Anti-shipwreck and anti-pollution appts. for ships - where flexible containers in holds can be filled with lightweight synthetic foam to keep ship afloat

摘要

Any type or size of ship is provided with flexible containers or bags located in holds etc. Each bag has an injector connected by two pipes to a valve, which can be fed with two materials held in two reservoirs by pumps. When mixed together, the two materials form a synthetic foam with a closed cellular structure and a density of 0.3-0.6. The foam fills the bags so they expand, thus forcing any seawater in the hull out of cracks etc. formed in the bulkhead due to an accident or collision, and keeping the ship afloat. A modified appts. can be placed by divers in the holds or tanks of a sunken ship or oil tanker lying on the seabed, and used to refloat the vessel by foam supplied from reserVoirs on a salvage ship. A ship in danger of sinking can be kept afloat by feeding foam into large bags located in critical zones in the hull.