect lower density liquids floating on another liquid, generally water.
The European Pat. EP-0024187 describes a system of controlled floating aspirators which mainly concentrates on collecting oil products floating on the surface of the sea, due to spillage from underwater oilfields, by collisions between tankers, groundings or any other cause or circumstance whatsoever giving rise to the so-called "oil spills".
More specifically, the system of the above-mentioned patent is based on fitting the sides of a tanker with V-shaped cages having a height so that when the ship is in ballast or empty the lower part of the cages will be submerged in the sea and, at the same time, the upper part of the cages will rise above the deep water-line of the ship. Inside each cage there is a number of floating aspirators capable of moving freely within the cages, adjusting to the slightest fluctuating movements of the liquid surface, so that the aspirators will remain floating on the sea at all times, regardless of the status of the ship on the water.
This solution, albeit perfectly acceptable as regards the results obtained from the standpoint of aspirating waste on the surface of the sea is, however, troublesome essentially in two respects.
On the one hand, the cages are huge in size and are hence very awkward to position, pose storage problems when not in use and must also undergo a heavy strain when inside the water, given their great length, which makes them difficult to use.
On the other hand, and since the characteristics of each ship are substantially variable, especially as regards their distance between the deep water-line and the water-line with the ship in ballast, a particular and specific cage is required for each type of ship, as regards the height of the cage, which makes it even more complicated to manufacture the cages and raises their cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to fully solve the aforesaid problems in every respect, allowing a cage of small size to be used, which is easy to store and handle, and which cage can further be used in any other kind of ship, irrespective of the characteristics of the ship absolutely, as regards ballast and deep water-lines.
More specifically and in order to achieve the above object a floating cage of small size is provided, which can be moved into a container, to which end the cage as such is fitted with two large floats arranged on its sides in order not to stand in the way when products floating on the liquid surface enter the cage, the said cage being also provided on one of its sides, to be precise the side coupled to the ship, with a structure ending in skids through which the cage may move as a whole up and down slides operatively fixed to the outer side of the ship.
Each of the skids will be preferably fitted with two pairs of wheels with axes at right angles to each other in order for the wheels to act on either the side walls or on the bottom of the furrowed sections making up the said slides.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention the structure of the floating cage is articulated to the above skids in order for the articulated joint to allow the skids to be at all times in the best position as regards the path followed by the slides, thereby to avoid their tendency to be blocked by the undulations on the surface of the water.
The floating cage structure thus provided with front deflectors to enhance its efficiency concentrating the products floating on the liquid surface towards the mouth of the cage as such, is fitted inside with one or more aspirating modules, which may be positioned on the upper part of the floating cage or else on the deck of the ship, which aspirator module can float full freely within the cage but will preferably be articulately linked to its front area in order to absorb the ship's pitching movements.
Another embodiment consists in including an auxiliary or complementary d
REFERENCES:
patent: 3701430 (1972-10-01), Tuttle
patent: 3753497 (1973-08-01), Hoffman
patent: 3983034 (1976-09-01), Wilson
patent: 4100072 (1978-07-01), Uchida et al.
patent: 4182679 (1980-01-01), Van Hekle
patent: 5118413 (1992-06-01), Hagenes
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