Patent EP-3231701-A1 (EP)
Inventor: PARK SUNG JIN
IPC: B63B13/00
Filed: 2015-11-19
Abstract: A ballast water treatment apparatus equipped with devices for injecting bromine salt and ozone according to the present invention includes a ballast pipe 100 into which seawater flows; a ballast pump 110 for transferring seawater into the ballast pipe 100; bromine salt injection part 3000; and an ozone processor 2000, wherein the bromine salt injection part 3000 includes bromine salt storage tank 300 for storing bromine salt; bromine salt transfer pipe 310, which is connected to the ballast pipe 100, for injecting bromine salt supplied from the bromine salt storage tank 300 into the ballast pipe 100; and bromine salt injection pump 340, which is installed in the bromine salt transfer pipe 310, for pressurizing bromine salt to be injected into the ballast pipe 100, and the ozone processor 2000 includes an ozone injection device 200 for supplying ozone to the ballast pipe 100; a mixer 220, which is installed in the ballast pipe 100, for mixing ozone supplied from the ozone injection device 200 and seawater transferred into the ballast pipe 100; and an ozone transfer pipe 210, which is connected to the mixer 220 of the ballast pipe 100, for injecting ozone supplied from the ozone injection device 200 into the ballast pipe 100. 
     In addition, the present invention provides a ballast water treatment apparatus equipped with devices for injecting bromine salt and ozone, to which a side-stream portion for bypassing seawater is added. Thus, in another embodiment, the ballast water treatment apparatus includes a ballast pipe 100 into which seawater flows; a ballast pump 110 for transferring seawater into the ballast pipe 100; a side-stream portion 4000; bromine salt injection part 3000; and an ozone processor 2000, wherein the side-stream portion 4000 includes a side-stream pipe 400, which is branched from the ballast pipe 100, for bypassing a portion of seawater introduced from the ballast pipe 100; a side-stream pump 410, which is installed in the side-stream pipe 400, for transferring a portion of seawater bypassed from the ballast pipe 100 into the side-stream pipe 400; and an injector 420 for injecting the bypassed seawater back into the ballast pipe 100, the bromine salt injection part 3000 includes bromine salt storage tank 300 for storing bromine salt; bromine salt transfer pipe 310, which is connected to the side-stream pipe 400, for injecting bromine salt supplied from the bromine salt storage tank 300 into the side-stream pipe 400; and bromine salt injection pump 340, which is installed in the bromine salt transfer pipe 310, for pressurizing bromine salt to be injected into the side-stream pipe 400, and the ozone processor 2000 includes an ozone injection device 200 for supplying ozone to the side-stream pipe 400; a mixer 220, which is installed in the side-stream pipe 400, for mixing ozone supplied from the ozone injection device 200 and seawater transferred into the side-stream pipe 400; and an ozone transfer pipe 210, which is connected to the mixer 220 of the side-stream pipe 400, for injecting ozone supplied from the ozone injection device 200 into the side-stream pipe 400. In each case, the positions of the bromine salt injection part 3000 and the ozone processor 2000 may be determined differently depending on the situation. 
     In addition, in the ballast water treatment apparatus according to the present invention, the bromine salt storage tank 300 may be located above a point where the side-stream pipe 400 or the ballast pipe 100 is connected to the bromine salt transfer pipe 310 so that bromine salt is injected into the side-stream pipe 400 or the ballast pipe 100 by hydraulic pressure and thus the bromine salt injection pump 340 may be omitted. In addition, the bromine salt injection part 3000 may further include a diffuser 350 for diffusing bromine salt so that bromine salt is sufficiently mixed with seawater, when bromine salt is injected into the side-stream pipe 400 or the ballast pipe 100. 
     In summary, a method of generating hypobromous acid responsible for maintaining sterilizing power has been suggested as a method of securing the disadvantage of conventional ozone treatment system, such as short residence period of ozone. According to the ballast water treatment system of the present invention, by introducing bromine salt injection process in addition to an ozone treatment process, it is possible to sufficiently generate hypobromous acid even in seawater containing a low content of bromine salt or low salt water. Therefore, when the system of the present invention is used, hypobromous acid may be sufficiently generated without being affected by the conditions of water intake area, and consequently sterilization may be continuously preformed in a ballast tank.