Personal Oil Skimmer Final Report

By

Zach Dean (U49577945)

Stephen Johnson (U67582200)
David Rak (U98366693)
Alex Yokubison (U14867770)

ME360 Spring 2020

Professor Blonder
5/3/2020
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Table of Contents
I. Abstract 3

II. Introduction 4

III. Critical Path 6

IV. Prototype 7

V. Virtual Design 8

VI. Deep Dive Results 11

VII. Conclusion 14

VIII. Appendices 16
● Bill of Materials
● Buoyancy Calculation
● Morph Chart
● GANTT Chart
● Pugh Chart
● CAD Drawings
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Abstract
Small oil spills are difficult to clean up for a single person since they often require
expensive equipment or constant power use. The compact, remote-controlled, personal oil
skimmer provides an ideal solution for these cleanup issues. Essentially an RC model boat with a
sponge that absorbs oil and allows water to pass through; the personal oil skimmer is cheap and
just as effective as large scale cleaning equipment. Engineered to provide maximum efficiency in
mobility and user interface, the personal oil skimmer is the solution for any small oil spill.

“A cheap, efficient, and fun RC Boat for recreational boat users to clean up small
oil spills.”
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Introduction
Oil and gasoline are common contaminants that pollute the surface of water. On a small
scale, people that own boats and live on lakes, rivers, or ocean properties are familiar with these
contaminants. These people are also keen on maintaining the ecosystem that falls within their
property. However, it is difficult to clean up small oil spills because of the need for specialized
equipment that is typically used in large scale operations.
An ideal personal oil skimmer can filter oil or gasoline off the surface of water. It is
remote controlled and relatively user friendly, meaning a regular person can learn to operate it
within an hour. It is portable and easy for a single person to carry and operate with two hands. It
is also maneuverable in 360 degrees. A person should be able to change the cleaning mechanism
in under 5 minutes. It should be able to work in calm water conditions. Finally, it should
maintain a charge for 1 hour of use. The primary customers that would use a product like this are
the EPA, harbormasters, and spill cleanup crews. The target market for this product are civilians
and recreational boat users. Table 1 quantitatively and qualitatively describes the specifications
of the prototype and virtual designs and how they accomplish the goal specifications of the
product.
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Table 1: Overview of Specifications and Prototype’s Capabilities

Goal Specifications Prototype Capabilities & Features Virtual Design Capabilities & Features

Lightweight, portable, Weighs 25.5 pounds Weighs < 25 pounds

easy for one person use Overall size of 36” x 24” x 12” Overall size of 35” x 24” x 8”
Handles added to virtual design for easy
handling

Easy to Control & Simple radio controlled remote
Maneuverable in 360 Rudder turns ± 450 to allow quick turning
degrees Propellor system has forward and
backwards movement
Hydrodynamic Foamular hull design
Simple radio controlled remote
Rudder turns ± 450 to allow quick turning
Propellor system has forward and
backwards movement
Hydrodynamic rigid plastic body

Clean up 100 square Hulls span linear collection length of 18”
feet in 20 minutes Oleophilic PigMat absorbs 0.625 gallons of
oil/mat
*Not tested due to COVID-19*
Hulls span linear collection length of 18”
(Will change to fit commercial OleoSponge
size)
OleoSponge instantly absorbs oil is
reusable

Cleaning mechanism Disposable PigMat easily removable & Reusable OleoSponge in virtual design
replaceable in 5 minutes replaceable from mesh holder which can be rung out with proper
equipment in <5min

Maintains a charge for 3S Lipo batteries hold a charge for 20+ 3S Lipo batteries hold a charge for 20+
at least 1 hour hours hours

There are two products already in existence that bracket the personal oil skimmer. It is
bracketed in the market by stationary waste and oil collecting devices such as the Seabin and
large scale oil collecting skimmers such as the ABASCO Single-Bank Tri-Skimmer. The Seabin
is a fixed oil and waste collecting bin attached to the sides of docks. They glide up and down a
fixed shaft attached to the dock, following the tide to collect surface waste with a submersible
pump. Compared to the Seabin, the personal oil skimmer has a similar target market of small to
medium-sized marina communities and individuals who care about cleaning up their docks. The
Seabin operates 24 hours a day so it requires daily maintenance and has constant power
consumption. Depending on the conditions of the marina, multiple Seabins are needed to
properly clean up a large area. The personal oil skimmer has the advantage of a wider collection
range since it is mobile. Additionally, it does not require constant power usage or the need for an
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outlet. The personal oil skimmer will have a comparable amount of waste disposal to the Seabin
since the collecting unit must be cleaned and replaced as needed after large cleanups.
The other product, the ABASCO Tri-Skimmer, collects oil by rotating oleophilic
recovery banks and is removed by scraper blades. A transfer pump, mounted to the skimmer or
placed on the shore or vessel, transfers the oil into a collection tank via a 2-inch or 3-inch hose.
Compared to the Tri-Skimmer, the personal oil skimmer is much more accessible to individual
users since it is about a quarter of the size and weighs significantly less. The personal oil
skimmer is also much easier to use and operate because it does not require industrial equipment.
The personal oil skimmer has a less expensive initial cost than either of these products
since it is compact and made of relatively few components. Some other advantages of this
product include a small power consumption and an untapped market in the United States. It is
also remote-controlled, fun to use, and user friendly. As far as reliability, the personal oil
skimmer uses motion to collect oil instead of pumps, and uses oleophilic collection technology
that is proven to work effectively for oil collection.

Critical Path
To effectively clean up oil, the most important factors are the capabilities of the oil
collecting device and the linear collection area. The simplest oil collection mechanism is an
oleophilic sponge type material. Other options were a pump, oil-eating bacteria, or a scraper, but
the oleophilic sponge was by far the most effective and practical. The next issue was to
determine how to best funnel the surface oil to clean up. To collect a large linear area of oil, a
catamaran design allows for a wide opening for water to flow continuously over the mat. To
collect a larger linear area, the mat was rotated so that the long side of the mat was perpendicular
to forward motion. Multiple positions and angles were tested in a bathtub with vegetable oil to
see how the mat should be oriented in between the two hulls. The most effective position was
submerging the front of the mat at a downward angle of about 10 degrees and leaving the back of
the catamaran open to allow water to flow through it. This allows the water and oil mix to flow
onto the mat and trap the oil as the water filters through it. Having a small angle between the mat
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and the surface minimizes the drag force generated from pushing the mat. This solution
effectively cleans surface oil most easily.

Prototype
The prototype is designed to effectively reach the product’s goal metrics made from
materials that are cheap and practical. The frame of the prototype is made from wood planks that
give the prototype stability, rigidity, and material to screw into. The prototype is very buoyant
since the hulls are covered in sheets of Foamular. The Foamular can be easily cut and trimmed to
make the boat hydrodynamic, balanced, and rest lower in the water. The boat is driven by an RC
brushless motor that spins the propeller located in the front center of the boat. The propeller can
spin in both directions, allowing the boat to move forward and backward. A custom machined
rudder is placed behind the propeller which allows for effective turning. The movement
mechanisms and electronics are placed in a waterproof box that is screwed into the wooden
frame of the boat. Based on the prototype Bill of Materials in Appendix A, all the parts are
relatively cheap or can be scrapped together from other products. Many components used to
build the prototype can be found and manufactured at EPIC or other labs at Boston University.
Additionally, a realistic timeline of the prototyping process can be seen in the Gantt chart in
Appendix D.
The personal oil skimmer must have a large linear collecting area to effectively collect
oil. During the prototyping process, using plastic scoops to increase this area was one of the
major design considerations. It was resolved that these scoops should be an optional rigid
attachment that could be added to the side of the boat hulls. They are currently left out of the
design since they produce a large resistive force at the front of the boat which may require a
larger and more expensive motor. The addition of these scoops is dependent on how well the boat
can collect oil, which needs to be physically tested. If the boat could not meet the desired clean
up rate specifications, rigid scoops could be added to the front of the boat to funnel surface oil
towards the collecting mat. Depending on the drag forces generated by these scoops, the motor
may need to be changed to accommodate the extra resistance.
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The biggest issue resolved during prototyping was the position of the motor and rudder
system. Initially, the system was placed at the rear end of the boat and the PigMat at the front.
The steering becomes extremely difficult with this orientation. If the resistance created by the
mat does not fall along the centerline of the boat, it would generate disruptive torques that turn
the boat during forward movement. To fix this issue, the motor and rudder system were moved to
the front of the boat so the mat is pulled from behind. This new positioning gives the boat a
front-wheel-drive effect which leads to restorative torques that keep the boat traveling along its
centerline. Therefore there will be better steering, and the motor can work more efficiently with
the propeller and rudder in the front of the boat.

Virtual Design
Once the prototype meets or exceeds all of the desired specifications, the design would be
redone using the lessons learned from the prototyping assembly and testing. Figures 1 & 2
display some of the major differences between the prototype and virtual design. The important
component differences are listed in Table 2. Table 2 also describes how the components in the
virtual design can be mass-produced with various manufacturing techniques.
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Figure 1. Prototype Design Isometric CAD model

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Figure 2. Virtual Design Isometric CAD Model

Table 2: Overview of Components and their differences between designs.

Component Overview

Prototype Virtual Design Manufacturing Process

Wood and Foamular Hulls Rigid Uniform Plastic Body Thermoforming

Purchased Propeller and Drive Purchase Smaller Propeller and -

Shaft Drive Shaft

Rudder Machined from Stock Custom Molded Rudder Injection Molding/Machining

Screwed on WaterProof Box Custom Made Plastic Injection Molding

Electronics Box

Mesh Holder Stainless Steel Mesh Sheets Cut and formed bulk ordered
and Latch mesh

PigMat Oleophilic Technology Purchase Oleo-Sponge from -

Argonne Labs

Purchased RC Controller and Custom RC Controller & Injection Molding the controller
Electronics Purchased Electronic
Components
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When moving to a manufacturable virtual design it was important to reduce the total
number of parts and fixtures needed for the product. Instead of having a large frame made of
wood and foamular hulls held together with screws, it would be desirable to produce a uniform
plastic body. To manufacture the body, a thermoplastic that is cheap, nontoxic, and water-safe
would be selected and used in a twin sheet thermoforming process based on the manufacturing of
kayaks. Thermoforming was chosen over rotomolding since rotomolding is more expensive. The
top and bottom parts of the boat would be thermoformed around a mold and the two halves
would be joined together with pressure and heat making a water-tight uniform boat that is
buoyant and rigid. The plastic body would be more safe, hydrodynamic, and visually appealing
than the prototype. Additionally, holes for handles could be added to the frame for an easy way
to take the boat in and out of the water. Ideally, this mold would include the bottom half of the
waterproofed electrical housing. The top of the electrical housing would be made from
injection-molded plastic, allowing the box to be screwed onto the body of the boat. The
electronics box would be waterproofed and have a latch to access the rechargeable battery, but
designed so that the other components could only be accessed by disassembling the box.
The most important dimensional difference is that the virtual design would be shorter,
lighter, and more hydrodynamic. By making the boat shorter, the electronics housing box will be
closer to the surface of the water. Then, the propeller can be at a smaller angle relative to the
surface of the water while also being deeper in the water. This is important for making sure the
propeller creates forward propulsion and avoids stirring the oil underneath the surface of the
water. The new propeller shaft is chosen to fit the virtual design dimensions and to ensure
waterproofing. The rudders would also be redesigned for the new dimensions and injection
molded or machined to create an effective rudder shape that could be pinned into the electrical
housing. Other major differences are the mesh holder and mat fixture which would be designed
to fit the OleoSponges. It is desirable to use OleoSponges instead of the PigMat because they are
reusable and more effective at oil absorption. In the virtual design, the mesh holder would be cut
and formed from large sheets of marine quality mesh, and be screwed into the plastic frame.
Finally, a simple RC controller interface would be created with cheap electrical parts to avoid
purchasing the RC controller and transmitter kits in bulk. Using some of these expensive
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processes would increase the overall cost of the product, so additional market and costing
analysis could determine the best manufacturing processes. Based on the market and current
sales volume generated by the Seabin, it is assumed that around 1000 of the personal oil
skimmers would be produced at a minimum.

Deep Dive Results

To steer the oil skimmer, a single large rudder is placed in the wake of the propeller.
Rudders are most effective when they are placed directly behind the propeller. This is why there
will only be one rudder in the middle of the boat. The rudder can rotate 45 degrees in either
direction from the centerline which is controlled by a servo motor that has a ± 45o range. The
motor mechanically controls the rudder with a series of linkages seen in Figure 3. There are other
possible configurations to accomplish the same task, such as turning the servo onto its side to
eliminate one of the bends in the pushrod. The chosen model is easy to understand and would be
easy to make in EPIC.

Figure. 3: Rudder and Servo Linkage Mechanism

To make sure the rudder rotates 1 degree for every 1 degree the servo rotates, the servo
arm and rudder arm need to be the same length. Additionally, the rigid pushrod can be adjusted
to any length to fix the rudder to the correct location. Since the pushrod has an adjustable V-bend
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it can be appropriately adjusted if the original length is inaccurate. The servo-motor and linkages
are fixed in the control box of the oil skimmer. The top of the rudder has a pin attachment that
inserts into the control box. The pin joint ensures the rudder is fixed in the correct vertical
position and rotates around the correct center axis. In the virtual design, the rudder is custom fit,
and all of the servo motors and arm attachments are purchased in bulk since they are generic
pieces. The servo motor chosen has 35kg of force, which is enough to power large remote
control cars. Therefore it should provide more than enough force to turn the rudder. The selected
servo motor also comes with multiple arms and fasteners. The linkage would have to be
machined to fit the exact specifications but could be mass-produced once a manufacturing
process is chosen.
The rudder would be designed and molded specifically for the skimmer boat. For the
physical prototype, these linkages would be purchased from amazon or borrowed from the
Tinker Lab, while the rudder would have been purchased or machined from leftover plastic
stock. In both designs, the outside of the box would require waterproofing around where the
rudder pin is inserted to avoid leaks.
The next major component is the overall circuitry layout for the boat shown by the
diagram in Figure 4. This includes all major components needed for the boat to operate. The
transmitter in the RC controller wirelessly transmits a signal to its receiver which is anchored on
the electronics platform of the boat. Both the transmitter and receiver are included in the RC
controller ordered at the start of the semester and outlined in the Bill of Materials. The receiver
connects to the electronic speed controller (ESC) which is used to allow the receiver to signal the
servo to turn and how fast to run the motor from the controller. A high force servo is used to
power the rudder mechanism. The servo connection to the receiver will accurately control the
servo mechanism connected to the rudder and easily turn the boat through the water.
The ESC is connected to the battery and the motor and converts the DC power supplied
by the battery to an AC current which is required for the brushless motor to run. The ESC is
reliant on the number of cells in the lithium-ion battery, so a brushless 3 Lipo ESC is used. The
3S 11.1V Lipo Battery has a maximum of 1750mAh. Lipo batteries are common in RC controls
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due to their constant voltage output and quick rechargeability. This is key for ease of use and
reusability of the product.

Figure 4: Overall Circuit Diagram

The battery also then gets connected to the motor. Alexei Saunders recommended a
1400kV and 6T brushless motor. This is sufficient for the boat considering the low speeds it
would be traveling at, and the battery and ESC described above both fit to these motor
specifications. The propellor and driveshaft selected in the bill of materials connect directly to
the motor shaft. This connection from the motor shaft to the drive shaft will turn the propeller at
a high speed and allow the boat to move through the water.
The final major component is the buoyancy estimation which roughly estimates how deep
the boat will sink into the water. This estimation is necessary since the general location of the
electrical, mechanical, and oil collection components all rely on the assumption that the boat
rests 6 inches deep in the water. These estimations are especially important for the virtual design
since it is not possible to physically test the prototype to assess its flotation and dynamics.
The buoyancy calculation is used to calculate the buoyant force of the prototype in water
based on the volume that it displaces. Therefore, the height of the waterline is needed to calculate
the volumetric displacement of the boat in the water. This was found by using the weights of
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each of the components in the boat and setting it equal to the buoyancy force which will give the
height at which the boat floats on top of the water.
This height is small compared to the total height of the prototype which is 12 inches. The
small waterline height may make the boat top-heavy and prone to tipping over if the winds are
strong and/or if the water is choppy. Realistically, the waterline height should be around 6 inches
to create a more stable boat. To achieve this, the foam pieces can be slimmed down to increase
hydrodynamics and to decrease the buoyancy. Furthermore, other ignored factors will increase
the downward forces on the boat such as the weight of the water when the mat is soaked and the
downward drag force created by pushing the mat. Also, the weight of the waterproofing
components, such as casings, was not included in the overall weight (since the placement and
size of the electronic components were not definite) and will increase the weight when added. In
the worst-case scenario, small weights can be added to help balance the boat for better steering
as well as weigh it down more. The 4.3-inch estimate is acceptable since it is much easier to trim
the boat to submerge it more, rather than add foam to make it float more.

Conclusion
The personal oil skimmer is bracketed in the market by stationary oil and waste collecting
devices such as the Seabin and large scale cleanup devices such as the ABASCO Single-Bank
Tri-Skimmer. The designed product is at the intersection of personal and mobile oil collecting
devices giving it a competitive advantage. By utilizing current oleophilic technologies, the
cleanup method is effective for small scale spills. The product has a wide collection range since
it is mobile, and it does not require constant power usage or the need for an outlet. Also, personal
oil skimmer is much more accessible to individual users since it is cheaper, and only a quarter of
the size of larger skimmers. The boat is fun and easy to operate because it is remote controlled. It
will require a small amount of invested time to clean and replace the PigMats or OleoSponge,
but is seamless and easy to replace with the wire mesh holder solution.
Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, a prototype was unable to be built and tested. If testing
was conducted, there were two methods planned to prove the concept. First, dish soap could be
used in the FitRec pool to test cleanup. The pool would be ideal for initial testing because it is a
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very controlled environment and the process could be observed from multiple angles.
Alternatively, an area on the Charles River near the shore with current surface oil buildup could
be used to test. Biodegradable, non-harmful oils could also be added to the river. Small and large
spreads would be tested to see how wide of a spill zone could be cleaned. Testing would also be
conducted in various weather and river conditions. This would allow for more insight into how
effective our cleanup process is.
Despite being unable to physically produce our boat prototype, the group learned a lot
about the essential mechanisms of making a model boat, such as propellers, rudder mechanisms,
and how to properly construct RC circuit components. Additionally, the group was able to define
a problem and creatively solve it, using qualitative and quantitative analysis with an engineering
background driving every decision. The group learned more about utilizing CAD design,
specifically working with mechanisms. Creating a BOM forced the group to consider every part
of the product and how everything must work together in achieving the defined metrics of
success. Finally, the group had to keep in mind how to complete all aspects of the project in an
orderly and timely fashion that made sense with the production of the product.
Overall, the personal oil skimmer produced strong results. Due to extensive research,
each component of the boat was successfully analyzed to fit the defined needs. The boat is
approximately 25 pounds and has a 3 feet by 2 ft area. Therefore, it was lightweight and
compact, and by making it remote-controlled, the boat is also easy to use. The propeller and
rudder systems implemented made the boat maneuverable in 360 degrees. The oleophilic sponge
technology effectively cleans oil and can easily be removed and replaced through a simple mesh
holder. In the virtual design, an OleoSponge would be used rather than the PigMat due to its
higher quality and reusability. The boat will be able to maintain a charge for over an hour due to
the 3 Lipo battery which has 20+ hours of range. The only metric unable to be tested was
cleaning up 100 square feet of contaminated water in under 20 minutes. From the size of the
PigMat and dimensions of the boat, it is clear that the boat can clean up just under 5 square feet
with a single pass. However, there is still a level of uncertainty by not performing any testing. In
conclusion, it can be confidently stated that our defined problem was solved by creating a cheap,
efficient, and fun RC Boat for recreational boat users to clean up small scale oil spills.
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Appendix A: Bill of Materials

(continued on next page)

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It’s important to note that the overall price listed at the end of the Bill of Materials is
variable. This is assuming we can acquire all electronics needed from Tinker, the circuits lab, or
Alexei Saunders. In reality, some of these components will be given to us, but not all, and the
excess will be bought online.
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Appendix B: Buoyancy Calculation

Using FB=f*V*g
Where:
· f=fluid density (water=999 kg/m^3)
· V=volume displaced
· g=gravitational constant (9.81m/s^2)
Total weight of boat plus all components from BOM: 25 lbs ~ 110 N
Therefore:
W = FB
100 N=FB
100 N=(999kg/m^3)(V)(9.81m/s^2)
Where V=2*(HullBottomArea)(height)= 2*(3 in*24 in)(h) = 2* (0.0762 m *.6096 m)*h
By solving for h, we can obtain the height at which the boat will float while at rest on the
water: h = .11 m ~ 4.3 in

Appendix C: Morph Chart

Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 Option 5

Oil Cleanup Oil Boom Filter oil out of Soak up oil with Vacuum Pump Ducks
Method water through Oleo Sponge
intake valve

Power Source Rechargeable Disposable Solar Panel Gasoline Human

Battery battery

Human Remote Rope pulley Long Pole Virtual Reality Computer

Interface Controlled Boat programmed
motor

Oil Belt/disc Oil Oil Sponge Gas eating Squeeze oil out Pour water/oil
Separation Skimmer Pig Mat bacteria mix through a
Method natural filter

Disposing of Reuse Oil Burn oil Use to cook Throw Oil Away Make candles
Oil meats
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Appendix D: GANTT Chart

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Appendix E: Pugh Chart

Datum Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4

Criteria Weig Large Scale Rechargeable Motorized Oleo Sponge Rechargeable

ht Oil Boom Boat Pulling an Vacuum on a rope/ Boat Pulling
Collection Oil Boom Pump Fishing Rod an Oleo
Sponge

Cost 1 0 + + + +

Range 1 0 - - - -

Size/ 2 0 + - + +
Conven-
ience

User 2 0 + 0 + +
Friendly

Effective- 3 0 0 + - +
ness

Safety 1 0 + - + +

Unique 1 0 0 + 0 0
Design

Reusability 2 0 0 + + +

Maneuver- 2 0 + 0 - +
ability

+ 0 8 7 8 13

0 15 6 4 1 1

- 0 1 4 6 1

Net Score 0 7 3 2 12

Appendix F: CAD Drawings

*Attached in separate document*