Floating oil spill ignition device
AssigneeFike Corporation
InventorChris Seyfarth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An igniter device (10) operable to remediate a floating oil spill in a body of water is provided. The device (10) comprises a pyrotechnic device (28) that is actuated through an actuator assembly (20) comprising time delay circuitry (24). Upon actuation, the time delay circuitry (24) begins a countdown permitting the device (10) to be safely deployed from an aerial vehicle. The pyrotechnic device (28) ignites a fuel source (38), which in turn ignites the floating oil spill.
Claims34
An oil spill ignition device comprising:
- a buoyant housing defining, at least in part, an inner chamber;
- and
- an actuator assembly operable to ignite a removable flare that is installed within the inner chamber by an end user prior to deployment of the ignition device, the actuator assembly comprising an electrical igniter, time delay circuitry, and a switch that upon actuation thereof causes the time delay circuitry to begin a countdown of a predetermined length, the time delay circuitry operable to actuate the electrical igniter at an end of the countdown and ignite the removable flare, wherein the removable flare ignites a removable fuel source that is installed within the inner chamber by the end user prior to deployment of the ignition device.
The oil spill ignition device according to 1, wherein the time delay circuitry is operably connected to a power source.
An oil spill ignition device comprising:
- a buoyant housing defining, at least in part, an inner chamber;
- a non-explosive removable flare received within the inner chamber, the removable flare installed within the inner chamber by an end user prior to deployment of the ignition device;
- an actuator assembly operable to ignite the pyrotechnic device;
- and
- a removable fuel source received within the inner chamber adjacent to the the removable flare and installed within the inner chamber by the end user prior to deployment of the ignition device, the removable flare being operable to ignite the removable fuel source.
The oil spill ignition device according to 11, wherein the actuator assembly further comprises a power source.
A method of remediating a release of a liquid petroleum product into a body of water comprising:
- deploying an ignition device onto the liquid petroleum product in the body of water, the ignition device comprising—
- a buoyant housing defining, at least in part, an inner chamber;
- a non-explosive removable flare received within the inner chamber that is installed within the inner chamber by an end user prior to deployment of the ignition device;
- an actuator assembly operable to ignite the removable flare;
- and
- a removable fuel source received within the inner chamber adjacent to the removable flare and installed within the inner chamber by the end user prior to deployment of the ignition device, the removable flare operable to ignite the removable fuel source,
- wherein deploying the ignition device comprises actuating the actuator assembly and causing the ignition device to come into contact with the liquid petroleum product,
- after contacting the liquid petroleum product, the actuator assembly ignites the non-explosive removable flare, which in turn ignites the removable fuel source,
- upon ignition of the removable fuel source, the ignition device ignites the liquid petroleum product.
An oil spill ignition device comprising:
- a buoyant housing defining, at least in part, an inner chamber, the buoyant housing comprising a cylindrical body including an inner tubular member and an outer tubular member, the inner tubular member comprising a cardboard tube;
- and
- an actuator assembly operable to ignite a pyrotechnic device installed within the inner chamber by an end user prior to deployment of the ignition device, the actuator assembly comprising an electrical igniter, time delay circuitry, and a switch that upon actuation thereof causes the time delay circuitry to begin a countdown of a predetermined length, the time delay circuitry operable to actuate the electrical igniter at an end of the countdown and ignite the pyrotechnic device.
An oil spill ignition device comprising:
- a buoyant housing defining, at least in part, an inner chamber, the buoyant housing comprising a cylindrical body and two end caps installed on opposite ends of the cylindrical body, the end caps cooperating with the cylindrical body to define the inner chamber;
- and
- an actuator assembly operable to ignite a pyrotechnic device installed within the inner chamber by an end user prior to deployment of the ignition device, the actuator assembly comprising an electrical igniter, time delay circuitry, and a switch that upon actuation thereof causes the time delay circuitry to begin a countdown of a predetermined length, the time delay circuitry operable to actuate the electrical igniter at an end of the countdown and ignite the pyrotechnic device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.