United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Municipal Environmental Research
Laboratory
Cincinnati OH 45268
Research and Development
EPA-600/S2-84-045 Apr. 1984
4>EPA Project Summary
Field Manual for Plunging
Water Jet Use in Oil Spill
Cleanup
James H. Nash and John S. Farlow
A short, illustrated manual on the use
of plunging water jets has been prepared
for field and planning personnel con-
cerned with the cleanup of spilled,
floating pollutants. Plunging water jets
can often make possible the control
(and, as a consequence, the cleanup) of
spilled oil and other floating pollutants
where stream and estuary currents are
too swift for the use of conventional
equipment. The manual provides the
practical knowledge needed to divert
floating pollutants from faster currents
into slower areas—information on how
the plunging water jet operates and
how to fabricate (from readily available
materials) and use the equipment in the
field.
This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's Municipal Environmental Re-
search Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH. to
announce key findings of the research
project that is fully documented in a
separate report of the same title (see
Project Report ordering information at
back).
Water jets aimed vertically downwards
from above the water surface carry
entrained air into the water column (see
Figure 1). The expansion of this air
returning to the surface generates a
horizontal surf ace current that carries the
floating pollutant laterally in relation to
the direction of the stream flow. This
lateral motion can be used in a diver-
sionary manner to carry the floating
pollutant into naturally occurring regions
of low flow where conventional equip-
ment works efficiently. This system is
relatively unaffected by waves and works
well in currents up to at least 6 knots.
A movie of the operation and use of the
plunging water jet has been prepared. For
more information on the movie and the
procedures for borrowing it, contact the
Project Officer listed below.
The full report was submitted in fulfill-
ment of Contract No. 68-03-3056 by
Mason & Hanger-Silas Mason Co., under
the sponsorship of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency.
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Figure 1. Multiple, advancing plunging water jets can move moderate amounts of floating oil horizontally almost any useful distance. Prototype
equipment is being tested here at the USEPA Municipal Environmental Research Laboratory's OHMSETT facility in Edison. NJ.
James H. Nash is with Mason & Hanger - Silas Mason Co., Inc.. Leonardo, NJ
07737.
John S. Farlow is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
The complete report, entitled "Field Manual for Plunging Water Jet Use in Oil
Spill Cleanup," (Order No. PB 84-158 880; Cost: $8.50, subject to change) will
be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Oil & Hazardous Materials Spills Branch
Municipal Environmental Research Laboratory—Cincinnati
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Edison. NJ 08837
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE; 1984 — 759-015/7644
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