# US 2017/0284048 A1 · Means of mounting and installing a fabric to provide a fence for separating oil from bodies of water > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0284048 A1 - Document ID: US20170284048A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/477,461 - Filed: 2017-04-03 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-01 - Assignees: Cerex Advanced Fabrics, Inc. - Applicants: Cerex Advanced Fabrics, Inc. - Inventors: Albert E. ORTEGA; Daniel Patrick BAILLIE; Erin S. CARTER; James D. BOSTWICK - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170284048A1 ## CPC - E04H 17/00: Fencing, e.g. fences, enclosures, corrals (features peculiar to electrified fences A01K3/00, H05C; means for allowing passage through fences, barriers, or the like E06B11/00) - B01D 17/045: {with coalescers} - B01D 17/08: {Thickening liquid suspensions by filtration} - E02B 15/0835: {fixed to permanent structure, e.g. harbour wall or river bank} - B01D 17/02: Separation of non-miscible liquids - Y02A 20/204: Keeping clear the surface of open water from oil spills - E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D) - 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) - E02B: HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING (ship-lifting E02C; dredging E02F) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## Abstract Means for easily mounting fabric on stakes or posts and installing a fence that separates oil from water on land, on shorelines, or bodies of water are provided, as are methods of fabricating and methods of deploying such a mounting fabric. A fabric can be securely and easily mounted to stakes or posts to fabricate a fence that separates oil from water. The fabric can be a strong, lightweight fabric for separating spilled oil from water. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An oil containment/separation fence, comprising: a fence nonwoven fabric; and fasteners configured to attach the fence nonwoven fabric to support elements, wherein the fasteners comprise at least one of the following types of fastener: straps integrally formed with the fence nonwoven fabric; and grommets within the fence nonwoven fabric. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of support elements supporting the fence nonwoven fabric, wherein the fasteners are fastened to the plurality of support elements. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 2, wherein each support element is a post or a stake. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 1, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a machine direction grab tensile strength of at least 58 lbsf as measured using American Society for Testing and Materials test method (ASTM) D5034, a cross direction grab tensile strength of at least 38 lbsf as measured using ASTM D5034, a machine direction trapezoidal tear strength of at least 14 lbsf as measured by ASTM D5587, and a cross direction trapezoidal tear strength of at least 10 lbsf as measured by ASTM D5587. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 1, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric passes the criteria for United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SW-846, Third Edition. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 1, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a basis weight of at least 1.5 ounces per square yard (osy) as measured using ASTM D3776. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 1, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a machine direction grab elongation of about 84% as measured using ASTM D5034, and wherein the nonwoven fabric has a cross direction grab elongation of about 94% as measured using ASTM D5034. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 1, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has an air permeability of no more than 277 ft3/min/ft2 as measured by ASTM D737. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 1, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a burst strength of at least 50 pounds per square inch (psi) as measured by ASTM D3786. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 1, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a mean pore size of no more than 34.1 microns. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 1, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has retention of at least 87% of its machine direction grab strength as measured using ASTM D5034 when exposed to a xenon light source for 1000 hours. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 1, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric comprises at least one of nylon, polyester, and polypropylene. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 2, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric is supported by the plurality of support elements such that, when in use in a body of water and the support elements are in the ground, a top portion of the nonwoven fabric is at least six inches above the body of water. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 1, wherein the fasteners comprise the straps integrally formed with the fence nonwoven fabric, and wherein the straps are sewn, laminated with an adhesive, glued, melted by a calendering process, or ultrasonically welded to the fence nonwoven fabric. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 14, wherein the straps and the fence nonwoven fabric comprise the same polymer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 1, wherein the fasteners comprise the grommets within the fence nonwoven fabric. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 1, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric passes the criteria for United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SW-846, Third Edition, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a basis weight of at least 1.5 ounces per square yard (osy) as measured using ASTM D3776, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a machine direction grab elongation of about 84% as measured using ASTM D5034, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a cross direction grab elongation of about 94% as measured using ASTM D5034, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has an air permeability of no more than 277 ft3/min/ft2 as measured by ASTM D737, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a burst strength of at least 50 pounds per square inch (psi) as measured by ASTM D3786, and wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a mean pore size of no more than 34.1 microns. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The oil containment/separation fence according to claim 1, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a basis weight of 4 about osy as measured by as measured by American Society for Testing and Materials test method (ASTM) D3776, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a thickness of about 22.3 mils as measured using ASTM D1777, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a machine direction grab tensile strength of at least 58 lbsf as measured using ASTM D5034, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a machine direction grab elongation of about 91% as measured using ASTM D5034, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a cross direction grab tensile strength of at least about 38 lbsf as measured using ASTM D5034, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a cross direction grab elongation of about 100% as measured using ASTM D5034, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a machine direction trapezoidal tear strength of at least 14 lbsf as measured by ASTM D5587, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a cross direction trapezoidal tear strength of at least 10 lbsf as measured by ASTM D5587, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has an air permeability of about 125 ft3/min/ft2 as measured by ASTM D737, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a burst strength of at least 109.4 psi as measured by ASTM D3786, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a mean pore size of about 31 microns, and wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a retention of at least 87% of its machine direction grab strength as measured using ASTM D5034 when exposed to a xenon light source for 1000 hours. ### Claim 19 A method of fabricating an oil containment/separation fence, the method comprising: fabricating a fence nonwoven fabric; and fabricating straps attached to the fence nonwoven fabric and configured to be fastened to a plurality of support elements for supporting the nonwoven fabric, wherein fabricating the fence nonwoven fabric comprises: feeding and spinning, in an extruder, one or more polymer resins; extruding the one or more polymer resins in the form of a plurality of filaments; depositing the filaments onto a collection surface to form a web; and thermally bonding the filaments of the web to form the fence nonwoven fabric, and wherein the fence nonwoven fabric has a machine direction grab tensile strength of at least 58 lbsf as measured using American Society for Testing and Materials test method (ASTM) D5034, a cross direction grab tensile strength of at least 38 lbsf as measured using ASTM D5034, a machine direction trapezoidal tear strength of at least 14 lbsf as measured by ASTM D5587, and a cross direction trapezoidal tear strength of at least 10 lbsf as measured by ASTM D5587. ### Claim 20 A method of fabricating an oil containment/separation fence, the method comprising: fabricating a fence nonwoven fabric; inserting a plurality of support elements into the ground within a body of water, near a body of water, or both; and attaching the fence nonwoven fabric to the plurality of support elements, such that the plurality of support elements support the fence nonwoven fabric, wherein fabricating the fence nonwoven fabric comprises: feeding and spinning, in an extruder, one or more polymer resins; extruding the one or more polymer resins in the form of a plurality of filaments; depositing the filaments onto a collection surface to form a web; and thermally bonding the filaments of the web to form the fence nonwoven fabric, wherein each support element is a stake or a post, wherein the fence nonwoven fabric is attached to the plurality of support elements using fasteners, wherein the fasteners comprise at least one of the following types of fastener: straps integrally formed with the fence nonwoven fabric; and grommets within the fence nonwoven fabric.