Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
  • E02B15/00—Cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water; Apparatus therefor
  • E02B15/04—Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like floating materials by separating or removing these materials
  • E02B15/08—Devices for reducing the polluted area with or without additional devices for removing the material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B25/00—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby
  • B63B25/02—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby for bulk goods
  • B63B25/08—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby for bulk goods fluid
  • B63B25/082—Arrangements for minimizing pollution by accidents
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B35/00—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
  • B63B35/32—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for for collecting pollution from open water
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
  • E02B15/00—Cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water; Apparatus therefor
  • E02B15/04—Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like floating materials by separating or removing these materials
  • E02B15/08—Devices for reducing the polluted area with or without additional devices for removing the material
  • E02B15/0814—Devices for reducing the polluted area with or without additional devices for removing the material with underwater curtains
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
  • E02B15/00—Cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water; Apparatus therefor
  • E02B15/04—Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like floating materials by separating or removing these materials
  • E02B15/08—Devices for reducing the polluted area with or without additional devices for removing the material
  • E02B15/0828—Devices for reducing the polluted area with or without additional devices for removing the material fixed to the side of a boat for containing small leaks in the hull
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
  • E02B15/00—Cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water; Apparatus therefor
  • E02B15/04—Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like floating materials by separating or removing these materials
  • E02B15/08—Devices for reducing the polluted area with or without additional devices for removing the material
  • E02B15/0857—Buoyancy material
  • E02B15/0864—Air
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02A20/00—Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use
  • Y02A20/20—Controlling water pollution; Waste water treatment
  • Y02A20/204—Keeping clear the surface of open water from oil spills

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an oil leakage confiner for vessels, off-shore oil well rigs, etc.
• oil leakage confiners are used to surround escaped oil which may occur in connection with grounding of vessels or oil-leaks from off-shore oil well rigs.
• the intention is to restrict the damage that may be caused by such an oil-spill.
• the confined oil is skimmed fro the surface of the water or is ta ⁇ ken care of in some other way. It is of great importance that the oil confiner can be launched at short notice to prevent the oil from escaping to a wider area by the influence of wind and currents.
• a primary object of this invention is to provide an oil confiner which may be launched immediately when oil has escaped, in order to surround the very source of the leakage.
• a further object of this invention is to provide an oil confiner which is easy to handle and which re- quires very little space when stored on a vessel or on an off-shore oil rig.
• Another object of this invention is to provide an oil confiner which can be launched by a simple push- -birtton operation.
• a still further object of this invention is to pro ⁇ vide an oil confiner the capacity of which is improved as compared with prior art oil confiners.
• the oil confiner according to the invention is arranged in a stand-by condition along the sides of the vessel or rig as an enclosed unit.
• the confiner includes several sections comprising inflatable hulls connected together.
• the confiner can be suspended from the sides of the vessel or rig by means of disengageable couplings, the disengagement of which effects an automatic launch ⁇ ing of the confiner.
• Loops cooperating with the couplings are attached to the upper edge of the confiner adjacent to or along the inflatable hull which forms an integral part of the confiner.
• the depth of the confiner or the space required for storing the- confiner along the sides of the vessel or rig can be increased or decreased, respectively, by attaching loops between the hull and a sinker at the bottom of the confiner. These loops cooperate with the said couplings, which means that the confiner will be arranged double- olded in the stand-by position.
• the capacity of the confiner can be increased by arranging the confiner in a serpentine-fashion along the sides of the vessel or rig and attaching it to the couplings there. This means that the total circumference of the confiner in the launching position will consider ⁇ ably exceed the circumference of the vessel or rig.
• the couplings may include several hooks, each of which carries a portion of the confiner and which can be " adjusted to a position to disengage the loops at ⁇ tached to the confiner. By arranging the hooks on one or more rotatable shafts, the loops can be disengaged from the hooks simply by rotating such shafts.
• the hooks can be arranged to disengage first the loops between the hull and the bottom of the confiner and then the loops at ⁇ tached to the upper edge along the inflatable hull.
• the hooks are arranged on two spaced parallel shafts opera- tively connected by at least two pairs of toothed seg ⁇ ments, one segment of each pair being connected to an operating mechanism comprising a rotatable gearwheel.
• the confiner suitably is arranged in a stand-by position behind a protective housing alongside, inside or above the outer sides of the vessel or rig.
• the confiner may be attached to the vessel or rig by means of spacers when the confiner is in the launched position thereof.
• the capacity of the confiner depends upon the length of the confiner, which must exceed the circum ⁇ ference of the vessel or rig when the confiner is in . the launched position thereof.
• the necessary length of the confiner can be achieved by arranging the confiner in a serpentine-fashion along the sides of the vessel or rig as mentioned above. In this way the confiner may be given a circumference exceeding the circumference of the vessel or the rig up to three times. Al ernatively, the confiner may be folded in a zig-zag-fashion in the stand-by position and then laid in a serpentine-fashion thus forming an essentially compact endless body. Such a confiner may simply be sus ⁇ pended or even laid out directly on a collapsible sup- port along the outside of the vessel or rig.
• the OMPI confiner to launch completely the confiner.
• the in ⁇ flatable hull forming an integral part of the confiner will then be filled with gas in order to give the hull a sufficient buoyancy.
• the hull of the confiner may be inflated automatically when striking against the sur ⁇ face of the water by means of gas-cartridges attached to the hull or, via air pipes, from a central supply of compressed air on the vessel or rig.
• such means may comprise cables passing through the loops attached to the confiner.
• the cables are withdrawn from the loops when the confiner is to be launched. This means that two cables have to be used to launch a double-folded confiner.
• the confiner When used on a vessel , the confiner preferably is released initially at the stern of the vessel and then continuously forwards in parallel with the sides of the vessel .
• the confiner of this invention may be used on al- ready existing vessels or oil rigs, but the confiner will have a more protected storing place on the vessel or rig if constructed from the beginning to carry the conf ner.
• the sinker of the confiner of this invention may be used as part of the protective housing in which the confiner is stored in the stand-by position thereof. Said part of the housing may be released to fall free ⁇ ly towards the surface of the water a certain distance in such a way that the force of the falling sinker ef- fects the unfolding of the double-folded confiner which is suspended along the sides of the vessel or rig.
• the sinker may comprise a metal sheet connec ⁇ ted to the bottom of the confiner.
• the confiner When launched the confiner may still be connected to the vessel or rig by means of spacers which can be
• OMPI / ,__ WIPO N adjusted to provide different spacings between the con ⁇ finer and the vessel or rig. Said spacings may vary around the circumference of the confiner.
• FIG 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the double-folded confiner according to the present invention .
• FIG 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the confiner arranged in a serpentine-fashion in the stand-by position
• FIG 3 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the dis- engageable couplings in which the confiner is to be suspended along the sides of the vessel or rig
• FIG 4 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the disengageable couplings carrying the con ⁇ finer at loops at ' tachedto the confiner
• FIG 5a-5c show different arrangements of the con ⁇ finer along the sides of the vessel or rig
• FIG 6 shows a confiner which has been folded in a zig-zag-fashion and then laid directly on a col ⁇ lapsible support forming part of a housing protect ⁇ ing the confiner.
• FIG 1 the confiner comprising an inflatable hull 2 and a sinker 3 is shown in a double-folded fashion.
• the confiner will be placed in a serpen ⁇ tine-fashion along the sides of the vessel or rig in or ⁇ der to obtain a circumference of the confiner exceeding the circumference of the vessel or rig when the confiner is in the launched position thereof.
• the confiner is re- leasably suspended at loops 4.
• the coupling shown in FIG 3 is used to store the confiner in a stand-by posi ⁇ tion and comprises two parallel rotatable shafts 9, 10 mutually spaced, on which couplings 11, 12 are attached,
• the loops 4 attached to the confiner are releasably en- gaged by said couplings.
• the shafts 9, 10 are operatively interconnected by toothed segments 6, 7 which are rotatable together with the shafts 9, 10 to a position wherein the coup ⁇ lings 11, 12 disengage the loops 4 of the confiner.
• the shafts 9, 10 are operated to the disengaged position by actuating one segment of each pair of segments 6, 7 over a mechanism including a manually operated crank 8 and a right-angle gearing 8a operatively connected to the shaft 10 for operating the segment 7 which in turn engages and actuates the segment 6 attached to the shaft 9.
• the coupling arrangement 5 shown in FIG 3 and 4 allows the confiner 1 to be unfolded in stages in such a way that the bottom part of the confiner is first re- leased by disengaging the couplings from the loops 4, which means that the weight of the confiner 1 and the sinker 3 forces the folded section of the confiner to spread out- vertically.
• the confiner will remain in this position along the sides of the vessel or rig, until the second couplings 12 have been disengaged from the loops 4 attached to the inflatable hull 2 of the con ⁇ finer.
• the couplings 11' , 12' are each integral with one segment of each pair of segments 6 and 7 which are rotated in a way similar to that men ⁇ tioned with reference to FIG 3.
• Couplings 11 ' are for ⁇ med as straight hooks while couplings 12' are formed as curved hooks.
• the couplings 11' will first disengage the loops 4' at ⁇ tached to the lower portion of the confiner and then, at continued rotation of the shafts, couplings 12' will disengage the loops 4 attached to the hull.
• the hook 11' abuts the hook 12' in the engaged position so as to prevent unintentional disengagement , of the loops from the hooks.
• FIG 5a shows an embodiment of the invention, where ⁇ in the confiner is stored within a housing 16 arranged along the outside 13 of the vessel or rig.
• the deck and the gunwale of the vessel or rig are indicated at 14 and 15, respectively.
• the embodiment accord ⁇ ing to FIG 5a is used when the confiner of this inven ⁇ tion shall be attached to an already existing construc- tion.
• FIG 5a a lid 17 is shown.
• the lid is kept in closed position by means of holders 18 attached between the lid and one of the couplings.
• the lid may be connected to the sinker of the confiner by connection means 19 or may be connected to the bottom of the confiner by such means to be used as a sinker, provided that the weight of the lid 17 is sufficient for unfolding the confiner when released.
• FIG 5b which can be used on existing constructions as well as planned constructions, a protected storing place has been pro ⁇ vided for the confiner 1 inside the outline of the ves ⁇ sel or rig.
• FIG 5c another arrangement is shown, wherein the confiner has been built in under the deck 14 and inside the outline of the vessel or rig.
• the confiner 1 is folded in a zig-zag-fashion and stored in a serpentine-fashion inside the housing
• the launching of such a confiner can be accomplished in several different ways.
• the housing 16 in FIG 6 is shown with a bottom forming a collapsible support or re- leasable bottom 17, on which the confiner may be suppor- ted directly.
• the support or bottom 17 is attached to the housing through releasing means not shown in the drawing. By actuating these releasing means the sup ⁇ port or bottom 17 may be dropped to launch the packed confiner.
• the launching of the confiner can be accom- plished by inflating the hull of the confiner with com-- pressed air to expand the confiner towards the support or bottom 17 and thus providing a force sufficient to release the support or bottom. It is possible to sus ⁇ pend the packed confiner in separate coupling means within the housing, which coupling means have to be dis ⁇ engaged in order to launch the confiner.
• the canvas is sealingly attach- ed to the sides of the vessel or rig or to one upper edge of the housing and is releasably attached to the other upper edge of the housing to enclose the confiner - therein .
• the confiner is stored within the canvas in the stand-by position.
• the confiner can be packed together with common salt or another antifreeze agent. Sealing means may be provided at the canvas material adjacent the releasable edge thereof.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Eye Examination Apparatus (AREA)
• Earth Drilling (AREA)
• Prostheses (AREA)
• Removal Of Floating Material (AREA)
• Transformer Cooling (AREA)
• Feeding And Controlling Fuel (AREA)
• Fats And Perfumes (AREA)
• Lubrication Details And Ventilation Of Internal Combustion Engines (AREA)
• Cleaning Or Clearing Of The Surface Of Open Water (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20337197

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (10)

Families Citing this family (15)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 1979
  • 1979-02-05 SE SE7900974A patent/SE7900974L/xx not_active Application Discontinuation
• 1980
  • 1980-02-04 JP JP50043480A patent/JPS56500262A/ja active Pending
  • 1980-02-04 WO PCT/SE1980/000033 patent/WO1980001580A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1980-02-05 FI FI800344A patent/FI800344A7/fi not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1980-02-05 BE BE2/58386A patent/BE881538A/fr unknown
  • 1980-02-05 IT IT19700/80A patent/IT1130013B/it active
  • 1980-02-05 ES ES488282A patent/ES488282A0/es active Granted
  • 1980-08-15 EP EP80901250A patent/EP0023521A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1980-10-02 NO NO802923A patent/NO802923L/no unknown
  • 1980-10-03 DK DK420080A patent/DK420080A/da not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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