The invention relates to a method for ground-working at a bottom of a body of water and a cleaning device for cleaning an underwater ground-working apparatus. The cleaning device has an enclosing body which extends substantially from a bottom of a body of water to above the water surface and enclosing an inner space, along which the ground-working apparatus can be moved, and a separating device, through which in the enclosing body an upper portion of the inner space can be separated off to form a cleaning area, in which the ground-working apparatus can be received and soil and contamination cleaned from it.

A method and apparatus for digging and removing excavated material provides a mobile device, having a movable or self-propelled chassis, and an elongated, preferably articulated boom with a free end portion having an excavating implement (e.g., digging, excavating or jetting tool). The boom has at least three sections that are foldable to a storage position on the chassis wherein one boom section stacks upon or is aligned with another boom section. The vacuum line is supported upon the boom, extending along the boom and above the earth's surface, wherein the vacuum line extends between the free end portion of the boom and the chassis. The boom attaches to the chassis at a base. The excavated material is vacuumed with the vacuum line into a collection vessel or tank that can be a part of a wheeled vehicle. A separate vacuum truck can provide a vacuum to a selected collection tank.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for recovering mature fine tailings (MFT) from oil sands tailings ponds. Some examples include a hollow, fully enclosed around its perimeter, ideally of cylindrical form, open bottom structure (a hollow conduit), of predetermined geometry, which is placed at the pond surface. The hollow conduit can penetrate MFT deposits to or below a level at which MFT of required density is located. A width or diameter of the hollow conduit can be determined with respect to the MFT inflow velocity and the corresponding shear rate, so as to enable MFT flow into the hollow conduit at a rate matching a rate at which the MFT is removed from the pond (e.g., a recovery rate). An MFT fill level inside the hollow conduit can be kept constant and equal to a required fill level throughout MFT recovery operations. MFT can enter the hollow conduit during MFT recovery operations solely under action of hydraulic head pressure. MFT can be transferred from within the hollow conduit utilizing a mechanical device such as a pump or a siphon, for transfer to shore based facilities and further processing.

The invention relates to a method for dredging an underwater bottom in an area using a dredging device. The method includes: determining the present positions of the dredging device and of a source of contamination in the area; entering input data relating to the area into a hydrodynamic model of the area; determining with the hydrodynamic model the degree of contamination at positions in the area resulting from spread of the contamination from the source; comparing the degree of contamination at positions in the area to a threshold value for these positions; and optionally adapting the dredging if the degree of contamination exceeds the threshold value. Underwater bottom can be dredged using the invented method, such that on the one hand the production is maximized and on the other the consequences for the natural environment are minimized.

A female fitting is disclosed comprising a tube having an end that includes an upset for receiving a male fitting, the upset having an outer circumference and an inwardly extending groove extending around the outer circumference for receiving a clamp or portion of a clamp and the upset having an end face and inner surface, the upset having an undercut between the end face and inner surface for receiving a flange of the male fitting. A male fitting comprises a tube having an end part; and a transition between the tube and the end part, the transition comprising a flange extending radially outward from the tube and a radiused corner connecting the flange to the end part.

A female fitting is disclosed comprising a tube having an end that includes an upset for receiving a male fitting, the upset having an outer circumference and an inwardly extending groove extending around the outer circumference for receiving a clamp or portion of a clamp and the upset having an end face and inner surface, the upset having an undercut between the end face and inner surface for receiving a flange of the male fitting. A male fitting comprises a tube having an end part; and a transition between the tube and the end part, the transition comprising a flange extending radially outward from the tube and a radiused corner connecting the flange to the end part.

An apparatus, system and method for removing and treating contaminated materials on a bottom of a body of water and introducing growth packets to revitalize the treated bottom of the body of water. The structure may comprise a vessel with an open face. The vessel may be lowered down to the bottom of the body of water with the face facing down. As a result, the vessel and the bottom form an isolated space. The structure may comprise at least one agitating device(s) for stirring up the materials inside the vessel so as to form a mixture containing the sediment materials which in turn contain the contaminants. Multiple at least one pipe(s) may be coupled to the vessel for transporting the mixture out of the vessel for processing (filtering, treating with chemicals, etc.) so as to neutralize or eliminate the contaminants in the mixture. Then, the treated mixture can be returned to the inside of the vessel via the at least one pipe(s).

The present invention provides a dredged soil transport system including a pipe module wound with a coil applying an electromagnetic field to an internally flowing dredged soil and including a plurality of pipelines, a pump module configured to provide a transport pressure for transport of dredged soil to the pipe module, database stored with flow information on flow velocity and flow form in response to physical properties of liquefied unit, and a control module communicating with the pipe module, the pump module and the database wiredly and wirelessly and applying, to the coil, a current of waveform matching to a flow waveform of the dredged soil transported inside the pipeline, and a control method thereof.

A pump apparatus comprises a primary pump having a relatively low pressure fluid input and a relatively high pressure fluid output and means, associated with said primary pump fluid input, operable where the ambient pressure is insufficient substantially to prevent cavitation in the primary pump, to locally increase the pressure at said primary pump fluid input.

A pump apparatus comprises a primary pump having a relatively low pressure fluid input and a relatively high pressure fluid output and means, associated with said primary pump fluid input, operable where the ambient pressure is insufficient substantially to prevent cavitation in the primary pump, to locally increase the pressure at said primary pump fluid input.