Buoyant water purification pad
AssigneeMaximideas Inc.
InventorNestor Ivan Segura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A contaminant sorptive buoyant pad is provided to preferentially absorb or adsorb contaminants from a water body surface. The pad includes a laminar core which is formed from side-by-side stacked layers of superabsorbent meltblown polypropylene microfiber fabric, and which has a density less than water. The porosity and inter-layer spacing between adjacent stacked layers is selected to facilitate contaminate absorptive and the capillary movement and wicking of hydrocarbons and other contaminants from the water surface into the pad interior.
Claims17
An apparatus for the absorption and/or adsorption of contaminates, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one generally tabular sorption body configured for positioning in contact with said contaminates,
- the sorption body having generally parallel upper and lower surfaces and having a laminar core comprising a plurality of polypropylene sheet layers provided in a side-by-side juxtaposed arrangement,
- the polypropylene sheet layers having a porosity structure selected to provide at least partial sorption of said contaminates thereby and defining a spacing therebetween selected to effect the capillary rise of said contaminates towards an interior of the laminar core therein,
- wherein the apparatus is at least partially buoyant and is adapted for the removal of said contaminates from a water body surface, the apparatus further comprising:
- a first fluid porous cover member positioned over the upper surface,
- a second fluid porous cover member being positioned over the lower surfaces, wherein each of the first and second porous cover members, comprise polypropylene, and
- further comprising at least one respective heat weld thermally fusing a portion of each of the first and second cover members respectively to a respective upper and lower surface.
An apparatus for absorption and/or adsorption of contaminates from a surface of a water body, the apparatus comprising:
- a buoyant sorption body configured for floatation on the water body, the sorption body including a laminar core comprising a spiral wound superabsorbent microfiber polypropylene sheet coiled about a generally vertical axis and defining a plurality of generally vertically oriented non-woven polypropylene sheet layers provided in a substantially side-by-side juxtaposed arrangement,
- the polypropylene sheet layers having a porosity structure selected to provide at least partial absorption of said contaminates thereby, and defining a lateral spacing therebetween selected to facilitate capillary movement of the core said contaminates from said water body towards an interior of the laminar core, and
- wherein said laminar core is a generally disk-shaped core having a vertical thickness of between about 0.5 and 8 inches, or between about 1 and 4 inches, and/or radial diameter selected at between about 3 and 72 inches, or between about 12 to 36 inches,
- at least one fixing member, physically securing at least some of said polypropylene sheet layers in a tension coiled position in said substantially side-by-side juxtaposed arrangement, wherein said at least one fixing member comprises a thermal weld physically melt fusing said at least some laterally adjacent ones of said polypropylene sheet layers.
A contaminate removal apparatus for use absorbing contaminants from a water body surface, the waterbody surface being selected from the group consisting of an ocean body, a lake body, a swimming pool, and a hot tub,
- the apparatus comprising:
- a sorption body comprising a substantially hydrophobic coiled microfiber material strip, said strip being wound about a generally vertical axis, said body having spaced generally planar top and bottom portions, and a generally circumferential side portion connecting the top portion and the bottom portion,
- a top sheet of microfiber material overlaying the top portion,
- a bottom sheet of microfiber material overlaying the bottom portion, wherein an edge portion of the top sheet and bottom sheet are welded together to at least partially envelope the sorption body, and
- at least one associated rib heat welded into at least one of the top sheet and the bottom sheet, each rib at least partially melt fusing the sheet and adjacent portions of the microfiber material strip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.