A FREE FLOATING ENDLESS BELT OIL SKIMMER

A free floating endless belt oil skimmer was developed as a means of recovering spilled oil from surface waters. The skimmer uses a unique high efficiency conveyor wringer to power and wring the belt. The belt is designed to float on the water surface and responds rapidly to the shape of the waves, thereby maximizing oil-sorbent contact time. Evaluation of the skimmer was conducted in a 60 foot diameter annular test tank under the conditions of slightly progressive waves having an amplitude of two feet. One foot wide neoprene backed polyurethane foams were utilized as the sorbent material. The experimental results indicate that the oil pickup rates will vary with the belt speed, oil slick thickness and belt porosities. The recovered liquid contained approximately 50-70% oil at 0.10 inch slick thickness. A conceptual design of a five foot wide boat mounted skimmer capable of harvesting approximately 5 acres per hour of spilled oil is presented.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Also available from the Government Printing Office for $1.50 as EP1.23/2:72-006.
• Corporate Authors:

  Rex Chainbelt Incorporated

  Milwaukee, WI  United States 
• Authors:
  • Agnew, R W
• Publication Date: 1972-8

Media Info

• Pagination: 99 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Oil spill cleanup; Water quality management
• Old TRIS Terms: Belt skimmers; Oil skimmers
• Subject Areas: Environment; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00044228
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: EPA-R2-72-006
• Contract Numbers: DI-14-12-908
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 11 1973 12:00AM