Open water oil skimmer

摘要

An oil spill skimmer for removing heavy hydrocarbons from bodies of water, having a plurality of oleophilic oil separation devices, a housing and frame structure that is suitably supported above a body of water, an adjustable wave damper supported by the housing at a front of the skimmer, an at least one flow inducer supported by the housing at a rear of the skimmer, and ballast-adjustable tanks. The at least one flow inducer for inducing inflow such that water is pulled at the front of the skimmer and directed out a bottom of the skimmer while collecting the spillage in a collection area. The ballast can be moved in and out of the tanks to increase or decrease buoyancy and influence the wave riding or wave heave of the skimmer.

主权项

1. An oil spill skimmer for separating and removing spilled hydrocarbons from bodies of water, said oil spill skimmer comprising:
a structure for moving over the water surface, said structure having a front, open end, first and second sides that each define opposite ends, and a lower member, a collection area defined by said first and second sides, said lower member, and a plurality of oleophilic oil separation devices, a wave damper disposed below the water surface and supported by said structure and disposed on said front, open end, wherein said wave damper includes adjustable means for selectively positioning, said wave damper configured to calm waves on the water surface, at least one flow inducer supported by said structure and vertically disposed at a rear of said structure and downwardly extends to a lower most surface, said at least one flow inducer configured for inducing a flow of water and spillage into the front, open end and into the collection area while the structure is at rest, and adjustable ballast tanks separately disposed on each of the opposite ends of said first and second sides and configured for increasing and decreasing buoyancy of the structure, said adjustable ballast tanks including ballast control means for enabling an operator to add or remove ballast from the at least one ballast tank as desired.