SYSTEM FOR DEGRADING HYDROCARBONS, FATS AND OILS FLOATING ON THE SURFACE OF WATER OR ANOTHER SURFACE, WHICH DOES NOT REQUIRE AN ENERGY GENERATOR

摘要

The invention relates to a system for degrading hydrocarbons, fats and oils floating on another surface, e.g. water, which is advantageous in that it requires no energy generating source other than the movement that can be provided by the swell on the surface of the liquid. The invention comprises four main sections: an upper external part including a series of peripheral openings by means of which the hydrocarbons can enter the system; a second section positioned in the aforementioned openings, windows or ports, said second section being made from an oleophilic material, such as a textile or other type of material, which absorbs the hydrocarbon and allows same to pass therethrough, confining the hydrocarbon-degrading organisms; a third element consisting of a culture of bacteria which degrade the hydrocarbons, converting same into non-polluting materials; and a final section disposed at the base of the preceding sections, insulated therefrom, and used for the placement of sufficient ballast or counterweight in order to allow the system to float in the correct position. The movement of the system by the swell shakes the bacteria sufficiently in order to renew the digester layer that forms in the internal part of the oleophilic textile. The hydrocarbon digestion increases the quantity of bacteria and residue inside the system, such that the latter begins to sink and once a pre-determined threshold has been reached it must be removed from the liquid for cleaning and maintenance.