Heat resistant contamination control boom

A heat-resistant contaminant containment boom, adapted to contain a contaminant floating adjacent a liquid surface to a selected portion of the liquid surface, having a flotation portion adapted to maintain the boom at the surface of the liquid and to maintain the contaminant on one side thereof, and a weighted skirt portion extending a selected distance downward from the flotation portion adapted to further contain the contaminant by preventing it from migrating underneath the flotation portion of the boom, comprising:

• a float comprising low-density material connected to the weighted skirt portion below the liquid surface and providing a buoyant force acting on the boom;
• a layer of liquid absorbent material disposed about the float above the liquid surface and extending below the liquid surface, said absorbent material being adapted to wick liquid up and around the float and wherein the liquid may vaporize upon absorbing heat, the boom further comprising vents to allow for the escape of expanded gases and said liquid vapor;
• a heat-resistant cover enclosing the float above the liquid surface and separating the float from the contaminant above the liquid surface, said cover further comprising:
• an outer cover of flexible heat-resistant material,
• an inner cover of flexible heat-resistant material,
• a spacing layer defining an air gap, disposed between said inner and outer covers, maintained by a flexible support structure adapted to hold said inner and outer covers apart and to have minimal surface contact therewith to minimize heat transfer through the cover;
• whereby the float is protected from high temperatures above the liquid surface adjacent the boom.

A heat-resistant contaminant containment boom, adapted to be deployed from a compressed state to an expanded deployed state to contain a contaminant floating adjacent a liquid surface to a selected portion of the liquid surface, said boom having a flotation portion adapted to maintain the boom at the surface of the liquid and to contain the contaminant on one side thereof, and a weighted skirt portion extending a selected distance downward from the flotation portion adapted to further contain the contaminant in the selected portion of the liquid surface by preventing it from migrating underneath the flotation portion of the boom, comprising:

• a compressible support configured to expand upon deployment of the boom, and maintain in an expanded state a flotation portion of said boom;
• a heat-resistant cover enclosing the support and defining an interior volume therein including an air gap, the cover further comprising:
• an outer cover of flexible heat-resistant material,
• a spacing layer of flexible porous material having surface contacts with the outer cover at discrete contact points of minimal surface area, so as to provide support for said outer cover and minimize heat transfer through the contact points,
• an inner cover of flexible heat-resistant material having minimal surface contact with the spacing layer at contact points distributed so as to provide support but minimize heat transfer therethrough, the inner and outer covers being spaced apart by the spacing layer, thereby providing a thermal insulating air gap between the inner and outer covers;
• a float positioned within said flotation portion and attached thereto, said float comprising multiple discrete float sections disposed along the length of the boom to allow greater flexibility, and a cover which encloses a plurality of said discrete floating sections alone the length of the boom, said float extending below the liquid surface so as to provide a buoyant force to the flotation portion when liquid enters the interior volume of the flotation portion, an air gap being provided between the float and the heat-resistant cover of the flotation portion above the liquid surface;
• whereby the float is protected from high temperatures above the liquid surface adjacent the boom.

A heat-resistant contaminant containment boom comprising:

• a flotation portion having a heat resistant cover with openings therein through which fluids may pass;
• a weighted skirt portion extending downward from said flotation portion;
• a float formed of a plurality of layers, including at least one interior layer and a cover layer;
• at least one of said interior layers being formed of a water absorbent material;
• and further comprising a layer permeable by steam;
• whereby water is wicked into the float via the absorbent layer, thereafter absorbing heat and vaporizing, the steam thus formed escaping from the float via the steam permeable layer and from the boom through said openings, carrying away from the boom latent heat and thereby providing a cooling effect.

A heat-resistant contaminant containment boom, adapted to be deployed from a compressed state to an expanded deployed state to contain a contaminant floating adjacent a water surface to a selected portion of the water surface, said boom having a flotation portion adapted to maintain the boom at the surface of the water and to contain the contaminant on one side thereof, and a weighted skirt portion extending a selected distance downward from the flotation portion to further contain a contaminant by preventing it from migrating underneath the flotation portion of the boom, comprising:

• a compressible support configured to expand and provide a flotation portion of said boom having an increased volume in a deployed state and to provide for an air gap therein;
• a heat-resistant cover enclosing the support and defining the flotation portion and a volume therein including an air gap, said cover having vents therein;
• a float assembly comprising water wicking material, flotation material, and a steam permeable heat-resistant cover, disposed within said flotation portion and attached thereto so as to provide a buoyant force to the flotation portion when water enters the interior volume of the flotation portion, said air gap disposed between the float assembly and the heat-resistant cover of the flotation portion;
• whereby water is wicked into said float assembly, absorbs heat, and is converted to steam to carry away such heat as latent heat of vaporization, the steam permeating the float assembly cover and escaping from the float assembly, thereafter exiting the flotation portion of the boom through said vents, providing a cooling effect to the boom.

A heat-resistant contaminant containment boom adapted to contain a contaminant floating adjacent a liquid surface to a selected portion of the liquid surface, having a float assembly adapted to maintain the boom at the surface of the liquid, said float assembly having top, bottom, and side portions, and the boom also have a flotation portion enclosing the float assembly, and a weighted skirt portion extending a selected distance downward from the flotation portion adapted to further contain a contaminant by preventing it from migrating underneath the flotation portion of the boom, comprising:

• a heat-resistant cover removably disposed about said flotation portion, having vent openings therethrough, and defining a volume therein including an air gap, the cover further comprising:
• an outer cover of flexible heat-resistant material;
• an inner cover of flexible heat-resistant material;
• a spacing layer disposed between said inner and outer covers, defined by flexible spacing structure which holds the inner and outer covers apart to maintain an air gap therebetween, said spacing structure having minimal surface contact with said inner and outer covers at discrete contact points over the surface of the inner and outer covers, providing support yet minimizing heat transfer through said heat-resistant cover;
• a flexible compressible helical support configured to support the cover but minimize heat transfer to the float assembly contained within the flotation portion, the helical support contacting said float assembly at a bottom portion thereof below said liquid surface, and otherwise providing an air gap between the cover and the top and side portions of the float assembly;
• a multiplicity of floats formed of a low density material, arranged end-to-end within the float assembly;
• a float cover enclosing the floats of the float assembly formed of heat-resistant material;
• a layer of liquid absorbent material disposed between said floats and said float cover having a portion thereof below said liquid surface and available to said liquid body so as to be able to absorb liquid therefrom into said float assembly, absorb heat from the float assembly and vaporize;
• a layer of permeable material disposed between said floats and said float cover adjacent said liquid absorbent layer to provide a conduit for the escape of vapor from the float assembly;
• whereby the floats are protected from heat by an insulating effect provided by the air gap between the inner and outer covers of the flotation portion cover, the air gap between the flotation portion cover and the float assembly, and the cooling effect of heat being removed from the float assembly in latent heat of the liquid vapor escaping therefrom, said vapor exiting the boom via said vents through the flotation portion cover.