Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
  • E02B15/00—Cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water; Apparatus therefor
  • E02B15/04—Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like floating materials by separating or removing these materials
  • E02B15/10—Devices for removing the material from the surface
  • E02B15/106—Overflow skimmers with suction heads; suction heads

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a floating skimming device, intended for the recovery and transfer of surface layers of polluting materials or liquids, such as sheets of hydrocarbons, oil, grease, petrol or fuel, on a body of water, such as a river or a basin.
• polluting materials or liquids such as sheets of hydrocarbons, oil, grease, petrol or fuel
• Such devices generally comprise a motor-pump group, floats and a central overflow capable of containing the pollutants mixed with the water.
• Such devices are not very effective, because when pumping the water / pollutant mixture, considerable volumes of water are treated and pumped for a negligible quantity of pollutants. Consequently, such devices require the storage of the water / pollutant mixture discharged in tanks or cisterns of considerable volume for decantation.
• These devices include an adjustment system to pump only the surface layer of pollutants. This adjustment is made by hydrostatic balance between the pump flow and the water entry in the central weir of the device. The more we pump, the more the central spillway empties and therefore the device becomes lighter, and the water inlet goes up towards the surface layer of pollutants. However, this adjustment is approximate, large volumes of water are treated, and the draft due to the central tank is such that it limits the use of these devices to depths greater than 50 cm (see for example DESMI device, model 250).
• the ACME PRODUCTS COMPANY skimming device models SK39T and PS 300.A has openings made on the lateral surface of a float, a motor-pump unit and a means of mechanical adjustment of the skimmer consisting of several screws distributed over the top of a circular float, said screws lowering or mounting a ballast plate located under the float.
• the adjustment of these screws makes it possible to position the float so that the lower lip of the openings reaches the surface layer of pollutants.
• the surface layer of pollutants then passes through said openings to a central bowl level with the suction port of the pump.
• This skimming device has many advantages by compared to conventional pumping devices because the setting is finer and the draft is small.
• this device is not very stable, because during variations in the weight of the discharge pipe due to variations in the flow rate of the pump, the float tilts and a greater quantity of water pours into the bowl, which makes the adjustment end inoperative. It is moreover particularly difficult to carry out this adjustment because of the multiplicity of adjustment points. In addition when one wants to move the skimming device on the water, a greater amount of water spills into the bowl due to the tilting of the float.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a floating skimming device which eliminates the aforementioned drawbacks, which is light, stable, of a shallow draft, and of simple and selective adjustment.
• Another object of the invention is to provide a floating skimming device that can be moved over a body of water while keeping good selectivity of the skimmer.
• the subject of the present invention is a floating skimming device, intended for the recovery and transfer of surface layers of pollutants on a body of water, comprising a motor and a pump mounted on a float made for example of polyurethane foam, a flexible tubular pollutant evacuation pipe fixed at one of its ends to the outlet orifice of the pump, the other end moving away from the float, for example towards a bank, a reservoir or a floating support, at least one opening made on the lateral surface of the float, preferably in the vicinity of its external bottom and opening into a bowl located directly above the suction port of the pump, and means for adjusting the level of immersion of said opening, characterized in that the opening is defined by a lower lip extending in a horizontal direction and that the adjustment means are capable of tilting the float around an axis parallel to said lower lip, so that the latter is located at the surface layer of pollutants.
• the opening is less than 10 cm from the external bottom of the float.
• the adjustment means comprise a lever articulated on said float, preferably in the middle of the lateral edges of the float, and capable of moving between a vertical rest position and inclined operating positions .
• means for locking the lever are provided.
• the lever is foldable to facilitate storage and transport of the device.
• the lower lip of the opening advantageously extends towards the outside of the float by a flat area inclined relative to the horizontal, preferably with an angle of between approximately 5 and 10 degrees, so that when the adjustment means are in the vertical rest position, the beach is partially located below the water level.
• This flat area allows the operator to easily visualize the rise in the water level up to the lower lip of the opening when he acts on the adjustment means, so as to allow only the surface layer of pollutants to pass through. inside the float.
• the lower lip of the opening extends towards the bowl by a step, preferably substantially vertical, followed by a flow ramp.
• a recess is formed between said recess and said flow ramp, preferably partially set back in the vertical recess, said recess comprising a crest to which a substantially horizontal part of the flow ramp.
• the bowl of the floating skimming device has a flat bottom, preferably slightly inclined in the direction of the lower lip.
• the float comprises an upper safety float and a lower overflow float, integral with one another and between which said opening is formed, said upper safety float comprising a through hole vertical to the bowl, the pump being mounted overhanging said through hole and preferably in the vicinity of the bottom of the bowl, for example about 1 cm.
• the upper safety float is housed inside the lower weir float.
• Such a safety float ensures that the device according to the invention remains within a range of inclinations which does not endanger the overall balance of the device.
• the axis of the pump outlet orifice is perpendicular to the direction of the lower lip.
• the flexible tubular pipe passes over the top of the float opposite the opening of the device, and preferably in a cavity formed in the float, the axis of said cavity being confused with that of the pump outlet.
• the motor-pump unit can easily be dismantled from the skimming device.
• the bowl is more supplied with water, which causes it to tilt and lower the lower lip of the opening by relative to the water level.
• the device is returned to the optimal operating position.
• the increase in the quantity of water in the bowl causes the pump flow rate to increase and therefore the weight of the flexible tubular pipe to increase.
• the upper safety float is set back with respect to the lower lip of the opening made in the lower overflow float, in order to increase the visibility of the lower lip when the operator acts on the adjustment means.
• the float has a volume such that in the event of complete filling of the bowl, the pump being stopped, the skimming device remains emerged.
• the float comprises a flange for protecting the engine against splashing.
• the float comprises gripping means, such as lateral handles, and remote control means of the float, such as sockets and cables.
• outlets are advantageously located in the lower part of the lower weir float, so as not to disturb the balance of the skimming device.
• the float comprises, before the opening, protective means, such as bumpers, and horizontal deflectors articulated on either side of the opening between an open position , in which the deflectors make an angle of 45 ° with respect to the lower lip of the opening, and a closed position, in which the deflectors are folded down in front of the opening, said deflectors each supporting a weighted vertical skirt.
• protective means such as bumpers
• horizontal deflectors articulated on either side of the opening between an open position , in which the deflectors make an angle of 45 ° with respect to the lower lip of the opening, and a closed position, in which the deflectors are folded down in front of the opening, said deflectors each supporting a weighted vertical skirt.
• the skirt When the float is placed on the water, the skirt is partly submerged.
• the latter is made of fabric impermeable to the types of pollutants recovered.
• the ballast of the skirt is advantageously located in a hem at the lower end of the skirt, said ballast being a function of the weight of the motor-pump group, so that the counterweight of the lever remains operative whatever the motor-pump group chosen .
• an anti-vibration device such as a rubber plate coated with a polymer resin, is interposed between the upper safety float and the lower weir float.
• floating sleeves of profiled form are mounted along the flexible tubular delivery pipe, in order to offer minimum resistance when the skimming device is moved on the surface of the 'water.
• the float comprises an internal metal frame on which are fixed the adjustment means, the deflectors and / or means for fixing the motor and the pump.
• a pump which can operate in cavitation and which can run dry without risk of overheating.
• motors such as heat engines and air motors.
• the engine is preferably used at a high speed, allowing a flow rate greater than the maximum flow rate of water entering the float, so that the water / pollutant mixture is immediately sucked up by the pump.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the floating skimming device according to the invention, the lever being in a first inclined operating position;
• FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the floating skimming device according to the invention, the lever being in the vertical rest position;
• FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the floating skimming device according to the present invention, the lever being in the first inclined operating position;
• FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the floating skimming device according to the present invention, the lever being in a second inclined operating position;
• FIGS. 1 to 4 are a partial sectional view of the float according to the present invention.
• a floating skimming device 1 which comprises a motor-pump group, comprising a motor 2 and a pump 3, mounted on a floating assembly 4 designated below by the term "float" .
• the float 4 comprises an upper safety float 5 and a lower weir float 6, the upper safety float 5 being housed inside the lower weir float 6, so that a space of the order of 1 cm remains between the bottom of the upper safety float 5 and a bowl 7 formed on the lower weir float 6.
• a through hole is provided in the center of the upper safety float 5 so that the suction port of the pump 3 is perpendicular to the bowl 7.
• the outlet 3a of the pump 3 is connected to a flexible tubular pipe 8 which extends along a body of water.
• the flexible tubular pipe 8 passes over the upper edge 6a of the lower weir float 6 and opposite the opening of the device z, which allows the self-regulation to be described above.
• Floating sleeves 9 are mounted along the flexible tubular pipe 8.
• the lower overflow float 6 has lateral handles 10, as well as sockets (not shown in the figures) for remote control, for example using cables.
• the part 6b of the lower weir float 6 has a flat area 11 inclined with respect to the horizontal, said area 11 being limited at its upper part by the lower lip 12 of an opening made in the lower weir float 6.
• a bumper 13 is mounted in front of said opening on the lower weir float 6 and it is fixed on the side parts 6ç_ of the lower weir float 6.
• Two horizontal deflectors 14 are articulated on the side parts 6ç and each support a vertical weighted skirt 15 made of fabric impermeable to pollutants.
• a lever 16 is articulated on a horizontal axis 17 between the two floats.
• the part 5a of the upper safety float 5 is set back with respect to the lower lip 12, so that the operator has greater visibility of the lower lip 12.
• FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the float 4.
• the lower lip 12 is located just below the water level 18.
• the water level 18 has a surface layer of pollutants 19 which is accelerated at the level of the lower lip 12 due to the difference in height between said lower lip 12 and the crest 20 of the recess 21 formed in part 6b of the lower weir float 6.
• a vortex of water is formed in the recess 21 and the surface layer of pollutants 19 is entrained along the flow ramp 22 towards the dish 7 with a flat bottom.
• the lower overflow float 6 has an internal frame, not shown, on which the handles 10, the axis 17 of the lever 16, the bumpers 13 and the deflectors 14 are fixed.
• the upper safety float 5 may also include an internal metal frame.
• the floating skimming device is transported and placed on a body of water, the lever being in its vertical rest position, then the engine is started and the lever is tilted towards the opening until the lower lip reaches the surface layer of pollutants.
• the lever is tilted to the side opposite to the opening and the float is pushed in until the lower lip reaches the surface layer of pollutants, pushing on handles or lever.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Removal Of Floating Material (AREA)
• Structures Of Non-Positive Displacement Pumps (AREA)
• Cleaning Or Clearing Of The Surface Of Open Water (AREA)
• Spinning Methods And Devices For Manufacturing Artificial Fibers (AREA)
• Cyclones (AREA)
• Adjustment Of Camera Lenses (AREA)
• Filters For Electric Vacuum Cleaners (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=9444693

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (3)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 1993
  • 1993-03-05 FR FR9302571A patent/FR2702232B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1994
  • 1994-01-07 DE DE69420953T patent/DE69420953D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1994-01-07 CZ CZ942128A patent/CZ212894A3/cs unknown
  • 1994-01-07 PL PL94306004A patent/PL306004A1/xx unknown
  • 1994-01-07 SK SK1096-94A patent/SK109694A3/sk unknown
  • 1994-01-07 WO PCT/FR1994/000018 patent/WO1994020691A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1994-01-07 EP EP94904207A patent/EP0687330B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1994-01-07 AT AT94904207T patent/ATE185179T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1994-01-07 AU AU58356/94A patent/AU5835694A/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events