Oil spill skimmer with adjustable floating weir

摘要

An oil spill skimmer and processor particularly for offshore oil spill recovery includes a series of features which enable efficient recovery of oil from the water surface, even in the presence of considerable debris. The large ocean going apparatus, which includes two successive floating weirs, affords a great deal of control to the operator. Controls include adjustable water jets for steering oil into the skimmer and deflecting debris, the ability to reverse either of two internal pumps to flutter weirs up and down for the clearing of debris. The first floating weir is adjustable as to buoyancy, permitting the operator greater control over modes of operation and passing of debris through the vessel. A debris grate at the inlet of the skimmer traps debris, and a grinder receives trapped debris from the grate, to be ground up and passed on with recovered oil. The apparatus further includes fore and aft ballast tanks with ballast control, for adjustment of the attitude of the vessel to compensate for waves so as to present the best wave-consuming beach; the top of the skimmer device is designed so as to act as a beach which assists in catching waves. The system's controls enable operation from a situation of skimming 100% oil to situations with very little oil in the liquid taken in.