Situ incineration/detoxification system for antifouling coatings

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention provides a means for the insitu detoxification of organometallic antifoulants so that the antifouling coatings can be removed from the ship hull without substantial contamination of the environment.
The detoxification process involves passing an infrared heater having a high power density over the hull surface to rapidly bring the organometallic antifoulant material above its vaporization temperature.
As the antifouling paint is incinerated/vaporized on the hull surface, the vapors are drawn into an exhaust manifold which completely surrounds the heat source.
The vapors are then drawn from the exhaust manifold into either an exhaust gas burner, which oxidizes the vapors into nontoxic combustion products, or an activated carbon adsorption column, which removes toxic antifoulant and paint substances from the exhaust gasses.
To prevent overheating of the infrared heating elements, cooling air is passed around the heating elements, which are preferably elongated electric lamps.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is the provision of a paint/coating remover which is so constructed and arranged that the user is protected from the heat and toxic vapors emanating from the device and the coated surface.
Another object of the invention is to provide a means for incinerating/detoxifying paint coatings which is simple in construction, easy to use, and which provides a relatively inexpensive method of removing coatings from a surface.
A further object of this invention is to supply a heating means which may be brought into comparatively close relation to the painted surface without fire or electrical hazard and without danger of injuring infrared heating elements in the heating means by the heated/vaporized coating materials.
Still another object of the present invention is to employ an infrared heating means which will generate sufficient radiant energy to penetrate coating layers and produce a uniform heating action therethrough.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an exhaust gas treatment means for detoxifying the gasses and vapors generated by the infrared heating means