BARGE FOR DISPOSING OF OIL SLICKS

Abstract: A barge as designed to be towed behind two vessels spaced apart line abreast, via two elongate floating walls (11, 12) the barge has a bottomless hull composed of buoyant walls (1, 2, 3 and 4) enclosing a space (5). A pump (6), for example, is provided at the forward end of the hull to transfer oil from an oil slick contained between the elongate floating walls (11, 12) into the space (5) wherein it floats in a gradually deepening layer (13) and displaces sea water through the open bottom of the hull.

Description: "iiCgS-f2£_S-i§22§iQ.2_2i_9ii___J.i__k§-_ DESCRIPTION This, invention relates to a barge for disposing • -4 of oil slicks. 5 It is known to contain a floating oi l slick by means of an elongate floating wall which may be made of netting or of imperforate material and which is towed behind a vessel. The object of the invention is to provide a 10 barge for use with such elongate floating walls and for collecting the floating o l contained by such walls. According to the invention there is provided a barge for disposing of oi l slicks, the barge 15 comprising a bottomless hull composed of buoyant walls enclosing a space, and transfer means having an inlet for drawing n oi l from outboard of the hull at the forward end thereof and an outlet for discharg ng into the space. 20 An embodiment of the invention wi ll now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which :- Fig. 1 ia a diagrammatic plan view of a barge according to the invention; and 25 Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic longi tudinal sectional view of the barge in Fig. 1 * In the drawings, a barge comprises a bottomless hull composed of buoyant walls, i .e. a forward wall 1, a rearward wall 2, and side wal ls 3 and 4, enclosing 30 a space 5. Transfer means in the form of a pump 6 is housed in the wall 1, having an inlet 7 and an outlet 8. Mounted outboard of the hul l on the wall 2 is a fully swivel lable thruster 9. The pump 6 and the thruster 9 are driven from a prime mover 10 supported 35 above the space 5 and spanning between the wal ls 3 and 4. The prime mover 10 may comprise a diesel engine and a hydraulic power unit . The pump 6 may be of variable capacity and/or speed. As. an alternative to the pump 6 there may be provided an endless conveyor belt having an upper run rising upwards and rearwards at a shallow angle from a location outboard the forward end of the hull and provided with pockets for carrying o l for discharge into the space 5. In use, the barge is towed behind two vessels Cnot shown ) spaced apart line abreast, via two elongate floating walls represented by the broken lines 11 and 12 The two vessels follow a course towards an oil slick and on respectively opposite sides thereof so that the o l slick becomes contained between the floating walls 11 and 12. Sea water and oil are drawn in via the inlet 7 and discharged into the space 5. In the space 5 the sea water and oil become calm and the oil floats in a gradually deepening Layer 13 which displaces the sea water out through the open bottom of the hull. The oil collected plays no part in ballasting the barge but ballasting of the barge to suit sea cond tions can be achieved by making the walls 1,2,3 and 4 hollow and introducing sea water into the hollow or removing it therefrom. Addit onally, the height of the inlet 7 can be adjusted to the outboard sea level. The thruster 9 is provided to correct for any drifting of the barge. The barge need not be manned since all necessary controls can be performed by radio from one of the towing vessels. It wi ll be understood that the barge maximises the use of the space 5 in collecting o l ready for easy disposal thereof.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A barge for disposing of oi l slicks and character' ised by a bottomless hull composed of buoyant walls P\ <1,2,3 and 4) enclosing a space 5), and transfer means (6) having an inlet (7) for drawing in oil from outboard the hull at the forward end thereof and an outlet (8) for discharging into the space -(-5). 2. A barge according to claim 1, characterised in that the transfer means comprises a pump (6) . 3. A barge according to claim 1, characterised in that the transfer means comprises an endless conveyor belt. 4. A barge according to any preceding claim, characterised by a swivellable thruster (9) at the rear end of t e hull.

Inventors: JOHANSEN DAVID BRAND LUHNENSCH, JOHANSEN, DAVID, BRAND, LUHNENSCHLOSS
Applicants: EYRES BARRY MEREDITH, JOHANSEN DAVID BRAND LUHNENSCH, EYRES, BARRY, MEREDITH, JOHANSEN, DAVID, BRAND, LUHNENSCHLOSS
Application year: 1983
Main classification: E02B15
IPC codes: E02B15