Back to results
US 8,402,746 B2Granted
Exhaust gas capture system for ocean going vessels
OwnerJohn Powell, Robert Sharpinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An exhaust gas capture system for capturing the exhaust gas emitted by auxiliary engines, auxiliary boilers, and other sources on an Ocean Going Vessel (OGV) while at berth or at anchor so that these gases may be carried to an emissions treatment system for removal of air pollutants and or greenhouse gases. The exhaust gas capture system includes a manifold and a family of parallel-flow flexible ducts for connecting directly to individual OGV exhaust pipes. The exhaust gas capture system further includes apparatus for connecting the parallel-flow flexible ducts to the OGV exhaust pipes.
Claims19
An Ocean Going Vessel (OGV) exhaust gas capture system comprising:
- a plurality of parallel-flow flexible ducts connectable to individual corresponding OGV exhaust pipes to capture exhaust flows from the OGV exhaust pipes;
- a plurality of connectors on free ends of the parallel-flow flexible ducts for connecting and sealing the parallel-flow flexible ducts to the OGV exhaust pipes;
- a manifold connected to fixed ends opposite the free ends of the plurality of parallel-flow flexible ducts and receiving all of the exhaust flows captured by the plurality of parallel-flow flexible ducts from the OGV exhaust pipes;
- a main duct connected to the manifold receiving all of the exhaust flows from the OGV exhaust pipes;
- an emissions treatment system connected to the main duct and receiving all of the exhaust flows from the OGV exhaust pipes for processing the exhaust flows to reduce pollution in the exhaust flows;
- sensors for determining positions of the plurality of parallel-flow flexible ducts and the OGV exhaust pipes;
- and
- a robotic arm apparatus for positioning and connecting the OGV exhaust gas capture system.
5 more elements
An Ocean Going Vessel (OGV) exhaust gas capture system comprising:
- a plurality of parallel-flow flexible ducts connectable to individual corresponding OGV exhaust pipes to capture exhaust flows from the OGV exhaust pipes;
- a plurality of connectors on free ends of the parallel-flow flexible ducts for connecting and sealing the parallel-flow flexible ducts to the OGV exhaust pipes, the connectors comprising:
- flexible sock connections on ends of each of the individual parallel-flow flexible ducts which are slipped over the OGV exhaust pipe;
- and
- an annular belt around each sock connection toward a rear end of each sock connection and pulled over the OGV exhaust pipe to secure the individual parallel-flow flexible ducts to the OGV exhaust pipe while simultaneously providing a gas tight seal, wherein the sock connections are pulled onto the end of the OGV exhaust pipes by a manipulator arm and accommodate a variety of pipe termination geometries;
- a manifold connected to fixed ends opposite the free ends of the plurality of parallel-flow flexible ducts and receiving all of the exhaust flows captured by the plurality of parallel-flow flexible ducts from the OGV exhaust pipes, the individual ducts have about a one foot diameter and a length of at least 20 feet;
- a main duct connected to the manifold receiving all of the exhaust flows from the OGV exhaust pipes;
- an emissions treatment system connected to the main duct and receiving all of the exhaust flows from the OGV exhaust pipes for processing the exhaust flows to reduce pollution in the exhaust flows;
- sensors for determining positions of the plurality of parallel-flow flexible ducts and the OGV exhaust pipes;
- and
- a robotic arm apparatus for positioning and connecting the OGV exhaust gas capture system.
8 more elements
An Ocean Going Vessel (OGV) exhaust gas capture system comprising:
- a plurality of parallel-flow flexible ducts connectable to individual corresponding OGV exhaust pipes residing in an OGV stack to capture exhaust flows from the OGV exhaust pipes;
- a plurality of horizontally facing connectors on free ends of the parallel-flow flexible ducts moveable horizontally over generally horizontally facing exhaust pipe mouths and configured for connecting and intimately sealing the parallel-flow flexible ducts to the OGV exhaust pipes;
- a manifold connected to fixed ends opposite the free ends of the plurality of parallel-flow flexible ducts and receiving all of the exhaust flows captured by the plurality of parallel-flow flexible ducts from the OGV exhaust pipes;
- a main duct connected to the manifold receiving all of the exhaust flows from the OGV exhaust pipes;
- an emissions treatment system connected to the main duct and receiving all of the exhaust flows from the OGV exhaust pipes for processing the exhaust flows to reduce pollution in the exhaust flows;
- sensors for determining positions of the plurality of parallel-flow flexible ducts and the OGV exhaust pipes;
- and
- a robotic arm apparatus for positioning and connecting the OGV exhaust gas capture system.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.