A DEVICE FOR TAKING UP FLOATING SUBSTANCES FROM A FLUID

Abstract: A device for taking up substances floating in or on the surface of a fluid, which substances at a relative movement between the device and the fluid are brought to at least one uptaking machine (11), which is partly immersed in the fluid. The purpose is to provide an uptaking device, which i.a. shall: prevent the creation of a wash when the uptaking device moves in the forward direction through the mass of water, be simple to manufacture and operate, and easily adjustable in height and laterally and have a high taking up capacity. These tasks have been solved in that at least a portion of the immersed part (19) of the uptaking machine (11) in the fluid is surrounded by at least one screening off and deflecting member (20), which is arranged to create in the fluid around said immersed part (19) a zone of lee (22) and turbulence in the surface zone of the fluid.

Description: A DEVICE FOR TAKING UP FLOATING SUBSTANCES FROM A FLUID The present invention refers to a device for taking up substanc floating in or on the surface of a fluid, which substances at relative movement between the device and the fluid are brought at least one uptaking machine, which is partially immersed i the fluid. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A machine commonly used for taking up e.g. oil from water i constituted by a belt uptaking machine, comprising an endless inclined belt, the lower end of which is immersed in the water and where the oil shall adhere to the ascending belt part of th rotating belt. At the other, upper end of the belt uptakin machine there is provided a device for scraping off oil from th belt. These belt uptaking machines are commonly installed i especial ships, where the belt may be arranged in the upstrea or downstream direction. Under certain operational conditions the rotation of these belt counteract their own function. Most belt uptaking machines ar intended for taking up from the front, like an elevator, wher oil, often by means of booms, is collected and supplied to th belt and the oil thereupon is conveyed further upwards along th belt. The inlet system of these belt uptaking machines has prove itself to have some serious drawbacks, based on the fact that i is easily affected by the waves, thus that the taking up capacit is considerably reduced,- altough the speed has been reduced t below one knot. The problem is that the belt uptaking machin generates a wash, partly because the belt at its movement upward "tears" along water, and partly because a counterpressure wash i formed when the uptaking means moves up and down through the mas of water. The water film thereby created by the wash efficientl prevents oil from adhering to the belt. PURPOSE AND MOST ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF THE INVENTION The purpose of the present invention is to provide an uptakin device, which: a) allows such inflow of oil to the inlet of the uptaking device, that the oil is not "teared" (urged) down below the water surface, b) is not affected by the waves, thus that the affluence is not disturbed to any appreciable degree, c) prevents the creation of a wash when the uptaking device moves forward through the fluid, d) allows oil lumps, solid contaminants, etcetera to enter the device and to be conveyed through the system, e) shall be designed in such a manner, that oil afloat on the water within rather a big radius around the inlet opening, i pulled towards this, f) can take care of oil of different viscosities (highly viscou as well as heavy oil), g) is designed so that oil which has not been taken up or has escaped from the belt is moved back to the taking up position h) is easy to manufacture and operate, i) is easily adjustable in height and laterally, k) has a high uptaking capacity. These tasks have been solved in that at least a portion of th immersed part of the uptaking machine in the fluid is surrounde by at least one screening off and deflecting member, which i arranged to create in the fluid around said immersed part a zon of lee and turbulence in the surface zone of the fluid. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention herebelow will be further described with referen to the accompanying drawings, which show some embodiments. Fig. 1 shows a side view of the lower part of a device accordin to the invention, strongly schematized and in its most simpl form. Fig. 2 shows a modified variant of the device according to th invention in a view from above. Fig. 3 shows a section along line III-III in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows further an embodiment of the invention provided wit double uptaking machines in a view from above. Fig. 5 shows the device according to Fig. 4 in a front view i bigger scale and partly in section. Fig.s 6 and 7 show the device according to Fig.s 4 and 5 mounte at the stem of a ship in a view from above and in a front view. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS The description hereinafter will be strictly directed to takin up oil from a water surface, but the device according to th invention can as well be used for taking up other floatin substances from an arbitrary fluid. The uptaking device according to the invention incorporates a uptaking machine 11, which in a manner known consists of a endless belt 12, e.g. a latticed steel belt, which is arrange around a lower roller 13 and an upper roller 14, which is drive in a manner not further shown. At the upper part of the belt i provided a scrapper 15 and/or a pressing roller 16, which preven the oil from following the return part of the belt. By means of gutter 17 the oil that has been conveyed upwards is moved away t a collecting container 18. Hereinafter the uptaking device is described when arranged in ship, which causes a relative movement to the water. Of course i also is possible to arrange the device stationary in a flowin fluid. At conventional belt uptaking machines there is created i front of the lower belt roller 13, as seen in the flow directio a pressure side and behind the belt roller a suction side. Th rotational movement of the belt as well as the motion of the shi creates a wash on the ascending belt part 12, which releases water film, preventing oil from adhering to the belt 12. In orde to attend to this problem it is according to the inventio suggested as a first essential step, to provide at least on deflection member 20 in front of the part 19 of the uptakin machine 11, which is immersed in the water. In the embodimen shown in Fig. 1 this deflection member 20 is constituted by frontal screen 21, which may be pivotably connected to th uptaking machine 11, thus that it may occupy different heigh and inclination positions. By means of this frontal screen it i created behind it a zone of lee 22, in Fig. 1 shown with dash-do lines, and to which zone is supplied surface water mainly fro the side, thus that a turbulent flow is generated, whereas th lee zone to a lower extent is filled from below. The deflection member 20 may also incorporate a rearward scree 23 arranged downstream of the immersed part 19 of the uptakin machine 11, just about at the position where the lee zone 22 end and continues in a normal flow, whereby is obtained an increas of the turbulent flow within the lee zone 22. The turbulency i utilized partly for obtaining a continuous affluence of oil t the taking up zone of the belt and partly for creating a re- circulation of oil, which for different reasons has not bee taken up at the first taking up attempt. In order further t improve the turbulency in the lee zone, it is possible t arrange, in the embodiment of the device shown in Fig.s 2 and 3 on one side of the lee zone a side screen 24 between the fronta screen 21 and the rear screen 23, which side screen make possible a controlled collecting of oil, in that the lee zone i bordered on three sides. This zone also serves as a balancin buff r. The uptaking device according to the invention shall also b usable in very shallow waters and in order to prevent that wate passing below will penetrate up into the lee zone below t roller 13 and wash away adhering oil, a bottom screen 25 arranged just opposite to the immersed part of the uptaki machine, i.e. just in front of the roller 13, which bottom scre may be tightly attached to the frontal screen 21 in the embodiment shown in Fig.s 2 and 3. It also is essential that the screens 21, 23, 24 and 25 are no located too close to the uptaking machine 11, as the turbulenc created in the lee zone otherwise is reduced, which has bee found to be particularly critical when thicker oil shall be take up. A slot width smaller than 10 cm should be avoided. In trial it furthermore has been found that the bottom screen 25, which i effective as an erosion protection, must not cover the entir bottom of the lee zone, as the passage of water is otherwis prevented resulting in a capacity reducing ponding. A coverin bottom furthermore during heave of the sea may effectively flus out oil collected, whereby there generally spoken shall be onl few movement damping horizontal surfaces within the lee zone. The rearward screen 23 can consist, e.g. of a flexible screen e.g. a boom, in order to avoid sharp corners, where may b created whirls, which have a negative effect on the turbulen water movement in the surface water in the lee zone. In the embodiment according to Fig.s 4 and 6 the uptaking machin 11 are doubled and arranged perpendicularly to the flow directio of the water. The immersed parts 19 of the uptaking machines ar situated rather near and in parallel to each other, but fa enough from each other not to disturbe the turbulent flow created around each part 19. The same details in this embodimen have been given the same reference numerals as in the preceedin embodiment. In this embodiment the bottom screen 25 is thu arranged centrally under the immersed parts of both machines whereas the side screens 24 are omitted. A lateral screen may b present as a partition between the two uptaking machines. In the embodiment according to Fig.s 6 and 7 the uptakin machines 11 are arranged in the manner shown by Fig.s 4 and 5. I this embodiment the plane stem of the ship also may constitut the rearward screen 23 of the lee zone 22. The uptaking device is preferably designed as a separate unit, e.g. in the form of a bo system, which in a simple manner, when needed can be mounted o the forebody of an appropriate ship. In the embodiment shown th scrapping device is located outside the ship's hull, where oi which is taken up is collected directly in specially develope oil bags. The suspending device for the bags can be designed as box system, wherein a filled bag is exchanged for a new ba without the operation being interrupted. The filled bag is lifte aboard or is anchored free-floating at the side of the hull fo being transported away later. The front screen 21 may be designed as a float for taking up certain portion of the device weight and is preferably stream lined for reducing the water resistance. The uptaking machine 11 hereinabove has been described as a bel uptaking machine, but the invention can with equal advantage b used with other types of uptaking machines, e.g. so calle adhesion skimmers consisting of a plurality of rotating discs, t which the oil adheres, and where the oil is scrapped off abov the water surface and is deposited in a collecting gutter. Als pumps floating on the water surface, which pump up the oil film from the water is a possible alternative. Trials that have bee made with the uptaking device according to the invention hav shown a high capacity of taking up oil, and it not only can tak up oil within a rather narrow viscosity interval but from oils o very low viscosity up to heavy oils. The device also operates i rough and choppy sea as it creates a lee zone itself. Th cleaning of the uptaking device presents no difficulties, as i consists only of smooth screens beside the uptaking belt, whic can be easily washed clean. The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown, but plurality of variants are possible within the scope of th claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A device for taking up substances floating in or on the surface of a fluid, which substances at a relative movement between the device and the fluid are brought to at least one uptaking machine (11), which is partially immersed in the fluid, c h a r a c t e r i z e d t h e r e i n, that at least a-portion of the immersed part (19) of the uptaking machine (11) in the fluid is surrounded by at least one screening off and deflecting member (20), which is arranged to create in the fluid around said immersed part (19) a zone of lee (22) and turbulence in the surface zone of the fluid. 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d t h e r e i , that the deflecting member (20) is constituted by a frontal screen (21) arranged in front of the immersed part (19) of the uptaking machine as seen in the flow direction of the fluid or i the direction of movement of the device, which front screen is designed to extend partly above and partly below the fluid sur¬ face, at least in level with the lower edge of the immersed part. 3. A device as claimed in claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d t h e r e i n, that the lateral extension of the frontal screen (21) correspond at least to the width of the immersed part (19) of the uptakin machine and that at some distance from the frontal screen (21) behind said part (19) is provided a rearward screen (23) having bigger lateral extension than the frontal screen (21). 4. A devioce as claimed in claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d t h e r e i , that the lee zone (22) between the frontal screen and th rearward screen (21, 23) on one side as seen in the direction o flow of the fluid or the direction of movement of the device i bordered by a side screen (24) arranged tightly to engage a least the frontal screen (21) . 5. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceeding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d t h e r e i n, that in the lee zone (22) at some distance below the immerse part (19) of the uptaking machine (11) is provided a botto screen (25), the horizontal extension of which is limited to th horizontal extension of the immersed part (19). 6. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceeding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d t h e r e i n, that between the immersed part (19) of the uptaking machine (11 and each screen (21, 23, 24, 25) is provided a free slot havin such a width that the turbulency of passing fluid is maintaine in the lee zone (22). 7. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceeding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d t h e r e i n, that at least the frontal screen (21), and preferably all th screens (21, 23, 24, 25) are vertically adjustable.

Inventors: SANDKVIST JIM, SANDKVIST, JIM
Applicants: SANDVIK PROCESS SYSTEMS AB, AB SANDVIK PROCESS SYSTEMS
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B63B35
IPC codes: E02B15