Spill Containment Generation

Abstract

The instant application discloses, among other things, a foam-based boom to provide for a spill containment on either water or land. In one embodiment, an expanding foam, such as polyurethane, may be used form a cylindrical or other shaped boom, providing strength, flexible boom shape and size, and easy deployment. Multiple types of foams may be used together; for example, a water absorbing foam may be used in conjunction with a waterproof foam, to allow for a boom to extend both underwater and above water.

1 . A spill containment generation system, comprising:
 a first holding tank, configured to hold a first component of a first expanding polyurethane foam;   a second holding tank, configured to hold a second component of the first expanding polyurethane foam;   a first mixing tank, configured to receive the first component of the first expanding polyurethane foam and the second component of the first expanding polyurethane foam from the first and second tanks, mixing the components, and providing a first expanding polyurethane foam; and   a pump, configured to pump the expanding polyurethane foam through a first nozzle, creating a spill containment boom.   
     
     
         2 . The spill containment generation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a mold to produce the boom with a cross-sectional shape, the shape selected based on environmental conditions or configurations. 
     
     
         3 . The spill containment generation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second nozzle, the first and second nozzles configured to provide a crisscross pattern for the spill containment boom. 
     
     
         4 . The spill containment generation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a boat configured to transport the first nozzle around a spill. 
     
     
         5 . The spill containment generation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a tracked vehicle configured to transport the first nozzle around a spill. 
     
     
         6 . The spill containment generation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a helicopter configured to transport the first nozzle around a spill. 
     
     
         7 . The spill containment generation system of  claim 1 , further comprising an integrated microprocessor control system and electronically controlled valves configured to control a speed of generation of the spill containment boom based upon a speed of the nozzle relative to the spill. 
     
     
         8 . The spill containment generation system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third holding tank, configured to hold a first component of a second expanding polyurethane foam;   a fourth holding tank, configured to hold a second component of a second expanding polyurethane foam; and   a second mixing tank, configured to receive the first component of the second expanding polyurethane foam and the second component of the second expanding polyurethane foam from the third and fourth tanks, mixing the components, and providing a second expanding polyurethane foam, the second expanding polyurethane foam having at least one property different from the first expanding polyurethane foam.   
     
     
         9 . The spill containment generation system of  claim 7 , further comprising a mold to produce the boom with the first expanding polyurethane foam forming a first part of a cross-sectional shape, and the second expanding polyurethane foam forming a second part of the cross-sectional shape.