METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUBSURFACE OIL RECOVERY USING A SUBMERSIBLE UNIT

• US 20080135494A1
• Filed: 08/17/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marine Pollution Control Corporation
• Original Assignee: David Usher
• Inventors: USHER, DAVID
• Granted Patent: US 7,597,811 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/747
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/32 for collecting pollution from open water
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/046 Collection of oil using vessels, i.e. boats, barges
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/204 Keeping clear the surface of open water from oil spills
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/922 Oil spill cleanup, e.g. bacterial
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/923 using mechanical means, e.g. skimmers, pump

Abstract

Pollutants such as hydrocarbons which have settled on the bed of a body of water are removed to the surface using a submersible vehicle positioned above the bed of a diver supported on a platform above the pollutant. A wand at one end of a pipe evacuated by a centrifugal pump is manipulated to draw the pollutant to the surface for treatment or disposal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the recovery of polluting chemicals settled on or above the bed of a body of water comprising:

a submersible work unit operative to be positioned adjacent to and above the settled polluting chemicals;

a system for the work unit operative to control its position in a body of water;

an elongated pipe having a first end supported adjacent to the work unit and a second end disposed at a remote location;

a nozzle attached to the first end of the pipe, operative as an entry point for the settled polluting chemicals into the pipe;

a pump for drawing polluting chemicals and other materials associated with the recovery process from the first end of the pipe to the second end;

a vessel on the surface of the body of water operative to receive and/or process the recovered polluting chemicals.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an elongated support having a first end connected to the submersible work unit and a second end extending from the work unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said elongated support comprises a robotic mechanical arm.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a control system for moving and positioning the second end of said robotic arm.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said robotic arm is capable of movement along three mutually perpendicular axes.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the position of the second end of said elongated support determines the position of the first end of said elongated pipe.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said work unit comprises a diver support platform.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said diver support platform is tethered to the surface vessel such that the work unit and surface vessel move together as a single unit.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a system to control the depth of said diver support platform within the body of water.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said submersible work unit comprises a submersible vessel.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said submersible vessel comprises a remotely operated vehicle (ROV).

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said submersible vessel comprises thrusters operative to propel the vessel along its recovery path.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a debris recovery structure operative to remove debris from the recovered polluting chemicals and water.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said debris recovery structure comprises a chamber for removal or ejection of any collected debris.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a hydrocarbon/water separator operative to separate the recovered polluting chemicals from any water that may have been recovered with it.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 herein said hydrocarbon/water separator comprises skimming elements operative to separate the recovered polluting chemicals from any water that may have been recovered with it.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle comprises skimming elements operative to separate water from polluting chemicals.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a camera system operative to provide images of an area on the bottom of the body of water to a location remote from the imaged area.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 comprising communications channels for relaying images obtained from said camera system to a remote location.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pump comprises a hydraulically driven axial flow pump.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a second elongated pipe having a first end connected to the said pump and a second end extending to the surface of the body of water, said pipe operative to deliver tie recovered polluting chemicals to the surface of the body of water.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a GPS positioning system.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a system of adaptable floats and/or ancillary rigging operative to support the apparatus at a plurality of water depths.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a system to deliver steam and/or heat to the settled polluting chemicals, said steam and/or heat operative to decrease the viscosity of the polluting chemicals.

25. An apparatus for the removal of polluting chemicals settled on the bed of a body of water, comprising:

a submersible ROV operative to be positioned adjacent to and above the settled polluting chemicals;

a propulsion system for the ROV operative to control its position in a body of water;

a robotic mechanical arm having a first end connected to the ROV and a second end extending from the ROV;

a control system for moving and positioning the second end of the robotic mechanical arm;

a vessel on the surface of the body of water operative to receive and/or process the recovered polluting chemicals;

a first elongated pipe having a first end supported by the second end of the robotic arm and a second end connected to a debris recovery chamber.

a nozzle connected to the first end of the first elongated pipe operative as an entry point for the settled polluting chemicals into the pipe

a hydraulically driven axial-flow pump for drawing polluting chemicals and other materials associated with the recovery process from the first end of an elongated pipe to the second end.

a second elongated pipe having a first end connected to the hydraulically driven axial-flow pump and a second end extending to the ship on the surface of the body of water.

a debris recovery structure operative to separate any debris from the polluting chemicals

a hydrocarbon/water separator operative to remove water from the polluting chemicals

a system of adaptable floats and/or ancillary rigging operable to support the apparatus at a plurality of water depths.

a system to deliver steam and/or heat from the surface ship through the first and second elongated pipes and to the mass of settled polluting chemicals.

26. A method for the recovery of polluting chemicals settled on the bed of a body of water comprising:

positioning a vessel on the surface of the body of water such that it is near a location above the settled polluting chemicals;

positioning a submersible work unit adjacent to and above the settled polluting chemicals;

positioning a pipe and nozzle associated with the submersible work unit adjacent to the settled polluting chemicals;

drawing the settled hydrocarbons into and through the pipe by means of suction generated by a pump;

pumping the collected polluting chemicals through a pipe to the vessel on the surface of the body of water;

repositioning the pipe and nozzle associated with the submersible work unit so as to maintain their position adjacent to the settled polluting chemicals;

storing the collected polluting chemicals in the vessel on the surface of the body of water.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising separating debris from the collected polluting chemicals.

28. The method of claim 26 further comprising separating water from the collected polluting chemicals.

29. The method of claim 26 further comprising delivering steam and/or heat through the pipe and nozzle so as to decrease the viscosity of the polluting chemicals.

30. The method of claim 26 further comprising controlling the position of the submersible work unit from a remote location.

31. The method of claim 26 further comprising controlling the position of the pipe and nozzle from a remote location.

32. The method of claim 26 comprising delivering images of the bed of the body of water to a remote location so as to assist in the positioning of the submersible work unit.