Ballast water treatment system and method without off-gas

• US 7,381,338 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nutech O3 Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nutech O3 Incorporated
• Inventors: Mueller, Richard A., van Leeuwen, Johannes, Robinson, Jack H., Jennings, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAWRENCE JR, FRANK M
• Application Number:
  US11/246,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20060027507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 210/760, 210/764, 210/192, 210/199, 210/205, 210/242.1, 210/931, 422/28, 422/186.07
• US Class Current: 210/760
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/2323 by circulating the flow in guiding constructions or conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/237613 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/3121 with additional mixing means other than injector mixers, e.g. screens, baffles or rotating elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/31242 the main flow being injected in the central area of the venturi, creating an aspiration in the circumferential part of the conduit B01F25/31243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/32 wherein the additional components are added in a by-pass of the main flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4231 using baffles
• 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 1/00 Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage C02F3/00 - C02F9/00 take precedence
• 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 2201/784 Diffusers or nozzles for ozonation
• 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 method and system treat ballast-water with ozone without release of detrimental off-gas into the atmosphere.

Claims

1. A ballast-water treatment system without an off-gas destruction device;

comprising;

a salt water or fresh water 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 an injection rate of the ozone into the portion to attain a target biokill while avoiding a release of detrimental gas into the atmosphere without an off-gas destruction device.

2. The ballast water treatment system of claim 1, further comprising a reinjector to reinject the diverted portion with ozone back to the water conduit at a return point;

and

a disperser to disperse injected ozone through the portion prior to recombining the portion with the water.

3. The ballast water treatment system of claim 1, further comprising an ozone generator to provide ozone to the injector.

4. The ballast water treatment system of claim 1, 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.

5. The ballast water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the controller is a computer 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.

6. The ballast water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the controller is a computer further comprising a set of instructions to operate the controller to coordinate flow of the diverted portion and injection of ozone to provide a target level of biokill in the water.

7. The ballast water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the controller is a computer further comprising a set of instructions to operate the controller 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.

8. The ballast water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the controller is a computer further comprising a set of instructions to operate the controller 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.

9. The ballast water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the controller is a computer further comprising a set of instructions to operate the controller 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.

10. The ballast water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the controller is a computer further comprising a set of instructions to operate the controller to coordinate flow of the diverted portion and injection of ozone to provide a 95% or greater species biokill in the water.

11. A method of ozone treatment, comprising:

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

determining an injection of ozone into the water to attain the target biokill without releasing an environmentally toxic off-gas into the atmosphere;

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 without release of an environmentally toxic off-gas; 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 without releasing an environmentally toxic off-gas into the atmosphere.

12. The method of claim 11, additionally comprising charging ozone injected water into the ballast tank.

13. The method of claim 11, additionally comprising charging ozone injected water into a plurality of ballast tanks.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the target biokill is one microbe per cubic meter of water or less.

15. The method of claim 11, 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.

16. The method of claim 11, 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.

17. The method of claim 11, 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.

18. The method of claim 11, comprising injecting ozone into the diverted portion at a single point prior to charging the water into the ballast tank.

19. The method of claim 11, 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.

20. 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.