Free Vortex Recovery of Floating Oil. Concept Feasibility Study.

摘要

A concept employing a free vortex for use in recovering oil from high seas oil spills is presented. An oil slick will migrate toward the center of the vortex due to the action of the water flow induced by an impeller. At an appropriate speed of rotation,the oil will submerge and accumulate within a central region of the vortex. This pocket will contain a concentrated mass of oil which can readily be removed by conventional pumping. Advantages of this technique include effective operation in high seas and the ability to both collect and concentrate the oil in a single operation. Following a series of laboratory experiments to establish the magnitude of key operating parameters, a free vortex oil recovery model was designed and constructed. Final testing and data collection were done in a model basin capable of providing deep water waves. Performance data were obtained both under quiescent water conditions and also under environmental conditions that simulated 10-foot waves, 40miles per hour winds,and 2-knot currents. Detailed scaling considerations based on the data obtained during model testing indicated that a full-scale prototype would be operable in all 10-foo seas which can realistically be encountered in actual situations. (Author)