Oil containment assembly and method of using same

摘要

A containment machine for containing a contaminant in a body of water includes a set of buoy assemblies arrangeable in the body of water to form the end of a containment barrier for continuing the flow of contaminant in the body of water, cables being extendable from the respective buoy assemblies for holding barrier structure such as a set of truss/curtain assemblies which are connectable to form the containment barrier, a buoy sectional computer control unit in each of said buoy assemblies for receiving signals relating to the location of the respective barrier structure, the tension in the cables and the like, and for transmitting signals to a containment machine central computer control unit. The buoy sectional computer control unit also receives signals from a containment machine central computer control unit to establish set points for adjustment signals sent to the items under its control. Barges for each buoy assembly hold the barrier structure and other equipment for employment in the containment barrier, and a similar computer network exists including a barrier machine central computer control unit and barge sectional computer control units. A process for using the containment machine is also included.

主权项

1. A containment machine for containing contaminant in a body of water, said containment machine comprising:
a set of cooperating buoy assemblies for being arranged in the body of water to form an upper end of a containment barrier when said containment barrier is in a body of water, said containment barrier having a shape for confining the flow of a contaminant in the body of water, said buoy assemblies respectively comprising:
a buoy hull for holding components of said respective buoy assemblies;buoyancy structure for supporting said buoy hull afloat in the body of water;ballast structure for maintaining the stability of said buoy assembly, said ballast structure including a ballast regulating device for regulating the operation of said ballast structure;cable raising and lowering structure including a cable raising and lowering structure regulating device for regulating the operation of said cable raising and lowering structure; anda cable structure for being operatively connected to said cable raising and lowering structure;sensors operatively attached to said buoyancy structure and to said cable structure for generating buoyancy status signals indicative of the buoyancy of said buoyancy structure, and tension status signals indicative of the tension in said cable structure; a barrier structure for being operatively connected to said respective buoy assemblies to be disposed in the body of water, and for cooperating with other barrier structures in cooperating ones of said set of buoy assemblies to form part of a containment barrier around the contaminant, said barrier structure having depth components which assume different locations when said barrier structure is in a body of water; sensors operatively attached to said depth components for generating signals indicative of the location of said depth components; and a containment machine central computer control for receiving input signals and for generating buoy assembly control signals for controlling the respective buoy sectional computer controls in response to said input signals; wherein said buoy assemblies further respectively comprise:
a buoy sectional computer control being operatively connectable to said containment machine central computer control and to sensors operatively attached to said respective buoyancy structure, to said cable structure and to said respective barrier structures, for receiving control signals from said containment machine central computer control and for receiving both said buoyancy/tension signals and said buoy assembly control signals, and for generating output control signals to said respective ballast regulating device, and to said cable raising and lowering structure regulating device for continuously adjusting the ballast in said ballast structure to maintain a desired tension in said cable structure and to maintain relative to each other the position of the respective barrier structures attached to said respective buoy assemblies according to a selected criteria.