Fluid handling – Processes – Affecting flow by the addition of material or energy
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-12
2001-12-25
Michalsky, Gerald A. (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Processes
Affecting flow by the addition of material or energy
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332474
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a method for collecting a highly viscous and sticky material.
The combating of oil pollution on the open sea and on land is a constant problem to which a large number of more or less inefficient solutions have been found, such as chemical means of combating, drag nets, mechanical beaters etc. A great difficulty in the combating of crude oil is, as is known, the highly viscous and sticky state of the crude oil, making it difficult to collect and transport.
Moreover, a discharge of crude oil can in itself be polluted with various solid particles, dirt and litter, which make the collecting procedure difficult.
When storing and transporting crude oil, for instance in tankers, crude oil sediment forms, which may contain both mud and sand. Also when cleaning oil tanks for e.g. crude oil, considerable difficulties arise when removing such settled crude oil residues. A special problem is that settled crude oil material and other highly viscous and sticky materials, when being sucked up, tend to stick to collecting equipment, such as tubes, nozzles and pump equipment.
There is today a great need for an efficient method of cleaning crude oil tanks in e.g. tankers since cleaning on the open sea with sea water, which is presently a common method, results in the discharge of oil and constitutes an environmental hazard.
SE-B-432,274 discloses a method for collecting a layer of crude oil from an area covered therewith. In the method described, water vapour is used to break up the oil layer and to heat the same, thereby reducing its viscosity.
This method of collecting oil, however, still involves the problem that settled oil tends to stick to the collecting equipment although the oil has been heated and broken up.
An object of the invention is to provide a relatively uncomplicated method for efficient combating of crude oil pollution.
A specific object is to provide an improved method for collecting a highly viscous and sticky material from an area covered with such material in the form of a layer.
In this connection a specific object is to provide an improved method for collecting settled oil layers, which permits efficient cleaning of crude oil tanks.
According to the invention, the objects are achieved by a method according to the appended claims.
In summary, the invention is based on the surprising discovery that the removal of an undesired oil can be facilitated by the paradoxical addition of a further oil.
It is assumed that the lubricating function of the supplied liquid fluid facilitates the passing of the collected oil material through ducts in the collecting equipment and, thus, prevents adhesion and depositing in the collecting equipment. This improved capacity of transporting crude oil and similar substances dramatically increases the collecting capacity of existing collecting equipment since the number of shutdowns, planned and unplanned, decreases. Besides the cost of service and maintenance will decrease.
An advantage of the inventive method is that it is not necessary to heat the fluid supplied to the material which is to be removed. A further advantage is that it is not necessary to supply the material under pressure either, but the supply can be effected in an arbitrary manner.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the lubricating fluid comprises an oil, which in itself is advantageous since no further polluting substances, which can make the disposal difficult, are thus supplied to the crude oil material.
The invention is applicable not only to the combating of oil and collecting of oil from e.g. oil depots, but also to the collecting, from areas or depots, of other sticky and highly viscous materials, such as bituminous products, mud etc.
The invention has been found particularly advantageous when cleaning oil tanks, in which settled crude oil material containing impurities, such as precipitates, mud and sand, is deposited and possibly sticks to bottom and walls.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4101184 A1 (1992-07-01), None
patent: 4222873 A1 (1994-01-01), None
patent: 199090 (1923-06-01), None
patent: 130389 (1974-08-01), None
patent: 464804 B (1991-06-01), None
Haugen Karl T.
Lövgren Gert
Browdy and Neimark
DISAB Vacuum Technology AB
Michalsky Gerald A.
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