Ship-side ballast water treatment systems including related apparatus and methods

• US 7,897,045 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marenco Technology Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Marenco Technology Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Nguyen, Hap
• Primary Examiner(s): LAWRENCE JR, FRANK M
• Application Number:
  US12/080,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20080283467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 210/748.11, 210/198.1, 210/205, 210/242.1, 210/251, 210/259, 210/348, 210/931, 210/262, 210/483, 210/488, 210/499, 141/121, 141/125, 141/382, 250/432.R, 250/436, 422/24, 422/186.3
• US Class Current: 210/205
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/00 Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
• 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 2201/3225 Lamps immersed in an open channel, containing the liquid to be treated
• 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 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• 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: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• 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 or ballast water discharge port for moving ballast water from the ship'"'"'s ballast tanks into the apparatus for filtration and treatment. In-port service vessels and barges as well as dock-side service vehicles are equipped with the various treatment and filtration apparatus to provided in-port or dock-side ballast water treatment services. Related methods are also provided.

Claims

1. An in-port service barge for treating discharged ballast water from a ship, said barge comprising:

a ballast water treatment apparatus on board said service barge, said apparatus including an inlet port, a discharge port, means for filtering ballast water, and means for directing UV energy at said ballast water; and

a hoisting system for positioning a supply hose between a ballast water discharge port of the ship and said inlet port of said ballast water treatment apparatus.

7. The in-port service barge according to claim 1 wherein said means for filtering ballast water includes at least one filter bag.

8. The in-port service barge according to claim 1 wherein said means for filtering ballast water includes a plurality of filter bags each being associated with a filter bag module.

9. The in-port service barge according to claim 8 wherein each filter bag includes a first filter bag positioned within a second filter bag so that said first filter bag may be removed and changed while said second filter bag continues to filter ballast water.

10. The in-port service barge according to claim 8 wherein each filter bag module includes a valve for controlling water flow.

11. The in-port service barge according to claim 10 wherein said valve is enabled to discontinue water flow into its respective filter bag module so that said filter bag may be changed while other filter bag modules continue to process ballast water.

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 a ballast discharge port of said respective ship by connecting a hose between the ballast discharge port 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 ballast discharge port;

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

an articulating arm for positioning a respective connection hose between the ballast discharge port on said respective ship and said at least one inlet port of said housing tank.

12. The dock-side service vehicle according to claim 2 wherein said filter is comprised of at least one filter bag positioned within a corresponding filter bag module.

13. The dock-side service vehicle according to claim 12 wherein each of said at least one filter bags includes a first filter bag positioned within a second filter bag so that said first filter bag may be removed and changed while said second filter bag continues to filter ballast water.

14. The dock-side service vehicle according to claim 12 wherein said filter bag module includes a valve for controlling water flow.

15. The dock-side service vehicle according to claim 14 wherein said valve is enabled to discontinue water flow into its respective filter bag module so that said filter bag may be changed while any other available filter bag modules continue to process ballast water.

3. A ballast water filtration and treatment system, said system comprising:

an inlet reservoir having an inlet port;

a main tank member fluidly connected to said inlet reservoir, said main tank member having filter means positioned in an upper portion thereof;

a side channel tank in fluid communication with said main tank member;

a side fill tank in fluid communication with said side channel tank; and

a UV containment chamber in fluid communication with said side fill tank, said UV containment chamber including a source of UV light directed into filtered ballast water contained in the chamber.

16. The ballast water filtration and treatment system according to claim 3 wherein said filter means includes at least one filter bag positioned within a corresponding filter bag module.

17. The ballast water filtration and treatment system according to claim 16 wherein each of said at least one filter bags includes a first filter bag positioned within a second filter bag so that said first filter bag may be removed and changed while said second filter bag continues to filter ballast water.

18. The ballast water filtration and treatment system according to claim 16 wherein said filter bag module includes a valve for controlling water flow.

19. The ballast water filtration and treatment system according to claim 18 wherein said valve is enabled to discontinue water flow into its respective filter bag module so that said filter bag may be changed while any other available filter bag modules continue to process ballast water.

4. A ballast water filtration and treatment system, said system comprising;

an upper flow chamber for receiving ballast water and including a plurality of filter bag compartments, each filter bag compartment including valve means to fluidly isolate a respective filter bag compartment from ballast water maintained within said upper flow chamber;

a filter bag associated with each of said of filter bag compartments;

a lower tank chamber in fluid communication with said upper flow chamber, each of said filter bags depending downwardly from a respective filter bag compartment into said lower tank chamber; and

at least one UV tank fluidly connected to said lower tank chamber implemented so that ballast water filtered through said filter bags is directed into said least one UV tank for further treatment.

5. The system according to claim 4 wherein said at least one UV tank fluidly is positioned below said lower tank chamber so that filtered ballast in said lower tank chamber is moved by gravity to flow from said lower tank chamber into said at least one UV tank.

6. The system according to claim 4 further including a pump to move filtered ballast in said lower tank chamber into said at least one UV tank.

20. The system according to claim 4 wherein said valve means includes a valve enabled to discontinue water flow into its respective filter bag compartment so that said filter bag associated therewith may be changed while any other available filter bag compartments continue to process ballast water.

21. The system according to claim 4 wherein each filter bag includes a first filter bag positioned within a second filter bag so that said first filter bag may be removed and changed while said second filter bag continues to filter ballast water.

22. An in-port service barge for treating discharged ballast water from a ship, said barge comprising:

a ballast water treatment apparatus on board said service barge, said apparatus including an inlet port, a discharge port, at least one filter for filtering ballast water, and an energy source for directing electromagnetic energy at said ballast water; and

a hoisting system for positioning a supply hose between a ballast water discharge port of the ship and said inlet port of said ballast water treatment apparatus.

23. The in-port service barge according to claim 22 wherein said energy source for directing electromagnetic energy includes a UV light source.

24. The in-port service barge according to claim 22 wherein said at least one filter for filtering ballast water includes a filter bag.

25. The in-port service barge according to claim 24 wherein said filter bag includes a first filter bag positioned within a second filter bag so that said first filter bag may be removed and changed while said second filter bag continues to filter ballast water.

26. The in-port service barge according to claim 22 wherein said at least one filter for filtering ballast water includes a plurality of filter bags each being associated with a filter bag module.

27. The in-port service barge according to claim 26 wherein each filter bag module includes a valve for controlling water flow.

28. The in-port service barge according to claim 27 wherein said valve is enabled to discontinue water flow into its respective filter bag module so that said filter bag may be changed while other filter bag modules continue to process ballast water.

29. A ballast water filtration and treatment system, said system comprising:

an inlet reservoir having an inlet port;

a main tank member fluidly connected to said inlet reservoir, said main tank member having at least one filter positioned in an upper portion thereof;

a side channel tank in fluid communication with said main tank member;

a side fill tank in fluid communication with said side channel tank; and

a containment chamber in fluid communication with said side fill tank, said containment chamber including a source of electromagnetic energy directed into filtered ballast water contained in the chamber.

30. The ballast water filtration and treatment system according to claim 29 wherein said source of electromagnetic energy includes a UV light source.

31. The ballast water filtration and treatment system according to claim 29 wherein said at least one filter includes a filter bag positioned within a corresponding filter bag module.

32. The ballast water filtration and treatment system according to claim 31 wherein said filter bag includes a first filter bag positioned within a second filter bag so that said first filter bag may be removed and changed while said second filter bag continues to filter ballast water.

33. The ballast water filtration and treatment system according to claim 29 wherein said at least one filter includes a plurality of filter bags each positioned within a corresponding filter bag module.

34. The ballast water filtration and treatment system according to claim 33 wherein each of said filter bag modules includes a valve for controlling water flow.

35. The ballast water filtration and treatment system according to claim 34 wherein said valve is enabled to discontinue water flow into its respective filter bag module so that said filter bag may be changed while any other available filter bag modules continue to process ballast water.

36. A ballast water filtration and treatment system, said system comprising;

an upper flow chamber for receiving ballast water and including a plurality of filter bag compartments, each filter bag compartment including a valve to fluidly isolate a respective filter bag compartment from ballast water maintained within said upper flow chamber;

a filter bag associated with each of said of filter bag compartments;

a lower tank chamber in fluid communication with said upper flow chamber, each of said filter bags depending downwardly from a respective filter bag compartment into said lower tank chamber; and

at least one treatment tank fluidly connected to said lower tank chamber implemented so that ballast water filtered through said filter bags is directed into said least one treatment tank for further processing.

37. The system according to claim 36 wherein said at least one treatment tank is positioned below said lower tank chamber so that filtered ballast in said lower tank chamber is moved by gravity to flow from said lower tank chamber into said at least one treatment tank.

38. The system according to claim 36 further including a pump to move filtered ballast in said lower tank chamber into said at least one treatment tank.

39. The system according to claim 36 wherein said valve is enabled to discontinue water flow into its respective filter bag compartment so that said filter bag associated therewith may be changed while any other available filter bag compartments continue to process ballast water.

40. The system according to claim 36 wherein each filter bag includes a first filter bag positioned within a second filter bag so that said first filter bag may be removed and changed while said second filter bag continues to filter ballast water.