Background of the Problem

Unmanaged oil spills can lead a negative economic impact, pose significant threats to the
environment and the health community is at risk in either it has a direct or indirect contact. Many
countries have made standard safety norms for wastewater disposal that contain oils and those
technically came from petrochemical industries. Those type of industries and the government are
equipped with oil skimmers, or collector that is used to separate the oil spilled from disposed water.

There is this one of the largest and well-known oil spill that impose a huge threat, the Gulf or also
known as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill over the course of 87 days, the damaged Macondo well-
head, located around 5,000 feet beneath the ocean's surface, leaked an estimated 3.19 million
barrels (over 130 million gallons) of oil into the Gulf of Mexico—making the spill the largest
accidental ocean spill in history [Smithsonian Ocean, 2018].

In the Philippine history, the largest oil spill that has been recorded and happened in the year 2006.
This occurrence was caused by an oil tanker that sank and is leaking tons of fuel, affecting the
local marine and coastal ecosystems. The M/V Solar I, chartered by Petron, the Philippines’ largest
oil refiner, was carrying 2.4 million liters of oil to the southern island of Mindanao when it went
down in unusually rough waters off Guimaras Island, several hundred kilometers south of the
capital, Manila. 200,000 liters of oil have leaked from the tanker, contaminating a 24km2 area
[WFF, 2016].

The negative economic impact is a major effect of oil spill pollution. The ceasing of activities such
as fishing in the polluted waters that affects fishermen and fisheries if a very large amount of oil
is spilled. The property value is reduced, the reduction depends on the magnitude of the oil spill
and affects all the properties in a certain area exposed to oil spill pollution and to all the properties
that at risk of becoming polluted at some point in time.

Oil spills have direct impact on the environment. The consumption of polluted food is evitable
specially the animals. The damage in the habitats and nesting or breeding grounds of the wildlife
species is one of the most aggravate effect of an oil spill. The severity of environmental damage
depends on the amount of oil spilled, type and weight of oil, the seasonal migration of species of
wildlife and even the weather at the sea during and after the oil spill. The immediate oil spill

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cleanup drastically increases the chance of survival of many species. When large populations are
affected, secondary impacts are seen in disruption of delicate food chains. [Environmental
Pollution Center, 2017]

Oil spills can also affect human health. These effects can depend on what kind of oil was spilled
and where (on land, in a river, or in the ocean). Other factors include what kind of exposure and
how much exposure there was. People who clean up the spill are more at risk. Problems could
include skin and eye irritation, neurologic and breathing problems, and stress. Not much is known
about the long-term effects of oil spills.

Based on the conducted interview with the Philippine Coast Guard, the problem that they
encounter is the heavy oil spill skimmer. Currently, the beneficiaries existing technology is purely
mechanical, for them to be able to use it they need to assemble it first before they can response to
the oil spill that occur. To add the immobilization of the mechanism is also difficult because of the
size and the type of materials being used.

With the current mechanism of the oil spill skimmer or collector, risk in the is evitable. Therefore,
the developer sees these problems as rightful opportunities to develop a system that would promote
the environmental and people safety. Also, to provide the Philippine Coast Guard with increased
assistance for their clean up and monitoring component to monitor the path of the system.

Problem Statement:

Oil Spill has been a serious problem especially to small countries surrounded by water like the
Philippines. This project is designed for small and portable device to easily collect oil spill without
human interaction.

Major Statement

How to design and develop an MCU-Based Oil Spill Collector with Mobile Application
System?

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Based on the interview conducted held last March 26, 2019 on Admiral in Philippine Coast Guard
(PCG), their machine that collect oil spill is immobilized need a heavy transportation, also it can
only be used in “off-shore” areas and would take time to dispatch the machine in water. They also
said that they make contact directly from affected water and only use shovel and body equipment
when collecting the oil that carried downstream to the shoreline. They also confirmed that making
contact directly to affected water is very toxic and hazardous.

Minor Statement

How to create a system that will collect an oil spill with the use of belt conveyor type
skimmer?

Based on the study and articles, the developer needs to integrate and connect the
mechanical devices to the needs to develop a mobile application that will be responsible to control
an oil spill collector for filtration or cleaning process and can navigate in the sea.

How to create and develop a micro controller unit based that will avoid human contact in
collecting oil spilled?

The proponents will develop a MCU based that allow the people to observe and collect the
oil even they are away from affected water. In this case people will not be expose to a hazardous
toxic fume. The proponents need to modify and create a device that can simply and effortlessly
dispatch and collect oil spill even in shallow sea. The proponents need to make sure that the device
will be more convenient to use compared to big and heavy oil spill collector machine.

How to design a system boat monitoring camera for the device navigation system?

The proponent used two USB camera for surveillance and navigate that have a night vision
side by side of the boat skimmer for known where it is.

How to develop a mobile application system that will control and help the user to monitor
the current status of the device?

The proponent used two USB camera for surveillance and navigate that have a night vision
side by side of the boat skimmer for known where it is.

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Overview of the Current Technology

Over the years, the transition of the technology improves. The innovation constantly changes
depending on the product that has been produced. Moreover, the changes that happen were the
technologically inclined change which gets smaller from time to time. With innovation in the field
of oil spill collector there are many types oil spill collector that exists based on the foreign research
conducted by the proponents - “Booms”- that are made out of plastic, metal or other materials,
which slow the spread of oil and keep it contained. It is commonly used to deflect oil away from
sensitive locations, such as shellfish beds or beaches. Another example of oil spill collector
technology is the “Skimmer” technology. It is a mechanical device that remove oil from the surface
of the water without addition of chemicals. This is commonly used in sorbent surface, weir,
suction, elevating and submersion. Depending on the physical mechanism employs.

Based on the developers’ library research, a group of computer engineering students from STI
College - Fairview implemented a machine in the year 2016 which is also an Oil Spill Collector.
It has the capability to be able to operate in a specific area and it can be controlled through smart
phone, with the functionality of a micro-controller that is Arduino Uno. In addition, the existing
system uses a water pump to sip oil affected water from the sea and for its filtration module it uses
Polymer powder (chemical substance) to absorb oil from the water and ensures that there will be
no more oil left.

Based on the interview, the Philippine Coast Guard uses heavy machinery as their equipment.
Currently they have different types of oil spill collector; drum type skimmer, booms, disk type
skimmers, and lastly a fire-proof skimmer.

Therefore, developers seek to harness these technologies in order to come up and create an
automated machine for the Philippine Coast Guard. The device which be controlled automatically
with the use of mobile phone and can be configured manually. This automated mobile controlled
oil spill collector will collect oil easily using apps in mobile phones.

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Objectives of the study

General Objective

To design and develop an MCU-Based Oil Spill Collector with Mobile Application System.

The proponent primary goal is to develop an Oil Spill Collector using a mobile controller
that will enable the user to control a mini boat to collect an oil spill in the water that have a camera
attached for monitoring, one of primary objective of this project is to give one of the solutions of
the polluted water specially on the Philippines.

Specific Objective

To create a system that will collect an oil spill with the use of belt conveyor type skimmer.

The Proponents will create an automated conveyor type skimmer for the Philippine Coast
guard to help in their oil spill operations. And to add to their aging inventory of heavy equipment
and oil skimmers.

To create and develop a micro controller unit based that will avoid human contact in
collecting oil spilled.

It is the proponents aim to help the coast guard from having a direct contact to the oil,
which would lessen the risk of acquiring eye and skin irritations and other known problems.

To design a system boat monitoring camera for the device navigation system.

An outdoor type camera capable of night vision will be used to navigate the prototype at
any time of the day and would continuously provide real time surveillance.

To develop a mobile application system that will control and help the user to monitor the
current status of the device.

The Mobile Application System will be used to the navigate the craft to the area affected
by the oil spill and to operate and monitor the current status of the oil skimmer.

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Scope and Limitations of the Study

Scope of the Study

1. Microcontroller Module
This module features the use of a micro-controller; the Raspberry pi 3. It will serve as the main
brain and as all the input will always go through this module. This will be in charge to operate the
propulsion system, the camera to monitor the area of operation and to navigate through obstacles
and the oil collector for the collection of the oil.

2. Raspberry Pi Accessories Module

This module features the accessories of Raspberry Pi that includes the optical mouse, keyboard,
monitor that works as a display for the Raspberry Pi, an 32GB micro-SD card that is connected to
the Raspberry Pi USB ports, HDMI port and micro-SD slot.

3. Live Monitoring System Module

This module features a live monitoring system that has live video display to monitor the current
track of the device. The proponents will use USB Camera with Night Vision functionalities.

4. Relay module

This module allows the trainer to control some hardware components beyond the power capacity
of the Raspberry. In the trainer, there will be space for the NC and NO connection with other
components. The relay will serve as a switch to support and control some components up to 12V
with the Raspberry Pi.

5. Power Source Module

This module features the power source needed in this prototype. This prototype is powered with a
battery.

6. Case Module

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This module featured the protection of the Raspberry pi. As an open circuit microcontroller, the
proponent will use a shield for the raspberry pi and a raspberry pi case in order to protect the
sockets, GPIO ports and the whole microcontroller.

7. Propulsion Module

This module features the MFA 919D 440 motor that will drive the whole project. This component
is also known as a propeller to create the propulsion for the prototype’s movement. It will also be
used as the main component of the oil skimmer.

8. Container Module

This module features the container of the collected spilled oil. The proponent will use a small tank
as the container of this prototype. A PCV for the lesser density added to the prototype and easier
to carry, especially when it is almost full.

9. Application Module

This module features the prototypes’ application that allows user to control the device. The
application also allows the viewing of the live feed, the status of the container, battery level, et al.
This module allows the user to configure and check the device time to time. The connection and
transferring of data are done over a WI-FI connection.

10. Hull Module

This module features the mainframe of the device. The main hull of the prototype is made from
buoy material. It is shaped like an arc carrying in the middle the container of the oil spill and the
romper in front aligned with the container. like arc shaped body capable of withstanding waves
and would safely carry all the components.

11. Skimming Module

The Oil skimmer will be composed of an electric type motor which will produce the needed
spinning action which is connected to a metallic disk or a conveyor belt that will slowly lift the oil
upon contact.

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Limitations of the Study

Scope

12. Microcontroller Module

This module features the use of a micro-controller; the Raspberry pi 3. It will serve as the main
brain and as all the input will always go through this module. This will be in charge to operate the
propulsion system, the camera to monitor the area of operation and to navigate through obstacles
and the oil collector for the collection of the oil.

13. Raspberry Pi Accessories Module

This module features the accessories of Raspberry Pi that includes the optical mouse, keyboard,
monitor that works as a display for the Raspberry Pi, an 32GB micro-SD card that is connected to
the Raspberry Pi USB ports, HDMI port and micro-SD slot.

14. Live Monitoring System Module

This module features a live monitoring system that has live video display to monitor the current
track of the device. The proponents will use Swann Pro Series PRO-T891 5MP Outdoor Dome
Camera with Night Vision functionalities.

15. Relay module

This module allows the trainer to control some hardware components beyond the power capacity
of the Raspberry. In the trainer, there will be space for the NC and NO connection with other
components. The relay will serve as a switch to support and control some components up to 12V
with the Raspberry Pi.

16. Power Source Module

This module features the power source needed in this prototype. This prototype is powered with a
battery.

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17. Case Module

This module featured the protection of the Raspberry pi. As an open circuit microcontroller, the
proponent will use a shield for the raspberry pi and a raspberry pi case in order to protect the
sockets, GPIO ports and the whole microcontroller.

18. Propulsion Module

This module features the MFA 919D 440 motor that will drive the whole project. This component
is also known as a propeller to create the propulsion for the prototype’s movement. It will also be
used as the main component of the oil skimmer.

19. Container Module

This module features the container of the collected spilled oil. The proponent will use a small tank
as the container of this prototype. A polyvinyl chloride for the lesser density added to the prototype
and easier to carry, especially when it is almost full.

20. Application Module

This module features the prototypes’ application that allows user to control the device. The
application also allows the viewing of the live feed, the status of the container, battery level, et al.
This module allows the user to configure and check the device time to time. The connection and
transferring of data are done over a WI-FI connection.

21. Hull Module

This module features the mainframe of the device. The main hull of the prototype is made from
buoy material. It is shaped like an arc carrying in the middle the container of the oil spill and the
romper in front aligned with the container. like arc shaped body capable of withstanding waves
and would safely carry all the components.

22. Skimming Module

The Oil skimmer will be composed of an electric type motor which will produce the needed
spinning action which is connected to a metallic disk or a conveyor belt that will slowly lift the oil

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upon contact.

Limitations

1. Oil Density

Buoyancy of a material in the water is important to be measured. Basing on the size of the
prototype the oil density being carried is lessen for a better functionality. Therefore, the type of oil
became a great factor because of its intended capacity.

2. Limited range

This prototype is a micro-controlled device with the use of raspberry pi. Raspberry pi will be
connected to a WI-FI a wireless internet connection. That will allow the user to sync the data
rendered by the raspberry to the user, through the application in the mobile device and track its
location. The WI-FI has a has limited range itself, therefore this prototype is controlled in a near
range or is dependent on the internet connection. When it comes in the open seas, the network
availability of the user is needed to be checked first.

3. Small compartment for the collected oil

The prototype size of the prototype is the dependable factor for the compartment of the oil. Due to
the small-scale size the system is currently capable of storing a small amount of oil.

4. Manual cleaning and maintenance

This prototype is incapable of cleaning and disposing the collected oil manually. Maintenance is
needed to be done manually to clean all the oil collected will be remove and replaced manually.
The manual method must be rigorously to be done to maintain its best performance and
functionality.

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