# US 2013/0153513 A1 · Device and a method for removing a liquid from a water surface > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153513 A1 - Document ID: US20130153513A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/806,429 - Filed: 2011-06-24 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2010-06-25 - Assignees: Green Iq - Inventors: Jóhann Fragraklett; Grettir Hammer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153513A1 ## CPC - E02B 15/10: Devices for removing the material from the surface {(E02B15/041, E02B15/042, E02B15/06 take precedence)} - B01D 17/0214: {with removal of one of the phases} - C02F 1/40: Devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material (cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like materials E02B15/04; devices in sewers for separating liquid or solid substances from sewage E03F5/14, e.g. for use in drains leading to the sewer E03F5/16) - E02B 15/106: {Overflow skimmers with suction heads; suction heads} - Y02A 20/204: Keeping clear the surface of open water from oil spills - E02B: HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING (ship-lifting E02C; dredging E02F) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## Abstract The present invention relates in a first aspect to a liquid removal device, and in a second aspect to a method for removing a liquid, such as oil or an algae slurry, from a surface of water. The device comprises a circumferentially extending flexible wall element defining together with a bottom part a suction chamber for receiving the liquid. A floater body is sealingly connected to the flexible wall element at an upper edge of the latter, and is able to effectuate a movement in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the surface of water. The floater body has a circumferentially extending outer member and an inner member. The inner member is adapted to receive a buoyant force exerted by the liquid contained in the suction chamber. The outer member has an upper circumferential edge for receiving the liquid. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A liquid removal device for removing a liquid, such as oil or an algae slurry, from a surface of water, said device comprising: a circumferentially extending flexible wall element defining together with a bottom part a suction chamber for receiving said liquid, said flexible wall element being adapted to be immersed in said water, a floater body being sealingly connected to said flexible wall element at an upper edge of the latter, and being adapted to be at least partially submerged in said liquid and being able to effectuate a movement in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said surface of water, said floater body having a circumferentially extending outer member and an inner member, which is coaxial with the outer member and connected thereto, said inner member being adapted to receive a buoyant force exerted by said liquid contained in the suction chamber, and a liquid outlet for evacuating said liquid from said suction chamber, said outlet being in fluid communication with said suction chamber, said outer member has an upper circumferential edge for receiving said liquid, the edge being, in an active position, positioned below a level of said liquid, thereby allowing inflow of said liquid into said device, and said edge being, in an inactive position, positioned above the level of said liquid, thereby preventing inflow of said liquid into said device, at least one through-channel extends between said outer and inner members and allows the liquid being received by said circumferential edge to flow therefrom into said suction chamber, and said movement of said floater body is enabled, as a function of the amount of said liquid in the suction chamber, between the active and the inactive position, wherein a difference in length of the flexible wall element in a fully extended state and in a fully contracted state, respectively, is at least 2 times any transverse measurement of the flexible wall element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein the difference in length of the flexible wall element in a fully extended state and in a fully contracted state, respectively, is at least 4 times any transverse measurement of the flexible wall element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein the difference in length of the flexible wall element in a fully extended state and in a fully contracted state, respectively, is at least 6 times any transverse measurement of the flexible wall element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein the difference in length of the flexible wall element in a fully extended state and in a fully contracted state, respectively, is at least 8 times any transverse measurement of the flexible wall element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein the length of the flexible wall element in its fully contracted state is at least as large as any transverse measurement of the flexible wall element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein the length of the flexible wall element in its fully contracted state is at least 2 times any transverse measurement of the flexible wall element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein the length of the flexible wall element in its fully contracted state is at least 3 times any transverse measurement of the flexible wall element. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein the length of the flexible wall element in its fully contracted state is at least 4 times any transverse measurement of the flexible wall element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein the difference in length of the flexible wall element in a fully extended state and in a fully contracted state, respectively, is at least 2 times the length of the flexible wall element in its fully contracted state. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein the difference in length of the flexible wall element in a fully extended state and in a fully contracted state, respectively, is at least 3 times the length of the flexible wall element in its fully contracted state. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein the difference in length of the flexible wall element in a fully extended state and in a fully contracted state, respectively, is at least 4 times the length of the flexible wall element in its fully contracted state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein said inner member of said floater body is provided with a central through-hole extending parallel to said direction of movement, and said liquid outlet is an evacuation conduit, preferably with a circular cross-section, that passes through at least said central through-hole. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A device according to claim 12, wherein said device further comprises connecting means that connect a lower section of the evacuation conduit with a bottom plate of the bottom part, the inlet of the evacuation conduit preferably being positioned in or in near proximity of said lower section of the evacuation conduit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein said device comprises stabilizing means in the shape of a weight connected to the bottom part of the device and at least one at least partially submerged floating element, and preferably means for attaching said device to a ship. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein the bottom part of the liquid removal device, in a condition of use, is connected to a fixed point. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A device according to claim 15, wherein the fixed point is provided by the evacuation conduit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) A device according to claim 15, wherein the fixed point is provided by the stabilizing means and the floating element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein said outer member in or at its upper circumferential edge, has at least one indentation or opening for receiving said liquid, a lower edge of said indentation or opening being, in an active position, positioned below a level of said liquid, thereby allowing inflow of said liquid into said device, and said lower edge of said indentation or opening being, in an inactive position, positioned above the level of said liquid, thereby preventing inflow of said liquid into said device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A device according to claim 18, wherein the at least one indentation or opening has, at least partially, a substantially polygonal shape, such as rectangular, quadratic, trapezoidal or triangular, and/or a substantially rounded shape, such as circular, elliptic or parabolic, and/or a shape being substantially a mix of the aforementioned. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) A device according to claim 18, wherein the at least one opening or indentation is positioned opposite the at least one through-channel. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein any outer transversal measurement of the bottom part is at least as large as the outer transversal measurement of the outer member. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein any transversal measurement of the flexible wall element is at least as large as the outer transversal measurement of the outer member. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) A device according to claim 21, wherein the circumferentially extending flexible wall element is tapering from the bottom part towards the floater body. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) A method for removing a liquid such as oil or an algae slurry from a water surface, said method comprising the steps of: providing a device according to claim 1, positioning said device such that it is at least partially immersed in at least one of said liquid and water, so that the circumferential edge of said outer member, or the lower edge of the indentation or opening, is positioned below a level of said liquid, allowing thereby inflow of said liquid via the at least one through-channels of the device and into said suction chamber, so that said floater body, as a function of a magnitude of a buoyant force exerted by said received liquid on said inner member, moves in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said surface of water, such as to control the amount of liquid received through said circumferential edge or indentation or opening. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A method according to claim 24, said method further comprising the step of evacuating said liquid from the suction chamber via a liquid outlet and establishing an equilibrium between the amount of liquid received through said circumferential edge and the amount of liquid evacuated from said suction chamber, such as to substantially immobilize said floater body.