System for recovering fluid from sunken vessel, e.System for recovering fluid from sunken vessel, e.g. for damaged oil tanker, involves using evacuatig. for damaged oil tanker, involves using evacuation pipe and pump on rescue vessel, where pipe and on pipe and pump on rescue vessel, where pipe and pump's electrical supply are connected to floatingpump's electrical supply are connected to floating element element

摘要

A circulating system in the sealed compartment of the vessel side walls includes a suction pipe (B) in the side walls, connected to an evacuation pipe (K) which is in turn connected to a linkage pipe (L) from a surface vessel to a pump on the surface vessel. A pipe (P) reaching from the side walls of the vessel to the surface vessel is used to inject water under controlled pressure An evacuation pipe (K) connects to the side walls of the vessel at one end and to a floating element (14) at the other, and is long enough to reach far enough beyond the vessel. A linkage pipe (L) is long enough to be connected to the end of the evacuation pipe and a pump (94) on the rescue vessel. The floating element is connected to the second end of the evacuation pipe by a lifting cable, to form a mechanical connection between the floating element floating on the surface and the second end of the evacuation pipe coiled in the sunken vessel. The floating element is connected to the lifting cable using an elastic element that minimizes the traction loads exerted on the cable by the floating element floating on the surface. The linking pipe from the surface vessel incorporates integral electrical resistances, fed with electricity to fluidify the liquid being evacuated. Alternatively, the linking pipe is guided by two cables as it descends to the evacuation pipe. An additional pipe (N) stuck to or integral with the other pipes allows a fluidizing product to be injected from the rescue vessel to the sunken vessel. The evacuation pipe is coiled in a sealed compartment in the side wall of the vessel, with an orifice on either side of the vessel. The sealed compartment is a monobloc box. An Independent claim is included for a method of recovering fluid from a sunken vessel using the above equipment, where the floating element is released to be recovered by the rescue vessel. This allows the lifting cable to be winched onto the rescue vessel by a winch until the top end of the evacuation pipe and cable can be connected to the linking pipe and cable from the rescue vessel. The pump is then started. Water can be injected under pressure. This process is repeated for each transverse section of the hull, from prow to machine room.