Google 10100 Project : Oil Spill Ship
*** This idea concerning the method of preventing and removing oil spills of oil tankers has been submitted to Google Project 10100. Its theory can be adopted, used, and applied by anyone in any country, including the United States without prior permission from the inventor, Kwon Woo Kim, since the patent application will not be filed with any country.
1. To sum up this idea
To furnish the oil tankers or other vessels that have oil spill risks with the equipment that can remove such spills on their own.
2. To elaborate on this idea
To equip the oil tanker or other large-sized vessel with the sucking pumps that can remove the oil spills that are leaked into the ocean when the ship collides with other vessels or reefs. The oil spills collected through the pumps are to be brought up back to the vessel to be stored in the oil tanks. While this recovery effort continues until such leaks stop, other vessels are to come to aid and move the oil from the stricken vessel. A flexible, plastic hose coupled with the pump is attached to the robot arms, the articulated arms or the robot wheels; the robot wheels will not separate from the vessel because it is magnetic. These arms or wheels, controlled from the ship, can freely move and reach to any part of the ship. The electrically operated magnetic device is located near the suction hole of the hose and the hose will move to the area of the ship where leaking is spotted either under or above water by the controlled arms or wheels. In case the source of the leak is at the submerged portion of the ship, the suction hole of the hose is to be moved near to the leaking area and the pump is activated to suck up the oil spill from the ocean.
The oil spill will be comprised of water and oil, so as the hose gets closer to the target area, such a mixture of oil and water will show and have a higher concentration of oil in it. Once the leaking source is found (that area will have the highest concentration of oil), the suctioning job of the oil spill recovery can commence by securing the hose to be well fixed to the affected area of the ship by activating the electric magnet (which will stick to the steel). An electrically operated magnet is very powerful and it is also very easy to manipulate by turning on or off as needed. The oil spill thus collected from the ocean also contains sea water; separating it from oil is a relatively easy task since water and oil do not mix well with each other. The separated oil is then stored back into the oil tank, while the water is sent back to the sea. In order to collect the oil that has not been absorbed in this initial process, a motor equipped with a specially designed propeller is attached to the end of the flexible hose. This propeller will float on the water and can be maneuvered by the remote control to make movements and change directions to get to the spill areas near the vessel. After activating the pump system on board and drawing up the oil spill, the mixture of water and oil is separated and sent back either into the tank or the ocean. This process may also involve using the long robot arms or the long, articulated arms.
An additional idea to consider is setting up an oil spill control belt. This can be done by installing the motors with propellers at both ends of the belt and lowering it into the affected area of the ocean to establish the belt through the operation of remote control. People in small boats can also set up the control belts. Since the task of collecting the oil can start swiftly after the leaking is spotted, the spill will not spread out too much to the extensive area and a small amount of control belts can be established around the vessel to prevent further spreading. Currently, the only choice for an oil tanker or a large vessel afflicted with an oil spill accident is to send out a report and wait for the disaster control ship to arrive while considerable amounts of oil are spilled into the sea, destroying the ecological system of the ocean. This new idea and the proposed method, if realized, will allow the affected vessel to immediately start working on the removal and the containment of the oil spills as soon as the leaks are found and as a result, the ocean will be saved from the environmental disaster and the economic loss will be greatly reduced.
3. What are the problems that can be solved through this idea?
It will prevent or minimize oil spills that may result from accidents involving oil tankers or other large-sized oil-carrying vessels. It will also protect the environment of the ocean. Leaks and spills by oil tankers wreak great havoc on the environment and the cost of removing such spills is enormous in terms of manpower, equipment, and expenses. This idea will allow the afflicted vessel to make use of the equipment they already have at their disposal and begin to immediately remove and recover the oil spill before extensive contamination occurs and until the rescue ship arrives to their aid. It will ensure a better control on oceanic pollution and minimize economic loss.
4. If this idea is materialized, who would benefit the most from it and what kind of benefits are they?
Primarily, the people in the fishing industry, fish culturing, and tourism as well as those living in the coastal areas and those whose lives are closely linked to all the afore-mentioned people and environment. However, viewing from the greater perspective of the environment, this idea will ultimately benefit most of the people living on Earth because it will prevent further contamination of the ocean. Abundant and well-preserved ecosystems and the beautiful nature of the oceanic environment are the resulting benefits that everyone will be able to enjoy.
5. What is the first step to take in making this idea a reality?
The first step to take would be to send out invitations to all people including those from various government agencies of each country, those from civilian organizations committed to causes for the ocean, the oceanic environmentalists, and people from the shipping industry and marine insurance companies. Once they are invited, a simulation can be presented to demonstrate the results of the proposed idea and my expectation is that each government will be pressed to make relevant laws and the shipping companies will rush to prepare the installation of such equipment. Until now, the large-sized shipping lines have not done anything in this area, because they were not aware that there is a way to deal with these accidents. Considering their overall financial capabilities, my suggestion and the equipment based on the idea are very simple, inexpensive to implement, and far from burdensome. Again, I am convinced that they will embrace the idea I am proposing without any hesitation, because they will realize that this is the best alternative available to the possible disaster scenario that may happen to their ships, a situation resulting in enormous societal outrage about the pollution and economic loss and damage.
6. What would be the best result we can expect from this idea when it is adopted and successfully implemented? And how can it be measured?
If all the vessels were equipped with this system that would help remove and recover oil spills immediately after the leaking is spotted, the environmental pollution and contamination caused by the oil spills from the ships will almost disappear from the seas and rivers. Since oil spills are the major source of oceanic pollution, the ocean will restore the remarkably healthy ecological environment if such a source is effectively controlled. As we give the clean ocean back to the fish and other marine plants and mammals, they will provide us in return with fresh and plentiful sources of food and a pleasant environment. Such a result could be measured later by evaluating the cleanliness of the ocean and also by the proliferation rate of those marine plants and creatures.