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.
Claims19
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 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 beneath 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 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 above and within the hopper and configured to separate the capping material into a plurality of capping material streams, and the rotatable drum disposed beneath 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.
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 above and within the hopper and configured to separate the capping material into a plurality of capping material streams, and the rotatable drum disposed beneath 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.