STAXcraft
AssigneeSTAX Engineering, Inc.
InventorROBERT JOHN SHARP
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A novel emissions control watercraft (STAXcraft) solving a long-felt but unsolved need regarding disadvantages associated with prior-art emissions servicing watercraft, the disadvantages selected from the group, but not limited to, the use of tugboats, securing or mooring servicing watercraft to a serviced vessel, additional expenses and time-delays and inefficiencies of land-based approaches, increased toxic emissions, increased greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, danger from falling cargo, tanker safety, alongside mooring in narrow channels preventing other OGV's to pass safely, and cargo tank emissions.
Claims20
An emissions control watercraft for servicing a serviced watercraft, said serviced watercraft stationed at berth or at anchorage, said emissions control watercraft comprising:
- a. a floating platform;
- b. an anchoring system for fixing said floating platform at any predetermined orientation relative to said serviced watercraft without securing to said serviced watercraft;
- c. an exhaust capture system for receiving emissions from said serviced watercraft;
- d. a purification system mounted to said floating platform, connected to said exhaust capture system for accepting and purifying said emissions from said exhaust capture system;
- e. said exhaust capture system comprising an exhaust capture arm and an exhaust pipe connector configured to connect to an exhaust pipe of said serviced watercraft;
- f. a plurality of thrusters for propelling said floating platform;
- whereby said emissions control watercraft may be placed any distance away from said serviced watercraft which allows the interconnection of said exhaust capture system to an exhaust pipe of said serviced watercraft for operation of said purification system to accept and purify said emissions.
An emissions control system for servicing a serviced watercraft, said serviced watercraft stationed at berth or at anchor, said emissions control system comprising:
- a. a plurality of purification circuits;
- b. each purification circuit comprising a purification unit for receiving emissions from an emissions capture circuit;
- c. each emissions capture circuit comprising an emissions duct for receiving emissions from an emissions connector for receiving emissions from an emissions source, said emissions source mounted on said serviced watercraft;
- d. said emissions source selected from the group consisting of an engine exhaust pipe, a boiler exhaust pipe, and a cargo tank vent;
- e. an arm for supporting a plurality of said emissions capture circuits;
- f. said arm mounted on a platform, said platform selected from the group consisting of a floating platform, a barge, a watercraft, a vessel, a wharf, a pier, a dock, a jetty, a slab, and a foundation;
- whereby said emissions from said emissions sources on said serviced watercraft are conveyed to said purification units thereby purifying said emissions.
A method for purification of exhaust from a watercraft, said watercraft stationed at-berth or at anchorage, the method comprising:
- a. using thrusters to move a floating platform through water without assistance from tugboats and positioning said floating platform at any predetermined orientation near a serviced watercraft at berth, the predetermined orientation including, but not limited to, orientations parallel to and perpendicular to the serviced watercraft;
- b. anchoring said floating platform at a predetermined distance away from said serviced watercraft without mooring to said serviced vessel;
- c. manipulating an exhaust capture system carried by said servicing watercraft for connection to an exhaust pipe for receiving emissions from an at-berth serviced watercraft;
- d. receiving said emissions from said exhaust capture system into a purification system;
- e. purifying said emissions by with said purification system;
- whereby said positionable emissions control watercraft may be placed any distance away from said serviced watercraft which allows the interconnection of said exhaust capture system to said exhaust pipe of said serviced watercraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.