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US 8,784,567 B1Granted
Process for decontaminating oil boom
OwnerWilliam G. Yates, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rapid and effective means for decontaminating fouled oil-control booms is provided. The process involves washing the boom with pressured washing fluid, reorienting the boom to facilitate full inspection, and drying the boom. This can be performed in an assembly-line manner, using one or more conveyors to transport the boom sequentially to a washing area, an inspection area, and a drying area. Consequently, contaminated oil-control booms can be cleaned and redeployed rapidly and inexpensively during an oil release accident.
Claims14
A process for removing residual oil from an oil containment boom comprising:
- (a) loading the boom onto a first conveyance configured to receive and support the boom;
- (b) contacting at least a portion of the boom with a high-pressure spray of washing fluid;
- (c) translocating the boom to an inspection area;
- and
- (d) flipping the boom from the first conveyance to a second conveyance, wherein the second conveyance is parallel to the first conveyance for a distance at least as long as the boom, to reveal substantially all sides of the boom to inspection.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.