Development of a Streaming Fiber Oil Spill Control Concept.

Abstract

Seaward, Inc., has developed a simple and effective new concept for control of oil spills in currents up to 10 knots. The concept utilizes long, continuous fibers that stream out into the current to slow down and thicken spilled oil. Extensive tests have demonstrated that in a containment device, a thick, stable pool of oil can be created from which conventional techniques can be used to recover the oil. Losses beneath the system are negligible compared to the catastrophic losses a conventional containment barrier or oil skimmer would experience under the same conditions. An extensive test program was conducted during the program, including model testing in a 7-fps flume and testing of a prototype-scale fiber array in a commercial skimmer at speeds up to 6 knots. A preliminary prototype design for a 6-knot, self-propelled river skimmer was developed. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1975
Accession Number
ADA014494

Entities

People

  • F. A. March
  • R. L. Beach

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Models
  • Oil Spills
  • Prototypes
  • Self Propelled

Readers

  • Coastal and Marine Engineering/Sediment Transport/Hydraulic Engineering
  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Petroleum Engineering