Ballast Material and Oil Pollution Prevention Management System

Abstract

The invention provides for a novel apparatus and a method to effectively manage ballast material. It comprises of a plurality of Floating Ballast Containers (25) contained within a bottomless enclosure and secured on the sea faring vessel such that each floating ballast container (25) floats in seawater. The volumetric capacity of the conventional segregated ballast tanks (30) on the sea faring vessel is similar to that of the Floating Ballast Containers (25) so as to facilitate the movement of the ballast material between the conventional ballast tanks (30) and Floating Ballast Containers (25). This process eliminates the need for treatment or disposal of the ballast material in to the sea.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 displays the front view of the vessel with the invention incorporated

FIG. 2A shows the cross sectional side view of Floating Ballast Containers

FIG. 2B shows the cross sectional front view of Floating Ballast Containers

FIG. 3 shows housing and winch arrangements of Floating Ballast Containers.

FIG. 4 displays the layout of the conventional segregated ballast tanks, floating ballast containers as well as cargo tanks

FIG. 5A shows the top view of the girders enclosing the Floating Ballast Tanks.

FIG. 5B shows the front view-of the girders enclosing the Floating Ballast Tanks:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DIAGRAMS

Several examples of the present inventions are described in more detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not necessarily limited to these examples.

FIG. 1 displays the front view of the sea faring vessel with the various pipes 154535 to transfer the ballast material between the SBT and FBC and loading and unloading of the oil from the cargo tank. The main deck area 50 gets additional surface area throughout the length of the vessel due to the deck extending up to the exterior hull.

FIGS. 2 (A & B) show the cross sectional views of the FBC 25 displaying the specifics of their construction. It displays the preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein rubberized FBC's 25 are designed to fit within the main body of the exterior hull port and starboard leaving the bottom open. This eliminates the additional weight of the tanks being borne by the sea faring vessel. The FBC's 25 are constructed with similar dimensions as the SBT's 30 and are positioned adjacent to the SBT's 30 to facilitate transfer of ballast material.

The FBC's 25 are positioned within the inner section of the exterior hull such that the inner wall clearance is kept to minimum around the periphery with due tolerance for expansion and contraction. This forms a rigid compact unit without causing any motion or vibration of its own. The figure displays the FBC's 25 mounted on a roller track 26 on all sides of the inner section hull to facilitate the movement of the tank in up and down directions.

Each unit of the FBC 25 is suspended by four bridal chains 27 that are then connected to a main chain 46 passed on the “Gypsy of the Windlass” 29 located right above the FBC's 25 on the main deck 50. This arrangement helps in lowering and hoisting the FBC's 25 as per the need, especially while arriving at a port or maneuvering the sea faring vessel in shallow waters. In the preferred embodiment, wire guide leads with associated fittings are provided for each tank such that the windlass on the foxle (front) deck could effectively be used to enable the process of hoisting and lowering the FBC's. In an alternate embodiment, this arrangement can be provided to each FBC.

The upper sections of the ballast tanks are fitted with a sandwich plate with a series of buffer springs 21 to absorb the hydrostatic shocks and protect the upper main deck area 50. The main deck 50 area gets additional surface area throughout the length of the vessel due to the deck being extended up till the exterior hull enclosing the FBC's. This additional free surface area 50 on the main deck port and starboard side of the vessel provides adequate space to mount windlass systems on each of the tanks. For vessels other than tankers, this additional space could be utilized for deck cargo storage.

FIG. 3 shows the preferred arrangement in which each FBC is held together with a system comprising of four chains 27, connected to a main chain 46. This main chain 46 is passed over a gypsy of the windlass 29 (a kind of a pulley system). In the preferred embodiment all the FBC's are held together with chains and passed over a single central gypsy of the windlass 28 fixed on the foxle (front) deck. An alternate embodiment wherein each FBC 25 can be equipped with its own gypsy can also be used.

FIG. 4 shows the layout of the preferred embodiment wherein the SBT's 30, the main cargo tanks 40 and the FBC's 25 are placed in the compartments 20 formed between the exterior hull and the hull before the exterior hull adjacent to the SBT's. The cargo tanks 40 are positioned at the center where as the SBT's 30 are located on the ‘wings’ in the fore and aft directions. The SBT's 30 are totally independent and have their own independent pumping and piping system. The SBT's 30 are designated to take in and discharge ballast material for stability requirements. The size of the FBC's 25 is similar or bigger than the SBT's 30. The FBC's 25 are enclosed tightly within the exterior hull with due tolerance for expansion and contractions.

FIGS. 5 (A & B) displays the arrangement of the girders 32 that run around the FBC's 25. The girders 32 are constructed to protect the ship during an impact by dispersing the shock over a wider surface area. The various pipes 153545 to transfer the ballast material between the SBT and FBC and loading and unloading of the oil from the cargo tanks are also depicted.

Claims

1. A system to manage ballast material, the system comprising: a bottomless enclosure containing a plurality of floating ballast containers, the floating ballast containers made of a buoyant material that enables the floating ballast containers to float on water when filled with a ballast material;a plurality of conventional ballast tanks; andmeans to transfer the ballast material back and forth from the plurality of conventional ballast tanks to the plurality of floating ballast containers

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system to manage ballast material can be utilized on a sea-faring vessel.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of floating ballast containers are designed to float in water by virtue of its own buoyancy, the floating ballast containers being filled with or without ballast material.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the floating ballast containers contain a shock absorbing system to absorb any shock experienced during movement.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the shock absorbing system can contain girders surrounding the plurality of floating ballast containers.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the ballast material can be water.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the buoyant material can be rubber.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the bottomless enclosure can be an exterior hull.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the floating ballast containers can be submerged below the level of the keel of the sea faring vessel to protect the sea faring vessel against any underwater collision.

10. A method for managing the ballast material, the method comprising: suspending a plurality of floating ballast containers in seawater, the floating ballast containers contained in a bottomless enclosure:

11. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of floating ballast containers are designed to float in water by virtue of its own buoyancy, the floating ballast containers being filed with or without ballast material.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the floating ballast containers contain a shock absorbing system to absorb any shock experienced during movement.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the shock absorbing system can contain girders surrounding the plurality of floating ballast containers.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the ballast material can be water.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the buoyant material can be rubber.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the bottomless enclosure can be an exterior hull.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the floating ballast containers can be submerged below the level of the keel of the sea faring vessel to protect the sea faring vessel against any underwater collision.