Liquid purification or separation – With movable support – Float
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-06
2004-03-23
Popovics, Robert J. (Department: 1724)
Liquid purification or separation
With movable support
Float
C159S046000, C159S046000, C159S902000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06709587
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device which is suitable for use in collecting a floating liquid from the surface of a body of first liquid, such as the collecting of oil or other hydrocarbon liquid floating on the surface of a natural body of water.
2. Related Art
The art shows a number of devices for skimming oil from the surface of water. U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,784, issued to Craggs et al on Dec. 5, 1972 and entitled “Floating Oil Skimmer”, discloses a floating oil skimmer (
FIG. 1
) having a center skimming unit
10
which is an elongated rectangular box-like structure having an open front to permit entry of oil and water into the unit. A hinged lip
60
regulates the depth, about 2 to 12 inches, of water admitted into skimming unit
10
and flowed to an oil collection sump
80
(
FIG. 8
) at the rear of the skimming unit
10
to collect oil and water. The collected oil and water overflows an adjustable weir
82
into a sump
80
. The content of the sump is pumped to a suitable receiving tank on a work boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,994, issued to Ayers on May 3, 1983 and entitled “Spilled Oil Skimmer Kit”, discloses a skimmer
2
(
FIGS. 1 and 1A
) having floats
20
(
FIGS. 2 and 3
) mounted on opposite sides of a frame
21
which holds the front of skimmer
2
open and in a position to receive incoming oil and water. The top
22
of skimmer
2
is maintained by flotation devices above water level, but not above the oil level. Water and oil which enters skimmer
2
proceeds to rear section
30
and the water exits at open bottom
26
a
of skimmer
2
and the oil remains at the top
22
of skimmer
2
. The oil is then removed from skimmer
2
by suction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,483, issued to Gore on Dec. 26, 1995 and entitled “Oil Spill Skimmer With Adjustable Floating Weir”, discloses an oil recovery skimmer vessel
20
(
FIG. 2
) having waterjets
28
and
30
located at the front of vessel
20
which help direct oil toward the inlet end
32
of vessel
20
. The vessel
20
has a first floating, hinged weir or attractor
36
and a second weir
46
. Water, oil and debris flow over the first weir
36
and substantially only oil flows over the second weir
46
and into an oil sump
48
. The oil is removed from oil sump
48
by a discharge pump
50
.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,753,108, issued to Haynes et al on May 19, 1998 and entitled “Integrated Oil Response and Recovery System and Method and Skimmer For Use Therein”, discloses a skimmer
38
having a frame
1
with two vertical sides, a collection channel
30
, an optional auger type conveyor
31
and a moving conveyor
2
, which cooperate to collect oil from the ocean's surface and deposit it in sump
5
, from which the oil is drained via drain lines
24
into storage on a vessel
21
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Generally, the present invention provides a device for collecting and recovering a floating liquid, such as oil or other hydrocarbon liquid, from the surface of a body of a first liquid, such as water. Typically, the hydrocarbon liquid is a crude oil (or other hydrocarbon) spill on the surface of an ocean, lake, or river, either in the open sea, or within a harbor, port, river or the like. In certain embodiments, the collection devices of the present invention provide a receiving tray which floats on the surface of the first liquid, e.g, a body of water, within a spill of the floating liquid, e.g., an oil spill. The receiving tray is dimensioned and configured to have the floating liquid (and usually some of the first liquid) enter therein. A suction port is formed in the receiving tray and is connected in liquid flow communication to the suction inlet of a pump, which may be a conventionally-powered pump or, in some cases, an external-force pump (defined below). In the latter case, the pump may utilize energy provided by natural movement of the first liquid, e.g., ocean waves, river current or the like or by movement of the collection device by towing. In any case, such external-force pump is mounted on the receiving tray or otherwise on the collection device so as to be operated by movement of the first liquid relative to the device. Such movement may be natural movement, such as the natural wave action or current flow of a body of water, or may be induced, such as by towing the collection device. The pump thus acts to move collected floating liquid to storage or treatment via an outlet conduit or the like connected to the discharge of the pump. A plurality of the collection devices may be connected to such pumps and may be used in such numbers as to provide a breakwater for a harbor, by taking up wave energy while simultaneously collecting floating contaminant liquids ranging from large oil spills to the day-to-day leakage and spillage of fuels and lubricants which is unavoidable in a busy harbor or passage.
In certain other embodiments, the devices of the present invention may generally comprise an outer flotation member within which is disposed at least one regulator frame and the receiving tray. The floating liquid, usually combined with the first liquid, is collected within the receiving tray and then is pumped to storage or other disposal. The components may be connected to each other by gimbal mounts to stabilize the receiving tray to enhance the ability of the receiving tray to contact wave troughs for flow of liquid into the receiving tray and thence to the suction port.
Specifically, in accordance with the present invention there is provided a first collection device capable of collecting a floating liquid from the surface of a body of a first liquid on which the floating liquid floats, the first collection device being dimensioned and configured to float at the surface of the first liquid and comprising the following components. A first receiving tray has a suction port therein, and at least one pump having a suction inlet and a discharge outlet, the suction inlet of the pump being connected in liquid flow communication to the suction port of the first receiving tray for removing collected liquid from the receiving tray. The pump has first and second actuator members and is dimensioned and configured to be operated by repeated mechanical compression and relaxation of the pump by forces imposed on the actuator members. The pump is connected by its first actuator member to the receiving tray and its second actuator member is connected to a separate structure, for example, a second collection device comprising a receiving tray and at least one pump as described above, relative to which the receiving tray is movable. In this way, repeated relative movement between the receiving tray and the structure operates the pump to pump liquid from the suction port of the receiving tray to the discharge outlet of the pump.
Other aspects of the present invention provide one or more of the following features. The collection device may further comprise a body member to which the receiving tray is connected; the body member may comprise a frame-like structure within which the receiving tray is received; the body member may comprise a flotation member; when the separate structure is a second collection device as described above, the second collection device may further comprise a second body member to which a second receiving tray is connected; and the collection device may further comprise a first regulator frame connected to the body member.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a recovery device comprising a plurality of the collection devices described above and wherein the second actuator member of at least some of the pumps is connected to another one of the collection devices.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a collection device having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis and capable of collecting a floating liquid from the surface of a body of a first liquid on which the floating liquid floats, the collection device being dimensioned and configured to float at the surface of the first liquid. The collection
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