Oil spill reclamation system

a technology for oil spills and reclamation systems, applied in water cleaning, water/sludge/sewage treatment, chemistry apparatuses and processes, etc., can solve the problems of unsatisfactory and effective protection of wildlife and shorelines, and no solution has proved to be satisfactorily effectiv

Inactive Publication Date: 2012-01-12
ADVANCED INNOVATIVE MARKETING
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Benefits of technology

[0010]Several schemes of containment and recovery are considered, some with stationary barges and some subject to tug-boat traction. The latter schemes provide the additional advantage of accumulating th

Problems solved by technology

Since the early times of off-shore drilling, concerns over oil spills have created much debate and tension between environmental and production interests.
The potential economic damaged resulting from large spills has spurred much research, but no solution has proven to be satisfactorily effective in protecting wildlife and shore lines fr

Method used

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Embodiment Construction

[0028]The invention relies on the use of a foam material that exhibits concurrent oleophilic and hydrophobic properties that allows it to absorb oil while repelling water, a critical condition for the high efficiency of the process of the invention. In addition, the material is both elastomeric and structured as a foam, the combination of which enables the absorption of relatively high volumes of oil per volume of foam (due to the typically large proportion of voids in the foam) and the subsequent mechanical recovery of the oil from the foam simply by squeezing it out of the foam. These properties together make it possible to carry out the process of the invention with speed and efficiency.

[0029]The surface functionalization of materials to render them oleophilic by the deposition of appropriate moieties (such as alkyl acrylates, methacrylate, and vinyl compounds of polyesters, polyurethanes, polyepoxides, bisphenol A resins, and phenoxy resins, for example) is commonly practiced in...

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Abstract

An oil spill reclamation system utilizes an elastomeric foam functionalized to exhibit both oleophilic and hydrophobic properties. The foam material is contained in permeable pods connected to each other in a chain to form a boom strung in a closed loop around the oil spill. As each pod is brought into contact with the spilled oil, the foam material absorbs it to saturation. The pods are linked through an inflated flexible hose that ensures their buoyancy. The chain of pods is continuously processed in one or more barges that include equipment to press the absorbed oil out of each pod and a conveyor system for retrieving the pods from the water, pulling them through the press, and returning them to the water in a continuous cycle of operation. Positioning buoys with vertical rollers are used to retain the general shape of the containment loop defined by the continuous boom.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This patent application is based on and claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61 / 361,974, filed Jul. 7, 2010.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]This invention is related in general to systems for clean-up and recovery of oil spills. In particular, the invention pertains to a system based on the use of an elastomeric oleophilic / hydrophobic foam material suitable for continuous on-site oil extraction and separation.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Since the early times of off-shore drilling, concerns over oil spills have created much debate and tension between environmental and production interests. The potential economic damaged resulting from large spills has spurred much research, but no solution has proven to be satisfactorily effective in protecting wildlife and shore lines from major spills. As evidenced by the Exxon Valdez tanker rupture and the recent well blow-out in the Gulf of Mexico, ...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): E02B15/04
CPCC02F1/681E02B15/101Y02A20/204
Inventor MARTINES, JASON P.
Owner ADVANCED INNOVATIVE MARKETING
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