OIL SPILL EQUIPMENTSTUDY PROJECT OF DESIGN & ENGINEERING MASTER’S PROGRAMME

2011 TALLINN

DESIGN&ENGINEERING

Synergy between different fields is best achieved in group work environment, therefore nine design and engineering students worked as one team on the solving of the business problem of absorbent producer Bonusvia.

DESIGN&ENGINEERING

development is to create understanding and common work culture for both parties – designers and engineers. The

guiding principle of the study

process was „learning by

doing“. Although working

independently and applying

methods learnt previously

on lectures, the students still

had the constant support of

instructors.

Work partner Bonusvia OÜ

is a small enterprise in Baltic

region, that has specialized

on cleaning materials of

oil and chemical spillage.

Bonsuvia’s products are based

This booklet is a summary of a spring project for studies of product design and development MA study programme. Study

programme of product design

and development is based

on combining the strengths

of business, technological

competence and user centred

design. Both the technological

knowledge of the engineering

and product design students

as creative problem solving

of the design students were

applied.

In the centre of the unified study programme of design and product

INTRODUCTION

“No product is an island. A product is more than the product. It is a cohesive, integrated set of experiences. Think through all of the stages of a product or service – from initial intentions through final reflections, from first usage to help, service, and maintenance. Make them all work together seamlessly. That’s systems thinking.”

Don Norman

on absorbent of the same

name, that can be used both

on water and on land. These

products are used by ports,

fuel terminals and gas stations.

Also enterprises involved with

mining, waste conditioning

and rescue service.

DESIGN&ENGINEERING

TEAM AND TUTORS

Tõnis KalveEstonian Academy of Arts,

Interior Architecture, BA

„Learnt basics of design

theory and methods. Can

also understand engineers’

worldview. I can now see that

not a single project can be

finished without them.“

Aap PihoEstonian Academy of Arts,

Interior Architecture, BA

„Project offered a great

experience on how such

a relatively large project is

structured during different

phases, what decisions turned

out to be right and what

wrong and how to reach more

effectively for wanted result.“

Katrin RekorEstonian Academy of Arts,

product design, BA

„To do, to do, to do!“

Egert UiboEstonian Academy of Arts,

product design, BA

„Power of the group work.

If group is well motivated to

act, then the process is much

faster than alone. People

from different fields can help

with know-how, that is not

reachable for others.“

Maarja MõtusEstonian Academy of Arts,

product design, BA

„Learnt from experience that

ideas may look good on paper

but rapid prototyping will

expose its true merit.“

Karl AnnusTartu Art College, Furniture

design and preparation, BA

„I learnt to better express my

ideas and thoughts. It is very

important while working in a

large team. You must express

an idea well if you want it to

reach everybody.“

Iiris RauskEstonian University of Life

Sciences, ergonomics branch

of mechanics and technology,

BA

„I learnt to listen to one

another and wait for my

turn in discussions. Learnt to

communicate with people that

are nor easy to communicate

with.“

Mihkel JoostTallinn University of

Technology, product

development, BA

„In the beginning of the

project you must find out

from the client exactly what

their problems are and what

they need.“

Martin EermeProfessor, department of

mechanics, Tallinn University

of Technology

Martin PärnProfessor of strategic design,

Estonian Academy of Arts

Sven SõrmusIndustrial designer, supervisor,

Estonian Academy of Arts

Liivar KongiTallinn University of

Technology,

product development, BA

„Because of particular features

of the skimmers’ application

field, this project taught me

about critical parameters

in skimmer designing. Got

to experiment with the

simulation of airflow in small

vacuum-system. Met new

people, their workhabits and

therefore joys and sorrows of

groupwork.

DESIGN&ENGINEERING

All these services were visited as well to get

an adequate information on what must be

concluded while developing a skimmer.

MEETINGS WITH PARTIES

1. BONUSVIA

Before we started to create a skimmer, there

was a meeting with Bonusvia representatives

and „design and engineering“ workgroup,

where company’s wishes and specifications

were discussed. By the end of the first meeting the following specifications and criteria became apparent:

• Skimmer works with absorbent

• Skimmer works on water

• Suitable for small bodies of water - lakes, rivers and for harbours and shores.

To give us a better understanding on what

the workgroup was going to be working, the

company made a brief presentation about

their absorbent and how it works and how it is

produced.

ABSORBENT AND OIL POLLUTION

Absorbent is a bibulous material, which is

used to remove a variety of liquid pollutants

- chemicals, oil, water, mazsut and other

dangerous liquids. Absorbent that is meant

for oil pollution removal has the an ability to

remove the stickiness of oil, which makes the

cleaning easier and quicker.

While speaking about oil pollution, it is

necessary to know that different oils have

different viscosity, which means that lower

the viscosity, the thinner and less sticky it

is and harder to clean by using methods of

adhesiveness. Therefore absorbent helps to

clean oils with low viscosity, even from water,

from where it is not possible to clean it with the

principle, where oil should stick to the brush

and be removed from water.

If there is an oil pollution, then the first to be

called is a Estonian Rescue Service, whose

responsibility is to take care of the pollution on

water, and the next is Estonian Fund of Nature,

whose responsibility is to take care of the

nature and animals on ashore. If the pollution

occurs off the shore, the Boarder Guard Board

is responsible for handling it. If the pollution

reaches the shore, then the Estonian Rescue

Service is to take action.

MAPPING OF THE THEME

Estonian Rescue Service and Estonian Fund for Nature at field training

DESIGN&ENGINEERING

2. ESTONIAN FUND FOR NATURE (ELF)

A coordinator of volunteers made us think

about the following issues. Absorbent is easily

flying and dust like. It is harmful to people

working with it. Cleaning birds with it damages

their respiratory system. Cleaning of shore is time-consuming handwork that has to be done with shovels and brushes.

3. ESTONIAN RESCUE SERVICE

Rescue service gave us next important tips.

Machine should consist of standard details, so when necessary it would possible to cooperate with neighbouring countries and combine our equipment with their equipment. Machine must be

compact, light weight and multifunctional, so

it could be transported to the places that are

difficulty reachable and that it could be used in

as many different operations as possible.

4 .ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTORATE

Environmental inspectorate gave us

following information. They provided us

with an overview of an Estonian absorbent

manufacturer, Oilsorb OÜ, and suggested

we visited pollution clean up ship at Muuga

port. We also found out that there are natural

absorbents, such as peat and sawdust. Nature

is self-renewable, loss of two dozen birds is

not a natural disaster. We were also told that

figuratively speaking the seabed around a port

is covered with asphalt.

SURVEY OF COMPETITION

From the table it can be concluded, that Lamor is a strong competitor with its wide choice of skimmers as well as by offering booms and hand tools. Compared to other

competitors, Lamor offers

different brush skimmers, belt

skimmer and weir skimmer,

while Skimoil and Action

Petroleum have specialized

only on weir and drum

skimmer manufacturing.

In the field of absorbent the market leader is Oilsorb with its absorbent granules, mats, booms and kits. Clear Passage

Products could also be

mentioned as important

competitor, as it offers its

clients brush skimmers as well

as absorbent mats, booms and

kits.

As a conclusion, Bonusvia as

a absorbent and absorbent

product producer is on

the same position as its

strong competitor Oilsorb

as Bonusvia offers granules,

booms, mats and kits. If we

consider Bonusvia’s objective

to expand into the field of

skimmer manufacturing, then

Bonusvia has a very good

chance to become the market

leader in absorbent field

by entering into the field of

skimmers. It is well known that

absorbent is a perfect product

for relatively easy cleaning

of oil spills and it is known

that skimmer has proved its

efficiency in cleaning oil spill

from surface of the water.

Therefore there is opportunity

to come to the market with a

new idea by putting these two

things work together.

As a Bonusvia’s aim is to put skimmers work on absorbent, there is an opportunity to gain momentum and get ahead

of the competitors.

Table shows products offered by different companies offer and reflects which areas these companies are concentrated on.

COMPANY

&

PRODUCT

Lam

or

Vers

a tec

h

Skim

oil

Actio

n Pe

trol

eum

Elas

tec

Oils

orb

His

orb

Clea

r Pa

ssag

e

Bonu

s vi

a

Abs. spreader

Brush skimmer

Belt skimmer

Weir skimmer

Drum skimmer

Grinder skimmer

Abs. skimmer

Abs. granules

Abs. Mats

Booms

Abs. Booms

Hand tools

Mat/boom kits

DESIGN&ENGINEERING

Considering Bonusvia’s wishes and conditions,

information provided by parties involved with

pollution and experiences of client’s who use

such products, the following premises for task

were concluded:

• Skimmer works with absorbent

• Suitable for work on small bodies of water — rivers, lakes, ports, shores

• Small dimensions to facilitate transportation to places that are difficult to reach

PREMISES

• Can be combined with other machines and components to facilitate cooperating with other rescue services

• Weights less than 50 kg per person, meant for 2 people

• Wide scattering of absorbent can be avoided

• Autonomous, easy to clean

PREMISES

DESIGN&ENGINEERING

PROCESS

Before starting the product development

process, the team carried out different tests

with Bonusvia absorbent in order to find out

the exact characteristics and possible future

opportunities for following work. Results of

these tests were following:

• The absorbent has to be put directly to the

polluted area.

• After saturation absorbent smears.

• It is important to have absorbent granules

in optimal size for maximum saturation.

• Absorbent loses its effectiveness when

filled with water.

TESTS

The first step was to put

together a morphological

matrix, where machine was

divided into details (absorbent

crusher, spreader, collector,

energy source etc.) and for

every detail there were written

down all possible solutions. All

group member participated

in it. Such a approach helps

to create an overview of the

possible solutions.

MORPHOLOGICAL MATRIX

DEVELOPING OF CONCEPTS

Next step for each team

member was to outline

3–5 ideas while taking

different solutions from

the morphological matrix.

Ideas had to be logical and

thought out. That was the

part of process where many

conceptions were created

(some of them overlapped)

and during discussions it

became apparent which

details and principles were

favoured and where potential

was seen.

GROUPING OF IDEAS

As we had many ideas in

the conception creation

phase after composing the

morphological matrix, the

next logical step was to

aggregate them together.

The product groups of similar

products emerged. They

were belt skimmers, buoys,

karakatitsas (self-made vehicles

for driving on thin ice),

catamarans, buoys, „vacuum

cleaner“, shore connected

system.

DESIGN&ENGINEERING

EVALUATION MATRIX

Each solution was evaluated

within the group according

to the evaluation matrix.

According to the matrix the

criteria for evaluating the

conception were: mobility

of the device, efficiency, user

friendliness, manpower,

overhead expenses, easy

usability, safety, reliability,

dimensions, weight, ect.

Evaluation brought our

work ideas, that received

most points. Better detailed

solutions were screened out

and table helped to find the

solutions with better potential

and smart specifics.

STRONGER PRINCIPLES

After finding out the product

ideas, people were for the first

time divided into workgroups

and started the more in

depth work. Product ideas were tested with simple models, rapid prototyping method.

By the end of this process

many ideas were worked

through, including catamaran,

karaktitsa and buoy. Main

collection ideas were bristles

and tapes from fabric that

and these did not were most

successful in tests.

It was difficult to integrate

crushing, spreading and

collecting into function one

skimmer while considering

weight limits and need for

compact system that were

provided by rescue services.

This approach had also

transportation difficulties.

Final solution was nowhere to

be seen.

CONCEPT

REFINED PREMISES

Considering previous brainstorming, evaluations and tests, the team members found that initial grand ideas were not quite as powerful as they had thought.What were the problems in

analyzing previous thoughts,

ideas and principles?

• Too many machines

• High price

• Problems with weight and

dimensions

• Lengthy work process

• Ideas were not working

• Spreading of absorbent

were too dusty

Since the ideas that emerged

form the process were

unsuitable for the initial task

because of the lengthy work

process and dustiness of

absorbent, we had to take an

u-turn and start to think out of

the box.

RETHINKING & NEW POSSIBILITIES

Absorbent cleaning traditionally consist of

granulating, spreading and collecting the

oil filled absorbent. Granulated absorbent

though is dusty and flyable, not a comfortable

working environment. Also, the need of

granulation makes the process of cleaning

a 3 step process: granulating, spreading,

collecting.

Questions raised in rethinking the problem:

How we can shorten the process of absorbent based cleaning?

How can we built an absorbent based cleaning system without the need of granulation and causing the dusty working environment?

NEW WORK CONCEPT, KEBAB PRINCIPLE

Absorbent is not crushed

and in is placed into machine

on the shape of a rollers.

Absorbent is not crushed

but in the device as roll.

Absorbent’s roller spins across

the water. Surface that has

absorbed the oil is cut off and

collected.

DESIGN&ENGINEERING

SKIMMER

PROCESS

In order to find a solution for different functions

a morphological matrix was created, where was

set a task about what this machine’s capability

has to be. Brainstorming brought out plenty of

ideas about each function. Combining of these

ideas gave many different solutions.

DESIGN&ENGINEERING

FINAL SOLUTION

Result is a catamaran-type skimmer, with working principle that an absorbent roll that is partially in the water rotates around its axis, the part in

the water absorbs the oil spill and oil saturated

coating is cut off in every rotation and

vacuumed into collection tank.

Length of the machine is 1,25 m and width is

1 m, so it fits into special transportation that is

used by rescue services.

SATURATED ABSORBENT

MUZZLE

FLOATS

ABSORBENT ROLL VACUUM PUMPCOLLECTION TANK

CYCLON

ABSORBENT ROLL

DESIGN&ENGINEERING

SKIMMER

PAAK

ROLLERS

CYCLON

AIRFLOW SPEED

COLLECTION TANK

KIMMER

„Peeled“ saturated absorbent is sucked from the blade into collection tank by vacuum pump. Muzzle of the suction system

is projected so that for cross-section of the

muzzle airflow speed would be as even as

possible. Collection tank has conical chamber

or cyclon. Vacuum pump creates cyclon that

by centrifugal force cleans the air from solid

matter that is thrown into collection tank.

In front of the vacuum pump there is a filter

that prevents small matters to get into the

pump. Bar’s initial diameter is 380 mm. As the diameter lessens, the bar that is held between two „claws“ is let lower by electrical engine, so that the bar stays constantly in the same depth of water. Blade moves in sync with the „claws“ and

maintains the same cutting depth. Based on

the absorption volume of the bar, that volume

of the projected collection tank is 50 litres.

Rollers attached at the front of the tank allow

easy mounting and transportation on land.

Skimmer is powered by two Li-Ion battery that

are placed in the middle of the floats. Batteries

are estimated to power until absorbent bar

is completely worn off (90 minutes) and

getting back to the land. In the back of both

floats there are propellers that give good

manoeuvreability. In addition to propeller

engine, the vacuum pump and engines to

regulate and rotate absorbent bar work from

the batteries.

Present solution offers skimmer driving by

radio transmitter. For further development

we think of making skimmer autonomous

machine, that can map the spillage and remove

it by itself.

HANDLE

FLOATS

INSIDE FLOATS:LI!ION BATTERYENGINEPROPELLERS

DESIGN&ENGINEERING

HAND TOOLS As study group was encouraged in first stage of contextual analysis look the field of oil cleaning in wide perspective. From contextual understanding also from the

market analysis settled out that there is an

opportunity to widen the market of Bonusvia

absorbent company. First, company was

looking for ways to expand their business by

offering an absorbent based skimmer for low

waters that were effective in cleaning viscous

oil, currently an less developed area in oil

cleaning. As skimmer was a meant to be sold with the base product absorbent, study group asked what other opportunities can be found to increase Bonusvia’s market share?

BACKGROUND

Testing in natural outdoor environment at Paljasaare beach.Study group visited Muuga Port and studied their oil cleaning practices.

From a meeting with the ELF volunteers

responsible of shoreline and bird cleaning, the

study group learned about the difficulties of

shoreline cleaning, which is a time consuming

manual labour. Study group visited Muuga

Port and studied their oil cleaning practices.

In their work, smaller oil spills are also not

collected with large skimmers but working

from the boat with manual tools was their

regular practice. Question that was raised: How to ease the manual shoreline cleaning using absorbent?

DESIGN&ENGINEERING

1. Absorbent cleaning bars

usage: shoreline

testing in real environment, failed concept

decision: failed due environment, find

alternative market

2. Absorbent cleaning bars

usage: industrial environment

testing (similar environment): failed

concept. poor results in cleanliness, time

consuming

decision: stop concept, move back to

granule absorbent

3. Brush and absorbent in granules

usage: industrial environment

testing: (similar environment): good results

on cleanliness, approved concept

decision: develop special tool by

combining brush and mop ( 1. quick and

rough collecting 2. surface cleaning and final

collecting)

4. Landing net and absorbent granules

usage: shoreline, on sea

testing in real environment. possible but

further testing needed.

decision: develop further

PROCESSHand tools working group was formed of

three members: Karl Annus, Katrin Rekor and

Maarja Mõtus. They focused on prototyping

and testing in natural outdoor environment at

Muuga Port and at Paljasaare beach, as well as

in studio space.

5. Landing net and absorbent granules

usage: shoreline, on sea

testing in Muuga port with 13 m/sec wind.

Failed in strong wind and heavy waves.

decision: Suitable in inland waters and board

area.

Real environmental testing revealed the weak sides of the absorbent cleaning bars and previously believed winning solution failed. What was learned from the

process was, that a prototype should first be

prototyped itself too. Sooner the better, thus fast prototyping before prototyping is a must to confirm the workability of the idea.

DESIGN&ENGINEERING

FINAL SOLUTIONABSORBENT HANDNET AND CONTAINER

Handnet is a tool for oil spill collection, counteracting in low

BRUSHMOP AND SHOVEL

Brushmop is a tool for industrial environment to car repairs, machinery industry ect.

Brushmop makes cleaning

with absorbent less dusty.

One can collect most of the

absorbed oil fast with the mop

side. Then, for a second step,

cleaner can collect what was

left in the floor cracks with the

brush side.

In comparison with the first

concept idea of absorbent

bars, this offers much faster

cleaning, and collects oil from

floor cracks.

Negative side effect is the

absorbent dust. Current

absorbent granules are not

so much granules in their

form, but rather a powder.

For further development absorbent granules could be made more comfortable for workers respiratory systems.

waters, where due to the small pollution scale manual work is more cost-effective than skimmer machine transport and installing.

Absorbent net enables to

collect low viscose oil spills

with absorbent. In comparison

with skimmers, handnet is

also usable in stone covered

shorelines.

Handnet consists of the light

aluminium handle and a

changeable polyethylene net.

Operateable in low water from

foot or possibly from boat.

Used and oily absorbent can

be collected to the container.

Handnet and container form

a toolkit, handnet is fixable on

the side of the container.

DESIGN&ENGINEERING

DESIGN&ENGINEERING STUDIOAKADEEMIA TEE 21-D, ROOM 30512618 TALLINN

E-MAIL: INFO@DESIGN-ENGINEERING.EEWEBSITE: WWW.DESIGN-ENGINEERING.EE

Writing and Editing:Mihkel Joost

Maarja Mõtus

Iiris Rausk

Translation:Tea Tamm

Design:Maarja Mõtus

Photography: D&E students and cortesy of partners

The views expressed in booklet are those of the authors.