Inflatable Oil Spill Boom Rapid Deployment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional oil spill containment booms are cumbersome, require extensive crews, and are slow to deploy, leading to ineffective containment and high costs due to their need for towing and centralized storage, resulting in extensive material spreading before containment can begin.

Innovation Solution

A deployable boom system comprising inflatable sleeves made of plastic or similar materials, which can be rapidly manufactured and deployed on-site using a small watercraft, allowing for quick encirclement of spills with minimal equipment and crew, utilizing air and water inflation to maintain a semi-rigid structure and limit spill spread.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional heavy booms with ballast are used, then containment effectiveness is improved, but deployment speed deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainment effectivenessVSAvoiddeployment speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The boom is divided into multiple modular segments that can be independently deployed and connected. Each segment contains its own flotation and ballast components, allowing rapid deployment of individual sections that are later joined to form the complete containment barrier, thus improving deployment speed while maintaining containment effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The boom segments are designed to be nested or folded into compact configurations for storage and transport, then rapidly expanded at the spill site. The ballast and flotation elements are integrated within the segment structure, allowing the entire boom system to be stored in a compact form and quickly deployed when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If large crews are used for deployment, then deployment reliability is improved, but operational complexity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment reliabilityVSAvoidoperational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The boom segments are designed to be self-deploying through mechanical or automated mechanisms. The segments can be launched and positioned with minimal human intervention, and the connection between segments is simplified to require basic assembly operations, thereby reducing crew requirements while maintaining deployment reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual mechanical assembly operations are replaced with automated or semi-automated deployment mechanisms. The boom segments incorporate automatic connection features or simple coupling systems that reduce the need for complex manual assembly procedures and large crews, simplifying operations while ensuring reliable deployment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Quantity of substance

If centralized storage is used, then storage efficiency is improved, but response time deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage efficiencyVSAvoidresponse time

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The boom system is segmented into modular units that can be distributed to multiple local storage locations near potential spill sites. Each segment can be independently stored and deployed, allowing rapid response without the need to transport long sections from centralized facilities, thus reducing response time while maintaining storage efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The storage and deployment strategy transitions from centralized linear distribution to a distributed network model. By placing compact segment storage at multiple strategic locations, the system enables rapid local deployment without the time penalty of long-distance towing from central facilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables rapid deployment and containment of oil spills within minutes of detection, reducing material spread and facilitating efficient recovery or treatment by allowing for immediate encirclement and potential on-site burning or chemical treatment, while being lightweight and cost-effective.

Implementation Method 1

a flotation element which keeps the boom on the surface of the water

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Implementation Method 2

a heavy ballast hanging below the flotation element to provide a wall-like vertical extension reaching below the level of the oil spill

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS11136737B2Rapid-deployment oil spill containment boom and method of deployment

Publication Date: 2021.10.05 HARBO TECH

AI summary

A rapid-deployment system for containing oil spills and similar water contaminations comprises a pre-manufactured sleeve having air-inflatable or gas-inflatable compartments and water inflatable compartments. In some embodiments uninflated sleeve is stored as a reel of sleeve material, and the deployment system, optionally mounted in a small boat, comprises a machine for inflating the air and water compartments at the site of a spill. In some embodiments, air and/or water compartments may be self-inflating.