Abstract: A rapid deployment system for recovering oil from beachers includes an articulated vehicle for propelling and suspending a vacuum head above a beach or the like. A selected area of the beach is irrigated with sufficient quantities of water to saturate the selected area. Oil deposited on the beach is driven to the surface. A sufficient quantity and velocity of air moves over the surface beneath the vacuum head to develop a water column upon which resides a frothy foam mixture of air, water and oil which is drawn into the head. In the vacuum head, the velocity of the air flow is suddenly and significantly reduced above a fluid sump wherein entrained oil and water droplets fall into a sump for processing outside of the vacuum head. A metal auger can be provided within the vacuum head to pump oil from pools and separate entrained oil droplets from the high velocity air flow. A special terrain vehicle which propels and supports the vacuum head is modular and can be transported by helicopter with the entire system.

Abstract: A self-cleaning vacuum head is disclosed which has the ability to discriminate between particles of different size, or the ability to separate fluids from particulate matter. The invention has two relatively moving surfaces which provide a changing locus of vacuum so that particles drawn against the surfaces are later separated therefrom. Each of the two surfaces has slots which are transverse to one another. The surfaces are moved relative to one another in a moving direction which is transverse to the orientation of the slots on the first of the moving surface, and also transverse to the slots on the second surface. The transverse arrangement of the slots, and the relative movement of the slots in a direction which is transverse to each of the slots causes particles drawn against the surface to roll about two substantially perpendicular axes to encourage thorough decontamination of the particles. An oil spill clean-up system is also disclosed utilizing the self-cleaning vacuum head.

Abstract: A self-cleaning vacuum head is disclosed which has the ability to discriminate between particles of different size, or the ability to separate fluids from particulate matter. The invention has two relatively moving surfaces which provide a changing locus of vacuum so that particles drawn against the surfaces are later separated therefrom. An oil spill clean-up system is also disclosed utilizing the self-cleaning vacuum head.