Oil spill response technology for ice-covered waters in the Arctic

Abstract

A technology for removing oil spills from under the ice, based on the use of the vortex funnel effect, is proposed. A comparative analysis of methods oil pollution removal from under the ice cover is carried out. Models of the processes of separation of the “ice-oil-water” system occurring in the vortex funnel are presented, as well as, based on the experiment, photo illustrations of the stages of formation of the vortex funnel and removal of oil from under-ice. The schemes of deployment and operation of mobile equipment for removing oil spills from under the ice are proposed. It is shown that the proposed approach to liquidation of emergency oil spills in the Arctic can be used to create means and technologies of liquidation of more large-scale disasters of this kind.