Oil Skimmer With Adjustable Ballasts for Stationary Water Cleanup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing skimming devices require propellers or pulling means for operation and need frequent adjustments to maintain the skimmer's elevation at the oil-water interface, making them complex and inefficient for stationary oil removal from water surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A barge-style skimming device with adjustable ballasts that self-propels and collects oil using a platform with a flat, unobstructed floor, allowing oil to flow from a front opening to a rear collection area, where a pump removes the oil to a storage vessel without affecting the ballast, enabling operation without propellers and minimizing elevation adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If existing skimming devices use propellers or pulling means for operation, then the device can move through water, but the device complexity increases and requires additional power sources
Solution Approach 1:
The skimmer is designed to be self-propelled by the flow of water itself. The V-shaped float structure creates a natural current that propels the device forward without requiring external propellers or pulling means, thereby simplifying the device while maintaining mobility capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention removes the propeller system entirely from the skimmer design. By extracting this complex mechanical component and replacing it with a passive flow-based propulsion mechanism, the device complexity is reduced while still achieving the desired movement through water
2Productivity
If the skimmer requires frequent adjustments to maintain elevation at the oil-water interface, then the skimmer can effectively collect oil, but the ease of operation decreases and requires continuous user intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The skimmer employs adjustable components including the V-shaped float structure and collection well positioning that can be modified to adapt to different oil thicknesses and water conditions. This dynamic adjustability allows the device to maintain optimal elevation at the oil-water interface across varying operational conditions without requiring continuous manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The invention allows changes in key parameters such as the angle of the V-shaped float, the depth of the collection well, and the position of the skimmer body. These parameter adjustments enable the device to effectively collect oil under different conditions while minimizing the frequency of adjustments needed during operation
3Productivity
If the skimmer design includes components that affect ballast during oil removal, then the platform stability may be compromised, but the oil removal efficiency improves
Solution Approach 1:
The skimmer is divided into functionally independent sections: the V-shaped float structure for propulsion, the collection well for oil accumulation, and the ballast system for stability control. This segmentation allows the oil removal process in the collection well to proceed without interfering with the ballast system, thereby maintaining platform stability while achieving efficient oil removal
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a separate ballast system that acts as an intermediary between the oil removal process and the platform stability. By decoupling these functions through the ballast mechanism, the system can efficiently remove oil while independently maintaining stable platform composition throughout the operation
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
The device effectively collects and removes oil with high efficiency (about 95%) while maintaining stability and simplicity, allowing for stationary operation and flexible sizing to suit various applications.
Implementation Method 1
one or more ballasts which adjust the platform floor to float at a level consistent with the oil on the water surface
Implementation Method 2
a pump connected to the rear location that removes the oil from the rear location to a storage area which affects the ballast of the platform
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an apparatus for removing oil or other pollutants from the surface of water and an improved method of removing oil or other pollutants from the surface of a body of water, comprising a platform having a left side wall, a right side wall, a rear wall, a front opening, a floor, and a bottom, one or more ballasts which adjust the platform floor relative to a level of oil on the water surface, wherein the oil flows from the front opening across the floor to the rear wall, a rear location near the rear wall to collect the oil from the platform floor; and a pump connected to the rear location that removes the oil from the rear location to a storage area which does not affect the ballast of the platform. The skimmer vessel can work stationary in the water, and does not require a propellor means, as the oil will continue to flow into the skimmer as the oil is pumped out of the rear by the gravity flow to the rear of the vessel.