# US 11,027,991 B2 · Electrolytic biocide generating system for use on-board a watercraft > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,991 B2 - Document ID: US11027991B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/152,176 - Filed: 2018-10-04 - Published: 2019-04-11 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-05 - Assignees: ElectroSea, LLC - Applicants: ElectroSea, LLC - Inventors: Louis Ciro Cosentino; Daniel L. Cosentino - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027991B2 ## CPC - C02F 1/46104: {Devices therefor; Their operating or servicing} - C02F 1/4674: {with halogen or compound of halogens, e.g. chlorine, bromine} - B63J 4/00: Arrangements of installations for treating {ballast water,} waste water, sewage, {sludge, or refuse}, or for preventing environmental pollution not otherwise provided for; ({centrifugal bilge-water separators B04; discharge of refuse, e.g. for ash B63B17/06; arrangements on tanks for fuel or the like for minimizing pollution by accidents B63B17/0036, associated with cargo tanks B63B25/082; vessels for collecting pollution from open water B63B35/30;} soil-water discharges B63B29/16; {treating waste water, sewage, or sludge, in general, C02F; cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water, in general E02B15/00}) - C02F 1/004: {using large scale industrial sized filters} - C02F 2103/008: {Originating from marine vessels, ships and boats, e.g. bilge water or ballast water} - C02F 2103/02: Non-contaminated water, e.g. for industrial water supply - C02F 2103/023: {Water in cooling circuits} - C02F 2103/08: Seawater, e.g. for desalination - C02F 2201/001: Build in apparatus for autonomous on board water supply and wastewater treatment (e.g. for aircrafts, cruiseships, oil drilling platforms, railway trains, space stations) - C02F 2201/008: Mobile apparatus and plants, e.g. mounted on a vehicle - C02F 2201/4611: Fluid flow - C02F 2201/4612: Controlling or monitoring - C02F 2201/4613: Inversing polarity - C02F 2201/4614: Current - C02F 2201/46145: Fluid flow - C02F 2201/4615: Time - C02F 2201/4617: DC only - C02F 2201/46175: Electrical pulses - C02F 2209/40: Liquid flow rate - C02F 2303/04: Disinfection - C02F 2303/20: Prevention of biofouling - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - B63J: AUXILIARIES ON VESSELS ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to a biocide generating system for inhibiting bio-fouling within a water system of a watercraft. The water system is configured to draw water from a body of water on which the watercraft is supported. The biocide generating system includes an electrode arrangement adapted to be incorporated as part of an electrolytic cell through which the water of the water system flows. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A biocide generating system for inhibiting bio-fouling within a water system of a watercraft, the water system being configured to draw water from a body of water on which the watercraft is supported, the biocide generating system comprising: an electrode arrangement adapted to be incorporated as part of an electrolytic cell through which the water of the water system flows; and a control system that interfaces with the electrode arrangement, the control system including an electrical power circuit for establishing a flow of electrical current between first and second electrodes of the electrode arrangement to generate a biocide in the water within the electrolytic cell, the control system including a switching arrangement operable in a first switch configuration in which the first electrode is an anode and the second electrode is a cathode, the switching arrangement also being operable in a second switch configuration in which the first electrode is a cathode and the second electrode is an anode, and the switching arrangement being operable in a third switch configuration in which electrical power is terminated to the first and second electrodes and the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to one another by a circuit path that by-passes the water in the electrolytic cell and provides a short circuit between the first and second electrodes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The biocide generating system of claim 1, wherein the electrical power circuit is configured to be electrically isolated from the watercraft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The biocide generating system claim 1, wherein the electrical power circuit includes a constant current power supply for applying electrical current across the first and second electrodes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The biocide generating system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to vary a magnitude of the electrical current established between the first and second electrodes in relation to a rate of water flow through the electrolytic cell. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The biocide generating system of claim 4, further comprising a flow sensor for sensing the rate of water flow through the electrolytic cell. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The biocide generating system of claim 5, wherein the flow sensor is integrated with the electrolytic cell. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The biocide generating system of claim 4, wherein the control system is configured to vary the magnitude of the electrical current in proportion to the rate of water flow through the electrolytic cell. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The biocide generating system of claim 4, wherein the control system varies the magnitude of the electrical current based on an algorithm derived from Faraday's law of electrolysis and system dependent operating properties of the system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The biocide generating system of claim 4, wherein the electrolytic cell includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the electrode arrangement is located within the housing, wherein the outlet is adapted for connection to a portion of the water system desired to be treated with biocide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The biocide generating system of claim 9, further comprising a flow sensor for sensing a rate of water flow through the electrolytic cell, the flow sensor being carried with the housing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The biocide generating system of claim 1, wherein the third switch configuration expedites transitioning electrolytic cell from a first ion distribution wherein ions are concentrated about the first and second electrodes to a second ion distribution in which the ions are more uniformly distributed within the electrolytic cell, wherein the second ion distribution corresponds generally to a condition in which the ions are at equilibrium and no voltage differential exists between the first and second electrodes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The biocide generating system of claim 1, wherein during biocide generation the control system alternates the switching arrangement between the first and second switch configuration wherein before switching the switching arrangement from the first switch configuration to the second switch configuration the control system temporarily switches the switching arrangement to the third switch configuration, and wherein before switching the switching arrangement from the second switch configuration back to the first switch configuration the control system temporarily switches the switching arrangement to the third switch configuration. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The biocide generating system of claim 12, wherein the switching arrangement is operated in the first and second switching configurations for first durations prior to switching, and wherein the switching arrangement is operated in the third switch configuration for a second duration before switching, wherein the first duration is longer than the second duration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The biocide generating system of claim 1, wherein the water system includes a flow path that extends sequentially from an inlet of the water system through the electrolytic cell and a heat exchanger to an outlet of the water system, wherein the inlet of the water system draws water into the flow path from the body of water and the outlet of the water system deposits the water from the flow path back into the body of water, wherein the electrolytic cell generates biocide in the water flowing through the flow path, and wherein the biocide generated by the electrolytic cell provides treatment of the heat exchanger to prevent growth of bio-organisms within the heat exchanger. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The biocide generating system of claim 1, wherein the electrolytic cell includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the electrode arrangement is in the housing, wherein the housing contains a straining filter, wherein the inlet of the housing directs water into an interior of the straining filter such that the water within the interior of the straining filter has not been filtered by the straining filter and must flow through the straining filter in an interior-to-exterior direction to reach the outlet of the housing, and wherein at least a portion of the electrode arrangement is located within the interior of the straining filter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The biocide generating system of claim 1, wherein the water system includes a main flow path that extends sequentially from an inlet of the water system through a strainer, the electrolytic cell, and a heat exchanger to an outlet of the water system, wherein the electrolytic cell generates biocide in water flowing through the main flow path, wherein the water system also includes a recirculation flow line that taps only a portion of the water flowing through the main flow path and directs the tapped portion of the water from a first location at or after the electrolytic cell to a second location before the electrolytic cell, and wherein the second location is at or before the strainer of the water system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The biocide generating system of claim 1, wherein the control system also includes a gas sensing circuit for detecting when gas collects in the electrolytic cell. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The biocide generating system of claim 17, wherein the gas sensing circuit includes a gas sensing electrode. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The biocide generating system of claim 1, wherein the electrolytic cell includes a canister lid and a canister main body to which the canister lid attaches, wherein the canister main body defines a water inlet and a water outlet, wherein the canister main body defines an interior volume in fluid communication with the water inlet and the water outlet, wherein the electrode arrangement is carried with the canister lid and includes interleaved electrode plates coupled to the canister lid, and wherein the electrode plates extend into the interior volume of the canister main body when the canister lid is mounted on the canister main body. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The biocide generating system of claim 1, wherein the electrolytic cell includes a housing having a water inlet and a water outlet, wherein the housing defines a flow passage that extends between the water inlet and the water outlet, wherein the electrode arrangement is positioned within the flow passage of the housing, wherein the electrode arrangement includes interleaved electrode plates, wherein flow diverter is provided within the flow passage for diverting the flow of water such that the water flow is distributed more uniformly through the electrode arrangement, and wherein the flow diverter is optionally a comb-like baffle having comb teeth that extend into interstitial spaces between the electrode plates. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The biocide generating system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to generate biocide when water is flowing through the system and also is configured to generate a controlled amount of biocide when the water flow through the water system has stopped such that sufficient biocide is generated to diffuse from the electrolytic cell toward a water inlet of the water system. ### Claim 22 A biocide generating system for inhibiting bio-fouling within a water system of a watercraft, the water system being configured to draw water from a body of water on which the watercraft is supported, the biocide generating system comprising: an electrode arrangement adapted to be incorporated as part of an electrolytic cell through which the water of the water system flows; and a control system that interfaces with the electrode arrangement, the control system including an electrical power circuit for establishing a flow of electrical current between first and second electrodes of the electrode arrangement to generate a biocide in the water within the electrolytic cell, the control system including a switching arrangement operable in a first switch configuration in which the first electrode is an anode and the second electrode is a cathode, the switching arrangement also being operable in a second switch configuration in which the first electrode is a cathode and the second electrode is an anode, wherein the electrolytic cell includes a housing having a water inlet and a water outlet which are offset from one another along a height of the housing so as to not have an in-line configuration, the water inlet and outlet being respectively positioned at first and second different height locations along the height of the housing and being respectively positioned at opposite first and second sides of the housing, wherein the housing defines a flow passage that extends between the water inlet and the water outlet, wherein the electrode arrangement is positioned within the flow passage of the housing, wherein the electrode arrangement includes interleaved electrode plates, wherein a flow diverter is provided within the flow passage, wherein the flow diverter is a comb-like baffle having comb teeth that extend into interstitial spaces between the electrode plates, wherein the flow diverter is located at the second side of the housing at a third height location between the first and second height locations, and wherein the interstitial spaces face toward the opposite first and second sides of the housing.