Methods for the treatment of ballast water

• US 9,073,766 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2012
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fahs Stagemyer, LLC
• Original Assignee: Fahs Stagemyer, LLC
• Inventors: Fahs, Richard W. II, Fahs, Matthew D. W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Walter D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allen, Cameron J
• Application Number:
  US13/404,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20130056648A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 422/20, 422/21, 422/22, 422/24, 422/186, 422/186.3, 422/128, 422/127, 250/428, 250/157.15, 250/432.R, 588/306
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/004 using large scale industrial sized filters
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/30 by irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/36 ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/725 by catalytic oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/16 Nitrogen compounds, e.g. ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/008 Originating from marine vessels, ships and boats, e.g. bilge water or ballast water
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/322 Lamp arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3226 Units using UV-light emitting lasers
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/326 Lamp control systems
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 Disinfection
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2305/10 Photocatalysts

Abstract

A process has been developed to selectively dissociate target molecules into component products compositionally distinct from the target molecule, wherein the bonds of the target molecule do not reform because the components are no longer reactive with each other. Dissociation is affected by treating the target molecule with light at a frequency and intensity, alone or in combination with a catalyst in an amount effective to selectively break bonds within the target molecule. Dissociation does not result in re-association into the target molecule by the reverse process, and does not produce component products which have a change in oxidation number or state incorporated oxygen or other additives because the process does not proceed via a typical reduction-oxidation mechanism. This process can be used for the remediation of water, particularly ballast water.

Claims

1. A method for treating ballast water comprising

irradiating the ballast water comprising target molecules with an effective amount, intensity and frequency of energy to specifically dissociate one or more target bonds in the target molecules to separate the target molecules into component products without producing any by-products and without re-association of the one or more target bonds.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy is selected from the group consisting of chemical, kinetic, potential, magnetic, thermal, sound, light, electrical, piezoelectric, and electrochemical energy.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy is in the form of light irradiation, acoustic energy, or electromagnetic radiation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the energy is amplified.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy is applied by an energy source selected from the group consisting of frequency generators, electrical generators, plasma generators, arc lamps, pulse generators, amplifying generators, tunable lasers, ultraviolet lamps, ultraviolet lasers, pulse ultraviolet generators, ultrasound generators, and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the water is irradiated in the absence of a catalyst.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising providing a catalyst which enhances dissociation of the one or more target bonds which are irradiated.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the catalyst is a semi-conductive material or magnetic material.

9. The method of claim 7, where in the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of titanium oxides (TiO₂), platinized titania, amorphous manganese oxide, copper-doped manganese oxide, titanium dioxide, strontium titanate, barium titanate, sodium titanate, cadmium sulfide, zirconium dioxide, and iron oxide.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, strontium titanate, amorphous silicon, hydrogenated amorphous silicon, nitrogenated amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, germanium, and combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of carbon-based graphene or graphite, carbon-doped semi-conductive material, or carbon-doped magnetic material.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the water contains a chemical contaminant.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the chemical contaminant is selected from the group consisting of alkyl sulfonates, alkyl phenols, ammonia, benzoic acid, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, dioxin, fumaric acid, grease, herbicides, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide, formaldehyde, medicines, methane, nitric acid, nitrogen dioxide, nitrates, nitrites, ozone, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, oil, sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid, volatile organic compounds, and combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the water contains a biological contaminant.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the biological contaminant is selected from the group consisting of proteins, polysaccharides, polynucleotides, and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the biological contaminant is selected from the group consisting of bacteria, protozoa, viruses, plants, algae, plankton, animal cells, and combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the target molecule is a portion of a biomolecule essential for the function and/or survival of the biological contaminant.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the target molecule is selected from the group consisting of proteins, DNA, RNA, and combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the ballast water is filtered prior to treatment, during intake or storage.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the ballast water is treated during ballast water discharge.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the ballast water treatment operates interruption-free with a volumetric flow rate of greater than or equal to 1,000 cubic meters per hour.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein treatment of the ballast water is effective to sterilize the ballast water sample.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising filtration of the ballast water to remove macroscopic contaminants.