Ozone injection method and system

• US 20050167369A1
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nutech O3 Incorporated
• Original Assignee: NUTECH 03
• Inventors: Mueller, Richard A., Robinson, Jack H., Jennings, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,273,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/760
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 13/00 Conduits for emptying or ballasting; Self-bailing equipment; Scuppers draining means for hatches B63B19/26; centrifugal bilge-water separators B04; arrangements of installations for treating ballast water B63J4/002; pipes in general F16L
• CPC Class Codes: B63J 4/002 for treating ballast water
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/10 Preparation of ozone
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/766 by means of halogens other than chlorine or of halogenated compounds containing halogen other than chlorine
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/008 Originating from marine vessels, ships and boats, e.g. bilge water or ballast water
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/782 Ozone generators
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/40 Liquid flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2301/046 Recirculation with an external loop
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/931 Zebra mussel mitigation or treatment

Abstract

A target biokill of species for water to be discharged from a ballast tank of a sea faring vessel is determined. A diverted portion of sea water is regulated prior to charging the water into the ballast tank. Regulation of the diverted portion of water and a rate of injection of the ozone into the portion are adjusted to attain the target biokill. Then ozone at the determined rate into the regulated diverted portion to attain the target biokill when the portion is recombined into the water for charging to the ballast tank.

Claims

1. A method of ozone treatment, comprising:

determining a target biokill of species for water charging into a ballast tank of a sea faring vessel;

regulating a diverted portion of the water prior to charging the water into the ballast tank;

adjusting the regulating of the diverted portion of water and a rate of injection of ozone into the portion to attain the target biokill; and

injecting ozone at the determined rate into the regulated diverted portion to attain the target biokill when the portion is recombined into the water for charging to the ballast tank.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising charging the ozone injected water into the ballast tank.

3. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising charging the ozone injected water into a plurality of ballast tanks.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the target biokill is one microbe per cubic meter of water or less.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising adjusting the regulating of the diverted portion of water and a rate of injection of the ozone into the portion of water to provide a concentration of ozone of 1.0 to 4.5 mg/l in the water charging into the ballast tank.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising adjusting the regulating of the diverted portion of water and a rate of injection of the ozone into the portion of water to provide a concentration of ozone of 1.5 to 4.0 mg/l in the water charging into the ballast tank.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising adjusting the regulating of the diverted portion of water and a rate of injection of the ozone into the portion of water to provide a concentration of ozone of 2.0 to 3.0 mg/l in the water charging into the ballast tank.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising injecting ozone into the diverted portion at a single point prior to charging the water into the ballast tank.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising injecting ozone into a diverted portion of each of a plurality of water streams prior to charging each stream into a respective ballast tank of a plurality of ballast tanks.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising regulating the diverted portion of water prior to injecting ozone into the portion and dispersing the injected ozone in the portion prior to recombining the portion into the water for charging into the ballast tank.

11. A method of ozone treatment, comprising:

diverting a portion of water charging into a ballast tank of a sea faring vessel;

determining an ozone generating capacity Q sufficient to inject ozone into the portion to attain a target ozone concentration when the portion is recombined into the water for charging into the ballast tank;

injecting ozone into the portion by a generator having the determined ozone generating capacity; and

recombining the portion with the water for charging into the ballast tank.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising determining the target ozone concentration according to a target biokill of species for the water charging into the ballast tank.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising regulating the diverted portion of water prior to injecting ozone into the portion and dispersing the injected ozone in the portion prior to recombining the portion into the water for charging into the ballast tank.

14. The method of claim 11, additionally comprising:

determining an ozone generating capacity to provide the concentration of ozone sufficient to provide a target biokill in the water charging into the ballast tank;

converting the capacity to a generator rating value; and

selecting a generator according to the rating value to inject ozone into the portion.

15. The method of claim 11, additionally comprising:

determining an ozone generating capacity according to a treatment rate T to provide the concentration of ozone required to treat the ballast water to provide a target biokill in the water charging into the ballast tank;

converting the capacity to a generator rating value; and

selecting the generator according to the rating value to inject ozone into the portion.

16. The method of claim 11, additionally comprising:

determining a treatment rate T required to treat the ballast water to provide a target biokill;

determining the ozone generator capacity Q according to the treatment rate T;

selecting the ozone generator according to the determined capacity Q; and

injecting ozone into the portion by the generator.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising determining a treatment rate T required to treat the ballast water to provide the target biokill;

and

determining an ozone generator capacity Q_n according to a summation of a capacity according to a treatment rate T required to treat ballast water of conduits to a plurality of ballast tanks.

18. A method of ozone treatment, comprising:

determining a target biokill of species for water charging into a ballast tank of a sea faring vessel;

diverting a portion of the water prior to charging into the ballast tank;

determining an ozone generating capacity sufficient to inject ozone into the portion to attain a target ozone concentration when the portion is recombined into the water for charging into the ballast tank;

regulating the diverted portion and adjusting a rate of injection of ozone into the portion with a generator having the determine ozone generating capacity to attain the target biokill when the portion is recombined into the water for charging to the ballast tank; and

recombining the portion with the water for charging into the ballast tank.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the diverted portion is regulated and the rate of ozone injection is adjusted according to a set of instructions to provide the target biokill at a lowest threshold ozone concentration in the recombined water.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the diverted portion is regulated and the rate of ozone injection is adjusted according to a set of instructions resident in a computer memory to provide the target biokill at a lowest threshold ozone concentration in the recombined water.

21. A ballast-water treatment system comprising:

a sea faring vessel including at least one ballast tank and at least one conduit conveying water to or from an intake/outlet to the ballast tank;

a regulator to divert a portion of the water from the conduit;

an injector to provide an ozone injection rate into the portion of water; and

a controller operatively connected to the regulator and the injector to adjust the diverted portion of water and injection rate of the ozone into the portion to attain the target biokill when the portion is recombined with the water.

22. The ballast water treatment system of claim 21, further comprising a disperser to disperse injected ozone through the portion prior to recombining the portion with the water.

23. The ballast water treatment system of claim 21, further comprising an ozone generator to provide ozone to the injector.

24. The ballast water treatment system of claim 21, further comprising an ozone generator to provide ozone to the injector, wherein the generator is selected according to a capacity Q determined as sufficient to provide a treatment rate T of injected ozone into the portion to attain a target ozone concentration when the portion is recombined into the water for charging into the ballast tank.

25. The ballast water treatment system of claim 21, comprising a plurality of diverter and injector sets to inject ozone into a plurality of portions of water streams prior to charging each stream into a respective ballast tank of a plurality of ballast tanks

26. The ballast water treatment system of claim 21, further comprising an ozone generator to provide ozone to the injector, wherein the generator is selected according to an ozone generator capacity Q_n determined according to a summation of a capacity according to a treatment rate T required to treat ballast water of conduits to the plurality of ballast tanks.

27. The ballast water treatment system of claim 21, further comprising a computer usable medium comprising a set of instructions to operate the controller to adjust the diverted portion of water and injection rate of the ozone into the portion to attain the target biokill when the portion is recombined with the water.

28. The system of claim 27, comprising the computer usable medium comprising a set of instructions to operate the controllers to coordinate flow of the diverted portion and injection of ozone to provide a target level of biokill in the water.

29. The system of claim 27, comprising the computer usable medium comprising a set of instructions to operate the controllers to coordinate flow of the diverted portion and injection of ozone to provide a concentration of ozone of 1.0 to 4.5 mg/l in the water.

30. The system of claim 27, comprising the computer usable medium comprising a set of instructions to operate the controllers to coordinate flow of the diverted portion and injection of ozone to provide a concentration of ozone of 1.5 to 4.0 mg/l in the water.

31. The system of claim 27, comprising the computer usable medium comprising a set of instructions to operate the controllers to coordinate flow of the diverted portion and injection of ozone to provide a concentration of ozone of 2.0 to 3.0 mg/l in the water.

32. The system of claim 27, comprising the computer usable medium comprising a set of instructions to operate the controllers to coordinate flow of the diverted portion and injection of ozone to provide a 95% or greater species biokill in the water.

33. A method of ozone treatment, comprising:

determining a target biokill of species for ballast water unloading from a sea faring vessel to the sea;

regulating a diverted portion of the ballast water prior to unloading;

adjusting the regulating of the diverted portion of water and a rate of injection of ozone into the portion to attain the target biokill; and

injecting ozone at the determined rate into the regulated diverted portion to attain the target biokill when the portion is recombined into the water for unloading the ozone injected water to the sea.

42. A ballast-water treatment system comprising:

a sea faring vessel including at least one ballast tank;

an ozone generator that generates ozone, a ballast water conduit that discharges water from the ballast tank and conducts the water to an unloading port of the sea faring vessel;

a regulator to divert a portion of the water from the conduit;

an injector to provide an ozone injection rate into the portion of water; and

a controller operatively connected to the regulator and the injector to adjust the diverted portion of water and injection rate of the ozone into the portion to attain the target biokill when the portion is recombined with the water in the conduit.

43. A method of ozone treatment, comprising:

uploading sea water to a ballast tank of a sea faring vessel;

regulating a diverted portion of the uploading water prior to charging the water into the ballast tank;

adjusting the regulating of the diverted portion of water and a rate of injection of ozone into the portion to attain a target biokill; and

injecting ozone at the determined rate into the regulated diverted portion to attain the target biokill when the portion is recombined into the uploading water for charging to the ballast tank.

44. The method of claim 43, comprising adjusting flow of the diverted portion and injection of ozone to provide a 95% or greater species biokill in the water.