Pollution control vessel
Catamaran-type boat for collecting waste (petroleum, oils, rubbish, algae, etc.), of those comprised by two parallel and longitudinal hulls, wherebetween is defined a tunnel wherethrough water flows, a control bridge, and at least one fuel tank for servicing a main engine, fundamentally standing out in that it permits access thereof to very shallow areas, and in that once said waste has been collected and filtered, it is packaged in bags and tossed back into the water for its subsequent collection or towing by auxiliary boats, allowing the ship to be used continuously in a greater number of situations; additionally permitting the configuration of the ship for “open sea” waste collection, and a configuration of the ship for “coastal areas”, rivers, marshes or suchlike.
1. An anti-pollution ship for the collection of
waste, such as petroleum, oil, rubbish, algae or suchlike, the ship comprising:
two parallel and longitudinal hulls, wherebetween is defined a space or tunnel configured so as to allow water freely flowing wherethrough,
at least one fuel tank for servicing a main engine, and
a control bridge where the navigation and direction controls of the ship are located,
the ship further comprising:
a waste collection tray disposed in the tunnel between the two hulls of the ship, and adapted to collect and filter waste present on the surface of the water,
at least one longitudinal screw conveyor connected to the collection tray, for causing vacuum currents inside the tunnel, and for lifting at least part of the waste to a collector disposed on the rear part of the collection tray, the screw leaning on the collector,
a decantation chamber disposed below the collector, and communicated with the collection tray, for collecting, from the tray, at least part of remaining waste not collected by the longitudinal screw conveyor,
at least one vacuum pump connected to the collector, adapted to transport the waste housed in the decantation chamber by lifting the waste up to a final position inside the collector, and
valves, connected to the collector, for allowing the waste exit wherethrough for a final unloading of the waste in collection bags, the bags being intended to be closed and numbered for their subsequent tossing into the water so as to be picked up by an auxiliary boat.
2. The ship of claim 1 , further comprising cross-drive screw conveyors configured to produce a vacuum current towards the inside of the tunnel, for collecting waste in areas without currents or very shallow areas.
3. The ship of claim 2 wherein the cross-drive endless screw conveyors are situated near the bow of the ship.
4. The ship of claim 2 , wherein both the longitudinal screw conveyor and the cross-drive screw conveyors are detachable, so as to define selectable first configuration of the ship for collecting waste in “open sea”, and second configuration of the ship for collecting waste along “coasts”, rivers or shallow areas.
5. The ship of claim 2 , wherein both the longitudinal screw conveyor and the cross-drive screw conveyors are detachable, so as to define selectable first configuration of the ship for collecting waste in “open sea”, and second configuration of the ship for collecting waste along “coasts”, rivers or shallow areas.
6. The ship of claim 1 , wherein the collection tray is connected to the hulls of the ship by means of support frames.
7. The ship of claim 6 , wherein the support frames comprise hydraulic means for lifting or lowering the collection tray for situating the collection tray on a water-waste interface.
8. The ship of claim 7 , wherein the support frames comprise rear support frames comprising protective surrounding guides, for protecting the hydraulic means and preventing the collection tray from swinging when raised or lowered.
9. The ship of claim 6 , wherein the support frames comprise frontal support frames which are connected to the hulls of the ship only by a bracket, the bracket being configured so as to permit swinging movement of the collection tray.
10. The ship of claim 1 , wherein the collection tray comprises drainage orifices situated in a rear area of the collection tray, for allowing to keep a sufficient water level in the inside of the collection tray so as to permit the transport of the waste to the collector.
11. The ship of claim 10 , wherein the drainage orifices have closure means adapted to permit a total or partial closure of the orifices depending on whether more or less water is required inside the collection tray.
12. The ship of claim 1 , wherein the collection tray further comprises channels for channeling water.
13. The ship of claim 12 , wherein the collection tray further comprises breakwaters disposed between the channels, for accelerating the separation of the water-waste mixture.