Design and Implementation of a Continuous Microwave Heating System for Ballast Water Treatment

Abstract

A continuous microwave system to treat ballast water inoculated with different invasive species was designed and installed at the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center. The effectiveness of the system to deliver the required heating loads to inactivate the organisms present was studied. The targeted organisms were microalgae (Nannochloropsis oculata), zooplankton at two different growth stages (newly hatched brine shrimp-Artemia nauplii and adult Artemia), and oyster larvae (Crassosstrea virginica). The system was tested at two different flow rates (1 and 2 liters per min) and power levels (2.5 and 4.5 kW). Temperature profiles indicate that, depending on the species present and the growth stage, the maximum temperature increase will vary from 11.8 to 64.9°C. The continuous microwave heating system delivered uniform and nearinstantaneous heating at the outlet, proving its effectiveness. The power absorbed and power efficiency varied for the species present. More than 80% power utilization efficiency was obtained at all flow rate and microwave power combinations for microalgae, Artemia nauplii and adults. Test results indicated that microwave treatment can be an effective tool for ballast water treatment, and current high treatment costs notwithstanding, this technique can be added as supplemental technology to the palette of existing treatment methods.

Glycerochemistry Topics: Use of Glycerol as a Green Solvent in Microwave-assisted Reactions

“…A literatura apresenta diversos estudos de projetos de sistemas para aquecimento com MO. [66][67][68][69][70] A complexidade do projeto desses sistemas advém do fato que a distribuição de campo eletromagnético dentro do reator de MO depende da frequência e potência da fonte, geometria do aplicador, geometria da carga e propriedades eletromagnéticas da carga (permissividade e permeabilidade). A consideração adequada de todos esses fatores fará com que a potência fornecida pela fonte seja absorvida pela carga de forma ideal (situação designada em engenharia de MO como casamento de impedância).…”

Economic and Environmental Effects of Using Onboard Desalinated Ballast Water from Oil and Natural Gas Trade as a Source of Water Supply for Abu Dhabi

“…One suggested approach is mid-ocean ballast water exchange, where ballast water is exchanged during a ship's voyage somewhere relatively closer to the port of export so that the alien (and potentially invading) species are not introduced directly into local marine environments [8], [9]. In the absence of ballast water exchange, vessels must remove the foreign organisms from ballast water before discharging it to sea.…”

“…Ballast water treatment methods using chemical, heat, filtration, and ultraviolet radiation technologies have been deployed by the shipping industry, often at a substantial cost. In general, water desalination technologies can be implemented onboard a ship or onshore [8]. An alternative approach would be to install a system onboard the ship that desalinates ballast water using waste heat generated by the ship's engine.…”

Cost Benefit Analysis of on-Board Desalinated Ballast Water from Oil and Natural Gas Trade as a Source of Water Supply for Abu Dhabi

“…Furthermore, foreign organisms including bacteria, microbes, eggs, cysts and larvae have posted threat to local species in the host environment [4]- [9]. To mitigate the environmental impacts associated with the dumping of ballast water, IMO is in the process of implementing a mandatory regime of mid-ocean ballast water exchange [8], [9]. In the absence of ballast water exchange, the vessel needs to remove foreign organism from ballast water before discharging the ballast water into the sea.…”

“…Technology wise, ballast water treatment methods using chemical, heat, filtration, or ultraviolet radiation technologies have been developed. In general, these technologies can be implemented either on-board or onshore [8]. This paper performs cost benefit analysis to identify the direct benefit of desalinating ballast water on-board using energy generated from the recovered waste heat from propulsion of the vessels under three different water demand forecasts scenarios.…”