A method for deploying an oil boom in an ice-crushing area

Abstract

The application discloses a method for arranging an oil boom in a broken-ice area for oil spill emergency, wherein an ice separator capable of moving synchronously with an oil spill disposal ship is arranged to block the ice for the oil boom; the ice separator comprises a sharp wedge formed by splicing two plates, and the sharp end of the wedge faces the moving direction of the oil spill disposal ship; a guide plate extending into the interior of the ice separator is arranged, and the top end of the guide plate is connected with an oil boom arranging table, so that the arranged and unfolded oil boom on the oil boom arranging table can reach the interior of the ice separator through the guide plate to perform the arranging operation, thereby effectively solving the problem of oil spill control in the broken-ice area, and improving the emergency disposal capacity for the oil spill in the broken-ice area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This patent belongs to the fields of marine environmental pollution and environmental protection equipment, and in particular relates to a method for deploying oil booms for emergency response to oil spills in ice-breaking areas. Background Technology

[0002] In traditional technical solutions, after an accidental oil spill, it is necessary to quickly deploy oil booms around the spill area to prevent the oil from spreading further and causing more serious consequences. However, many areas along the Arctic shipping route are ice floes, with countless ice floes of various sizes floating in the sea. In such cases, after the oil booms are deployed to the sea, they will be interfered with by the ice floes and cannot be erected to work, thus failing to fully contain the oil spill and affecting the overall oil containment effect.

[0003] For the reasons mentioned above, the inventors have conducted in-depth research on oil booms and their deployment methods in order to design an oil boom deployment method suitable for emergency oil spills in ice-breaking areas that can solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the above problems, the inventors conducted in-depth research and designed a method for deploying oil booms in emergency situations involving oil spills in ice-strewn areas. This method utilizes an ice separator that moves synchronously with the oil spill response vessel to block ice fragments from the oil boom. The ice separator includes a wedge formed by two plates joined together, with its tip pointing towards the direction of travel of the oil spill response vessel. A guide plate extends into the ice separator from its bottom, and its top is connected to the oil boom deployment platform. This allows the oil boom, which is being prepared and deployed on the platform, to reach the ice separator via the guide plate for deployment. This effectively solves the problem of oil spill containment in ice-strewn areas and improves the emergency response capability for oil spills in ice-strewn areas, thus completing this invention.

[0005] Specifically, the purpose of this invention is to provide a method for deploying oil booms in emergency situations involving oil spills in ice-scarce areas. This method includes the following steps:

[0006] Step 1: The oil spill response vessel equipped with the deployment device is sailed to the deployment area. The deployment device is equipped with a guide plate 1, an ice separator 2, a connecting rod 3, and an oil boom deployment platform 4. The oil boom deployment platform 4 is fixedly installed on the oil spill response vessel via a connecting device 5. The top end of the connecting rod 3 is connected to the oil boom deployment platform 4, and the bottom end of the connecting rod 3 is connected to the ice separator 2. The connecting rod 3 is a telescopic hydraulic rod.

[0007] Control the extension and retraction length of the connecting rod 3 so that the top of the ice dispenser 2 is close to the horizontal plane;

[0008] Step 2: Arrange the oil booms on the oil boom deployment platform 4 and transport them to the ice separator 2 via the guide plate 1; wherein, the ice separator 2 includes a wedge formed by splicing two plates, with its pointed end facing the direction of travel of the oil spill response vessel; the bottom of the guide plate 1 extends into the ice separator 2, and the top of the guide plate 1 is connected to the oil boom deployment platform 4.

[0009] Step 3: After one end of the oil boom is fixed, the oil spill response vessel travels along the predetermined route at a predetermined speed, continuously adjusts and lowers the oil boom on the oil boom deployment platform 4, and fills the float bags of the oil boom with foam floats.

[0010] The guide plate 1 is connected to the connecting rod 3 and can extend and retract with the extension and retraction of the connecting rod 3, so that the bottom of the guide plate 1 is always located inside the ice separator 2.

[0011] Among them, a baffle 6 is provided on the guide plate 1 located above the ice separator 2. The baffle 6 provides lateral restraint for the oil boom that slides from the oil boom placement platform 4 into the ice separator 2, preventing the oil boom from detaching from the guide plate 1.

[0012] The ice separator 2 includes two front end plates 21 that form a wedge, and a connecting plate 22 is provided at the tail of each front end plate 21. The two connecting plates 22 are arranged parallel to each other.

[0013] The wedge angle formed by the two front end plates 21 is 30 to 40 degrees.

[0014] Among them, a tail plate 23 is provided on the connecting plate 22. There are two tail plates 23, and the length of the tail plate 23 is 150-200cm.

[0015] The tail plate 23 is connected to the connecting plate 22 by a pin, and a rotation limit block is provided at the connection point, so that the tail plate 23 can swing back and forth within a predetermined angle range. The tail plate 23 prevents ice fragments from entering the ice separator 2 and avoids ice fragments from hindering the placement of the oil boom.

[0016] The predetermined angle is 5 to 10 degrees, and during the swinging process of the tail plate 23, the minimum distance between the two tail plates 23 is more than 80cm, so that the oil boom can flow out from between the two tail plates 23.

[0017] In step 3, tidying up the oil booms includes fixing multiple oil booms together in sequence.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this invention include:

[0019] (1) The oil boom deployment method for emergency oil spill in ice-scarred areas provided by the present invention can effectively solve the problem of difficult deployment of oil booms in ice-scarred areas, can quickly deploy oil booms in ice-scarred areas, and eliminate the adverse effects of ice on the deployment of oil booms, thereby improving the working effect of oil booms.

[0020] (2) According to the oil boom deployment method for emergency oil spill response in ice-breaking areas provided by the present invention, the ice blocks can be separated to both sides by towing the oil spill disposal vessel before the oil boom is placed into the water, thereby effectively solving the problem of difficult deployment of oil booms in ice-breaking areas. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This application presents a logic diagram of an oil boom deployment method applicable to oil spill emergencies in ice-covered areas.

[0022] Figure 2 This diagram shows a deployment device according to the present application.

[0023] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0024] 1-Guide plate

[0025] 2-Ice dispenser

[0026] 21-Front-end board

[0027] 22-Connecting plate

[0028] 23-Tailplate

[0029] 3-Connecting rod

[0030] 4-Eat boom placement platform

[0031] 5-Connecting device

[0032] 6-baffle Detailed Implementation

[0033] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Through these descriptions, the features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer and more apparent.

[0034] The term “exemplary” as used herein means “serving as an example, embodiment, or illustration.” Any embodiment illustrated herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as superior to or better than other embodiments. Although various aspects of embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated otherwise.

[0035] This invention also provides a method for deploying oil booms in emergency situations involving oil spills in ice-strewn areas, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the method includes the following steps:

[0036] Step 1: Deploy the oil spill disposal vessel equipped with the deployment device to the deployment area and control the extension and retraction length of the connecting rod 3 so that the top of the ice separator 2 is close to the horizontal plane.

[0037] Step 2: Arrange the oil booms on the oil boom placement platform 4 and transport the oil booms to the ice separator 2 through the guide plate 1.

[0038] Step 3: After one end of the oil boom is fixed, the oil spill response vessel travels along the predetermined route at a predetermined speed, continuously adjusting and lowering the oil boom on the oil boom deployment platform 4, and filling the float bags of the oil boom with foam floats. Preferably, the predetermined speed is 0.83 m / s.

[0039] Preferably, the deployment device is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, it includes a guide plate 1, an ice separator 2, a connecting rod 3, and an oil boom placement platform 4;

[0040] The oil boom deployment platform 4 is fixedly installed on the oil spill response vessel by a connecting device 5; the connecting device 5 is mainly connected by connecting bolts and can be connected to the stern or side of the oil spill response vessel.

[0041] The top end of the connecting rod 3 is connected to the oil boom deployment platform 4, and the bottom end of the connecting rod 3 is connected to the ice separator 2, enabling the ice separator 2 to move synchronously with the oil spill response vessel and the oil boom deployment platform 4. That is, the connecting rod 3 secures the ice separator 2 and the oil boom deployment platform 4 into a single structure, allowing them to move synchronously. Preferably, the connecting rod 3 is a telescopic hydraulic rod, which controls the up-and-down movement of the ice separator 2. This ensures that during the deployment of the oil boom, the top of the ice separator 2 remains near the water surface, maximizing the protection of the oil boom and allowing it to quickly reach an upright working state, preventing ice fragments from interfering with the deployment operation.

[0042] The ice separator 2 includes a wedge formed by splicing two plates, with its tip pointing towards the direction of travel of the oil spill response vessel. As the ice separator moves forward, it can separate the ice fragments on the sea surface, so that there are no ice fragments at the location of the oil boom, and the oil boom can be deployed effectively and quickly.

[0043] The bottom of the guide plate 1 extends into the ice separator 2, and the top of the guide plate 1 is connected to the oil boom deployment platform 4, so that the oil boom that is arranged and unfolded on the oil boom deployment platform 4 can reach the ice separator 2 through the guide plate 1 for deployment. By setting the guide plate 1, the water entry position of the oil boom is accurately fixed inside the ice separator 2, thereby improving the deployment efficiency.

[0044] In a preferred embodiment, the guide plate 1 is connected to the connecting rod 3 and can extend and retract with the extension and retraction of the connecting rod 3, so that the bottom of the guide plate 1 remains inside the ice dispenser 2.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment, a baffle 6 is provided on the guide plate 1 located above the ice separator 2. The baffle 6 provides lateral restraint for the oil boom sliding from the oil boom deployment platform 4 into the ice separator 2, preventing the oil boom from detaching from the guide plate 1. Due to the strong winds at sea, the oil boom is very likely to be blown off course, thus affecting the deployment efficiency. By setting up the baffle 6, the influence of sea waves on the deployment effect of the oil boom can be eliminated, thereby improving the deployment efficiency.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the ice separator 2 includes two front end plates 21 that form a wedge. A connecting plate 22 is provided at the tail of each front end plate 21. The two connecting plates 22 are arranged parallel to each other. Preferably, the two connecting plates 22 are coplanar and have a predetermined gap between them. The gap size is at least enough to ensure that the oil boom can pass through smoothly.

[0047] The wedge angle formed by the two front end plates 21 is 30 to 40 degrees, preferably 35 degrees. The inventors have found that when the wedge angle is 35 degrees, the deployment effect of the oil boom is best. A 1000-meter-long oil boom was deployed continuously, fully meeting the technical requirements and satisfying the oil containment needs. However, changing the wedge angle, such as setting it to 45 degrees, results in some ice fragments entering the ice separator during the actual deployment process, affecting the deployment effect and requiring subsequent manual adjustment and correction.

[0048] In a preferred embodiment, a tail plate 23 is provided on the connecting plate 22. There are two tail plates 23, and the length of the tail plate 23 is 150-200cm.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment, the tail plate 23 is connected to the connecting plate 22 by a pin, and a rotation limit block 34 is provided at the connection point, so that the tail plate 23 can swing back and forth within a predetermined angle range. The tail plate 23 prevents ice fragments from entering the ice separator 2 and avoids ice fragments from hindering the placement of the oil boom.

[0050] Preferably, the predetermined angle is 5 to 10 degrees, more preferably 8 degrees, and during the swinging process of the tail plate 23, the minimum distance between the two tail plates 23 is more than 80cm, so that the oil boom can flow out from between the two tail plates 23.

[0051] The inventors have discovered that when the tail plate 23 is within an 8-degree range, and swings back and forth with the seawater fluctuations caused by the movement of the oil spill disposal vessel and the ice separator, it can minimize the possibility of broken ice entering the ice separator, so that the interior of the ice separator is almost always ice-free, thus achieving the best oil boom deployment effect.

[0052] The inventors discovered through experimentation that setting up as follows Figure 2The deployment device shown has an ice separator with a wedge angle of 35 degrees, a tail plate length of 180cm, and a tail plate 23 that can swing back and forth within an 8-degree range. The minimum distance between the two tail plates is 80cm. A 1000-meter-long oil boom was continuously deployed in the ice crushing area, which took a total of 20 minutes. The deployed oil boom was found to be in good condition, with no oil leakage, tilting or other defects.

[0053] During the experiment, the deployment results of other parameters of the deployment device were also verified, as follows: the wedge angle of the ice separator was selected to be 45 degrees, the tail plate length was 50cm, the tail plate 23 could swing back and forth within a range of 5 degrees, and the minimum distance between the two tail plates was 100cm; a 1000-meter-long oil boom was continuously deployed in the ice crushing area.

[0054] When the deployment time was 20 minutes, the oil boom was inspected and found to be supported by ice fragments at the 122-meter mark, preventing it from reaching operational status. This indicates that the dimensions of the deployment device provided in this application enable the oil boom to achieve optimal deployment results.

[0055] After 30 minutes, the deployed oil booms were inspected, and seven areas were found to be supported by broken ice.

[0056] After 15 minutes, the deployed oil booms were inspected, and five areas were found to be supported by broken ice. This indicates that, under the same hardware structure, a suitable deployment speed can lead to better deployment results.

[0057] In this application, one end of the oil boom is connected and fixed to the shore island by a rope, or connected and fixed to an anchored ship.

[0058] In this application, step 3, assembling the oil containment booms, includes sequentially fixing multiple oil containment booms into a single unit. To improve the fixing efficiency between the multiple oil containment booms, two vertically arranged connecting ends are provided at both ends of each oil containment boom, namely a first connecting end and a second connecting end. A vertically open slot is provided along the length of the first connecting end, and a laterally protruding ridge is provided along the length of the second connecting end. The ridge can be inserted into the slot from the top, and the shape and size of the ridge and the slot are basically the same, thereby quickly fixing the first connecting end and the second connecting end together. To enhance the connection effect, a bolt penetrating the first connecting end can also be added to secure it to the second connecting end.

[0059] In this application, the float bags on the oil boom are filled with foam floats to adapt to the special conditions of the ice-scarred area, preventing the float bags from being punctured or scratched by ice fragments and causing the floats to malfunction. Each oil boom is equipped with a float bag, and each float bag has two filling pipes for filling the float bag with foam. The two filling pipes have different inner diameters: the smaller filling pipe has an inner diameter of 3 cm, and the larger filling pipe has an inner diameter of 8 cm. Both filling pipes are located at the ends of the float bags. In this application, the size of the foam float that can be filled into the filling pipe is basically consistent with the inner diameter of the corresponding filling pipe, so as to maintain a certain pressure inside the filling pipe and spray the foam float into the float bag at a relatively fast speed, thereby completing the float bag filling work quickly and efficiently.

[0060] In step 3, the process of filling the foam floats is as follows: 200 foam floats with a diameter of 3 cm are filled into the float bag through the small filling pipe, and the small filling pipe is paused; then 10 foam floats with a diameter of 8 cm are filled into the float bag through the large filling pipe, and the large filling pipe is paused; then 200 foam floats with a diameter of 3 cm are filled into the float bag through the small filling pipe, and the small filling pipe is paused; this process is repeated until the float bag is full.

[0061] In this application, the filling process of the float bag is used to ensure the filling efficiency of the float bag, and the float bag filled by this method has a higher ability to adapt to the ice crushing zone. Even if the float bag is cut by the ice crushing zone, the float bag can still basically provide the necessary buoyancy for the oil boom to work.

[0062] The present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments; however, these embodiments are merely exemplary and illustrative. Various substitutions and modifications can be made to the present invention based on these embodiments, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for deploying an oil containment boom in an ice area for oil spill emergency, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps: Step 1: An oil spill response vessel with a deployment device is sent to the area to be deployed, wherein the deployment device is provided with a guide plate (1), an ice separator (2), a connecting rod (3) and a boom deployment platform (4); the boom deployment platform (4) is fixedly installed on the oil spill response vessel by a connecting device (5); the top end of the connecting rod (3) is connected to the boom deployment platform (4), the bottom end of the connecting rod (3) is connected to the ice separator (2), and the connecting rod (3) is a telescopic hydraulic rod; The length of the connecting rod (3) is controlled so that the top end of the ice separator (2) is close to the horizontal plane; Step 2: The oil containment boom is arranged on the boom deployment platform (4) and transported into the ice separator (2) through the guide plate (1); wherein the ice separator (2) comprises a sharp wedge formed by two plates, and the tip of the sharp wedge faces the direction of travel of the oil spill response vessel; the bottom of the guide plate (1) extends into the ice separator (2), and the top of the guide plate (1) is connected to the boom deployment platform (4), Step 3: After one end of the oil containment boom is fixed, the oil spill response vessel travels along the predetermined route at a predetermined speed, continuously arranges and deploys the oil containment boom on the boom deployment platform (4), and fills the foam floats into the float bags of the oil containment boom; The ice separator (2) comprises two front end plates (21) constituting the sharp wedge, and a connecting plate (22) is arranged at the tail of each front end plate (21), and the two connecting plates (22) are arranged in parallel with each other; A tail plate (23) is arranged on the connecting plate (22), The tail plate (23) is connected to the connecting plate (22) through a pin shaft, and a rotation limiting block is arranged at the connection to enable the tail plate (23) to reciprocate within a predetermined angle range, thereby preventing the ice from entering the ice separator (2) and avoiding the ice from interfering with the deployment of the oil containment boom.

2. The method for deploying an oil containment boom in an ice area for oil spill emergency according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide plate (1) is connected to the connecting rod (3) and can extend and retract with the extension and retraction of the connecting rod (3), so that the bottom of the guide plate (1) is continuously located inside the ice separator (2).

3. The method for deploying an oil containment boom in an ice area for oil spill emergency according to claim 1, characterized in that a baffle (6) is arranged on the guide plate (1) above the ice separator (2) to provide lateral limitation for the oil containment boom sliding from the boom deployment platform (4) into the ice separator (2), thereby preventing the oil containment boom from falling off the guide plate (1).

4. The method for deploying an oil containment boom in an ice area for oil spill emergency according to claim 1, characterized in that the angle of the sharp wedge formed by the two front end plates (21) is 30 to 40 degrees.

5. The method for deploying an oil containment boom in an ice area for oil spill emergency according to claim 4, characterized in that the tail plate (23) has two pieces, and the length of the tail plate (23) is 150-200 cm. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined angle is 5 to 10 degrees, and the minimum distance between the two tail plates (23) is more than 80 cm during the swinging of the tail plates (23), so that the boom can flow out from between the two tail plates (23).

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the arranging the booms in step 3 comprises sequentially fixing a plurality of booms into one. ​ ​

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