Low-energy system for collecting matter

Abstract

A system for collecting matter provides a low energy, low cost and nearly zero pollutant process for extracting suspended matter in a medium. The system collects the matter on a material which is deployed into the medium, and the matter is extracted off the material. If an oil spill occurs in a body of water, then the material can rapidly remove the oil from the water in high concentrations. If oil or bitumen is mixed with water due to tar sands processing, then the material can extract the oil or the water depending on a balance of oleophilic or hydrophilic properties of the material. The extracted matter and the medium can proceed to further processing such as water purification and/or petroleum refining. This invention collects matter in an economically and environmentally viable manner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for collecting matter, the system comprising
 a) an material for collecting matter, wherein the material has at least
 a. a first surface and 
 b. a fiber wherein said fiber projects outward from the first surface, 
   b) matter,   c) a medium,   d) an extractor,   e) a container.   
     
     
         2 . The system for collecting matter of  claim 1 , wherein the material is at least one selected from the group of hydrophilic and hydrophobic. 
     
     
         3 . The system for collecting matter of  claim 1 , wherein the material is at least one selected from the group of oleophilic and oleophobic. 
     
     
         4 . The system for collecting matter of  claim 1 , wherein the material is constructed from at least one substance selected from the group comprising polypropylene, polyester and polyvinylchloride. 
     
     
         5 . The system for collecting matter of  claim 1 , wherein the material is at least one shape selected from the group comprising a single strip, a belt, a sheet, a hooped portion and an elongated portion, and a stack. 
     
     
         6 . The system for collecting matter of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber is at least one selected from the group comprising a cut fiber and a looped fiber. 
     
     
         7 . The system for collecting matter of  claim 1 , further including at least one shape selected from the group comprising a second surface, a reinforcement fiber and a surface reinforcement. 
     
     
         8 . The system for collecting matter of  claim 1 , wherein the matter is at least one selected from the group comprising oil, bitumen and sand. 
     
     
         9 . The system for collecting matter of  claim 8 , wherein the medium is at least one selected from the group comprising fresh water, brackish water, salt water, marine water, briny water, commercial waste water, residential waste water, agricultural waste water. 
     
     
         10 . The system for collecting matter of  claim 1 , wherein the matter is at least one selected from the group comprising water, silt and sand. 
     
     
         11 . The system for collecting matter of  claim 10 , wherein the medium is at least one selected from the group comprising oil and bituminous sands. 
     
     
         12 . The system for collecting matter of  claim 1 , wherein the extractor is at least one selected from the group comprising an orifice, a belt roller, a funnel, a vacuum, a scraper, a nested roller, an electric charge, a spinner, a human hand, a vibrator, a steamer and a heater. 
     
     
         13 . The system for collecting matter of  claim 1 , wherein the container is at least one selected from the group comprising a barrel, a box, a trough, a hopper, a tube, a pipe, a tray, a bucket and a bladder. 
     
     
         14 . The system for collecting matter of  claim 1 , further comprising a moving mechanism. 
     
     
         15 . The system for collecting matter of  claim 1 , further including a boat, wherein the boat has at least one selected from the group comprising the material, the container and the extractor. 
     
     
         16 . A method of collecting and extracting matter, the method comprising
 a) supplying a material for collecting matter, wherein the material has at least
 a. a first surface and 
 b. a fiber wherein said fiber projects outward from the first surface, 
   b) deploying the material in a medium with suspended matter,   c) collecting matter on the material,   d) extracting collected matter from the material with an extractor, and   e) retaining extracted matter in a container.   
     
     
         17 . The method of collecting matter of  claim 16 , wherein the method of collection is at least one selected from the group comprising active collection and passive collection. 
     
     
         18 . The method of collecting matter of  claim 16 , wherein the material is at least one selected from the group comprising hydrophilic and hydrophobic. 
     
     
         19 . The method of collecting matter of  claim 16 , wherein the material is at least one selected from the group comprising oleophilic and oleophobic. 
     
     
         20 . The method of collecting and extracting matter of  claim 16 , wherein the material is constructed from at least one substance selected from the group comprising polypropylene, polyester and polyvinylchloride. 
     
     
         21 . The method of collecting and extracting matter of  claim 16 , wherein the material is at least one shape selected from the group comprising a single strip, a belt, a sheet, a hooped portion and an elongated portion, and a stack. 
     
     
         22 . The method of collecting matter of  claim 16 , wherein the fiber is constructed from at least one selected from the group comprising a cut fiber and a looped fiber. 
     
     
         23 . The method of collecting matter of  claim 16 , wherein the material is formed into at least one shape selected from the group comprising a second surface, a reinforcement fiber and a surface reinforcement. 
     
     
         24 . The method of collecting and extracting matter of  claim 16 , wherein the suspended matter is at least one selected from the group comprising oil, tar sands, bitumen, silt and sand. 
     
     
         25 . The method of collecting and extracting matter of  claim 24 , wherein the medium is at least one selected from the group comprising fresh water, brackish water, salt water, marine water, briny water, commercial waste water, residential waste water, agricultural waste water. 
     
     
         26 . The method of collecting and extracting matter of  claim 16 , wherein the suspended matter is at least one selected from the group comprising water, silt and sand. 
     
     
         27 . The method of collecting and extracting matter of  claim 26 , wherein the medium is at least one selected from the group comprising oil, tar sands and bitumen. 
     
     
         28 . The method of collecting and extracting matter of  claim 16 , wherein the extractor is at least one selected from the group comprising an orifice, a belt roller, a funnel, a vacuum, a scraper, a nested roller, an electric charge, a spinner, a human hand, a vibrator, a steamer and a heater. 
     
     
         29 . The method of collecting and extracting matter of  claim 16 , wherein the container is at least one selected from the group comprising a barrel, a box, a trough, a hopper, a tube, a pipe, a tray, a bucket and a bladder. 
     
     
         30 . The method of collecting and extracting matter of  claim 16 , wherein the method of collection is at least one selected from the group comprising active collection and passive collection. 
     
     
         31 . The method of collecting and extracting matter of  claim 16 , further including supplying a boat for transporting at least one selected from the group comprising the material, the container and the extractor.