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US 10,900,192 B2Granted
Spreader for sediment capping system and method
AssigneeCashman Dredging and Marine Contracting, Co., LLC
InventorsChris Sheedy, Tim Mannering
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sediment capping system is adapted to create, and distribute, a homogenized mixture of capping material. Where distributing the capping material, the system is configured to militate against the capping material forming clumps of a size and weight that would disturb the sediment on a bottom of a body of water. This in turn militates against the sediment being disturbed, and a disturbing of pollutants and toxins into the water surrounding the sediment. The sediment capping system militates against the clumping of capping material through a vibrating spreader and baffle system, producing a sediment cap with a more consistent depth that will minimally disturb the sediment on the floor of the body of water where the sediment cap is being deposited.
Claims18
A spreader for sediment capping, comprising:
- a hopper having a hollow interior, a first opening, and a second opening, the first opening configured to receive capping material;
- a baffle system disposed at least one of above the hopper and within the hopper and configured to separate the capping material into a plurality of capping material streams;
- and
- a rotatable drum disposed adjacent the second opening of the hopper, the rotatable drum adapted to receive the capping material streams and disperse the capping material of the capping material streams into a body of water to form a sediment cap on a subaquatic floor of the body of water, wherein the rotatable drum has a plurality of grooves that are adapted to receive the capping material streams, the grooves are arranged across a length of the rotatable drum, and the grooves are generally chevron shaped.
1 more element
A spreader for sediment capping, comprising:
- a hopper having a hollow interior, a first opening, and a second opening, the first opening configured to receive capping material;
- a baffle system disposed at least one of above the hopper and within the hopper and configured to separate the capping material into a plurality of capping material streams, wherein the baffle system includes a first baffle wall and a second baffle wall, each of the first baffle wall and the second baffle wall having a top end and a bottom end, the top end disposed above the bottom end to provide angled surfaces configured to form at least a portion of the capping material streams, the top end of the first baffle wall disposed adjacent to but spaced apart from the top end of the second baffle wall and defining a gap, the gap configured to form one of the capping material streams;
- and
- a rotatable drum disposed adjacent the second opening of the hopper, the rotatable drum adapted to receive the capping material streams and disperse the capping material of the capping material streams into a body of water to form a sediment cap on a subaquatic floor of the body of water.
1 more element
A sediment capping system, comprising:
- a spreader for sediment capping, including a hopper, a baffle system, and a rotatable drum, the hopper having a hollow interior, a first opening, and a second opening, the first opening configured to receive capping material, the baffle system disposed at least one of above and within the hopper and configured to separate the capping material into a plurality of capping material streams, and the rotatable drum disposed adjacent the second opening of the hopper, the rotatable drum adapted to receive the capping material streams and disperse the capping material of the capping material streams into a body of water to form a sediment cap on a subaquatic floor of the body of water, wherein the rotatable drum has a plurality of grooves that are adapted to receive the capping material streams, the grooves are arranged across a length of the rotatable drum, and the grooves are generally chevron shaped;
- a primary container configured to hold the capping material in bulk prior to transport to the spreader;
- and
- a delivery system adapted to transport the capping material from the primary container to the spreader.
1 more element
A method of forming a sediment cap on a subaquatic floor of a body of water, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a spreader for sediment capping, including a hopper, a baffle system, and a rotatable drum, the hopper having a hollow interior, a first opening, and a second opening, the first opening configured to receive capping material, the baffle system disposed at least one of above and within the hopper and configured to separate the capping material into a plurality of capping material streams, and the rotatable drum disposed adjacent the second opening of the hopper, the rotatable drum adapted to receive the capping material streams and disperse the capping material of the capping material streams into a body of water to form a sediment cap on a subaquatic floor of the body of water, wherein the rotatable drum has a plurality of grooves that are adapted to receive the capping material streams, the grooves are arranged across a length of the rotatable drum, and the grooves are generally chevron shaped;
- transporting the capping material to the spreader;
- depositing the capping material through the first opening of the hopper of the spreader to form the capping material streams;
- and
- rotating the rotatable drum of the spreader to distribute and disperse the capping material of the capping material streams into the body of water to form the sediment cap on the subaquatic floor of the body of water.
2 more elements
A sediment capping system, comprising:
- a spreader for sediment capping, including a hopper, a baffle system, and a rotatable drum, the hopper having a hollow interior, a first opening, and a second opening, the first opening configured to receive capping material, the baffle system disposed at least one of above and within the hopper and configured to separate the capping material into a plurality of capping material streams, wherein the baffle system includes a first baffle wall and a second baffle wall, each of the first baffle wall and the second baffle wall having a top end and a bottom end, the top end disposed above the bottom end to provide angled surfaces configured to form at least a portion of the capping material streams, the top end of the first baffle wall disposed adjacent to but spaced apart from the top end of the second baffle wall and defining a gap, the gap configured to form one of the capping material streams, and the rotatable drum disposed adjacent the second opening of the hopper, the rotatable drum adapted to receive the capping material streams and disperse the capping material of the capping material streams into a body of water to form a sediment cap on a subaquatic floor of the body of water;
- a primary container configured to hold the capping material in bulk prior to transport to the spreader;
- and
- a delivery system adapted to transport the capping material from the primary container to the spreader.
1 more element
A method of forming a sediment cap on a subaquatic floor of a body of water, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a spreader for sediment capping, including a hopper, a baffle system, and a rotatable drum, the hopper having a hollow interior, a first opening, and a second opening, the first opening configured to receive capping material, the baffle system disposed at least one of above and within the hopper and configured to separate the capping material into a plurality of capping material streams, wherein the baffle system includes a first baffle wall and a second baffle wall, each of the first baffle wall and the second baffle wall having a top end and a bottom end, the top end disposed above the bottom end to provide angled surfaces configured to form at least a portion of the capping material streams, the top end of the first baffle wall disposed adjacent to but spaced apart from the top end of the second baffle wall and defining a gap, the gap configured to form one of the capping material streams, and the rotatable drum disposed adjacent the second opening of the hopper, the rotatable drum adapted to receive the capping material streams and disperse the capping material of the capping material streams into a body of water to form a sediment cap on a subaquatic floor of the body of water;
- transporting the capping material to the spreader;
- depositing the capping material through the first opening of the hopper of the spreader to form the capping material streams;
- and
- rotating the rotatable drum of the spreader to distribute and disperse the capping material of the capping material streams into the body of water to form the sediment cap on the subaquatic floor of the body of water.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.