Non-chemical water treatment method and apparatus employing ionized air purification technologies for marine application
AssigneeMarine Environmental Partners, Inc.
InventorsCharles E. Leffler, Dennis E.J. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Contaminated water, particularly, ballast water, blackwater, galley water, accommodation water, laundry water, fresh water and seawater, is disinfected by admixture of a highly reactive gas stream containing ions of oxygen and nitrogen, formed by exposure of air to short-wavelength ultraviolet radiation, and of chlorine, formed in situ by electrolysis of salt in the water. Solids removal can be accomplished by electrophoresis in the same unit employed for electrolysis to release chlorine, or in a separate unit. Heavy metals maybe removed by plating or sacrificing electrodes.
Claims26
A system for the disinfection of water streams encountered in marine applications and contaminated by the presence of microorganisms and biological contaminants, solids, heavy metals and organic/inorganic compounds, comprising:
- means for exposing a stream of air to short-wavelength ultraviolet radiation, whereby ions of oxygen and nitrogen are formed in said stream of air;
- means for electrolysis of at least a part of said salt water stream to be disinfected, whereby chlorine ions are produced in situ in said at least part of said salt water stream;
- means for mixing said stream of air containing ions of oxygen and nitrogen with said at least a part of said salt water stream containing chlorine ions formed in situ, forming a stream of water containing said ions of oxygen, nitrogen, and chlorine and
- means for mixing said stream of water containing said ions of oxygen, nitrogen, and chlorine with said stream of water to be disinfected.
A method for the disinfection of water encountered in marine applications, containing salt and contaminated by the presence of microorganisms and biological contaminants, comprising the steps of:
- exposing a stream of air to short-wavelength ultraviolet radiation, whereby ions of oxygen and nitrogen are formed in said stream of air;
- electrolyzing salt in at least a portion of said stream of water to be disinfected, whereby a stream of water containing chlorine ions is produced;
- mixing said stream of water containing chlorine ions with said stream of air containing ions of oxygen and nitrogen, forming a stream of water containing ions of oxygen, nitrogen and chlorine, and mixing said stream of water containing ions of oxygen, nitrogen and chlorine with said stream of water to be disinfected, whereby said microorganisms and biological contaminants are destroyed.
Apparatus for the disinfection of water encountered in marine applications and contaminated by the presence of microorganisms and biological contaminants, and for removal of destroyed organisms and other solids therefrom, comprising:
- means for exposing a stream of air to short-wavelength ultraviolet radiation, whereby ions of oxygen and nitrogen are formed in said stream of air;
- a vessel having a lower settling zone, and an upper electrolysis zone;
- said vessel having an inlet communicating with said lower settling zone, for admission of said stream of air containing ions of oxygen and nitrogen, and admission of a stream of water to be disinfected, said stream containing at least a minimum content of salt, forming a brine,
- a number of spaced parallel plates of conductive material being disposed in said electrolysis zone of said vessel,
- a source of direct current connected to alternating ones of said plates, such that an electric field exists between alternating pairs of plates, whereby brine in said vessel is electrolyzed, releasing ionized chlorine, whereby said ionized chlorine and said ions of oxygen and nitrogen destroy microorganisms and biological contaminants in said water,
- said destroyed microorganisms and biological contaminants being agglomerated on said plates, together with other solids in said water stream,
- wherein said direct current applied to alternating ones of said plates is reversed in polarity from time to time,
- whereby lighter portions of said destroyed microorganisms and biological contaminants and other solids tend to float upwardly and form a foam on the surface of water in said vessel, and heavier portions of said destroyed microorganisms and biological contaminants and other solids tend to fall downwardly and settle in said settling zone of said vessel.
A method of treating water encountered in marine applications in which NI—OX gases are injected into the water being treated via a venturi, and wherein the water was previously treated with Clorin gas or post treated with Clorin gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.