Patent ID: 8858789

Claim:
A system for cleaning up an oil spill and recovering the spilled oil, comprising: a plurality of rigid frames, each of said frames including a porous region constructed from one of a lattice and a honeycomb; oil-absorbing superhydrophobic nanowires intertwined with said porous region of each of said frames wherein an assembly is defined by each of said frames with said nanowires intertwined with said porous region thereof; a first container for supporting at least one said assembly; a first pump coupled to said first container and adapted to pump a mixture of oil and water into said first container, wherein oil is absorbed from the mixture by said nanowires as water is separated from the mixture and deposited in said first container; a second pump coupled to said first container for pumping out said water so-deposited therein; a second container for supporting at least one said assembly with said oil so-absorbed by said nanowires thereof; at least one device, coupled to at least one of said second container and each said assembly with said oil so-absorbed by said nanowires thereof, for heating said oil so-absorbed, wherein said oil so-absorbed separates from said nanowires and is deposited in said second container; and a third pump coupled to said second container for pumping out said oil so-deposited therein.