Abstract:
The disclosure relates to a fluid ejection device and a method for ejection of fluid into a marine environment. The device includes at least one foldable ejection arm with at least one fluid ejection nozzle, the arm(s) being mounted on a transport vessel in one or several mounting points. Furthermore, the ejection arm is foldable, where the folded position of the arm(s) is essentially along the longitudinal direction of the transport vessel.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a fluid ejector device for use in marine environment. The invention particularly relates to a fluid ejector device constituting an integrated part of a transport vessel suitable for ejection of fluid in connection with removal of unwanted spill in marine environment. The invention also relates to a method disclosed in the introductory part of claim  13  for use of said fluid ejection device. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The techniques that are used today for ejection of dispersions liquid from ships to marine environments such as sea surface in connection with larger spills of oil are usually based on solutions where necessary components are mounted onto the front deck of the ships each time oil spill necessitate activation of the above mentioned process. When such a situation occurs the ship must first go to dock for installation/mounting of the necessary components, something that often involves severely time and cost demanding operations. The components usually comprise a crane arrangement with a connected ejection system. Prior to the ejection of the dispersion liquid, the ejection system is lowered towards the sea surface by a suitable wire system. 
         [0003]    Ejection of liquid onto the oil contaminated area of the sea surface occurs while the ship slowly drifts through the oil spill, in the field called “ploughing”. Such a ploughing operation results in a redistribution the oil from the ships bow and to the corresponding sides of the ship. 
         [0004]    The vertical movements of the ship are greatest at the bow and abaft of the ship. Since the equipments of said prior art are mounted at the ships bow, the result is large movements at high sea, thus providing clear limitations for the predictability of the ejection process. 
         [0005]    Another disadvantage with the known prior art is that the dispersion liquid can be blown towards the ship, which thus may limit the effect of the operation substantially and create a health-related risk for the crew. 
         [0006]    Said redistribution of the oil spill during ploughing may result in a disadvantageous stirring of parts of the oil down into the seawater, which again may contribute to degenerated efficiency of the operation. 
         [0007]    It is therefore a need for a system and a method for ejection of fluid in connection with removal of unwanted spill in marine environment that address the above mentioned problems. 
       OBJECTIVE WITH THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    With basis in the disclosed known prior art, the main object with the present invention is to provide a permanently or partially permanently installed ejection device on a ship that solves one or more of the above mentioned problems. 
         [0009]    A more specific object with the invention is to provide an ejector device according to said main object that is used during ejection of suitable fluid onto oil contaminated water with the intention to reduce damage in nature. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    According to the invention the abovementioned objects are achieved as disclosed in the introductory part of claim  1  and claim  13 , having the characterising features disclosed in the corresponding characterising parts of said claims. Further preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims. 
         [0011]    The present invention particularly relates to a fluid ejection device for ejection of fluid into a marine environment comprising a foldable ejection arm with at least one fluid ejection nozzle, the arm being mounted on a transport vessel in one or several mounting points. The invention is further distinguished by that the at least one ejection arm is foldable, where its or theirs folded position(s) is arranged essentially along the longitudinal direction of the transport vessel. In addition to being foldable the arm or arms is/are preferably telescopically configured in order to control/adjust the length(s) of the arm(s). 
         [0012]    Said transport vessel can be a ship where the at least one foldable arm constitute an integrated part of the ship, for example as part of the ships railing or part of the hull. 
         [0013]    Furthermore, the fluid ejection device is preferably adjustable by at least one user, where the at least one user is capable to adjust one or several of the following parameters; direction of the fluid ejection from one or several of the nozzles, the amount of fluid or fluid flow ejected from one or several of the nozzles, the opening dimension on one or several of the nozzles, fluid velocity or fluid flow velocity from one or several of the nozzles, the angle between the axis oriented in plane of the transport vessel laying perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the transport vessel and the longitudinal axis of the ejection arm, and the angle between the height axis of the transport vessel and the longitudinal axis of the ejection arm. 
         [0014]    Furthermore, the foldable arm is preferably lockable in its inactive/folded position in order to avoid unwanted unfolding. Such a prevention of movement of the arm can occur by use of a suitable stabilising system. The same system can with advantage be used in order to stabilise the arm in active position, i.e. ejection position, extending out from the ship. 
         [0015]    Said stabilising system can for example comprise a suitable hydraulic device, a suitable hinge system or a combination thereof. 
         [0016]    The fluid ejection device can be adjusted to a desired active position, in which the longitudinal axis of the foldable arm lies in the angle area from 0° to near 90° in relation to the perpendicular axis from the longitudinal axis of the transport vessel, as described above. Active position is here defined as the position in which fluid is ejected out from one or several of the nozzles and to the relevant area in the marine environment. 
         [0017]    One or several mounting points on at least one side of the transport vessel are preferably situated in or at the transport vessels horizontal, transverse centroidial axis. 
         [0018]    In particular during undesired spill of oil the fluid that is ejected out from the fluid ejection device can be a liquid that dissolves the spill, for example dispersion liquid. 
         [0019]    Marine environment is here defined as any aqueous environment in which removal/dissolving of unwanted spill is relevant, for example spill of oil in seawater. 
         [0020]    Note that combined solution(s) where both the inventive fluid ejection device and device of known prior art described in the sub chapter “background”, is/are considered to be one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0021]    A method for ejection of fluid into a marine environment by use of a fluid ejection device, as disclosed above, is characterised by comprising the following steps:
       detaching the foldable ejection arm from its inactive position,   unfolding the ejection arm to a predetermined active position,   adjusting the nozzles to obtain the desired through-put and/or direction of the ejected fluid, and   stabilizing the ejection arm into its folded/inactive position.       
 
         [0026]    Said detaching and stabilising can be preformed by use of a dedicated stabilising system and a locking mechanism/locking device. 
     
    
     
       SHORT OVERVIEW OF THE FIGURES 
         [0027]      FIG. 1  shows a typical embodiment according to the prior art, seen from above. 
           [0028]      FIG. 2  shows a typical embodiment according to the present invention, in which two ejection arms are in their active/unfolded position. 
           [0029]      FIG. 3  shows a side section of a hydraulic hinge system for adjustment of the position of an ejection arm relative to a ship. 
           [0030]      FIG. 4  shows a side section of a suitable hinge system for connection of an ejection arm to a ship. 
           [0031]      FIG. 5  shows a typical embodiment of the invention seen from the side having ejection arms in inactive/folded position, including the centroidial axis/area of the ship. 
       
    
    
       [0032]    The following reference numbers and signs refer to the figures: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 10 
                 Fluid ejector device 
               
               
                   
                 11 
                 Crane 
               
               
                   
                 12 
                 Wire 
               
               
                   
                 13 
                 Ejection arm 
               
               
                   
                 14 
                 Nozzles 
               
               
                   
                 16 
                 Ship 
               
               
                   
                 17 
                 Longitudinal axis 
               
               
                   
                 18 
                 Transverse axis 
               
               
                   
                 19 
                 Height axis 
               
               
                   
                 21 
                 Centroidial 
               
               
                   
                 22 
                 Centroidial area 
               
               
                   
                 23 
                 Railing on vessel 
               
               
                   
                 30 
                 Stabilising system 
               
               
                   
                 31 
                 Hydraulic device 
               
               
                   
                 32 
                 Hinge system 
               
               
                   
                 α, α′ 
                 Angle on the ejector arm 
               
               
                   
                   
                 relative to the relevant ship 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0033]    In the following the invention will be disclosed with reference to the figures. 
         [0034]      FIG. 1  illustrates an assembled fluid ejection device  10  according the prior art for ejection of fluid onto contaminated sea water. The fluid ejection device  10  comprises a crane  11  connected to the bow  16  of the ship. Via a wire system  12  there is mounted/arranged an ejection arm  13  inside the crane  11  having nozzles  14 , said crane stretching forward and along the sides of the bow. When the ejection arm  13  is arranged in active position the ship  16  is slowly driven through the relevant sea water while suitable dissolver(s) is/are sprayed out from the nozzles  14 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 2  illustrates a fluid ejection device  10  according to the present invention, wherein two ejection arms  13  are arranged in unfolded position. The arms  13  are preferably telescopic, in which the lengths can be adjusted by the user based on the users need. The shown angles α,α′ between the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis  18  of the arm  13  that extend perpendicular to, and in the plane with, the longitudinal axis  17  of the ship, hereafter only mentioned as α, can preferably be adjusted by the user to a preferred value, wherein α can vary from closely 0° to near 90° on each side of the angular axis  18  relative to the longitudinal axis of the ship  16  longitudinal axis. By varying a or α′ an efficient regulation of the ejection area is achieved. The fluid ejection device  10  can advantageously be arranged with regulation installation(s) which provides the possibility of varying the angle between the longitudinal axis of the arm or arms  13  and the height axis  18  of the ship  16 . 
         [0036]    In order to obtain desired regulation/control of α or α′ a suitable stabilising device 30 can advantageously be arranged on at least one side of the ship 16 as it is illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . In this embodiment of the present invention the desired regulation of a stability device  30  is obtained by a device comprising a hydraulic fold device  31 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , and a suitable hinge system  32  with bolt(s)  33 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Note that other connections between ejection arm(s)  13  and the ship/vessel  16  which lay within the scope of protection given by claim  1  are possible. For example, the stabilising device  30  can in another embodiment comprise of a hinge system  32  as illustrated in  FIG. 4  and a fold device  31  which is different from the illustrated hydraulic fold device  31 , such as a mechanical fold device  31  based on one or several gears (not shown). 
         [0037]    In order to limit the movements of the ejection arm(s)  13  caused by significant movements of the ship  16 , for example during heavy winds and/or high waves, the fastening of the arms  13  can with advantage be mounted in the horizontal, transverse centroidial axis  21  of the ship or in its surrounding area  22 . As mentioned above such a choice of position for fastening would result in a significant reduction of the movements of the fluid ejection device  10  compared to the prior art. With centroidial axis  21  is here meant the axis stretching transverse of the ship  16 , and where the total mass weight of the ship  16  is identical on each side of the axis  21 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 5  illustrate one embodiment of the present invention in which the fluid ejection device  10  is in a folded position having the longitudinal axis of the arm arranged parallel or near parallel with the longitudinal axis  17  of the ship  16 . In an alternative embodiment of the present invention one or several of the ejection arms  13  may constitute parts of the ships  16  railing  23 . 
         [0039]    The device  10  comprises fluid ejection nozzles  14  mounted on the arm(s)  13 , in which one or several of the nozzles  14  with advantage can be adjustable. With adjustable is it meant that a user may, directly or indirectly, adjust the nozzle related parameters such as direction of the fluid ejection, the amount of ejected fluid or fluid flow, dimension of the nozzle opening(s), the fluid flow velocity, or a combination thereof. 
         [0040]    When the ship drifts through an oil slick with a velocity typical for the above mentioned operation after an oil spill, for example 2-4 knots velocity (corresponding to 3,7-7,4 km/t), the oil spill is compressed by the hull of the ship  16 . Such a compression/redistribution may result in that the oil spill is not broken up by the waves of the sea, but instead is compressed to a thicker layer of oil. As a consequence, the ejected amount of fluid, and the ejection direction of the relevant dissolution liquid, should be adjusted so that a larger amount is ejected out into the areas where the oil is concentrated. The above mentioned adjustment of the arms  13 , or the position of the arms  13  relative to the ship  16 , and/or said regulation of parameters related to the individual nozzles  14 , provides for a significantly better control of ejection into the relevant areas than what the prior art may provide. Also note that with the present invention the waves from the ship do not break down the dissolution liquid located at the surface since the ship/vessel already have passed through the oil spill before the liquid is ejected, and the liquid would therefore have sufficient time to work on the oil so that the grease in the oil is removed. When the grease is removed the harmful particles will sink without returning to the surface. 
         [0041]    Since the fluid ejection device  10  may be arranged permanently or semi-permanently on the ship/vessel  16 , the present invention may at any time contain advisable large amount of fluid for dissolution/removal of unwanted spill in marine environments. For example, a tank system beneath a deck of more than 100 m 3  is frequently available on ships which traditionally are used during operations related to spill of oil at sea.