Cross Reference To Related Application The present application claims the benefits, under 35 U.S.C.§119(e), of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 61/184,827 filed June 7, 2009 entitled "Amphibious Oil Spill Recovery System and Apparatus" which is incorporated herein by this reference.

Technical Field The present invention relates to the recovery of liquid hydrocarbons from spills principally in shoreline marine environments, beaches, mud flats, riverbeds or lake shorelines. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for collecting and separating liquid hydrocarbons from solids and water in near-shore environments that have been polluted by liquid hydrocarbon spills or contamination, and a system for employing such apparatus and storing the collected liquid hydrocarbons and separated solids.

Background

Oil spills cause severe environmental damage. As oil exploration, offshore drilling and oil production and crude oil shipping reach ever increasing magnitudes and ever more sensitive environments, rapid response to oil spills is of increasing importance. Rapid containment and recovery of a spill is critical to minimize environmental damage and cleanup costs. While numerous oil containment and recovery apparatus and systems have been developed, existing systems have insufficient capacity, require too much time to deploy, and are ineffective in adverse weather, rough seas or conditions of limited visibility such as fog or night-time, and there are no existing systems capable of removing and separating oil and mud or sludge, sand, etc., from a polluted river bank, beach, or mud flats, or any other near-shore environment.

A central element of any amphibious oil spill cleanup system is an apparatus for skimming or sucking up oil and sand and other solids and separating the solids from the liquids and separation the oil from the water.

This is typically done using conventional weir or disc skimmers. However existing skimmers have too little capacity, are too slow and difficult to deploy to be effective particularly for large oil spills, and are limited in the environmental conditions under which they can operate effectively, and no existing system can remove and separate oil and solids from a beach or mud flats, or river bank or from any marine shoreline environment. The present inventor has disclosed an oil recovery system in United States Patent no. 5,075,014 which is incorporated herein by reference. The present disclosure describes improvements to that system adapted for the recovery of liquid hydrocarbons from spills principally in shoreline marine environments, beaches, mud flats, riverbeds or lake shorelines.

The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related thereto are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.

Summary

The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements.

The present invention provides a self-propelled vehicle that is equipped with equipment and apparatus for collecting and separating sand, mud, silt, small rocks, and liquid hydrocarbons from the surface of a beach or mud flat or river bank or any shoreline environment. It comprises a tracked vehicle provided with a suction device adapted to collect sand, silt, mud or other solids, together with liquid hydrocarbons and water from the land or water surface and deliver same to a liquid hydrocarbons- water separator mounted in the vehicle, and connected to means for discharging separated liquid hydrocarbons to a means for storage of recovered separated liquid hydrocarbons.

The invention further provides a method of recovering liquid hydrocarbons from the surface of a beach, shoreline environment or shallow water environment, by providing a self-propelled tracked vehicle that is equipped with equipment and apparatus for collecting and separating sand, mud, silt, small rocks, and liquid hydrocarbons from the surface of a beach or mud flat or river bank or any shoreline environment. The tracked vehicle is provided with a suction device adapted to collect sand, silt, mud or other solids, together with liquid hydrocarbons and water from the land or water surface and deliver same to a liquid hydrocarbons-water separator mounted in the vehicle, and connected to means for discharging separated liquid hydrocarbons to a means for storage of recovered separated liquid hydrocarbons. The tracked vehicle maneuvers itself to the area contaminated with liquid hydrocarbons, pumps contaminated slurry using the suction device to the liquid hydrocarbons-water separator, separates the liquid hydrocarbons and pumps the separated liquid hydrocarbons into a liquid hydrocarbons storage means and discharges clean water into the environment. The liquid hydrocarbons storage means may be towed on a barge.

The suction device may be a replaceable head which is a vacuum suction head for beach recovery and a floating skimmer for shallow water operation. The tracked vehicle may also include a desander hydrocyclone for removing sand prior to the step of separating hydrocarbons.

In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following detailed descriptions

Brief Description of Drawings

Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an amphibious oil spill recovery and separation system in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view in phantom outline of the amphibious oil spill recovery and separation system shown in Fig. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the amphibious oil spill recovery and separation system shown in Fig. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the amphibious oil spill recovery and separation system shown in Fig. 1.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the amphibious oil spill recovery and separation system shown in Fig. 1.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the amphibious oil spill recovery and separation system shown in Fig. 1. FIG. 7 is a schematic top view of the amphibious oil spill recovery and separation system shown in Fig. 1 also including a desanding hydrocyclone.

FIG. 7 A is an elevation view of the desanding hydrocyclone shown in Fig. 7.

FIG. 8 is an elevation view of the amphibious oil spill recovery and separation system shown in Fig. 1 in operation cleaning a beach.

FIG. 9 is an elevation view of the amphibious oil spill recovery and separation system adapted for operation in shallow water.

FIG. 10 is an elevation view of a further embodiment of the amphibious oil spill recovery and separation system adapted for operation in shallow water.

FIG. 11 is an elevation view of a barge for use with the invention.

FIG.12 is a top view of a barge for use with the invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a weir skimmer for use in the invention.

FIG. 14 is a detailed schematic diagram illustrating the weir skimmer for use in the invention as shown in Fig. 13.

Description Throughout the following description specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding to persons skilled in the art. However, well known elements may not have been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosure. Accordingly, the description and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.

FIGS. 1 through 6 show the overall configuration of the liquid hydrocarbons collection and separation apparatus 100 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The liquid hydrocarbons collection and separation apparatus is mounted on a multi-purpose tracked, self-propelled amphibious vehicle that is capable of maneuvering over land, beaches, or mud flats, or any shoreline environment, and is also capable of navigating in open water and is also capable of towing an aluminum barge. Examples of such amphibious vehicles, suitable for transporting the system, are manufactured by "Hydratrek", of Covington, Tennessee; and by "ALL-TRACK SERVICE (1984) LTD." of Calgary, Alberta., and by other manufacturers. The apparatus 100 includes a forward vehicle 1 and a rear vehicle 2 joined by a hinged tow arm 8, hingedly connected to hitches 9. Each of the front and rear vehicles 1,2 is provided with two large continuous track drives 32 provided with caterpillar tractor treads. Drives 32 are preferably 7 feet in height or greater, and can drive the vehicles over land at speeds up to 20 kilometers per hour. The caterpillar tractor treads are preferably rubber. Each pair of continuous track drives 32 is driven by a powerful diesel engine. While it is contemplated for the preferred embodiment that the vehicles are diesel powered, in which case fuel storage tanks are provided to hold diesel fuel, other sources of power such as gasoline or electricity may be used. Forward vehicle 1 has operator cab 102 and railings 103 and vehicle 2 has an observer cab 101 and railings 104.

Weir skimmer/suction head 31 is mounted to the front of the forward vehicle 1 on the end of articulated arm 3, controlled by hydraulic cylinders 4, 5. Weir skimmer/suction head 31 may be a vacuum suction head for beach cleaning replaceable with a floating oil skimmer head such as the MANTA RAY ^tm for shallow water applications. Skimmer/suction head 31 is connected by pipe 10 through wet/dry vacuum pump 106 (Fig. 8-10) to the input of the first stage 7 of a liquid hydrocarbons/water hydrocyclone separator. Separators 7 and 6 (described below) may each be a centrifugal separator of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,859,347 issued Aug. 22, 1989 to Simon et al. They are each provided with vents 21.

Pipe 11 feeds the water output of the first stage 7 of the liquid hydrocarbons/water hydrocyclone separator to flexible hose 12 which in turn feeds through flexible pipe 13 to the second stage 6 of the liquid hydrocarbons/water hydrocyclone separator. Pipe 14 feeds the clean water output of the second stage 6 of the liquid hydrocarbons/water hydrocyclone separator overboard. Pipe 15 feeds oil output from the first stage 7 of the liquid hydrocarbons/water hydrocyclone separator to a flexible hose 16, which in turn feeds flexible hose 17 which feeds recovered oil to a storage tank or bag such as on barge 200 described below. Valves 19 and 20 are provided to open or shut the flow between vehicles 1 and 2. Pipes 22 deliver oil from the second stage 6 of the liquid hydrocarbons/water hydrocyclone separator to flexible hose 17 which feeds recovered oil to a storage tank or bag. Slop tanks 18 are provided on board to carry waste liquid from the system.

Fig. 7 illustrates schematically the system including a desanding hydrocyclone installed on line 10 prior to delivery of the pumped contaminated slurry to the first stage de-oiling hydrocyclone 7. Fig. 11 and Fig. 12 illustrate an aluminum barge 200 which can be towed behind vehicle 2 for transportation of the recovered oil. It has vertical sides 202, smooth bottom 204 for dragging across sand or rocks or floating on water, sloping front nose 206 and a rear panel 208 which can be raised and lowered for loading and unloading using winch 210 and cable 212 which travels over sheave 214. Panel 208 is held in place when raised by chain 216

Weir skimmer 31 may utilize a flop-gate control as illustrated in Fig. 13 and 14. Skimmer 31 is supported at the appropriate level in relation top waterline 304 by a flotation member 300. Flopgate 306 controls the amount of liquid flowing into sump 302. Outflow 308 directs the oil-contaminated fluid to line 10. The level of flopgate 306 is controlled by float 310 within the sump 302 which connects to flopgate 306 by a connecting bar 312.

An enclosed, fluid and pressure-tight electronics module (not shown) may be provided in the operator's cab 102 containing the electronic hardware and software for operating the systems of the apparatus 100 in a coordinated manner to achieve the efficient and expeditious operation of the apparatus 100 in recovering spilled liquid hydrocarbons and other likewise immiscible substances. This electronics module can also provides GPS guidance via a GPS unit and real time telemetry for remote operation.

METHOD OF OPERATION

Fig. 8 illustrates the system in operation on a sandy beach surface 220. Continuous tracks 32 permit the apparatus to maneuver over the uneven surface, towing barge 200. The operator controls the height and location of suction head 31 by means of hydraulic cylinders 4 and 5. When the suction head 31 is located on oil-contaminated sand, pump 106 is activated and causes the hydrocarbons, sand and water present at the suction head 31 to be moved through the pump 106 and line 10 to the first stage 7 of the liquid hydrocarbons/water hydrocyclone separator, or alternatively as shown in Fig. 7 first to a desander hydrocyclone 108. Oil separated in the first stage 7 is discharged through lines 15, 16, 17 to the oil storage means. The liquid hydrocarbons and water discharged through the discharge line 11 of the first stage 7 of the liquid hydrocarbons/water hydrocyclone separator passes into the second stage 6 of the liquid hydrocarbons/water hydrocyclone separator via lines 12 and 13. The separator acts to further separate the liquid hydrocarbons and water. Water from the oil-water mix is passed through the clean water discharge lines and returned to the environment at large through the water outlet line 14. Oil that has been separated from the oil- water mix proceeds through the oil discharge line 22 to line 17 and thence to the oil holding tank (not shown) on barge 200.

Fig. 9 and 10 illustrate the system in use in shallow water. In this case skimmer suction head 31 is provided with a floating weir skimmer. Skimmer suction head 31 may be supported, as shown in Fig. 9, by a cable 240 suspended from boom arm 242, the height of which is controlled by the operator through cable 244 and winch 246. Alternatively as shown in Fig. 10, the skimmer head 31 can be supported on articulated arm 250 at point 248. Hydraulic cylinder 252 adjusts the height of arm 250 which pivots about axis 258. The height of arm 250 is further adjusted by the operator by cable 254 controlled by winch 256. Again in this embodiment the continuous tracks 32 permit the apparatus to maneuver through shallow water over uneven surfaces, towing barge 200. When the skimmer head 31 is located in oil-contaminated water, pump 106 is activated and causes the hydrocarbons and water present at the head 31 to be moved through the pump 106 and line 10 to the first stage 7 of the liquid hydrocarbons/water hydrocyclone separator. Oil separated in the first stage 7 is discharged through lines 15, 16, 17 to the oil storage means. The liquid hydrocarbons and water discharged through the discharge line 11 of the first stage 7 of the liquid hydrocarbons/water hydrocyclone separator passes into the second stage 6 of the liquid hydrocarbons/water hydrocyclone separator via lines 12 and 13. The separator acts to further separate the liquid hydrocarbons and water. Water from the oil- water mix is passed through the clean water discharge lines and returned to the environment at large through the water outlet line 14. Oil that has been separated from the oil-water mix proceeds through the oil discharge line 22 to line 17 and thence to the oil holding tank (not shown) on barge 200.

Cutting knives (not shown) may also be provided in the flow of tube 10 adjacent pump 106 to mulch or pulverize algae, kelp or eel grass which may threaten to clog the pump 106. A double grinder debris processing system of the type sold under the trade-mark DWS 3000 CHANNEL is preferred for this purpose.

While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the invention be interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub combinations as are within its true spirit and scope.