The invention involves a floating oil barrier for the purpose of containing oil or similar materials in water. It is comprised of larger floating partial cells and are made of waterproof materials. Smaller partial cells that are submerged in the water are made of untreated or hydrophilic materials, producing stabilizing effects of the barrier's position, wherein the partial cells are comprised of glass fibers or glass fiber mats and a flexible tube that encases them. They are joined to one another via a traction cable.
With larger oil tanker vessels being developed, environmental danger posed by maritime oil spills is also continuously increasing. In recent years, oil disasters have resulted in entire coastlines becoming severely polluted and marine life in the endangered areas being destroyed to such an extent that these large ships are being burdened with greater and greater charges. For this reason, efforts have been made to build multiband tankers, in an attempt to make it more difficult for oil spills to occur. In the end, however, in addition to the associated production problems, such measures cannot prevent oil from escaping if a ship sinks. One method, known in the art from FR-PS 2 646 189, calls for waterproofed mineral fibers to be blown onto the surface of the water. The oil is supposed to settle onto these fibers, so that the bulk can then be picked up as a whole and disposed of. The fibers are waterproofed with silicone oil, and, because they are short, can be hindered from sinking. Contamination and pollution of the sea bed is thus such a problem that mineral fibers of this type are not used. In another method, known in the art from GB-PS 1 235 463, oil on top of the water is to be adsorbed onto inorganic fibers, with the fibers being treated beforehand with a water-repellent material. As a result, the fibers float on top of the oil and cause the oil to settle on them; the oil is then removed by burning off the fibers. The burning off of the oil adsorbed by the fibers is not economically feasible and causes considerable environmental damage. In addition, too little space is available for storage of the fibers, which are simply to be sprayed onto the water. DE-PS 41 40 247 contains the recommendation that waterproofed glass wool materials be joined together to form a barrier, with the glass fibers being inserted into a perforated flexible tube. The oil can enter the tube through the perforations, thus entering the glass wool where the oil is adequately adsorbed and held until the barrier can be removed from the water and disposed of. The disadvantage of this method is that the oil adsorber, or the barrier, floats on the surface of the water. When waves hit the barrier, the oil cannot be kept from splashing back out. Accordingly, DE-OS 43 01 761 or DE-OS 43 25 806 recommends that a multisection oil adsorber be employed, in which one cell is coated with waterproofed material and the others, which lie below this one, are coated with non-waterproofed material. The upper partial cell, coated with waterproofed glass fiber material, floats on top of the water and can absorb oil, while the lower, or several lower, partial cells are submerged in the water, as they more or less attract the water due to their particular formation. They act as a kind of centerboard that effectively prevents the oil from flowing through when waves hit the barrier. Integrated into the joined partial cells is a traction cable, via which the barrier can be maneuvered. In particular, this makes it possible to pull the barrier, which borders a correspondingly large oil slick, back to the ship, thereby continuously skimming off the oil floating on the water or binding this oil using suitable glass fiber mats. Under strong winds, however, when this type of oil barrier is hauled in, it too cannot stop the collected oil from splashing over the barrier and then back into the unprotected marine area, that is, onto the surface of the water. To some extent, eddies also form, which in the end even lead to the oil being pushed under the centerboard, and from there into the oil-free section of the water.
It is thus the object of the invention to create an oil barrier which, in strong winds and especially when it is being hauled in, will prevent the oily water from spilling, and thereby will also prevent the oil from passing below the centerboard.