Abstract
The present invention includes iterations of devices for absorbing water and hydrocarbons that accumulate in hydrocarbon handling and dispensing systems, fuel tanks, sumps, and other oil and hydrocarbon storage tanks, at gas stations and other locations such as ports, commercial trucking facilities, government installations, military bases, privately owned and commercial shipping vessels, and privately maintained fueling locations including trucking facilities, etc. Specialized versions of the devices can also clean up petroleum slicks on water surfacesknown as sheen or petroleum-contaminated water (PCW), and other contaminants. The present invention can stop phase separation. Once they have absorbed water, most versions of the device can also be disposed of easily and economically compared to alternative disposal methods due to their extremely light weight and because they can be dehydrated before disposal.
Claims
1. A device for absorbing water within a tank comprising: a containment skin defining a volume; a quantity of a super-absorbing polymer disposed within said volume, wherein the super-absorbing polymer is configured to absorb water within the tank; an agent selected from the group consisting of chelating agents, bacteria, and fungi, wherein said agent is contained within said volume and/or secured to an exterior surface of the containment skin.
2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a remediation chamber that is disposed within said volume, wherein said agent contained within said volume is disposed within said remediation chamber.
3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a remediation pouch fixed to an exterior surface of said containment skin, wherein said agent secured to an exterior surface of the containment skin is disposed within said remediation pouch.
4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a tether attached to an exterior surface of the containment skin.
5. A device for absorbing water within a tank comprising: a water permeable containment skin defining a volume; a skeleton disposed within said volume; a substrate disposed within said volume, wherein said substrate is adhered to an exterior surface of the skeleton; a quantity of super-absorbing polymer disposed within said volume, wherein the super-absorbing polymer is configured to absorb water within the tank, and wherein said quantity of super-absorbing polymer is bonded to an exterior surface of the substrate and is adjacent to an interior surface of the containment skin.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein said skeleton is defined by a central core member and plurality of rod-shaped members extending radially outwardly from the central core member.
7. The device of claim 5, further comprising a protective skin surrounding an exterior surface of said containment skin.
8. The device of claim 5, further comprising a tether attached an exterior surface of the containment skin.
9. The device of claim 5, further comprising a rod attached an exterior surface of the containment skin.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1 shows a WATER HOG of the second embodiment inserted into a turbine sump. The fuel in the sump is floating on a layer of water that has accumulated there, in the lower areas of the turbine sump. Water is being absorbed into the WATER HOG. The matrix is exposed to the water.
(2) FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a version of the first embodiment of the WATER HOG.
(3) FIG. 3 shows a WATER HOG of the second embodiment, as it would appear when laid down.
(4) FIG. 4 shows a WATERHOG with specialized microbes, inserted into the interstitial spaces between the walls of a fuel reservoir at a fueling facility.
(5) FIG. 5 shows a WATER HOG being used together with several watery spill cleanup mats of the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 8,512,522, and a wall of water-activated FLOODBAGs of the invention of application Ser. No. 16/280,013. The WATER HOG is being used to remove a layer of water, and a layer of sheen in-between the pure water below and the oil products above. The watery spill cleanup mats of the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 8,512,522 are to the left of the WATER HOG, cleaning up a prior spill, and the FLOODBAGs are to the right of the WATER HOG, acting as a barrier to further spills.
(6) FIG. 6 shows a flow chart of the steps of one process of employing the system of U.S. Pat. No. 10,019,430 to more efficiently use WATER HOGs to clean a specific Tank.
(7) FIG. 7 shows a WATER HOG of the first embodiment, as it would appear when laid down.
(8) FIG. 8 shows a flow chart through which a user uses a concept similar to the invention of application Ser. No. 14/617,355 to utilize WATER HOGS more profitably.
(9) FIG. 9 shows a WATER HOG of the sixth embodiment, with a protective casing (5) and containment skin (4).
(10) FIG. 10 shows an example of an embodiment of the WATER HOG with a mesh surrounding the containment skin (4).
(11) FIG. 11 shows a cut-away version of the second embodiment of the WATER HOG with an Internal skeleton (2), and Rod (6).
(12) FIG. 12 shows a cross-section of FIG. 11, where the substrate (9) is adhered to the internal skeleton (2).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(13) FIG. 1 shows a cut-away view of a WATER HOG inserted into a turbine sump. The gasoline in the turbine sump is floating on a layer of water that has accumulated there. Water is being absorbed into the WATER HOG. The substrate (9) is exposed to the water. Within a few minutes, the matrix will have gained several pounds of water.
(14) FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a version of the first embodiment of the WATER HOG that uses Imbiberbeads (13). The containment skin (4) surrounds the Imbiberbeads. The device has a tether (3) that helps it to be moved into, and out of, Tanks. The difference between the tether and a leash can be seen, because the leash would be a single strip, while a tether is not.
(15) FIG. 3 shows a WATER HOG of the second embodiment, as it would appear when laid down. The SAP (1) is on top of the substrate (9), and this can be seen.
(16) FIG. 4 shows a WATER HOG of the fourth embodiment, with specialized microbes, inserted into the interstitial spaces between the walls of a gasoline reservoir at a fueling facility. This WATER HOG has both a remediation pouch (10) and a remediation chamber (11). The specialized microbes are cleaning up a certain pollutant within the interstitial spaces related to the gasoline reservoir.
(17) FIG. 5 shows a WATER HOG being used together with several watery spill cleanup mats of the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 8,512,522, and a wall of FLOODBAGs of the invention of application Ser. No. 16/280,013. The WATER HOG is being used to remove a layer of water, and a layer of sheen in-between the pure water below and the oil products above. The watery spill cleanup mats of the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 8,512,522 are to the left of the WATER HOG, cleaning up a prior spill, and the FLOODBAGs are to the right of the WATER HOG, acting as a barrier to further spills.
(18) FIG. 6 shows a flow chart of the steps of one process of employing the system of U.S. Pat. No. 10,019,430 to more efficiently use WATER HOGs to clean a specific Tank. The user would have pre-established a secure Profile within the system of the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 10,019,430, for a fuel dispensing location, and would have included forms data related to that fuel dispensing location, including information about the shape and number of Tanks there. The user would order WATER HOGs, would quickly send the WATER HOG manufacturer the information in some of the tiers, pertaining to the Tanks the user desires to clean, and the system would then send the user information about the best ways to use the WATER HOGs to eliminate any stray water in the Tanks of the fuel dispensing location.
(19) FIG. 7 shows a WATER HOG of the first embodiment, as it would appear when laid down. The containment skin (4) is visible. This WATER HOG has a leash (7) made of polypropylene. This particular WATER HOG is in a Turbine Sump, which is on top of a fuel storage Tank. The Tank is cylindrically shaped, and the part of the Tank immediately below the sump causes the bottom of the Tank to be convex-shaped. Water might accumulate in the lowermost areas of the bottom of the turbine sump, even if it has not accumulated in the other areas of the bottom of the turbine sump. The WATER HOG is flexible enough to capture such water.
(20) FIG. 8 shows a flow chart through which a user uses a concept similar to the invention of application Ser. No. 14/617,355 to utilize WATER HOGS more profitably. The user would place a medallion similar to a VDA medallion on one of the Tanks, and the medallion would include an alphanumeric code, a QR code, and a phone number. An employee of the user could call the phone number and identify himself or herself, transmit the alphanumeric code, and QR code, and then be given direct access to a previously-created profile for that Tank. The profile would include information about that specific Tank, and how to clean it more efficiently with WATER HOGs. The user could therefore clean and maintain the sump more efficiently. Profiles can also be established for other types of Tanks. This methodology can also be used to ensure that when new employees start working for the fueling location, or a new owner acquires the fueling location, he or she can access the profile and the VDA system can send the new owner or employee specific information about the Tank or the fuel dispensing location, including information about specific characteristics or idiosyncrasies of each of the Tanks.
(21) FIG. 9 shows a cut-away version of a WATER HOG of the sixth embodiment, with a protective casing (5). The protective casing (PC) (5) surrounds the containment skin (4), which provides further protection to the rest of the WATER HOG.
(22) FIG. 10 shows an example of an embodiment of the WATER HOG with a mesh (8) surrounding the containment skin (4). The mesh protects the containment skin (4).
(23) FIG. 11 shows a cut-away version of the second embodiment of the WATER HOG, with an Internal skeleton (2). The substrate is connected to the internal skeleton (2). A rod (6) is part of this WATER HOG, and can be used to push the WATER HOG into places where it is desired.
(24) FIG. 12 shows a cut-away cross-section of FIG. 11, where the substrate (9) is adhered to the internal skeleton (2).
