Oil spill recovery method and apparatus

• US 4,038,182 A
• Filed: 01/08/1976
• Issued: 07/26/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard Stuart Jenkins
• Original Assignee: Richard Stuart Jenkins
• Inventors: Jenkins, Richard Stuart
• Primary Examiner(s): Spear, Jr., Frank A.
• Application Number:
  US05/647,505
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 210/242 S, 210/221 R, 210/DIG. 21, 210/DIG. 25, 210/23 R
• US Class Current: 210/651
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/107 Whirling means forming a vortex in the water; cyclones
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/204 Keeping clear the surface of open water from oil spills
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/923 using mechanical means, e.g. skimmers, pump

Abstract

A method and apparatus for recovering an immiscible oily substance spread as an oily film over the surface of a body of water by forming a vortex in the water mass to attract the oily film substance and water in the vicinity of the vortex to flow into the vortex and flowing the attracted oily film substance and water from the vortex to a quiescent zone to enable separation of the oily film substance and water. The separated oily film substance is retained in a receiver and recovered from the receiver as desired.

Claims

1. A method for recovering an immiscible oil substance spread as an oil film over the surface of a water mass, comprising the steps of:

forming a vortex adjacent the surface of the water mass having an oily film substance disposed on the surface of the water mass with a tubular flow conductor means for attracting both the oily film substance and water in the vicinity of the vortex to flow into the tubular flow conductor means;

flowing all the attracted water and oil film substance radially outward from the tubular flow conductor means into a quiescent zone formed by a receiver means located below the surface of the water mass and adjacent the bottom of and surrounding the tubular flow conductor means;

separating the oily film substance and water in the quiescent zone formed by the receiver means by allowing the oily film substance to accumulate in the uppermost portion of the receiver means;

recovering the separated oily film substance from the quiescent zone of the receiver means as desired; and

returning the separated water from the quiescent zone of the receiver means to the water mass as desired.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of forming a vortex includes the step of:

imparting a circular movement to the water mass to form the vortex.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the step of imparting circular movement of the water mass includes the step of:

transmitting mechanical energy to the water mass about the axis of the vortex.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein the step of imparting circular movement to the water mass includes the step of:

injecting a high energy fluid tangentially of the vortex.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of flowing includes the step of:

moving the attracted oily film substance and water to a location below the surface of the water mass.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of flowing further includes the step of:

discharging the oily film substance and water radially outwardly from the vortex.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of separating includes the step of:

returning the water to the water mass below the surface of the water mass.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the returning water is passed through a semipermeable membrane to recover entrained oil.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of flowing includes the step of:

flowing the attracted water and oily film substance to a quiescent zone of a receiver means in direct communication with the water mass.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of flowing comprises:

flowing the oily film substance and water into a quiescent zone surrounding the vortex formed adjacent the surface of the water mass.

11. An apparatus for recovering an immiscible oily substance spread as an oily film over the surface of the water mass, comprising:

receiver means positioned at a desired subsurface location in the water mass forming a quiescent zone in the water mass located below the surface of the water mass;

tubular flow conductor means mounted with said receiver means for forming a vortex in the water mass adjacent the surface of the water mass above the receiver means to attract both the surrounding oily film substance and water to the vortex and the tubular flow conductor means; and

means mounted with said tubular flow conductor means for flowing all the attracted oily film substance and water radially outward from the tubular flow conductor means to the quiescent zone formed by said receiver means to enable separation of the attracted oily film substance and water in the quiescent zone, said receiver means surrounding the tubular flow conductor means and formed for recovering the oily film substance flowing from its quiescent zone and returning the attracted water to the water mass wherein the oily film substance is recovered.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the tubular flow conductor means comprises:

means for imparting a circular movement to the water mass to form the vortex.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the means for imparting circular movement to the water mass comprises:

means for transmitting mechanical energy to the water mass for forming the vortex.

14. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the means for transmitting mechanical energy to the water mass comprises:

paddle means arranged along a rotatable shaft for transmitting mechanical energy to the water, as the shaft rotates in a desired manner.

15. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the means for flowing comprises:

means for moving the attracted oily film substance and water substantially radially from the tubular flow conductor means.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the means for moving comprises:

impeller means disposed on a rotatable shaft carried by said tubular flow conductor means and operably disposed in communication with the vortex to move the attracted oily film substance and water substantially radially from the tubular flow conductor means.

17. An apparatus according to claim 11 comprising:

a semi-permeable membrane means mounted with said receiver means for coacting with said receiver means to substantially enclose the quiescent zone wherein entrained oil is recovered from the water returning to the water mass from the bottom of the receiver.

18. An apparatus according to claim 11 comprising:

means mounted with said receiver means for recovering the separated oily film substance from said receiver means.

19. An apparatus according to claim 11 comprising:

means with said receiver means for positioning said receiver means at a desired depth in the water mass.

20. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein:

said receiver means is movably mounted with a floatable support for positioning said receiver means a desired depth in the water mass.

21. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said tubular flow conductor means includes:

paddle means arranged along a rotatable shaft carried by said tubular flow conductor means for transmitting mechanical energy to the water as the shaft rotates in a desired manner; and

said means for flowing includes impeller means disposed on a rotatable shaft carried by said tubular flow conductor means and operably disposed in communication with the vortex to move the attracted oily film substance and water substantially radially from the tubular flow conductor.

22. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said receiver means comprises:

a plate means and a wall means forming said quiescent zone for receiving the attracted oily film substance and water.

23. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said receiver means comprises:

a substantially horizontal plate means with a downwardly extending wall means surrounding said plate portion for receiving the attracted oily film substance and water in the quiescent zone formed by said plate and wall means.

24. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the receiver means is in direct communication with the water mass to allow the separated water to return to the water mass.

25. A method for recovering an immiscible oily substance spread as an oily film over the surface of a water mass, comprising the steps of:

forming a vortex adjacent the surface of the water mass having an oily film substance disposed on the surface of the water mass with a tubular flow conductor means for attracting both the oily film substance and water in the vicinity of the vortex to flow into the tubular flow conductor means;

flowing all the attracted water and oily film substance radially outward from the tubular flow conductor means into a quiescent zone formed by a receiver means surrounding the tubular flow conductor means and located below the tubular flow conductor means and surface of the water mass and in direct communication with the water mass;

separating the oily film substance and water in the receiver means by allowing the oily film substance to accumulate in the uppermost portion of the receiver means; and

recovering the separated oily film substance from the receiver means as desired.