SELF-CLOSING SHEET FOR ENCAPSULATING AND DUMPING A BULK OF MATERIAL

Abstract

The invention relates to a sheet (1) to be placed in relation to a split barge (100) for encapsulating a bulk of material (101) to be dumped when the bulk of material is released, the sheet comprising a material containing portion (4) and at least one material free portion (3) extending from at least two opposed sides of the material containing portion, wherein that the immersed sheet encapsulating the bulk of material comprises an encapsulated body (20) encapsulated by the material containing (4) portion and a self-closing portion (22) being at least a part of the material free portion (3) both extending from an assembly point (21), wherein a closing length of the self-closing portion (22) correspond to at least 5% of the circumventing length of the encapsulated body (20), the circumventing length extending from the assembly point (21) to the assembly point (21). The invention further relates to a method of encapsulating a bulk of material by means of a sheet.

Claims

1. A sheet being placeable in relation to a split barge and configured for encapsulating a bulk of material to be dumped when the bulk of material is released, the sheet comprising a material containing portion and at least one material free portion extending from at least two opposed sides of the material containing portion, wherein the sheet encapsulates the bulk of material and comprises an encapsulated body encapsulated by the material containing portion and a self-closing portion being at least a part of the material free portion both extending from an assembly point, wherein a closing length of the self-closing portion correspond to at least 5% of the circumventing length of the encapsulated body, the circumventing length extending from the assembly point to the assembly point.

2-18. (canceled)

19. The sheet according to claim 1, wherein the sheet further comprises at least one mechanical seal and/or at least one chemical seal.

20. The sheet according to claim 1, wherein the at least one mechanical seal comprises a hook and loop fastener or a mushroom fastener.

21. The sheet according to claim 19, wherein the at least one chemical seal comprises an adhesive.

22. The sheet according to claim 1, wherein the sheet further comprises at least one mounting element for attaching the sheet to the split barge, wherein the mounting element is configured for disengaging upon the weight of the sinking sheet encapsulating the bulk of material.

23. The sheet according to claim 22, wherein the mounting element comprises a strap and a snap-off element.

24. The sheet according to claim 23, wherein the snap-off element comprises a weak link along the strap configured for being broken.

25. The sheet according to claim 23, wherein the snap-off element comprises a snap-off button.

26. The sheet according to claim 19, wherein the mounting element and/or the mechanical seal comprises a magnet.

27. The sheet according to claim 1, wherein the sheet is made of a degradable material.

28. The sheet according to claim 1, wherein the sheet is made of a permanent material.

29. The sheet according to claim 1, wherein the self-closing portion of the sheet is made from a different material than the remaining sheet.

30. The sheet according to claim 1, wherein the sheet comprises an outer sheet configured for being attached to the split barge such that the sheet constitutes an inner sheet configured for being in contact with the bulk of material.

31. A method of encapsulating a bulk of material by a sheet comprising; arranging the sheet in or under a split barge, filling the sheet or the split barge with the bulk of material, opening the split barge so that the weight of the bulk of material starts sinking the sheet towards a seabed, wherein the method further comprises encapsulating the bulk of material followed by leading the sheet into an assembly point by a water pressure induced around the sinking sheet and engaging the self-closing of the self-closing portion.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the sheet comprises a mechanical and/or chemical seal, wherein the method further comprises engaging the mechanical and/or chemical seal concurrently with engaging the self-closing of the self-closing portion.

33. The method according to claim 31, wherein the sheet comprises the outer sheet such that the sheet constitutes an inner sheet, wherein the method further comprises retrieving the outer sheet to the split barge.

34. A method of encapsulating a bulk of material by a sheet comprising; arranging the sheet in a split barge, filling the sheet with the bulk of material, encapsulating the bulk of material, engaging a mechanical and/or chemical seal, and opening the split barge releasing the encapsulated bulk of material, which sinks towards a seabed.

35. The method according to claim 34 wherein the sheet comprises the outer sheet such that the sheet constitutes an inner sheet, wherein the method further comprises retracting the outer sheet on board the split barge.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0073] Different embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, as follows;

[0074] FIG. 1 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of a sheet according to the invention with a self-closing portion and working by the self-closing concept;

[0075] FIG. 2 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of a sheet according to the invention arranged on a split barge;

[0076] FIGS. 3A and 3B schematically show the disengagement of the sheet from the split barge according to the invention, and

[0077] FIG. 4 schematically shows the use of different embodiments for sealing the sheet according to the invention.

[0078] FIG. 5 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of a sheet according to the invention comprising an inner sheet and an outer sheet.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0079] FIG. 1 schematically shows a sheet 1 according to the invention with a self-closing portion 22 and working by a self-closing concept, whereas the self-closing concept works as following:

[0080] First the sheet 1 is arranged on or in a split barge 100 and a material containing portion 4 of sheet is filled with a bulk of material 101. A centreline of the sheet may approximately follow a centreline 106 of the split barge. A material free portion 3 of the sheet is hold along the edge of the split barge by a support element (not shown). In the presently illustrated embodiment and as shown in FIG. 2 the material containing portion of the sheet is arranged along an inside surface 103 of the split barge and the material free portion is hold by a support element 102 along an outside surface 104 of the split barge. Alternatively the sheet may be arranged along an outside surface of the split barge. The material free portion 3 may be zig-zag folded.

[0081] Then the split barge 100 is opened and the weight of the bulk of material 101 pushes the sheet 1 into the water. As the sheet and bulk of material sinks towards the seabed the water pressure around the sheet encapsulates the bulk of material forms an encapsulated body 20 and collects the material free portion 3 into a tale following the sinking encapsulated bulk of material. In the presently illustrated embodiment the tale starts at an assembly point 21 and extends toward the water surface, whereas the tale constitutes a self-closing portion 22 extending from the assembly point an away from the encapsulated body.

[0082] As the encapsulated body 20 may shift into different forms during immersion the assembly point may shift and a closing length of the self-closing portion may vary during immersion. Furthermore may the closing length, i.e. the length of the self-closing portion from the assembly point to the edge of at least one of the opposite sides of the sheet, and hereby the formation of the assembly point of at least two opposite sides of the sheet likewise depend on the density of the bulk of material as well as the volume of the bulk of material, as the split barge may not be properly filled or even only half filled when the split barge is opened and the bulk of material is released entailing a longer closing length.

[0083] FIGS. 3A and 3B schematically show the disengagement of the sheet 1 from the split barge 100 according to the invention. In the presently illustrated embodiment the mounting element 5 comprises a magnet arranged on the edge 2 of the material free portion 3 of the sheet.

[0084] After the split barge 100 has been opened and the sheet 1 and the bulk of material (not shown) sinks towards the seabed the sheet may as in the presently illustrated embodiment be dragged along the inside surface of the split barge, see FIG. 1, disengaging the mounting element 5 when the sheet is fully outstretched.

[0085] The mounting element 5 may engage directly with the split barge 100 or with a corresponding mounting element 105 arranged on the split barge or on the support element 102.

[0086] FIG. 4 schematically shows the use of different embodiments for sealing the sheet 1 according to the invention.

[0087] The sheet may comprise a mechanical sealing 10 or a chemical sealing in at least the self-closing portion 22 of the sheet. In the presently illustrated embodiment it is shown how the sheet can comprise a hook and loop fastener 11 and/or a mushroom fastener 12 on the inside surface 103 of the sheet.

[0088] FIG. 5 schematically shows the sheet 1 according to the invention comprising an outer sheet 1a wherein the sheet 1 constitutes an inner sheet 1b. In the presently illustrated embodiment the outer sheet and the material containing portion 4 of the inner sheet are arranged along the inside surface 103 of the split barge 100 and the material free portion 3 of the inner sheet is hold by a support element (not shown) along the outside surface 104 of the split barge. The material free portion 3 may be zig-zag folded. Alternatively the outer sheet and/or the inner sheet may be arranged along the outside surface of the split barge. One or more wires 30 (illustrated by the stippled line) are attached to the split barge in one end and the outer sheet in the other end.

[0089] The self-closing concept works as described above with the addition of that when the split barge 100 is opened and the weight of the bulk of material 101 pushes the outer sheet 1a and the inner sheet 1b into the water, the wire(s) 30 is tightened, causing the inner sheet to slide off the outer sheet. The inner sheet continues sinking towards the sea bed while the outer sheet will be hanging in the wire(s) until outer sheet is pulled back up onto the split barge. As the inner sheet 1b and bulk of material 101 sinks towards the seabed the water pressure around the sheet encapsulates the bulk of material forming an encapsulated body (not shown) and collects the material free portion 3 into a tale following the sinking encapsulated bulk of material.