System and barrier for containing an oil spill

Abstract

A system for containing an oil spill comprising a plurality of barrier modules each composed of a composite structure having a buoyant upper section and a water absorbing lower section which represents concurrently the sole ballast for said upper section and the subsurface barrier for the module.

What is claimed is:  .[.1. An oil containment barrier module comprising a composite structure having a buoyant, substantially water impervious, upper section and a water absorbent lower section, said lower section when immersed in water representing concurrently the principle ballast for said upper section and the subsurface barrier for the module..]. .[.2. An oil containment barrier module as defined in claim 1 wherein said upper and lower sections are formed from at least one material selected from the class consisting of flexible foam, porous rubber, and sponge, having low density..]. .[.3. An oil containment barrier module as defined in claim 2 wherein said flexible foam is composed of polyurethane..]. .[.4. An oil containment barrier module as defined in claim 3 wherein said upper section is a polyether based polyurethane foam and wherein said lower section is a reticulated polyester based polyurethane foam..]. .[.5. An oil containment barrier module as defined in claim 2 further comprising means for bonding said upper section to said lower section..]. .[.6. An oil containment barrier module as defined in claim 5 wherein said bonding means is a sealing adhesive selected from the class consisting of epoxy resin and elastomers..]. .[.7. An oil containment barrier module as defined in claim 5 wherein said upper section is encased within a substantially water impervious jacket..]. .[.8. An oil containment barrier module as defined in claim 7 wherein said jacket consists of an elastomer 
     
        surface outer coating..]. 9. An oil containment barrier module .[.as defined in claim 7.]. .Iadd.comprising a composite structure having a buoyant, substantially water impervious, upper section and a water absorbent lower section, said lower section when immersed in water representing concurrently the principal ballast for said upper section and the subsurface barrier for the module, wherein said upper and lower sections are formed from at least one material selected from the class consisting of flexible foam, porous rubber, and sponge, having low density, further comprising means for bonding said upper section to said lower section, wherein said upper section is encased within a substantially water impervious jacket, .Iaddend.wherein said lower section comprises two segments having adjacent surfaces, a relatively thin belt-like member located between said adjacent surfaces and means for 
     
     
        bonding said member to said adjacent surfaces. 10. An oil containment barrier module as defined in claim 9 wherein the adjacent surfaces of said segments are substantially parallel to one another and wherein said thin belt-like member is substantially vertically aligned between said parallel surfaces and extends longitudinally along substantially the entire length 
     
     
        of the module. 11. An oil containment barrier module as defined in claim 10 wherein said bonding means is a sealing adhesive selected from the 
     
     
        class consisting of an epoxy resin and elastomer. 12. An oil containment barrier module as defined in claim 10 further comprising a coupling means connected to said belt-like member at each opposite end thereof and 
     
     
        adapted to engage other barrier modules to form a barrier system. 13. An oil containment barrier module as defined in claim 12 wherein the cross-sectional geometry of the composite structure .[.is a rhombus consisting of.]. .Iadd.consists .Iaddend.of two isosceles triangles having 
     
     
        a common base. 14. An oil containment barrier module as defined in claim 12 further comprising means including a mooring line connected at the center of said belt-like member intermediate the longitudinal surface of 
     
     
        said lower section. 15. An oil containment barrier module .[.as defined in claim 7.]. .Iadd.comprising a composite structure having a buoyant, substantially water impervious, upper section and a water absorbent lower section, said lower section when immersed in water representing concurrently the principal ballast for said upper section and the subsurface barrier for the module, wherein said upper and lower sections are formed from at least one material selected from the class consisting of flexible foam, porous rubber, and sponge, having low density, further comprising means for bonding said upper section to said lower section, wherein said upper section is encased within a substantially water impervious jacket, .Iaddend.wherein said jacket partially covers the 
     
     
        longitudinal surfaces of said lower section. 16. An oil containment barrier module as defined in claim 15 further comprising a relatively thin belt-like member located intermediate the upper and lower sections along 
     
     
        substantially the entire length of the barrier. 17. An oil containment barrier module as defined in claim 16 further comprising coupling means connected at each opposite end of said belt and adapted to engage other barrier modules to form a barrier system.  .[.18. A barrier system for containing an oil spill in a body of water comprising: a plurality of barrier modules coupled together end to end in a predetermined string formation, and at least one mooring line connected to said string of barrier modules for maintaining the relative position of said barrier system within said body of water; each of said barrier modules comprising a composite structure having a buoyant, substantially water impervious upper section and a water absorbent lower section, said lower section representing concurrently the principle ballast for said upper section and the subsurface barrier for the module..]. .[.19. A barrier system as defined in claim 18 wherein said upper and lower sections of each module are formed from at least one material selected from the class consisting 
     
     
        of flexible foam, porous rubber, and sponge having of low density..]. 20. A barrier system .[.as defined in claim 19.]. .Iadd.comprising: a plurality of barrier modules coupled together end to end in a predetermined string formation, and at least one mooring line connected to said string of barrier modules for maintaining the relative position of said barrier system within said body of water; each of said barrier modules comprising a composite structure having a buoyant, substantially water impervious upper section and a water absorbent lower section, said lower section representing concurrently the principal ballast for said upper section and the subsurface barrier for the module, wherein said upper and lower sections of each module are formed from at least one material selected from the class consisting of flexible foam, porous rubber, and sponge having of low density, .Iaddend.wherein the lower section of each barrier module is composed of two segments and a relatively thin belt-like member located in a vertical plane between said segments and extending for substantially the entire length of the module. 
     
     
         1. A barrier system as defined in claim 20 further comprising coupling means connected to said belt-like member at each opposite end face of said 
     
     
        barrier module. 22. A system as defined in claim 21 wherein the end faces of each barrier module have a recessed surface and wherein said coupling means are connected to said belt-like member within said recessed surface such that upon interconnecting the coupling elements the barrier modules 
     
     
        butt against each other to provide a relatively liquid-tight seal. 23. A system as defined in claim 22 wherein said mooring line is connected to the belt-like member in one of the barrier modules of the system at a location intermediate the end faces of the module. .Iadd. 24. An elongated floating barrier module for use in a system to contain oil spilled on water, said barrier including a buoyant portion filled with a flexible foam and impervious to water, an underwater barrier element supported by said buoyant portion and extending the length of the barrier and downwards from the buoyant portion into the water, and a water absorbing portion made of foam attached to said barrier element which when soaked with water is non-buoyant and provides the principal ballast for said barrier. .Iaddend..Iadd. 25. A barrier as in claim 24, said water absorbing portion being formed of reticulated foam. .Iaddend..Iadd. 26. A barrier as claimed in claim 25, said underwater barrier element including a sealing coating adhering to said water absorbing portion. .Iaddend..Iadd. 27. A barrier as in claim 24 including a stress carrying member running from end to end of said barrier, said stress carrying member having mooring ties attached thereto and being bonded to said water absorbing portion said mooring ties being at the center of pressure of the barrier cross-section. .Iaddend..Iadd. 28. A barrier as in claim 27, said stress carrying member having linkages on each end of connecting like barriers together in a string. .Iaddend..Iadd. 29. A barrier as in claim 24 further characterized in that said buoyant portion is triangular in cross section, said water absorbing portion is triangular in cross section, and said buoyant and water absorbing portions are bonded to each other along a common base floating horizontally. .Iaddend.