Surface Spill Containment Liner With Passive Hydrocarbon Filtration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for containing oil spills from equipment, such as electric power distribution substations, are prone to failure due to mechanical issues with pumps and sensors, and often require electrical power, which may not be available during equipment failures, leading to environmental contamination.
Innovation Solution
A surface containment system featuring an impermeable barrier liner and modular perimeter wall with integrated filtering systems, allowing water to pass while retaining hydrocarbons, and utilizing ground-engaging anchors for stability, enabling effective spill containment without excavation or permanent structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If pumps and sensors are used for spill containment, then spill control capability is improved, but system reliability deteriorates due to mechanical failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical pumps and electrical sensors with a passive containment system that uses gravity-driven flow through filter walls. The filter wall structure allows water to pass through while retaining hydrocarbons without requiring mechanical components, thereby eliminating mechanical failures while maintaining spill control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The containment system is designed to operate autonomously without external power or control systems. The filter wall automatically separates hydrocarbons from water based on density differences, and the collected hydrocarbons can be manually removed when needed, making the system self-sufficient and highly reliable.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If electrical power is required for spill containment systems, then spill control capability is improved, but system availability deteriorates when power is unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces electrical-powered pumps and sensors with a passive gravity-driven filtration system. The filter wall structure enables automatic separation of hydrocarbons from water without requiring electrical power, ensuring continuous operation during power outages and enhancing system availability.
3Reliability
If permanent structures with excavation are used, then containment reliability is improved, but ease of installation and environmental impact worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible filter wall structure that can be deployed without excavation. The thin film or flexible wall is positioned around the equipment and extends into the ground to create the containment reservoir, eliminating the need for concrete structures or excavation while maintaining containment reliability through proper sealing and grounding.
Solution Approach 2:
The containment system is divided into modular components including the filter wall, perimeter wall, and base component that can be independently installed and assembled. This segmentation allows for easy installation without excavation and enables the system to adapt to various ground conditions and equipment configurations.
4Strength
If ground anchors with solid shafts are used, then structural stability is improved, but installation difficulty increases due to underground obstructions
Solution Approach 1:
The base component incorporates a porous structure with voids that allow ground anchors to pass through during installation. The porous design enables anchors to penetrate the base component and engage with the ground without being blocked by solid structures, maintaining structural stability while facilitating easy installation even in the presence of underground obstructions.
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 system effectively contains and filters spills, preventing environmental contamination by allowing water to flow while retaining harmful hydrocarbons, and can be easily transported and set up without significant environmental impact, even in areas with underground obstructions.
Implementation Method 1
allow water to pass by way of gravity from the reservoir through the impermeable barrier
Implementation Method 2
the fluid conduit comprising a capsule filter or filter wall to allow water to pass
Data Source
AI summary
A surface containment system to contain liquid contaminates escaping from a vessel, the containment system having in one example: a water and oil impermeable barrier liner positioned below the vessel; a perimeter wall surrounding the vessel, the perimeter wall extending vertically from the ground surface and supporting a portion of the barrier liner so as to from a containment reservoir; at least one fluid conduit through the barrier liner, the fluid conduit having a filter configured to retain contaminates and configured to allow water to pass by way of gravity from the reservoir through the impermeable barrier; the perimeter wall formed of a plurality of wall panels connected by way of struts each having a vertical component, a base component anchored to ground.