U.S. Navy Ship Salvage Manual Volume 6 - Oil Spill Response

S0300-A6-MAN-060• Medium - The Dynamic Inclined Plane (DIP) 2001 system is being replaced by thesmall belt mop skimmer. The medium skimmer is intended for sheltered harbors alongsideor away from piers.• Large - DIP 3001 is a self-propelled vessel with a rotating belt system for large openharbors.5-4.3.1 NAVFAC Small Skimmer. NAVFAC small skimmers originally procured for theNOSCDRs are being replaced with more advanced skimmers. Before Fiscal Year 1986, the skimmerprocured was a small floating oil and water separator weir model for small harbor spills,shown in Figure 5-17. A diesel-driven pump, connecting hose and 300-gallon storage bag assembledpierside allowed oil transfer from the floating oil and water separator to the storage bag. Thistwo-man-operated system is most effective when used for small spills alongside a pier. Highwaves significantly reduce the effectiveness of this system.Figure 5-17. NAVFAC Small Skimmers.The small skimmer system delivered to the NOSCDRs after FY 1986 is a rotating belt mop deviceintended to be more effective than the older model. The rope mop is made from oleophilicpolypropolene fibers that attract oil as the rope passes through the oil-water interface. The oilpasses through a set of wringer rollers and then into a storage tank. A transfer pump maintains aconstant suction on the storage tank to transfer the recovered oil into a 300-gallon holding bag onthe pier. This holding bag can be emptied into other larger storage tanks or into vacuum trucks bythe same transfer pump.5-22