DEVELOPMENT OF BALLAST WATER PURIFICATION AND DISINFECTION TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

The technology of purification and disinfection of ballast water developed by the authors is presented in the paper. Based on the results of a systematic analysis of the problem and on research experience in this field, it has been shown that the quality of ballast water discharged overboard after its use as ballast is determined by such basic factors as purification technology and design features of treatment devices, as well as conditions for operations with ballast water. The technology of ballast water purification as a complex of operations for purification, treatment and disinfection is determined by environmental requirements for the quality of purified and discharged overboard water, as well as the properties of the initial ballast water. The analysis of modern environmental requirements for the discharge of ballast water is given. It is shown that these requirements establish the level of permissible bacteriological danger of the discharged ballast water, taking into account the dispersed characteristics of the bacteriologically dangerous substance. These requirements determine the composition of operations that should be included in the technology of purification and disinfection of ballast water. Based on the results of the analysis of environmental requirements for the quality of purified ballast water, which determine the required water quality, a number of technological solutions collectively representing the technology of water purification and disinfection are proposed and justified. As disinfection, the use of ozone as an effective oxidizer is proposed. The use of sedimentation is proposed to regulate the content of dispersed particles of pollutants. Technological solutions also take into account the need for operations with a large amount of ballast water, as well as high reception and discharge capacity. It is proposed to carry out the disinfection process in small volumes of sediment, which is a concentrated mass of bacteriological substance obtained during preliminary coagulation and sedimentation, for which ship ballast tanks can be used. The proposed technology can be applied both in ship installations and in offshore environmental protection equipment - floating or coastal, for example, port facilities.