CLEANING DEVICE ARRANGED IN FRONT OF THE INLET TO A WATERWAY

Abstract: Excessive oil contamination creates difficulties for water entering waterways. The invention reduces these difficulties by causing the water to flow through three passages on its way to the inlet, the first passage comprising an oil barrier having a net stretching from the surface of the water, preferably down to the bottom of the waterway, the second comprising a filter cloth with a mesh size between 0.2 and 2 mm<2> and the third comprising a filter formed of particles with closed cells which have been perforated.

Description: Cleaning device arranged in front of the inlet to a waterway Sea-water is used for various purposes. In most cases it must be cleaned from particles. One example is the considerable discharge of crude oil from leaking Iranian production wells. Oil units of various sizes threaten, for instance, production in desalination installations and power plants as well as water inlets for pumping down into oil- conducting formations with the object of maintaining the pressure. Coasts where oil production or loading and unloading from ships is carried out are subjected not only to the risk of shipping accidents, but also to constant oil spills from normal activities. Scientific literature relating to the behaviour of oil is for the most part pragmatic, i.e. it describes oil discharges which have occurred and the measures, often improvised, taken to combat them. The beha¬ viour of the oil is dependent on the chemical composition of the specific oil and water concerned and on temperature, water movement, etc. In general, part is volatilized, a second part may float on the surface of the water for some time, while a third part forms accumu¬ lations floating at various depths in the water depending on slight alterations in the density of the oil and the water. These accumu¬ lations are usually washed ashore on beaches or sink to the bottom and may remain for many years. If they have settled on the bottom in relatively shallow water, they can be broken up or set in motion by movements in the water. According to the present invention oil is combatted in three steps. The first protective step comprises oil barriers from which nets of varying mesh sizes are suspended so that the lowermost part of the net rest on the bottom. The net is provided with a rope at the lower end, enabling it to be raised to the surface in the form of a sack with the object of facilitating the removal of oil lumps caught there. More than one such barrier may be necessary. Small particles are able to pass through the net or nets and such particles may differ in consistency and size depending on the circum¬ stances mentioned above affecting the accumulation of the oil. In general, extremely small particles are unlikely to occur at the depths where water is drawn in unless extraordinary winds prevail. A filter cloth with sufficiently fine mesh should in most cases be able to catch particles which have passed through the nets. The mesh size to be used is a question of optimization taking into consideration the behaviour of the oil in the specific circumstances and the pressure drop which can be accepted. Filter cloths with various mesh sizes can be kept in reserve for special situations. Suitable mesh size may vary from 0.2 2 to 2 mm • The filter is movable so that its lower part covers the area of the inlet channels or tubes. Its upper part is drawn over a washing device where the filter is cleared from particles with the aid of water, steam or compressed air. The part of the filter cloth immersed in the water is inclined to facilitate attraction of the particles or is provided with special sweepers. Scrapers may be used before washing. The motion of the cloth is adjusted to the quantity of particles in the water. A filter of this design may also collect particles other than oil accumulations. Should liquid oil or extremely small particles pass through the filter cloth, a third cleaning step may be introduced in the form of a filter as described in Swedish patent application No.8301243-5.

Claims: CLAIM 1. Cleaning device arranged in front of the inlet to a waterway contaminated by oil, characterised by a first passage for the water comprising an oil barrier having a net stretching from the surface of the water, preferably right down to the bottom of the waterway, said net being preferably oriented so as to form a sack when hauled up from the bottom, by a second passage for the water comprising a preferably movable filter cloth with a mesh size 2 between 0.2 and 2 mm and by a third passage for the water comprising a filter formed of particles with closed cells which have been perforated. OMPI W IPO 10

Inventors: ERIKSSON HANS, ERIKSSON, HANS
Applicants: ERIKSSON HANS, ERIKSSON, HANS
Application year: 1984
Main classification: C02F1
IPC codes: B01D17, C02F1, E02B5, E02B15