Ship Ballast Filter Antifouling via Electrolyzed Seawater
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ballast water treatment systems for ships lack a fully automatic online antifouling method to prevent filter clogging due to the growth of marine organisms during shutdown, requiring manual cleaning of fouled filters.
Innovation Solution
An online antifouling ship ballast water treatment system that includes an electrolytic unit producing a TRO solution with sodium hypochlorite, which is reintroduced into the filter after loading, inhibiting the growth of marine organisms and preventing clogging by maintaining the solution within the filter until the next operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If filtration is used to remove organisms from ballast water, then the filtering accuracy is improved, but the filter screen becomes clogged with adhered organisms during shutdown
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by introducing electrolyzed seawater into the filter before shutdown occurs. This pre-treatment prevents organisms from adhering to the filter screen during the shutdown period, so when operation resumes, the filter remains clear and functional without clogging.
Solution Approach 2:
Electrolyzed seawater acts as an intermediary substance that mediates between the filter and organisms during shutdown. The electrolyzed water contains substances that prevent organism adhesion to the filter screen, thereby protecting the filter from clogging without requiring direct mechanical cleaning.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the ballast water treatment system is used intermittently for loading and discharging, then operational flexibility is improved, but organisms multiply during shutdown and clog the filter
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary action by treating the filter with electrolyzed seawater before each shutdown period. This ensures that even when the system operates intermittently with varying durations between uses, the filter is consistently protected from organism multiplication and adhesion during any shutdown period.
Solution Approach 2:
The system achieves self-service by automatically introducing electrolyzed seawater into the filter during shutdown without requiring manual intervention. The control system detects shutdown conditions and automatically activates the electrolysis and dispensing mechanisms, making the antifouling process autonomous and adaptable to any operational schedule.
3Reliability
If manual cleaning of the filter is performed, then filter fouling is removed, but the system requires human intervention and loses automation
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by using electrolyzed seawater to automatically clean and protect the filter during shutdown periods. The control system monitors operational status and automatically activates the electrolysis unit and dispensing pump to introduce electrolyzed water into the filter, eliminating the need for manual cleaning operations entirely.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces mechanical manual cleaning with a chemical/electrochemical process. Instead of physically removing adhered organisms through manual scrubbing or mechanical cleaning devices, the system uses electrolyzed seawater to prevent adhesion and dissolve organic matter, substituting mechanical action with electrochemical action.
4Reliability
If the filter operates continuously without shutdown, then organism adhesion is minimized, but the system cannot perform maintenance or handling operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary action by treating the filter with electrolyzed seawater before any planned shutdown for maintenance or handling operations. This ensures that the filter is protected from organism adhesion during the shutdown period, allowing the system to remain at full performance level immediately upon resumption without requiring extended downtime for cleaning or maintenance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Prevents filter clogging by keeping the TRO solution in the filter during shutdown, ensuring continuous operation without the need for manual cleaning, as demonstrated in various ship applications over two years without filtration capability degradation.
Implementation Method 1
an electrolytic unit located on the ballast water branch pipeline... A portion of seawater electrolyzed by the electrolytic unit is introduced back to the filter
Data Source
AI summary
An online antifouling ship ballast water treatment system includes a ballast water main pipeline, a ballast water branch pipeline, a dispensing pipeline, a filter on the ballast water main pipeline, an electrolysis unit on the ballast water branch pipeline, and a dispensing pump on the dispensing pipeline. Some of seawater introduced into the system is filtered by the filter and flows to the ballast water branch pipeline and the electrolysis unit, some of seawater electrolyzed by the electrolysis unit is reinjected to the filter through the dispensing pump and the dispensing pipeline after a ballast process is completed, and kept in the filter until a next ballast operation, so that growth and propagation of marine organisms in the filter can be inhibited by sodium hypochlorite contained in a TRO solution when a ballast pump stops working. The present invention also provides a ship ballast water treatment method.