Now ever since we started the Engineering.com Eagle Team we have had some really great ideas proposed that should catch the interest of BP, the White House and even the EPA. I’ve seen good ideas sink to the bottom of the Gulf (Pun Intended) because of rules and regulations in a time of a National Emergency. I guess the Emergency Executive Powers of the President to suspend such stupidity is just not enough of a disaster yet. But the work goes on and I could not be any prouder of the Eagle Team and their ideas and cooperation.
Mr. Robert Crawford is one of our members and he proposed this idea to me some days ago but I got it wrong. It is hard to get things straight with words alone so I asked for clarification and he provided me with a simple but great drawing. He is also very, very busy making preparations for the hurricane that has entered the Gulf. I don’t want to bother him because of that work that he must do so I think I got his idea right. Please remember that these screen shots are only conceptualization drawings to get the idea across. I think you will understand it immediately.
This would be used with a Jet Ski as the work horse here. A slow moving scooping action will gather up many, many barrels of oil threatening the near coast line areas. Cleanup crews already have their procedures to use when gathering the oil, tar balls and Blogs and Globs on the beach. But just off shore a hundred meters or yards or even further need to be attacked also. Mr. Crawford’s idea will deal with that.
In the picture above here we have a Jet Ski that will gently tow this large, strong but light weight fabric bag. Spreaders at the mouth will act much like a whale does when cruising through the brine shrimp and schools of small fish. The beauty of this idea is that it is simple. Special beach crews with heavy equipment will handle it from there once it is towed close to shore. Cables can haul it in and with Cherry Pickers and tank trucks it will be taken away. New catch bags hooked up and you are net fishing for Blobs and Globs again.
Absorbent materials can be used inside to adhere to the oil, or if the bag is made properly and a filter liner can be inserted inside, then it can be pulled out after it is filled up and disposed of. A special opening is in the back and after emptying you are ready to go again.
The special back door is made for quick and easy access to keep things going quickly. The outer bag is made to hold a liner and to stay open and this is supposed to be porous. Just 1-3 mph is all the speed needed to catch the stuff.
Now let us put our rig out to sea and get under way.
As you will see in the next two pictures, this whole rig will sit down in the water.
There you have it. Simple and easy and it should work find. There would be a large drag coefficient but I am told that these Jet Skies can do the job. Nice idea Mr. Crawford. Bye.