ENGINEERING CONCEPT EVALUATION PROGRAM FOR HIGH SEAS OIL SPILL RECOVERY

Tests of a proprietary Lockheed oil spill recovery device with various oils, under forward way with and without waves, established a method for estimating oil recovery and verified scaling of forward way to be by the square root of the device diameter and oil recovery rate by the 5/2 power. Oil recovery can be maximized by concentrating the slick to 1/3 in. The rate varies linearly with ingested slick thickness to below 0.005 in. Tests established that the device will recover 70 percent of any oil thickness encountered on a single pass. This can be increased by successive passes to 90 and 97 percent. However, if oversupplied, it will bypass the excess. Use of 2000 ft of containment booms with an 8-ft-diameter, 10-ft-long device in 5-ft waves and a 2-kt current would allow recovery of 18,500 bbls per day and less than 25 percent additional free water from a 0.006-in-thick light oil slick. Viscous crudes and heavy emulsions can be recovered at respectively double and five times the rate for fresh diesel. The device does not create emulsion. Oil recovery remains substantial up to 5 kt in calm seas, an important attribute if fast currents and restricted seaways are encountered. (Author)

• Corporate Authors:

  Lockheed Missiles and Space Company

  Ocean Systems Division
  Sunnyvale, CA  United States 
• Authors:
  • Bruch, B
  • Maxwell, K R
  • Ulbrich, H G
• Publication Date: 1970-12

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Oil recovery equipment; Oil spill cleanup; Oil spills
• Old TRIS Terms: Oil skimmers; Rotating drum oil recovery devices
• Subject Areas: Environment; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00019465
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: USCG-714103/A/004 Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: DOT-CG-00595-A
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 25 1973 12:00AM