Biofouling protection to improve volume / velocity flow

Abstract

Disclosed are methods for protecting articles and / or structures exposed, submerged and / or partially submerged in aquatic environments from contamination and / or fouling due to invasion and / or colonization of biological organisms and / or plants of particular types and / or species (e.g., biological organisms and / or plants). Devices, methods and / or systems including protection against microscopic and / or macroscopic fouling over an extended period of time of exposure to an aquatic environment).

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the application patent with application number 2020800757123, filed on November 01, 2020, entitled “BIOFOULING PROTECTION OF ELEVATED VOLUME / VELOCITY FLOWS”.

[0002] Cross Reference to Related Applications

[0003] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 020,826, filed May 6, 2020, entitled BIOFOULING PROTECTION OF ELEVATED VOLUME / VELOCITY FLOWS, Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Patent Application No. PCT / US19 / 59546, filed November 1, 2019, entitled DURABLE BIOFOULING PROTECTION, and Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Patent Application No. PCT / US20 / 22782, filed March 13, 2020, entitled BIOFOULING PROTECTION, and the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] The present invention relates to improved devices, systems, and methods for protecting articles and / or structures exposed to, submerged in, and / or partially submerged in and / or adjacent to an aquatic environment that experiences elevated velocity and / or high volume flows, from fouling and / or contamination due to the intrusion and / or colonization of specific types and / or classes of biological organisms. More particularly, improved methods, apparatus, and / or systems for protecting such structures and / or substrates from microfouling and / or macrofouling over a period of time of exposure to an aquatic environment are disclosed. BACKGROUND

[0005] The structural growth and attachment of various marine organisms in an aquatic environment, known as biofouling, is a significant problem for many industries, including recreational and industrial shipping and maritime, oil and gas, power generation, water treatment plants, water management and control, irrigation industries, manufacturing, scientific research, military (including engineering corps), and fishing. Most surfaces exposed to coastal, harbor, or seawater (as well as the corresponding fresh water), such as those associated with ship hulls, underwater mooring lines, chains and pilings, oil rig platforms, buoys, boom systems, fishing nets, piers, and docks, are eventually colonized by animal species such as barnacles, mussels (as well as oysters and other bivalves), bryozoans, hydrozoans, polychaetes, sea squirts, and / or other tunicates, as well as various plant species. Biofouling arises due to the interaction between various plant and / or animal species and aspects of the substrate to which the plant and / or animal species eventually attach, resulting in the formation of an adhesive that binds the biofouling organism firmly to the substrate, leading to biofouling. Although seemingly simple, the process of biofouling is a highly complex network of interactions influenced by myriad microorganisms, macroorganisms, and changing aquatic environmental characteristics.

[0006] The economic impact of biofouling is critical for many industries. In addition to corrosion caused by biofouling of various surfaces exposed to aquatic environments, another significant economic consequence of biofouling is the formation of biofouling and / or fouling-induced scale on heat exchange surfaces and / or other wetted surfaces in many facilities with water consumption or water movement. For example, large water systems are used in a wide variety of processes, and in their most basic case, these systems rely on the transfer of heat from a hotter fluid or gas to a cooler fluid or gas, where the heat typically travels through a "heat transfer surface," which is often the metal wall of a heat transfer pipe that separates the hot and cold substances. Typically, the fluid will contain water, which in many cases can be saltwater drawn from a bay, sea, and / or ocean, freshwater drawn from a river, lake, or well / aquifer, or wastewater from various sources. Water is a favorable environment for many forms of life, and these fouling organisms will often colonize the wetted surfaces of the heat transfer pipes, which can significantly reduce the heat transfer rate of the system. In many cases, even a thin biofilm formed on the heat transfer surface can significantly insulate the surface, reducing its heat transfer efficiency and greatly increasing the overall operating cost of the system.

[0007] A variety of methods have been used in an attempt to prevent and / or reduce biofouling buildup in various water systems. One common attempt to ameliorate biofouling is the use of pre-water filtration, but the large volume and / or high water flow rates required for raw water intake often limit efforts to filter out fish and / or larger debris from the water flow. In addition to filtration, most water systems, especially water systems, treat the raw water flow with some form of oxidizing biocide or other additive, most commonly bleach, but possibly gaseous chlorine, bleach / sodium bromide, chlorine dioxide, monochloramine, and monobromamine. In addition to the high cost of purchasing and / or operating such systems, such corrosive substances, which can be strong oxidizers in the case of chlorine, can cause harmful effects far beyond their intended use environment (i.e., once released, the corrosive substances can damage organisms in the surrounding aquatic environment), and many of these substances can enhance corrosion and / or degradation of the items or associated system components that are meant to be protected. Another problem in many facilities, particularly in the power generation industry, is that regulations set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) typically allow an average residual of no more than 0.2 ppm of free available chlorine for 2 hours per day as "best available technology." For plants subject to such limitations, less than 9% of the time in any one day is allowed for treatment, leaving opportunity for microorganisms and / or other fouling elements to settle, colonize, and form protective biofilm layers. Similar limitations and / or safety concerns exist for many other toxins and / or chemicals that can be added to such water in an attempt to limit fouling within the water system.

[0008] In many cases, industries will simply accept that biofouling and / or scale formation will occur within their water supply systems, and these industries will expect to bypass and / or remove affected systems / subsystems from service on a periodic basis for cleaning, repair, and / or otherwise addressing the effects of biofouling and / or scale formation. For example, water flow in a given supply system can be stopped and / or reversed with toxic and / or corrosive agents injected into the system to ideally kill and / or remove some of the fouling organisms and / or other obstructions. In various cases, cleaning and / or replacement of various components, such as valves, sensors, heat exchanger tubes, and / or other components, can be accomplished. Obviously, such activities can be quite costly, labor intensive, time consuming, and / or result in damage to the fouled surfaces, and such actions can also require the business to purchase additional system resources (i.e., excess capacity) to accommodate system / subsystem downtime during such evolutions.

[0009] Accordingly, there is a need for improved devices, systems, and methods to eliminate or reduce the amount of biofouling on surfaces exposed to aquatic environments. SUMMARY

[0010] The various applications disclosed herein include the implementation of improved methods, devices, and / or systems to protect structures and / or substrates from microscopic and / or macroscopic fouling when exposed to an aquatic environment for extended periods of time, including where it can be impractical, impossible, and / or inconvenient to completely isolate the exposed substrate or other structure from the presence of fouling organisms and / or other influences within the aqueous environment. This can include water flow-through and closed loop situations where ambient water in the aqueous environment is cycled, consumed, and / or utilized (i.e., for water and / or for fresh water distillation), and / or where sensors or other devices record and / or sample the surrounding aqueous environment.

[0011] The various applications disclosed herein further include the recognition that a completely sealed environment and / or aqueous fluid "loop" that completely isolates a substrate from the surrounding aqueous environment can not be sufficient to protect the substrate from various negative influences of the aqueous environment, as the "protected" substrate can suffer from corrosion or other influences that originate from anoxic, acidic, and / or other conditions (and / or other conditions associated with such environments, such as microbiologically induced corrosion effects) that can develop within the completely sealed enclosure and / or in the vicinity of the substrate. Accordingly, optimal protection of the substrate can be provided by an enclosure or similar device that "pre-treats" or "treats" the incoming and / or recirculating water within the aqueous environment at a location somewhat "upstream" from the substrate to be protected.

[0012] In various embodiments, an anti-biofouling enclosure, filtration medium, dosing device, pretreatment device, mixing device, and / or the like is described that can be located upstream and / or in the vicinity of a substrate or other object to enclose, protect, filter, separate, isolate, insulate, shield, and / or shield the substrate from one or more characteristics or properties of the surrounding aqueous environment, including various embodiments described in pending Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) patent application number PCT / US20 / 22782 entitled “Biofouling Protection” filed March 13, 2020 and pending Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) patent application number PCT / US19 / 59546 entitled “Durable Biofouling Protection” filed November 1, 2019, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. More particularly, various embodiments of the enclosure, filtration medium, dosing device, pretreatment, and / or mixing device will desirably interact with water and / or other aqueous fluids passing through and / or in the vicinity of the device, desirably to alter the water in various ways, optionally including filtering and / or screening some fouling organisms from the fluid stream, while potentially altering the water chemistry and / or optionally applying various amounts of biocides and / or other substances directly to any fouling organisms that can pass through and / or be in the vicinity of the device. In various embodiments, the activity of the device can protect downstream substrates from direct biofouling by certain kinds of microagents and / or macromolecular agents, and in at least some cases, promote the formation of a relatively durable “artificial” surface biofilm, coating, or layer on one or more substrates that can potentially inhibit, hinder, avoid, and / or prevent the subsequent settlement, recruitment, and / or colonization of an unwanted type of biofouling organism on the substrate surface for an extended period of time, even in the absence of the device.

[0013] In various embodiments, the disclosed enclosure systems can desirably alter environmental conditions within the "protected" aqueous environment to inhibit and / or prevent settlement and / or colonization of various biofouling organisms on various substrate surfaces within the aqueous environment. In some embodiments, the enclosure systems can include features that alter the type, number and / or "mix" of various biofilm-producing organisms within the protected environment to reduce the thickness, rate and / or extent of biofilm formation, and potentially alter the biofilm formed thereby (e.g., reduce the rate of thin film formation and / or form a biofilm with minimal thermal insulation), including altering the substrate biofilm composition, thickness and structural integrity. Exemplary embodiments can include altering the aqueous environment to inhibit and / or prevent settlement of larvae and / or small organisms on substrate surfaces and / or reduce or delay such settlement. In various alternative embodiments, the features of the disclosed enclosures can control and / or alter the volume of water flow and / or the residence time of water within certain areas of the protected aqueous environment, can include components that act as flow restrictors and / or flow directors, can include fibrous matrix media that induce mixing and / or laminar / non-laminar flow of the fluid within the aqueous environment, including within the fibrous media itself and / or within or between individual pores of the fibrous media (including turbulent, laminar and / or various combinations thereof), can optionally include one or more biocidal agent or other chemical / material dosing devices and / or components that provide a controlled biocidal agent release profile, including water-soluble or degradable resins that encapsulate the biocidal agent to be released as water flows through the dosing device. In some embodiments, fibrous media can be used that can filter and / or shield the protected aquatic environment from larger organisms, and potentially prevent organisms from clogging or "plugging" various components of the enclosure system, including the fibrous matrix media itself.

[0014] In various embodiments of the enclosure, filtration, dosing and / or mixing devices, the system components will desirably incorporate openings, voids and / or fenestrations that allow a certain amount of water or other aqueous fluid from the external aqueous environment to enter the water system, and in some embodiments, the system can alter the water chemistry and / or turbidity of the liquid passing through the device and / or residing within the water system, potentially resulting in different levels of clay, silt, finely divided inorganic and organic matter, algae, soluble colored organic compounds, chemicals and compounds, plankton and / or other microorganisms suspended in the liquid within the aqueous fluid system, as compared to those of the open aqueous environment from which those fluids can have originated (i.e., prior to passing through the device), which can in various ways result in different levels of fouling and / or corrosion (and / or lack of fouling and / or corrosion) of different substrates contained within the system.

[0015] In various embodiments, the devices described herein are used to create at least partially "filtered," "treated," "metered," and / or "differentialized" aqueous environments within water supply systems, where various water system components include housings, boundary walls, valves, heat exchangers, sensors, and / or other devices that are included within the system and in contact with an aqueous medium, which can be considered a "substrate" and / or potentially protected surface. Desirably, the devices described herein have the potential to cause various surfaces and / or system components to become unfavorable for the settlement and / or recruitment of various types of biofouling aquatic organisms (which can include surfaces that produce "negative" settlement cues and surfaces that can lack and / or exhibit reduced levels of "positive" settlement cues for one or more types of biofouling organisms). The devices and / or other configurations described in various embodiments herein can also desirably filter, reduce, and / or prevent the ingress of many biofouling facilitating marine organisms into a water system and / or inhibit these organisms from contacting and / or colonizing the submerged and / or partially submerged surfaces of a given substrate.

[0016] In various embodiments, the anti-fouling devices can include permeable, formable matrix and / or structural materials that, in at least one exemplary embodiment, can comprise a woven polyester structure made from spun polyester yarns. In at least one further embodiment, the use of spun polyester yarns can desirably increase the effective surface area and / or fibrillate the structural material on a microscopic and / or microscale, which can desirably (1) result in a significant reduction in the "effective" or average size of the natural and / or artificial openings that extend through the structure, (2) reduce the amount and / or width of "free space" within the openings through and / or within the structure, potentially reducing the separation distance between microorganisms (within the influent / outflow liquid) and the surface of the structure, and / or (3) alter and / or induce water quality changes downstream of the device in various ways. The reduced average opening size of the structure will desirably increase the "filtration" of the liquid to reduce and / or prevent the free passage of various biological organisms and / or other materials through the structure, and generally increase the "residence time" of a portion of the organisms that can ultimately pass through the structure within the structure, as well as significantly reduce the overall volume of water within a given localized area and / or set of pores or other openings within the structure. These factors will desirably result in a significant reduction or metering of the size and / or viability of microorganisms and macroorganisms (as well as various organic and / or inorganic fouling and / or other compounds) that pass into and out of the structure wall. In addition, these aspects will also desirably reduce the amount, extent, and / or rate of biofouling or other degradation that can occur on and / or within the openings of the fiber matrix material itself, desirably maintaining the flexibility, permeability, and / or other properties of the housing structure over an extended period of time.

[0017] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the structural wall of the enclosure can be fenestrated and / or perforated to a sufficient degree to allow a quantity of liquid and / or other substances to pass through and / or "filter" the wall of the media in a relatively controlled and / or metered manner (i.e., from an external or "open" aqueous environment to a water system located "downstream" of the enclosure), which can include creating a "differentiated" aqueous environment located downstream of the enclosure but "upstream" of the water system to be protected. The movement of liquid and / or other compositions from the open environment to the differentiated aqueous environment, and subsequently the movement of water from the differentiated aqueous environment to and / or through the inlet of the water system, can desirably (in combination with various natural and / or artificial processes) induce, promote, and / or create a relatively "different" or dynamic "artificial" environment within the "differentiated" aqueous environment, particularly with dynamic characteristics that differ in many respects from those of the surrounding aqueous environment, which desirably makes the different environment "unideal" for many biofouling organisms, thereby reducing and / or eliminating biofouling from occurring within and / or immediately downstream of the enclosure. Additionally, the presence of a large number of small perforations in the wall of the enclosure can desirably provide varying degrees of filtration for the intake and / or exchange liquid, which can reduce the number and / or viability of organisms that enter the differentiated aqueous environment via the wall pores, and negatively impact organisms that can be in close proximity to the interior and / or exterior of the enclosure that are proximate to the media wall.

[0018] In various embodiments, the presence of the enclosure and any optional openings and / or perforations therethrough can create a "closed" or "partially closed" aqueous environment downstream of the enclosure that can be less conducive to microfouling and / or macrofouling of substrates therein as compared to the surrounding aqueous environment, which can include the presence and / or presence of a lower level of biofilm settlement cues within the "differential" aqueous environment than the surrounding aqueous environment. Ideally, the enclosure and / or other components of the system can create "differences" in the composition and distribution of various environmental factors and / or compounds within the "differential" aqueous environment and / or water system that inhibit and / or prevent substantial biofouling from occurring (1) on the surface of any protected substrates, (2) on the interior wall surface of the enclosure, (3) within the interstices of openings and / or perforations in the wall of the enclosure, and / or (4) on the exterior wall surface of the enclosure as compared to similar factors and / or compounds within the surrounding open aqueous environment. In some embodiments, the enclosure and / or other system components can create a gradient of settlement cues within the "differential" aqueous environment that induces and / or encourages some and / or all microfouling organisms and / or macrofouling organisms to locate slightly away from any protected substrates, while in other embodiments, the enclosure and / or other system components can create a microenvironment near one or more protected substrates that is less conducive to biofouling and / or other degradation of the substrates. In other embodiments, the enclosure and / or other system components can be positioned near a substrate assembly and / or directly upstream of a substrate assembly, such as directly adjacent to the inlet of a heat exchanger and / or heat exchange conduit within a water system, and still provide the various protections described herein.

[0019] In various embodiments, the enclosure can include a plurality of fibrous matrix media that structurally have smaller openings, perforations, and / or holes, as well as one or more larger openings, such as open bottoms and / or tops (or portions thereof), as well as various openings on the water inlet side. In various embodiments, a "large" opening can be defined as an opening in the enclosure that comprises at least 10% or more of the surface area of the outer surface area of the enclosure wall of the system, while in other embodiments, a large opening can comprise an area that is 2% or more, 5% or more, 15% or more, 20% or more, 25% or more, 30% or more, 35% or more, and / or 40% or more than the surface area of the outer surface area of the enclosure wall. In various other embodiments, a plurality of relatively smaller openings (i.e., 0.25% to 2% of the surface area of the outer surface area of the enclosure wall) can be functionally and / or structurally equivalent to one or more of the larger openings described herein to some extent.

[0020] In various disclosed embodiments, the unique protected environment within the downstream aquatic environment of the disclosed system can induce a unique number and / or diversity of bacteria and / or other microorganisms within the protected aquatic system, which can induce or promote the formation of one or more biofilms in the aquatic system, wherein such biofilms may be "less firmly attached" to the substrate than biofilms typically encountered in unprotected environments. Such biofilms can facilitate the removal and / or "scraping away" of scaling organisms from the substrate and / or from the intermediate biofilm layer. In this case, the microbial community and / or microfauna may comprise different phyla (i.e., different bacteria and / or cyanobacteria and / or diatoms) than those located in natural or untreated aquatic environments. In some embodiments, the resulting biofilm may be thinner or contain compromised structural integrity. In some alternative embodiments, water movement under pumping conditions, based on water volume and / or velocity, may only allow the formation of more robust biofilms than in more static or quiescent environments, wherein these robust biofilms may optionally not contain particularly induced strain and / or may lack sufficient physical support structure and thickness compared to more induced, naturally occurring biofilms.

[0021] In some embodiments of the invention, some or all of the biofouling protection and / or effectiveness of the protected substrate described herein can ideally be provided by the housing and its permeable, formable matrix, fibrous matrix, and / or structural wall material without the use of various supplemental anti-biofouling agents. In other embodiments, the housing may comprise a permeable, formable fibrous matrix and / or structural wall material that infiltrates one or more biocides and / or antifouling agents into portions of the wall structure and / or its coating. In some embodiments, the biocides and / or antifouling agents can provide biofouling protection for the walls and / or components of the system itself (where the housing provides a degree of biofouling protection for the downstream substrate). In other embodiments, the biocides and / or antifouling agents can also provide a degree of biofouling protection for the substrate itself. In still other embodiments, the biocides and / or antifouling agents can provide biofouling protection for both the housing and the substrate and / or various combinations thereof.

[0022] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the enclosure can comprise a plurality of replaceable modular components formed from a permeable, formable matrix of polyester material made from ring-drafted polyester yarns that can be coated on at least one side (such as the exterior-facing surface of the enclosure) with a biocidal compound or coating or paint containing a biocide, wherein at least some of the biocidal compound penetrates into at least a portion of the body of the material. In at least one further embodiment, the use of ring-drafted polyester yarns can desirably increase the effective surface area and / or fibrillation of the structural material on a microscopic and / or microscale, which can desirably (1) result in a significant reduction in the average size of the natural openings extending through the structure and / or (2) reduce the amount and / or width of "free space" within the openings through and / or within the structure, potentially reducing the separation distance between microorganisms (within the influent / outflow liquid) and the biocide coating residing on the structure. In such embodiments, the reduced average opening size of the structure will desirably increase the "filtration" of liquid to reduce and / or prevent the ingress of various biological organisms and / or other materials into the enclosed or restricted environment, while the reduced "free space" within the openings will desirably increase or amplify the effect of the biocide on organisms passing through the enclosure (including increasing the likelihood of direct contact between the biocide and the various organisms), as they are in close proximity to the biocide coating. These factors will desirably result in a significant reduction in the size and / or viability of microorganisms and macroorganisms (as well as various organic and / or inorganic fouling) that enter the enclosure. Furthermore, the presence of the biocide coating and / or paint and / or additive on and / or in the enclosure structure will desirably significantly reduce the amount, degree, and / or rate of biological fouling or other degradation that can occur on and / or within the openings in the enclosure material itself, desirably maintaining the flexibility, permeability, and / or other properties of the enclosure structure over an extended period of time.

[0023] In some embodiments and / or some aqueous environments, the presence of an optional biocide coating on at least the outer surface of the flexible material will desirably reduce the thickness, density, weight, and / or extent of biofouling and / or other degradation experienced on and / or within the openings in the housing itself, which will best extend the useful life of the housing in its desired location upstream of the substrate. In many cases, biofouling of various components of the housing can significantly increase the weight and / or stiffness of the components, which can damage the housing, the housing and / or structures attached to the housing (which can include portions of the substrate itself), as well as adversely affect the buoyancy of the housing and / or any objects attached thereto. Additionally, biofouling of the housing components can reduce the flexibility and / or ductility of the various structural components, which can cause and / or contribute to premature tearing and / or failure of the structure and / or associated attachment mechanisms. Furthermore, biofouling formation on / in the housing can "clog" or reduce the size of openings through and / or within the housing structure and / or close off the openings, which can alter the permeability and / or inhibit the ability of water to freely flow through the housing in an undesirable manner.

[0024] In at least one embodiment, the antifouling housing can include a plurality of replaceable modules, which can include modular filtration and / or dosing elements of the same or different sizes, shapes, thicknesses, and / or biocide (or other material) coatings, including filter modules coated with biocide in some locations of the system and uncoated filter modules in other locations of the system. Similarly, some modules can contain a biocide coating that initially elutes and / or otherwise dispenses for a limited time after the start of fluid flow, where the time period is sufficient to allow the water system and / or upstream reservoir portion to develop a different environment, where the different environment can produce various inhibitory substances to provide subsequent biofouling protection of the substrate after the initial biocide elution has decreased to a lower and / or ineffective level and / or has ceased elution or dispensing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0025] The foregoing and other objects, aspects, features, and advantages of the embodiments will become more apparent and can be better understood with regard to the following description, the claims, and the appended drawings, of which:

[0026] Figure 1A depicts one exemplary embodiment of an antifouling system including an antifouling housing and / or structure;

[0027] Figure 1B depicts a perspective view of a waterway in an antifouling system of Figure 1A

[0028] Figure 2A depicts a series of exemplary waterways and associated components;

[0029] ​Figure 2B a side perspective view of one exemplary waterway; Figure 2A

[0030] Figure 3 a perspective view of an exemplary module or structure for use with the various antifouling systems disclosed herein;

[0031] Figure 4A and 4B a component of an exemplary antifouling system incorporating a deployable antifouling sheet or similar assembly;

[0032] Figure 5 another exemplary embodiment of an antifouling system utilizing seawater and / or freshwater as a source of cooling fluid or other water source;

[0033] Figure 6A and 6B another exemplary embodiment of a system for reducing biofouling and promoting seawater, freshwater, brackish water, or some other aqueous liquid for various industrial purposes;

[0034] Figure 7A a perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of a natural or artificial reservoir or pond used as a source of water for a once-through cooling or recirculating cooling system.

[0035] Figure 7B one exemplary embodiment of a biofouling protection system incorporating various arrangements of housing walls and / or other components for use with the reservoir of Figure 7A ;

[0036] Figure 7C another exemplary embodiment of a biofouling protection system incorporating various arrangements of housing walls and / or other components for use with the reservoir of Figure 7A ;

[0037] Figure 7D another alternative embodiment of a biofouling protection system incorporating various arrangements of housing walls and / or other components for use with the reservoir of Figure 7A ;

[0038] Figure 8 a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a system for protecting a water supply system from various biofouling incorporating a wall structure having multiple layers;

[0039] Figure 9 ​An exemplary embodiment of a biofouling inhibition system is depicted, including a supplemental pumping system for adding and / or removing aqueous liquids and / or other materials or substances to and / or from a reservoir;

[0040] Figure 10A A scanning electron microscope micrograph of an exemplary spun yarn in a woven media is depicted;

[0041] Figure 10B A cross-sectional view of a center body of a yarn of Figure 10A is depicted;

[0042] Figure 10C A magnified view of a knit fabric including a PET spun yarn is depicted;

[0043] Figure 11A An exemplary rolled sheet fabric for use in various anti-fouling enclosure designs is depicted;

[0044] Figure 11B An exemplary embodiment of a rolled sheet fabric incorporating an adhesive, hook and loop fastener material is depicted;

[0045] Figure 12 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a permeable structure having various aperture openings and channels extending from the front face to the back face of the structure, wherein a biocide coating at least partially permeates the fabric and its apertures is depicted;

[0046] Figure 13A Another exemplary embodiment of an uncoated polyester woven fabric is depicted;

[0047] Figure 13B An embodiment of 13A coated with a biocide coating is depicted;

[0048] Figure 14A A natural uncoated hessian fabric is depicted;

[0049] Figure 14B and 14C A fabric of Figure 14A coated with a solvent-based biocide coating and a water-based biocide coating is depicted;

[0050] Figure 15A An uncoated polyester fabric is depicted;

[0051] Figure 15B A fabric of Figure 15A coated with a biocide coating is depicted;

[0052] Figure 15C An uncoated spun polyester fabric

[0053] Figure 15DFabric coated with biocidal coating Figure 15C

[0054] Figure 15E Uncoated spun polyester fabric

[0055] Figure 15F Uncoated side of spun polyester fabric after coating Figure 15E

[0056] Figure 16 Depiction of the configuration of a series of experimental raceways to determine the antifouling effectiveness of various system embodiments in directing different amounts of filtered, pretreated, and / or dosed environmental water

[0057] Figures 17A-17D Depiction of the fouling effect on various substrates after seven days of immersion in the experimental raceway of Figure 16

[0058] Figure 18 Depiction of the top view of the raceway fouling after seven days of immersion in the experimental raceway of Figure 16

[0059] Figure 19 is a top view schematic of the pump and piping configuration of another experimental raceway

[0060] Figure 20A Depiction of the top view of the raceway fouling after thirty days of immersion in the experimental raceway of Figure 19

[0061] Figure 20B shows a perspective view of some additional experimental raceways of Figure 19 including a view of the raceway fouling buildup on various overflow raceways

[0062] Figures 21A-21D Depiction of the view of the biological fouling buildup on the control, protected (i.e., treated water), standard, and large raceways of Figure 19

[0063] Figure 22A is a tabular view of the dimensions and water flow characteristics of the raceways of Figure 19 during the initial operations in early March

[0064] Figures 22B-22D is a tabular view of the chemical characteristics of the environmental water and the raceways of Figure 19 at different sampling time periods

[0065] Figure 22E and 22G are tabular views of the various types and amounts of biological fouling on the substrates within the raceways of Figure 19 after 30 days of immersion

[0066] ​​​​​​Figure 22F and 22H is a table view of the various types and amounts of biofouling on the substrates within the waterways after two months of soaking; Figure 19

[0067] Figure 23 depicts another exemplary embodiment of a protective pumping system for adding or removing aqueous liquids and / or other materials or substances to or from a reservoir or tank;

[0068] Figures 24A-24D depicts different fouling build-up on different substrates after 2 months of soaking;

[0069] Figures 25A-25D depicts biofouling on unprotected control pumps and various associated components, standard pumps and waterways, rapid pumps and waterways, and large pumps and waterways after 2 months of soaking;

[0070] Figure 26A and 26B depicts a table view of various sizes and performance characteristics of waterways in an exemplary test setup;

[0071] Figure 27 depicts one exemplary embodiment of a folded or pleated complex fabric structure, such as a corrugated and / or accordion fabric surface, which can significantly increase surface area and / or potentially change the filtration capabilities of the antifouling enclosure.

[0072] Figure 28 depicts an alternative antifouling unit comprising multiple fiber structure modules parallel to the fluid flow, which allows for the use of multiple modules for a single water flow;

[0073] Figure 29 depicts a top view schematic of another enclosure test, which examines water pre-treatment using multiple layer enclosures (including one layer enclosures, two layer enclosures, and three layer enclosures); and

[0074] Figure 30 depicts another experimental test, in which metal chains with various protective enclosure arrangements are hung from a dock and / or barge at Cape Marina.

[0075] Figure 31 depicts the percentage reduction in heat transfer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0076] ​The disclosures of the various embodiments described herein provide sufficient specificity to satisfy the statutory requirements, but these descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter can be embodied in a multitude of other ways, can include different steps or elements and can be used in conjunction with other technologies existing or developed. The descriptions provided herein are not to be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement of steps or elements other than as explicitly described.

[0077] Disclosed herein are a variety of systems and / or devices that are easy to assemble and / or use, which can be used in the vicinity, around, inside, on top of, and / or underneath substrates or other objects located (or placed) in an aqueous environment or an aqueous holding tank susceptible to biofouling. In various embodiments, systems, devices, and methods are disclosed that can protect submerged and / or partially submerged substrates or other objects (or portions thereof) from aqueous biofouling, including rendering and potentially maintaining the substrates biofouling resistant for some extended period of time after various system components can be depleted and / or removed.

[0078] In various embodiments, the disclosed systems can utilize structural or housing components formed from relatively inexpensive and readily available materials, such as polyester, nylon, or rayon structures and / or natural materials, such as cotton, linen, or hessian structures (or various combinations thereof). The structures can be naturally degradable or engineered to degrade over time, particularly within or prior to the useful life of the structures. In some embodiments, at least one active ingredient and / or biocide can be added to the surface of the structures or incorporated into the structures or housings. In non-limiting examples, the biocide can be incorporated into the polymer blend, fibers, filaments, yarns, and / or bundles of yarns of the structures using any method generally known to those skilled in the art. In various embodiments, the modular components of the systems can be removable and / or replaceable to allow the systems to be used indefinitely as biofouling inhibitors, which in some embodiments can include the replaceability of some system components during normal operation of the systems.

[0079] In various embodiments disclosed herein, the terms "differential aqueous environment," "local aqueous environment," and / or protected or treated environment are intended to broadly encompass some and / or all of the incoming water that can have been passed through the anti-fouling enclosure and / or that can have been or will be altered due to the influence and / or presence of the anti-fouling system, which can include one or more of (and / or any combination of) the following: 1) any water that has passed through the enclosure or other components of the system, 2) any water within any holes or spaces between the interior and exterior surfaces of the enclosure (i.e., "entrained" within the fibrous matrix), and / or 3) any water in close proximity to the exterior surface of the enclosure. In various embodiments, "liquid water" can refer to saltwater or seawater, freshwater, and brackish water.

[0080] While in some embodiments, the entire volume of incoming water can pass through the anti-fouling system, in some alternative applications, only a portion of the volume of incoming water can pass through the anti-fouling system. In various embodiments, the "treated" or "differential" aqueous environment will desirably be positioned "downstream" of the anti-fouling system, such as within the interior piping of a water supply system and / or within the walls of a water storage tank, where the interior walls of the water tank can constitute the "substrate" to be protected, and some or all of the water is pumped from an external environment source (such as a stream, lake, well, harbor, or reservoir) that constitutes the "open aqueous environment" of the substrate being sought to be protected.

[0081] In various embodiments, the anti-fouling system as described herein can be utilized to provide biological fouling protection to a protected substrate on a regular basis, which can include interrupting the biological fouling protection when there is a need for increased, decreased flow of water proximate to the protected substrate and / or some other water flow alteration (including cross-flow and / or reverse flow or "backwashing" of fluid through components or elements of the anti-fouling system), biological fouling protection can be resumed for a period of time after the flow of water proximate to the protected substrate has returned to a "normal" or desired level (which can be the same as or different from the flow level prior to the alteration). Such a scenario can include a demand for a large volume of cooling water and / or other water that exceeds the capacity of the system, which can reduce and / or eliminate some or all of the biological fouling protection provided by the system during the period of increased flow, but once the flow rate is reduced below a predetermined design threshold, this can provide for the resumption of biological fouling protection.

[0082] In at least one exemplary embodiment, a fouling prevention system design can be provided that has particular use as an anti-biofouling system for systems that use seawater and / or freshwater as a water source. In this embodiment, a floating or partially / fully submerged enclosure or "reservoir" in an aqueous environment can be provided that contains a greater amount of aqueous fluid than can be immediately needed by the system on a normal use basis. The disclosed system can be located at the water inlet of the reservoir to desirably draw water through the enclosure into the reservoir. During the time it takes for most of the water molecules and / or droplets to travel through the water column within the reservoir, natural and / or artificial processes within the water column can desirably alter the water chemistry of the water within the reservoir (e.g., reduce the dissolved oxygen level in the water) such that at least one water chemistry factor has been increased and / or depleted before traveling to the inlet of the water system.

[0083] In at least one exemplary embodiment, a method for determining the appropriate design, size, shape, and / or other characteristics of a system can be used to determine a recommended minimum enclosed or defined volume and / or water exchange rate to desirably reduce and / or eliminate biofouling downstream of the system. In some embodiments, as in a membrane filter configuration, where the system can be used to provide a water source and / or other source water for a manufacturing plant (i.e., a power plant, a desalination plant, a refinery, and / or other manufacturing facility), the disclosed method can potentially be used to reduce and / or eliminate biofouling within the water and / or other piping of the plant, and in some embodiments, without the need for additional filtration and / or microfiltration of the water. In various embodiments, the enclosure or similar system can include a plurality of modular panels, where one or more panels can be replaced when needed. In some embodiments, the panels can be replaced while the system is in normal operation.

[0084] In various embodiments, the design and use of the system can potentially facilitate, induce, and / or promote the formation of layers, biofilms, and / or deposits on the substrate and / or system walls under certain conditions, thereby reducing, repelling, inhibiting, and / or preventing microorganisms and / or macroorganisms from subsequently attempting to colonize, recruit, and / or foul some or all of the protected substrate (i.e., to provide the substrate with some degree of "biofouling inoculation"). For example, various embodiments of the systems disclosed herein can result in the generation of a unique aqueous environment within the water system, thereby resulting in the production of a unique mixture of microorganisms and / or microbiota within the environment, including within one or more water layers proximate to the substrate surface. In many embodiments, the unique mixture and / or distribution of microorganisms / microbiota within the water system can induce and / or influence the formation of a microbial biofilm or other layer on the substrate, which in combination with various surface bacteria can release compounds that affect the settlement, recruitment, and / or colonization of fouling organisms on the substrate. In various embodiments, once a unique microbial biofilm layer is established, the layer can remain persistent and / or can maintain its characteristics and / or self-replenish, which can continue to protect the substrate from certain types and / or amounts of biofouling for a long period of time without the system (i.e., where system components can be temporarily and / or permanently removed and / or damaged). In various embodiments, the biofilm can contain different compositions and can have different structural integrity, thickness, etc. based on, among other things, local environmental conditions (including temperature, salinity, chemical composition, season of the year, type of protected substrate, and / or type of biofouling organisms to be protected).

[0085] In various embodiments, the chemicals and / or compounds that affect the settlement, recruitment, and / or colonization of fouling organisms on the substrate can include toxins and / or biocides, as well as chemicals and / or compounds that discourage such settlement, recruitment, and / or colonization, as well as chemicals and / or compounds that can lack positive settlement, recruitment, and / or colonization cues, as well as chemicals and / or compounds that can produce lower levels of positive settlement, recruitment, and / or colonization cues as compared to those produced on surfaces within the surrounding aqueous environment and / or as compared to chemicals and / or compounds that produce positive settlement, recruitment, and / or colonization cues of beneficial organisms (e.g., organisms that can not typically be considered important biofouling organisms). In some embodiments, the lack of certain "welcome cues" on the protected substrate and / or associated biofilm can provide the substrate with extended fouling protection. In various embodiments, "welcome cues" can encompass nutrients and / or chemicals that microscopic and / or macroflora need, desire, and / or promote settlement, recruitment, colonization, growth, and / or reproduction on a given surface, and such "deterrent cues" can include waste metabolites and / or other chemicals that can inhibit, discourage, and / or prevent microscopic and / or macroflora from settling, recruiting, colonizing, growing, and / or reproducing on a given surface.

[0086] Because of the complex biofilms formed by single-celled microorganisms (such as bacteria, diatoms, and protozoa), one can generally distinguish between "microfouling" (often referred to as "slime"); "soft macrofouling" including macroscopically visible algae (seaweeds) and invertebrates such as soft corals, sponges, sea anemones, tunicates, and hydroids; and "hard macrofouling" from shelled invertebrates such as barnacles, mussels, and tube worms. In addition, a given biocide or biocide dosage level can generally have different efficacy against juvenile and adult members of the same species, as well as different efficacy based on a number of water chemical factors including pH, dissolved oxygen levels, water temperature, and / or a number of other factors.

[0087] In various embodiments, the inhibition of fouling can be expressed by the total coverage of the fouling organisms reduced on the substrate and / or the surface / interstitial space of the one or more enclosures compared to the total fouling coverage of a substantially similar substrate submerged and / or partially submerged in a substantially similar aquatic environment (without a protective enclosure). This reduction in fouling can be a 10% or more reduction in fouling, a 15% or more reduction in fouling, a 25% or more reduction in fouling, a 30% or more reduction in fouling, a 40% or more reduction in fouling, a 50% or more reduction in fouling, a 60% or more reduction in fouling, a 70% or more reduction in fouling, an 80% or more reduction in fouling, a 90% or more reduction in fouling, a 95% or more reduction in fouling, a 98% or more reduction in fouling, a 99% or more reduction in fouling, a 99.9% or more reduction in fouling, and / or a 99.99% or more reduction in fouling. Alternatively, the inhibition of fouling on the one or more protected articles can be expressed as a percentage of the amount and / or mass (i.e., by volume and / or weight) of the fouling coverage formed on an equivalent unprotected substrate. For example, a protected article can form less than 10% of the fouling coverage of an unprotected substrate (such as where the protected substrate forms a fouling coverage having a thickness of less than 0.1" and the unprotected equivalent substrate forms a fouling coverage having a thickness of 1" or more), which would reflect a more than ten-fold reduction in the level of fouling on the protected substrate and / or enclosure wall compared to the level of fouling on the unprotected substrate. In other embodiments, a protected article can form less than 1% of the fouling, or the level of fouling on the protected substrate and / or enclosure wall is reduced by more than one hundred-fold. In still other embodiments, a protected article can form less than 0.1% of the fouling, or the level of fouling on the protected substrate and / or enclosure wall of the protected article is reduced by more than one thousand-fold. In yet other embodiments of the present application, the protected substrate and / or wall of a system component can have no appreciable fouling in any affected area of the substrate and / or enclosure wall, which can represent a 0.01% (or more) or even 0% reduction in the level of fouling on the protected substrate and / or enclosure wall compared to the unprotected substrate (i.e., a greater than ten-thousand-fold or more reduction in the level of fouling on the protected substrate and / or enclosure wall). ASTM D6990 and the Navy Ship Technical Manual (NSTM) are known reference standards and methods for measuring the percentage coverage of fouling and the amount of fouling thickness on a substrate.

[0088] In various other embodiments, scaling inhibition can be represented by a reduction in the total increase in scaling coverage of substantially similar substrates (i.e., without protective shells) immersed and / or partially immersed in substantially similar aquatic environments, compared to the total increase in scaling coverage. This can be measured by visual inspection, physical measurement, and / or based on the increase in weight and / or volume of individual components and / or combinations of substrates and shells upon removal from the aqueous medium (i.e., the increase in weight due to the weight of scaling organisms attached thereto). This reduction in scaling can be 10% or more, 15% or more, 25% or more, 30% or more, 40% or more, 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 98% or more, 99% or more, 99.9% or more, and / or 99.99% or more. In various embodiments, exemplary weight increases can be determined under wet and / or dry conditions (or other humidity levels), which can significantly affect the degree of total weight change for a given system design, especially when analyzing and comparing soft scaling organisms and / or biofilms and their effects.

[0089] Protection system and structural housing

[0090] In various embodiments, the disclosed systems and / or system components will ideally alter the natural activity of biofouling organisms on the “protected” wetted surfaces within the water inlet and distribution system, thereby reducing, eliminating, and / or altering the natural biofouling on the wetted surfaces within the system. Figure 1 depicts an exemplary antifouling system 10, which may include a housing and / or structure 20 (in this embodiment, a three-dimensional “cube” with an outer wall of the housing), a pump 30 with fluid conduits 35, and a waterway 40 containing a substrate 50. In this embodiment, an aqueous fluid, such as water, is drawn into the cube from the external environment through the housing wall. The treated water flows through the fluid conduits 35 and the pump 30, and then into the waterway 40 containing the substrate 50 to be protected. Ideally, a constant flow of water enters the waterway 40, and excess water flows out of the waterway 40 via a one-way valve 60.

[0091] Figure 1B Depicting Figure 1A A perspective view of the water channel 40, in this embodiment, the water channel will ideally substantially surround the substrate (not shown), which prevents ambient water from contacting the substrate in an undesirable manner. Figure 2A A series of waterways and related components are depicted, and Figure 2B A side perspective view of an exemplary waterway is depicted.

[0092] Figure 3A perspective view of an exemplary module or structure 300 is depicted, which can be used with various systems disclosed herein. Module 300 can include a structural housing and / or structure 310, which can be secured at the outer edges by a support structure 320, which in this embodiment can include a flexible and / or rigid outer frame of support beams. Additionally, this embodiment desirably can include a reinforcing material 330, such as a porous metal or wire mesh or polymer or fabric, which can be positioned on the downstream face of media 310 (if desired, the material can be secured to the frame and / or within the frame), which can reinforce and / or otherwise support media 310 against the flow forces of fluid passing therethrough. If desired, module 300 can be sized and configured to fit within a receiver of a fouling control unit, such as a fluid pipe and / or a submerged fouling control unit, wherein the unit optionally includes a plurality of modules or structures (not shown) therein. In some embodiments, a fouling control unit can include a plurality of fibrous structure modules in series and / or in parallel with a fluid stream, including if desired multiple modules for a single water stream (see Figure 28 ).

[0093] Figure 4A and 4B A component of a fouling control system is depicted, which includes a plurality of deployable "roll" sheets 400, each roll sheet including a storage roll 410 and a deployable flexible sheet 420, wherein the flexible sheet 420 can be deployed from the storage roll 410 and extend downward (i.e., desirably under the force of gravity in some embodiments). In various embodiments, the storage roll 410 can include a floating component (e.g., a floating Styrofoam TM central tube), which desirably floats in an aqueous medium, while in other embodiments the storage roll 410 can be attached to a support mechanism, frame or similar structure (not shown). In various embodiments, a plurality of such deployable "roll" sheets can be disposed across a water system inlet or similar location, with the flexible sheets deployed to create a housing, filtration and / or dosing membrane for the water stream (as indicated by arrows 430), as described herein. If desired, various roll sheets can include attachment mechanisms that allow adjacent sheets to be attached to one another.

[0094] Figure 5Another exemplary embodiment of a fouling prevention system is depicted, which can be particularly useful as a biofouling resistant system for water systems that utilize seawater and / or freshwater as a water source. In this embodiment, a floating enclosure 500 or "reservoir" is provided in an aqueous environment 510, where the enclosure has one or more peripheral walls 520 that can contain a much greater amount of aqueous fluid than the system can require on a normal use basis. For example, if the system requires 1000 gallons of water per minute during normal operation, the reservoir can desirably contain at least 10,000 gallons, at least 20,000 gallons, at least 50,000 gallons, at least 100,000 gallons, at least 500,000 gallons, and / or at least 1,000,000 gallons and / or more of water. If desired, an optional top cover 530 and / or bottom cover 535 can be provided to isolate the enclosed water from the atmosphere and / or deeper water, such as by using a structural, flexible impermeable membrane or plastic tarp material. A water inlet 540 can be located within the reservoir, where the inlet is supported by a float 550 or other support, with a flexible or rigid water conduit 560 connected that carries water drawn from the inlet 540 (which can have a relatively different dissolved oxygen level or other desired water chemistry factor level in some embodiments) for delivery to cooling equipment or other uses. Desirably, water can enter the reservoir through various permeable membranes in the walls, top and / or bottom. In some embodiments, natural and / or artificial processes can alter the water chemistry within the reservoir during the time it takes for water molecules to travel upward and / or through the water column within the reservoir, such as by the activity of natural and / or artificial oxygen scavengers within the water column, which can reduce the dissolved oxygen level in the water so that the dissolved oxygen level is depleted before traveling to the inlet. However, in at least one alternative embodiment, the water inlet can be near the bottom of the enclosure and / or the bottom surface of the reservoir, which is typically the coolest water within the enclosure / reservoir for use by the cooling equipment.

[0095] As previously mentioned, at least one exemplary embodiment includes a method for determining the appropriate design, size, shape and / or other characteristics of a reservoir and / or fouling prevention system that can be used to determine a recommended minimum enclosed volume and / or water exchange rate to desirably reduce and / or eliminate biofouling within the reservoir. In some embodiments, such as in a membrane configuration where the reservoir can be used to provide a water source and / or other source water for a manufacturing plant (i.e., power plant, desalination plant, refinery and / or other manufacturing facility), the disclosed method can potentially be used to reduce and / or eliminate biofouling within the water and / or other piping of the plant, and in some embodiments without the need for additional filtration and / or microfiltration of the water.

[0096] Figure 6A and 6BAnother exemplary embodiment of the system 600 is depicted that can be used to reduce biofouling and facilitate the use of seawater, freshwater, brackish water, or some other aqueous liquid by a manufacturing plant, power plant, or some other facility. In this embodiment, the system 600 can be located in a body of water and can even be completely submerged in the aqueous environment (i.e., underwater "lanai") to a depth "D," as shown. Figure 6A The system can include one or more replaceable impregnated structure enclosures 610 on one or more exterior surfaces, with a wicking tube or other inlet device 620 located within a reservoir 630 of the system 600, and as water is drawn into the wicking device, a replacement water flow can enter the reservoir through the media 610 and / or any other openings and / or perforations in and / or between the reservoir walls (which can include the ceiling, sidewalls, and / or floor surfaces of the reservoir) as water is drawn into the wicking device.

[0097] In some embodiments, the volume of the reservoir can be large enough to contain a significant amount of liquid so that the liquid can be kept within the reservoir for a desired "residence time" to allow the desired water chemistry changes to occur to reduce and / or eliminate biofouling from occurring within the reservoir and / or water pipes of the facility. In some other embodiments, the volume of the reservoir can be smaller and can not contain a significantly large amount of liquid reserve (compared to the expected flow rate into the inlet during use), in which case the liquid can not be kept within the reservoir for a desired "residence time" to allow the desired water chemistry changes, but rather can rely primarily on the enclosure and its components to desirably reduce and / or eliminate biofouling from occurring within the reservoir and / or water pipes and / or heat transfer surfaces of the facility.

[0098] In various desirable embodiments, the completely submerged system can be particularly useful in cases where the reservoir holds and / or draws water from a lower or lowest point within a column of water, which in some embodiments can be cooler water (i.e., used as cooling water) and / or which can contain lower and / or lowest levels of dissolved oxygen (or other desired water chemistry factors) in the body of water.

[0099] In various embodiments, the system design desirably contains an amount of water that equals or exceeds the daily (i.e., 24 hour) water usage of the facility. For example, where a facility uses 100,000 gallons of water per hour during a 24 hour period, one preferred system design can contain at least 2.4 million gallons of water. Assuming that 1 cubic foot of seawater contains approximately 7.48 gallons, one preferred design can contain approximately 321,000 cubic feet, which can be a reservoir having a containment volume of approximately 113 feet wide x 113 feet long x 26 feet high (i.e., 331,994 cubic feet). In other preferred embodiments, the volume of water contained can be sufficient to supply water usage for at least 8 hours, while other preferred embodiments can provide water usage for 2 days or more. In some desirable embodiments, the water present in the reservoir will desirably be given sufficient "residence" time to alter the chemical properties of the water in the desired manner (as previously disclosed) to produce some type of "conditioned" water, which can include situations where the entire water demand of a given facility can be provided by the "conditioned" water, as well as situations where only a portion of the water demand of a given facility can be provided by the "conditioned" water.

[0100] In some alternative embodiments, it can be desirable to modify an existing body of water to include various features of the present system, such as where a natural or artificial water source is utilized to provide water for cooling and / or some other water treatment. For example, energy production facilities often utilize 300,000 to 500,000 gallons of water (or more) per minute for cooling the generator set, while a typical large oil refinery can utilize 350,000 to 400,000 gallons per minute. In such cases, it can be uneconomical, impractical and / or undesirable to construct a single reservoir or series of reservoirs that contain the entire daily water usage. Rather, various embodiments incorporating the "partial" reservoirs and / or anti-fouling assemblies (i.e., vertical panels and / or skirts) described herein can be used to create tortuous pathways for the water within an existing natural and / or artificial reservoir to condition the water to meet the required water chemistry levels, and can include features that expose the surface of the flowing water to the atmosphere to promote evaporative cooling of the water reservoir and / or turbulent mixing of the water along the tortuous flow path.

[0101] Figure 7A A simplified perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of a natural or artificial reservoir or pond 700 is depicted, which can include a water source for once-through cooling as well as a recirculating water reservoir or "cooling pond" that is typically used in a recirculating system. As in the previous figures, the reservoir 700 can include a series of vertical panels 702 and / or skirts 704 that are positioned to create a tortuous flow path for the water within the reservoir 700. In this embodiment, the reservoir 700 is depicted as a natural body of water, such as a lake or river, that is utilized for cooling purposes. In other embodiments, the reservoir 700 can be an artificial body of water, such as a cooling pond or reservoir that is used for cooling purposes. Figure 7B and 7CAs best seen, the biofouling protection system can include a number of housing walls 710 and / or removable or replaceable float pole structures or skirts that can be positioned within the pool 700 so as to alter the natural flow of fluid toward the inlet 720, such as by positioning a series of alternating walls 710 within the pool, pond or harbor, thereby desirably creating a labyrinth or tortuous path for the aqueous liquid within the body of water. In this embodiment, the walls 710 can desirably redirect the liquid along one or more desired paths (e.g., along the path indicated by the solid black arrows) as well as through filters and / or dosing of the water across the walls (e.g., along the path indicated by the dashed white arrows), which can allow for some or all of the water to be "conditioned" in a desired manner to obtain the various improvements disclosed herein. For example, water passing through such a tortuous path can be granted sufficient "residence" time to alter the water chemistry in a desired manner so as to produce some type of "conditioned" water, which can include situations where the entire water needs of a given installation can be provided by the "conditioned" water, as well as situations where the "conditioned" water can only provide a portion of the water needs of a given installation. If desired, the present invention can treat different "streams" of water in different manners, such as in the embodiment of Figure 7C FIG. 42, where a first stream of water 750 passes through the entire labyrinth and / or through permeable housing walls to the inlet 720, while a second stream of water 760 is added to the labyrinth at a location where it only passes through half of the labyrinth (or similarly through the housing walls) to the inlet 720. Such an arrangement can include water from different sources that is added directly to the conditioned water within the existing water system.

[0102] Another alternative arrangement of the labyrinth path is shown in Figure 7D FIG. 43, where a series of circular housings are employed to create a tortuous path toward the center of the reservoir where the inlet 720 is located, from which water can then be removed as previously described. Such an embodiment can be particularly useful in situations where portions of the structure can become clogged or fouled over time, where incoming water can flow along a tortuous path around the clogged portions of the structure, and eventually further along the tortuous path through the unclogged portions.

[0103] If desired, the housing and / or other system designs can incorporate one or more flow paths for the aqueous fluid that gradually increase and / or decrease in width and / or volume, with the water stream changing in cross-section as it approaches the water inlet, which can be a particularly useful design feature in natural reservoirs and / or man-made tributaries or rivers to provide additional residence time and / or more filtration / dosing activity to the flowing water.

[0104] In another embodiment, the structure or enclosure can be designed as a sheet or wall to protect at least one substrate. The sheet / curtain structure was designed to determine the effectiveness and efficacy of the steel panels in preventing biofouling growth of freshwater biofouling. This application can be used for biofouling protection of various underwater steel and other metal surfaces. Additionally, this application can be used for any metal, fabric, polymer or other substrate in freshwater or saltwater. The design of this experiment was to deploy vertical sheet panels in mid-May near a seawall at the UWM School of Freshwater Sciences and retrieve in mid-September to determine the effectiveness of biofouling. One panel was a control panel with no protective treatment, and two panels were treated with a protective structure, one panel with treated (biocide coated) fabric facing inward toward the steel panel and seawall; the other panel with treated (biocide coated) fabric facing outward away from the steel panel and seawall.

[0105] Each panel was made of 1 / 8" thick steel panels. The total dimensions of each panel were 18.5 cm wide x 155 cm long. The top of the panels was 1 m below the water surface. The panels were suspended by chains.

[0106] The results and data from the four-month test are listed in Tables 1 and 2.

[0107] Table 1. Vertical steel panel chemistry, June 2020.

[0108] Plate ]]> ​ June 3, 2020 Treated surface Treated surface Control Outside Inside Probe time (12:13:17 PM) (12:16:02 PM) (12:17:14 PM) Depth m 0.601 0.622 0.533 Temperature °C 24 16.4 17 ODO % Saturation 87.9 84.1 87.4 ODO mg / L 8.49 8.22 8.43 Specific conductance pS / cm 483 448 535 pH 7.86 7.62 7.64 Turbidity FNU 1.09 1.03 1.23 BGA-PC RFU 0.08 0.05 0.06 BGA-PC pg / L Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Chlorophyll RFU 1.34 0.86 0.91 Chlorophyll pg / L 4.21 3.47 3.67 Plate ]]> ​ July 27, 2020 Treated surface Treated surface Control Outside Inside Probe time (12:07:?? PM) (12:06:34 PM) (12:08:25 AM) Depth m 0.754 0.485 0.536 Temperature °C 24.011 24.01 24.013 ODO % Saturation 74 73.7 73.1 ODO mg / L 6.22 6.19 6.17 Specific conductance pS / cm 583 583 584 pH 7.85 7.85 7.84 Turbidity FNU 0.59 0.9 0.83 BGA-PC RFU -0.09 0.079 0.065 BGA-PC pg / L -0.05 0.12 0.11 Chlorophyll RFU 1.289 1.496 1.485 Chlorophyll pg / L 5.22 6.05 6.07

[0109] Table 2. Vertical steel panel chemistry, September 2020.

[0110] Plate ]]> ​ September 10, 2020 Treated surface Treated surface Control Outside Inside Probe time (10:45:13 AM) (10:49:59 AM) (10:55:21 AM) Depth m 1.138 1.164 0.5361.137 Temperature °C 17.11 17.11 17.12 ODO % Saturation 71.6 69.6 70.4 ODO mg / L 6.9 6.7 6.3 Specific conductance pS / cm 557 558 552 pH 6.84 7.48 7.41 Turbidity FNU 2.57 7.65 5.1 BGA-PC RFU 0.222 0.206 0.206 BGA-PC pg / L 0.19 0.18 0.1 Chlorophyll RFU 0.956 0.955 0.944 Chlorophyll pg / L 3.79 3.78 3.73

[0111] In this experiment, both the control and treated groups had many low abundance protist taxa, including small nematodes, crustaceans such as cladocerans, rotifers, stomach worms, oligochaete worms, diatoms, and protozoa. These small organisms are not considered to be a factor in biofouling in freshwater.

[0112] The primary biofouling organisms, specifically dreissenid quagga / zebra mussels, and encrusting bryozoans. The treated fabric facing inward (189 / m 2 ) was more effective in preventing mussel biofouling than the fabric facing outward (1108 / m 2 ). In a previous experiment, a similar experiment had a control mussel count of 1200 / m 2 (these observations will be rechecked). In a previous similar experiment, the fabric faced inward with 0 m 2mussels. The treated fabric side facing in had a lower percent coverage of bryozoans (5.8%) compared to the higher coverage (13.3%) of the treated fabric side facing out. The control had a lower coverage than the treated fabric.

[0113] Panel studies showed that treated fabrics designed as a sheet, drape, or shield can significantly reduce the number of biofouling mussels. The treated side facing in had a density of 189 / m 2 and the treated side facing out had a density of 1104 / m 2 compared to the control of 1399 / m 2 . This can be confirmed by data from similar studies. A previous similar study had a control of 1200 / m 2 mussels. In this study, the impact on bryozoan fouling was less clear as the control had a lower percent coverage than the treated fabric, both facing in and out. The large reduction in mussels suggests that with further improvements, commercial applications can be successful.

[0114] Treated enclosures designed as a sheet or wall can reduce the settlement of biofouling organisms on steel panels for at least 4 months. The enclosures greatly reduced the settlement and colonization of 86% of zebra and quagga mussels compared to the control. The fabric treatment side facing the substrate (biocide-coated side of fabric on the inside) contained 6 times fewer mussels on the steel panels (83% less) compared to the fabric treatment side facing away from the substrate (biocide-coated side of fabric on the outside). The skirt or sheet structure can prevent the settlement and colonization of mature zebra mussels and quagga mussels on the substrate for at least 4 months. Early pediveliger zebra mussels are able to settle, but are unable to grow from the juvenile stage to the adult stage. The point of impact can be between the transformation from early pediveliger to competent pediveliger stage. Growth of attached photosynthetic algae can occur on the outside of the structure (treatment side) due to exposure to light.

[0115] Figure 8A perspective view depicts another exemplary embodiment of a system 800 for protecting a water supply from biofouling that incorporates a wall structure with multiple layers that can include a wall structure incorporating multiple layers that have the same, similar, or different permeability in each layer, the same, similar, or different materials in each layer, and / or the same, similar, or different thickness in each layer. In another embodiment, the layers can be spaced apart with a minimum distance, or no distance, or a significant distance of spacing between each layer. In various embodiments, some layers can be in direct contact with one or more adjacent layers, while in other embodiments, adjacent layers can be spaced apart by a distance of 1 / 10 inch or less, 0.25 inches or less, 0.5 inches or less, 1 inch or less, or more. In some other embodiments, the layers can be spaced apart by a greater distance, such as 1 inch or more, 6 inches or more, 1 foot or more, 10 feet or more, or 100 feet or more. If desired, some layers can be spaced apart by a porous intermediate material or filler.

[0116] If desired, the first upper layer 810 can be removable, where removing the first upper layer (which can include a "tear-off" or other type of connection portion 815) exposes the full second lower layer 820, and removing the second lower layer exposes the full third lower layer (not shown), and so on, all upstream of the protected substrate. If desired, the first upper layer can be removable while the remaining lower layers remain intact, and then a replacement first upper layer can be positioned around the intact lower layers, such as where the first upper layer can become sufficiently fouled to justify removal and / or replacement. Alternatively, the multiple upper and / or lower layers can include multiple sacrificial layers that are removed when each layer becomes sufficiently fouled, thereby exposing the underlying pristine or semi-pristine layer (i.e., still surrounding and protecting the substrate). In some embodiments, the lower layers can remain in place for an extended period of time, which can be daily, weekly, monthly, 3 months, 6 months, or even 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, and / or 5 years or more, with periodic removal, replacement, and / or refreshing of the outer and / or lower layers (i.e., removing the fouled layer and immediately and / or delayed replacement with a new upper layer) as previously described. If desired, such systems can be applied in saltwater, freshwater, and / or brackish water.

[0117] In at least one additional alternative embodiment, the anti-fouling enclosure can include multiple fibrous matrix media layers or "stages" through which the water flow can pass, where each layer or section of layers has different conditioning properties for the water. For example, a three-stage anti-fouling system can include a first layer for protecting the structure, a second layer for conditioning the water, and a third layer for quantifying the water supply and / or killing organisms passing therethrough, and so on. If desired, multiple layers can be incorporated into a single replaceable module, or each layer can be individually removed and / or replaced.

[0118] Figure 9 One exemplary embodiment of a water flow mechanism of a replenishment pumping system 900 for adding and / or removing aqueous liquids and / or other materials or substances to and / or from a reservoir 910 is depicted. In this embodiment, the system includes an outer wall or boundary, which in some embodiments can include one or more permeable walls, and in other embodiments can include one or more semi-permeable and / or impermeable walls (which in some embodiments can include some or all of the walls of an impermeable enclosure). A pumping mechanism 920 can be provided with a flow chamber or water inlet 930 and water inlet tube 940, the pump further including an outlet 960 and outlet tube or flow chamber or flow path tube 970 extending from the outlet of the pump, through at least one wall of the reservoir, and through / into the aqueous environment within the reservoir. In various embodiments, at least some flow chamber portions 980 of the outlet tube can extend a distance within the reservoir, with the outlet possibly positioned proximate and / or distal to the protected substrate or water supply system (not shown) and / or one or more walls of the reservoir. During use, the pumping mechanism can be activated to supply external water into the reservoir in a desired manner, and / or the operation of the pump can be reversed to draw water out of the reservoir, releasing the water into the environment outside of the reservoir, if desired. Alternatively, the pumping mechanism can be used to supply additional oxygen or other water chemical factors to the reservoir. Some or all of the pumping mechanism and / or flow chamber and / or water inlet 930 can be positioned within the reservoir, or alternatively within and / or through some portions of the reservoir wall, or can be positioned outside of the reservoir, if desired. In another embodiment, the water flow mechanism can be a thruster system, a foot pedal system, a flow tube, a flow channel, or a flow passage, which can be used to move water or create desired flow characteristics in a similar manner as the pump system.

[0119] In various embodiments, system components can incorporate permeable walls of varying configurations, including (1) an enclosure (i.e., a "box" or "flexible bag" enclosure) that completely encloses the intake port or protected substrate, (2) an enclosure with sidewalls that surround the periphery of the intake port or substrate (i.e., a "skirt" or "drape" that encloses the sides of the substrate but can have an open top and / or bottom), (3) an enclosure formed by modular walls that can be assembled around the intake port or substrate, which can incorporate various openings and / or missing modular sections (i.e., an "open mesh dome" enclosure), (4) an enclosure that only surrounds the submerged portion of the intake port and / or substrate (i.e., a "floating bag" enclosure with an open top), and / or (5) an enclosure that only protects one side of the intake port and / or substrate (i.e., a "drape" enclosure), among many other possible enclosure designs. Additionally, the enclosure walls can be relatively smooth or flat or curved and / or continuous, or the enclosure walls and / or enclosure can incorporate more complex structures, such as undulating surfaces, corrugated or accordion-like surfaces (i.e., see Figure 27 ), folded, "pleated" or "crimped" surfaces, and / or other features that can significantly increase surface area and / or potentially alter the filtration capabilities of the enclosure walls, if desired.

[0120] In various embodiments, the anti-fouling system can incorporate one or more walls that contain a three-dimensional flexible structure that includes fiber filaments and has an average base filament diameter of about 6 mil or less (i.e., 0.1524 mm or less). In various alternative embodiments, the enclosure can incorporate a deformed polyester. Additionally, natural fiber materials, such as 80x80 burlap, can be used in the enclosure, even though natural materials degrade relatively quickly in aqueous environments and the potential degradation process results in significant measurable pH differences within the system, which can be useful in various aqueous environments. If desired, various embodiments can incorporate degradable and / or hydrolyzable materials and / or bonds (i.e., between components and / or along the polymer chains of component materials) that allow the components to degrade after a certain time in an aqueous medium.

[0121] In some embodiments, the antifouling system or various components thereof can facilitate a measurable change in the pH level of the protected environment, especially in cases where one or more "target" fouling organisms (i.e., organisms intended to be affected in some way by the antifouling system) can be sensitive to and "negatively" respond to an increase or decrease in the pH level. In many cases, marine organisms are very sensitive to slightly acidic pH changes (pH < 8). In contrast, freshwater organisms generally thrive well in the 7 pH to 8.4 pH range and begin to negatively respond once the ammonium content is increased. In some embodiments, the effective change in pH to achieve some or all of the objectives of the present application can be a level of change that is much less than the negative impact on metals and other materials within the protected system. If desired, the pH-controlled antifouling system can provide the added benefit of reducing fouling formation as the pH is lowered in a given fluid system, which can be provided at a level lower than the level that negatively impacts the materials making up the water system.

[0122] Figure 23Another exemplary embodiment of a protective pumping system for adding or removing aqueous liquids and / or other materials or substances to or from a reservoir or tank is depicted. In this embodiment, the system includes an optional external reservoir or tank composed of solid material, and an internal reservoir or containment tank, which in some embodiments can include one or more permeable walls, and in other embodiments can include one or more semi-permeable and / or impermeable walls (which in some embodiments can include some or all of the walls of the impermeable internal reservoir). A pumping mechanism can be provided with a flow lumen or water filter or water inlet and inlet tube, where the pump further includes an outlet and outlet tube or flow lumen or flow path tube that extends from the outlet of the pump, through at least one wall of the internal reservoir, and through / into the aqueous environment within the reservoir. In various embodiments, at least some of the flow lumen portion can extend a distance within the reservoir, where the flow path passes through or near one or more internal reservoir water inlet holes into the internal reservoir. The flow path is introduced to a conditioned or treated structural strip. The liquid or other material in the flow path is exposed to the treated structural strip and passes around the strip, over the top of the strip, below the strip or through the strip. The internal reservoir can contain one or more permeable or impermeable treated structural strips. The treated structural strip can be sized to line the interior surface of the internal reservoir, or to fit within the internal reservoir as a plurality of structural strips. The plurality of structural strips can be vertically, horizontally or diagonally sized and positioned within the internal reservoir or cylinder. The conditioned or treated structural strip is attached to the internal reservoir on at least one side of the strip, and can be positioned closely to inhibit tension or slack to achieve material flexibility. The amount of tension required to attach the treated structural strip to the reservoir depends on the flow rate, the volume of the reservoir and other factors. The treated structural strip provides mixing in laminar flow or flow applications. The flow path outlet can be positioned close to and / or away from one or more walls of the protected substrate or water supply system and / or reservoir. An optional fluid screen or filter can be located at the outlet. During use, if needed, the pumping mechanism can be activated to supply external water to the reservoir in a desired manner, and / or the operation of the pump can be reversed to draw water from the reservoir, thereby releasing the water to the environment outside of the reservoir.

[0123] In a preferred embodiment, a plurality (which can be between 125 and 250 in some embodiments) of treated structural strips (i.e., 2" X 30") can be positioned in a vertical configuration (which can include a non-tensioned suspension) within a 25 gallon cylindrical reservoir. Water flows through a pre-treatment filter and then enters the cylindrical reservoir through a water inlet hole located at the bottom of the reservoir. Once the cylindrical reservoir is filled with water, the water flows from the top and through the plurality of permeable treated structural strips and then overflows into the reservoir outlet. The reservoir outlet can contain an optional containment step with treated structures or "bio-balls" or the like. The water can flow into additional strainers / filters or heat exchangers or for similar applications. This system can be used for fresh water, salt water, and / or brackish water, or another other liquid contemplated herein.

[0124] Experiments with skirted and strip waterboxes

[0125] Each has potential different applications in reducing biofouling. The skirted and strip waterboxes had considerable reductions in barnacles, bryozoans, snails, and sponges. The skirted waterboxes showed considerable suppression of biofouling compared to the strip waterbox walls as controls, especially closer to the treated fabric lining the waterbox walls, and especially for preventing barnacle, bryozoan, sponge, and snail biofouling. A small number of barnacle pediveligers were found in the debris accumulation on the skirt fabric, but they apparently did not molt into juveniles as neither juveniles nor adults were found on the skirt.

[0126] The strip waterboxes using the central treatment cylinder demonstrated significant suppression of invertebrate biofouling organisms, including zebra mussels, bryozoans, sponges, and lungworms, to the level of zero biofouling. This compared to the untreated portions of the waterboxes that received the incoming port water, including the waterbox walls, the outer wall of the central cylinder, the outer surface of the cooling tubes, and the multi-plate artificial substrate, which had large numbers of these same organisms.

[0127] In the study, a protective pumping system for adding and / or removing aqueous liquids and / or other materials or substances to and / or from reservoirs or tanks was analyzed. The study was designed to determine the effectiveness of two independent biofouling treatment systems with high velocity water or pumped water. One, the "bar tank", used a central cylinder with a high density of treated fabric strips designed to maximize exposure contact and time. The other system, the "skirt tank", used a treated fabric skirt wrapped around the interior walls of the tank. Each fiberglass / gel coated tank (495 gallons (1874 liters) with a 30 inch (76 cm) water depth). Water from Lake Michigan Harbor was pumped into the building and split almost equally to each tank. The influent water was directed to a Groco brand water filter before entering the tank. The water then flowed through a hole into the central cylinder and a sample portion was captured by an auxiliary pump at the standpipe. The water in each tank was then delivered to a series of vertical stainless steel pipes as a substitute for cooling pipes that might be used in an industrial setting. Each pipe was composed of SS 316 (polished) and SS 304 unpolished sections. The water flowed from these pipes to a second effluent Groco brand water filter and finally to a drain for disposal. The system provided several points where biofouling could potentially attach: 1) the influent Groco screen was raw water from the harbor providing a range of potential biofouling organisms, for a period of 1 month. 2) the surface of the tank walls (restricted in the skirt tank due to the loose attachment of the skirt to the walls), for a period of 4 months. 3) the outer and inner walls of the central treated cylinder, for a period of 4 months. 4) the outer wall of the PVC standpipe, for a period of 4 months. 5) the outer and inner walls of the 304 stainless steel pipe, for a period of 4 months. 6) the outer and inner walls of the 316 SS pipe, for a period of 4 months. 7) the aluminum manifold that holds the SS pipe in place, for a period of 4 months. 8) the effluent Groco filter, for a period of 1 month. The influent and effluent Groco screen baskets were loaded with two microscope slides and four artificial substrate biospheres. 9) each tank contained 4 panels of artificial substrate, stamped with a Christmas tree at the bottom of the tank, for a period of 4 months. Figure 23 Water flow through the bar tank was roughly estimated.

[0128] Tables 3-7 below give data on the amount of fouling from the bar and skirt tank experiments.

[0129] Table 3. Bar tank biota. Note: Values / ml are derived from 1 ml samples collected from control and test GROCO screens.

[0130] Biofouling technology bar tank biota

[0131] Tank size: 495 gallons / / 1874 liters

[0132] Treated cylinder size: 29.1 gallons / / 110.2 liters

[0133] Treated side surface area 7.48 m 2

[0134] Treated + untreated surface area 14.96 m 2 )

[0135]

[0136]

[0137] Table 4. Skirted tank biofilm. Note: Values / ml are derived from 1 ml samples collected from control and test GROCO strainers.

[0138] Biofouling technology skirted tank biofilm

[0139] Tank size: 495 gallons / / 1874 liters

[0140] Treated skirt perimeter size: 5.75 m

[0141] Treated skirt surface area 4.38 m 2

[0142]

[0143]

[0144] Table 5. Tank cooling tube debris.

[0145] Strip tank and skirted tube study

[0146]

[0147] Table 6. Tank artificial substrate biofilm.

[0148] Biofouling technology strip tank artificial substrate study

[0149]

[0150] Table 7. Strip tank fouling biofilm.

[0151] Biofouling technology strip tank artificial substrate study

[0152]

[0153] *1 snail at water / air interface

[0154] The bar-shaped waterbox showed a clear inhibition of invertebrate fouling organisms, including zebra mussels, bryozoans, sponges, and lung snails, all of which were not post-treated in the central cylinder. The control outer untreated portion of the waterbox receiving harbor water inflow (waterbox walls, central cylinder outer wall, cooling tube outer surface, multi-plate artificial substrate) had a high abundance of these organisms, zebra mussels (> 1575 / m2); bryozoans (> 28% surface coverage); sponges (> 45 / m2); snails (> 540 / m2).

[0155] The treated portion of the bar-shaped waterbox, including the inner wall of the central cylinder, the outer wall of the riser, and the inner wall of the cooling tube, had no colonization of the same invertebrate fouling organisms (zebra mussels, bryozoans, sponges, and lung snails), except for a single snail specimen living at the water / air interface in the central cylinder. Freshwater lung snails are able to tolerate harsh environments, largely because they do not have gills, but rather a lung cavity, which is able to take in oxygen from the atmosphere. Thus, they are able to tolerate low oxygen environments and avoid the sensitivity of gills to irritating chemicals.

[0156] The bar-shaped waterbox cooling tube lumen had no biofouling organisms; however, there was a small amount of debris accumulation on the walls (see figure). In contrast, the skirted waterbox cooling tube lumen had a significantly greater amount of debris accumulation on the walls (see figure) than the bar-shaped waterbox tube lumen. This difference can be related to the presence of microfilms (bacteria) on the inner walls of the bar-shaped and skirted waterboxes, as well as to the greater biological activity of small invertebrates, particularly nematodes and rotifers present in the skirted waterbox tube (a nematode was found in the central cylinder of the bar-shaped waterbox).

[0157] A comparison of the diversity changes in the bar-shaped waterbox (Table C6) indicates that over the course of the 4-month experiment, the system disproportionately reduced rare taxa relative to common taxa, suggesting that the biofouling treatment had a skewed spectral impact. This can be due to the greater surface treatment area and limited contact of water within the central cylinder relative to the diversity of the skirted waterbox (see below). This suggests that the induced stress (treatment) was greater compared to the skirted system. Moreover, this can be supported relative to the skirted waterbox system (below), where biofouling was greater away from the treatment fabric lining the outer waterbox, i.e., less treatment contact with water. These diversity-related inferences are preliminary suggestions based on limited data.

[0158] The skirted waterbox showed a considerable dampening of biofouling compared to the bar-shaped waterbox walls used as a control, particularly at the treatment fabric closer to the inner lining of the waterbox walls, and particularly for preventing zebra mussels, bryozoans, sponges, and snail biofouling. A small number of zebra mussel veliger larvae were found in the debris accumulation on the skirted fabric, but they were clearly not molting into juveniles, as neither juveniles nor adults were present on the skirt.

[0159] The arrangement of treated fabric, multi-plate artificial substrate, and center cylinder of the skirted tank provided an opportunity to observe biological fouling differences of 65 cm or more, ranging from the wall fabric closest to the multi-plate and to the center cylinder furthest from the treated fabric. Zebra mussels were virtually zero on the fabric skirt, 7 / m2 on the multi-plate, and 31 / m2 on the center cylinder. Bryozoan biological fouling was zero at the fabric, reached about 1% coverage on the multi-plate, and about 10% coverage on the center cylinder. There were no sponges and snails on the multi-plate and center cylinder at all. Generally, biological fouling in the skirted tank was significantly lower than in the control strip tank (outer zone).

[0160] A comparison of diversity changes in the skirted tank (Table C7) indicates that the system proportionally affected rare and common taxa over the course of the 4-month experiment, indicating a broad-spectrum impact of the biological fouling treatment.

[0161] The treated fabric skirt provided protection from biological fouling settlement for at least 4 months. Biological fouling in the skirted tank was significantly lower compared to the unprotected control tank. The skirted tank exhibited considerable dampening of invertebrate biological fouling organisms including zebra mussels, bryozoans, sponges, and lung snails. A small number of mussel pediveliger were found in the debris accumulation on the skirt fabric, but never metamorphosed into juveniles or adults. Zebra mussels were 7 / m 2 , and 31 / m 2 There were no sponges and snails on the skirted fabric, multi-plate, and center cylinder at all. The inner walls of the cooling tubes exposed to treated water from the skirt experiment contained more debris accumulation compared to the inner walls of the cooling tubes exposed to treated water from the strip experiment. The treated water in the skirt tank was significantly more turbid compared to the treated water in the strip tank. The inner walls of the water tanks used in the skirt experiment contained more biofilm compared to the inner walls of the water tanks of the strip experiment.

[0162] The treated water in the strip experiment contained less biological fouling organism activity compared to the treated water in the skirt experiment. The strip tank exhibited significant invertebrate biological fouling organism residency including zebra mussels, bryozoans, sponges, and lung snails. The inner walls of the cooling tubes exposed to treated water from the strip experiment contained 74% less debris accumulation compared to the inner walls of the cooling tubes exposed to treated water from the skirt experiment. The change in biological diversity in the strip tank indicates that the system disproportionally reduced rare taxa relative to common taxa, indicating a skewed spectrum impact of the biological fouling treatment. This can be due to the greater surface treatment area and limited contact of the water within the center cylinder, which results in greater induced stress compared to the skirt treatment. The microfouling of the strip tank bio-sphere substrate was reduced by 15.6% over the 4-month period.

[0163] Residence time and retention time

[0164] In some cases, a reservoir of water or other aqueous fluid can be established that has a volume of water or other aqueous fluid that far exceeds the volume of water or other aqueous fluid used in a given water system for a few seconds, a few minutes, a few hours, a day, or a week, in which various water chemistry "differences" as described herein can be introduced into the reservoir to produce, maintain, and manage various desired antifouling effects on substrates within the water system. In other cases, however, it can be necessary and / or desirable to construct a system with little or no reservoir capacity, such as drawing water directly from a natural water source for immediate use, and / or in conjunction with a reservoir that supplies water usage for significantly less than a day or even a few hours, especially in cases where design constraints can be limited by the amount of available real estate, environmental concerns, and / or other concurrent uses of the aqueous medium. In such cases, it can be desirable to provide continuous and / or periodic water conditioning treatment, as previously described, that can artificially induce and / or accelerate various water chemistry factors described herein. In such cases, the water chemistry within the reservoir can be periodically and / or continuously monitored, with one or more water conditioning treatments applied to the water within the reservoir as needed.

[0165] For example, the desired minimum enclosure size and related components can be determined by comparing the expected volume of demand over a day or so and the required time to allow the water chemistry to reach desired and / or acceptable levels within some or all of the water system (which can be referred to as "residence time," "residence time," and / or "turnover time" in various alternative embodiments). For some preferred embodiments, the terms "residence time" and / or "retention time" and / or "turnover time" and similar terms can be used interchangeably. "Retention time" is a well-known term applied to the time a fluid is held in a fluid reservoir, typically a measure of the average time a water molecule spends in the reservoir. The retention time defined for a steady-state system can be equal to the reservoir volume divided by the inflow or outflow rate, although in some systems (including various embodiments disclosed herein) the retention time can optionally incorporate the "mixing" of a volume of liquid within the reservoir into the equation. Alternatively, the retention time of a fluid slug can be the total time the slug spends within a control volume (e.g., in a reservoir, in a water system, in a chemical reactor, in a heat exchanger or other component, in a lake, and / or even in a human body). The residence time of a "group" of slugs can be quantified according to the frequency distribution of residence times in that group (referred to as the residence time distribution (RTD)) or according to the average of them (referred to as the mean residence time).

[0166] "Retention time" can have a similar definition, but is typically applied specifically as "residence time" (i.e., in military and / or computer applications). In general, residence time is a mathematical relationship of volume and flow rate (volume / flow rate) - in addition, residence time can generally be considered the inverse of turnover rate.

[0167] In various embodiments of the antifouling system, the system components can include one or more components that provide sufficient residence time and / or retention time in the protected water of the water system, such as where there is sufficient time for dissolved oxygen (DO) and / or other water quality elements to change to desired levels, and ideally provide sufficient time for fouling organisms to assess and evaluate the settlement attractiveness within the protected environment. Where pre-treatment of the water can be conducted for sufficient residence time, this can allow for fouling organisms to assess in some embodiments to avoid settlement and / or colonization.

[0168] In various embodiments, the amount of residence time sufficient to inhibit and / or prevent fouling of the substrate and / or water system components can vary with a variety of factors, including water flow, temperature, type of biological flora, growth season, salinity, sunlight, available nutrients and / or oxygen, pollutants, etc. In some cases, a minimum amount of water chemistry change can be required to achieve the desired results, while in other embodiments, more significant water chemistry changes can be required to achieve the desired results. In some cases, residence times of only a few seconds, minutes, or hours after entering and / or passing through the antifouling enclosure can produce sufficient water chemistry changes, while longer residence times, days or months or years can be desired and / or necessary to achieve the desired results. The residence time required for optimal results can be adjusted or modified depending on the application. Some applications require residence times of 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 4 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 3 days, 7 days, 10 days, 14 days, 30 days, 60 days, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, or 12 months.

[0169] For example, one exemplary embodiment of an antifouling system can include a filtration and / or dosing unit including at least one permeable structure having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of pores extending therebetween, the permeable structure having a biocide coating on the outer surface, the biocide coating extending at least partially into the plurality of pores, the filtration unit positioned proximate to a water inlet location of a water circuit, wherein some or all of the water passing through the water circuit passes through the filtration unit, wherein the water requires an average residence time to pass through the filtration and / or dosing unit and the water circuit and exit from a water outlet of the water circuit, wherein the biocide coating can elute a biocide into the water passing through the filtration and / or dosing unit, the biocide contacting a plurality of fouling organisms in the water and inhibiting the ability of at least one species of the plurality of fouling organisms to colonize a surface of one or more substrates within the water circuit for at least the average residence time.

[0170] In some embodiments (such as in higher flow rate systems), for an antifouling system, it can be sufficient for the amount of time that a biofouling organism must assess and / or "reject" the environmental aquatic conditions to reduce and / or limit colonization and / or settlement sufficiently to prevent and / or inhibit colonization and / or settlement in full, which can optionally be consistent with various water chemistry changes and / or other effects provided by the antifouling system. However, in some other cases, higher flow rates in a water system can force and / or entrain a biofouling organism into and / or through a protected environment before the "assessment" by the biofouling organism can be completed and / or the water chemistry changes required to take effect, which can result in increased biofouling due to "opportunistic" settlement and / or colonization occurring at a higher rate, changes in the natural detachment rate of the biofouling organism, and varying degrees of opportunistic "grazing" of the biofouling organism by microbial predators and / or the like, which can further exacerbate the situation. In many cases, it is desirable to obtain an "optimal point" of the desired flow rate (or range or flow rates) that minimizes settlement and / or colonization of biofouling organisms, while increasing and / or promoting detachment of biofouling organisms and / or consumption of biofouling organisms by micro predators, and the like.

[0171] In some embodiments, an antifouling system will desirably produce one or more conditions that prevent and / or inhibit various biofouling activities within a protected environment, such as by inducing the production of an antifouling biofilm within the protected environment, killing and / or injuring biofouling organisms, and / or inducing behaviors by various organisms within the protected environment that can inhibit settlement, colonization, and / or growth of biofouling organisms on a substrate. For example, such inhibitory activities can include direct effects on biofouling organisms themselves (i.e., inhibiting colonization and / or growth or promoting detachment) as well as effects on organisms that can produce and / or form biofilms within the protected environment and / or on predatory organisms that can prey on biofouling organisms within the protected environment. Such inhibitory effects can be permanent, persistent, and / or long-lasting, or can be temporary, lasting for a desired period of time, such as for 2 seconds or less, for 5 seconds or less, for 30 seconds or less, for 1 minute or less, for 5 minutes or less, for 10 minutes or less, for 30 minutes or less, for 1 hour or less, for 6 hours or less, for 12 hours or less, for 1 day or less, or other lengths of time within some or all of the protected environment or portions thereof.

[0172] In some cases where the minimum reservoir size cannot be achieved, or where water chemistry changes require an undesirable amount of time to achieve, it can be desirable to condition the water as needed, which can include periodic "refresh" treatments when the water within the reservoir is drained and / or otherwise replaced. Further, in cases where it is not desirable to use a large reservoir, the various water conditioning processes described herein can be used continuously for smaller reservoirs and / or even within the intake piping of a facility, if desired. In such cases, the various water conditioning processes described herein can be used to continuously condition water with nitrogen or other gases and / or chemicals, as in a water plant. Such processes can be particularly useful in cases where there is not enough residence time within a given reservoir to complete a batch process, or in closed loop treatment technologies where it can be desirable to continuously treat water (i.e., using a closed loop test and treatment circuit to determine and / or maintain a desired water chemistry level (oxygen level, etc.) within a certain range). In various embodiments, the various system designs and / or water conditioning processes described herein can be used separately and / or together as desired, which can include using the reservoir separately during low demand water periods, and using both technologies simultaneously during higher demand water periods, if desired. In a similar manner, the water conditioning processes described herein can be utilized separately during low demand water periods, with both water conditioning and simultaneous enclosures being used simultaneously during higher demand water periods. It will also be appreciated that different environmental conditions can require different treatment of the aqueous medium, including seasonal and / or other differences in temperature and temperature, sunlight, salinity, high / low water levels, high / low fouling seasons, etc.

[0173] In many cases, a particular species of fouling organism will survive and thrive within one or more optimal ranges of conditions, including ranges of temperature, oxygen or other dissolved gas levels, dissolved solids levels, pH, water flow rates, and other conditions. With respect to water flow rates, the particular optimal flow rate will generally depend on the type of fouling organism. Many fouling organisms have adapted to survive in "higher" flow water regimes; for example, zebra mussels are originally a river species that thrive at high flow rates. The optimal flow rate for many fouling organisms can depend on the swimming ability of the organism and the food they eat (i.e., high flow rates generally help deliver food to organisms that do not flow or flow less). Generally, if the flow rate becomes too low or below a critical low flow rate level for the organism, the organism can "starve" and begin to break down and become unhealthy due to lack of food and nutrients, including dissolved oxygen, nitrogen, and / or other factors. If the flow rate becomes too high, some organisms can not have time or means to settle and / or reproduce on the substrate. Generally, most organisms have a "sweet spot" due to their optimal flow rate, which can be used as part of a foul-proof enclosure system in some embodiments.

[0174] Large water system and heat exchanger efficiency

[0175] Large scale fluid systems are used in a wide variety of processes, and in their most basic processes, these systems rely on fluid movement and fluid consumption. Typically, the fluid will comprise water, which in many cases can be salt water drawn from a bay, sea, and / or ocean, fresh water drawn from a river, lake, or well / aquifer, or wastewater from various sources. Some facilities utilize once-through or single pass cooling processes, where water is drawn into the system of the plant and used for a single pass through the process and / or equipment, and then the water is discharged to the environment, while other facilities use water recirculation systems, including towers or reservoirs, that work to draw off unused or unconsumed water, allowing the unconsumed water to be recirculated through the process or equipment multiple times, before the water enters the process, equipment, or device. While recirculation water systems draw less water from external sources as compared to single pass systems, recirculation systems still typically require a significant amount of "make-up" or replacement water to make up for water lost due to evaporation (for open recirculation systems) and water lost due to "blowdown" or discharge of liquid containing concentrated dissolved solids.

[0176] In some cases, once-through or single pass systems can utilize 20 to 40 times more water to remove waste, heat, or other undesirable parameters as compared to a reservoir system with 5 cycles of recirculation operation. For a non-limiting example, a power plant using once-through cooling can consume 20,000 to 50,000 gal / MWh of power production, while a similar power plant using recirculation cooling can consume only 500 to 1,200 gal / MWh of power production. While the water load for a once-through power plant is significant, on the order of 3,500,000 to 8,750,000 gallons per hour to power a 175 MWh power plant, even a recirculation plant still requires a significant amount of water, on the order of 87,500 to 210,000 gallons per hour, equivalent to 175 MWh.

[0177] Water is a hospitable environment for many forms of life. In once-through systems, the water drawn into the system is often laden with adult and / or juvenile fouling organisms and / or juveniles, many of which will attempt to colonize various underwater surfaces. Even for recirculating systems with little or reduced water intake (as compared to once-through systems), any replacement water or "make-up" water entering the system will often contain a significant number of living organisms, and the flow characteristics of the recirculating system often promote the colonization of sessile organisms to use the circulating supply of food, oxygen, and nutrients, and in some embodiments, the water temperature can become high enough to support thermophilic populations in various parts of the system. These organisms will often colonize any surface or wetted surface of a material within the water system, including pipes, valves, grates, filters, pumps, etc., which can significantly reduce the water consumption rate of the system or any required production rate of the system. In many cases, even a thin biofilm formed on a surface of the system can significantly insulate that surface, reducing its efficiency and greatly increasing the overall operating cost of the system. In various embodiments, the disclosed systems can significantly improve the efficiency, functionality, and / or durability of any required process in a small or large water system, a non-limiting example being a cooling water system. For a non-limiting example, a cooling water system for a heat exchanger, where heat is transferred from a hotter fluid or gas to a cooler fluid or gas, where the heat typically travels through a "heat transfer surface", which is typically a metal wall of a heat transfer pipe separating the hot and cold substances.

[0178] Table 8: Film thickness and surface heat transfer efficiency

[0179]

[0180] Table 9: Increased operating costs due to biofouling

[0181] In various embodiments, the disclosed antifouling system can include a method of reducing biofilm formation within any water system, such as a heat transfer pipe of a heat exchanger and / or cooling tower, where the system components include a flexible porous structure component (with an optional biocide coating applied to a first surface of the flexible porous structure), the flexible porous structure having a plurality of pores extending from the first surface to a second surface of the flexible porous structure, and placing the structure in a water stream of the cooling tower at a location upstream of the heat exchange / heat transfer pipe, where the water stream flows through the plurality of pores from the first surface to the second surface (and in some embodiments, the optional biocide elutes from the coating into the water stream), where the water chemistry is altered and / or the optional biocide contacts a plurality of biofouling organisms in the water stream, thereby forming a biofilm on the interior surface of the heat exchanger / heat transfer pipe that is reduced in thickness as compared to an untreated biofilm thickness from an untreated water stream.

[0182] In addition to directly reducing heat transfer efficiency, biofouling often causes and / or leads to fouling and / or corrosion on wetted metal surfaces because as the biofilm thickens, the oxygen that the material and / or cells near the tube wall have access to can decrease. Bacteria, such as sulfate-reducing bacteria strains, can produce metabolites that attack metals in a process called microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). In studies conducted in the 1980s and early 1990s, the cost of cleaning, fluid treatment, replacement parts, and production losses due to heat exchanger fouling was estimated to be approximately 0.25% of the GDP of all industrialized nations. For process plants, the estimated cost of repairing heat exchangers and boilers was approximately 15% of the entire plant maintenance costs, with about half of the cost being due entirely to fouling. In 2016, the World Corrosion Organization (NACE International) estimated the global cost of corrosion to be $2.5 trillion.

[0183] In many systems, heat exchanger assemblies are often over-designed by at least 70-80%, which ideally includes compensation for expected efficiency reductions of 30-50% due to heat transfer surface fouling. In addition to reducing heat transfer, the accumulation of fouling can also reduce the cross-sectional area of the tubes or flow passages, increasing the resistance of the fluid to pass through the heat transfer surface. The continued reduced flow rate can significantly increase the pressure drop across the heat exchanger, further reducing flow rates and exacerbating heat transfer issues, including eventually plugging the heat exchanger tubes. However, by controlling and / or ameliorating the effects of biofouling in many of these systems, the present system allows operators to reduce this required “over-design” by significant levels, which can result in substantial savings in capital equipment.

[0184] Similarly, biofouling occurs in various elements of any recirculating water system, such as cooling towers, which can significantly alter the flow distribution and significantly reduce the rate of evaporative cooling. Biofouling in these systems can also have undesirable effects, such as increasing the concentration of oxygen in the system metal walls, which increases the rate of corrosion, and facilitating the growth and distribution of potentially deadly organisms, such as Legionella bacteria that live in amoebae. In various embodiments, biofouling protection system embodiments can include a device for reducing the occurrence of Legionella bacteria in water flowing in a water loop of a manufacturing plant or power plant, comprising: a housing unit comprising at least one layer of permeable structure having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of pores extending therebetween, the permeable structure having a biocide coating on the outer surface, the biocide coating extending at least partially into the plurality of pores; and a deoxygenation system that removes at least a portion of dissolved oxygen in water passing through the housing unit; the housing unit positioned at a water filtration location of the water loop, wherein at least some of the water in the water loop passes through the housing unit, wherein the biocide coating elutes a biocide into the water passing through the housing unit, the biocide contacting a plurality of Legionella organisms in the water and inhibiting the ability of the plurality of Legionella organisms to multiply or colonize on one or more substrate surfaces in the water loop.

[0185] In various embodiments, embodiments of biofouling protection systems are disclosed that can significantly reduce the thickness and / or extent of biofouling films formed on any surface of a water system, non-limiting examples being heat exchanger tubes, thereby reducing the insulating effect of biofouling and ensuring that optimal heat transfer efficiency levels are maintained within the system. In some embodiments, the biofouling protection systems described herein can provide fouling protection for the entirety and / or portions of a system, while other embodiments can provide "localized" or specific protection for specific areas and / or "modules" of a system, such as, by way of non-limiting example, the wetted heat transfer surfaces of one or more heat exchangers in the system.

[0186] In one exemplary embodiment, a biofouling protection system can include an optional shell or "biocidal filter" element impregnated with biocides through which some or all of the water flow can pass. Desirably, this element can inhibit and / or "filter out" some and / or all of various "larger" fouling organisms, including adult organisms of many fouling species, and larger settling larvae, such as tunicates, while the biocides in the element will desirably kill, harm, and / or inactivate various "smaller" and / or immature fouling organisms. This inhibition can desirably include inhibition of colonization on wetted surfaces for a limited period of time, such as the amount of time required for a target fouling organism to pass through a heat exchange conduit and / or throughout a water system, such as in a once-through system. In various embodiments, the environmental changes potentially induced by the antifouling system, which can include effects from the optional biocide-impregnated fibrous matrix medium, can induce the formation of a thin, minimal, and / or thermally conductive biofilm on any system surface, such as a wetted heat transfer surface, which will desirably improve heat transfer efficiency and / or service life of heat transfer components as compared to the heat transfer efficiency / components of existing heat transfer systems that can be negatively affected by biofouling. In various alternative embodiments, the antifouling system can induce the formation of a biofilm on any system surface, such as a wetted heat transfer surface, that can be easily removed or reducible, which can be removed using less expensive and / or less invasive cleaning methods as compared to existing biofilms.

[0187] For a non-limiting example, an antifouling system positioned upstream of a heat exchanger unit can include a water treatment shell including a flexible porous structure having a coating comprising a biocide applied to a first surface of the flexible porous structure, the flexible porous structure having a plurality of pores extending from the first surface to a second surface of the flexible porous structure, wherein the coated structure is placed in a water stream having a first average temperature, wherein the water stream flows through the plurality of pores from the first surface to the second surface at the first average water temperature and the biocide elutes from the coating into the water stream, the biocide contacting a plurality of biofouling organisms, wherein the water stream is heated to a second temperature higher than the first average temperature and the biocide inhibits colonization of the plurality of biofouling organisms on a substrate surface in contact with water at the second temperature of the water stream. In various embodiments, the effectiveness of the biocide in providing fouling protection to the water at the first water temperature and the second water temperature can be equivalent, can increase to some extent from the first temperature to the second temperature, and / or can decrease to some extent from the first temperature to the second temperature. In various other embodiments, the temperature of the water can change the rate of elution of the biocide from the coating, including an elevated temperature that increases elution of the biocide and an elevated temperature that decreases elution of one or more biocides, which can include different changes in elution rates for individual biocides for multiple biocide formulations within a single coating.

[0188] Various embodiments can include components that help reduce the microbiological influence corrosion (MIC) of a variety of biofouling organisms from a water stream, where the system can include a flexible porous structure (with an optional coating containing a biocide applied to a first surface of the flexible porous structure, the flexible porous structure having a plurality of pores extending from the first surface to a second surface of the flexible porous structure), and placing the coated structure in the water stream, where the water stream flows through the plurality of pores from the first surface to the second surface, and inducing a water chemistry change and / or optionally eluting the biocide from the coating into the water stream, where the water chemistry change and / or the biocide inhibits colonization of a variety of biofouling organisms on a substrate surface located downstream of the structure.

[0189] In various embodiments, the encasement impregnated with biocide will desirably inhibit biofouling growth on and / or within the encasement itself, which will greatly improve the performance, useful life, and / or suitability of the encasement in the disclosed system. The presence of the biocide will desirably inhibit the attachment, settlement, and / or growth of organisms on the outer and / or inner surfaces of the encasement, which can maintain the flexibility of the encasement and significantly reduce the chance of fiber matrix tearing, shredding, and / or other failure due to the presence and / or increased total weight of the fouling organisms. Additionally, the presence and distribution of the biocide will further desirably prevent and / or inhibit the attachment, settlement, and / or growth of fouling organisms (particularly spores, propagules, larvae, and / or juvenile forms) within the openings and / or “pores” of the encasement. In many cases, a given biocide can have very different levels of efficacy against adult and juvenile members of the same species, often requiring significantly higher dosages of the given biocide to prevent fouling activity of the larger and / or mature organisms compared to the dosage required to protect the smaller and / or juvenile organisms. By inhibiting the passage of the larger organisms through the encasement, and directly administering a high- efficacy dosage of the biocide to the smaller organisms as they pass through the biocide-coated pores of the encasement, the present system provides highly effective fouling protection without the need for high toxicity levels of biocide and / or other system components.

[0190] In various embodiments disclosed herein, the inclusion of one or more biocides and / or other chemicals / toxins in a coating applied to the surface of a flexible fibrous matrix and penetrating its surface can significantly increase the dosage and effectiveness of a given biocide into an aqueous medium, such as ambient water flowing through a matrix of a fouling resistant enclosure. In many cases, a large volume of water contacting the matrix will be "broken up" or divided into many individual "streams" of water that pass through openings, holes, and / or gaps in the structure (i.e., in some embodiments, between individual wires of a structure weave). These individual streams of water will ideally pass through individual wires of the matrix, many of which have a coating that will elute biocide and / or other chemicals / toxins into the water flowing directly alongside. These streams of water and eluted biocide will continue through the fibrous matrix, where the tortuous path through the matrix will ideally continuously mix, agitate, and distribute the water with the biocide or other chemicals among the various water streams and fouling organisms contained therein. Once the water exits the matrix, the water streams will recombine into a large volume of "treated" water, with the vast majority of fouling organisms having been exposed to and affected by the biocide or other chemicals during and / or after their passage through the fibrous matrix. In this manner, the individual fluid dosing enabled by a matrix impregnated with biocide in the disclosed fouling resistant systems represents a significant improvement over existing biocide or other chemical dosing systems currently in use.

[0191] Because of the potentially extremely large number of "holes" or other openings in a given area or volume of enclosure structure, the walls of these "holes" can be coated with a biocide eluting coating, the effective eluting surface area of the structure within a water stream can be many times greater than the equivalent planar effective eluting surface area. In many cases, the amount of biocide eluted into a water stream by this porous medium can be 1.1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 100, 1000 times or more than the amount eluted from a flat surface of the same size. Furthermore, because the biocide can be eluted directly into each of the countless water streams passing through the structure holes, the distribution and uniformity of the biocide in the water stream is greatly improved compared to a large or periodic dose from one or more locations along the water stream. Additionally, the flexible enclosure structure can be manipulated (i.e., compressed and / or expanded) in various ways to further enhance its utility in various environments (i.e., compressing and / or "squeezing" the structure medium to reduce its overall size, but maintaining its large effective surface area).

[0192] In various embodiments, a majority and / or all of the aqueous medium "downstream" of the disclosed antifouling device will desirably pass through one or more biocide-impregnated enclosure components, while in other embodiments some portion of the fluid stream can have bypassed and / or not passed through the biocide-impregnated enclosure. For example, a "skirt" or other biofouling protection device can incorporate a peripheral "wall" of biocide-impregnated enclosure, while various openings and / or the base of the device can be open to the surrounding environment. In such a case, biofouling is still effective against any protected substrate, as the presence of the enclosure and its effects can still reduce fouling of the protected substrate to some extent as compared to an unprotected substrate. In a similar manner, an aqueous stream of water or other liquid can benefit from "filtration" of the portion of the water stream passing through a biofouling protection device disclosed herein (i.e., which can incorporate one or more antifouling units comprising biocide-impregnated enclosures), as such filtration can desirably remove and / or inactivate larger and / or smaller fouling organisms within the water stream, while an amount of eluted biocide within the water stream will mix with the remaining untreated water, thereby potentially inhibiting the activity of biofouling organisms within the downstream region of the fibrous substrate. Such "partial filtration" of similar antifouling systems is particularly useful in recirculating water streams such as cooling towers and / or the like.

[0193] Structural design and material properties

[0194] In various embodiments, a wide variety of structures and / or other structures are described, which can be incorporated into some or all of the fouling protection systems described herein. In many of these embodiments, a coating or paint can be incorporated into the structure, wherein the coating or paint comprises one or more biocidal and / or biotoxic substances, which can be released and / or eluted into a fluid flowing through the structure and / or pores thereof.

[0195] Figure 10A An exemplary scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrograph depicting an exemplary spun yarn 1000 is depicted, which depicts a central mass or bundle of yarn 1010 of entangled filaments 1020, with various filament ends 1030 extending laterally relative to the central mass 1010. Figure 10B A cross-sectional view of the central mass 1010 is depicted, highlighting the very fine dimensions of the individual filaments 1020 within the bundle of yarn 1010. As Figure 10C Best shown, an enlarged view of a knit structure 1050 comprising a PET spun yarn is depicted, wherein a series of gaps or openings 1080 are positioned between the bundle of yarn 1070 during the knitting process, with one or more extended fibers or fiber ends 1090 extending through each opening (in various embodiments, a plurality of fiber ends desirably pass through each opening).

[0196] In various embodiments, the structure or enclosure and the substrate protected therein can be separated and / or spaced apart by a minimum spacing of about 200 inches, or about 150 inches, or about 144 inches, or about 72 inches or less, or about 36 inches or less, or about 24 inches or less, or about 12 inches or less, or about 6 inches or less, or about 1 inch or less, or about 1 inch or more, or about 6 inches or more, or about 1 inch to about 24 inches, or about 2 inches to about 24 inches, or about 4 inches to about 24 inches, or about 6 inches to about 24 inches, or about 12 inches to about 24 inches, or about 1 inch to about 12 inches, or about 2 inches to about 12 inches, or about 4 inches to about 12 inches, or about 6 inches to about 12 inches, or about 1 inch to about 6 inches, or about 2 inches to about 6 inches, and / or about 4 inches to about 6 inches (i.e., between the inner wall of the enclosure and the outer surface of the substrate). In various alternative embodiments, at least some or all of the enclosure can be in direct contact with the substrate in one or more areas, including but not limited to the enclosed portion of the enclosure, and thus in some embodiments there can be substantially little or no distance between the medium and the substrate.

[0197] Figure 11A An exemplary structural material 1100 in the form of a rolled sheet is depicted, which can be used in a variety of ways to form the various anti-fouling systems and / or elements described herein. In this embodiment, the material desirably comprises a flexible fibrous material, in this case a structural material which can include woven, knitted, felted, non-woven, and / or other structures of natural fiber cloth as well as polyester or other synthetic fibers, and / or various combinations thereof. In various embodiments, this structure can be used to construct the various embodiments described herein, and / or it can and / or is desirable to wrap or otherwise "cover" an elongate substrate with this rolled sheet, especially where the unwrapped and wrapped sheet can be partially overlapped with other sheets (i.e., along a piling or support beam), which can form a "shell" containing a progressively wrapped substrate or intake, with the structural material wrapped around the substrate in an overlapping "barber pole" or Maypole-type technique or lining the interior walls of a water tank or irrigation pipe. In this case, it can be desirable for the structure to be in direct contact with the protected substrate or intake, with a very thin layer of liquid (and optionally, liquid within the structure itself) between the structure shell wall and the substrate surface, constituting a "differentialized environment" as described herein.

[0198] In one embodiment, one or more structural and / or enclosure wraps can completely or partially enclose a substrate or portion of a substrate. In a non-limiting example, wrapping a wooden piling with an enclosure material in a "barber pole" technique can eliminate or significantly reduce fouling on the wood substrate when the substrate is fully submerged, partially submerged, or positioned at the waterline for at least 18 months, or at least 12 months, or at least 6 months, or at least 3 months.

[0199] In the experiment, piles with loose encasement bags (bags) covering the entire length, tight encasement wraps (wraps) covering the entire length of the pile, tight encasement wraps (WL) partially covering the pile at the waterline, and unprotected piles (open) were randomized and hung on a line to remain in the portion above the highest tide. The treated encasement bags and encasement wraps significantly reduced fouling on the wood piles for at least 18 months. The closed and wrapped wood piles contained light fouling consisting of tube worms and barnacles with no evidence of boring on the surface. In addition, the treated encasement and wraps contained fouling on the fabric after 18 months of immersion. The structure, encasement wraps, and bags significantly reduced the coverage of fouling even after more than 1.5 years.

[0200] The encasement wraps have been shown to eliminate or reduce the presence of boring organisms on wood piles for at least 18 months, or at least 12 months, or at least 6 months, or at least 3 months. The treated encasement that completely encloses around the wood pile prevents boring on the wood pile, while the fabric wrapped around the wood pile significantly reduces boring on the wood for at least 18 months; however, boring occurs on the wood not protected by the encasement or wrap. Under the encasement wrap, the boring phenomenon is significantly reduced, and boring is prevented by the bag where the shipworm cannot enter. The amount of biological fouling and boring on wood piles or other wood substrates can be reduced by 100%, or 99%, or 75%, or 50%, or 25%, or 10% when completely or partially enclosed with at least one bag or wrap after immersion in salt or fresh water for at least 18 months.

[0201] Figure 11B Another exemplary embodiment of a roll sheet structure 1105 is depicted that incorporates adhesive, hook and loop fastener material 1110 (and / or stitched seams) along different portions of the structure that can desirably self-adhere to other structure portions and / or other devices and / or assemblies, where a majority of the structure contains perforated or permeable portions 1120 as described herein (and in different embodiments, the fastener material itself can also contain permeable and / or impermeable portions as well). If desired, the material flaps covering some other structure portions can be impermeable and protect the underlying structure.

[0202] In use, the structure can be wrapped around a water inlet or support beam or other structure to form an enclosure around the water inlet or portions of the substrate being protected, which can include a progressive wrapping method (i.e., a “barber pole” type wrap) or a circular wrapping method (i.e., a “loop” type wrap) to create an enclosure functionally similar to the various enclosures described herein to protect the water inlet and / or various portions of the water system from biofouling organisms and / or other degradation. In various embodiments, attachment using hooks and loops or similar fasteners can be particularly desirable as such fastening technology can be permeable and allow water to pass therethrough in a manner similar to the various permeable materials described herein.

[0203] In another embodiment, the structure or enclosure (fully or partially enclosed) can protect a metal chain or other metal substrate from fouling and corrosion. The treated structure and enclosure provide effective protection and greatly reduce fouling and corrosion on the metal chain for at least 19 months, or at least 18 months, or at least 12 months, or at least 6 months, or at least 3 months.

[0204] In one experimental test, metal chains were hung on an 18’ dock at Cape Cod Marina or a 10’ barge at the same marina. The chains on the dock were fixed relative to the tides, thus having fully exposed, fully submerged, and intertidal (submerged / submerged) portions. The chains on the barge floated with changing tides, having fully submerged, fully exposed, and waterline portions. As shown in Table 1, four treatments of chains and one control were each tested in triplicate: (1) chains with fully enclosed structures / enclosures covering the entire length (full), (2) chains with structures / enclosures fixed around the waterline (waterline), (3) chains with structures / enclosures floating at the waterline (i.e., the protective structure moves with the tides) (floating), and (4) unprotected controls (open). Chains fixed on the dock were randomized and hung on a line such that they remained a distance above the highest tide. Chains fixed on the barge were hung on cleats and were set in a block design due to space constraints. All chains were immersed in mid-February. Figure 30

[0205] After 19 months, at least one fully enclosed structure contained very light fouling consisting of tubeworms scattered along the length of the chain. The treated structures / enclosures provided at least 19 months of effective protection for the metal chains located at the waterline within the enclosure-covered area. Light fouling began to accumulate on the chains protected by the enclosures. After 19 months, the floating waterline enclosures began to degrade and contained holes with fouling on the unprotected chains.

[0206] ​Corrosion can occur anywhere on the metal where an oxygen cell is formed when immersed in water. Oxygen cells occur in areas where there is an oxygen or other chemical gradient in the water. The protective structure or enclosure (bagged or wrapped) can reduce or eliminate the corrosive effects on the metal when immersed in water for at least 19 months, or at least 18 months, or at least 12 months, or at least 6 months, or at least 3 months. In experiments, fully enclosed chains and enclosed chains exhibited minimal corrosion at the waterline, while unprotected chains were completely covered in biofouling and corrosion. Corrosion can be due to oxygen gradients inside the enclosure and / or chalk loss on the chain due to the enclosure rubbing on the chain. In addition, corrosion was observed in areas where the enclosure was damaged and where the enclosure material was lost.

[0207] If desired, the system can be constructed using individual component segments that can be assembled into a three-dimensional (3D) configuration. For example, individual wall segments of the enclosure can be provided to be attached to one another in various configurations, including triangles, squares, and / or other polygons. If desired, the wall segments can be supported by a relatively rigid chassis, or the segments can be highly flexible and / or provided on rollers or other carriers that can be unrolled to release each individual segment prior to assembly. In at least one alternative embodiment, an open enclosure frame or support can be provided, with an elongated sheet or enclosure wall material provided around and / or over the frame segments (and, for example, applied to the frame in a manner similar to a tape or "boat wrap" object for shipping by common carrier).

[0208] Fibrous structure matrix and filtration

[0209] In various alternative embodiments, the enclosure, system, and / or components thereof can comprise a three-dimensional structural matrix and / or fibrous matrix formed from interwoven and / or intertwined strands arranged in a lattice-like, web-like, mat-like, or perforated structural arrangement, which can incorporate one or more non-planar and / or non-smooth structural layers in various embodiments. In a very simplified form, the enclosure can contain a plurality of horizontally positioned elements interwoven with a plurality of vertically positioned elements (as well as various combinations of other fibrous elements arranged in different directions), which can comprise a plurality of separate and / or interwoven layers. The flexible material can comprise one or more spaced apart layers that can include baffles or various interconnected segments. Ideally, each yarn or other thread element in the enclosure material will comprise a preselected number of individual strands, with at least a portion of the strands extending outwardly from the core element in different locations and / or directions, thereby forming a three-dimensional tortuous network of interwoven threads and strands in the structure. In various embodiments, the various elements of the fibrous matrix can be arranged in virtually any orientation (including diagonal), or in a manner parallel to one another, thereby forming right angles, or virtually any other orientation, including three-dimensional orientations and / or randomized distributions (i.e., felts) and / or patterns. Additionally, while there can be significant spacing between individual elements in some embodiments, in other embodiments, the spacing can be reduced to a tighter pattern in order to form a tight pattern with little or no spacing between one another. In various preferred embodiments, the elements, such as threads and / or fibers, can be made of natural or synthetic polymers, but can be made of other materials, such as metal, nylon, cotton, or combinations thereof.

[0210] Various aspects of the present invention can include the use of a fibrous matrix and / or highly ciliated flexible material, meaning that the material can include tendrils or hair-like appendages (i.e., fibers) that protrude from the surface thereof or extend into pores or open spaces in the three-dimensional flexible structure, which creates a fibrous matrix and / or "filtering" medium. The tendrils or hair-like appendages can be part of or incorporated into the material that makes up the three-dimensional flexible material. Alternatively, the tendrils or hair-like appendages can be formed from a separate composition that adheres or attaches to the flexible material. For example, the tendrils or hair-like appendages can be attached to an adhesive layer and protrude from the adhesive layer, which itself is attached to the surface of the flexible material. In aspects of the present invention, the tendrils or hair-like appendages can protrude from the surface of the fibrous matrix material, while in other aspects, the tendrils or hair-like appendages can extend inwardly and / or inwardly toward and / or into other threads and / or fibers of the material matrix and / or structure. In various aspects of the present invention, the tendrils or hair-like appendages can be elastic and / or can vibrate and / or sway as a result of the movement of the enclosure and / or water. In various embodiments, the combination of the movement of the cilia themselves and / or the tendrils or hair-like appendages can also deter the settlement of biofouling organisms on or in the surface of the enclosure.

[0211] In various embodiments, the presence of a large number of small fibers in the permeable material of the system can significantly increase the complexity of the three-dimensional structure of the material, as these structures can extend into and / or around open voids in the weave pattern. This arrangement of fibers can further provide a more tortuous path for organisms attempting to pass through the depth of the structure and into the interior environment protected by the outer shell, and / or can provide a greater surface area for optional biocide coatings to adhere to. In various embodiments, it has been determined that spun polyester has highly desirable properties as an outer shell material, as the shape and / or size of the three-dimensional "entry path" into the outer shell (i.e., as a microorganism passes through the openings and / or pores of the material) will desirably provide a longer path, a greater surface area, and / or can prove more effective at deterring fouling organisms from flowing into the outer shell and / or retaining a greater amount of biocide coating therein.

[0212] In various embodiments, the three-dimensional topography of the outer shell in the system will desirably contribute to the anti-biofouling effectiveness of the system, as such structural configurations can increase the desired "filtering effect" of the wall and / or can detrimentally affect the ability of various fouling organisms to "latch onto" the structure and / or protected substrate. However, in other embodiments, the outer shell wall and / or other components can comprise "flatter" and / or "smoother" materials, such as textured yarns or other materials (and / or other material configuration techniques), and still provide many of the anti-biofouling effects disclosed herein. Although such materials can be significantly flatter, smoother, and / or less fibrillated than materials incorporating spun polyester yarns, these materials can still provide acceptable levels of biofouling protection for various applications.

[0213] In some embodiments, the flexible fiber matrix can be highly desirable for incorporation into various components of the anti-fouling outer shell, especially where the matrix can be folded and / or collapsed into different configurations to accommodate the desired size, shape, and / or permeability / density. For example, a relatively large flexible fiber matrix can be collapsed and / or folded such that the matrix has a higher effective surface area / volume to pass liquid through. This arrangement can include pleating and / or folding the matrix material in a manner similar to a pleated air filter, which can increase the effective filtration of the matrix and / or decrease its tendency to clog under certain conditions. Alternatively, the fiber matrix can be expanded and / or enlarged to fit a larger volume, if desired.

[0214] Various materials that can be suitable to varying degrees for constructing the system components described herein include various natural and synthetic materials or combinations thereof. For example, burlap, jute, canvas, wool, cellulose, silk, cotton, hemp, and scrim are non-limiting examples of natural materials that can be useful. Useful synthetic materials can include, but are not limited to, the polyolefin polymer class (such as polyethylene, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, polypropylene, copolymers, etc.), polyesters, nylon, polyurethane, rayon, polyamides, polyacrylates, and epoxy resins. Various types of fiberglass compositions can also be used. Combinations of polymers and copolymers can also be useful. These three-dimensional flexible materials can be formed into a textile structure, a permeable sheet material, or other configuration that provides a structure capable of providing the antifouling properties as described herein. Examples of potentially suitable flexible materials for constructing the systems described herein include, but are not limited to, burlap, canvas, cotton structures, linen, scrim, permeable polymeric sheet materials, structures constructed from polymeric fibers or filaments, and permeable thin films and membranes. In various aspects of the present application, the flexible material can be selected from natural or synthetic structures such as burlap, knitted polyester or other structures, woven polyester or other structures, spun polyester or other structures, various combinations thereof, or other structures having various properties, including those disclosed herein.

[0215] In various embodiments, the flexible material forming one or more of the enclosures can have a structure formed from intertwined fibers or fiber bundles (i.e., yarns). As used herein, “intertwined” means that the fibers can be non-woven, woven, knit, braided, or otherwise intermixed to create a matrix of fibers capable of having various antifouling and / or water permeability and / or water exchange characteristics as described herein. The mass of fibers intertwined together can desirably create a pattern of open spaces and closed spaces in the three-dimensional flexible material, with the open spaces defining voids. Desirably, the fibers that can make up the flexible material are, for example, individual filaments, multiple bundles of filaments, filaments of natural or synthetic compositions, or combinations of natural and synthetic compositions. In aspects of the present application, the average diameter of the fibers (or “average filament diameter”) is about 50 mils or less, about 25 mils or less, about 10 mils or less, about 6 mils or less, about 5 mils or less, about 4 mils or less, about 3 mils or less, about 2 mils or less, about 1 mil or less, about 0.5 mil or less, about 0.4 mil or less, about 0.3 mil or less, about 0.2 mil or less, or about 0.1 mil or less.

[0216] In some aspects of the application, the flexible material can comprise a woven or knitted structure. For example, the woven structure can have a number of weft threads per inch ("ppi" or weft threads per inch) of about 3 to about 150, about 5 to about 100, about 10 to about 50, about 15 to about 25, about 20 to about 40, and / or about 20. In other aspects of the application, the woven structure has a number of warp threads per inch ("epi" or warp threads per inch) of about 3 to about 150, about 5 to about 100, about 10 to about 50, about 15 to about 25, about 20 to about 40, and / or about 20 or about 24. In still other aspects of the application, the knitted structure can have a number of courses per inch ("cpi") of about 3 to about 120, about 5 to about 100, about 10 to about 50, about 15 to about 25, about 20 to about 40, and / or about 36 or about 37. In yet other aspects of the application, the knitted structure has a number of wales per inch ("wpi") of about 3 to about 80, about 5 to about 60, about 10 to about 50, about 15 to about 25, about 20 to about 40, and / or about 36 or about 33.7.

[0217] Thus, in at least one aspect of the application, the woven structure has a yarn size density (i.e., weft threads per unit area times warp threads) of about 9 to about 22,500, about 100 to about 20,000, about 500 to about 15,000, about 1,000 to about 10,000, about 2,500 to about 8,000, about 4,000 to about 6,000, about 2,500 to about 4,000, about 5,000 to about 15,000, about 10,000 to about 20,000, about 8,000 to about 25,000, about 20 to about 100, about 30 to about 50, about 45, or about 40 yarns.

[0218] In another aspect of the application, the yarns of the woven or knitted structure can have a size of about 40 denier to 70 denier, about 40 denier to 100 denier, about 100 denier to about 3000 denier, about 500 denier to about 2500 denier, about 1000 denier to about 2250 denier, about 1100 denier, about 2150 denier, or about 2200 denier.

[0219] In yet another aspect of the application, the woven or knit structure can have a basis weight per unit area of from about 1 to about 24 ounces per square yard (about 34 to about 814 g / m2), from about 1 to about 15 ounces per square yard, from about 2 to about 20 ounces per square yard (about 68 to about 678 g / m2), from about 10 to about 16 ounces per square yard (about 339 to about 542 g / m2), about 12 ounces per square yard (about 407 g / m2), or about 7 ounces per square yard (about 237 g / m2), or about 3 ounces per square yard. In another aspect of the application, a desired woven structure based on spun polyester fibers can be used as a shell material, where the structure has a basis weight of about 410 grams per square meter (including the weight of the base structure prior to any coating or modification) (see Table 5).

[0220] In various exemplary embodiments, a suitable shell and / or structure wall thickness can range from 0.025 inches to 0.0575 inches or more, with desirable embodiments being about 0.0205 inches thick, about 0.0319 inches thick, about 0.0482 inches thick, and / or about 0.0571 inches thick. Greater and / or lesser thickness shell walls than specifically described can be used in various system designs with varying degrees of success and different materials depending on the size of the perforations and / or openings in the shell, as well as the shape, size, and / or curvature of the various openings in the system. In various alternative embodiments, the flexible base material, fibers, and / or strands used in the construction of the disclosed fiber matrix can have a wide variation in thickness and / or length depending on the desired substrate to be protected or the particular application. For example, in some aspects of the application, the flexible material can have a thickness of about 0.001 to about 0.5 inches, about 0.005 to about 0.25 inches, about 0.01 to about 0.1 inches, about 0.02 inches, about 0.03 inches, about 0.04 inches, about 0.05 inches, or about 0.06 inches. Variations in thickness and permeability within a single structure are contemplated, such as with a membrane structure and its multiple layers.

[0221] It should be appreciated that a variety of materials and / or combinations of materials can be used as system materials to achieve the various purposes described herein. For example, a thin film or similar material can be used as an alternative to the structure wall material, which can include a permeable and / or impermeable thin film in some or all of the shell walls. Similarly, natural and synthetic materials such as rubber, latex, thin metal, metal film and / or foil, and / or plastic or ceramic can be utilized, with varying results.

[0222] Regardless of the type of material used, the enclosure can optionally be configured such that the enclosure can be shaped to be able to expand and / or contract three-dimensionally, radially, longitudinally, and / or various combinations thereof. This type of configuration would desirably allow for positioning above and / or around various reservoir and / or intake embodiments in various configurations, which can include positioning such that the enclosure walls can mirror the profile of the surface of any underlying object to which they are attached, if desired. In some embodiments, the enclosure can be formed in a mirror image shape of one or more surfaces of the reservoir and / or intake, and generally have at least somewhat larger dimensions to accommodate the substrate therein.

[0223] In some exemplary embodiments, the system or enclosure can be constructed of a completely natural enclosure material, such as burlap or hemp, and used to protect substrates in particularly sensitive water areas, such as drinking water reservoirs and / or wildlife sanctuaries, where the use of artificial materials and / or biocidal toxins can be prohibited and / or precluded. In this case, even though the enclosure can separate from the substrate and / or associated support structure (as additional openings in the separation structure can now preclude the development of the protected aqueous environment and its attendant benefits), the enclosure will desirably provide protection to the underlying substrate and / or intake for the desired period of time without posing a significant potential danger of contaminating the water and / or harming the local aquatic environment. In this case, once the substrate no longer requires protection, or in the event the enclosure becomes soiled and / or damaged for various reasons, the system components can be removed and / or replaced with new enclosures and / or other components of similar material, restoring the fouling protection to the substrate as desired.

[0224] In various embodiments, "permeability" is desirably used as a measure of some aspects of the enclosure and / or other system components, as it can be somewhat difficult to measure and / or determine the "effective" porosity of the openings throughout the spun polyester and / or burlap material due to the "fuzziness" and / or randomness in the architecture of the structure, which can be complicated by changes in flexibility and / or form of the structure under wet and / or dry conditions, which Applicant believes can optionally be important to the effectiveness of various embodiments of the disclosed systems and devices. In various embodiments, the system can include one or more walls that include a flexible material having openings and / or holes formed therethrough. In some desirable embodiments, some or all of the openings through one or more walls can include tortuous or "winding" flow paths, where tortuosity is defined as the ratio of the actual length (L t ) of the flow path to the straight-line distance between the two ends of the flow path:

[0225]

[0226] In one exemplary embodiment, a woven structure made from a textured yarn or spun polyester yarn can be highly desirable for forming an exemplary anti-fouling system, where the spun polyester yarn potentially has a large number of fiber ends extending from the yarn at different locations (i.e., a relatively high level of "fluff" or villi) and in multiple directions - ideally resulting in a more complex three-dimensional macrostructure and / or a more tortuous path from the outer surface to the inner surface of the structure. In various preferred embodiments, these fiber ends can extend into naturally occurring openings that can exist in the weave of the structure, thereby potentially reducing and / or eliminating some "straight path" openings through the structure and / or increasing the tortuosity of existing paths through the structure (which in some cases can extend a substantial distance through the topography of the three-dimensional structure). In various embodiments, it can be desirable for portions of the structure to include openings having a tortuosity greater than 1.25, while in other embodiments it can be more desirable for various openings in the structure to have a tortuosity greater than 1.5.

[0227] In many embodiments, it can be highly desirable to incorporate permeable elements, components, and / or structures into some and / or all of the system components, which allow for substantial transmission of water through the enclosure in a controlled manner and / or rate. Ideally, the material(s) selected for the enclosure will include one or more wall structures having a level of permeability that allows for fluid flow from the surrounding aqueous environment into the inlet and / or reservoir. This permeability will ideally be optimized and / or adapted to the local environment in which the system will be placed, although generally the enclosure can incorporate moderate to high levels of permeability, as materials with very low permeability can be somewhat less effective at providing sufficient water flow to accommodate the desired use. In many cases, local environmental conditions (i.e., water flow, temperature, type of biota, growing season, salinity, available nutrients and / or oxygen, pollutants, etc.) and / or local water conditions / speeds (i.e., due to water flow and / or tides) can influence the desired permeability and / or other design considerations - for example, a higher velocity liquid impact on the enclosure can result in an increased water exchange rate for a given material permeability, which in such cases can warrant or suggest the use of a lower permeability material.

[0228] In various embodiments, a system component can desirably inhibit biofouling on a substrate or substrate portion at least partially submerged in an aquatic environment, where the enclosure comprises a material that is water permeable or becomes water permeable during use, said enclosure adapted to house the substrate and in some embodiments form a differential aquatic environment extending from the interior / exterior surface of the enclosure to the water inlet or water system or other protected substrate, where the enclosure or portions thereof are water permeable at or after positioning the structure around the substrate, permeating at least 100 ml of water per second per cm2 of substrate. In various embodiments, the water permeability of the structure can be achieved by forming the structure to allow water to permeate through the structure, such as by manufacturing a textile with the desired permeability. In some embodiments, the structure can be designed to become water permeable over time when in use. For example, other water permeable structures can include a coating that initially makes it substantially impermeable, but as the coating ablates, erodes or dissolves, the permeability of the underlying layer increases and / or becomes useful.

[0229] In various embodiments, the optimal and / or desired permeability level of the enclosure can be close to any of the structure permeabilities identified in Table 10 (below), and in some embodiments can include permeabilities in the range of 100 ml / s / cm 2 to 0.01 ml / s / sm 2 In various alternative embodiments, a structure or other permeable material can be used in or on one or more walls of the enclosure, including having a permeability of 0.06 ml / s / cm 2 to 46.71 ml / s / cm 2 , or 0.07 ml / s / cm 2 to 46.22 ml / s / cm 2 , or 0.08 ml / s / cm 2 to 43.08 ml / s / cm 2 , or 0.11 ml / s / cm 2 to 42.54 ml / s / cm 2 , or 0.13 ml / s / cm 2 to 42.04 ml / s / cm 2 , or 0.18 ml / s / cm 2 to 40.55 ml / s / cm 2 , or 0.19 ml / s / cm 2 to 29.08 ml / s / cm 2 , or 0.32 ml / s / cm 2 to 28.16 ml / s / cm 2 , or 0.48 ml / s / cm 2 to 25.41 ml / s / cm 2or 0.50 ml / s / cm 2 to 22.30 ml / s / cm 2 or 0.77 ml / s / cm 2 to 21.97 ml / s / cm 2 or 0.79 ml / s / cm 2 to 20.46 ml / s / cm 2 or 0.83 ml / s / cm 2 to 15.79 ml / s / cm 2 or 0.90 ml / s / cm 2 to 14.72 ml / s / cm 2 or 1.05 ml / s / cm 2 to 14.19 ml / s / cm 2 or 1.08 ml / s / cm 2 to 14.04 ml / s / cm 2 or 1.11 ml / s / cm 2 to 13.91 ml / s / cm 2 or 1.65 ml / s / cm 2 to 11.27 ml / s / cm 2 or 2.09 ml / s / cm 2 to 11.10 ml / s / cm 2 or 2.25 ml / s / cm 2 to 10.17 ml / s / cm 2 or 2.29 ml / s / cm 2 to 9.43 ml / s / cm 2 or 2.36 ml / s / cm 2 to 9.20 ml / s / cm 2 or 2.43 ml / s / cm 2 to 9.02 ml / s / cm 2 or 2.47 ml / s / cm 2 to 8.24 ml / s / cm 2 or 2.57 ml / s / cm 2 to 8.16 ml / s / cm 2 or 2.77 ml / s / cm 2 to 8.11 ml / s / cm 2 or 3.68 ml / s / cm 2 to 6.04 ml / s / cm 2 or 3.84 ml / s / cm 2 to 5.99 ml / s / cm 2 or 4.43 ml / s / cm2 Up to 5.40 ml / s / cm 2 and / or 4.70 ml / s / cm 2 Up to 4.77 ml / s / cm 2 Materials with a permeability range.

[0230]

[0231] Table 10 – Permeability of Exemplary Wall Structures

[0232] The water permeability of a material can be a function of many factors, including the material's composition, its construction method and type, whether it has a coating, whether it is dry, wet, or saturated, whether it itself is scaled in some way, and / or whether the structure has been "pre-wetted" before testing and / or use in an aqueous environment. Furthermore, since the permeability of a given material can change over time, there may be a range of acceptable and / or optimal water permeability, even for a single material. In various aspects of the invention, the water permeability of a given enclosure can be an initial minimum permeability sufficient to ideally avoid a persistent state of anoxic conditions in a localized (i.e., protected) aquatic environment, while in other embodiments, the permeability can be greater. In various aspects of the invention, the material may have a water permeability (milliliters of water per square centimeter of substrate per second) as measured by the test methods described above, achieved before or during use: about 100 or less, about 90 or less, about 80 or less, about 70 or less, about 60 or less, about 50 or less, about 40 or less, about 30 or less, about 25 or less, about 20 or less, about 10 or less, about 5 or less, about 4 or less, about 3 or less, about 2 or less, about 1 or less, about 0.5 or less, about 0.1 or less, about 1 or more, about 0.5 or more, about 0.1 or more, about 0.1 to about 100, about 0.1 to about 90, about 0.1 to about 80, about 0.1 to about 70, about 0.1 to about 60. About 0.1 to about 50, about 0.1 to about 40, about 0.1 to about 30, about 0.1 to about 25, about 0.1 to about 20, about 0.1 to about 10, about 0.1 to about 5, about 0.5 to about 100, about 0.5 to about 90, about 0.5 to about 80, about 0.5 to about 70, about 0.5 to about 60, about 0.5 to about 50, about 0.5 to about 40, about 0.5 to about 30, about 0.5 to about 25, about 0.5 to about 20, about 0.5 to about 10, about 0.5 to about 5, about 1 to about 100, about 1 to about 90, about 1 to about 80, about 1 to about 70, about 1 to about 60, about 1 to about 50, about 1 to about 40, about 1 to about 30, about 1 to about 25, about 1 to about 20, about 1 to about 10, or about 1 to about 5.

[0233] Experimental Results - Test 1

[0234] In a set of exemplary experiments conducted in the winter months in a southern climate (i.e., Melbourne, Florida, USA), four raceways were constructed to direct various amounts of filtered, pretreated, and / or dosed environmental water. The raceways were attached to pumps by flexible tubing. Each raceway contained a PVC "Christmas tree" settling substrate, which was chosen because this configuration is very attractive to settling larvae. Three pumps were placed in bags of flexible structural material incorporating a biocidal coating as described herein, and a fourth pump was left open to fouling (which served as an ideal control). One pump was allowed to flow at maximum flow (748 gallons / hour), one pump was set to approximately ½ flow (about 367 gallons / hour), and a third pump was set to approximately ¼ flow (about 160 gallons / hour). The control pump was set to approximately ½ flow (about 373 gallons / hour). The four raceways were set up in the water, and pumping began in early October. The depth of each raceway was set to have approximately 6" of water in the raceway above the water intake level, with a one-way outlet at the back of each raceway. Figure 16 Various views of the test setup are depicted.

[0235] After seven (7) days of soaking, the raceway fouling between the bagged and unbagged pumps was different (see Figure 18 ). The open pump Figure 17D ) had more and thicker biofilm after 7 days. After 10 days, visible macrofouling appeared in the open pump raceways, consisting of hydroids and bivalves (possibly barnacles and tube worms). The bagged pump raceways had only a small amount of biofilm and sediment at the inlet, with no apparent difference in pumping rate. The fouling on the Christmas tree substrate in the bagged raceways (full speed - Figure 17A , ½ flow - Figure 17B , and ¼ flow - Figure 17C ) consisted only of light, fluffy, powdery biofilm, while the fouling on the Christmas tree substrate in the open pump raceways consisted of heavier biofilm, hydroids, tube worms, tunicates, and bivalves (possibly small barnacles). The water quality in all raceways was similar and similar to the harbor conditions outside the raceways. The biggest difference was between the full strength pump and the static open water, but the water quality differences seemed to be less than 4% for the measured properties. The open pump also appeared to accumulate light macrofouling within 10 days, while the bagged pump had only visible biofilm. The biofilm was lighter and less covering on the raceways and Christmas trees where the pumps were protected by the enclosure bags.

[0236] Experimental Results - Test 2

[0237] In another set of exemplary experiments, four additional raceways were constructed to direct different amounts of treated and / or protected environmental water through three of the raceways, while untreated water flowed through the fourth raceway ("control"). The raceways were attached to pumps via flexible tubing. Each raceway contained a PVC "Christmas tree" settling substrate, which was chosen because this configuration is very attractive to settling larvae. Three of the raceways (control and 2 pumping rates) contained 40 gallons of water, and the fourth contained 190 gallons of water.

[0238] In this experiment, the front of three of the four raceways (two regular size, one large size) was a box with a coated structure on all sides. The boxes were completely submerged in the water. Pumps were installed using flexible tubing downstream of the boxes so that water was pulled through the box and then pushed into the raceway (see Figure 19 ). The control and standard pumps were the same size and pulled at approximately 200 gallons / hour. The fast and large raceways had larger pumps and pulled at approximately 600 gallons / hour (see Figure 22A ). The raceways were placed in the water and pumping began in early March.

[0239] Figure 26A and 26B Additional descriptions are provided regarding the various raceways of the test setup. For these experiments, the actual pumping rates for the various experimental test groups were determined, as well as the volume of each raceway and the surface area and volume of the permeable structure box that formed the intake. The number of water exchanges per hour completed in each intake box was calculated, as well as the number of water exchanges per hour in the raceway for each test setup. Additionally, Figure 26A The amount of water drawn through each square foot of fibrous structure media by each enclosure box is depicted, as well as the water exchange within the enclosure, within each box, and full length of each test setup. The exemplary residence time of the water in the raceway and the full average residence time of the water in each antifouling system is also shown. Figure 26B Additional disclosures are included regarding the amount of biocide that can be released by the water soak over 30 days in each exemplary enclosure and the amount of biocide released by the water flow over 30 days (assuming complete release of the biocide over the 30 day period), as well as the total amount of biocide released per gallon of water.

[0240] In at least one alternative embodiment, a similar amount of biocide can be suspended in a "slow release" coating resin that releases the biocide over a 60 day period (or other desired period), which can provide approximately ½ of the final concentration of biocide for twice the total water flow over the 60 day period (i.e., for a comparable 60 day antifouling system example 4 and 2 of Figure 26B , 846,720 gallons and / or 262,080 gallons).

[0241] After 30 days of immersion, the protected raceways had visible biofouling consisting of serpulid worms on the Christmas tree substrates, while the controls had more biofouling evident after a few days of immersion (see Figure 22E and 22G ). As Figure 20A , 21A and Figure 22E and 22G best shown, the biofouling in the control raceways was heavier and consisted of tree bryozoans, barnacles and serpulid worms on the raceway and Christmas trees, and hydrozoans and tunicates on the Christmas trees. The biofouling in the protected (i.e., treated water) standard (Figures 20 and 21B) and protected large raceway Figure 20A and 21C ) was similar and consisted of half the coverage on the substrates exposed to unprotected or untreated water. The reduction in this biofouling coverage was due to the serpulid worms. The biofouling in the fast pump raceway Figure 20A and 21D - also containing treated water - was heavier and consisted mainly of serpulid worms with one tree bryozoan on the edge of the panel in the Christmas tree array. Thick deposits built up on the roof of all raceways. In some cases, this resulted in the serpulid worms growing vertically from the surface with their heads protruding from the silt.

[0242] After 2 months of immersion, visual assessments showed that the biofouling community composition on the metal substrates in the treated water (i.e., standard pump Figure 24A , fast pump Figure 24B and large raceway Figure 24C ) was different (see Figure 24D and Figure 22F ) and less biofouling built up compared to the metal substrates in the untreated water (control 22H ). Underwater assessments of the treatment bags after 2 months showed different biofilm structures and thicknesses with no micro- or macro-biofouling (i.e., standard pump Figure 25A , fast pump Figure 25B and large raceway Figure 25C ) compared to the microfouling, macrofouling and biofilm grown on the unprotected control pumps (control Figure 25D ). Serpulid worms were the most prominent organisms on the metal substrates in the treated water. The shell can contain biocides or components to reduce the health or reproduction of the serpulid worms. The substrates can be pre-treated or conditioned with a hydrogel system containing biocides or other compositions to prevent the settlement of serpulid worms. The treated water can be adjusted to reduce the dissolved oxygen, water chemistry, pH and / or temperature to "poisonous" levels for the survival and reproduction of the serpulid worms.

[0243] In addition to the differences in biofouling on the substrates (unprotected or protected), visual differences were noted between the protected and unprotected back walls of the raceways. After 30 days, the control raceway wall containing the spillway showed large areas of fouling, while the raceway with treated water had no visible buildup of fouling on the spillway (see Figure 20B ). The water quality appeared to differ between the different treatments (see Figures 22B-22D ). The temperature was similar for all treatments at all sampling times. Salinity was very stable in the pumped treatment, while salinity varied more in the static open water. Dissolved oxygen was similar between treatments until week 4, at which time dissolved oxygen began to decrease from the static open in all raceways, likely due to the slowing of water from biofouling in the pump and / or lack of photosynthesis in the covered raceway. The dissolved oxygen (DO) levels were lower in the treated water after 2 months compared to the open / untreated water. It is believed that the DO differences take longer to develop in high velocity water compared to static water, where the various DO differences depend on the residence time (in some embodiments, longer residence times are preferred), the velocity of the water, and / or the volume of water.

[0244] As Figure 22D best shown, water chemistry differences were determined for the treated water after 1 month compared to the open / untreated water. Ammonium, total dissolved nitrogen, and phosphate were higher in the treated water compared to the untreated water. It is believed that nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate can be nutrients for biofouling organisms, where the concentration of one or more is too high to be “toxic” or undesirable to the organisms and negatively impacts the organisms. Also, the increase in ammonium content can be more “toxic” to the organisms in water areas where the pH is elevated. The test results show that the “toxic” ammonium content is higher in the treated water areas compared to the open water areas. The test results can also suggest that the increase in phosphate can cause the organisms to be over-stimulated. Many of these water chemistry differences can depend on the residence time (i.e., longer residence times are preferred in some embodiments), the volume of water, and / or the velocity of the water flow over the substrate.

[0245] Test Results - Test 3

[0246] In another set of exemplary experiments, the use of multiple layers of enclosures (including one layer of enclosures, two layers of enclosures, and three layers of enclosures) for pre-treating water was investigated. This setup represents an enclosure bag in an ab enclosure bag. With this experimental setup, any number of layers of enclosures can be used.

[0247] In this experiment, four raceways were constructed to direct different amounts of treated and / or protected environmental water through three of the raceways, while untreated water flowed through the fourth raceway ("control"). The control raceway water was not pretreated with a shell. Test setup 2 water was pretreated prior to flowing through a raceway with a shell. Water in test setup 3 was pretreated with two layers of shell, and water in test setup 4 was pretreated with three layers of shell, prior to pumping the water into the raceway. The raceways were attached to the pump via flexible tubing (no shell for setup 1, and a protective shell for setups 2-4). Each raceway contained a PVC "Christmas tree" settling substrate, which was chosen because this configuration is very attractive to settling larvae. All four raceways contained 50 gallons of water, the pump speed was approximately 240 gallons / hour, and the initial residence time of the water in the raceway was 12.3-12.6 minutes.

[0248] In this experiment, 3 of the 4 raceways were preceded by a shell box with a coated fabric shell structure on all sides. The boxes were completely submerged in the water. A pump was installed inside each box using flexible tubing to pull water through the box and then push it into the raceway (see Figure 29 ). The raceways were placed in the water and pumping began in early October.

[0249] Below, Table 11 provides additional descriptions of the various raceways for the test setups.

[0250]

[0251] Table 11. Experimental pumping calculations for the 1-shell, 2-shell, and 3-shell design setups.

[0252] For these experiments, the actual pumping rates for the various experimental test groups were determined, as well as the volume of each raceway and the surface area and volume of the permeable structure box that formed the intake. The number of water exchanges per hour completed in each intake box was calculated, as well as the number of water exchanges per hour in the raceway for each test setup. Additionally, Table 7 describes the amount of water drawn through each square foot of fibrous structure media by each shell box, as well as the water exchanges within the shell, within each box, and throughout each test setup. The exemplary residence time of the water in the raceway and the overall average residence time of the water in each antifouling system are also shown. Table 7 includes additional disclosure of the amount of biocide that can be released by the water over a 30-day soak in each exemplary shell and the total amount of biocide released per gallon of water (assuming complete release of the biocide over the 30-day period), as well as the total amount of biocide released per gallon of water.

[0253] After 3 weeks of immersion, the protected waterways had visible biofouling consisting of tubeworms on the Christmas tree substrate, while the controls had significantly more biofouling, tubeworms and hydrozoan organisms that became visible after a few days of immersion. After 1 week, the unprotected waterways (no enclosures) began to show signs of biofouling. The waterways that had pre-treated water with one enclosure began to show signs of biofouling after 2 weeks. The waterways that had pre-treated water with multiple enclosures (two and three enclosures) began to show signs of biofouling after 2.5 weeks. After 3 weeks, the unprotected waterways and the waterways that had pre-treated water with one, two, and three enclosures all contained tubeworms on the substrate and waterways. The unprotected waterways contained hydrozoan organisms on the substrate and waterways. The biofouling in the control waterways was heavy, consisting of tree-like bryozoans, barnacles, and tubeworms on the waterways and Christmas tree, and hydrozoan and tunicate organisms on the Christmas tree. The biofouling in the protected (i.e., treated water) was similar and consisted of more than half the coverage amount on the substrate exposed to unprotected or untreated water. This reduction in biological biofouling coverage was due to the tubeworms. After two weeks, all treatments (unprotected, one enclosure, two enclosures, three enclosures) had similar water quality, water chemistry, and flow characteristics. After one week, all treatments (unprotected, one enclosure, two enclosures, three enclosures) had planktonic organisms in the water, including copepods and other holoplankton.

[0254] In addition to the differences in biological biofouling on the substrate (unprotected or protected), visual differences were noted between the back walls of the waterways that were protected and unprotected. After 3 weeks, the control waterway wall that contained a spillway on the back of the waterway showed large areas of biofouling, while the waterways with treated water flow had no visible biofouling buildup on the spillway (similar to Figure 20B ).

[0255] Desired biofilm formation

[0256] In the case where the system is used to protect a water system, as disclosed herein, the sequence of biological colonization on the water system components can be significantly different than the open water sequence typically expected. For example, when using a system as described herein, the sequence of biological colonization on the substrate can be interrupted (disrupted, altered, etc.) to reduce and / or minimize the settlement, recruitment, and eventual macrofouling of the substrate. Once positioned upstream of the water system's intake, the permeable protective structural wall of the antifouling media and / or other system components can ideally prevent various microorganisms and / or macroorganisms from entering the system and, if they are already within the system and / or if they eventually penetrate the outer shell, the different water conditions produced can prevent some and / or all of the organisms from settling and / or colonizing on the substrate. For example, when the microscopic planktonic organisms and other traditional non-settling organisms and other settling organisms penetrate the permeable structural membrane, the different water conditions within the system can impair or injure some of the planktonic organisms, while the other planktonic organisms that remain alive and active will avoid settling and / or colonizing on the substrate surface.

[0257] In various embodiments, the initial placement of the system upstream of the substrate can cause and / or induce the formation of a "protective" biofilm layer on the substrate surface that has various desirable properties such as (1) forming a biofilm layer that minimizes the interference of the biofilm with the heat transfer through the underlying surface and / or (2) forming a biofilm layer that subsequently protects the substrate from significant additional fouling, which can even include providing biofouling protection after the integrity of the outer shell can be compromised and the substrate can be directly exposed to the external environment. In various embodiments, the active or non-settling biofilm can contain one or more of the following as compared to a "natural" biofilm: (1) a different number of life forms and / or organisms, (2) a different variation in the biological composition, (3) a different thickness of the biofilm, and / or (4) a different structural integrity of the biofilm.

[0258] In various aspects of the application, proper design and use of the protection system as described herein can create "different environments" within the water system that affect and / or induce the formation of biological coatings, layers, and / or biofilms on the substrate surface, effectively reducing and / or preventing settlement of biofouling organisms on the substrate. In some aspects of the application, this reduction and / or prevention can be due to the prevention (e.g., reduction, minimization, or prevention) of one or more local settlement cues for larvae of biofouling organisms, which can include prevention of settlement on the substrate, while in other aspects of the application, the reduction and / or prevention can be due to the lack of one or more positive settlement cues that promote settlement of larvae of biofouling organisms, which can similarly reduce settlement on the substrate (and / or various combinations of the presence and / or absence of settlement cues can be involved in various embodiments). In another aspect of the application, the system components can promote the growth of microorganisms that create one or more local settlement cues that prevent settlement of larvae of biofouling organisms in the differentiated aquatic environment created by the system. In another aspect of the application, the system can promote the growth of microorganisms that create one or more local cues that prevent settlement of larvae of biofouling organisms on and / or within the fibrous substrate material itself. Thus, in these aspects of the application, larvae of biofouling organisms can not be able or as likely to settle or attach to the encased submerged substrate or substrate portion(s).

[0259] In various embodiments, biofilms can form on the protected substrate, outside of the enclosure, and / or inside the enclosure itself. The biofilms at each location can be different based on the bacteria, cyanobacteria, diatoms, variable numbers and / or distribution of different bacterial phyla, diversity, thickness, insulating ability, and / or integrity, among other measures. In some embodiments, the higher velocity of the treated water flow can "pressurize" the protective or artificial biofilm, which can "grow" faster in some embodiments as larger amounts of "protective" biofilm are added to the substrate. In various embodiments, the enclosure desirably creates an artificial aquatic environment to "grow" one or more "protective" biofilms on the substrate, which can inhibit and / or delay the ability of organisms to attach to the substrate surface. In various alternative embodiments, the "artificial" biofilm thus created can make the surface of the substrate smoother, such that there are fewer rough or sharp areas for fouling organisms to settle or become trapped in.

[0260] In various embodiments, an antifouling biofilm can be formed on a substrate surface within a water loop of a manufacturing plant or power plant, wherein water flowing within the water loop is periodically passed through a housing unit comprising at least one permeable structure comprising an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of pores extending therebetween, wherein the housing produces one or more water chemistry changes that inhibit colonization of one or more substrate surfaces located within or downstream of the housing unit by a plurality of organisms, wherein the antifouling biofilm comprises a reduced diversity of at least one cyanobacteria, diatom, or bacteria as compared to a naturally occurring biofilm in water outside of the water loop. In various alternative embodiments, the permeable structure can have a biocide coating on the outer surface that extends at least partially into the plurality of pores of the medium, wherein the biocide leaches into the water and inhibits colonization of one or more substrate surfaces located within or downstream of the housing unit by a plurality of organisms, wherein the antifouling biofilm comprises a reduced diversity of at least one cyanobacteria, diatom, or bacteria as compared to a naturally occurring biofilm in water outside of the water loop.

[0261] There are a number of generally accepted "standard" processes or colonization sequences that typically result in the establishment of a fouling community on a substrate immersed in an aqueous medium such as seawater, brackish water, and / or fresh water. In a typical sequence, immersion of a substrate in an aqueous medium initiates the physical process of macromolecular adsorption, followed by the rapid landing, attachment, and formation of colonies of prokaryotic cells and bacteria on any surface in a marine environment. In some cases, a subsequently formed microbial biofilm can then facilitate the attachment of algal spores, protozoa, bryozoans, and marine fungi, which then allow the settlement of other marine invertebrate larvae and macroalgae, while in other cases, macrofoulers can settle without a biofilm and some other macrofoulers can prefer clean surfaces.

[0262] Marine fouling is often described as a four-stage development of an ecosystem. The chemical description of biofilm formation describes the initial steps prior to colonization. Within the first minute, van der Waals interactions cause the immersed surface to be covered by a conditioning film of organic polymers. Within the next 24 hours, this layer allows the attachment process to occur, with both diatoms and bacteria (e.g., Vibrio alginolyticus, Pseudomonas putida) attaching, thus beginning the formation of a biofilm. By the end of the first week, the enriched nutrients and ease of attachment into the biofilm allow the attachment of secondary colonizers, macroalgae spores (e.g., Enteromorpha intestinalis, Cladophora) and protozoa (e.g., Vorticella, Epistylis). Within 2 to 3 weeks, tertiary colonizers - macrofoulers - attach. These include encrusting animals, mollusks, and sessile cnidarians.

[0263] However, in the case of using a system as described herein, the sequence of biological colonization on the substrate can be varied. For example, the sequence of biological colonization on the substrate can be interrupted (disrupted, altered, etc.) to reduce and / or minimize settlement, recruitment, and eventual macrofouling of the protected substrate. Once positioned around the substrate, the permeable protective structural wall of the enclosure can desirably prevent various microorganisms and / or macroorganisms from entering the enclosure, as well as potentially altering various aspects of the water chemistry within the enclosure.

[0264] In an exemplary water system protected by the system, the bacterial biofilm formed on the substrate or other article is significantly different from any natural biofilm formed on the substrate or other object in the open ocean or other aqueous environment proximate to the protected article. In various embodiments, appropriate system design and operation will desirably induce and / or promote the growth and reproduction of certain combinations of microorganisms, many of which are typically found at different (i.e., generally relatively low) levels in natural environments, and which can have the ability to promote certain "recruitment and settlement" behaviors of other organisms, identifying the surface of the substrate as an undesirable place to live and / or as "less desirable" (and signaling this fact in various ways).

[0265] DNA analysis confirmed that the surface biofilm formed on PVC and bronze substrates downstream of various system embodiments was significantly different from the surface biofilm formed on similar substrates in open water, and so was the biofilm forming community present within the system and the biofilm formed within / on the interior wall surfaces of the system components. For example, the biofilm present on PVC and bronze article swatches in open water was thicker and more diverse than the biofilm present on PVC and bronze articles swatches protected by embodiments of the present invention. Additionally, macrofouling was observed on articles in open water, while little to no macrofouling was present on protected substrates. In some embodiments, the diversity of the biofilm on protected substrates was less than the open biofilm, with different amounts of diatoms, bacteria, cyanobacteria, and different bacterial phyla distribution. Additionally, for each system design, the dominant bacterial phyla and bacteria distribution on each protected substrate was significantly different. For example, PVC substrates in the spun polyester structure system (three right-most columns) were dominated by Proteobacteria (large group at top of column) and Bacteroidetes (second largest group at bottom of column). In contrast, bronze substrates in the spun polyester structure system (columns 6-9) were dominated by Proteobacteria, with a much smaller remainder dominated by Bacteroidetes. The distribution of dominant bacteria in the biofilm is shown for open bronze columns (first through third columns), open PVC columns (fourth through sixth columns), protected bronze columns (seventh through ninth columns), and protected PVC columns (tenth through twelfth columns). Additionally, the biofilm "integrity" of protected substrates was different than open samples, as the biofilm on some protected substrates appeared to be more easily removed and / or cleaned from the substrate surface than open substrates. In various embodiments, the bacterial phyla and their distribution shown below can be similar for higher velocity water flow and / or other antifouling system designs.

[0266]

[0267] Table 12 - Distribution of bacterial phyla in biofilm

[0268] Conditioning and modifying compounds for aqueous environments

[0269] In some embodiments, supplemental modification of the aqueous environment proximate to the substrate / object to be protected can be desirable, including such modification prior to, during, and / or after placement of the antifouling system upstream of the object as previously described. In some embodiments, such modification can include the use of natural and / or artificial mechanisms and / or compounds to alter various components of the water chemistry, such as by introducing one or more aerobic microorganisms, chemicals, and / or compounds, including oxygen-consuming compounds, into the aqueous environment proximate to the substrate to cause accelerated consumption of dissolved oxygen and / or other changes to the water chemistry in the aqueous environment. For example, in one embodiment, an object to be protected from biofouling can include a water inlet pipe of a water system, where a system as described herein is positioned upstream of the water inlet, then a supplemental oxygen-consuming compound or substance containing one or more aerobic bacteria, such as Bacteroides aerophilus, can be artificially introduced into the aqueous environment of the reservoir in bulk and / or in large quantities, desirably accelerating the reduction of dissolved oxygen levels. This introduction can be performed by pouring, or deploying, liquid, powdered, solid, and / or atomized supplements into the seawater and / or enclosed / bounded aqueous environment, or alternatively the oxygen-depleting bacteria or other ingredients can be incorporated into a layer or biofilm formed in or on the inner surface of the housing wall prior to deployment. Desirably, the aerobic bacteria can include bacterial species that are already present in the aqueous environment, where the eventual release of such bacteria through the bottom and / or walls / openings in the housing side does not harm and / or cause adverse consequences to the surrounding environment. In other embodiments, chemical compounds such as iron powder (i.e., zero-valent iron Fe° or partially oxidized ferrous iron Fe2+), nitrogen gas or liquid nitrogen, and the like can be introduced into the reservoir to desirably absorb dissolved oxygen from the water, or additives such as salt can be added to the aqueous environment to reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen that the water can hold over a finite period of time.

[0270] In various embodiments, the modifying compounds can include solids, powders, liquids, gases or gaseous compounds and / or aerosol compounds that are introduced into the enclosed or restricted aqueous environment prior to and / or simultaneous with the water contacting the substrate. In some embodiments, the modifying compounds can be placed in the restricted aqueous environment for a finite or desired period of time, and then removed from the environment after the desired modification and / or conditioning of the water has occurred (i.e., to create a "differential" aqueous environment). In other embodiments, the modifying compounds can be distributed into the restricted aqueous environment, where some embodiments of the compounds can dissolve and / or distribute into the water, while other compounds can remain in a solid and / or particulate state. If desired, the modifying compounds can include buoyancy features that desirably maintain some or all of the compounds at a desired level within the enclosure and / or within the water column, while other embodiments can allow the compounds to exit from the bottom and / or sides of the system components and / or to rest on the bottom of a harbor or other seafloor feature within and / or proximate to the enclosure. In other embodiments, the modifying compounds can alter the density and / or salinity of the water or other liquid within the differential environment, which can reduce and / or eliminate the natural tendency of the liquid within and / or outside of the differential environment to mix together and / or otherwise flow.

[0271] In at least one alternative embodiment, one or more modifying compounds can be released into the external non-enclosed body of water proximate or adjacent to the antifouling system, which can flow into and / or through the enclosure, if desired. In other embodiments, the modifying compounds and / or components thereof can be used in conjunction with some components placed outside of the differential environment, which can be placed within the enclosed or differential environment.

[0272] In some embodiments, the modifying compounds can be attached to and / or integrated into the walls of the system, including within the material construction and / or any coatings thereon / therein. If desired, the compounds can include water and / or salt-activated and / or ablative materials that react with the aqueous medium for a finite duration, such as 10 minutes, 1 hour, 12 hours and / or 2 days, during which time the compounds can affect the dissolved oxygen levels and / or one or more other water chemistry levels within the enclosure, or can be effective for longer periods of time, such as 1 week or 1 month or 1 year. If desired, the modifying compounds or other materials can be placed in replaceable bags that can be placed inside and / or outside of the system, with the materials in the bags "depleting" over time and possibly requiring replacement as needed.

[0273] In one exemplary embodiment, the modifying compound can include a crystalline material that absorbs oxygen from the aqueous environment within the enclosure, such as a crystalline salt of a cationic polymetallic cobalt complex (as described in "Oxygen chemisorption / desorption in a reversible single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation", published in CHEMICAL SCIENCE, Royal Society of Chemistry, UK, 2014). This material has the ability to absorb dissolved oxygen (O2) from the air and / or water, and to release the absorbed oxygen upon heating (i.e., being forgotten in sunlight of the ambient environment) and / or upon being subjected to low oxygen pressure. If desired, such an oxygen-absorbing material can be incorporated into the wall material of the system, such that when the enclosure is placed in water near the protected substrate, oxygen is immediately absorbed, but this oxygen absorption will gradually diminish over time as the enclosure is left in place. Subsequently, the enclosure can be removed from the water (such as after protection is no longer needed) and left in sunlight to release the absorbed oxygen and "recharge" for the next use.

[0274] In another exemplary embodiment, the modifying compound can include a gas or gaseous compound, such as nitrogen gas or carbon dioxide (or some other gas or compound), which can be introduced into the system in gaseous form or can be released from a granular or other liquid or solid compound (possibly including CO2 in "dry ice" form). Such introduction or "sparging" can include injecting nitrogen gas and / or N2 gas bubbles into the water inside the system, or into / along the walls of the system. In some embodiments, the system as described herein can be combined with an installed nitrogen dosing system and an oxygen content monitoring probe that controls periodic renewal of the nitrogen flush as needed. In various embodiments, the nitrogen injection can be accomplished using small nitrogen tanks with a porous weighted dispenser (i.e., an aquarium air stone), while other embodiments can utilize an on-site nitrogen generator to purify nitrogen gas from air, and then distribute this nitrogen gas through a pumping system. If desired, the nitrogen distribution system can include a bubble distribution system that releases individual bubbles of a single size range or different size ranges, if desired. In at least one embodiment, a nitrogen nano-bubble injection system can be utilized.

[0275] Ideally, the biocide coating can provide some desired level of scale protection to the substrate and / or water treatment system components, which can include protection to surfaces, pores, and / or other openings in filtration and / or dosing media through which water can flow. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, the anti-fouling system can include a water treatment unit comprising at least one layer of a permeable structural media having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of pores extending therebetween, the permeable structural media having a biocide coating on the outer surface, the biocide coating extending at least partially into the plurality of pores, the water treatment unit further having an oxygen removal system that removes at least a portion of dissolved oxygen in water that has passed through the treatment unit, the water treatment unit positioned at a water inlet location of a water circuit, wherein all water entering the water circuit passes through the water treatment unit, the water requiring an average residence time to pass through the water circuit and be discharged from a water outlet of the water circuit, wherein the biocide coating elutes biocide into water passing through the water treatment unit, the biocide contacting a plurality of scale-forming organisms in the water and inhibiting the ability of the plurality of scale-forming organisms to colonize a surface of one or more substrates within the water circuit for at least the average residence time. In another exemplary embodiment, the anti-fouling system can include a water treatment unit and an oxygen removal system, the water treatment unit comprising at least one layer of a permeable structure having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of pores extending therebetween, the permeable structure having a biocide coating on the outer surface, the oxygen removal system removing at least a portion of dissolved oxygen in water passing through the water treatment unit; the water treatment unit positioned at a water inlet location of a water circuit, wherein all water entering the water circuit passes through the water treatment unit, wherein the biocide coating elutes biocide into water proximate the outer surface of the permeable structure, the biocide contacting a plurality of scale-forming organisms in the water and inhibiting the ability of the plurality of scale-forming organisms to colonize the outer surface of the permeable structure. In yet another embodiment, the anti-fouling system can include a water treatment unit comprising at least one layer of a permeable structure having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of pores extending therebetween, the permeable structure having a biocide coating on the outer surface, the biocide coating extending at least partially into the plurality of pores; the water treatment unit positioned at a water inlet location of a water circuit, wherein all water entering the water circuit passes through the water treatment unit, wherein the biocide coating elutes biocide into water proximate the pores of the permeable structure, the biocide contacting a plurality of scale-forming organisms in the water and inhibiting the ability of the plurality of scale-forming organisms to colonize the plurality of pores of the permeable structure. If desired, the system can similarly include an oxygen removal component that removes at least a portion of dissolved oxygen in water passing through the system.

[0276] In at least one alternative embodiment, gaseous compound injection suitable for use in the various systems described herein can include an ozone injection system, such as commercially available from Ecosphere Technologies, Inc. of Stuart, FL System.

[0277] In various embodiments, the modified compounds described herein will desirably induce a reduction in dissolved oxygen levels of the closed or restricted aqueous environment of at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 50%, at least 70%, and / or at least 90% or greater within / after a few seconds of application, and / or within / after a few minutes of application (i.e., 1 minute to 5 minutes to 10 minutes to 20 minutes to 40 minutes to 60 minutes of nitrogen gas sparging), and / or within / after a few hours of application.

[0278] Water chemistry differences

[0279] In some embodiments, the disclosed anti-fouling systems and / or associated reservoir systems will desirably provide (1) a barrier that prevents the transport of significant amounts of oxygen into the water supply system, and / or (2) a potential reduction in the available energy and / or nutrient supply within the reservoir for biological and / or chemical reactions, which can reduce and / or prevent natural photosynthesis or other metabolic processes of microorganisms and / or undesirable chemical reactions from occurring within the reservoir. Desirably, once the disclosed anti-fouling systems are in place, the natural biological processes within the reservoir will desirably utilize a significant portion of the dissolved oxygen contained in the liquid within the reservoir, thereby significantly reducing the dissolved oxygen levels within the reservoir to levels that can approach anoxic levels, but desirably not exceed anoxic levels for an extended period of time (with a certain level of dissolved oxygen being replenished by the anti-fouling system).

[0280] In various embodiments, the systems described herein will desirably induce a difference in dissolved oxygen levels and / or other water chemistry levels of a closed aqueous environment (i.e., the dissolved oxygen levels - or other water chemistry constituents - inside the enclosure compared to outside the enclosure) of at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 50%, at least 70%, at least 90% or greater after a period of at least 1 or 2 hours.

[0281] In various embodiments, the devices of the present application will desirably provide for reduction, cessation, and / or reversal of biofouling and / or create a desired enclosed environment that discourages settlement of biofouling organisms and / or facilitates the formation of a desired anti-fouling layer and / or biofilm on the substrate and / or begins to create a desired localized aquatic environment (i.e., a "differentialized environment") that leads to reduced biofouling on the protected substrate or article when deployed to influence the formation of a beneficial biofilm. In various embodiments, such a "differentialized environment" can be created within seconds, minutes, and / or hours of system deployment upstream of the substrate, while in other embodiments, it can take days, weeks, or even months to create the desired "differentialized environment." If desired, the system can be deployed long before the substrate to be protected is placed therein, while in other embodiments, the system components can be deployed simultaneously with the substrate or water supply intake, or the system can be deployed long after the substrate has been immersed and / or maintained in an aqueous environment. In various embodiments, the creation of significant water chemistry differences and / or other unique aspects of the differentialized environment can begin immediately upon deployment, or can be created within 1 hour of placing the system in an aqueous environment (which can include placing the system in the environment alone and / or in the vicinity of the substrate to be protected), while in other embodiments, the initiation and / or creation of the desired differentialized environment (which can include the creation of a fully differentialized environment as well as the creation of various biofouling inhibiting conditions that can change and / or be supplemented as other aspects of the differentialized environment are induced) can require the system to be run upstream of the substrate for at least 2 hours, at least 3 hours, at least 6 hours, at least 12 hours, at least 18 hours, at least 1 day, at least 2 days, at least 3 days, at least 4 days, at least 5 days, at least 6 days, at least 1 week, at least 2 weeks, at least 3 weeks, at least 4 weeks, at least 1 month, at least 2 months, at least 3 months, and / or at least 6 months or more. In various embodiments, the various water chemistry differences that can be created over these different time periods can include dissolved oxygen, pH, total dissolved nitrogen, ammonium, ammonia nitrogen, nitrate, nitrite, orthophosphate, total dissolved phosphate, silica, salinity, temperature, turbidity, chlorophyll, etc., and the various concentrations of the water chemistry differences can increase and / or decrease at different times, including at different enclosure immersion durations, and the concentrations of individual components can also vary.

[0282] In some cases, after a certain period of time, the devices of the present application and / or components thereof can degrade and / or no longer provide a desired level of antifouling and / or environmentally generating effects. In various embodiments, the amount of time until an antifouling system loses its antifouling effects can vary based on a number of factors, including the particular aquatic environment, season, temperature, composition of marine life present, temperature, light, salinity, wind, water velocity, etc. It should be noted that based on the conditions of the aquatic environment, the system can temporarily lose its antifouling and / or environmentally generating effects, regaining its antifouling / environmentally generating effects only when the conditions return to normal or some desired measure. As used herein, "useful life" can refer to the amount of time from deployment of the system onto a substrate until the extent of macrofouling becomes problematic, while "system life" can refer to the amount of time that the system itself or various components thereof (which can include the useful life of individual housing components as well as the estimated overall system life of the housing and / or various components thereof under the circumstances of periodic cleaning, maintenance, and / or replacement) remains physically intact and effective upstream of the substrate itself (which in some embodiments can exceed the "useful life" of the biological fouling protection provided by the system). In various aspects of the present application, one or both of the useful life of the system and / or individual housing components and / or the housing life can be: no less than 3 days, no less than 7 days, no less than 15 days, no less than 30 days, no less than 60 days, no less than 90 days, no less than 120 days, no less than 150 days, no less than 180 days, no less than 270 days, no less than 1 year, no less than 1.5 years, no less than 2 years, no less than 3 years, no less than 4 years, or no less than 5 years.

[0283] Alteration of colonization sequence

[0284] In various embodiments, when using a system as described herein, the sequence of biological colonization on the downstream substrate can be interrupted (disrupted, altered, etc.) to reduce and / or minimize the settlement, recruitment, and eventual macrofouling of the substrate. Ideally, the permeable protective structural wall of the housing can ideally prevent various microorganisms and / or macroorganisms from entering the water system, and the biocide coating will prevent fouling of the housing and / or can harm and / or impair some and / or all organisms upon contact and / or passage through the structure. If desired, the biocidal coating can experience significant biocidal elution upon initial placement around the substrate to establish an initial higher "kill level" affecting the fouling organisms, with the biocidal elution level decreasing significantly over time.

[0285] In many of the embodiments described herein, once the enclosure has treated the ambient water, the disclosed biofouling protection system can provide a substrate with a significant level of protection, the ambient water can then be held in a reservoir or can travel directly to the water intake of the water system. Ideally, the design and positioning of the system upstream of the substrate can optionally alter various water chemistry characteristics and / or components of the liquid in contact with the substrate to a meaningful degree as compared to the open aqueous environment. In various cases, the system can cause some water chemistry characteristics to be "different" as compared to the surrounding aqueous environment, while other water chemistry characteristics can remain the same as the surrounding aqueous environment. For example, in cases where the dissolved oxygen level is often "different" between the differentiating environment and the open environment, the temperature, salinity, and / or pH level within the differentiating and open environments can be similar or the same. Ideally, the system can affect some water chemistry characteristics in a desired manner, while leaving other water chemistry characteristics minimally affected and / or "unaffected" as compared to the surrounding open aqueous environment. Some exemplary water chemistry characteristics that can potentially be "different" and / or can remain unchanged (i.e., depending on the enclosure design and / or other environmental factors such as location and / or season) can include dissolved oxygen, pH, total dissolved nitrogen, ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, orthophosphate, total dissolved phosphate, silica, salinity, temperature, turbidity, chlorophyll, etc.

[0286] In some exemplary embodiments, the measurement of one or more water chemistry characteristics inside the water system can be "different" as compared to an equivalent measurement outside the system, which can include a measurement at some distance away from the system. Such "differences" can include a difference of 0.1% or greater between the inside / outside measurements, or a difference of 2% or greater between the inside / outside measurements, or a difference of 5% or greater between the inside / outside measurements, or a difference of 8% or greater between the inside / outside measurements, or a difference of 10% or greater between the inside / outside measurements, or a difference of 15% or greater, or a difference of 25% or greater, or a difference of 50% or greater, or a difference of 100% or greater. Additionally, such differences can be for multiple chemicals with unequal differences or can include an increase in one factor and a decrease in another factor. All such described combinations of water chemistry factors are contemplated, including cases where some water chemistry factors remain substantially the same for some factors while various differences can exist for other factors.

[0287] In various embodiments of the present application, the system can create a "differential aqueous environment" downstream of the system components. Ideally, the artificial environmental conditions created by the system will thereby inhibit and / or prevent the settlement, recruitment, growth, and / or colonization of fouling organisms on the substrate. In various embodiments, the artificial environmental conditions created by the system can include reduced dissolved oxygen levels, which can significantly contribute to the reduction of biological fouling of the substrate, as reduced oxygen availability can make it difficult for some fouling organisms to colonize and / or propagate within the enclosure and / or on the substrate. Additionally, the reduction of dissolved oxygen levels can increase the production of waste materials such as hydrogen sulfide and / or ammonia nitrogen (i.e., free ammonium nitrogen, nitrogen-ammonia, or NH3-N), and / or greatly reduce the opportunity for other biological processes to eliminate these waste materials, which are harmful and / or even toxic to a variety of aquatic organisms and / or microorganisms. For example, the biologically-driven nitrogen cycle that occurs in various water bodies can greatly reduce free oxygen within the enclosure, with NH3-N levels at least partially dependent on the available dissolved oxygen levels. Additionally, in some embodiments, anaerobic ammonia oxidation reactions can be initiated and / or sustained by bacteria within the enclosure, which can produce hydrazine and / or other byproducts that similarly inhibit marine growth. Generally, the concentration of these byproducts will be greater inside the water system than outside the enclosure, and in some embodiments, the individual concentrations and / or relative proportions of these byproducts within the enclosure can fluctuate for various reasons.

[0288] For example, in various embodiments, the systems described herein can induce the production of metabolic waste, toxins, or other inhibitory compounds such as NH3-N in the water system, which can range in concentration from 0.53 mg / L to 22.8 mg / L, which can be toxic to a variety of freshwater organisms (generally depending on pH and / or temperature). In other embodiments, the concentration of NH3-N produced in the differential environment can range from 0.053 to 2.28 mg / L, which can inhibit the formation of biological fouling within the water system. Additionally, the ability of various aquatic flora and / or fauna to colonize and / or reproduce can significantly degrade at levels of NH3-N as low as 0.002 mg / L or higher.

[0289] It is further proposed that, in some exemplary embodiments, fluctuations and / or variations in individual levels of water chemistry constituents, such as dissolved oxygen, ammonium, total dissolved nitrogen, nitrate, nitrite, orthophosphate, total dissolved phosphate, and / or silica (as well as various other chemical components described herein) form an important aspect of some embodiments of the present application, as the artificial environment created downstream of the system components will desirably "promote" and / or "inhibit" the proliferation of different macrofouling and microbiome populations and / or macrofouling and microbiome populations at different time periods. Desirably, such continuous variation in the differential environment can force the various organisms present within and / or near the water system to constantly adapt and / or change to accommodate the new environmental conditions, which tends to inhibit the dominance of a single species or group of species within and / or near the enclosure. This can have the effect of enhancing competition between various plant and / or animal populations within the system, which can inhibit and / or prevent the dominance of a single species, group of species, and / or distribution of plant and / or animal populations, thereby reducing the likelihood that a dominant bacterial species or other microscopic or macroscopic entity has the opportunity to proliferate and / or expend energy to foul on a substrate or form a substrate to which other fouling organisms can attach.

[0290] In various embodiments, the system can induce the formation of water chemistry factors that inhibit fouling at higher concentrations within the system than in the external aqueous environment, such as ammonia-nitrogen. If desired, ammonia-nitrogen concentrations equal to or greater than 0.1 parts per billion (ppb), equal to or greater than 1 parts per billion (ppb), equal to or greater than 10 parts per billion (ppb), and / or equal to or greater than 100 parts per billion (ppb) can be obtained. In various embodiments, the system can induce the formation of water chemistry factors to inhibit fouling at higher concentrations than outside the system, such as nitrite. If desired, concentrations of nitrite within the water system can be obtained that can be equal to or greater than 0.1 parts per billion (ppb), can be equal to or greater than 0.1 parts per million (ppm), can be equal to or greater than 0.5 parts per million (ppm), and / or can be equal to or greater than 1 parts per million (ppm).

[0291] In various embodiments, placing the system upstream of the substrate will desirably "condition" the dissolved oxygen and create a dissolved oxygen differential between the water inside and outside of the water system that desirably provides significant improvements in preventing fouling of the protected system components. In many cases, the differential environmental dissolved oxygen conditioning can include creating significantly lower dissolved oxygen levels inside the water system than outside the environment, with the dissolved oxygen levels fluctuating to varying degrees in response to internal oxygen consumption and external dissolved oxygen levels. Additionally, due at least in part to the lower energy environment inside the enclosure and / or the absence of significant turbulence and / or vortices that can "mix" the water inside the enclosure compared to the outside environment, there can also be a secondary gradient between the dissolved oxygen in the "bulk water" within the differential environment and the dissolved oxygen in the water within the "boundary layer" at the surface of the protected substrate or article. These localized differential conditions can be caused by the consumption of oxygen and / or nutrients by the biological and / or other factors in the substrate or article surface and / or water column, which can cause the "boundary layer" to become further depleted, resulting in a lack of biological fouling and / or the creation of an antifouling biofilm on the protected article.

[0292] In addition to and / or instead of reducing the dissolved oxygen levels in the water contained in the water system, a wide variety of other water chemistry factors can be affected by the design and arrangement of the system embodiments described herein, including water chemistry factors that can significantly delay and / or prevent fouling of the protected substrate. For example, when the oxygen in the water system is depleted, naturally occurring bacteria of certain species inside the enclosure will typically first turn to a second best electron acceptor, which in seawater is nitrate. Denitrification will occur, and the nitrate will be rapidly consumed. After reducing some other trace elements, these bacteria eventually shift to reducing sulfate, which produces hydrogen sulfide (H2S) as a byproduct (chemically toxic to most biological populations, and with a distinctive "rotten egg" smell). This elevated level of hydrogen sulfide and other chemicals inside the enclosure can then inhibit fouling of the substrate in the desired manner described herein. In addition, the hydrogen sulfide inside the enclosure can also leach through the walls of the enclosure (i.e., where bulk water flows out of the enclosure), and potentially inhibit fouling growth in the pores of the enclosure and / or on the outer surface of the enclosure.

[0293] In addition to creating localized conditions that inhibit fouling of the protected substrate, the various embodiments described herein are also extremely environmentally friendly in that any toxic and / or inhospitable conditions created within the system are rapidly neutralized outside of the system. For example, as fluid is expelled from the system, this displaced fluid can contain components that are toxic and / or inhospitable to marine life (which desirably reduce and / or prevent the attachment of fouling organisms on the substrates within the system). However, once outside of the system, these components are rapidly degraded, oxidized, neutralized, metabolized, and / or diluted in the external aqueous environment through various naturally occurring mechanisms that generally do not have a lasting impact on the aquatic environment, even in the immediate vicinity of the system discharge. This is highly preferred over existing anti-fouling devices and / or coatings that incorporate high levels of biocides and / or other agents, where some of the biocides and / or other agents are highly toxic to many forms of life, including fish and humans and / or other mammals, and can persist in the marine environment for decades.

[0294] Antifouling structures with optional biocides

[0295] In various embodiments, high efficiency devices and / or systems for applying and / or "dosing" biocides into a fluid stream to desirably inhibit the attachment, settlement, and / or growth of biofouling organisms in the fluid stream are disclosed. In various embodiments, a housing or structure having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of holes extending through the structure from the top surface to the bottom surface, on which a coating or "paint" containing at least one biocide or toxic agent is applied. In at least one exemplary embodiment, the coating can be applied to the top surface of the structure, with portions of the coating entering and / or passing through the holes. If desired, the coating application process can include applying a suction or vacuum to the bottom surface of the structure, which can desirably draw portions of the coating into the holes, while desirably maintaining the openness (i.e., "open" state) of the hole openings through the structure (i.e., the coating does not desirably "clog" a majority of the holes through the structure after being applied thereto). Once the coating is dried or otherwise solidified to a desired state, the coated structure can be formed into a desired shape and / or configuration, and then placed in a water stream, with fluid passing through the holes of the structure, where a quantity of the biocide and / or toxic agent is eluted or otherwise dispensed into the individual fluid streams passing through the holes. As the spores, propagules, larvae, and / or juvenile forms of the fouling organisms also pass through these individual holes, these organisms are exposed to a relatively high dose of the biocide and / or toxic agent, which desirably inactivates and / or inhibits their ability to attach, settle, and / or grow on the wetted surfaces within the holes of the housing and / or more downstream in the fluid stream.

[0296] In various exemplary embodiments, the disclosed enclosures can optionally include supplemental biocides and / or antifouling agents for media use to provide adequate biofouling protection to the enclosure material, water inlets, and / or protected substrates, which can also include periodic use of uncoated structural enclosure components during certain soak periods when fouling pressures can render unprotected structures free from macrofouling and / or where uncoated enclosures can be sufficient to provide protection to contained substrates for desired periods of time. In many embodiments, at least a portion of the surface of the enclosure wall structure can be impregnated, infused, and / or coated with biocidal paints, coatings, and / or additives. In some further embodiments, biocides and / or antifouling agents can be integrated into the enclosure and / or other system components and / or other portions thereof to desirably protect the system itself from unwanted fouling. In some exemplary embodiments, the structure or material can serve as a carrier for biocides. Generally, a biocide or some other chemical, compound, and / or microorganism that has the ability to destroy, deter, render harmless, and / or exert control over any unwanted or undesirable organisms through chemical or biological means can be optionally incorporated into and / or onto some portion or portions of the material, such as during the manufacture of the material or material component, or the biocide or the like can be introduced to the material after manufacture. Desirably, the biocide(s) in / on the material will inhibit and / or prevent aquatic organisms from colonizing on the exterior surface of the enclosure or other system components and / or within openings, as well as repel, incapacitate, impair, and / or weaken biofouling organisms small enough to attempt or successfully penetrate openings within the enclosure, such that they are less able to propagate within the artificial or synthetic localized aquatic environment downstream of the enclosure. In various embodiments, the enclosure desirably incorporates a material that maintains sufficient strength and / or integrity to allow for protection and / or inhibition of biofouling for a useful life of no less than about 3 to 7 days, 7 to 15 days, 3 to 15 days, at least 1 month, at least 2 months, at least 3 months, at least 6 months, at least 12 months, at least 2 years, at least 3 years, at least 4 years, and / or at least 5 years or more (and / or is capable of producing a desired artificial localized aquatic environment or synthetic localized aquatic environment). In some embodiments, a coating containing a water-soluble and / or degradable resin or other degradable material encapsulating one or more biocides can be used. In such a coating, the resin or degradable material (i.e., PLA or the like) can encapsulate the biocide, and once the resin or material comes into contact with water, the water can penetrate and break down the resin structure, allowing the biocide to be released into the environment. In another preferred embodiment, a degradable material similar to a film or sheet can be impregnated with at least one biocide, allowing the biocide to be released as the material degrades. Such an arrangement would desirably provide an efficient substrate or structure for controlled biocide dosing of water passing through the substrate, which can currently improve mixing of the biocide with water within the pores and / or other areas of the fiber substrate and / or other areas of the protected environment.

[0297] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the enclosure system includes at least one coating or paint having at least one active ingredient or biocide, where the coating elutes at a rate over the useful life of the enclosure. In some exemplary embodiments, biocide elution can first occur at the face or surface of the structure and / or within the structure pores, where in some embodiments the breakdown of the water-soluble resin allows for an increase in pore size, which can allow the structure to continue to allow water to pass through these pores without rapid clogging due to biofilm or biofouling growth. In some embodiments, as the pore size increases, the effective surface area of the resin in each pore can increase, which can increase the elution of biocide and the effectiveness of the biocide treatment. The required biocide content in a given fluid stream can depend on a variety of factors, including the level and / or concentration of biocide in the resin, the rate of resin degradation and biocide release, the biocide contact ratio (which can be the ratio of the surface area of the coating in the pores to the volume of the pores), the velocity and / or volume of water flow through the matrix, and / or the temperature of the flowing water, among others.

[0298] In another exemplary embodiment, the level of biocide or active ingredient can be adjusted or optimized according to environmental parameters, water chemistry, and / or the type and amount of organisms. The biocide concentration, elution rate, and release profile can vary based on water flow rate, water residence time, water exchange, water mixing, water turbulence, and the like. The total biocide released or eluted can be calculated based on the total active ingredient or biocide per total volume of water usage or water flow through, on or around the structure, over a set time within the water system. In preferred embodiments, the total biocide released in the flowing water after 30 days can be at least 500 parts per million (ppm), at least 100 ppm, at least 80 ppm, at least 50 ppm, at least 40 ppm, at least 30 ppm, at least 25 ppm, at least 20 ppm, at least 15 ppm, at least 10 ppm, at least 5 ppm, at least 1 ppm, at least 75 parts per billion (ppb), at least 50 ppb, at least 10 ppb, at least 5 ppb, at least 1 ppb, or at least 0.1 ppb. In some embodiments, the total biocide released in the flowing water after 60 days can be at least 500 ppm, at least 100 ppm, at least 50 ppm, at least 50 ppm, at least 40 ppm, at least 30 ppm, at least 25 ppm, at least 20 ppm, at least 15 ppm, at least 10 ppm, at least 5 ppm, at least 1 ppm, at least 75 ppb, at least 50 ppb, at least 30 ppb, at least 10 ppb, at least 5 ppb, at least 1 ppb, or at least 0.01 ppb.

[0299] Coatings containing biocides and / or other chemicals can be applied to the fibrous media in a variety of ways, including by adding the coating to one or both sides of the structure, injecting the coating into the structure, extruding the coating onto the structure, immersing the structure in a bath of the coating, or other coating techniques known in the art.

[0300] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the system, the enclosure can comprise a material coated, sprayed, and / or impregnated with a biocide coating, which desirably adheres to and / or penetrates the material to a desired depth (which can include a surface coating of the material on only one side of the structure, as well as a coating that penetrates through 1% to 99%, or 25%, or 50%, or 75% of the structure, and some or all of the coating can penetrate completely through the structure and coat the opposite side of the structure), coating one side of the structure, coating both sides, or coating all sides. In at least one embodiment, the coating can be on or embedded in the surface facing the substrate or article that needs protection, or on the surface opposite the substrate or article. In some embodiments, the biocide coating or paint will contain at least one (i.e., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more) biocide and / or active ingredient to reduce biofouling and biofilm buildup. Desirably, the biocide will reduce and / or prevent the type, rate, and / or extent of biofouling on the fibrous substrate material itself, and / or will also have some deleterious effect on microorganisms attempting to pass through openings in the material into the downstream aqueous environment (and possibly some effect on microorganisms already present in the reservoir and / or downstream water system). In various embodiments, the biocide coating or paint present along the three-dimensional “entry path” through the enclosure (i.e., as microorganisms pass through openings and / or pores in the material) will desirably provide greater surface area, and prove more effective than the standard two-dimensional “flat” paint biocide coverage (i.e., hard flat coating) used on rigid submerged surfaces in today’s marine applications. In various aspects, particularly where the structural substrate material is highly fibrillated and / or fimbriated, the coating of such materials can desirably provide a higher “functional surface area” of the structure for the biocide coating to adhere to, which desirably increases the potential for anti-biofouling efficacy as the organisms pass through the structure, they are more likely to be located near and / or in contact with these small fibers (and the biocide paint, coating, or additive residing on or in them).

[0301] In various alternative embodiments, the enclosures can incorporate materials coated, sprayed, and / or impregnated with a biocide coating (which can include a surface coating of the material on only one side of the structure, as well as surface coatings that can extend from the front and / or back of the structure into the pores of the structure by an amount), which can include a coating on one surface of the structure that penetrates into the pores of the structure by 5%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 10%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 15%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 20%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 25%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 30%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 35%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 40%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 45%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 50%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 55%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 60%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 65%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 70%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 75%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 80%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 85%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 90%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 95%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 99%, penetrates into the pores of the structure by 100%, and / or extends from the pores onto the opposite surface of the structure.

[0302] In various embodiments, the additional incorporation of biocide coatings or other coatings / additives in some embodiments also desirably increases the durability and functional life of the enclosures, systems, and / or components thereof, as biological fouling organisms and / or other deleterious species should be inhibited and / or prevented from colonizing in the flexible structure and / or perforations therein over a period of time after immersion, thereby desirably maintaining the flexible, porous nature of the system wall and its attendant benefits. When the biocide remains primarily near the structure matrix (i.e., when the biocide can have very low or no biocide elution levels outside of the structure or enclosure), the biocide will desirably significantly inhibit biological fouling of the enclosure and / or system wall, while the presence of the system and the “differential aqueous environment” created downstream thereof will reduce and / or inhibit biological fouling of the protected water system or other substrate. In various exemplary embodiments, the biocide has very low and / or undetectable levels (i.e., below 30 ng / L) in water downstream of the enclosure and / or in water released from the water system, and still remains highly effective in protecting the water system and / or system components from biological fouling. In one example, a release rate of the biocide in a coated fiber matrix material was detected to be 0.2 to 2 ppm and / or lower in artificial seawater over 7 days, and a low local concentration (i.e., biocide release rate) of 0.2 to 2 ppm and / or lower was detected in artificial seawater over 7 days, and these release rates effectively protected the fiber matrix material from biological fouling.

[0303] Various supplemental coatings incorporating various biocides and / or other dispensing and / or eluting materials can be incorporated into a given system design to provide various fouling advantages. For example, coatings releasing econea and / or pyrithione in different amounts and / or times can be used to combat biofouling (with econea targeting "hard shell" organisms and zinc or copper pyrithione targeting "soft or no shell" organisms) including embodiments with an initial high release rate that significantly decreases after only hours, days, and / or weeks after immersion, as well as other embodiments with an initial low release rate that increases over the course of the immersion time. Exemplary coatings can incorporate a single biocide or formulation targeting one or more fouling species, or the coating can incorporate two or more biocides in different ratios, with each biocide targeting one or more different fouling species and / or different life stages of similar fouling organisms. The biocides selected and their concentrations can vary based on the given application and type of biofouling, which can depend on a variety of factors including the geographic location of the fouling protection, the season of the year, various local fouling pressures, the particular water application for which the fouling resistant enclosure is used, the design and features of the fouling resistant system, the desired duration of fouling protection, and / or the structure and / or type of substrate desired to be protected. In some exemplary embodiments, the ratio of a first biocide to a second biocide in a coating formulation can be about 1 : 1, about 1 :2, about 1 :3, about 1 :4, about 1 :5, about 1 : 10, about 1 : 15, about 1 :20, about 1 :25, about 1 :50, about 1 : 100, or greater. In one particularly useful embodiment, in exemplary coating formulations targeting hard and soft shell organisms, the ratio of econea to zinc (or copper) pyrithione can be about 3: 1 (i.e., 75% econea to 25% zinc or copper pyrithione).

[0304] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the enclosure can comprise a spun polyester structure having a surface and / or subsurface coating of a commercially available biocide coating including a water-based and / or solvent-based coating containing a registered biocide, wherein the coating is applied to the structure by virtually any means known in the art including by brush, roller, painting, dipping, spraying, production printing, encapsulation, and / or screen coating (with and / or without vacuum assistance). Coating of the material can be done on one or both sides of the material, as well as a single-sided coating on the inward-facing side of the material, although a single-sided coating on the outward-facing side of the material (i.e., away from the substrate and and toward the open aqueous environment) has proven significant levels of effectiveness while minimizing biocide content, cost, and maintaining favorable flexibility. Although water-based ("WB") biocidal coatings are primarily discussed in the various embodiments herein, solvent-based ("SB") biocidal coatings can alternatively be used for various applications (and / or in combination with water-based coatings) if desired.

[0305] In various embodiments, use of various printing methods on the coating can have the additional benefit of allowing visible patterns and / or indicia to be incorporated into and / or onto the system components, which can include marketing and / or advertising material to identify the source of the system (i.e., the system manufacturer) as well as to identify one or more users (i.e., a particular terminal and / or ship owner / ship name) and / or to identify the intended area and / or conditions of use (i.e., "salt water immersion only" or "for use in the port of Jacksonville only" or "for summer use only"). If desired, various indicators can be incorporated to identify the age and / or condition of the system components, including, for example, printing a "replacement cutoff" date on the exterior of a replaceable modular filter unit. If desired, the biocide coating itself can be used to print visible patterns, which can incorporate supplemental inks and / or dyes into the coating mixture, or separate additives can be used to print additional logos, etc.

[0306] In various embodiments, while application of less than 220 grams per square meter (including 100 grams or less per square meter) and application of more than 235 grams per square meter (including 300 grams and more per square meter) show significant potential, the biocide coating or paint can desirably be applied to the material in an amount ranging from 220 grams to 235 grams per square meter. In various alternative embodiments, the coating mixture can include one or more biocides in various percentages by weight of the mixture, including 10% or less by weight of the biocide, such as 2%, 5%, and / or 7% of the mixture, or greater amounts of the biocide, including 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, and / or more by weight of the coating mixture, and indeed encompassing ranges of combinations thereof (i.e., 2% to 10% and / or 5% to 50%, etc.). In cases where the enclosure design can be particularly large, it can be desirable to significantly increase the percentage of biocide in the coating mixture, which will desirably reduce the total amount of coating needed to protect the enclosure and / or substrate.

[0307] Figure 12 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary permeable structure 1200 is depicted, having various pore openings 21210 and simplified channels 1220 extending from the front face 1230 to the back face 1240 of the structure 1200. Also shown is a coating material 1250 optionally containing a biocide or other debilitating substance, wherein portions of the coating material extend at least a distance "D" from the front face 1230 into the pore openings 1210 and / or channels 1220 of the structure 1200. In various embodiments, the coating material will desirably penetrate into the material structure and / or structure wall openings / pores an average distance "D" (i.e., a depth of 3%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 50%, 75% or more of the structure— see Figure 12). Ideally, the coating material (which is typically "harder" in a dry configuration than the structure to which it is applied) will be applied in a manner that allows the structure to bend and / or mold to some degree (i.e., the coating will ideally not significantly or severely "harden" the structure to an undesirable degree), thereby allowing the structure to be formed into the desired enclosure shape and / or wrapped around the structure and / or formed into a flexible bag and / or container (if desired). In cases where a bag or similar enclosure (i.e., a closable shape) is provided, it can be desirable to apply the coating to the article after the article is manufactured, which can include coating and / or encapsulation of any seams and / or stitching / adhesion areas underneath one or more coatings. In various embodiments, the coating penetration depth will average no more than half the depth through the material.

[0308] Another significant advantage provided by various features of the present invention relates to the construction and arrangement of the individual fibers of the disclosed permeable structure, which impart the ability to "mix" and / or otherwise agitate the ambient water within the pores, voids, interstices, and / or various openings in the woven or knitted structure. This mixing effect can greatly improve the uniformity and / or homogeneity of the water as it passes through and / or after it passes through the enclosure. In some embodiments where a biocide coating is provided, this mixing effect can greatly improve the effectiveness of eluting the biocide, as the concentration of the biocide can be greatest in the water near the pore walls, but can be effectively mixed into the water stream even before the water exits the enclosure wall. This arrangement can ensure that a high dose of biocide acts on fouling organisms near the pore walls, and also ensures that the biocide is in sufficient contact with other fouling organisms in the water stream, even at very low total biocide dose levels.

[0309] Once coated with the coating or paint, the material and / or enclosure can be allowed to cure and / or air dry for a desired period of time (which can take less than two minutes for some commercial applications, or up to an hour or more in other embodiments) or can be forced dry with gas, oil, or electrical heating elements. The material and / or enclosure can then be used as described herein.

[0310] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the antifouling housing may comprise a flexible fibrous material and / or a structure having a coating comprising a biocide applied to a first surface of the flexible fibrous material having a plurality of pores, gaps, and / or other openings extending from the first surface to a second surface, wherein the coating extends into the pores such that the plurality of pores have an average pre-coating minimum pore opening of at least 25 micrometers and an average post-coating minimum pore opening of between 75 and 25 micrometers. When such material is placed in a stream of water or other liquid, the water flows from the first surface to the second surface through the plurality of pores, and the biocide is eluted from the coating into the water stream. The biocide contacts and inhibits the colonization of one or more species of biofouling organisms on a substrate surface located downstream of the coated structure.

[0311] In various embodiments, the housing may optionally contain a biocide that is attached to, coated, encapsulated, integrated into, and / or “woven into” strips of material. For example, a biocide may be incorporated into strips containing one or more biocides of various concentrations, thereby desirablely preventing the attachment or presence of various animal and plant species on and / or within the housing. In various embodiments, the use of one or more biocides may provide one or more of the following: (1) a biocide for protecting the housing from scaling, (2) a biocide for protecting the substrate from scaling, (3) a biocide that induces environmental conditions for the formation of an “artificial” biofilm on the substrate and / or within a protected environment, (4) a biocide for metered water supply within a protected environment, and / or (5) a biocide that reduces the “accumulation” of scaling on the surface and / or within the pores of the fibrous matrix and / or “filter” elements.

[0312] Other methods of inserting and / or applying coatings or antifouling agents are envisioned, such as spray application known to those skilled in the art of coating. Additionally, the housing does not need to contain separate fibrous elements, but can be made of perforated and / or flexible sheets containing agents embedded therein and / or coated onto the material. To provide a securing mechanism, the housing may include fastening elements, such as, but not limited to, ring and hook fasteners, such as… Snap fasteners, buttons, hooks, clips, snaps, adhesive strips, or zippers. Ideally, the system can include multiple wall structures, each attached to one or more adjacent wall structures (if any) by stitching, weaving, etc., which may include coating and / or encapsulation of any seams and / or stitched / adhesive areas beneath one or more coatings to form a modular housing. If desired, housing material can be added to extend beyond and / or onto the housing fasteners to protect them from scale buildup.

[0313] In alternative embodiments, the enclosure can include closable and / or openable features such as Velcro or hook-and-loop fastener assemblies, zippers, magnetic closures, and / or cross-stitch features. Similar connection types can be used to connect side edges of individual sheets together, or to allow removal and replacement of the fibrous matrix media from a support frame or other structure.

[0314] In various embodiments, the enclosure desirably includes anti-biofouling properties that are attached to and / or embedded within the threads and / or fibers (i.e., the various elements of the fibrous matrix) to inhibit and / or prevent biofouling of the system. In preferred embodiments, the anti-biofouling agent is a biocide coating that includes Econea TM (tralopyril - commercially available from Janssen Pharmaceutical NV of Belgium) and / or zinc omethoate (i.e., pyrithione), although other anti-biofouling agents known to those skilled in the art can be used, such as zinc, copper, or derivatives thereof that are currently available and / or developed in the future. In addition, antifouling compounds from microorganisms and synthetic analogs thereof can be utilized, where these different sources are generally classified into ten types, including fatty acids, lactones, terpenes, steroids, benzaldehydes, phenolic ethers, polyketides, alkaloids, nucleosides, and peptides. These compounds can be isolated from seaweed, algae, fungi, bacteria, and marine invertebrates, including larvae, sponges, worms, snails, mussels, etc. One or more of any of the previously described compounds and / or equivalents thereof (and / or any compounds and / or equivalents thereof developed in the future) (or various combinations thereof) can be used to create an anti-biofouling structure that prevents both microscopic fouling (such as biofilm formation and bacterial attachment) and macroscopic fouling (attachment of large organisms, including barnacles or mussels) against one or more target species, or can be used as a "broad spectrum" antifouling agent for multiple biofouling organisms, if desired.

[0315] In one exemplary embodiment, a desired woven structure based on spun polyester fibers can be used as the enclosure material, where the structure has a basis weight of about 410 grams per square meter (including the weight of the base structure prior to any coating or modification) (see Table 13).

[0316]

[0317] Table 13: Exemplary Structure Specifications

[0318] Table 14 describes some alternative structure specifications that can be used as enclosure materials with different levels of utility.

[0319]

[0320] Table 14: Additional example structural specifications

[0321] For various structural or housing embodiments, a target additional weight on paint / coating can be set to be about approximately 5 grams / square meter to 500 grams / square meter, about 50 grams / square meter to 480 grams / square meter, about 100 grams / square meter to 300 grams / square meter, about 120 grams / square meter to 280 grams / square meter, about 224 grams / square meter (or up to ±10% thereof).

[0322] In various embodiments where a biocide or other coating is desired, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the coating can be applied to the housing after the system is fully assembled and / or constructed, while in other embodiments, the coating can be applied to some or all of the components of the system prior to assembly and / or construction. In still other embodiments, some portions of the housing can be pre-coated and / or pre-treated, while other portions can be coated after assembly. Further, where processing and / or handling steps during manufacturing and / or assembly can involve techniques that can negatively impact the quality and / or performance of the biocide or other coating characteristics, it can be desirable to perform those processing and / or handling steps on the housing and / or housing components prior to applying its coating. For example, where a heat-sensitive biocide and / or coating can be desired, material processing techniques involving high temperatures can be employed to create and / or process the structure and / or housing walls prior to applying its biocide coating (i.e., to reduce the opportunity for heat-related degradation of the biocide and / or coating).

[0323] In various embodiments, the coating material or other additives (including biocide coatings or other materials) can be applied to and / or incorporated into the structure of the housing, potentially resulting in a change in the level of permeability, which can transform a material that can be less suitable for protecting a substrate from biofouling into a material that is more suitable for protecting a substrate from biofouling once in a coated state. For example, an uncoated polyester structure that has been experimentally demonstrated to have a relatively high permeability to liquids (i.e., 150 mL of liquid passing through the test structure in less than 50 seconds) can be less than ideal for forming a housing to protect a substrate from biofouling, as described herein. However, when properly coated with a biocide coating to a desired level, the permeability of the coated structure can be significantly reduced to a more ideal level, such as a moderate permeability level (i.e., 100 mL of liquid passing through the test structure between 50 and 80 seconds) and / or a very low permeability level (i.e., little or no liquid passing through the test structure). In this way, the intentional permeability level can optionally be “dialed in” or adjusted for each selected structure, if desired.

[0324] One embodiment of a shell incorporating a polyester coated structure did not develop macrofouling and / or developed very little macrofouling coating during long term immersion testing in an aqueous environment. In addition, one example polyester structure became more permeable during immersion, while another example became less permeable during immersion.

[0325] Fiber matrix material and / or dosing media

[0326] Figure 13A An exemplary embodiment of an uncoated 23x23 polyester woven structure is depicted, which was experimentally demonstrated to have a relatively low permeability to liquid (i.e., 100 mL of liquid passed through the test structure in approximately 396 seconds), which can be at the low end of the ideal permeability range for forming some shell designs to protect a substrate from biological fouling, as described herein, depending on local conditions. When coated (see Figure 13B ), these materials became substantially impermeable prior to immersion, but became more permeable after immersion. As previously described, if desired, the required permeability level can be "dialed in" or tuned for each selected structure. In various embodiments, the permeability of a given structure and / or shell assembly can change or be different under wet or dry conditions, if desired.

[0327] During long term immersion testing in an aqueous environment, the uncoated 23x23 polyester and coated polyester structures did not develop macrofouling on the shell and / or substrate. In addition, the permeability of each of these materials increased significantly during immersion, with the 23x23 uncoated polyester structure allowing 150 mL of liquid to pass through in 120 seconds, while the first 23x23 coated polyester structure allowed 150 mL of liquid to pass through in 160 seconds, and the second 23x23 coated polyester allowed 150 mL of liquid to pass through in 180 seconds.

[0328] In other alternative embodiments, Figures 14A-14C A natural material, burlap, is depicted, uncoated Figure 14A ), coated with a solvent-based biocidal coating Figure 14B ), and coated with a water-based biocidal coating Figure 14C . During permeability testing, the uncoated burlap structure exhibited a permeability of 50.99 ml / s / cm 2 , while the coated burlap structures had permeabilities of 52.32 ml / s / cm 2 and 38.23 ml / s / cm 2 for the solvent-based biocidal coating and water-based biocidal coating, respectively. After immersion in saltwater for 32 days, the permeability of both coated structures increased significantly to 85.23 ml / s / cm 2 and 87.28 ml / s / cm 2and the uncoated coarse linen structure decreased to 20.42 ml / s / cm 2 For fouling observations, the uncoated coarse linen structure had very little fouling, while the coated coarse linen structure had almost no macroscopic fouling.

[0329] Additionally, in another alternative embodiment, 1 / 64 polyester uncoated structures were coated with a solvent-based biocidal coating, and alternatively with a water-based biocidal coating. During the permeability testing, the uncoated 1 / 64 polyester structures exhibited a permeability of 26.82 ml / s / cm 2 , while the coated 1 / 64 polyester structures had a permeability of 44.49 ml / s / cm 2 and 29.25 ml / s / cm 2 , respectively, for the solvent-based biocidal coating and the water-based biocidal coating. After 32 days of immersion in saltwater, the permeability of all 1 / 64 polyester structures decreased significantly to 10.99 ml / s / cm 2 , 13.78 ml / s / cm 2 , and 13.31 ml / s / cm 2 , respectively. For fouling observations, the uncoated 1 / 16 polyester structures had some fouling, while the coated 1 / 64 polyester structures had almost no macroscopic fouling.

[0330] In the construction and testing of anti-biofouling enclosures, different kinds of structural cloths were manufactured, coated, and used. In a first embodiment (as shown in Figure 15A , scale bar is 1000 μιη), a deformed polyester cloth was coated with a biocidal coating on a first surface, where a substantial amount of this coating penetrated completely through the cloth to an opposite second surface (where some areas of the coating on the second surface were thinner than other areas). Figure 15B This coated cloth was depicted at a scale bar of 1000 μιη. On average, this coated cloth had 523.54 (± 2.33) pores per square inch, where approximately less than 5% of the pores were clogged (on average).

[0331] Figure 15C Another preferred embodiment of a 100% spun polyester structure is described, Figure 15D which was coated with a biocidal coating. During the testing, the uncoated 100% polyester structure exhibited a structure permeability of 10.17 ml / s / cm 2 , while the coated polyester structure had a permeability of 0.32 ml / s / cm 2 and 1.08 ml / s / cm 2permeability. After 23 days of soaking, the permeability of both coated structures did not change significantly, the uncoated polyester structure had very little fouling, and the coated polyester structure had almost no macroscopic fouling. However, in various other embodiments, methods for making spun polyester yarns (such as core spun spun staple, open end spinning, ring spinning, and / or air jet spinning) are also expected to yield favorable results.

[0332] In another embodiment, Figure 15E The uncoated structure shown in FIG. 1 1 (scale bar 500 pm) was subsequently coated on the first surface of the spun polyester cloth with a biocide coating, where a significant portion of this coating penetrated through the fibers and / or pores of the cloth (in some embodiments, up to or over 50% penetration through the cloth). Figure 15F The relatively uncoated side of the structure is shown at 1000 pm, and this figure also demonstrates the significant pore size reduction that can be achieved using this coating technique, if desired. On average, this coated cloth had 493 (± 3.53) pores per square inch, with approximately 7-10% of the pores being completely blocked by the coating material (on average).

[0333] Experimentally, all of these structure embodiments exhibited desirable levels of permeability, which can be due to the high number of small pores, the small fiber size, and / or various combinations thereof. The various coating methods were very effective at coating and permeating the structures to the desired levels, and produced highly effective materials for incorporation into protective enclosures.

[0334] Various structures are disclosed herein that can be suitable for use in various embodiments of the present application, which have exemplary permeability in uncoated and coated states. For example, in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA, permeability ranges of 0.5 ml / s / cm 2 to 25 ml / s / cm 2 to 50 ml / s / cm 2 to 75 ml / s / cm 2 to 100 ml / s / cm 2 , or about 0.1 ml / s / cm 2 to about 100 ml / s / cm 2 , cm 2 , or about 1 ml / s / cm 2 to about 75 ml / s / cm 2 , or about 1 ml / s / cm 2 to about 10 ml / s / cm 2 , or about 1 ml / s / cm 2 to about 5 ml / s / cm 2 , or about 5 ml / s / cm 2 to about 10 ml / s / cm2 or about 10 ml / s / cm 2 to about 20 ml / s / cm 2 or about 10 ml / s / cm 2 to about 25 ml / s / cm 2 or about 10 ml / s / cm 2 to about 50 ml / s / cm 2 or about 20 ml / s / cm 2 to about 70 ml / s / cm 2 or about 10 ml / s / cm 2 to about 40 ml / s / cm 2 or about 20 ml / s / cm 2 to about 60 ml / s / cm 2 or about 75 ml / s / cm 2 to about 100 ml / s / cm 2 or about 60 ml / s / cm 2 to about 100 ml / s / cm 2 or about 10 ml / s / cm 2 to about 30 ml / s / cm 2 may be sufficient (depending on local conditions) to prevent substantial fouling from occurring on and / or within the enclosure and / or on the protected substrate, while still allowing sufficient water flow. In another exemplary embodiment, a permeability range of at least 0.32 millimeters per second per square centimeter and up to 10.17 millimeters per second per square centimeter is determined to be an optimal range of permeability characteristics and / or a desirable range of expected permeability variation that is desirable during the useful life of the enclosure. In other embodiments, a range of at least 1.5 millimeters per second per square centimeter and up to 8.0 millimeters per second per square centimeter (as well as any combination of the various ranges disclosed herein) can be desirable. In many cases, because of the particular fouling organisms, the incidence of fouling incursion and / or the rate of fouling growth in a given area and / or body of water can be highly dependent on a variety of related factors, as well as the local and / or seasonal conditions of the intended use area (as well as the intended substrate to be protected, etc.), the acceptable range of permeability for a given structure can vary widely in a given enclosure design - thus a structure permeability that can be optimal and / or suitable for one enclosure design and / or location can not be optimal and / or suitable for another enclosure design and / or location. Accordingly, the required permeability values and ranges thereof should be interpreted as a general trend for a given structure and / or permeability to provide fouling protection in a given body of water while avoiding long periods of anoxic conditions and anaerobic corrosion, but should not be interpreted as excluding the use of a given structure in other enclosure designs and / or water conditions.

[0335] In various embodiments, the permeability of the fibrous matrix medium and / or the shell material can desirably remain within a desired permeability range in situ over its useful life (or, if desired, until a desired biofilm layer has been established), such that any potential increase in material permeability due to changes in the structure and / or material of the shell (as one example) will desirably approximate the various expected decreases in material permeability due to organic and / or inorganic detritus clogging the pores (including any biofouling of the material and / or its pores that can occur). This balance will desirably maintain the integrity and / or functionality of the shell and the characteristics of the differentiated environment over an extended period of time, thereby providing significant protection for the shell and / or the protected substrate.

[0336] In various embodiments, the shell wall can incorporate materials that experience changes in permeability over an extended period of time during immersion testing in an aqueous environment. For example, the permeability of uncoated synthetic materials will generally decrease over time (which can be due to gradual fouling of the structure once positioned around the substrate; however, regardless of the initial swelling and biofouling of the structure and biocides, the permeability should remain or increase when the coating is shed or dissolved), while some materials coated with a biocidal coating will experience various changes in permeability, including some embodiments that become less permeable over time. Additionally, the permeability of uncoated natural test fibers (hemp) becomes higher, while the permeability of hemp coated with a biocide becomes lower over time. In various embodiments, varying the coating parameters (i.e., coating addition / thickness, application method, vacuum application to maintain and / or increase pore size, drying parameters, etc.) and varying the textile parameters (i.e., structure, material, initial permeability, whether or not constrained during drying, whether or not heat set, etc.) can yield a wide range of desired permeability characteristics and expected changes in permeability over the given shell design life. When deployed into an aqueous environment, it is thus possible to influence (and / or control) whether the permeability increases or decreases over time for one or more extended periods of time, and the relevance to the product life cycle.

[0337] In various embodiments, a shell can desirably inhibit biofouling on a substrate at least partially immersed in an aquatic environment, wherein the shell comprises a material that is permeable to water or becomes permeable to water during use, the shell being adapted to house the substrate and form a differentiated aquatic environment extending from the surface of the substrate to at least the interior / exterior surface of the structure, wherein the structure or portions thereof have a water permeability, when positioned around the substrate or thereafter, of about 100 milliliters of water per square centimeter of substrate per second, about 100 milliliters of water per square centimeter of substrate per minute, or a value therebetween, or a greater / smaller permeability.

[0338] In various embodiments, water permeability of a structure can be achieved by forming the structure to allow water to permeate through the structure, such as by weaving a textile to have a desired permeability and / or optionally coating the textile with a biocide coating that provides the desired permeability to the textile (or without a biocide coating). In some embodiments, a structure can be designed to become water permeable over time in use. For example, an otherwise water permeable structure can have a coating that initially makes it substantially impermeable, but as the coating ablates, erodes, or dissolves, the underlying permeability increases and / or becomes useful.

[0339] System component assembly

[0340] In various embodiments, a system can include a single enclosure or can include multiple modular components that can be assembled in various system shapes, sizes, and / or capabilities. For example, a system design can desirably include multiple antifouling wall structures each attached and / or assembled to one or more adjacent wall structures (if any) by stitching, weaving, hook and loop fasteners, Velcro, and the like, which can include coating and / or encapsulation of any seams and / or stitching / adhesion areas. Alternatively, other connection techniques can be utilized as desired, such as thermal bonding, ultrasonic welding and / or other energy-based bonding techniques, gluing or adhesives, and other stitching and / or two-dimensional weaving / knitting techniques. In other alternative embodiments, three-dimensional structure forming techniques can be used to fabricate a “tube” or material pocket for the enclosure that does not have exterior-facing seams on the sides and / or has only one or more seams and / or openings at the top and / or bottom. In some particularly desirable embodiments, attachment and / or adhesion of various wall segments of the enclosure will desirably be achieved such that a certain level of flexibility is maintained in the attachment areas.

[0341] In a similar manner, various embodiments of the enclosure will desirably incorporate permeable and / or flexible attachment mechanisms and / or closures such that relatively rigid, unbreachable, and / or impermeable surfaces will not desirably be presented by the enclosure to the exterior of the surrounding aqueous environment. In many cases, biofouling entities can prefer rigid, unbroken surfaces for settlement and / or colonization, which can provide such entities with a “foothold” for subsequent colonization on adjacent flexible structure portions, such as flexible structure portions of the enclosures described herein. By reducing the likelihood of such “foothold” locations, many of the disclosed enclosure designs can significantly improve the biofouling resistance of various disclosed embodiments and / or the substrate protection they provide. In at least one embodiment, an enclosure can be specified in particular for a substrate that is a single construction without seams and / or without impermeable wall segments.

[0342] In the case of hook and loop or Velcro fasteners, the use of such connection devices may be particularly suitable for various housing embodiments because such fasteners can be permeable to aqueous media in a manner similar to permeable housing walls. This design feature allows liquids within the housing to be flushed through the fastener assembly and / or housing walls in a similar manner, thereby inhibiting scaling on the fastener surface as described herein. Alternatively, the connection "flange" of the flexible hook and loop fastener can be placed on the corresponding flexible or non-flexible attachment surface to provide additional protection to the attachment surface.

[0343] In various embodiments, structural permeability can be influenced and / or altered using a variety of techniques, including machining, such as by using piercing devices (i.e., needles, laser cutting, stretching to create micropores, etc.), abrasive materials and / or pressure and / or vacuum (i.e., water and / or air jetting), or chemical means (i.e., etching chemistry). Similarly, low-permeability structures can be treated to ideally increase their permeability to a desired range, while in other embodiments, higher-permeability structures can be modified (e.g., by using coatings, plating, plugging, or coagulants) to reduce permeability by a desired amount.

[0344] In many embodiments, the type and / or level of permeability of one or more selected housing wall materials will be an important consideration in the design and placement of the housing and / or various housing assemblies. Ideally, when the housing is initially placed in an aqueous medium, a permeable material will allow sufficient water exchange between open and closed and / or confined environments to allow for differentiated environments that prevent biofouling. However, since various scaling pressures and / or other factors can potentially change and / or affect the permeability and / or porosity of a given housing wall material in an aqueous medium over time, it is often important that the permeable material continue to allow for the maintenance of differentiated environments – and it is also desirable to avoid the desired level of water exchange that would result in prolonged anoxic conditions in some housing embodiments. Based on these considerations, it may be desirable to select a higher level of permeability for the housing wall material such that clogging and / or sealing of some pores in the material does not significantly affect the antifouling performance of the housing, even if the water exchange rate may decrease, increase, and / or remain constant at different times during the life of the housing.

[0345] System placement and spacing

[0346] In use, a system as described herein will desirably be positioned upstream and / or internal to a fluid flow path, in contact with and / or surrounding a substrate immersed in an aqueous medium. This can include protecting an object prior to its initial first immersion in an aqueous medium (i.e., the object’s “first” immersion in an aqueous environment), as well as protecting a previously immersed object that is removed from an aqueous medium and cleaned and / or descaled. In other embodiments, a system can be installed to protect an object that is already immersed in an aqueous environment, including an object that can have been previously immersed for a longer period of time and / or that already has a substantial biofouling buildup thereon.

[0347] Non-limiting examples of substrates include any substrate or material used in conjunction with, or in combination with, or in connection with any water consumption, such as a substantial water consumption using a water intake system. Non-limiting examples of substrates used in conjunction with water consumption include any water intake system or any material or substrate downstream of a water intake for commercial or industrial applications, such as filtration system equipment, such as seawater or freshwater filtration systems, membrane filters, water inlet filters, pipes, and / or water storage tanks; elevator and boat-style storage structures; irrigation water storage tanks and irrigation pipes and / or equipment; and / or any portion thereof, including water management systems and / or system components, such as locks, dams, valves, floodgates, and seawalls; wastewater systems; reserve permeable water systems; commercial water plants; water systems for structural heating, injection, treatment, washing, dilution, cooling, and / or transportation; smelting facility systems, petroleum refineries, and industries producing chemical products, food, and paper products. Other mechanisms that can be addressed using the present disclosure to address biofouling include micro electrochemical drug delivery devices, papermaking and pulp industry machinery, underwater instruments, fire protection system pipes, and sprinkler system nozzles. In addition to interfering mechanisms, biofouling also occurs on the surfaces of living marine organisms, which is known as epibiosis. Biofouling is also found in almost all water-based liquids in contact with other materials. An important impact in industry is maintenance of agriculture, membrane systems (e.g., membrane bioreactors and reverse osmosis spiral wound membranes), and large equipment and power station water cycles. Biofouling can also occur in oil pipelines that carry water-entrained oil, particularly those that carry waste oil, cutting oil, oil that becomes water-soluble through emulsification, and hydraulic oil.

[0348] In various embodiments, the substrate to be protected can be a surface or subsurface portion made of any material, including but not limited to a metal surface, a fiberglass surface, a PVC surface, a plastic surface, a rubber surface, a wood surface, a concrete surface, a glass surface, a ceramic surface, a natural structure surface, a synthetic structure surface, and / or any combination thereof.

[0349] Accordingly, although exemplary embodiments of the application have been shown and described, it is to be understood that all the terms used herein are descriptive rather than limiting, and that many changes, modifications, and substitutions can be made by one having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the application.

[0350] All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

[0351] The various headings and sub-headings used herein are for the reader's convenience only and shall not be construed as limiting or constraining any feature or disclosure under a specific embodiment to one or more specific embodiments. It will be appreciated that various exemplary embodiments can incorporate a variety of combinations of the various advantages and / or features described, all manners of combination being contemplated and expressly incorporated herein below.

[0352] The use of the terms "a" and "the" and "said" and similar referents in the context of describing the application are to be interpreted as including both the singular and the plural unless otherwise indicated by their context. The terms "comprising," "having," "including," and "containing" are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning "including, but not limited to,") unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated in the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the application and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the application unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the application.

[0353] Preferred embodiments of the application are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for practicing the application. Variations of those preferred embodiments can become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the application to embrace all such variations that fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto. Accordingly, the application includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the elements described above in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the application unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise explicitly contradicted by context.

Claims

1. An apparatus for reducing biofouling in a downstream water system, the apparatus comprising: a treatment unit for forming an antifouling biofilm on one or more surfaces in the downstream water system, wherein the antifouling biofilm prevents settlement of one or more biofouling organisms on the one or more surfaces so as to reduce biofouling in the downstream water system, the treatment unit comprising: a reservoir for a volume of water; at least one layer of permeable fabric structure positioned within or defining a portion of a wall of the reservoir, wherein the permeable fabric structure comprises an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of pores extending between the outer surface and the inner surface, the permeable fabric structure having a biocide on or in one or more of the outer surface or the inner surface and extending within at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of pores, wherein the treatment unit provides conditioned water from the reservoir to the downstream water system, wherein at least a portion of the water flowing through the water system flows through the treatment unit, the conditioned water requiring an average residence time to reside within the reservoir of the treatment unit before traveling into the water system, wherein the biocide contacts at least some of the water entering or within the reservoir of the treatment unit so as to help form the conditioned water before the conditioned water travels into the water system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the biofilm comprises a reduced diversity, a reduced formation, a reduced coverage, a reduced volume, a reduced thickness, or a reduced presence of at least one of cyanobacteria, diatoms, fungi, prokaryotic cells, or bacteria compared to a naturally occurring biofilm in an open aqueous environment.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the treatment unit provides an average water exchange of about 0.1% to 500% of the volume of water to the downstream water system per hour.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one layer of permeable fabric structure comprises a permeability ranging from about 0.06 milliliters of water per square centimeter per second to 46.71 milliliters of water per square centimeter per second.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one layer of permeable fabric structure comprises a permeability ranging from about 0.1 milliliters of water per square centimeter per second to 100 milliliters of water per square centimeter per second.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one layer of permeable fabric structure comprises a 3-dimensional flexible material selected from the group consisting of natural and synthetic fabrics, natural and synthetic membranes, natural and synthetic sheets, and fabrics, membranes, films, and sheets made from combinations of natural and synthetic materials.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antifouling biofilm deposited on the one or more surfaces is thinner than a biofilm that naturally exists in water outside of the water system.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anti-fouling biofilm deposited on the one or more surfaces has a weaker structural integrity than a biofilm naturally occurring in water outside of the water system.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anti-fouling biofilm deposited on the one or more surfaces comprises primarily Proteobacteria or Bacteroidetes.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anti-fouling biofilm deposited on the one or more surfaces is almost devoid of Verrucomicrobia or Actinobacteria.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the biofilm promotes the growth of microorganisms that form one or more localized settlement cues on the biofilm that deter larvae of biofouling organisms from settling thereon.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pores are sized to enable water to flow freely between the outer surface and the inner surface, wherein the permeable fabric structure is flexibly mounted within or defines the portion of the wall of the reservoir, wherein at least a portion of the permeable fabric structure is spaced apart from another surface relative to both the outer surface and the inner surface, such that the at least a portion of the permeable fabric structure is configured to flex when the water flows within the plurality of pores.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a dissolved oxygen content of the water entering the reservoir of the treatment unit is similar to a dissolved oxygen content of the conditioned water traveling into the water system.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a dissolved oxygen content of the water entering the reservoir of the treatment unit is higher than a dissolved oxygen content of the conditioned water traveling into the water system.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the water system comprises a once-through system.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the water system comprises a recirculating system.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the water system comprises a makeup water loop of a recirculating system.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the average residence time is an average amount of time that molecules of the water spend within the reservoir between entering the reservoir and traveling into the water system.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the average residence time is determined based on a volume of the reservoir divided by an average flow rate into the water system determined over a period of one hour during operation of the water system.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the average residence time is in a range of 1 minute to 6 hours.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the average residence time is 1 minute or less.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the average residence time is greater than 6 hours.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the conditioned water does not necessarily flow through any of the plurality of pores of the permeable fabric structure.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is positioned within a body of water and a water intake for the water system is configured to draw conditioned water from within the reservoir such that water from the body of water is pulled into the reservoir to fill the reservoir to replace the conditioned water drawn through the water intake.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is positioned within a body of water, wherein the reservoir is or defines an inlet for water from the body of water, wherein the inlet includes the at least one layer of the permeable fabric structure such that the water from the body of water flows through the at least one layer of the permeable fabric structure into the reservoir.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the at least one layer of the permeable fabric structure forms the inlet of the reservoir and is replaceable.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the treatment unit further comprises one or more pre-conditioning features configured to adjust the water chemistry of the water within the reservoir.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one layer of the permeable fabric structure includes a plurality of permeable fabric structures positioned in a tortuous path to an outlet at which the conditioned water is provided to the water system.

29. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is formed within a body of water, wherein the permeable fabric structure is attached to a floatable device such that the permeable fabric structure extends downward from the floatable device into the body of water.

30. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the treatment unit is an enclosure that is fully submerged within a body of water.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the treatment unit is anchored to a bottom surface of the body of water.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein a water intake of the water system includes a pump configured to draw conditioned water from within the reservoir to be provided to the water system via one or more conduits.

33. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is formed within a body of water, wherein a first chemistry of the conditioned water is different than a second chemistry of water within the body of water.

34. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the biocide is within a coating applied to the at least one layer of permeable fabric structure.

35. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is formed within a body of water, wherein the permeable fabric structure enables water to flow freely from the body of water for at least one month without significant buildup on the outer surface or the inner surface of the permeable fabric structure.

36. The device of claim 1, further comprising one or more strips or panels positioned in the reservoir, wherein each of the one or more strips or panels is flexible and comprises a biocide thereon or therein that contacts the water in the reservoir to help form the conditioned water.

37. The device of claim 36, further comprising an inner reservoir positioned within the reservoir, wherein the inner reservoir comprises the one or more strips or panels positioned therein.

38. The device of claim 1, further comprising an inner reservoir positioned within the reservoir, wherein the inner reservoir comprises one or more strips or panels positioned therein, wherein each of the one or more strips or panels is flexible and comprises a biocide thereon or therein that contacts the water in the reservoir to help form the conditioned water.

39. The device of claim 38, wherein the one or more strips or panels are replaceable.

40. A system for reducing biofouling in a downstream water system, the system comprising: a treatment unit, the treatment unit comprising: a reservoir for a volume of water; at least one layer of permeable fabric structure positioned within or defining a portion of a wall of the reservoir, wherein the permeable fabric structure comprises an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of pores extending between the outer surface and the inner surface, the permeable fabric structure having a biocide on or in one or more of the outer surface or the inner surface and extending within at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of pores, wherein the treatment unit provides conditioned water from the reservoir to the downstream water system, wherein at least a portion of the water flowing through the water system flows through the treatment unit, the conditioned water requires an average residence time to reside within the reservoir of the treatment unit before traveling into the water system, wherein the biocide contacts at least some of the water entering or within the reservoir of the treatment unit to help form the conditioned water before the conditioned water travels into the water system; and at least one antifouling biofilm formed on one or more surfaces in the downstream water system, wherein the antifouling biofilm prevents settlement of one or more biofouling organisms on the one or more surfaces to reduce biofouling in the downstream water system, the biofilm formed on the one or more surfaces based on the conditioned water from the treatment unit entering the downstream water system.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the biofilm comprises a reduced diversity, reduced formation, reduced coverage, reduced volume, reduced thickness, or reduced presence of at least one of cyanobacteria, diatoms, fungi, prokaryotic cells, or bacteria compared to a naturally occurring biofilm in an open aqueous environment.

42. A method of producing an artificially produced biofilm on one or more surfaces in a downstream water system, the method comprising: providing a treatment unit for forming an antifouling biofilm on one or more surfaces in the downstream water system, wherein the antifouling biofilm prevents settlement of one or more biofouling organisms on the one or more surfaces so as to reduce biofouling in the downstream water system, the treatment unit comprising: a reservoir for a volume of water; at least one layer of permeable fabric structure positioned within or defining a portion of a wall of the reservoir, wherein the permeable fabric structure comprises an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of pores extending between the outer surface and the inner surface, the permeable fabric structure having a biocide on or in one or more of the outer surface or the inner surface and extending within at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of pores, wherein the treatment unit provides conditioned water from the reservoir to the downstream water system, wherein at least a portion of the water flowing through the water system flows through the treatment unit, the conditioned water requires an average residence time to reside within the reservoir of the treatment unit before traveling into the water system, wherein the biocide contacts at least some of the water entering or within the reservoir of the treatment unit so as to help form the conditioned water before the conditioned water travels into the water system; causing conditioned water to travel from the treatment unit and into an inlet of the water system, thereby causing the antifouling biofilm to form on the one or more surfaces in the water system.

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