Spills limiting spread

Two kinds of theses spills have been detected. When the amount of oil in the cleaning waters was small (within permissible limits), a spill appeared as a narrow dark band, the width of which practically did not change, and its radar contrast decreased with the increase in distance from the ship (spill age). It may be assumed thus that only the amount of oil and its reduction due to evaporation were the factors inhibiting an increase in the width of a spill. The spread of oil (widening of a band) occurred as long as... 

Limit the spread of the spilled substance by containing it with a dike. Use an absorbent material appropriate for the type of spill (e.g., polymer-type absorbents such as spill booms, granular materials such as kitty litter, ground corncobs, etc.). 

The air foams generated by AFFF solutions possess a lowviscosity and have fast spreading, leveling and self-sealing properties. Like other foams, AFFF acts as a surface barrier to limit fuel vaporization and exclude air. To ensure extinguishment, the foam blanket should cover the entire surface of the spill or fire. 

Dikes, drainage, and remote impounding should be provided in accordance with NFPA 30. Typically, companies will use either dike or remote impounding for controlling spills of flammable materials. Spills that become fires need to be controlled to limit the fire spread to other storage areas and process units. 

When an oil spill does occur, a first priority is containment to limit the spread as much as possible, using sandbags or earth dikes on land, or floating booms with underwater skirts on water (Fig. 17.8). Then as much of the oil as possible is picked up by pumping from land-based spills, or by using one of... 

Appropriate laboratory techniques can help in limiting most spills to enclosed areas, rendering them much less hazardous and avoiding their spread. 

Furthermore, straw and other agricultural products require spreading of dry sorbents and retrieval of soaked ones by hand labor, which is time consuming and costly. Hence, their application is limited to small terrestrial or marine spills or cleanup of residual spills after major clean up operations by other techniques like in-situ burning. 

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