Vortex injection dredging apparatus and method

• US 4,409,746 A
• Filed: 02/05/1981
• Issued: 10/18/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Consolidation Capital Corp. (Residential Acquisition Co.)
• Original Assignee: Conoco Incorporated (ConocoPhillips)
• Inventors: Beck, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crowder, Clifford D.
• Application Number:
  US06/231,637
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 417/54, 417/65, 417/171, 417/194, 406/96, 406/93, 406/109, 406/152, 406/153, 37/58, 37/195
• US Class Current: 37/317
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/08 Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/0933 Removing sludge or the like from tank bottoms
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/90 Component parts , e.g. arrangement or adaptation of pumps
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/92 Digging elements, e.g. suction heads
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 45/00 Methods of hydraulic mining; Hydraulic monitors E21C25/60 takes precedence

Abstract

A dredging apparatus has a chamber with a substantially circular cross section. A first inlet and outlet is formed through the chamber with an axis of the inlet and outlet normal to a diameter of the chamber. A suction inlet is formed through the axis of the chamber along the axis of the vortex formed as the fluids leave the inlet and pass to a second outlet formed substantially coaxially with the vortex. Apparatus is provided for supporting the dredging apparatus in a position so that the suction inlet can remove material desired to be dredged.

Claims

1. A dredging apparatus for removing solid material from a body of fluid comprising:

(a) a chamber having a substantially circular cross section and an axis normal to said cross section;

(b) first inlet means through said chamber periphery, said inlet means axis normal to a diameter of said circular cross section;

(c) first outlet means through said chamber periphery, said outlet means axis normal to a diameter of said circular cross section;

(d) suction inlet means through said chamber substantially coaxially aligned with said chamber axis;

(e) fluid outlet means through said chamber substantially coaxially aligned with said chamber axis;

(f) support means for positioning said suction inlet in said body of fluid in a manner to move said fluid and said solid material to be dredged, into said suction inlet;

(g) means for communicating a high pressure fluid to said first inlet; and

(h) means for communicating fluid mixed with dredged material from said first outlet means,

whereby said suction inlet means will pick up solid material and fluid and communicate same through said first outlet and communicating means to a remote location.

2. A method of dredging solid material from a body of fluid comprising:

(a) injecting a high pressure fluid tangentially into a zone having a circular cross section;

(b) removing a portion of said injected fluid along the axis of said zone to form a low pressure vortex in said zone;

(c) positioning an intake to said zone over solid material in said body of fluid to be dredged;

(d) transporting through said intake, fluids and solids with said low pressure vortex whereby said intake fluids and solids form a slurry with said high pressure fluid in said zone; and

(e) separately removing said slurry from said zone tangentially through a high pressure outlet.