System and method of water treatment

Abstract

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

I claim:  
     
         1 . A system for water treatment comprising: 
 an injector means having a inlet port adapted to receive water, an injector port adapted to receive nitrogen gas and an outlet port adapted to expel said water;    a receptacle;    wherein said water passes through said injector means thereby contacting said nitrogen gas being received through said injector port;    wherein said water is expelled from said outlet port to said receptacle.    
     
     
         2 . A system for water treatment of  claim 1  further comprising a nitrogen source, a first nitrogen delivery means, and a second nitrogen delivery means, wherein said first nitrogen delivery means connects said nitrogen source to said receptacle and said second nitrogen delivery means connects said receptacle to said injector port of said injector means.  
     
     
         3 . A system for water treatment of  claim 1  further comprising a nitrogen source and a third nitrogen delivery means wherein said third nitrogen delivery means connects said nitrogen source to said injector port of said injector means.  
     
     
         4 . A system for water treatment of  claim 2  further comprising a third nitrogen delivery means wherein said third nitrogen delivery means connects said nitrogen source to said injector port of said injector means.  
     
     
         5 . A system for water treatment of  claim 1  wherein said receptacle is a body of water.  
     
     
         6 . A system for water treatment of  claim 1  further comprising a transfer piping means wherein said wherein said injector means is connected in series to said transfer piping means, wherein said inlet port receives said water from said transfer piping means and said outlet port expels said water to receptacle through said transfer piping means.  
     
     
         7 . A system for water treatment of  claim 1  further comprising booster blower adapted to regulate said nitrogen gas received by said injector port.  
     
     
         8 . A system for water treatment of  claim 1  wherein said receptacle is a ballast tank on a vessel.  
     
     
         9 . A system for water treatment of  claim 1  further comprising a pump means adapted to receive water from an external water source.  
     
     
         10 . A system for water treatment of  claim 1  further comprising a regulator adapted to regulate said nitrogen gas received by said injector port.  
     
     
         11 . A system for water treatment of  claim 1  further comprising a sensors means attached within said receptacle wherein said sensor are controlled by a control panel means.  
     
     
         12 . A system for water treatment of  claim 1  further comprising a re-circulation means wherein a re-circulation piping means extends from said receptacle, where in said water is received by said inlet port on said injector means.  
     
     
         13 . A method for deoxygenating water comprising the following steps: 
 utilizing an injector means having an inlet port adapted to receive water, an injector port adapted to receive nitrogen gas, and an outer port adapted to expel said water;    supplying into said inlet port said water to be treated;    supplying nitrogen gas to said injector port, thereby providing said water with a myriad of micro-fine bubbles wherein oxygen in said water diffuses from an aqueous phase to a gaseous phase within said micro-fine bubbles;    expelling said water and said micro-fine bubbles from said outlet port to a receptacle wherein said micro-fine bubbles are released from said water, thereby diffusing said oxygen from said water.    
     
     
         14 . A method for deoxygenating water of  claim 13  wherein removing said oxygen from said water is for the purpose of inhibiting survival of organisms in said water.  
     
     
         15 . A method for deoxygenating water of  claim 13  wherein removing said oxygen from said water is for the purpose of corrosion inhibition.  
     
     
         16 . A method for deoxygenating water of  claim 14  wherein said receptacle is a ballast tank and said organisms are common in ballast water.  
     
     
         17 . A method for deoxygenating water of  claim 13  further comprising supplying nitrogen gas to said receptacle for the purpose of inhibiting corrosion in said receptacle.  
     
     
         18 . A method for deoxygenating water of  claim 13  further comprising re-circulating said water through said injector means for the purpose of providing further deoxygenation.  
     
     
         19 . A method for deoxygenating water of  claim 13  further comprising re-oxygenating said water before releasing said water from said receptacle into surrounding waterways.  
     
     
         20 . A method for deoxygenating water of  claim 13  wherein said receptacle is a body of water.