Ballast water treatment and neutralization
AssigneeEvoqua Water Technologies LLC
InventorVadim Zolotarsky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques and systems for neutralizing discharge waters from ballast and/or cooling water biocidal treatment and disinfection systems are provided. The systems utilize oxidation reduction potential control to regulate the dechlorination of a biocidal agent to allowable discharge levels in ship buoyancy systems and ship cooling water systems.
Claims17
A ballast water management (BWM) system configured to introduce ballast water into a ballast tank through a ballast water line and to discharge ballast water from the ballast tank after a retention time in the ballast tank, the system comprising:
- a biocide source configured to introduce a biocide into the ballast water;
- a neutralization system configured to introduce, during an introduction period, a neutralizing agent, selected to at least partially neutralize the biocidal activity of the biocide, into the discharge ballast water at a neutralization agent introduction site in at least one of
- a LOW mode, at a first dosage rate of neutralizing agent, and
- a HIGH mode, at a second dosage rate of neutralizing agent that is greater than the first dosage rate;
- and
- a controller configured to cause the neutralization system to introduce the neutralizing agent at a dosage level selected based on a mode of operation of the neutralization system, the retention time of the ballast water in the ballast tank, and a source of the ballast water.
A ballast water management (BWM) system fluidly connectable to a ballast tank of a ship, comprising:
- a chlorination system comprising an electrolyzer configured to generate a chlorine-based biocide to be introduced into ballast water;
- a first controller configured to regulate operation of the electrolyzer;
- a dechlorination system fluidly connected downstream from the ballast tank, the dechlorination system comprising a source of neutralizing agent selected to reduce the chlorine-based biocide in ballast water to be discharged from the ship;
- an oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) sensor configured to determine an ORP value of the ballast water to be discharged;
- a second controller configured to regulate addition of the neutralizing agent to the ballast water to be discharged in at least one of a first dechlorination mode, and a second dechlorination mode, to cause the dechloronation system to introduce the neutralizing agent at a dosage level selected based on a mode of operation of the dechloronation system, a retention time of the ballast water in the ballast tank, and a source of the ballast water,
- wherein the second controller regulates addition of the neutralizing agent in the first dechlorination mode if the ORP value of the ballast water to be discharged is less than a target ORP value,
- wherein the second controller regulates addition of the neutralizing agent in the second dechlorination mode if the ORP value of the ballast water to be discharged is greater than or equal to the target ORP value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.