Rotating Modules for Boat-Friendly River Waste Collection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing river and watercourse cleaning systems disrupt ecosystems, hinder boat traffic, are inefficient in handling floating waste, and require frequent maintenance, especially in dynamic water conditions.
Innovation Solution
A modular system comprising floating or non-floating modules aligned along a watercourse, rotating due to water thrust, collecting waste and oil, with adjustable positioning and energy harvesting capabilities, allowing boat passage and easy maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If fixed small draught nets are used to clean rivers, then plastic waste collection is improved, but boat circulation is prevented and ecosystem is disturbed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs floating modules that can move dynamically with water current and wave action, allowing the cleaning system to adapt to changing water conditions while maintaining operational flexibility. The modules are designed to be deployed and retrieved as needed, enabling boat circulation when cleaning is not required.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning system is divided into multiple independent floating modules that can be deployed along the watercourse. Each module operates independently to collect waste, allowing the system to be configured in different arrangements and to be accessed or removed from specific locations without blocking the entire watercourse.
2Productivity
If floating dams are used to stop waste carried by currents, then waste collection is improved, but free circulation of boats is prevented and organic materials accumulate
Solution Approach 1:
The floating modules are designed with specific local characteristics - they collect waste through their hull design and interaction with water current, but they do not form a continuous barrier like traditional floating dams. The modules are spaced apart, allowing boat circulation while maintaining waste collection capability at each location.
3Productivity
If individual devices for removing floating oils are used, then oil removal is improved locally, but effectiveness is reduced in watercourses with current and continuous movement is required
Solution Approach 1:
The floating modules are designed to passively collect oils and floating substances through their interaction with water current and wave action. The modules self-position themselves in the watercourse and continuously collect waste without requiring external power or continuous operational intervention, reducing time loss and maintaining effectiveness in flowing water.
4Productivity
If structures crosswise with belts or screws are used to move waste, then waste interception is improved, but device complexity increases and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The floating modules utilize natural water current and wave energy to drive waste collection and movement. The modules are designed to be passive, utilizing hydrodynamic forces rather than mechanical rotating elements, thereby reducing device complexity and maintenance requirements while maintaining effective waste interception.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for cleaning rivers and waterways in general includes a plurality of floating or non-floating modules configured to rotate at least due to the effect of the thrusting action exerted by the water, and constraining elements configured to constrain two or more of the modules to be substantially aligned with one another along at least one main direction. The constraining elements are configured to ensure that a minimum clearance is provided between each module and an adjacent module, so that the modules do not come in contact with each other during their normal operation, and so that each module, due to its own rotation, pushes waste toward an adjacent module.