Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for treating water

US6500345B2 · kind B2 · utility

18Cited by
25References
27Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 20, 2001
Grant dateDec 31, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 20, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S210/931
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

An apparatus and method for treating water to be supplied to a ballast tank uses a water pathway having a main inlet for connection to a body of navigable open raw water containing sediment and marine organisms, and a main outlet for connection to the vessel's ballast tank(s). A centrifugal separator is provided in the pathway and has a separator inlet for receiving the raw water. The centrifugal separator separates sediment with some water from the raw water to produce initially processed water which contains at least some marine organisms. The separator has a first outlet for returning the sediment with some water to the body of raw water and a second outlet for supplying the initially processed water to the pathway. A UV or chemical biocidal mechanism is connected to the second outlet and is in the pathway downstream of the centrifugal separator from the main inlet for receiving the initially processed water and for killing and/or altering the DNA of the marine organisms in the initially processed water to produce treated ballast water. A ballast pump is connected in the pathway, in line with the biocidal mechanism for pumping water along the pathway between the main inlet and t…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.