USOO6391 120B1

(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,391,120 B1

Silva (45) Date of Patent: May 21, 2002

(54) METHOD OF OIL CLEANUP USING Primary Examiner Randy Gulakowski

COCONUT COR PTH ASSistant Examiner-Gentle E. Winter
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Charles H. Thomas
(76) Inventor: Tilak V. Silva, 1049 W. 161 St.,
Gardena, CA (US) 90247 (57) ABSTRACT
(*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this A totally biodegradable oil absorption material is utilized to
patent is extended or adjusted under 35 clean up oil spills on both land and water. Particles of
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. coconut coir pith between about one-quarter of an inch and
one inch in Size are utilized for this purpose. The flakes or
(21) Appl. No.: 09/513,868 granules of coconut coir pith are spread upon the Surface of
the oil spill. The coconut coir pith readily absorbs the oil and
(22) Filed: Feb. 28, 2000 remains in a form that can be easily recovered by Scooping
(51) Int. Cl." .................................................. B08B 3/02 or raking. Once recovery is complete, the oil-Saturated
(52) U.S. Cl. ................ 134/7; 210/502 coconut coir pith can be Subjected to Squeezing by preSSure
(58) Field of Search .......................................... 134/7, 6 to liberate the oil collected. Following extraction of the
absorbed oil, the coconut coir pith can be reused for Subse
(56) References Cited quent oil cleanup operations. Also, the oil eXtracted from the
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS coconut coir pith is not contaminated and can be used as
well. Coconut coir pith is a byproduct obtained from the
4,172,039 A * 10/1979 Akiyama .................... 21.0/502 husks of coconuts as those husks are processed to make fiber
4,240,800 A 12/1980 Fischer .......................... 44/51 ropes and other articles.
5,422,330 A * 6/1995 Kaylor ....................... 502/402
* cited by examiner 14 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
U.S. Patent May 21, 2002 Sheet 1 of 3 US 6,391,120 B1
U.S. Patent May 21, 2002 Sheet 2 of 3 US 6,391,120 B1
U.S. Patent May 21, 2002 Sheet 3 of 3 US 6,391,120 B1

FIG. 3

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 US 6,391,120 B1
1 2
METHOD OF OL CLEANUP USING Surface to be Sodded. The Sod is then laid upon the coconut
COCONUT COR PTH coir pith layer. The coconut coir pith aids in the retention of
moisture by the sod and thereby aids in the prevention of
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION burning of the Sod by the Sun in hot weather. Coconut coir
1. Field of the Invention pith is also conventionally used under plants and floor pots
for the purpose of retaining moisture above to enhance plant
The present invention involves a method for absorbing oil growth. While coconut coir pith may be obtained from many
Spills utilizing a material, the absorbing properties of which different Sources, one Source of Supply is Marvel Collections
for cleaning up contaminating oil Spills, have previously Ltd., located at 71 Ward Place, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
gone unrecognized. More Specifically, the invention Although coconut coir pith has been commercially avail
involves utilizing coconut coir pith as an absorbent medium able for many many, years, it's oil absorption properties and
in cleaning up Spilled oil. potential use for absorbing oil in oil spill situations has
2. Description of the Prior Art heretofore gone unrecognized. I have discovered that coco
In recent years there has been an ever increasing aware nut coir pith, particularly when utilized in Small particulate
neSS of the devastating environmental damage that can be 15 sizes, Serves as an ideal oil absorption medium. Moreover,
caused by oil spills. It is well recognized that an extremely coconut coir pith may be utilized to clean up oil spills not
important aspect of minimizing damage from an oil spill is only on Solid Surfaces, Such as highways, concrete slabs and
the prompt containment and collection of the Spilled oil. Soil, but also upon the Surfaces of bodies of water. Coconut
Effective collection of spilled oil ideally involves the coir pith floats and absorbs oil in preference to water. One
absorption of oil in Some absorption medium that can be pound of coconut coir pith will absorb between about eight
easily raked or otherwise picked up from the Surface upon and ten pounds of crude oil.
which the oil has spilled. Nevertheless, despite intensive A very significant advantage of coconut coir pith Over
research and testing, the only absorption Substances which conventional oil absorption Substances used to absorb oil in
are at all Suitable for use in cleaning up oil spills involve oil spill Situations is that coconut coir pith is one hundred
Significant defects or difficulties. 25 percent biodegradable. Coconut coir pith floats upon water
Some conventional oil absorbents currently in commer and remains afloat even when Saturated with oil. Coconut
cial use are made from polypropylene. Polypropylene coir pith absorbs oil, coolants, Solvents and other oily
absorbs hydrocarbons but is hydrophobic. That is, it is water materials that float on water.
repellent. However, polypropylene has a limited oil absorb Coconut coir pith is entirely nontoxic. It is light in weight
ing capacity, and is not at all biodegradable. Also, polypro and creates very little dust even when thrown a considerable
pylene is quite expensive to use in the large quantities distance onto a Surface from which oil is to be absorbed.
necessary to deal with major oil spills. Furthermore, coconut coir pith has an additional advan
Efforts have been made to find other oil absorbent mate tage in that it retains its consistency, even when Spread on
rials Suitable for cleaning up oil spills which are biodegrad 35 water and Saturated with oil. That is, it will not turn to
able. For example, peat moSS has been used for this purpose. "mush' even when wet and Saturated with oil. This feature
However, in the form in which it is obtainable commercially, allows the oil-Saturated coconut coir pith to be Scooped or
peat moSS contains a Significant amount of impurities Such raked from the surface of a body of water without great
as a Sand and carbon. Also, peat moSS does not float on water difficulty.
well and is limited in its absorption capacity for oil. For 40 When utilized to absorb oil on the surface of a body of
example, one pound of peat moSS will absorb about five water, coconut coir pith absorbs more than one gallon of oil
pounds of oil. In addition, peat moSS is not totally biode per pound. The extent of absorption depends upon the
gradable. Viscosity of the oil. Moreover, coconut coir pith reduces
Another Substance which has been tested for its oil volatile vapors from the oil by up to 90 percent. Coconut coir
absorbent capacity in cleaning up oil spills is a Seaweed 45 pith is ideal for use in cleaning up ocean oil spills, as well
based product that is normally Sold as a Soil conditioner. This as for use in cleaning up both outdoor and indoor Spills on
product is Sold under the registered trademark, Afrikelp, and the ground or on pavement.
is comprised of a blend of selected brown seaweeds found In one broad aspect of the invention may be considered to
off the Southern coast of the African continent. However, this be a method of collecting oil upon a Surface comprising:
product is rather expensive and has a limited oil absorption 50 dispensing a quantity of coconut coir pith across the Surface,
capability. whereupon the oil is absorbed into the coconut coir pith, and
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION thereafter removing the coconut coir pith from the Surface.
Preferably the coconut coir pith is dispensed in particulate
According to the present invention, a Substance has been form in which the particles have an average maximum
found which is readily available and which makes an ideal 55 dimension of no greater than one and one-half inches. The
oil absorption medium. Moreover, this product is completely coconut coir pith can also be used in other forms Such as
biodegradable. Specifically, the present invention involves bullets, grains, gravels, pellets, briquettes, and other shapes
the use of coconut coir pith as an oil absorption medium in and sizes
cleaning up oil spills. Coconut coir pith is Sold commercially in granular, loose,
Coconut coir pith is a residual byproduct produced from 60 and disk-shaped forms. At present, coconut coir pith is often
making coconut fiber ropes and mattresses. Coconut coir Sold in disk-shaped cakes having a diameter of about three
pith is a portion of the coconut husk that falls as a residual inches and a thickness of about one inch. If the Substance is
powder when coconut husk fibers are crushed in the manu obtained in disk form, it is advisable to break the disks up
facture of ropes and other products. Coconut coir pith is into Smaller particles. The disk-shaped cakes in which
currently Sold commercially for use in landscaping for its 65 coconut coir pith is Sold commercially may be passed
moisture barrier properties. It is typically Sold for use in golf through a Series of pairs of counterrotating, crushing rollers
courses. A layer of coconut coir pith is spread upon a dirt to reduce the size of the cakes at a ten to one ratio. The pairs
 US 6,391,120 B1
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of rollers are Spaced at decreasing distances. The final pair about the area of the Spill. The Socks are formed of porous
of rollers is equipped with blades that chop the coconut coir sheaths filled with additional quantities of the coconut coir
pith into particles of between about one-quarter inch and one pith.
inch in size. The particles of coconut coir pith are dispersed The invention may be described with greater clarity and
from the final pair of rollers into a hopper and channeled into particularity by reference to the following examples and
a bagging machine. accompanying drawings.
According to one embodiment of the present invention the
coconut coir pith is in the form of particles having an DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
average maximum dimension of no greater than about one FIG. 1 is a top plan View illustrating the implementation
and one-half inches.
of the method of the invention in a typical oil spill situation
One primary area of application of the method of the on a body of water.
invention is in cleaning up petroleum-based oil spills in FIG. 2 is a Sectional elevational view take along the lines
bodies of water Such as Oceans, lakes, and rivers. To aid in 2-2 of FIG. 1.
the cleanup, it is often advisable to Surround the area of the 15 FIG. 3 is an elevational diagram illustrating the Step of
Surface upon which the oil is present with a Spill contain
ment boom. Preferably the spill containment boom has a Squeezing the oil-Saturated coconut coir pith to extract oil
floating portion that includes coconut coir pith confined therefrom.
within a Surrounding, elongated, porous covering. The coco DESCRIPTION OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
nut coir pith within the covering maintains the boom afloat, METHOD
and the oil that makes contact with the boom is absorbed
within the coconut coir pith located within the porous FIG. 1 illustrates the practice of the method of the
covering, as well as by the quantities of coconut coir pith invention in a typical oil spill Situation on a body of water
thrown onto the oily surface of the water surrounded by the 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a substantial quantity of
containment boom. petroleum crude oil 12 is shown spilled on the body of water
25 10. The oil 12 will tend to float on the surface of the body
A further advantageous feature of the invention is that a
very substantial portion of the oil can be extracted from the of water 10, but unless promptly cleaned up the oil 12 will
coconut coir pith once the oil-Saturated coconut coir pith has disperse as droplets into the water 10, thus increasing the
been removed from the site of the oil spill. To extract the oil, difficulty of cleanup.
the Saturated coconut coir pith is pressed or Squeezed by To clean up this Spill, an oil containment boom 14 is
rollers or by a press. AS the oil is Squeezed out of the coconut deployed upon the surface of the body of water 10 about the
coir pith, it is filtered and collected in a receptacle. It is area thereof upon which the oil 12 has spread. Oil contain
possible to recover between about Seventy-five percent and ment booms are Solid floating barriers to contain oil spills in
about ninety percent of the oil absorbed by the coconut coir the ocean, in harbors, rivers, streams, and lagoons, etc. The
pith in this manner. 35
oil containment boom 14 should be deployed Some distance
Furthermore, the recovered oil, which would otherwise beyond the initial perimeter of the oil 12, since the oil 12 will
constitute hazardous, contaminated waste, is in a reusable spread outward upon the surface of the body of water 10.
form. In addition, once the absorbed oil has been Squeezed In the situation illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 the oil
out, the coconut coir pith also is available for reuse to collect containment boom 14 is formed of a multiplicity of socks 16
oil from future Spills. The coconut coir pith can be reused 40 linked together and placed about the area of the Spilled oil
about three or four times, provided that the oil is pressed out 12 So as to totally encompass that area. Each of the SockS 16
of it following each use. After that, the coconut coir pith can is formed of an outer, porous sheath containing a quantity of
either be incinerated or used for landfill. Coconut coir pith coconut coir pith indicated at 18 in FIG. 2. Each of the socks
is one hundred percent biodegradable So it will totally 16 may be between about three inches and six inches in
decompose when used as landfill. 45 diameter and between about two feet and four feet in length.
In another broad aspect, the invention may be considered The Socks 16 are tied off at their ends and linked together to
to be a method of collecting Spilled oil from a Surface completely surround the oil spill 12, as shown in FIG. 1.
comprising: Spreading a quantity of coconut coil pith upon Contemporaneously with deployment of the oil contain
the Surface, whereupon the coconut coir pith absorbs the oil, ment boom 14, coconut coir pith 18 is dispensed upon the
and recovering the coconut coir pith with the oil absorbed 50 surface of the water 10 upon which the spilled oil 12 is
therein. floating. The particles of coconut coir pith 18 preferably
While the invention is equally applicable to oil spills on have a maximum dimension of between about one-quarter
land as well as at Sea, use of the invention to control oil Spills inch and one inch. The particles of coconut coir pith 18 may
in water represents a very major application of the invention. be dispensed from a barge 20 containing a Supply of the
In this aspect, the invention may be considered to be a 55 coconut coir pith 18 in bulk form. The coconut coir pith 18
method of cleaning up a petroleum Spill in water compris may be spread upon the Spilled oil 12 using a blowing
ing: dispensing upon the Surface of water on which a spill machine like a wood chipper or Snow blower.
has occurred a quantity of coconut coir pith, which there The quantity of coconut coir pith 18 that is cast onto the
upon absorbS petroleum while remaining afloat, collecting spilled oil 12 will vary depending upon the volume of oil 12
the coconut coir pith with petroleum absorbed therewithin, 60 that has been spilled. Each pound of coconut coir pith 18 will
and removing the coconut coir pith from the water. These absorb between about eight and ten pounds of the spilled oil
StepS are preferably followed by Squeezing the coconut coir 12. Therefore, a sufficient amount of the coconut coir pith 18
pith following the Step of removal, and recovering petro should be utilized to absorb all of the spilled oil 12.
leum for use from the coconut coir pith as it is Squeezed out. The oil 12 is absorbed by the coconut coir pith 18 upon
The method of the invention is preferably practiced for 65 contact. The coconut coir pith 18 floats upon the body of
cleanup of petroleum Spills in water by confining the petro water 10 and also upon the surface of the spilled oil 12.
leum Spill. This may be accomplished by placing Socks Consequently, there is a high degree of contact between the
 US 6,391,120 B1
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spilled oil 12 and the coconut coir pith 18, provided that the tion depicted and described, but rather is defined in the
particles of coconut coir pith 18 are accurately spread over claims appended hereto.
the surface of the oil spill 12. I claim:
While the spilled oil 12 remains upon the surface of the 1. A method of collecting oil upon a Surface comprising:
body of water 10, it will tend to spread laterally until it dispensing a quantity of coconut coir pith having a particle
encounters the Socks 16. Since the sheaths Surrounding the Size of between about one-quarter and about one and one
coconut coir pith 18 in the socks 16 are porous, the oil from half inches in loose form acroSS Said Surface, whereupon
the oil spill 12 that does reach the containment boom 14 will Said oil is absorbed into Said coconut coir pith, and thereafter
be absorbed by the coconut coir pith 18 within the socks 16. removing Said coconut coir pith from Said Surface by Scoop
Once the spilled oil 12 has contacted and has been ing it up.
absorbed by the coconut coir pith 18, the coconut coir pith 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein Said coconut
18 remains floating on the body of water 10 and can be coir pith is dispensed in particulate form.
collected and removed from the surface of the body of water 3. A method according to claim 2 wherein Said Surface is
10 utilizing conventional oil absorbent material raking and 15 the Surface of a body of water and Said oil is petroleum
Scooping equipment. Preferably, both the coconut coir pith based.
18 and the absorbed oil are reused following recovery of the
oil-saturated coconut coir pith 18 from the body of water 10. 4. A method according to claim 2 wherein Said Surface is
FIG. 3 diagrammatically illustrates the process of extracting a Solid Surface.
oil from the oil-saturated coconut coir pith 18. 5. A method according to claim 2 wherein Said oil is
As shown in FIG. 3, the oil saturated coconut coir pith 18 petroleum-based and further comprising dispensing at least
is placed in a high walled receptacle 20 once it has been about one pound of Said coconut coir pith for each gallon of
removed from the body of water 10. The receptacle 20 has said oil to be absorbed.
Solid Side walls and a rigid, Steel grate 22 near its bottom 6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising
with perforations therethrough that are Smaller in diameter 25
pressing Said coconut coir pith following absorption of Said
than the minimum particulate size of the particles of coconut oil to liberate Said oil therefrom, and collecting Said oil So
coir pith 18. A hydraulic press 24 is then operated in the liberated for reuse.
container 20 and presses downwardly upon the recovered 7. A method of collecting spilled oil from a surface
oil-saturated coconut coir pith 18. As the hydraulic press 24 comprising: Spreading a quantity of coconut coir pith in bulk
presses and Squeezes the oil-Saturated coconut coir pith 18 form upon Said Surface, wherein Said coconut coir pith has
against the perforated grate 22, the oil absorbed in the a particle size of between about one-quarter and about one
coconut coir pith 18 is Squeezed out and passes through the and one-half inches whereupon Said coconut coir pith
perforations in the grate 22. The floor 26 of the container 20 absorbs said oil, and recovering said coconut coir pith with
is sloped slightly to a drain 28 through which the extracted Said oil absorbed therein from Said Surface by raking it up.
oil 12" drips into an oil recovery vessel 30. Between about 35 8. A method according to claim 7 wherein said surface is
Seventy-five percent and ninety percent of the oil absorbed the surface of a body of water.
by the coconut coir pith 18 can be recovered in the recovery 9. A method according to claim 8 wherein said oil is
vessel 30 using this extraction and recovery technique. The petroleum-based.
oil 12" can be reused, as can the particles of coconut coir pith 10. A method according to claim 9 further comprising
18 left in the container 20. 40 deploying a containment boom upon Said Surface of Said
The particles of coconut coir pith 18 can be used and body of water about the area thereof upon which said
reused several times if the oil 12' is extracted following each coconut coir pith is spread.
Spill cleanup effort. After about three or four uses, however, 11. A method according to claim 7 wherein Said Surface is
the particles of coconut coir pith 18 should be discarded. a Solid Surface.
One method of disposal is incineration. However, because 45 12. A method according to claim 7 further comprising
the coconut coir pith 18 is completely biodegradable, it can recovering at least a portion of Said oil following Said Step
be used as landfill. With time, it will decompose completely, of recovering Said coconut coir pith by Squeezing Said
one hundred percent, into totally nontoxic decomposition coconut coir pith and collecting Said oil that emanates from
products. Said coconut coir pith as it is Squeezed.
Undoubtedly, numerous variations and modifications of 50 13. A method of cleaning up a petroleum Spill in water
the invention will become readily apparent to those familiar comprising: dispensing in bulk upon the Surface of water in
with oil spill cleanup absorbents. For example, the particles which a spill has occurred a quantity of coconut coir pith
of coconut coir pith 18 may be spread upon and absorb oil particles having a size of between about one-quarter and
Spilled upon a Solid Surface. Instances in which the method about one and one-half inches which particles thereupon
of the invention may be utilized in this manner include oil 55 absorb petroleum while remaining afloat, collecting Said
Spills by tanker trucks on highways, oil spills in garages and coconut coir pith particles with petroleum absorbed there
automotive vehicle repair shops, and even oil spills on dirt within by raking, and removing Said coconut coir pith
Surfaces. In each application, the cleanup technique is essen particles from Said water by Scooping.
tially the Same. That is, the coconut coir pith is spread in 14. A method according to claim 13 further comprising
particulate form upon the Surface of Spilled oil. Upon 60 Squeezing Said coconut coir pith following Said Step of
contact, the oil is absorbed into the coconut coir pith. The removal and recovering petroleum for use from Said coconut
oil-Saturated coconut coir pith is easily raked and collected. coir pith as it is Squeezed out.
Accordingly, the Scope of the invention should not be
construed as limited to the Specific manner of implementa