Specialist vessel designed to pick up floating material at the bow includes high maneuverability steering systems, heated scooping equipment and temporary on-board storage

摘要

The bow deploys rapidly as a funneled scoop (6, 12) into the collection zone. It includes pick-up equipment of diverse types with heating provisions. Navigation and rear maneuverability are provided by steerable, variable-immersion outboard propulsion units (9). Bow lateral maneuverability is obtained using nozzles ejecting water under pressure (10). Temporary storage is provided on-board, in standard road transport containers, which are readily handled. The bridge and control center is located high up, near the bow. Preferred features: A double-partitioned hull includes a non-biodegradable cellular body, which is adhesive and/or pressurized with an inert gas preventing corrosion. A leak monitoring system is included. Equipment support structures of the scoop are outlined. Equipment is hot-water jacketed for heating. Main propulsion is by two multi-bladed screws with contra-rotation, each driven by a hydraulic motor in a sealed casing. The mounting provides full 180[deg] steering, and there is provision for common or independent orientation. The jet systems for lateral steering are detailed. They direct flow to port or starboard, and are orientated transversely from the keel line, and downward at 8[deg]-10[deg]. For control, a three-way valve distributes flow between the two sides. Power is provided by a centrifugal pump driven hydraulically. This is situated in the engine compartment and has variable speed. The containers are robust, rigid, sealed, have lifting points, sliding covers, natural ventilation, anti-roll compartments, sloping bases, heating coils, level indicators and can be emptied rapidly by tilting. The bridge (in an auxiliary tower) is located to assist navigation, and also monitoring of the scooping operation.