# US 8,785,347 B2 · Gulf oil spill underwater oleophilic hydrophobic oil-capturing water permeable drag-net

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 8,785,347 B2
- Document ID: US8785347B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/802,632
- Filed: 2010-06-11
- Published: 2011-12-15
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2010-06-11
- Applicants: William Redvers Belisle
- Inventors: William Redvers Belisle
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785347B2

## CPC

- B01J 20/22: comprising organic material
- B01J 20/26: Synthetic macromolecular compounds
- B01J 20/28028: {Particles immobilised within fibres or filaments}
- C02F 1/285: {using synthetic organic sorbents}
- E02B 15/046: {Collection of oil using vessels, i.e. boats, barges}
- E02B 15/06: Barriers therefor (E02B15/08 takes precedence){construed for applying processing agents or for collecting pollutants, e.g. absorbent}
- E02B 15/101: {Means floating loosely on the water absorbing the oil (absorbing materials C02F)}
- C02F 2103/007: {Contaminated open waterways, rivers, lakes or ponds}
- Y02A 20/204: Keeping clear the surface of open water from oil spills
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)
- E02B: HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING (ship-lifting E02C; dredging E02F)
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

An underwater oleophilic hydrophobic oil-capturing water permeable drag-net with the porous oil-capturing water-repelling and water-permeable component positioned in the back of and connected to the drag-net that can be dragged vertically through the underwater oil spill area of the Gulf to remove oil is presented. The invention is made of various sizes depending on the area of the oil spill area; including 100 ft high (north to south), 100 ft wide (east to west) and 10 ft deep (front to back). The net mesh-like material is made from threads and wires knotted, twisted, and woven to form a regular pattern with fine spaces between the threads with each strand of a metal, plastic, wire and fiber net-type material made of and covered with organic and inorganic Oleophilic hydrophobic and superhydrophobic, oil attracting and oil bonding molecules, materials or sorbents including Superhydrophobic materials. The underwater drag-net collects large amounts of oil from the Gulf and reduces the negative impact of the Gulf oil spill on the Gulf and its shores.

## Claims

### Claim 1

I claim an oil capturing device consisting of:
a net, wherein said net consists of strands and apertures wherein said strands consist of fiber or plastic, and are coated with oleophilic and hydrophobic oil sorbents, wherein said oleophilic and hydrophobic oil sorbents are made of a material selected from the group consisting of clay, perlite, fiberglass, vermiculite, and volcanic ash.

### Claim 2

I claim an oil capturing device consisting of:
a net, wherein said net consists of strands and apertures, wherein said strands are coated with oleophilic and hydrophobic oil sorbents, wherein said oleophilic and hydrophobic oil sorbents are made of a material selected from the group consisting of peat moss, straw, hay, sawdust, and ground corncobs.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2 wherein said strands consist of metal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2 wherein said strands consist of fiber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2 wherein said strands consist of plastic.