FR2473582A2 - Oil pollution boom with twin rows of buoyancy chambers - for improved stability and containment in rough conditions - Google Patents

Abstract

The parent patent described designs for floating booms for contg. or collecting oil floating on water. This addition describes a modified design comprising twin rows of inflated compartments sepd. by rigid spacers and each having subsidiary compartment flooded as an integral keel. Beneath the floats, two panels of flexible sheet or fabric converge to support a shallow keep strip with pendant wts. of e.g. lead (for offshore use) or sandbags (for inshore use). One of the two panels is perforated, the beam being deployed with this panel to the "dirty" side of the job. The boom is reinforced longitudinally by synthetic cables welded to the successive segments of the boom. Arrangement is more stable in rough seas than a single boom design, with a calm zone between the booms to trap any oil splashed over the first boom. Opt. successive floats are linked by flexible flaps joined by lacing or by sliding clasp fasteners. Opt. sand wts. are enclosed in sealed flexible plastic pockets. The floats may be of plastic film or rubberised fabric or a siliconised flexible asbestos cloth, opt. are inflated with helium. The spacers may be rigid plastic or metal tubular profiles.

Description

 The present invention relates to an anti-rolling dam acting in an aquatic environment and constituting an improvement to the dam which is the subject of patent application N 79/19627 of 07/25/79.

 Up to now, the systems used have been vulnerable to strong winds, eddies, currents, swells or surges in an agitated liquid medium, often resulting in the rupture, overturning, kinking or retouirnenent and overflow of the pollutant outside the dam, not to mention a battling often very difficult in bad weather.

 By design, the barrier object of the invention avoids these disadvantages: It does not turn over, does not twist, always keeps its vertical position and does not allow the pollutant to escape. It is easy to launch and achievable in all weathers. It is operational and effective on the field. The dam according to the invention is made in sections. It consists mainly of two lines of floats, membranes connecting them to form a ditch or "calm water zone", a skirt, a reinforcement, a support frame and weights. each float has an internal partition separating it into two chambers: the 2/3 upward, intended to be inflated to constitute the buoyancy element, the second and 1/3 downward is intended to fill of water to form an individual ballast. Water enters this part through openings in the pollution-resistant wall. The floats include inflation tips, possibly fitted with capsules containing a chemical which, by reaction with water, produces the gas necessary for inflation. Between each float and the next one in the same line, there is a non-inflatable space called "hinge space" pierced in the middle in the vertical direction with hidden eyelets. This space gives the dam the necessary sounlesse and the eyelets are used when tightening the dam or other maneuvers.

Membranes connect these two floats to form a ditch called "calm water area" between them. One of these membranes, that which must be polluted during installation, is pierced with suitable openings to allow this area to be filled with water. The membranes and floats are kept in the desired position by means of reinforcements, rectangular or other, made of rigid and light material, resistant to pollutants' sea water and bad weather, such as rigid plastic tube or galvanized or plasticized metal. These reinforcements are held in place by an efficient means such as staples securely welded from distance to distance on the membranes. the hooks of the weights. Reinforcement cables in synthetic material (nylon by el.)
c'a suitable diameter, are welded along the dam, eg at the bottom
floats, ditch and skirt, to increase eye resistance
tudinal of this one. At the beginning and at the end of each section of dam
there is a shutter comprising a solid and waterproof connection means
sections to each other, such as slider closure or buttons and
strangled boubonniare (3 in the manner of the old corsets), or any other
suitable means. The floats, membranes and skirt are made of maté
flexible, solid and resistant to hydrocarbons, salt water, UV rays

and bad weather, such as suitable plastic material or rubberized or plasticized and waterproofed canvas or weaving, possibly treated by a
non-stick product. I1 can also be flame retardant with a suitable product
maple such as otasse silicate or the like. This canvas can finally be
downright in non-flammable material such as a fine tight weaving of asbestos
treated with silicone to ensure airtightness and impermeability
or gas during inflation, and with water, to identify inflamed layers. Of
more these materials can be treated with a non-stick product.
weights, hung from distance to distance at the bottom of the skirt, will bring
their top with safety hooks allowing them complete freedom
movement around their attachment point. They can be made in
concrete in the form of short posts of small diameter, truncated cone,
stem of pyramid, sphere or other shape, or simply constituted
flexible bags (e.g. plastic) containing a fluid, sand-like solid.

In some cases, it may be useful to add balloons to the barrage
swollen with light, non-flammable gas like helium, and attached to the lines
distance-to-distance waterline
The single plate illustrates by way of example an embodiment
a dam in accordance with the present invention, and particularly recom-
commissioned for employment on the high seas.

As shown, the dam includes two lines of floats (1 and 2). These floats have a partition (18) inside them.
adorning in two rooms: the one at the top of 2/3 of the volume, intended for
inflation proper (this is the buoyancy element), and that of the bottom,
of 1/3 is intended to fill with water as soon as it is released.
a kind of stabilizing ballast specific to the float. The floats are punished
at their top of inflation tips (5) disposed at the start of the float (19
and at the end of the float (1 ') and so on in the same line - and
even for the line of floats (2), so that when folding in accor
deon on pallet in the factory, all the inflation tips find
same quoted. These inflation tips can be provided with capsules containing
a chemical producing no reaction with water, the necessary razor
inflation of the floats of the drop. This eliminates manipulation
important and makes the whole operational when it is put in the water. nitre
each float and the next one drns the same line is arranged spaces
one inflatable called "hinge spaces" / intended to give the dam
the necessary flexibility and flexibility. They are pierced in their
middle, (in the vertical direction, of concealed eyelets (4) intended for the res
subsequent tightening of the dam or any other maneuver. The lines of
floats (1) and (2) are interconnected by membranes (6) and (7)
forming a ditch called "calm sea area" (8). The membrane located on the pollution side when dropped is pierced with openings (9) of shape,
size and suitable arrangements to allow this "area" to
fill with water thus constituting a ballast nropre to the crown of bar
rage. This acts like a half-full bottle on the sea:
it keeps a vertical retention regardless of the agitation of the water.

 These openings (9) also absorb the force of the currents.

The opening (8) or "calm sea area" is my place by a frame (lo)
rectangular in the example, made of a rigid material,
galvanized or plasticized. These reinforcements are maintained in nlace by means
secure clips (11) welded to the membranes. A short skirt (12) takes
birth at the base of the ditch. It has eyelets at its lower end
reinforced drilled from distance to distance to receive the hooks
ballast. Reinforcement cables (13) in synthetic material of small diameter
tre (nylon or other), are welded during manufacture at the bottom of the streams
teurs, at the junction of the skirt with the ditch and at the bottom of the skirt it
They give the dam the necessary longitudinal resistance nour
resist the movements of a loose sea and avoid its tearing. The
sections of the dam begin and end with narrow shutters fitted with a 2 slider closure (15), button and strangled buttonhole (type used in old corsets) or any other system ensuring a connection of the solid and waterproof sections. The weights can be made of concrete in the form of short and small diameter notches (16) for use on the high seas. They will carry safety hooks (17) at their top allowing total freedom of movement around their point of d 'attached. The dam of the dam in the example is made of plastic film of a suitable thickness, flexible and solid, resistant to hydrocarbons, sea water, weathering and UJ rays. We do not add to this system if celez s is necessary, helium-inflated balloons attached to a waterline, or both. These balloons can be useful.

According to another embodiment of the dam, recommended for use near the coast, in estuaries, in rivers, around oyster beds and wherever the low tide could cause the dam to fail, the weights are then made of plastic bags containing sandet always carrying safety hooks at the top with the same freedom of movement characteristics as the previous ones. This kind of flexible ballast eliminates any danger of getting stuck: it spreads over the mud and does not penetrate it. In this kind of dam, the other organs remain unchanged but the dimensions would be related to
Yet another embodiment is a dam, the floats, membranes and skirt of which are made of non-flammable material such as a woven fabric of fine and tight asbestos, largely treated with silicone to seal the pores of the weaving and remove any permeability to water, to gas or air contained in the floats - or any other non-flammable material.

The operation of the assembly is as follows: first the double floating line prevents the dam from being submerged by the pollutant because, even if the line on the pollution side is submerged, the pollutant falls into the "calm sea area" which acts then as a 'wave barrier' ditch for the second line.

This area also acts as ballast for the crown of the dam like a half-full bottle tossed about on the waves: it always keeps its vertical position (fluctuat nec mergitur). The openings made in the membranes, pollution side allow the filling of seawater of the "calm sea area" to ballast the crown, and partly absorb the violence and the thrust of the currents. The individual ballast of the floats helps them not to 'lie down'. And if we add the attached balloons to the float line, we end up with an implementation which practically eliminates the dangers of submerging this line by pollutants gelling on it. The entire crown thus has remarkable stability. Then, the skirt being short, it has little grip on sub-sugerficial currents. The weights also, being suspended from distance to distance and being of small diameter, are new or not stressed by these currents. Their total freedom of movement around their attachment point allows them to keep a constant vertical position, which allows them to bring the june back into this -ositio. Their action, added to the individual ballasting of the floats and of the "calm sea area" produces a remarkably stable dam and eliminates any danger of throttling, overturning or overflowing of the pollutant. The weights in the form of plastic bags containing sand meet the conditions for using a dam near the earth - these weights do not get bogged down at low tide, but spread over the bottom vessel. Indeed this dam has the merit of keeping
its remarkable efficiency in all weathers and in any Aouatiou environment.

The body of the dam is manufactured in the factory 7> ar sections of
suitable lengths starting from plastic (or other) films, drilled, folded
and welded continuously; welding staples, sliders or buttons etc. is done next. The frames or cadfes are then placed, and the dam is folded in on itself lengthwise, folded around these frames.

 I1 remains nlus only the folding accordion on suitcases, the "hinge spaces" serving as folding point. It is thus ready for dispatch by rail, road or air. The weights are shipped directly from their manufacturing plant. In the case of laying on the high seas, the installation is done by means of two boats: an arbitrary boat which holds the end of the dam, and the other, equipped with an opening stern to unwind and release the barrage. All you have to do is unfold it, hang the weights and drop, the inflation takes place automatically in the water. Handling is minimized. This barraeg can be tightened after installation if necessary.

Pollution mopped up, the dam can be treated with a detergent, rid of the stain on the high seas and then brought back to earth to be washed with clean water, dried and folded for a new use. Installation near the earth does not pose any real problems.

 This dam finds its use everywhere or there is pollution or threat of pol ilion. He could have skimmed the aquatic surfaces up to 1.50m deep.

 It can protect islands, coastal or riverside towns or villages, seashores, beaches, estuaries, oyster beds, fishing grounds, etc. The best protection must be carried out at the source: ships, oil tankers, drilling or exploitation of oil at sea, refineries, port facilities, polluting coastal or coastal factories, etc. or even as a permanent preventive measure around fixed installations.

 National and international authorities should have it imposed on all possible sources of pollution, by national and international authorities enough to cause themselves to be affected at the first symptom of such an incident. Insurance companies should exit it. Disasters such as the world has experienced in recent decades will be put in the bud.

Claims (7)

 1) Znti- ollution dam according to one of the claims of the de-ande  : 079/19627 allowing to fight against pollution which includes  reinforcing protection and stabilization means. I1 is realized  in sections characterized by the fact that it comprises according to one of the sheaves  two lines of floats acting as a barrier, each flow  tor with an inflation tip, possibly with a capsule  chemical ensuring inflation by reaction with lbauS and a membrane  dividing it into two chambers, one inflatable and the other weighted with water  which is trapped through openings in one of the sarois ;;  two lines of floats being connected by two membranes to form  a "calm sea area" maintained by a rigid frame and filled with water  introduced by openings in the membrane on the pollution side;  a skirt starting at the base of this "zone" and wearing weights  thin cylindrical hooked from distance to distance by hooks  security allowing them total freedom of movement and finally,  the dam being reinforced in the longitudinal direction by cables in  synthetic material welded to the dam body 2) Dam according to claim 1 characterized in that the sections  barrage vexons begin and end with a shutter carrying a sys  slider closure or button and buttonhole system  strangled nour ensure a solid and tight connection between these  sections 3) Dam according to claim 1 characterized in that it is amé  swam between each float and the next one in the same line a space  not inflatable called "hinge space" bearing in the middle, in the  vertical direction, concealed eyelets providing flexibility to the dam  of movement and sefv nt nour the operations of tightening of it 4) Dam according to claim 1 characterized in that the weights  can also be produced in bags of flexible material (plastic  by e ::.) containing a fluent solid like sand 5) Dam according to claim 1 characterized in that it is  constructed of solid flexible material resistant to hydrocarbons,  weather and UV rays such as suitable plastic or  plasticized or rubberized canvas, and waterproofed 6) Dam according to claims 1 and O characterized @@@ @ @@ @ that the  dam body can be made of non-flammable and waterproof material  kneaded as fine and tight asbestos weaving, treated with silicone  to ensure good airtightness and 1 liter  7) Dam according to claim 1 characterized nar the fact that a series  balloons inflated with helium is attached to the floats.