FLOATING LAKE SYSTEM AND METHODS OF TREATING WATER WITHIN A FLOATING LAKE

• US 20150125212A1
• Filed: 11/03/2014
• Published: 05/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crystal Image Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Crystal Lagoons (Curacao) B.V. (Crystal Lagoons Corp.)
• Inventors: FISCHMANN, Fernando Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 9,920,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 405/63
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0012 Settling tanks making use of filters, e.g. by floating layers of particulate material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/01 using flocculating agents for purifying water C02F1/52; for liquid radioactive waste G21F9/10
• 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 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/442 by nanofiltration
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/444 by ultrafiltration or microfiltration
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4672 by electrooxydation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/52 by flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/463 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/5245 using basic salts, e.g. of aluminium and iron
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/56 Macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/72 by oxidation C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/722 Oxidation by peroxides
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/76 with halogens or compounds of halogens C02F1/4674 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/007 Processes including a sedimentation step
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/007 Contaminated open waterways, rivers, lakes or ponds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/023 Water in cooling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/42 from bathing facilities, e.g. swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/006 Cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/001 : Upstream control, i.e. monitoring for predictive control
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 : Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/03 : Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/04 : Oxidation reduction potential [ORP]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/06 : pH
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/07 : Alkalinity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/11 : Turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/36 : Biological material, e.g. enzymes or ATP
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/44 : Time
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/10 : Energy recovery
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/00 : Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/04 : Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like floating materials by separating or removing these materials stopping water-borne material in artificial water canals E02B5/085; stopping water-borne material at barrages or weirs E02B8/023; other treatment of water, waste water or sewage C02F; materials for treating liquid pollutants, e.g. oil, gasoline, fat, C09K3/32 ; separation of oil in sewage conduits E03F5/16
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/041 : Devices for distributing materials, e.g. absorbed or magnetic particles over a surface of open water to remove the oil, with or without means for picking up the treated oil E02B15/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/045 : Separating means for recovering oil floating on a surface of open water E02B15/048 takes precedence; separation in general B01D
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/06 : Barriers therefor E02B15/08 takes precedenceconstrued for applying processing agents or for collecting pollutants, e.g. absorbent
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/0807 : with stabilising elements
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/0814 : with underwater curtains
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/0012 : Floating swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1209 : Treatment of water for swimming pools filters B01D
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/30 : Wastewater or sewage treatment systems using renewable energies

Abstract

The present invention relates to floating lakes and to the treatment of the water in such lakes. The present invention further relates to large floating lakes that can be installed within a natural or artificial water body to improve water conditions that are unsuitable for recreational uses. The floating lake can be provided with a chemical application system; a filtration system including a mobile suctioning device and filters; a skimmer system, and optionally a coordination system.

Claims

1. A method for treatment of water in a floating lake, wherein the floating lake is installed within a larger water body such as an ocean, river, lake, reservoir, lagoon, pond, canal, estuary, stream, ocean bay, river bay, dam, pond, harbor, or bay, the floating lake including walls and a bottom, and wherein the bottom of the floating lake is constructed of a flexible material having a Young'"'"'s modulus of up to 20 GPa, wherein the method comprises:

a. applying an oxidant to the water to maintain an ORP level of at least 550 mV for a minimum of about 10 to about 20 hours within a 52-hour cycle;

b. applying a flocculant to the water before the turbidity of the water exceeds 5 NTU;

c. activating operation of one or more mobile suctioning devices before the black color component of the bottom of the floating lake exceeds 30% on a CMYK scale, wherein the mobile suctioning device suctions a portion of water from the bottom containing settled solids;

d. filtering the water suctioned by the mobile suctioning device and returning the filtered water to the floating lake, thereby providing for removal of settled solids from the water in the floating lake without filtering the total volume of water in the floating lake; and

e. supplying water to the floating lake to maintain a positive pressure of at least 20 Newtons per square meter of the surface area of the floating lake, wherein the supplied water has a true color of up to 35 Pt—

Co and less than 2,000 CFU/ml of bacterial count, and wherein the positive pressure is maintained for at least 50% of the time within 7-day intervals and wherein water is supplied to the floating lake at a reposition rate according to the following equation;

Reposition Rate≧

Evaporation Rate+Cleaning Rate+Leakage rate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the floating lake has a surface area larger than 5,000 m².

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the bottom and walls of the floating lake are constructed of non-permeable materials that are capable of maintaining a body of water inside the floating lake and essentially separate the water on the inside of the floating lake from the surrounding artificial or natural body of water.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the bottom of the floating lake comprises systems that provide stability for the operation of a suctioning device, such as cushion-type systems, structural frames, a plurality of layers, chambers, or combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxidant is selected from the group consisting of an halogen-based compound, a permanganate salt, a peroxide, ozone, sodium persulfate, potassium persulfate, an oxidant produced by an electrolytic method, and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the flocculant is selected from the group consisting of a cationic polymer, anionic polymer, aluminum salt, aluminum chlorhydrate, alum, aluminum sulfate, quaternary ammonium-containing polymers, polyquaternium, calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, ferrous sulphate, ferric chloride, polyacrylamide, sodium aluminate, sodium silicate, chitosan, gelatin, guar gum, alginate, moringa seed, starch derivatives, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the color of the bottom of the floating lake provides a specific coloration to the water body.

8. The floating lake system of claim 7, where the bottom has a white, yellow, or light blue color, or combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the application of chemicals is activated by a coordination system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of the suctioning device is activated by a coordination system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the color of the bottom is determined by empirical methods, algorithms, based on experience, visual inspection, or automated equipment.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile suctioning device is able to clean a flexible bottom with a Young'"'"'s modulus of less than 20 GPa.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile suctioning device comprises a magnetic system capable of maintaining the mobile suctioning device along the flexible bottom.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile suctioning device comprises a flexible device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the filtration system is located in a floating facility or on land.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the reposition water is fed into the floating lake through a pumping system.

17. An artificial floating lake system, wherein the floating lake is installed within a larger water body such as an ocean, river, lake, reservoir, lagoon, pond, canal, estuary, stream, ocean bay, river bay, dam, pond, harbor, or bay, the system comprising:

a. a floating lake comprising a flexible bottom having a Young'"'"'s modulus of less than about 20 GPa and walls having a rim, wherein the rim comprises a flotation system;

b. a chemical application system for applying an oxidant or flocculant to the water in the floating lake;

wherein the chemical application system is activated to apply an oxidant to water in the floating lake to establish an oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) in the water of at least 550 mV for about 10 to about 20 hours within a 52-hour cycle;

c. a pumping system for maintaining a positive pressure of at least 20 Newtons per square meter of the surface area of the floating lake, wherein the positive pressure is maintained for at least 50% of the time within 7-day intervals;

d. a mobile suctioning device capable of moving along the flexible bottom of the floating lake and suctioning a portion of water from the bottom containing settled solids;

e. a filtration system in fluid communication with the mobile suctioning system, wherein the filtration system receives the portion of water suctioned by the mobile suction system; and

f. a return line for returning filtered water from the filtration system to the floating lake.

18. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the floating lake has a surface area larger than 5,000 m².

19. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the bottom and walls of the floating lake are constructed of non-permeable materials that are capable of maintaining a body of water inside the floating lake and essentially separate the water on the inside of the floating lake from the surrounding artificial or natural body of water.

20. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the bottom comprises a single non-permeable layer to separate the water inside the floating lake from the surrounding water body.

21. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the bottom comprises a plurality of layers to separate the water inside the floating lake from the surrounding water body.

22. The floating lake system of claim 21, wherein the plurality of layers can be of the same or different materials and have different permeability.

23. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the bottom comprises a structural frame comprising one or more frame components capable of providing more stability and/or a modular configuration to the bottom.

24. The floating lake system of claim 23, wherein the bottom comprises frame connectors between the frame components.

25. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the floating lake includes one or more rails for providing connection between the flexible bottom and the one or more frame components.

26. The floating lake system of claim 23, wherein the frame components are constructed out of rigid materials.

27. The floating lake system of claim 26, wherein the rigid materials of the frame components comprise metal, metal alloys, plastics, wood, concrete, or combinations thereof.

28. The floating lake system of claim 23, wherein the frame components are constructed out of flexible materials.

29. The floating lake system of claim 28, wherein the flexible materials of the frame components comprise rubber, plastic, fabric, nylon, or combinations thereof.

30. The floating lake system of claim 24, wherein the frame connectors are built out of flexible materials.

31. The floating lake system of claim 24, wherein the frame connectors are built out of rigid materials.

32. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the bottom comprises one or more cushion-type cells capable of providing a stable bottom.

33. The floating lake system of claim 32, wherein the cushion-type cells are filled with a fluid comprising gas or liquid, or a foam expandable material, or a combination thereof.

34. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the flotation system comprises one or more flotation elements selected from the group consisting of polyurethane systems;

polystyrene systems, such as extruded polystyrene and expanded bead polystyrene;

polyethylene systems;

air filled systems, such as air chambers, rubber air bags, or vinyl air bags; and

systems constructed of other suitable materials such as plastics, foams, rubbers, vinyl, resins, concrete, aluminum, different types of woods, and combinations thereof.

35. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the floating lake comprises one or more additional features selected from beaches, walkways, pedestrian promenades, pontoons, handrails, or sloped entry systems.

36. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the bottom and/or walls of the floating lake are anchored to the bottom of the surrounding water body to cope with marine currents, winds, tides and specific weather conditions of the surrounding water body and environment.

37. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the floating lake system comprises one or more anchor points connected to corresponding anchor points at the bottom of the surrounding water body.

38. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the floating lake is anchored to mainland to provide an entrance to the floating lake system.

39. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the floating lake is separated from mainland by a distance, and entrance from mainland to the floating lake is provided by one or more of docks and bridges connecting the mainland to the floating lake.

40. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the floating lake system comprises a coordination system.

41. The floating lake system of claim 40, wherein the coordination system is arranged and configured to receive information regarding water quality parameters, process the information, and activate the chemical application means and/or activate operation of the mobile suctioning device, and/or filtration system.

42. The floating lake system of claim 41, wherein the coordination system is arranged and configured to activate the operation of the mobile suctioning device before the bottom'"'"'s color black component exceeds 30% on a CMYK scale.

43. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the bottom material is a flexible material selected from the group consisting of rubbers, plastics, teflon, low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, polystyrene, polycarbonate, Polyethylene Terephthalate, fibers, fiberboard, woods, polyamides, PVC membranes, fabrics, composite fabrics, geomembranes, acrylics, and combinations thereof

44. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the walls comprise a permeable material that allows for water from the water body in which the floating lake is installed to pass through the walls at a predetermined permeation rate.

45. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the system comprises a plurality of mobile suctioning devices, wherein the filtration system comprises a plurality of filters.

46. The floating lake system of claim 17, wherein the bottom has a color that provides a specific coloration to water in the floating lake.

47. The floating lake system of claim 17, where the bottom has a white, yellow, or light blue color, or combinations thereof.

48. The floating lake system of claim 17, further comprising a feed line from the floating lake to a heat exchanger system in an industrial process for feeding the heat exchanger with water from the floating lake and a return water line from the heat exchanger of the industrial process to the floating lake.

49. An artificial floating lake system constructed within a surrounding water body, the system comprising:

a. a floating lake disposed in a surrounding water body, the floating lake comprising water and a flexible bottom having a Young'"'"'s modulus of less than about 20 GPa and walls having a rim, the bottom and walls defining a volume, wherein the rim comprises a flotation system, and wherein the floating lake has a surface area of at least 5,000 m²;

b. a chemical application system adapted for applying an oxidant or flocculant to the water in the floating lake;

c. one or more mobile suctioning devices capable of moving along the flexible bottom of the floating lake and suctioning a portion of water from the bottom, where the water contains settled solids;

d. a filtration system comprising a plurality of filtration systems, wherein the filtration system is in fluid communication with the one or more mobile suctioning systems, wherein the filtration system receives the portion of water suctioned by the one or more mobile suctioning systems;

e. a return line in fluid communication with the filtration system for returning filtered water to the floating lake;

f. a coordination system arranged and configured to activate the chemical application system to maintain an oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) in the water of at least 550 mV for about 10 to 20 hours within any 52-hour cycle, the one or more mobile suctioning devices before the bottom'"'"'s color black component exceeds 30% on a CMYK scale; and

g. a pumping system constructed to pump water into the floating lake and to maintain a positive pressure of at least 20 Newtons per every square meter of the surface area of the floating lake, wherein the positive pressure is maintained for at least 50% of the time within 7-day intervals.