Electrolytic Biocide Cell for Watercraft Biofouling Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing on-board water systems of watercraft suffer from biofouling, leading to inefficient operation and costly downtime due to the accumulation of marine growth, which is typically addressed by time-consuming and hazardous acid cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A self-treating biocide generating system that uses electrolytic modules to generate biocide in situ, periodically treating all components of the water system to inhibit biofouling, eliminating or reducing the need for acid cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If acid cleaning is used to address bio-growth in on-board water systems, then biofouling is removed, but the process is expensive, time consuming, and involves hazardous chemicals
Solution Approach 1:
The water system treats itself by generating biocide in situ through electrolytic cells installed within the system. The electrolytic cells continuously or periodically generate biocide from salt in the water, eliminating the need for external acid cleaning services and hazardous chemical handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual acid cleaning process is replaced by an automated electrochemical system. The electrolytic cells use electrical energy to generate biocide, substituting the mechanical and chemical acid cleaning process with an automated in situ generation system.
2Reliability
If acid cleaning is used to address bio-growth in on-board water systems, then biofouling is removed, but hazardous chemicals are involved
Solution Approach 1:
The system generates its own biocide through electrolytic cells that use salt already present in the water. This eliminates the need to introduce hazardous external chemicals, as the biocide is produced in situ from benign salt.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the chemical parameter of the water by converting salt into biocide through electrolysis. This transforms a benign substance (salt) into an active biocidal agent, avoiding the need to handle hazardous chemicals while maintaining effective biofouling control.
3Reliability
If periodic acid cleaning is performed, then biofouling is controlled, but equipment operates with downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The electrolytic cells operate continuously or periodically to generate biocide, maintaining constant protection against biofouling. This continuous action eliminates the need for periodic shutdowns for cleaning, as the system provides ongoing biofouling prevention without interrupting equipment operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously self-treats by generating biocide in situ, maintaining equipment performance without requiring external intervention or shutdowns for cleaning services.
4Ease of operation
If electrolytic cells are installed in the water system, then biocide is generated in situ, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrolytic cells serve multiple functions: they generate biocide, provide continuous protection against biofouling, and eliminate the need for external cleaning systems. This multi-functionality justifies the added components by consolidating multiple maintenance needs into a single integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrolytic cells create a self-sustaining system that generates its own biocide from salt in the water, requiring minimal external input or maintenance. The system automatically regulates biocide generation, reducing operational complexity despite the added hardware.
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
The system maintains peak performance of water system equipment by continuously or intermittently generating biocide, reducing downtime and the frequency of acid cleaning, while effectively preventing marine growth.
Implementation Method 1
an electrolytic cell having an electrode arrangement adapted to generate biocide in the water flowing through the electrolytic cell
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a biocide generating system for inhibiting bio-fouling within a water system of a watercraft. The water system is configured to draw water from a body of water on which the watercraft is supported. The biocide generating system includes an electrode arrangement 72 adapted to be incorporated as part of an electrolytic cell 345 through which the water of the water system flows. The water system is configured such that biocide treated water also flows to one or more components of the water system that are positioned upstream of the electrode arrangement.