Secondary Oil Containment

How does it work?

SorbWeb™ Plus SOC comprises a geocomposite engineered to effectively contain oil spills. SorbWeb™ Plus seals only on contact with hydrocarbons and does not accumulate water, allowing water from rain or snowmelt to drain passively through its "smart" barrier layers and seals.

The surface layer of the SorbWeb™ Plus system, referred to as fire quenching stone, is composed of crushed stone and is designed to contain 110% of the oil volume, effectively preventing fire spread. Next is a sand layer(s) bound between two geosynthetic weaves, which works to slow the penetration of oil into the "smart" layers, and distributes oil horizontally over the entire containment bottom. The "sand" layers also provide the surface loading capacity.

The following layer is a specially designed geosynthetic adsorbent that retains oil and maintains the system’s capacity to drain water, while retaining spilled oil. As this layer becomes saturated the additional oil travels through this layer and comes in contact with the final geosynthetic layer, the oil mat (copolymer). The oil and the copolymer then react together, forming a rubbery material that seals the containment area, thereby effectively retaining the oil spill until emergency response crews arrive.

SORBWEB™ PLUS SYSTEM FEATURES & SPECIFICATIONS

Maintenance free – eliminates the need for elaborate water control and handling.
No electric wiring or mechanical parts required.
No monitoring required.
Proven, effective 24/7 spill and leak protection.
Provides fire suppression (fire quenching stone surface layer - reduces fire spread).
Significantly reduces liability associated with oil spills.
Easy to repair, modify and expand.
Polymer half- life is greater than 200 years under an oxygen-starved environment.
Engineered hydraulic containment system – the system’s design supports 110% of the of oil storage container volume. Water design capacity for 25 year repeat rainstorm events (geographically dependent) and deluge if required. Unique flexible design to retrofit existing equipment arrangements. System can be installed at Greenfield sites.
Shallow excavation depth (generally less than 24").
SorbWeb™ Plus geocomposite liner components are easy to install and replace.
No interruption to power is required to install a SorbWeb™ Plus system.
SorbWeb™ liner can be designed with poured concrete curbing (typical 26” depth by 6” wide reinforced concrete curbing), or within a berm construction using parking curbs to mark the containment area.
Typical load capacity design 28,000 kg per axle.

Technical specifications

SorbWeb™ Plus is an engineered geocomposite secondary oil containment system.
SorbWeb™ Plus is a multi-layered geocomposite system that employs a geosynthetic copolymer liner. The liner is fabricated using a blend of oil encapsulating copolymers placed between two layers of polypropylene geotextile, a non-woven, needle-punched fabric designed to assure maximum strength and copolymer confinement, as well as sufficient liquid penetration to ensure intimate contact with hydrocarbons when used in conjunction with a geomembrane. The geotextile used on the liner bottom is a woven, slit-film material manufactured to optimize both the internal shear strength of the finished product and its friction angle with the soils below.
Composed of a highly durable copolymer blend to enable fast reaction with hydrocarbons.

Construction and assembly

An engineered cost-effective oil containment solution.
Geosynthetic non-woven fabrics.
Geosynthetic materials are environmentally friendly and non-biodegradable.

Fire quenching stone - Electrical resistivity > 3000 ohm, 0.75 to 1.5” gradation.

System life expectancy -
For the life of the transformer – repairable.
PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY

Testing

The SorbWeb™ Plus system has undergone extensive laboratory testing. Successful tests carried out include the Underwriters of Canada lab test protocol for hot oil containment as well as the burning oil effect on the composite design.

Proven real-world success

The SorbWeb™ system has been in use since 1996 at several sites in Canada. Successful containment of a 4,000-litre spill was achieved following an accident that was located at a site along the Don River in Toronto. [The SorbWeb™ installation had been in continuous service for 2 years prior to the incident.]

The SorbWeb™ Plus system was developed in late 2002 and has been commissioned at several sites in Canada, with the first applications being installed in Alberta.

Maintainability

SorbWeb™ Plus is a passive oil containment system that will provide effective containment of sudden oil spills resulting from the catastrophic failure of a transformer. However, transformers frequently develop *chronic leaks that may exist for prolonged periods of time. In order to maximize the effectiveness of the SorbWeb™ Plus system as a barrier, chronic oil leaks should be prevented from entering the containment area.
Kinectrics’ SorbWeb™ Plus systems are designed to be maintenance free and do not require an electrician for maintenance or servicing.
No electrical components or controllers to be damaged by lightning or inclement weather.
Kinectrics’ SorbWeb™ Plus systems do not require oil / water monitoring devices.
Kinectrics’ SorbWeb™ Plus systems do not require specific gravity floats or other oil / water level devices to operate pumps or valves.
Kinectrics’ SorbWeb™ Plus systems do not require electrical connections for pumps to ensure water is removed from the containment system.

Accessibility function

Once installed, functions passively under normal operations.
Offers load-bearing capability for outriggers.

Operability

Passive 24/7 spill containment protection.
Installation and On-site assembly
SorbWeb™ Plus installation does not require shutdown of station electrical equipment.
SorbWeb™ Plus liner system is modular in design and easy to install, disassemble or reconfigure.
A unique aspect of the SorbWeb™ Plus system is its passive ability to be an effective oil containment method.
SorbWeb™ Plus systems use a modular liner design that offers extreme design flexibility and effectiveness. Liner support containment design can employ poured concrete, berm or fabricated support walls.
SorbWeb™ Plus systems can be placed around individual electrical components or other larger oil-filled equipment.
SorbWeb™ Plus systems can be installed over or under cable trays and other obstructions within the containment area.
The SorbWeb™ Plus system is a long-term semi-permanent installation fastened to a support wall (berm or fabricated wall). SorbWeb™ Plus systems can be easily uninstalled by removing the fire-quenching stone (vacuum truck) and individual liner layers. Excavated SorbWeb™ Plus systems can be then be re-installed at locations with the same design criteria.
The SorbWeb™ Plus system excavation depth is generally less than 24" maximum and may be considerably less, depending on the size of the containment footprint determined for a specific site.
Electricians are not required for installation.
A forklift is required for unloading and placing material.

TYPICAL Design applications

Ground-based transformers on pads.
Ground-based transformers on grade.
Deck-mounted transformers.
Transformers protected with deluge systems.

	How Does It Work- English
	How Does It Work - French

Passive Oil Containment