Sub-surface Oil Capture Apparatus with Adjustable Buoyancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for oil spill recovery are ineffective in capturing and removing oil plumes located beneath the water surface, as they are designed to address only floating surface oil or oil that has washed ashore, leaving significant amounts of hazardous sub-surface oil dispersed at great depths untouched.
Innovation Solution
A sub-surface oil capture apparatus comprising a filtration member connected to a mouth frame with buoyancy and weight members, allowing adjustment of depth, and composed of materials that retain hydrocarbons while allowing water to pass through, enabling effective retrieval of oil from depths of hundreds or thousands of feet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If surface skimmers and floating booms are used to recover oil spills, then surface oil can be captured and removed, but sub-surface oil plumes remain unaffected and dispersed at great depths
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from two-dimensional surface skimming to three-dimensional sub-surface operation by deploying a conical filtration apparatus that operates at adjustable depths. The conical shape with open end facing downward enables the apparatus to intercept oil plumes in the vertical dimension while maintaining surface access for deployment and retrieval.
Solution Approach 2:
The filtration member is constructed from porous material that selectively allows oil to pass through while blocking water. This porous structure enables the apparatus to capture sub-surface oil plumes effectively, distinguishing it from conventional surface skimmers that cannot access deeper waters.
2Quantity of substance
If the filtration member surface area is increased to improve oil capture capacity, then hydrocarbon retention improves, but the device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The conical shape of the filtration member provides an optimized surface area to volume ratio, maximizing oil capture capacity while minimizing structural complexity. The curved conical surface allows for efficient oil interception from multiple angles without requiring complex multi-component structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The filtration member is nested within the support structure, with the conical filtration element positioned inside the cylindrical support. This nested arrangement maximizes the use of available space, allowing a large filtration surface area to be contained within a compact overall apparatus structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If buoyancy members are added to adjust residence depth, then adaptability to different oil plume depths is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Buoyancy members are integrated into the support structure to provide adjustable upward force that counteracts the downward force of the filtration member and water pressure. This allows the apparatus to be positioned at various depths by adjusting the buoyancy force, enabling adaptation to different oil plume locations without requiring multiple separate positioning mechanisms.
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 apparatus effectively captures and removes sub-surface oil plumes, addressing the limitations of existing technologies by allowing for adjustable depth operation and efficient hydrocarbon retention, potentially mitigating the unknown but potentially catastrophic impacts of submerged oil.
Implementation Method 1
The filtration member is composed of a material that retains hydrocarbons but allows water to pass through
Implementation Method 2
The apparatus is provided with buoyancy members and weight members such that the residence depth of the apparatus when pulled through the water can be raised or lowered by adjusting the amount of buoyancy or weight
Data Source
AI summary
A subsurface hydrocarbon capture apparatus having a filtration member connected to a mouth frame, wherein the filtration member is composed of a material that is hydrophobic and lipophilic, the apparatus having buoyancy and weight members to maintain the apparatus in a subsurface disposition when pulled by a boat.