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Two relatively new technologies were demonstrated at the session. The first is a Circus Skimmer/Elastec Grooved Drum skimmer combination.
This skimmer is an inline oil skimmer complete with an Elastec Grooved drum skimmer that is hooked up to conventional river boom. It has a circular chamber that accumulates oil and has a weir at the bottom allowing clean water to flow out and continue downstream. The oil floating on top is then recovered using a conventional Elastec grooved drum. It is ideal for fast river conditions and has proven successful at recovering 90% oil at 4km/hour.
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As you may recall from our summer newsletter, WCSS had identified an opportunity to examine the Circus Skimmer. It was first seen in Portland Oregon several years ago, resurfaced at the International Oil Spill Conference in Long Beach in May, and observed at ECRC exercise in Corunna Ontario in July. WCSS saw this piece of equipment as having great potential, purchased one and conducted tests on North Saskatchewan River in October. Based on the findings of tests at OHMSETT (90% oil recovery at 2 knots) and our observations, we believe that the Circus Skimmer is as likely or perhaps even more effective in fast water as our common weir skimmers and has the added advantage of being more efficient in terms of the oil/water recovery ratio.
