Patent Number: 06132356&
Section: summary

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention pertains to an apparatus for the containment and suppression of hazardous material spills. More particularly, the invention pertains to a portable apparatus for quickly containing and suppressing localized hazardous material spills, including biological, chemical or radiological particulates until rigorous clean-up or other more permanent containment means can be employed. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART In the prior art, hazardous materials spills have principally been attended to by use of an absorbent device to contain the spill until clean up can be performed. However, this does not address control of vapors or off-gases originating from the hazardous material spill. Containment of military chemical agents such as nerve and mustard agents not only need liquid spill control but also require vapor or aerosol suppression. Terrorist incidents require means for quick, portable, vapor or aerosol suppression after an intentional release. Hazardous material spills may not only be in liquid form, but may also be comprised of particulate materials such as biological or radiological agents such as anthrax spores or radioactive fallout. Prior art absorbent materials would be ineffective against such materials due to the likelihood of resuspension from wind or the like. It would be desirable to provide an apparatus for the mitigation of solid, liquid and vaporous hazardous materials that can be deployed quickly. The invention provides an apparatus having a cover with rigid or inflatable sides which is light weight, inexpensive, and can quickly and easily be deployed by one person to cover a localized spill. A portable vacuum type air filtering mechanism filters the air drawn out from inside the system and maintains a negative pressure, i.e., a pressure less than atmospheric pressure, inside the system. An apron secured with grommets, rings, sandbags or weight secure the apparatus on the ground or other foundation. The apparatus has an optional sampling port for testing the encompassed hazardous material and an optional injection port for adding absorbents, foams or decontamination materials. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a hazardous material containment or suppression apparatus which comprises a vapor or aerosol containment vessel comprising a cover and side walls attached around a perimeter of the cover to define an open central cavity. Each of the cover and side walls are composed of materials which resist penetration of a hazardous material therethrough. A tube extending through the vessel has a first end open at a point inside the cavity and a second end at a point outside the vessel. Means are attached to the second end of the tube for extracting and filtering hazardous material from inside the cavity to outside the vessel through the tube. The invention also provides a method of containing or suppressing a hazardous material which comprises surrounding a hazardous material with the above described hazardous material containment apparatus and then extracting and filtering the hazardous material from inside the cavity to outside the vessel through the tube. The apparatus is placed as a cover over a hazardous material spill in order to contain or suppress any off-gas or other release from the hazardous material, which may be in the form of a liquid, solid or gas. It is effective against the vaporization or aerosolization of biological, chemical and radiological hazards such as those which may be resuspended by the mechanical action of turbulent air flow.