Method of aerating water to promote oxidation of an iodine-related species

Abstract

An automatic, self-regulating method of water treatment for use in water circulating towers in which water is evaporated, and make up water is added, with components which synergistically function to cut chemical, energy, water, corrosion, pollution, and maintenance costs, by passing the water through a water conditioning unit to prevent adhering evaporation scale deposits along with their content of concentrated biofouling nutrients from forming on the flooded surfaces of the tower and its associated water flow circuit, adding. a trace level of iodine to the input make-up water to enhance the further disinfection of nutrient-deprived surfaces from any residual biofilm and chance pathogen contaminations, and adding a trace level addition of zinc ions in the water such as by an assured treatment feeder to the input make-up flow for inhibiting residual iodine-resistant algal and bacterial organisms of hazard for restoring bionutrient tower conditions, such as within sun-lit environments, and apparatus for carrying out the foregoing method.

1 . A method of automatic, self-regulating water treatment for use in water circulating towers in which water is evaporated, and make up water is added, with components which synergistically function to cut chemical, energy, water, corrosion, pollution, and maintenance costs, and comprising the steps of; passing the water through at least one or more efficient water conditioning units to prevent adhering evaporation scale deposits along with their content of concentrated biofouling nutrients from forming on the flooded surfaces of the tower and its associated water flow circuit; supplying input make up water to replace water lost by evaporation; adding a trace level of iodine to the input make-up water to enhance the further disinfection of nutrient-deprived surfaces from any residual biofilm and chance pathogen contaminations; and adding a trace level addition of zinc ions in the water such as by an assured treatment feeder of said mineral to the input make-up flow for inhibiting residual iodine-resistant algal and bacterial organisms of hazard for restoring bionutrient tower conditions, such as within sun-lit environments.  
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the iodine unites with the aeration and evaporative processes of the tower to sustain the delivery of effective free iodine or its equivalent precursors into every remote crevice of the flow circuit, wherein iodine: is not volatile by aeration as other competing disinfectants, such as chlorine, chlorine dioxide, bromine or ozone.  
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the iodine remains in the tower environment to become more concentrated and effective as the process water evaporates with the tower cycles of concentration.  
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the iodine is not compromised as other disinfectants when the operating pH in the tower rises to 8.5 or more by the stripping of carbon dioxide from the water by aeration activity.  
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the iodine penetrates into the protective sediment and biofilm shelters of resisting micro-organisms by eluding chemical neutralization by oxidative side reactions, such as with reduced ferrous iron or proteinaceous releases as thrown up by the more resistant organisms for resisting most of the other “more reactive” disinfectants.  
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the iodine maintains a trace disinfectant presence in the tower even after being reduced by disinfection reactions to iodide ion [I − ] due to the high oxygen content of the aerated water causing some “spent” iodide to be restored back to free iodine to a slight, but significant, equilibrium level.  
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the iodine becomes gradually oxidized by the tower aeration itself to its secondary disinfectant form, the iodate ion [IO 3   − ], which by its even greater chemical stability diffuses fully into any residual sediments or biofilms that might persist, and where it will reduce back to disinfecting free iodine in reactive contact with active anaerobe organisms, thereby deactivating said organisms even as they start up.  
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the iodine is added by visible feeder equipment that permits instant assessment as to whether trace iodine additions are being appropriately maintained to cooling tower make-up flows, and a saturation bed type feeder that fully, automatically, and flow-proportionately feeds iodine-saturated water to-make-up flows via a sidestream loop regulated by a flow-controlling needle valve adjusted initially by treated water testing.  
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 7  wherein zinc completes functions complementary to iodine addition measures, and complements iodine limitations at controlling algae through strong suppression of the “Blue-green” group of algae so as to avoid resorting to more toxic algicides, such as copper, silver, ozone, chlorination chemicals, and, also inhibits more persistent tower micro-organisms, such as the Pseudomonads for a further minimization of biocorrosion factors; and creates near-saturation of the water with zinc that additionally slows corrosion upon all the protective zinc galvanizing present upon metallic equipment surfaces.  
     
     
         10 . A trace level zinc feeder for use with water circulation systems in cooling towers for adding trace levels of zinc to such water and comprising: an automatically regulating saturation bed feeder operable for continuous addition of zinc to the tower make-up flow to reach near-saturation of all input water with respect to protecting zinc-coated surfaces.  
     
     
         11 . A trace level zinc feeder for use with water circulation systems as claimed in  claim 10  and including a fluidized bed of size-graded zinc granules which in suspension continuously scrub each other to maintain constantly scoured zinc/zinc oxide surfaces for solubilizing such zinc at a uniform, consistent rate.  
     
     
         12 . A trace level zinc feeder for use with water circulation systems as claimed in  claim 11  including the provision of downward and tangentially angled water inflow nozzles at the bottom of the bed of zinc granules that spiral the bed contents around for consistent particle scrubbing over a wider range of flow-rate operation than would be normally possible with a standardly designed fluidized bed unit.  
     
     
         13 . A trace level zinc feeder for use with water circulation systems as claimed in  claim 12  and including a visually transparent vessel for quick assessment of the bed appropriate fluidized operation.  
     
     
         14 . Apparatus for the automatic, self-regulating treatment of water for use in water circulating towers in which water is evaporated, and make up water is added, with components which synergistically function to cut chemical, energy, water, corrosion, pollution, and maintenance costs, and comprising; at least one water conditioning module connected to said tower for receiving water therefrom and for removing adhering evaporation scale deposits along with their content of concentrated biofouling nutrients, and for returning it to the tower; a make up water treatment module connected to the tower for supplying make up water to said tower; an iodine supply canister in said make up water treatment module for metering iodine into the make-up water to enhance the further disinfection of nutrient-deprived surfaces from any residual biofilm and chance pathogen contaminations; a zinc supply canister in said make up water treatment module for adding metered amounts of zinc ions to the make up water for inhibiting residual iodine-resistant algal and bacterial organisms of hazard for restoring bionutrient tower conditions.  
     
     
         15 . Apparatus for the automatic, self-regulating treatment of water as claimed in  claim 14  including visual inspection ports on said iodine canister and said zinc canister.  
     
     
         16 . Apparatus for the automatic, self-regulating treatment of water as claimed in  claim 15  including a sample valve cock in said make up water module operable to sample water treated therein.  
     
     
         17 . Apparatus for the automatic, self-regulating treatment of water as claimed in  claim 16  including a filter in said water conditioning module operable to remove scale from water in said tower.  
     
     
         18 . A method comprising: 
 providing water having an iodine-related species dissolved therein;    aerating the water while subjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine-related species.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising using fans to provide the moving gas.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein providing water comprising providing water in a water recirculating system.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein providing water in a water recirculating system comprises providing water in a cooling tower.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein aerating the water comprises, in part, causing the water to flow downwardly in the cooling tower.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein subjecting the water to a moving gas comprises subjecting the water to the moving gas while causing the water to flow downwardly in the cooling tower.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein subjecting the water to the moving gas while causing the water to flow downwardly in the cooling tower comprises using fans to provide the moving gas.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the iodine-related species comprises, at least in part, iodine.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein aerating the water while subjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine-related species comprises aerating the water while subjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine to thereby produce iodate.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein subjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine to thereby produce iodate comprises subjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine to thereby produce iodate that will diffuse into residual contaminants that may persist in the water.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein subjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine to thereby produce iodate that will diffuse into residual contaminants that may persist in the water further comprises subjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine to thereby produce iodate that will diffuse into residual contaminants that may persist in the water and that will reduce back to disinfecting free iodine when reactively contacting active organisms in the water.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the active organisms comprise, at least in part, active anaerobe organisms.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27  wherein subjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine to thereby produce iodate that will diffuse into residual contaminants that may persist in the water comprises subjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine to thereby produce iodate that will diffuse substantially fully into residual contaminants that may persist in the water.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 18  wherein aerating the water while subjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine-related species comprises aerating the water while subjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine-related species such that iodine is maintained at least a trace disinfectant presence in the water even after been reduced by disinfection reactions to iodide ions due, at least in part, to a higher aerated oxygen content of the water.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein aerating the water while subjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine-related species comprises aerating the water while subjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine-related species to cause at least some spent iodide to be restored back to free iodine.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein promoting oxidation of the iodine-related species to cause at least some spent iodide to be restored back to free iodine comprises promoting oxidation of the iodine-related species to cause at least some spent iodide to be restored back to free iodine at a relatively slight but significant equilibrium level.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the iodine-related species comprises, at least in part, iodide.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 18  wherein aerating the water while subjecting the water to a moving gas comprises moving the gas in a direction that is substantially opposite a primary direction of flow of the water.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein moving the gas in a direction that is substantially opposite a primary direction of flow of the water comprises moving the gas in a substantially upwards direction.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the gas comprises an oxygen-containing gas.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37  wherein the oxygen-containing gas comprises air.