WO2014085690A1 - Device and method for reducing microbes in water used for industrial applications - Google Patents

Device and method for reducing microbes in water used for industrial applications Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2014085690A1
WO2014085690A1 PCT/US2013/072381 US2013072381W WO2014085690A1 WO 2014085690 A1 WO2014085690 A1 WO 2014085690A1 US 2013072381 W US2013072381 W US 2013072381W WO 2014085690 A1 WO2014085690 A1 WO 2014085690A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
water
supply pipeline
water supply
fluid communication
inflow passage
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2013/072381
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Cale Street
Jamie POLARD
Original Assignee
Pure Blue Tech Inc.
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Publication date
Application filed by Pure Blue Tech Inc. filed Critical Pure Blue Tech Inc.
Publication of WO2014085690A1 publication Critical patent/WO2014085690A1/en

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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
    • C02F1/30—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by irradiation
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F23/00—Mixing according to the phases to be mixed, e.g. dispersing or emulsifying
    • B01F23/80—After-treatment of the mixture
    • B01F23/812—Irradiating the mixture
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F25/00—Flow mixers; Mixers for falling materials, e.g. solid particles
    • B01F25/30—Injector mixers
    • B01F25/31—Injector mixers in conduits or tubes through which the main component flows
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F25/00—Flow mixers; Mixers for falling materials, e.g. solid particles
    • B01F25/40—Static mixers
    • B01F25/42—Static mixers in which the mixing is affected by moving the components jointly in changing directions, e.g. in tubes provided with baffles or obstructions
    • B01F25/43—Mixing tubes, e.g. wherein the material is moved in a radial or partly reversed direction
    • B01F25/431—Straight mixing tubes with baffles or obstructions that do not cause substantial pressure drop; Baffles therefor
    • B01F25/4314—Straight mixing tubes with baffles or obstructions that do not cause substantial pressure drop; Baffles therefor with helical baffles
    • B01F25/43141—Straight mixing tubes with baffles or obstructions that do not cause substantial pressure drop; Baffles therefor with helical baffles composed of consecutive sections of helical formed elements
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
    • C02F1/30—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by irradiation
    • C02F1/32—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by irradiation with ultraviolet light
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
    • C02F1/68—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by addition of specified substances, e.g. trace elements, for ameliorating potable water
    • C02F1/685—Devices for dosing the additives
    • C02F1/687—Devices for dosing solid compounds
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F2103/00—Nature of the water, waste water, sewage or sludge to be treated
    • C02F2103/008—Originating from marine vessels, ships and boats, e.g. bilge water or ballast water
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F2103/00—Nature of the water, waste water, sewage or sludge to be treated
    • C02F2103/34—Nature of the water, waste water, sewage or sludge to be treated from industrial activities not provided for in groups C02F2103/12 - C02F2103/32
    • C02F2103/36—Nature of the water, waste water, sewage or sludge to be treated from industrial activities not provided for in groups C02F2103/12 - C02F2103/32 from the manufacture of organic compounds
    • C02F2103/365—Nature of the water, waste water, sewage or sludge to be treated from industrial activities not provided for in groups C02F2103/12 - C02F2103/32 from the manufacture of organic compounds from petrochemical industry (e.g. refineries)
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F2303/00—Specific treatment goals
    • C02F2303/04—Disinfection
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F2305/00—Use of specific compounds during water treatment
    • C02F2305/10—Photocatalysts

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a device used to reduce microbes from water prior to use in industrial applications including reservoir water injection for industry and market applications including, but are certainly not limited to, enhanced fossil fuel recovery, water disinfection pretreatment for seawater, groundwater, brackish water, or
  • wastewater desalination feed water and/or wastewater disinfection for industries including pharmaceuticals, mining, onshore and offshore oil and gas, marine and submarine, aviation, hardware manufacturing, software manufacturing, textile
  • Microbial growth on the interior surface of industrial pipelines, liquid storage tanks, and processing systems is a common problem, especially in the worldwide oil and gas production industries.
  • bacterial species are known to adhere to steel surfaces in industrial systems, eventually forming complex biofilm structures and leading to biofouling of the systems and substances they contain.
  • Mature biofilms are usually polymicrobial, composed of anaerobic organisms in the deepest layer (nearest the substrate surface) transitioning to aerobic species on the outside at the interface with the surrounding medium. It is well known that bacteria in biofilms behave differently (genetically and physiologically) from their planktonic counterparts.
  • biofilms are much more difficult to eradicate by conventional means (biocides, physical/mechanical scraping) than planktonic bacteria due to strong adherence to surfaces and physical exclusion of antimicrobial substances.
  • bacterial biofilms on surfaces produce local microenvironment differences in metabolic processes, pH, and dissolved oxygen, leading to the generation of active pitting corrosion cells.
  • 20-50% of industrial corrosion is caused by bacteria growing on the inner surface of oil and gas pipelines, a phenomenon known as "microbiologically-influenced corrosion” (MIC).
  • MIC microbiologically-influenced corrosion
  • a primary source of the corrosion-causing bacteria that form biofilms and cause biofouling during fossil fuel production and transmission is the water that is used during the extraction process.
  • Water injection is used commonly, both onshore and offshore, to increase recovery of oil or gas from existing mature reservoirs.
  • large volumes of water are pumped or gravity-fed below the surface into the reservoir in order to maintain upward pressure and to sweep oil/gas towards production wellheads.
  • Water may also be injected into a subsurface formation at high pressure in a process known as hydraulic fracturing or "fracing”. This process is undertaken in order to create or extend fractures in the fossil fuel reservoir in order to enhance recovery.
  • Water used for injection and/or fracing comes from several potential sources, depending on convenience.
  • These sources can include: subsurface aquifers, rivers, lakes, seas/oceans, and produced water.
  • Water to be used for injection and/or fracing is pumped from its source to the injection site, and may be held in storage tanks near the well site prior to use. Before injection into a well, the water is commonly deoxygenated, filtered, and/or treated with various chemical agents.
  • Raw water pumped from natural sources contains an abundance of impurities and bacterial microorganisms that may adversely affect the production or subsequent transmission of fossil fuels. For example, bacterial counts of 10 4 cells per milliliter have been reported in river water and counts up to 10 6 cells per milliliter have been reported from subsurface aquifers. As another example, bacteria are believed to account for 50% to 95% of the total biomass in the earth's oceans. These bacterial microorganisms can proliferate even further in industrial storage tanks, resulting in an extremely high bioburden in water used for reservoir injection and other industrial processes. Given that the total content of product extracted from a reservoir can consist of water in excess of 80% total volume, the bacterial counts entering production lines and ultimately downstream transmission lines can be extremely high.
  • injection water is believed to be a significant source of subsequent biofilm formation and microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) processes in production and transmission lines.
  • the aerobic bacterial species that enter fossil fuel production lines via injection water sources can colonize the inner surface of the pipe, setting up a surface on which other corrosion-causing and hydrogen sulfide-producing microbes can attach, forming complex biofilms. This process can lead to pitting corrosion on the steel surfaces and souring (i.e. production of large amounts of hydrogen sulfide) of the product in the pipeline.
  • anaerobic bacterial species from sources such as underground aquifers, produced water, and ocean/sea water can enter fossil fuel production lines via injection water.
  • SRB sulfate reducing bacteria
  • Other strains that are known to cause corrosion of carbon steel.
  • SRB sulfate reducing bacteria
  • Several methods are currently used to limit the bioburden in water used for injection, including deoxygenation and the use of chemical biocides.
  • deoxygenation and the use of chemical biocides.
  • many bacterial species can rapidly develop resistance to chemical biocides, and anaerobic strains are not affected by deoxygenation treatments.
  • the presence of bacteria in injection water remains a serious issue, and pipeline failures due to MIC continue to occur on a widespread basis.
  • washwater water used to perform this treatment
  • Current methods including filtration, osmosis, and chemical treatment are used to prepare water from a natural source to be used as washwater.
  • One of the most common sources of water used for washwater is ocean/seawater. As noted above, ocean/seawater contains an abundance of bacterial species. This bioburden must be removed during the generation of washwater for treatment of extracted fossil fuels.
  • ballast tanks are spaces in the lower hull that can be filled with water in order to lower the vessel's center of gravity and increase travel efficiency.
  • Ballast tanks are typically filled with ocean/seawater, and emptied back into the ocean/sea when the ballast effect is no longer needed.
  • ballast procedures large amounts of bacterial microorganisms are transported into the ballast tanks in the source water. In much the same way as these bacteria colonize the inner surface of fossil fuel pipelines, they can also colonize the inside of the ballast tank and lead to corrosion processes.
  • these bacterial organisms can be transported in ballast water over large distances before being released into waters of a different geographical region, potentially leading to upset of the ecological balance.
  • Photodisinfection is a powerful yet relatively environmentally-safe method for eradicating microbes including bacteria. Photodisinfection has been demonstrated to be a broad spectrum antibacterial approach, with strong efficacy against both aerobic and anaerobic strains. Photodisinfection fundamentally involves the use of light energy to activate one or more photosensitizers of a photosensitizer composition so that those photosensitizers can then either pass energy on directly to a substrate/target (type I reaction), or can interact with molecular oxygen to produce reactive oxygen species (type II reaction).
  • Photodisinfection especially with its generation of highly reactive oxygen- derived species, has been shown to be effective against anaerobic pathogens such as those that colonize the interior surface of industrial pipelines and processing systems (collectively hereinafter referred to as "pipelines"). Photodisinfection has also been shown to be effective against aerobic bacterial microorganisms such as those found in natural water sources.
  • the present invention is a device that provides a safe and effective means for reducing microbes (e.g., the bacterial count) in water intended for use in industrial applications including injection extraction processes for fossil fuel production, washwater for crude oil purification, and ballast processes in cargo vessels.
  • the term(s) reduce, reducing and/or reduced shall also mean prevent, inhibit, destroy, kill, eliminate, eradicate, or the like.
  • the device is designed to deliver photodisinfection treatment to the incoming raw water supply, prior to use or deposition in storage tanks.
  • the device provides for a means to introduce photosensitizer composition in solid or liquid form into the incoming water supply as well as a means to efficiently illuminate the water/photosensitizer composition with light in the visible wavelength range.
  • the present invention presents an in-line photodisinfection device comprising: an inflow passage, an inlet valve in fluid communication with the inflow passage, a static mixer chamber in fluid communication with the inflow passage, a light treatment chamber in fluid communication with the static mixer chamber; and an outflow passage in fluid communication with the light treatment chamber, wherein the device is designed to be placed in-line with a water supply pipeline with the water supply pipeline connected to and in fluid communication with the inflow passage and the outflow passage thereby allowing water carried by the water supply pipeline to flow through the device from the inflow passage first into the static mixer chamber then into the light treatment chamber and finally into the outflow passage, the static mixer chamber includes mixing means to mix the water with a photosensitizer composition; and the light treatment chamber includes water dispersion means and a light source.
  • the present invention also presents a method of using the device described above for photodisinfection of water carried by a water pipeline comprising: providing the device described above; placing the device in-line with a water supply pipeline by connecting the water supply pipeline to the inflow passage and the outflow passage thereby allowing water carried by the water supply pipeline to flow through the device from the inflow passage first into the static mix chamber then into the light treatment chamber and finally into the outflow passage; mixing a photosensitizer composition with the water to form a pretreated solution by placing the photosensitizer composition into the inlet valve and allowing the water and the photosensitizer to mix by the mixing means and forming a pretreated solution; and illuminating the pretreated solution by the light source to form a treated solution which will flow out of the device and back into the water supply pipeline.
  • FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is an isometric view of another exemplary embodiment of the device according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is an isometric view of yet another exemplary embodiment of the device according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 is an isometric view of yet another exemplary embodiment of the device according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a top view of the device shown in FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 6 is an isometric view of yet another exemplary embodiment of the device according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 7 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 6;
  • FIG. 8 is a cross-section detailed view of an exemplary embodiment of a mixer chamber of the device according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 9 is another cross-section detailed view of the mixer chamber shown in FIG. 8; and
  • FIG. 10 is a close-up detailed view of an exemplary embodiment of the dispersion means and the light source of the device shown in FIG. 2.
  • Fossil Fuels fuels created naturally by long-term processes such as decomposition of dead biological organisms. Fossil fuels include petroleum (oil), coal, methane, and natural gas.
  • Injection Water any water pumped or fed into a fossil fuel reservoir for the purpose of facilitating extraction/production of fossil fuels.
  • Injection water can come from multiple sources including: rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, underground aquifers, seas, and oceans.
  • Produced water any water originating from underground rock or earth formations brought to the surface during the course of normal fossil fuel extraction processes.
  • Washwater Water used for the purification of fossil fuels such as crude oil after extraction from a subsurface reservoir.
  • Ballast water Water used to fill the ballast tanks of water-going vessels, including but not limited to cargo ships, cruise ships, and submarines.
  • FRAC water water forced or injected into a subsurface fossil fuel reservoir for the purpose of loosening or fracturing rock formations and enhancing fossil fuel recovery from that reservoir.
  • Light light at any wavelengths that can be absorbed by a photosensitizing composition.
  • Such wavelengths include wavelengths selected from the continuous electromagnetic spectrum such as ultraviolet ("UV"), visible, the infrared (near, mid and far), etc.
  • the wavelengths are generally between about 100 nm to 10,000 nm, with exemplary ranges between about 160 nm to 1600 nm, between about 400 nm to about 900 nm, and between about 500 nm to about 850 nm, although the wavelengths may vary depending upon the particular photosensitizing compound used and the light intensity.
  • the light produced may be a single wavelength or multiple wavelengths. Multiple wavelength light may include broadband, continuous wavelength light or a combination of various narrowband emissions at specific wavelengths.
  • Light Source a light emitting device such as a laser, a light emitting diode ("LEDs"), an arc lamp, an incandescent source, a fluorescent source, or a combination thereof.
  • the light source can also be multiple light emitting devices such as an array of LEDs, lasers, etc.
  • the output of the light source is optionally adjustable so that the operator can modify the wavelength, the power output, the surface area of illumination, or combinations thereof while carrying out the present method. Alternately, the power of the light source may be increased or decreased after an application of light energy to the water being disinfected.
  • Microbes any and all bacterial microbes residing in water sources used for fossil fuel extraction processes. Examples of microbes that generally colonize and live in natural well-oxygenated freshwater water sources such as rivers, streams, and lakes are: Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (“MRSA”), Escherichia coli (“E. coli”), Enterococcus faecal is ("E.
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • Aspergillus Candida
  • Clostridium difficile Clostridium difficile
  • Staphylococcus epidermidis Acinobacter spp.
  • Cyanobacteria spp. Bacillus spp., etc.
  • microbes that generally colonize and live in natural well-oxygenated saltwater sources such as oceans and seas are: Pseudomonas spp., Vibrio spp., Klebsiella spp., Myroides spp., Thiomargarita namibiensis, Escherichia coli ("E.
  • microbes that generally colonize and live in low oxygen subsurface aquifers or produced water are: Pseudomonas spp., Arthrobacter spp., Chromobacterium, Brevibacterium, Methanobacterium, Enterobacter spp., Acinetobacter spp., Desulfovibrio spp., etc.
  • Photosensitizer composition a composition comprising at least one suitable photosensitizer that has at least an antimicrobial action upon application of electromagnetic energy of certain wavelength(s).
  • suitable photosensitizers include those that act via one or both of Type I and Type II photoreaction mechanisms, where Type I involves the excited-state photosensitizer molecule engaging in direct redox-type reactions with the target substrate, and Type II involves the interaction of excited-state photosensitizer with molecular oxygen to produce singlet oxygen and other damaging oxygen-derived species.
  • both processes lead to irreversible protein damage, lipid peroxidation, and loss of membrane integrity.
  • photosensitizers may exert an antimicrobial effect via other mechanisms (e.g. heat generation and thermal mechanisms), the Type I and II mechanisms discussed above are preferred.
  • Suitable classes of compounds that may be used as antimicrobial photosensitizers include tetrapyrroles or derivatives thereof such as porphyrins, chlorins, bacteriochlorins, phthalocyanines, naphthalocyanines, texaphyrins, verdins, purpurins or pheophorbides, phenothiaziniums, etc., such as those described in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,21 1 ,335; 6,583,1 17; 6,607,522 and 7,276,494.
  • Preferred phenothiaziniums include salts of methylene blue (MB), new methylene blue (NMB), dimethyl methylene blue (DMMB), toluidine blue (TBO), and those discussed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004-0147508.
  • Other preferred antimicrobial photosensitizers include indocyanine green (ICG), safranin O, and rose bengal. Combinations of two or more photosensitizers, such as MB and TBO or the like, are also suitable.
  • the photosensitizers mentioned above are examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way.
  • the photosensitizer may be present in the photosensitizer composition in any suitable amounts. Examples are between about 0.001 percentage of total weight (wt %) and 50 wt %, between about 0.005 wt % and about 25 wt %, between about 0.01 wt % to about 10 wt %, between about 0.01 wt % to about 5 wt %, between about 0.1 % wt % to about 1 wt %.
  • the photosensitizer composition may also optionally include carriers, diluents, or other solvents for the photosensitizer or other components of the photosensitizer composition and may be used to adjust the concentration of photosensitizer.
  • the photosensitive molecule of the photosensitizer composition may be chemically/physically conjugated or otherwise mixed with targeting moieties (including but not limited to peptides, phages, or antibodies) or enhancers of photodisinfection efficacy (e.g. metallic nanoparticles).
  • the photosensitizing composition may optionally include other bactericides/bacteriostats (e.g., chlorhexidine, glutaraldehyde, etc.) that use a different mechanism(s) than photodisinfection for its antimicrobial actions.
  • bactericides/bacteriostats e.g., chlorhexidine, glutaraldehyde, etc.
  • the present invention provides a device 100 that can be placed inline with an incoming water supply (e.g., water from a natural source such as an aquifer, lake, river, sea, etc.) pipeline prior to use and/or storage for industrial applications.
  • the device 100 can include several compartments that the incoming water supply can flow through.
  • the first compartment comprises an inflow passage 10.
  • the inflow passage 10 is generally in fluid communication with the incoming water supply pipeline (not shown).
  • the term "in fluid communication" is defined hereinafter as being structurally connected together in a fashion that would allow fluid to flow from one component to another.
  • An inlet valve 12 can also be in fluid communication with the inflow passage 10. The purpose of the inlet valve 12 is, for example, to allow a photosensitizer composition to be added to the inflowing water supply.
  • the device 100 can further include a static mixer chamber 16 placed in a location after the inlet valve 12 and is generally in fluid communication with the inflow passage 10.
  • the incoming water supply and the photosensitizer composition can flow from the inflow passage 10 into the static mixer chamber 16 and can be mixed to form a more homogenous and/or generally uniform solution, which shall be hereinafter known as pretreated solution.
  • the static mixer chamber 16 can be designed for mixing two or more liquid materials using mixing means (not shown).
  • the static mixer chamber 16 includes inflow and outflow sections with a middle section comprising the mixing means which may be a series of baffles, fins, ridges, and/or other non-moving pieces that create a blending or turbulence action as the two or more liquid materials pass through allowing the liquid materials to become a more homogenous and/or generally uniform solution.
  • the mixing means can be comprised of fixed helical elements located within the static mix chamber 16 and mixing of the liquid materials can occur either via flow division or radial mixing as the liquid materials to be mixed flow through the static mixer chamber 16 under pressure.
  • the device 100 can further include a light treatment chamber 18 that is in fluid communication with the static mixer chamber 16.
  • the pretreated solution can flow from the static mixer chamber 16 into the light treatment chamber 18.
  • the pretreated solution can be dispersed by dispersion means 20.
  • the dispersion means 20 for this exemplary embodiment is various discreet flow pathways that are separated from one another but all within the light treatment chamber 18.
  • the pretreated solution can be separated into fractions and such fractions of the pretreated solution can flow into the various discreet flow pathways in order to maximize surface area prior to illumination (i.e., the application of light) without compromising flow rate.
  • the light treatment chamber 18 can also contain a light source 22 that can be designed to illuminate the pretreated solution as it passes through the light treatment chamber 18.
  • the pretreated solution Upon illumination by the light source 22, the pretreated solution can undergo photodisinfection and become the treated solution.
  • the treated solution generally has a reduced count of viable microbes compared to the original incoming water supply due to the antibacterial action of the photodisinfection process.
  • the flow rate of the pretreated solution through the light treatment chamber 18 can be adjusted in order to achieve the desired amount of photodisinfection of the incoming water supply.
  • the device 100 can further include an outflow passage 24 that is in fluid communication with the light treatment chamber 18.
  • the treated solution can leave the light treatment chamber 18 and flow into the outflow passage 24.
  • the outflow passage 24 can be in fluid communication with the incoming water supply pipeline and can allow the treated solution to leave the device 100 and pass back into the incoming water supply pipeline.
  • the treated solution contained within the incoming water supply pipeline may then flow into the desired location (e.g., temporary storage tank or direct injection into the fossil fuel production well).
  • FIGS. 2-7 other exemplary embodiments of the device in accordance to the present invention are provided.
  • the devices shown in FIGS. 2-7 have the same components as described above for the device 100 such as the incoming passage 10, the inlet valve 12, the static mixer chamber 16, the light treatment chamber 18 and the outflow passage 24 except that the design of the light treatment chamber 18 is different from the one shown in FIG. 1 for the device 100.
  • the dispersion means of the light treatment chamber 18 can include a series of plates 26 positioned in a generally horizontal fashion positioned one on top of the other such that the pretreated solution flows down across these series of plates 26 by gravity until the pretreated solution reaches the bottom portion of the light treatment chamber 18.
  • the light source 22 e.g., an LED array, arc lamp, or the like
  • a transparent material e.g., glass, plastic or the like
  • FIG. 10 is a close-up detailed view of an exemplary embodiment of one of the plates 26 and the light source 22.
  • the light source 22 in this embodiment can be comprised of light emitting diodes, lamps, tube lights, or other suitable art disclosed light sources.
  • the series of plates 26 of the light treatment chamber 18 can be positioned adjacent to one another in a generally vertical fashion allowing the pretreated solution to flow in between the series of plates 26 during illumination.
  • the dispersion means of the light treatment chamber 18 can include a column assembly through which the pretreated solution flows through for illumination.
  • the column assembly as shown in greater detail in FIG. 5 is comprised of an outer solid casing 30 and the series of plates 26 positioned in a manner that extend outwards from a central hub 34.
  • the pretreated solution can be forced through this section by liquid and/or gravity pressure.
  • the series of plates 26 can provide the illumination for photodisinfection changing the pretreated solution into treated solution.
  • the dispersion means of the light treatment chamber 18 can include a transparent flexible hose 28 wound one or more times around the outside of a columnar light source 22.
  • the pretreated solution can flow from the static mixer chamber 16 into the flexible hose 28. As the pretreated solution passes through the flexible hose 28, it can be illuminated by the columnar light source 22.
  • the columnar light source 22 may consist of a lamp, LED, tube light, or an arrangement of multiple sources of these.
  • the static mixer chamber can contain an inflow passage 32 in fluid communication with the device inflow passage and an outflow passage 36 in fluid communication with the light treatment chamber.
  • the inner passage of the static mixer chamber can contain a series of physical elements 38 which may be a series of baffles, fins, ridges, and/or other non-moving pieces that create a blending or turbulence action as the two or more liquid materials pass through allowing the liquid materials to become a more homogenous and/or generally uniform solution.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Toxicology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Physical Water Treatments (AREA)

Abstract

This disclosure provides photodisinfection devices for placement in-line with a water supply pipeline. Methods of using the devices are also provided.

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR REDUCING MICROBES
IN WATER USED FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS
CROSS REFERENCE
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/730,962, filed November 29, 2012, which application is entirely incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device used to reduce microbes from water prior to use in industrial applications including reservoir water injection for industry and market applications including, but are certainly not limited to, enhanced fossil fuel recovery, water disinfection pretreatment for seawater, groundwater, brackish water, or
wastewater desalination; feed water and/or wastewater disinfection for industries including pharmaceuticals, mining, onshore and offshore oil and gas, marine and submarine, aviation, hardware manufacturing, software manufacturing, textile
manufacturing, food, beverage, agriculture, municipal drinking water, municipal wastewater, rural and/or communal drinking water disinfection, chemical processing plant water treatment, and many others.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Microbial growth on the interior surface of industrial pipelines, liquid storage tanks, and processing systems is a common problem, especially in the worldwide oil and gas production industries. In particular, bacterial species are known to adhere to steel surfaces in industrial systems, eventually forming complex biofilm structures and leading to biofouling of the systems and substances they contain. Mature biofilms are usually polymicrobial, composed of anaerobic organisms in the deepest layer (nearest the substrate surface) transitioning to aerobic species on the outside at the interface with the surrounding medium. It is well known that bacteria in biofilms behave differently (genetically and physiologically) from their planktonic counterparts. Furthermore, biofilms are much more difficult to eradicate by conventional means (biocides, physical/mechanical scraping) than planktonic bacteria due to strong adherence to surfaces and physical exclusion of antimicrobial substances. In industrial settings, bacterial biofilms on surfaces produce local microenvironment differences in metabolic processes, pH, and dissolved oxygen, leading to the generation of active pitting corrosion cells. For example, 20-50% of industrial corrosion is caused by bacteria growing on the inner surface of oil and gas pipelines, a phenomenon known as "microbiologically-influenced corrosion" (MIC). The development of biofilm within such industrial pipelines and processing systems is also commonly known as biofouling.
[0002] A primary source of the corrosion-causing bacteria that form biofilms and cause biofouling during fossil fuel production and transmission is the water that is used during the extraction process. Water injection is used commonly, both onshore and offshore, to increase recovery of oil or gas from existing mature reservoirs. During this process, large volumes of water are pumped or gravity-fed below the surface into the reservoir in order to maintain upward pressure and to sweep oil/gas towards production wellheads. Water may also be injected into a subsurface formation at high pressure in a process known as hydraulic fracturing or "fracing". This process is undertaken in order to create or extend fractures in the fossil fuel reservoir in order to enhance recovery. Water used for injection and/or fracing comes from several potential sources, depending on convenience. These sources can include: subsurface aquifers, rivers, lakes, seas/oceans, and produced water. Water to be used for injection and/or fracing is pumped from its source to the injection site, and may be held in storage tanks near the well site prior to use. Before injection into a well, the water is commonly deoxygenated, filtered, and/or treated with various chemical agents.
[0003] Raw water pumped from natural sources contains an abundance of impurities and bacterial microorganisms that may adversely affect the production or subsequent transmission of fossil fuels. For example, bacterial counts of 104 cells per milliliter have been reported in river water and counts up to 106 cells per milliliter have been reported from subsurface aquifers. As another example, bacteria are believed to account for 50% to 95% of the total biomass in the earth's oceans. These bacterial microorganisms can proliferate even further in industrial storage tanks, resulting in an extremely high bioburden in water used for reservoir injection and other industrial processes. Given that the total content of product extracted from a reservoir can consist of water in excess of 80% total volume, the bacterial counts entering production lines and ultimately downstream transmission lines can be extremely high. As a result, injection water is believed to be a significant source of subsequent biofilm formation and microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) processes in production and transmission lines. The aerobic bacterial species that enter fossil fuel production lines via injection water sources can colonize the inner surface of the pipe, setting up a surface on which other corrosion-causing and hydrogen sulfide-producing microbes can attach, forming complex biofilms. This process can lead to pitting corrosion on the steel surfaces and souring (i.e. production of large amounts of hydrogen sulfide) of the product in the pipeline. In addition, anaerobic bacterial species from sources such as underground aquifers, produced water, and ocean/sea water can enter fossil fuel production lines via injection water. These species include sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) and other strains that are known to cause corrosion of carbon steel. Several methods are currently used to limit the bioburden in water used for injection, including deoxygenation and the use of chemical biocides. However, many bacterial species can rapidly develop resistance to chemical biocides, and anaerobic strains are not affected by deoxygenation treatments. Thus, despite current approaches, the presence of bacteria in injection water remains a serious issue, and pipeline failures due to MIC continue to occur on a widespread basis.
[0004] In some cases, it is desirable to treat fossil fuels such as crude oil after extraction in order to remove impurities including salts, organic materials, and other dissolved components. The water used to perform this treatment, commonly known as washwater, must be relatively clean and free from solutes and impurities. Current methods including filtration, osmosis, and chemical treatment are used to prepare water from a natural source to be used as washwater. One of the most common sources of water used for washwater is ocean/seawater. As noted above, ocean/seawater contains an abundance of bacterial species. This bioburden must be removed during the generation of washwater for treatment of extracted fossil fuels.
[0005] Large cargo ships are designed with one or more ballast tanks, which are spaces in the lower hull that can be filled with water in order to lower the vessel's center of gravity and increase travel efficiency. Ballast tanks are typically filled with ocean/seawater, and emptied back into the ocean/sea when the ballast effect is no longer needed. During ballast procedures, large amounts of bacterial microorganisms are transported into the ballast tanks in the source water. In much the same way as these bacteria colonize the inner surface of fossil fuel pipelines, they can also colonize the inside of the ballast tank and lead to corrosion processes. In addition, these bacterial organisms can be transported in ballast water over large distances before being released into waters of a different geographical region, potentially leading to upset of the ecological balance. For these reasons, increasing importance is being placed on treatment/handling of ballast water to remove or reduce the presence of macro and microorganisms. [0006] Photodisinfection is a powerful yet relatively environmentally-safe method for eradicating microbes including bacteria. Photodisinfection has been demonstrated to be a broad spectrum antibacterial approach, with strong efficacy against both aerobic and anaerobic strains. Photodisinfection fundamentally involves the use of light energy to activate one or more photosensitizers of a photosensitizer composition so that those photosensitizers can then either pass energy on directly to a substrate/target (type I reaction), or can interact with molecular oxygen to produce reactive oxygen species (type II reaction). These reactions can mediate the non-specific killing of microbial cells primarily via lipid peroxidation, membrane damage, and damage to intracellular components. Photodisinfection, especially with its generation of highly reactive oxygen- derived species, has been shown to be effective against anaerobic pathogens such as those that colonize the interior surface of industrial pipelines and processing systems (collectively hereinafter referred to as "pipelines"). Photodisinfection has also been shown to be effective against aerobic bacterial microorganisms such as those found in natural water sources.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention is a device that provides a safe and effective means for reducing microbes (e.g., the bacterial count) in water intended for use in industrial applications including injection extraction processes for fossil fuel production, washwater for crude oil purification, and ballast processes in cargo vessels. The term(s) reduce, reducing and/or reduced shall also mean prevent, inhibit, destroy, kill, eliminate, eradicate, or the like. The device is designed to deliver photodisinfection treatment to the incoming raw water supply, prior to use or deposition in storage tanks. The device provides for a means to introduce photosensitizer composition in solid or liquid form into the incoming water supply as well as a means to efficiently illuminate the water/photosensitizer composition with light in the visible wavelength range.
[0008] The present invention presents an in-line photodisinfection device comprising: an inflow passage, an inlet valve in fluid communication with the inflow passage, a static mixer chamber in fluid communication with the inflow passage, a light treatment chamber in fluid communication with the static mixer chamber; and an outflow passage in fluid communication with the light treatment chamber, wherein the device is designed to be placed in-line with a water supply pipeline with the water supply pipeline connected to and in fluid communication with the inflow passage and the outflow passage thereby allowing water carried by the water supply pipeline to flow through the device from the inflow passage first into the static mixer chamber then into the light treatment chamber and finally into the outflow passage, the static mixer chamber includes mixing means to mix the water with a photosensitizer composition; and the light treatment chamber includes water dispersion means and a light source.
[0009] The present invention also presents a method of using the device described above for photodisinfection of water carried by a water pipeline comprising: providing the device described above; placing the device in-line with a water supply pipeline by connecting the water supply pipeline to the inflow passage and the outflow passage thereby allowing water carried by the water supply pipeline to flow through the device from the inflow passage first into the static mix chamber then into the light treatment chamber and finally into the outflow passage; mixing a photosensitizer composition with the water to form a pretreated solution by placing the photosensitizer composition into the inlet valve and allowing the water and the photosensitizer to mix by the mixing means and forming a pretreated solution; and illuminating the pretreated solution by the light source to form a treated solution which will flow out of the device and back into the water supply pipeline.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of another exemplary embodiment of the device according to the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is an isometric view of yet another exemplary embodiment of the device according to the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of yet another exemplary embodiment of the device according to the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a top view of the device shown in FIG. 4.
[0015] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of yet another exemplary embodiment of the device according to the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 6;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a cross-section detailed view of an exemplary embodiment of a mixer chamber of the device according to the present invention; [0018] FIG. 9 is another cross-section detailed view of the mixer chamber shown in FIG. 8; and
[0019] FIG. 10 is a close-up detailed view of an exemplary embodiment of the dispersion means and the light source of the device shown in FIG. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
I. Definitions
[0020] The following terms are intended to have the following general meanings as they are used herein:
[0021] 1 . Fossil Fuels: fuels created naturally by long-term processes such as decomposition of dead biological organisms. Fossil fuels include petroleum (oil), coal, methane, and natural gas.
[0022] 2. Injection Water: any water pumped or fed into a fossil fuel reservoir for the purpose of facilitating extraction/production of fossil fuels. Injection water can come from multiple sources including: rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, underground aquifers, seas, and oceans.
[0023] 3. Produced water: any water originating from underground rock or earth formations brought to the surface during the course of normal fossil fuel extraction processes.
[0024] 4. Washwater: Water used for the purification of fossil fuels such as crude oil after extraction from a subsurface reservoir.
[0025] 5. Ballast water: Water used to fill the ballast tanks of water-going vessels, including but not limited to cargo ships, cruise ships, and submarines.
[0026] 6. FRAC water: water forced or injected into a subsurface fossil fuel reservoir for the purpose of loosening or fracturing rock formations and enhancing fossil fuel recovery from that reservoir.
[0027] 7. Light: light at any wavelengths that can be absorbed by a photosensitizing composition. Such wavelengths include wavelengths selected from the continuous electromagnetic spectrum such as ultraviolet ("UV"), visible, the infrared (near, mid and far), etc. The wavelengths are generally between about 100 nm to 10,000 nm, with exemplary ranges between about 160 nm to 1600 nm, between about 400 nm to about 900 nm, and between about 500 nm to about 850 nm, although the wavelengths may vary depending upon the particular photosensitizing compound used and the light intensity. Depending on the application, the light produced may be a single wavelength or multiple wavelengths. Multiple wavelength light may include broadband, continuous wavelength light or a combination of various narrowband emissions at specific wavelengths.
[0028] 8. Light Source: a light emitting device such as a laser, a light emitting diode ("LEDs"), an arc lamp, an incandescent source, a fluorescent source, or a combination thereof. The light source can also be multiple light emitting devices such as an array of LEDs, lasers, etc. The output of the light source is optionally adjustable so that the operator can modify the wavelength, the power output, the surface area of illumination, or combinations thereof while carrying out the present method. Alternately, the power of the light source may be increased or decreased after an application of light energy to the water being disinfected.
[0029] 9. Microbes: any and all bacterial microbes residing in water sources used for fossil fuel extraction processes. Examples of microbes that generally colonize and live in natural well-oxygenated freshwater water sources such as rivers, streams, and lakes are: Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ("MRSA"), Escherichia coli ("E. coli"), Enterococcus faecal is ("E. faecal is"), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aspergillus, Candida, Clostridium difficile, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Acinobacter spp., Cyanobacteria spp., Bacillus spp., etc. Examples of microbes that generally colonize and live in natural well-oxygenated saltwater sources such as oceans and seas are: Pseudomonas spp., Vibrio spp., Klebsiella spp., Myroides spp., Thiomargarita namibiensis, Escherichia coli ("E. coli"), and others as described in reports such as those published by the "International Census of Marine Microbes" (http://icomm.mbLedu/index.html). Examples of microbes that generally colonize and live in low oxygen subsurface aquifers or produced water are: Pseudomonas spp., Arthrobacter spp., Chromobacterium, Brevibacterium, Methanobacterium, Enterobacter spp., Acinetobacter spp., Desulfovibrio spp., etc.
[0030] 10. Photosensitizer composition: a composition comprising at least one suitable photosensitizer that has at least an antimicrobial action upon application of electromagnetic energy of certain wavelength(s). Suitable photosensitizers include those that act via one or both of Type I and Type II photoreaction mechanisms, where Type I involves the excited-state photosensitizer molecule engaging in direct redox-type reactions with the target substrate, and Type II involves the interaction of excited-state photosensitizer with molecular oxygen to produce singlet oxygen and other damaging oxygen-derived species. When applied to microbes, both processes lead to irreversible protein damage, lipid peroxidation, and loss of membrane integrity. While photosensitizers may exert an antimicrobial effect via other mechanisms (e.g. heat generation and thermal mechanisms), the Type I and II mechanisms discussed above are preferred.
[0031] Suitable classes of compounds that may be used as antimicrobial photosensitizers include tetrapyrroles or derivatives thereof such as porphyrins, chlorins, bacteriochlorins, phthalocyanines, naphthalocyanines, texaphyrins, verdins, purpurins or pheophorbides, phenothiaziniums, etc., such as those described in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,21 1 ,335; 6,583,1 17; 6,607,522 and 7,276,494. Preferred phenothiaziniums include salts of methylene blue (MB), new methylene blue (NMB), dimethyl methylene blue (DMMB), toluidine blue (TBO), and those discussed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004-0147508. Other preferred antimicrobial photosensitizers include indocyanine green (ICG), safranin O, and rose bengal. Combinations of two or more photosensitizers, such as MB and TBO or the like, are also suitable. The photosensitizers mentioned above are examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way.
[0032] The photosensitizer may be present in the photosensitizer composition in any suitable amounts. Examples are between about 0.001 percentage of total weight (wt %) and 50 wt %, between about 0.005 wt % and about 25 wt %, between about 0.01 wt % to about 10 wt %, between about 0.01 wt % to about 5 wt %, between about 0.1 % wt % to about 1 wt %.
[0033] The photosensitizer composition may also optionally include carriers, diluents, or other solvents for the photosensitizer or other components of the photosensitizer composition and may be used to adjust the concentration of photosensitizer. In addition, the photosensitive molecule of the photosensitizer composition may be chemically/physically conjugated or otherwise mixed with targeting moieties (including but not limited to peptides, phages, or antibodies) or enhancers of photodisinfection efficacy (e.g. metallic nanoparticles). Finally, the photosensitizing composition may optionally include other bactericides/bacteriostats (e.g., chlorhexidine, glutaraldehyde, etc.) that use a different mechanism(s) than photodisinfection for its antimicrobial actions. III. Injection Water Photodisinfection Device
[0034] Referring to FIG. 1 , the present invention provides a device 100 that can be placed inline with an incoming water supply (e.g., water from a natural source such as an aquifer, lake, river, sea, etc.) pipeline prior to use and/or storage for industrial applications. The device 100 can include several compartments that the incoming water supply can flow through. The first compartment comprises an inflow passage 10. The inflow passage 10 is generally in fluid communication with the incoming water supply pipeline (not shown). The term "in fluid communication" is defined hereinafter as being structurally connected together in a fashion that would allow fluid to flow from one component to another. An inlet valve 12 can also be in fluid communication with the inflow passage 10. The purpose of the inlet valve 12 is, for example, to allow a photosensitizer composition to be added to the inflowing water supply.
[0035] The device 100 can further include a static mixer chamber 16 placed in a location after the inlet valve 12 and is generally in fluid communication with the inflow passage 10. The incoming water supply and the photosensitizer composition can flow from the inflow passage 10 into the static mixer chamber 16 and can be mixed to form a more homogenous and/or generally uniform solution, which shall be hereinafter known as pretreated solution. The static mixer chamber 16 can be designed for mixing two or more liquid materials using mixing means (not shown). For example, in one exemplary embodiment, the static mixer chamber 16 includes inflow and outflow sections with a middle section comprising the mixing means which may be a series of baffles, fins, ridges, and/or other non-moving pieces that create a blending or turbulence action as the two or more liquid materials pass through allowing the liquid materials to become a more homogenous and/or generally uniform solution. In another exemplary embodiment, the mixing means can be comprised of fixed helical elements located within the static mix chamber 16 and mixing of the liquid materials can occur either via flow division or radial mixing as the liquid materials to be mixed flow through the static mixer chamber 16 under pressure.
[0036] After the static mixer chamber 16, the device 100 can further include a light treatment chamber 18 that is in fluid communication with the static mixer chamber 16. The pretreated solution can flow from the static mixer chamber 16 into the light treatment chamber 18. At the light treatment chamber 18, the pretreated solution can be dispersed by dispersion means 20. The dispersion means 20 for this exemplary embodiment is various discreet flow pathways that are separated from one another but all within the light treatment chamber 18. The pretreated solution can be separated into fractions and such fractions of the pretreated solution can flow into the various discreet flow pathways in order to maximize surface area prior to illumination (i.e., the application of light) without compromising flow rate. The light treatment chamber 18 can also contain a light source 22 that can be designed to illuminate the pretreated solution as it passes through the light treatment chamber 18. Upon illumination by the light source 22, the pretreated solution can undergo photodisinfection and become the treated solution. The treated solution generally has a reduced count of viable microbes compared to the original incoming water supply due to the antibacterial action of the photodisinfection process. The flow rate of the pretreated solution through the light treatment chamber 18 can be adjusted in order to achieve the desired amount of photodisinfection of the incoming water supply.
[0037] The device 100 can further include an outflow passage 24 that is in fluid communication with the light treatment chamber 18. The treated solution can leave the light treatment chamber 18 and flow into the outflow passage 24. The outflow passage 24 can be in fluid communication with the incoming water supply pipeline and can allow the treated solution to leave the device 100 and pass back into the incoming water supply pipeline. The treated solution contained within the incoming water supply pipeline may then flow into the desired location (e.g., temporary storage tank or direct injection into the fossil fuel production well).
[0038] Referring to FIGS. 2-7, other exemplary embodiments of the device in accordance to the present invention are provided. The devices shown in FIGS. 2-7 have the same components as described above for the device 100 such as the incoming passage 10, the inlet valve 12, the static mixer chamber 16, the light treatment chamber 18 and the outflow passage 24 except that the design of the light treatment chamber 18 is different from the one shown in FIG. 1 for the device 100.
[0039] Referring to FIG. 2, the dispersion means of the light treatment chamber 18 can include a series of plates 26 positioned in a generally horizontal fashion positioned one on top of the other such that the pretreated solution flows down across these series of plates 26 by gravity until the pretreated solution reaches the bottom portion of the light treatment chamber 18. The light source 22 (e.g., an LED array, arc lamp, or the like), that can be encased in a transparent material (e.g., glass, plastic or the like) that allows the light from the light source 22 to pass through and illuminate the pretreated solution to form the treated solution, can be found on and/or within each of the series of plates 26 as shown in FIG. 10. In this way, the pretreated solution can be more uniformly illuminated as it passes through the light treatment chamber 18. FIG. 10 is a close-up detailed view of an exemplary embodiment of one of the plates 26 and the light source 22. The light source 22 in this embodiment can be comprised of light emitting diodes, lamps, tube lights, or other suitable art disclosed light sources.
[0040] Referring to FIG. 3, the series of plates 26 of the light treatment chamber 18 can be positioned adjacent to one another in a generally vertical fashion allowing the pretreated solution to flow in between the series of plates 26 during illumination.
[0041] Referring to FIG. 4, the dispersion means of the light treatment chamber 18 can include a column assembly through which the pretreated solution flows through for illumination. The column assembly as shown in greater detail in FIG. 5 is comprised of an outer solid casing 30 and the series of plates 26 positioned in a manner that extend outwards from a central hub 34. The pretreated solution can be forced through this section by liquid and/or gravity pressure. The series of plates 26 can provide the illumination for photodisinfection changing the pretreated solution into treated solution.
[0042] Referring to FIGS. 6-7, the dispersion means of the light treatment chamber 18 can include a transparent flexible hose 28 wound one or more times around the outside of a columnar light source 22. The pretreated solution can flow from the static mixer chamber 16 into the flexible hose 28. As the pretreated solution passes through the flexible hose 28, it can be illuminated by the columnar light source 22. The columnar light source 22 may consist of a lamp, LED, tube light, or an arrangement of multiple sources of these.
[0043] Referring to FIGS. 8-9, cross-section detailed views of an exemplary embodiment of the static mixer chamber are shown. The static mixer chamber can contain an inflow passage 32 in fluid communication with the device inflow passage and an outflow passage 36 in fluid communication with the light treatment chamber. The inner passage of the static mixer chamber can contain a series of physical elements 38 which may be a series of baffles, fins, ridges, and/or other non-moving pieces that create a blending or turbulence action as the two or more liquid materials pass through allowing the liquid materials to become a more homogenous and/or generally uniform solution.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:
1 . An in-line device for disinfection of water contained within a water supply pipeline comprising:
an inflow passage;
an inlet valve in fluid communication with the inflow passage;
a static mixer chamber in fluid communication with the inflow passage;
a light treatment chamber in fluid communication with the static mixer chamber; and
an outflow passage in fluid communication with the light treatment chamber, wherein
(a) the device is designed to be placed in-line with a water supply pipeline with the water supply pipeline connected to and in fluid communication with the inflow passage and the outflow passage thereby allowing water carried by the water supply pipeline to flow through the device from the inflow passage first into the static mixer chamber then into the light treatment chamber and finally into the outflow passage;
(b) the static mixer chamber includes mixing means to mix the water with a photosensitizer composition; and
(c) the light treatment chamber includes water dispersion means and a light source.
2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the water dispersion means is a series of plates and the light source is encased within a transparent material and is located within the series of plates.
3. A method for disinfection of water carried by a water supply pipeline comprising:
Providing a device comprising an inflow passage, an inlet valve in fluid communication with the inflow passage, a static mixer chamber in fluid communication with the inflow passage and includes mixing means, a light treatment chamber in fluid communication with the static mixer chamber and includes dispersion means and a light source, and an outflow passage in fluid communication with the light treatment chamber; Placing the device in-line with a water supply pipeline by connecting the water supply pipeline to the inflow passage and the outflow passage thereby allowing water carried by the water supply pipeline to flow through the device from the inflow passage first into the static mixer chamber then into the light treatment chamber and finally into the outflow passage;
Mixing a photosensitizer composition with the water to form a pretreated solution by placing the photosensitizer composition into the inlet valve and allowing the water and the photosensitizer to mix by the mixing means forming a pretreated solution; and
Illuminating the pretreated solution by the light source to form a treated solution, containing a reduced bacterial count as compared to the water, which will flow out of the device and back into the water supply pipeline.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the water carried by the water supply pipeline is from a natural source and the treated solution is used as injection water or FRAC water in oil and gas extraction activities.
5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the water carried by the water supply pipeline is from a natural source and the treated solution is used as washwater for purification of extracted fossil fuels.
6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the water carried by the water supply pipeline is from a natural source and is intended for use or has already been used as ballast water.
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