Oil barrier
As oil barriers is referred to devices that a spread of oil in open waters prohibit or on solid floors.
Frequently used or they are built by the fire department or in Germany also occasionally by the Section for oil damage the THW . In industrial or commercial operations, oil barriers are used to contain and suck up oil or coolants .
In order to use the correct type of oil barrier, the type of pollution is also categorized:
- Oil streaks (actually also a film): a few µm thick, interrupted oil layer on the water with visible discolouration
- Oil film : one layer up to 1 mm thick
- Oil layer: the layer is over 1 mm thick
- Oil spills on solid ground
functionality
Since oil is lighter than water and therefore floats on it, you stop the spread of the oil by building a barrier that also floats on the surface of the water. After the oil film has been successfully contained, the oil can be skimmed off or bound with an oil binding agent . Special oil barriers can prevent the spread of oil on solid ground.
Various oil barriers
On waters
When setting up the oil barriers, one must consider whether it is flowing or standing water.
In the case of small streams , an improvised oil barrier can be erected relatively easily by attaching a wooden post horizontally and transversely to the direction of flow, immersing a few centimeters into the water above the stream. This allows the water to drain away underneath and the oil backs up. With stronger currents it may be necessary to create several such barriers one behind the other.
For wider bodies of water, this can also be achieved with B pressure hoses , which are filled with air instead of water and placed on the water, thus preventing the oil from draining away.
Ready-made, mostly modular, mobile oil barriers are available for use on larger rivers , lakes or the sea. If not possible from land, these barriers are held in place by boats or buoys . These oil barriers always consist of a float, usually one with air or z. B. Plastic foam filled hose and almost always from a diving wall ("diving wall"), which is provided with weights. The design of the baffle, the float and also the ballast are primarily responsible for the flow behavior of the oil barrier.
The stronger the flow of a river, the steeper the angle at which the barrier must be introduced, above all in order to prevent the oil from tipping over and thus underselling. Bringing in diagonally also makes it easier to skim off the oil, as it collects in the acute angle between the dam and the bank. At this point, particular attention must be paid to the bank protection (tarpaulin, "folded" piece of oil barrier). For larger quantities of oil (over 100 - 200 liters) it makes sense to use an oil separator ; for small quantities, oil binding agents are usually used.
Where there is a risk that oil can easily get into open channels, e.g. B. in rainwater runoff from highways , you can set up places where prefabricated panels can be hung if necessary.
In the case of large areas of polluted water with hardly any flow velocity, a special fleece can be used instead of oil barriers , which is water-repellent but oil-binding. This is then removed from the surface of the water and disposed of as hazardous waste.
conditions
- Formation of a continuous line,
- sufficiently deep immersion in the water surface under the oil layer,
- sufficiently high floating above the top of the oil layer,
- little vertical garland formation of the oil barrier along the dam to be formed,
- Fulfill the altitude conditions even with waves in the water caused by currents, shipping and wind,
- no rotation of the oil barrier around its longitudinal axis,
- Tightness of the barrier against oil passage,
- Stability against tearing and tearing off,
- Rollability, retrievability.
See also: Currents in open channels
On firm ground
Absorbent oil barriers (commonly used are snakes, "stockings", "sausages", mats and pillows) can be laid out as a precaution before or as soon as an oil leak occurs. To absorb oils or oil-water mixtures (e.g. emulsions), these oil barriers must not be water-repellent.
Areas of application on machines in industry and commerce
- Oil drips
- Oil flow points
- Oil overflow points
- Liquids: oil, coolant, cooling lubricant, hydraulic oil etc.
Oil barriers filled with vegetable matter (e.g. corncob granulate ) with a fabric cover are also available. They absorb and are not water-repellent, environmentally friendly to dispose of and less inflammable than oil barriers filled with polypropylene flakes. Oil barriers filled with corncob granules are firmly attached to machines so that no oil flows past.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Michael Rüffer: Oil barriers: The most important practical tips for fire departments. Feuerwehr-Magazin, January 31, 2019, accessed April 26, 2019 .
- ↑ Practical tips: Oil barriers for fire departments. Feuerwehr-Magazin, June 20, 2019, accessed on October 11, 2019 (procurement and handling).