Ballast water treatment

Background: Ships when leaving the port empty take sea-water into ballast tanks for stability and to adjust buoyancy. When the ballast water is emptied at a different location it releases micro-organisms into the location causing environmental pollution and ecological imbalance. Technology Description: NCL scientists have developed an apparatus which can filtrate and disinfect sea water/ ship’s ballast water. It is based on a mechanical process that kills micro-organisms to the required levels using hydrodynamic cavitation and rupture of cavities to kill micro-organisms. They can also be used in making potable drinking water from a contaminated source. Market Potential: • Annual market for Ballast Water Treatment is estimated to be between $700 million to $1 billion (in the short term while all the current vessels are being fitted with this technology) • More than 17000 vessels (both new and retrofit) can be fitted with this technology • Long term market projected to be between $200 to $300 million (which will be mostly on newly built vessels) Applications: • Sea water treatment • Ship’s ballast water treatment • Making potable drinking water from a contaminated source Technology Status: • Demonstrated at the lab scale • Ready to be licensed • Patent granted: US #- 7815810 7585416