OIL SPILLAGE DETECTION SYSTEM

• US 3,719,936 A
• Filed: 06/01/1971
• Issued: 03/06/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph G. Zahka, Ruthven H. Daniels
• Original Assignee: Joseph G. Zahka, Ruthven H. Daniels
• Inventors: Daniels, Ruthven H., Zahka, Joseph G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Myer, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US05/148,640
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 340/236,224,242 137/312-314 73/421,308,322.5 324/65 325/116
• US Class Current: 441/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/1833 Oil in water water in oil G01N33/2847
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/20 responsive to moisture

Abstract

A system for the detection of oil spillage on water includes a housing adapted to be disposed in a partially submerged buoyant state in a body of water and having a selectively transmissive member for transmission of oil to a chamber which includes a sensor for detecting the presence of oil therein and for providing an output indication of oil presence.

Claims

1. An oil spillage detection system comprising:

a housing adapted to be disposed in a partially submerged buoyant state in a body of water;

a selectively transmissive member of the hydrophobic lipophylic type exposed to the surface of said body of water and operative to transmit oil contained on the surface of said body of water to a sensing position; and

sensing means disposed with respect to said member at said sensing position and operative in response to the presence of oil transmitted by said member to provide an output indication of oil presence.

2. An oil spillage detection system according to claim 1 wherein said selectively transmissive member includes an adsorption element having a surface exposed to the surface of said body of water and operative to transmit oil on said water surface to a sensing position on said element.

3. An oil spillage detection system according to claim 1 wherein said sensing means includes a resistance temperature dependent element which exhibits a sensible change of resistance in the presence of surrounding oil to provide said output indication of oil presence.

4. An oil spillage detection system comprising:

a housing adapted to be disposed in a partially submerged buoyant state in a body of water;

a chamber disposed within said housing for collection of a predetermined quantity of oil;

a selectively transmissive member of the hydrophobic lipophylic type supported by said housing and exposed to the surface of said body of water and operative to transmit oil contained on said water surface to said chamber; and

sensing means disposed within said chamber and operative in response to the presence of oil transmitted into said chamber by said member to provide an output indication of oil presence.

5. An oil spillage detection system according to claim 4 including:

means operative in response to said output indication of oil presence to release a material onto said oil spillage.

6. An oil spillage detection system according to claim 4 including:

means operative in response to said output indication to signal at a remote site detection of oil presence.

7. An oil spillage detection system according to claim 4 including:

means operative in response to said output indication of oil presence to release a marking material onto said oil spillage for visual notation of the spillage area.

8. An oil spillage detection system according to claim 4 including:

means operative in response to said output indication of oil presence to release a coalescing material onto said oil spillage to aid in oil recovery.

9. An oil spillAge detection system according to claim 4 wherein said sensing means includes an electrical element which exhibits a sensible change in operating characteristics in the presence of surrounding oil.

10. An oil spillage detection system according to claim 4 wherein said chamber is one of a plurality of oil receiving chambers;

and including means for sequentially positioning said plurality of oil receiving chambers in operative relation with said selectively transmissive member to provide for the sequential collection of oil samples.

11. A detection system for a contaminant disposed on the surface of a body of water comprising:

a housing adapted to be disposed in a partially submerged buoyant state in a body of water;

a selectively transmissive member adapted to transmit said contaminant to the exclusion of water, said member being exposed to the surface of said body of water and operative to transmit the contaminant on the surface of said body of water to a sensing position; and

sensing means disposed with respect to said member at said sensing position an operative in response to the presence of said contaminant transmitted by said member to provide an output indication of contaminant presence.

12. An oil spillage detection system comprising:

a housing adapted to be disposed in a partially submerged buoyant state in a body of water;

a selectively transmissive membrane adapted to transmit oil to the exclusion of water, said membrane being exposed to the surface of said body of water and operative to transmit oil contained on the surface of said body of water to a sensing position; and

sensing means disposed with respect to said membrane at said sensing position and operative in response to the presence of oil transmitted by said membrane to provide an output indication of oil presence.