System for treating ballast water in ballast tanks

Abstract

A system for treating ballast water in ballast tanks onboard vessels is provided. The system comprises one or more ballast tanks, a circulation pump circulating or recirculating, via a tubing, ballast water from and to the one or more ballast tanks, a nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide generator connected to the tubing on the delivery side of the recirculation pump in such a manner that nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide can be supplied to the ballast water, and one or more nozzle heads functionally connected to the tubing and arranged in one or more ballast tanks. The one or more nozzle heads comprises at least one nozzle for injecting the gas-containing water into the ballast tanks. At least one nozzle is configured for powered rotation about a first and a second axis which is perpendicular or not perpendicular to the first axis to the effect that a three-dimensional mixer pattern is produced.

1 . A system for treating ballast water in ballast tanks onboard vessels and offshore constructions, said system comprising:
 one or more ballast tanks,   a circulation pump circulating or recirculating, via a tubing, ballast water from and to the one or more ballast tanks;   a nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide generator which is connected to the tubing in such a manner that nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide can be supplied to the ballast water; and   one or more nozzle heads that are functionally connected to the tubing and is/are arranged in one or more ballast tanks, said one or more nozzle heads comprising at least one nozzle for injection of the gas-containing water into the one or more ballast tanks;   wherein at least one nozzle is configured for powered rotation about a first axis.   
     
     
         2 . The system for treating ballast water in ballast tanks onboard vessels and offshore constructions according to  claim 1 , said system comprising:
 one or more ballast tanks,   a circulation pump capable of circulating or recirculating, via a tubing, ballast water from and to the one or more ballast tanks;   a nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide generator which is connected to the tubing on the delivery side of the recirculating pump, in such a manner that nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide can be supplied to the ballast water; and   one or more nozzle heads that are functionally connected to the tubing and is/are arranged in one or more ballast tanks, said one or more nozzle heads comprising at least one nozzle for injection of the gas-containing water into the one or more ballast tanks;   wherein at least one nozzle configured for powered rotation about both a first and a second axis which is perpendicular or not perpendicular to the first axis to the effect that a three-dimensional mixer pattern is produced.   
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more nozzle heads is/are arranged in a lower zone of the ballast tank in a part of the ballast tank where inflow of ballast water takes place. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more nozzle heads is/are arranged flush with an interior bracing/bulkhead of the ballast tank. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein two or more nozzle heads are arranged in one or more rows, where the one or more row(s) extend(s) transversally of a flow direction of the ballast water. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen or carbon dioxide generator comprises tubings coupled to a tubing system of the ballast water after the ballast pumps, on the delivery side, and the generator is also capable of supplying nitrogen or carbon dioxide to the ballast water without the nozzles being in operation. 
     
     
         7 . A vessel a system according to  claim 1 , wherein one ballast tank comprises one or more nozzle heads to the effect that the treatment of ballast water takes place in one ballast tank. 
     
     
         8 . The vessel comprising a system according to  claim 1 , wherein two or more ballast tanks comprise one or more nozzle heads to the effect that the treatment of ballast water takes place concurrently in several ballast tanks. 
     
     
         9 . The vessel comprising a system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one ballast tank comprises several recirculation systems, wherein return return and feeder pipes of the recirculation systems are associated with nozzle heads, wherein the return and feeder pipes are arranged successively in the flow direction of the ballast tank. 
     
     
         10 . A method for treating ballast water in ballast tanks by use of a system according to  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
 pumping ballast water into the ballast tank;   circulating ballast water;   supplying nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide to the ballast water in the recirculation system between the recirculation pump and the ballast tank, on the delivery side of the ballast pump, via the generator   wherein the method comprises:   injecting the nitrogen or carbon dioxide-containing water into a ballast tank via one or more rotating nozzle heads.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the method comprises:
 conveying the treated ballast water from a first ballast tank to the remaining ballast tanks.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the method comprises:
 supplying nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide to the ballast tanks for periods of time or at intervals to uphold an oxygen-poor environment in the ballast tanks.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the method comprises the successive steps of:
 spraying the nitrogen- or carbon dioxide-containing water into a ballast tank via a rotating nozzle head;   passing on the treated ballast water from a first ballast tank to the remaining ballast tanks;   supplying nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide to the ballast tanks for periods of time or at intervals to uphold an oxygen-poor environment in the ballast tanks.   
     
     
         14 . A method for treating ballast water in ballast tanks by use of a system according to  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
 spraying the nitrogen- or carbon dioxide-containing water into several or all of the ballast tanks concurrently via rotating nozzle heads.   
     
     
         15 . A method for cleaning ballast tanks by use of a system according to  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
 emptying the ballast tanks to a level below the nozzle heads; and   pumping fluid in, through the nozzles, wherein the interior faces of the ballast tank are high-pressure water blasted.