Apparatus for the removal of sludge
AssigneeBarrnon Ltd.
InventorAndrew Fraser Barr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for removing sludge from an underwater deposit comprises a blade having a cutting edge that points forwards and a blade surface to the rear of the cutting edge that faces the interior of a housing. Nozzles are positioned and oriented to direct jets of water onto the blade surface to fluidize sludge that has been cut by the blade. The jets have a component of motion in the rearward direction relative to the blade surface, whereby the fluidized sludge is effectively contained within the housing and high collection rates can be achieved. The apparatus can be adapted for horizontal use over the surface of a sludge deposit or for movement in any direction through a bulk sludge deposit.
Claims31
Apparatus for removing sludge from an underwater deposit, comprising:
- a housing having a front and a rear and defining an interior;
- an outlet through which sludge can be removed from the rear of the housing;
- a first blade on the housing, the first blade having a cutting edge that points forwards and a first blade surface to the rear of the cutting edge that faces the interior of the housing;
- at least one first nozzle positioned and oriented to direct a jet of water onto the first blade surface, the jet having a component of motion in the rearward direction relative to the blade surface;
- a second blade on an opposite side of the housing from the first blade, the second blade having a cutting edge that points forwards and a second blade surface to the rear of the cutting edge that faces the first blade surface across the interior of the housing;
- and
- at least one second nozzle positioned and oriented to direct a jet of water onto the second blade surface, the jet having a component of motion in the rearward direction relative to the second blade surface.
A method of removing sludge from an underwater deposit, comprising:
- pushing a housing in a forward direction such that cutting edges of respective first and second blades on opposite sides of the housing cut into the sludge;
- directing at least one first jet of water rearwards onto a surface of the first blade that lies to the rear of the cutting edge of the first blade, and directing at least one second jet of water rearwards towards a surface of the second blade that lies to the rear of the cutting edge of the second blade, wherein the second blade surface faces the first blade surface across an interior of the housing whereby the first and second jets of water carry the cut sludge towards the rear of the housing and
- removing sludge from the rear of the housing.
Apparatus for removing sludge from an underwater deposit,
- a housing having a front and a rear and defining an interior;
- an outlet through which sludge can be removed from the rear of the housing;
- a first blade on the housing, the first blade having a cutting edge that points forwards and a first blade surface to the rear of the cutting edge that faces the interior of the housing;
- and
- at least one first nozzle positioned and oriented to direct a jet of water onto the first blade surface, the jet having a component of motion in the rearward direction relative to the blade surface;
- wherein an extent of a cross-section of the jet of water in a direction parallel to the cutting edge is greater than an extent of the cross-section of the jet of a water in a direction perpendicular to the cutting edge.
A method of removing sludge front an underwater deposit, comprising:
- pushing a housing in a forward direction such that a cutting edge of a first blade on the housing cuts into the sludge;
- directing at least one first jet of water rearwards onto a surface of the first blade that lies to the rear of the cutting edge of the first blade, whereby the jet of water carries the cut sludge towards the rear of the housing;
- and
- removing sludge from the rear of the housing;
- wherein an extent of a cross-section of the first jet of water in a direction parallel to the cutting edge is greater than an extent of the cross-section of the jet of water in a direction perpendicular to the cutting edge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.