Vessel for collecting petroleum products

Abstract

The invention relates to a vessel for collecting petroleum products, in which an Archimedean screw ( 4 ) is used to collect spills, which vessel comprises a T-shaped hull with a central longitudinal narrow body ( 1 ) and a front transverse segment ( 3 ), said hull having no keel and being provided with a planar base, thereby conferring minimum draft thereon, of the order of 50 cm. The containers, which are independent of the hull ( 1 ), are mounted to either side of same and the relative height thereof can be varied in relation to the hull depending on the load level. In addition, each container can be removed in order to be emptied. Consequently the vessel can operate at beaches, ports, rias or any other low-draft areas.

1 . A vessel for collecting oil spills, wherein an Archimedean screw ( 4 ) is used as a collection means, which screw collects floating spills and with the collaboration of drive pumps, directs them towards one or more storage tanks, characterized in that it has a T-shaped hull, said hull having no keel and a planar base, the front transverse segment ( 3 ) of the mentioned T-shape forming a head in which there are arranged the Archimedean screw ( 4 ), taking up its central area, and the drive pumps ( 7 - 8 ) taking up its side areas, the latter being communicated through conduits with cocks ( 12 ) on the upper side area of the central longitudinal segment of the T-shaped hull and which are provided with cocks ( 12 ) for the controlled access to a pair of side tanks or containers ( 9 - 9 ′), which take up the spaces defined on both sides in the hull ( 1 ) and behind the front head ( 3 ), said containers ( 9 - 9 ′) being immobilized in the transverse direction with respect to the hull of the vessel, but their relative height position can be varied, all in such a way that the hull of the vessel has a constant draft of the order of 50 centimeters, whereas the draft of the containers is variable and is comprised between 0.1 and 1.5 meters. 
     
     
         2 . The vessel for collecting oil spills according to  claim 1 , characterized in that in its stern area, it incorporates inboard/outboard propulsion equipment in which there are two motors, preferably injection motors, whereas the motor for operating the pumps and the Archimedean screw are arranged within the hull. 
     
     
         3 . The vessel for collecting oil spills according to  claim 1 , characterized in that at least one pair of vertical guides ( 13 ) is arranged on each side in the central longitudinal body ( 1 ) of the hull of the vessel for the displacement of complementary guides ( 14 ) integral with the corresponding container ( 9 - 9 ′) in order to allow the relative vertical movement between the containers and the hull, the guides ( 13 ) of the hull ( 1 ) being formed as oscillating sections ( 15 ) on vertical shafts ( 16 ), which allow unlocking or releasing the containers ( 9 - 9 ′) from the hull ( 1 ) in the operations for unloading them. 
     
     
         4 . The vessel for collecting oil spills according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the front head ( 3 ) carrying the Archimedean screw ( 4 ) is mounted in an oscillating manner on the longitudinal body ( 1 ) of the hull, through a robust hinge ( 17 ) or the like, such that said head ( 3 ) is operated by hydraulic cylinders ( 18 ) in order to adopt an inclined position in which the Archimedean screw ( 4 ) is inoperative, when the vessel is out of service. 
     
     
         5 . The vessel for collecting oil spills according to the previous claims, characterized in that in front of the Archimedean screw ( 4 ) there has been provided a transverse shaft ( 19 ) carrying a plurality of radial blades ( 20 ) which are rotated to introduce the oil waste towards the Archimedean screw ( 4 ) itself, whether it is high or low viscosity waste. 
     
     
         6 . The vessel for collecting oil spills according to  claim 5 , characterized in that the shaft ( 19 ) carrying the blades ( 20 ) is operated by means of a geared motor ( 21 ). 
     
     
         7 . The vessel for collecting oil spills according to  claim 5 , characterized in that the shaft ( 19 ) carrying the blades ( 20 ) is operated by the operating means themselves of the Archimedean screw ( 4 ). 
     
     
         8 . The vessel for collecting oil spills according to  claims 5  to  7 , characterized in that rollers ( 22 ) for raising the waste collected by the blades ( 20 ) towards the Archimedean screw ( 4 ) itself are mounted between the Archimedean screw ( 4 ) and the shaft ( 19 ) with its blades ( 20 ).