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This invention relates to installations for collecting
oil and fuel spilled at s~ea.
The irw ention is an installation which makes it
possible, in optimal form and with a high rata of yield, to
collect oils and fuels spilled at sea, such as crude oil and
the like. This not only avoids the ecological disasters
caused by the breakup or sinking of large oil--tankers, it
also uses resources for recovering such fuels with minimum
costs and so that, once recycled, they can be useful to
1.0 society. The installation makes use of a surface cascade or
overflow system inside a set of semi-floating funnels fitted
on a platform. They are operated by floating buoys so that
a fine layer of oil-water flows on the surface of the
funnels, of some two centimetres thickness. The system
takes advantage of the fact that fuels float on the surface
of the sea. Control of the flow of liquid in cascade form
into the funnels is calculated and designated to be done
intermittently so that, first, all the water of the layer
taken in enters: should water enter continuously the oil
would not. The entry of the water-oiI flow is automatically
regulated so that, as the collecting tanks fill, less liquid
enters, thereby improving ,performance. The final phase or
process of the installation cansists of an elevation pump
for the oil-water mix collected in the tanks, taking it up
to the surface inside some tanks where the oil is separated
from the water which has been mixed in the process.
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The technique currently used to collect energy
products such as oil spilled at sea take in a variety of
procedures. One involves the use of special boats which,
as they move forward, collect the upper layer through
gates. Also, there are other methods such as hoses for
suction of the ~>roduct~ and other highly complex high
technology systems. All are extremely expensive and of
reduced productivity and profitability, nor do they
significantly reduce t:he ecological damage caused. It has
thus become necE:ssary to create a new method, of reduced
cost and high yield in the collection of the product, with
limited maintenance, and able to be easily placed at the
centre of the oi.l spillage.
According t:o the invention, an installation for the
collection of oils and fuels spilled at sea comprises an
oil collecting :stage, a first tank and a second tank
arranged in different levels below said oil collecting
stage, a suction pump and a final tank for separation of
oil from water; where_Ln the oil collecting stage comprises
at least one platform having a plurality of supports which
are equally spaced around the platform, at least one
funnel to collects a m_~xture of the oil and water on the
surface of the e~ea, the funnel being mounted approximately
in the center of: the platform and having a first flexible
pipe connected t:o the bottom of the funnel and to the top
of the first tank; a plurality of pipes, each having one
end secured to a respective one of the supports and a
second end linked to t:he second ends of the remainder of
said plurality of pipe's at a junction; a plurality of
buoys to determine the: floatability level of the platform,
the buoys being connected to retractable cables which go
through said plurality of pipes and are linked to a
descending cable: at the junction; wherein the first tank
is submerged under the' sea and has a first float therein,
a pulley fixed t;o the bottom of the first tank, and a
second flexible pipe having an inlet secured to the first
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float and an outlet in the top of said second tank; and
wherein the desc:endinc~ cable is guided along the first
flexible pipe into thE~ first tank, guided under the pulley
and fixed to the: bottom of the first float, such that the
height of the p7_atforrn is controlled by the level of the
first float.
The instal7_ation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
second tank is submerged more deeply than the first tank,
and further comprising a second float inside said second
tank and a third flexible pipe having an inlet secured to
the second float: and <an outlet linked to the suction pump;
wherein the final tank floats on the sea and is connected
to the suction pump b~~r means of an elevation pipe and
wherein the first tanlc, the second tank and the suction
pump are secured to a housing which is submerged and has
surface buoys.
The instal7_ation as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
elevation pipe coming out of the suction pump is connected
to a top cover of the final tank and the final tank has a
f final float thex-ein to which an inlet of a f final flexible
pipe is connected such that the inlet of the final
flexible pipe stays in a layer of the oil and only the oil
is exhausted thx-ough a valve controlled outlet of the
final flexible pipe into a container; and wherein the
final tank is provided with an outlet pipe at the bottom
thereof to exhaust wai:er to the sea.
The installation for the collection of oils and fuels
spilled at sea, descr_Lbed herein, comprises one or more
orifices on the surface of the sea so as to enable the
entry by overflow or cascade of the product or the oil
mixed with the water on the surface. The orifices take
the form of funnels f_Ltted on platforms, with floats of a
suitable height according to the wave-height, so that the
product collected is taken through flexible piping to a
tank submerged underwater and which is gradually filled.
This tank has an internal float which, according to the
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level of the co:Llected product, operates a cable which is
connected to the' funny=1 platform buoys to ensure that it
is at times undE~rwate:r and at others above the water
level, thereby preveni~ing the tank from filling
completely. Between i~he tank for the reception of the
product and further bottom tank there is a flexible pipe
link which makes it possible to once more collect the
product close to the upper level, so enriching the energy
product saved. Finalay, from this second tank, at the
upper level of its contents, it is absorbed by a pump
along a flexible pipe which lifts the liquid to a final
tank, above the water level, where the oil is collected
and the water reaturned to the sea.
For a better understanding of the general
characteristics set out, drawings are attached which will
show a graphic and di<~grammatic representation of a
practical design for i~he installation for collection of
oils and fuels spilled at sea.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the
complete instalJ_ation,, set up at sea and ready for use;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of one of the funnels
through which the liquid falls by cascade, fitted on a
platform which has several floats fitted around it on
supports. The floats can be adjusted in height according
to the volume of: liquid in the first collection tank. The
funnel is partly submerged, so as to allow the product on
the surface of t:he sea to enter;
Figure 3 is the same side elevational view as in
Figure 2 but the' plats=orm is higher than the surface of
the sea, when tree fir:~t tank is fuller;
Figure 4 i.~ a top plan view of one of the platforms
with the funnel for the entry by cascade of the product
deposited on the: surface of the sea, the platform having
several adjustable floats spaced around it in such a way
as to take any form and size;
5
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional elevation of the final
tank for the collection of the product, with the outlet
pipes for the fuel, which is to be collected .in barrels and
tanks, and for the water which is returned to the sea. The
pipe for the oil is flexible and is secured to the level
buoy for correct removal.
The semi-floating platform 1 has the opening of the
funnel 2 in the central part, with a filter 3 to prevent the
entry of impurities and foreign bodies which might damage
lU the installation. At several points, equally spaced around
its perimeter, support strips 4 are placed. At the end of
these strips piping 5 is fixed. The piping acts as a guide
for a cable 6 which has its outer end secured to a buoy 7
which can be adjusted in height. All the cables 6 of the
buoys 7 are linked at junction 8 where they are all fixed to
a descending cable 9. This cable 9 is guided by flanges 10
located alongside the funnel 2 and an input pipe 11 for the
product collected. The product enters the funnel 2 in
cascade form at the level corresponding to the surface of
the sea which is where the product floats.
The piping 11, which is flexible, is introduced at the
centre of the top of a tank 12 which is submerged. The tank
12 is fixed to a housing or structure 13 having buoys or
floats 14. The liquid gathered spills into the interior of
the tank 12, raising the liquid level plus an interior buoy
15 to which the end of the descending cable 9 is secured.
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This cable runs around a pulley 16 secured in the bottom of
the tank 12. This arrangement creates a traction effect on
the cable 9 lowering i~he surface buoys 7 as the tank fills
12. Thus the platform 1 raises to prevent the product from
entering in cascade until the level in the tank 12 drops
once more taking the: platform down with it. When the
platform comes down, this resumes the collection of the
product from tike surface. These operations are fully
automatic.
Inside the tank 12 and at a given height for the
absorption of the oil. on the surface, there is a tube or
flexible pipe 17 whose end is introduced into a tank 18
through the centre of its cover or top. The pipe 17 has an
inlet secured to the float or buoy 15 and thus its inlet
moves up or down with this float. The product is gathered
from the first rank 12 and deposited in the second tank 18
for collection. The e~econd tank is fitted on the structure
13 at a greater depth than the tank 12 to allow the liquid
to enter.
Inside the tank 7.8 at a suitable height to collect the
largest possible amount of oil, there is a pipe 19 which
runs to a suction pump 20. The pipe 19 inside the tank 18
is fixed to an internal buoy 21 and, therefore, the pipe 19
is in the liquid contained in this tank, so that the pump
does not operate in vacuum. From the pump, an ascending
pipe 22 emerges and this pipe places the water-oil mixture
in a final tank 23 which is located above the surface of the
sea and fitted with floats 24. Inside this tank 23 is the
buoy or float 25 to which a flexible pipe 26 is fixed. This
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pipe is located in the upper mass of oil and has an outlet
27 fitted with a tap or valve 28 to allow collection of the
oil for use and storage in drums or tanks. In the bottom of
the tank 23 there is a further outlet pipe 29 which allows
the clean water 'to return to the sea.
Naturally, i~his installation could, for greater
performance, have several platforms 1 with their associated
funnels 2 for thc~ cascading drop of the water/oil, with feed
pipes to the tanks 12 and 18 and collection in the tank 23
for use.
The tank 18 fitted on the structure 13 has a tap 30
with an ascending operating bar 31. This bar 31 is turned
by outside flywheel 32 located above seal level. The tap 30
permits the structure :L3 to be submerged in the sea with the
tanks 12 and 18 and the suction pump 20. Through the tap
30, sea water enters tlae tanks 12 and 18, avoiding air
chambers which would make it more difficult to submerge.
Once the structure 13 is fully in position, the tap 30 is
closed to begin the product collection operations.
The variables volume air chambers inside the tanks 12
and 18, depending on the amount of liquid collected, are
linked together amd wii:h the outside, by piping 33 so that
this air does not. create pressure or resistance at the level
of the product collected.
Having thus fully described the parts making up the
present installation for the collection of oils and fuels
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spilled at sea, it should be Voted that its different parts
can be made in a variety of materials, sizes and shapes, and
variations may be rnade to the design. which practice makes
advisable withoztt. departing from the spirit and scope of
this invention.
