System and method of water treatment

Abstract

The present invention generally offers a system and a method that allows a vessel to treat water while providing corrosion inhibition. A nitrogen source produces nitrogen gas that may be pumped directly to, preferably but optionally, a venturi injector, or may first be pumped into an empty tank and then delivered to the injector means. Water being pumped through the injector via a transfer piping means comes into contact with the nitrogen, and dissolved oxygen in the water transfers to micro-fine nitrogen bubbles generated by the injector. The water and the micro-fine bubbles are pumped from the injector and into the tank, where the micro-fine bubbles float to the surface, and the oxygen is released into the tank's headspace. The deoxygenated water may be re-circulated through the system for additional deoxygenation or released from the tank into the surrounding waterways.

Description

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention[0002] A system and method of water treatment using a venturi injector facilitates the removal of dissolved oxygen from water thereby reducing the population of undesirable aquatic organisms present in the water while inhibiting corrosion. The system and method of water treatment has particular utility for use in connection with a vessel by allowing the vessel to treat ballast water that is being transported from one port area to another, thereby limiting environmentally adverse effects, while inhibiting corrosion.[0003] For instance, before a ship leaves a port empty, or partially loaded, it takes on water into ballast tanks to maintain stability and adjust buoyancy. In virtually every case, this ballast water will contain living organisms which are affected by levels of dissolved oxygen in the water. When the ship reaches its destination and prepares to load its cargo, it discharges this ballast water, thus introducing potentially invasive species t...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Such treatment limits the environmentally hazardous effects that may result when the water is later released into an environment that is ecologically different from that in which the water was originally obtained.

However, the Browning '508 patent does not use nitrogen to deoxygenate the ballast water and consequently fails to disclose any corrosion inhibition properties, and has further drawbacks of using a less efficient vacuum mechanism to remove the dissolved oxygen from the ballast water.

However, the Rodden '778 patent does not provide for corrosion, and fails to use the more efficient venturi-injector facilitated means of to treat the ballast water.

However, the Gill '451 patent does not allow for water treatment without the occurrence of a chemical reaction, and does not provide for any corrosion inhibition properties.

However, neither the '282 nor the '116 patent provides for a more efficient venturi injector-facilitated delivery of nitrogen to deoxygenate the ballast water and have the further disadvantages of failing to provide for corrosion inhibition effects during the removal of dissolved oxygen from the water.

However, the Decker '842 patent, although providing an efficient ozone-based treatment system using a venturi injector, does not disclose the treatment of ballast water on a vessel nor does the '842 patent offer the even greater advantages obtained using nitrogen such as increased efficiency and corrosion inhibition.

However, the Hartwig '052 patent does not disclose the injection of nitrogen gas into the water through venturi injectors in order to deoxygenate the water, and has the additional deficiency of failing to provide for any corrosion inhibition effects during the process described.

However, the Savard '111 patent does not use nitrogen for the deoxygenation of water, preferably but optionally ballast water, further fails to provide for corrosion inhibition.

However, the Nold '983 patent requires cavitation of the liquid and does not use a venturi injector to more efficiently enhance the degassing of the liquid.

While the above-described inventions fulfill their particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a system and method for water treatment which allows a vessel to treat ballast water that is being transported from one port area to another while providing corrosion inhibition.

The aforementioned patents and other water treatment systems and methods currently known in the art make no provisions for the treatment of water using an injector means to facilitate nitrogen gas deoygenation while also providing corrosion inhibition.

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