Combustion of Oil From a Marine Oil Spill

Abstract

Method and apparatus for burning oil from an oil release in a body of water. A mixture of oil and water is collected from the surface of the body of water and separated into an oil-enriched portion and a water-enriched portion. The oil-enriched portion is passed to a burner where the oil-enriched portion is combusted with an oxygen-containing gas having an oxygen concentration of at least 25 volume % oxygen.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for burning oil from an oil release in a body of water, the method comprising:
 collecting a mixture of oil and water from the surface of the body of water;   separating the collected mixture into an oil-enriched portion and a water-enriched portion;   returning the water-enriched portion to the body of water;   passing an oxygen-containing gas and the oil-enriched portion to a burner on board a marine vessel and combusting the oil-enriched portion with the oxygen-containing gas thereby generating a flame;   measuring a temperature responsive to a temperature of the flame; and   adjusting the oxygen concentration in the oxygen-containing gas responsive to the measured temperature;   wherein the oxygen-containing gas is at least 25 volume % oxygen.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 passing an air feed stream to an adsorption system on board the marine vessel; 
 separating the air feed stream into an oxygen product stream and waste gas stream in the adsorption system; and 
 withdrawing the oxygen product stream and the waste gas stream from the adsorption system; 
 wherein the oxygen-containing gas comprises the oxygen product stream. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 generating electrical power by combusting a fuel in a turbine that drives an electric generator wherein the turbine and the electric generator are on board the marine vessel; 
 wherein the electrical power generated by combusting the fuel is used in the step of separating the air feed stream. 
 
     
     
         5 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the oil in the mixture of oil and water comprises residual oil from in-situ burning of an oil pool floating on the body of water. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for burning oil from an oil release in a body of water, the apparatus comprising:
 a skimmer for collecting a mixture of oil and water from the surface of the body of water;   a separator for separating the collected mixture into an oil-enriched portion and a water-enriched portion;   at least one of an oxygen generator and an oxygen storage tank on board a marine vessel;   a burner on board the marine vessel configured to receive the oil-enriched portion and oxygen from the at least one of the oxygen generator and the oxygen storage tank;   a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature responsive to a temperature of a flame emanating from the burner;   a controller in signal communication with the temperature sensor; and   a valve in signal communication with the controller for regulating the flow of oxygen from the at least one of the oxygen generator and the oxygen storage tank to form an oxygen-containing gas formed from mixing air with the oxygen from the at least one of the oxygen generator and the oxygen storage tank;   wherein the controller controls the oxygen concentration in the oxygen-containing gas responsive to the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor by adjusting the valve.   
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature responsive to a temperature of a flame emanating from the burner; 
 a controller in signal communication with the temperature sensor; and 
 a second valve in signal communication with the controller for regulating the flow of oil-enriched portion from the separator. 
 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the apparatus comprises the oxygen generator and wherein the oxygen generator is an adsorption system. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising:
 a turbine on board the marine vessel; 
 an electric generator on board the marine vessel, the electric generator driven by the turbine; and 
 a fuel storage tank on board the marine vessel, the fuel storage tank configure to deliver fuel to the turbine; 
 wherein the electric generator is configured to provide electrical power to the adsorption system. 
 
     
     
         14 - 16 . (canceled)