Ballast water treatment systems including related apparatus and methods

• US 20050211639A1
• Filed: 01/29/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marenco Technology Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hap Nguyen, Howard Roop, Ronald Yoshio Nishida, William Murray Fowler
• Inventors: Nguyen, Hap, Fowler, William Murray, Nishida, Ronald Yoshio, Roop, Howard
• Granted Patent: US 7,351,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/205
• CPC Class Codes: B63J 4/002 for treating ballast water
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/444 by ultrafiltration or microfiltration
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/008 Originating from marine vessels, ships and boats, e.g. bilge water or ballast water
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/008 Mobile apparatus and plants, e.g. mounted on a vehicle for biological treatment C02F2203/008
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3227 Units with two or more lamps
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/324 Lamp cleaning installations, e.g. brushes
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/326 Lamp control systems
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/02 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/40 Liquid flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/40 Monitoring or fighting invasive species
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/931 Zebra mussel mitigation or treatment

Abstract

Ballast water treatment apparatus and methods for preventing foreign aquatic invasive species form entering marine ecological zones by translocation in ship'"'"'s ballast water. The apparatus includes a housing, a filter member, and UV water treatment chambers. Methods include use of a ship'"'"'s fire hydrant system for moving ballast water from the ship'"'"'s ballast tanks into the apparatus for filtration and treatment. In-port service vessels and dock-side service vehicles are equipped with the treatment and filtration apparatus to provided in-port or dock-side ballast water treatment services. Related methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A portable deck apparatus for treating ballast water discharged from the fire hydrant system of a ship, said apparatus comprising:

a housing having at least one inlet port and one discharge port, said at least one inlet port being adapted to receive ballast water from the fire hydrant system of a ship;

a filter positioned within said housing, said filter employed to filter particulate matter from said ballast water received from said fire hydrant system; and

a source of electromagnetic radiation maintained within said housing for irradiating said ballast water to thereby deactivate biological organisms contained therein.

2. A dock-side service vehicle for treating discharged ballast water from a ship in port, said vehicle comprising:

a water treatment processing platform accessible to a respective ship docked in port;

a housing tank positioned within said water treatment processing platform, said housing tank having at least one inlet port and one discharge port, said at least one inlet port being adapted to receive ballast water from the fire hydrant system of said respective ship by connecting a fire hose between a fire hydrant on said respective ship and said at least one inlet port of said housing tank;

a filter positioned within said housing tank, said filter employed to filter particulate matter from said ballast water received from said respective ship'"'"'s fire hydrant system; and

a source of electromagnetic radiation maintained within said housing tank for irradiating said ballast water to thereby deactivate biological organisms contained therein.