On-Board Re-Inflatable Containment Boom for Rapid Oil Spill Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional floating oil booms are slow to deploy, require multiple power sources, and are limited in length, leading to delayed responses to oil spills due to the need for separate inflation of each section and reliance on secondary deployment vessels, resulting in increased toxin discharge.
Innovation Solution
An on-board re-inflatable containment boom system with a pneumatic control system that allows for rapid deployment and inflation from a single point, using an inflatable gas delivery hose running concurrently with the boom, enabling continuous inflation and maintaining pressure equalized with the boom's capabilities, and allowing for directional control without a secondary deployment vessel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional floating oil booms are deployed by attaching the leading end to a deployment vessel and towing into place, then the boom can be contained and controlled during deployment, but the deployment time is significantly increased and response to oil spills is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional deployment approach by inflating the boom from the trailing end instead of the leading end. The inflatable hose is attached at the trailing end and extends forward, allowing inflation to propagate toward the leading end. This inversion enables the boom to be rapidly inflated while being towed, dramatically reducing deployment time and enabling immediate response to oil spills.
2Ease of operation
If conventional booms are sectioned into self-contained inflatable gas bladders that must be inflated separately, then each section can be controlled independently, but the inflation process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate inflation operations into a single continuous inflation process. Instead of using separate inflatable bladders that must be inflated individually, the system uses a single continuous inflatable hose that runs the length of the boom, allowing all sections to be inflated simultaneously through one continuous action, greatly simplifying the operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous inflation action by using a single inflatable hose that extends continuously from the trailing end to the leading end of the boom. As the boom is towed through the water, the inflation process continues uninterrupted along the entire length of the boom, eliminating the need for discrete inflation steps and maintaining continuous useful action throughout deployment.
3Reliability
If multiple power sources are used to inflate different sections of the boom, then each section can be inflated reliably, but the system requires multiple power sources increasing complexity and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by using a single power source that serves the entire boom inflation system. The single inflatable hose connected to one power source can inflate the entire length of the boom, making this one power source universal for the whole system rather than requiring separate power sources for each section, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining reliability.
4Reliability
If the boom is transported from shore-based facilities or land locations miles away from the spill site, then the boom can be stored in a controlled environment, but the transport time delays the response and allows increased toxin discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-attaching the inflatable hose to the trailing end of the boom during manufacturing or pre-deployment preparation. This preliminary attachment means that when deployment is required, the system is already configured for immediate inflation from the trailing end, eliminating setup time and enabling rapid response without requiring transport from distant shore-based facilities.
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 immediate and effective response to oil spills with a rapidly deployable, repeatedly usable containment boom that can be transported and deployed on-site, reducing toxin discharge and increasing operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a pneumatic control system that allows for rapid deployment and inflation from a single point, using an inflatable gas delivery hose running concurrently with the boom, enabling continuous inflation and maintaining pressure equalized with the boom's capabilities
Implementation Method 2
Conventional floating booms are either housed on a shore based response vessel or on land usually miles or hours away from the spill site in a deflated state. When needed these booms are deployed by attaching the leading end of the boom to a deployment vessel which tows the boom into place and inflates the boom from the leading end.
Data Source
AI summary
An on-board re-inflatable containment boom for a waterborne vessel that lies substantially flat and capable of being spooled when deflated and floats in the proper orientation when inflated, that has re-inflatable float sections which are sequentially inflated during deployment and sequentially deflated during recovery, that can be repeatedly deployed and recovered for the purposes of training and testing, and that can be deployed immediately upon occurrence of an oil spill from a waterborne vessel because of its on-board location and its rapid deployment, and a control system for proper inflation and deflation of re-inflatable containment boom during deployment and recovery.