Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with treating liquids in particular drinking water, wastewater, beverages, juices, milk, emulsions, ballast water, bilge water, cooling tower water, process water, mill water, raw sewage, crude oil, hydrocarbon streams, black liquor and any pumpable liquid, as an example. During the past decade the need for alternatives to chlorination of drinking water and wastewater effluent has increased in dramatic fashion. This is primarily due to emerging pathogenic microorganisms that are resistant to many oxidants such as chlorine, as well as the problems associated with the byproducts formed by reacting chlorine with organics found in drinking water sources.
For example, many drinking water sources contain organic matter. When the organic matter is chlorinated the byproducts are a group of compounds referred to as trihalomethanes (THMs), some of which cause cancer. Consequently, this has led the US EPA to promulgate new disinfection regulations regarding both pathogenic microorganisms and the formation of THMs. Currently, there is an unmet demand for a simple and cost-effective alternative to supplement chlorination that can also be used for treating other water streams. For example, one such alternative disinfection system is the use of ultraviolet (UV) radiation to augment chlorination. Likewise, UV radiation can replace chlorination chambers in wastewater treatment plants, since the effluent must be decholorinated which requires an additional chemical such as sulfur dioxide. Two other large volume streams that can be treated with UV radiation are ballast water from ships and combined sewer overflows (CSO).
Heretofore water treatment systems that incorporate UV radiation have been constructed of a lamp housed within a quartz sleeve. Examples of prior UV radiation systems include low pressure or medium pressure mercury arc lamps. One of the main problems with existing UV radiation systems that incorporate mercury arc lamps is that they fail to maximize the use of electricity. More particularly, by utilizing only the energy in the form of UV radiation converted from the electricity used in the overall electrical circuit—the lamp—is inefficient and requires higher doses of UV radiation than are necessary if more of the electrical energy in the electrical circuit could be utilized for pathogen inactivation or treatment of pollutants. For example, a typical UV lamp may convert only 30% to 40% of the electricity used in the lamp into UV radiation. In addition, these lamps contain mercury, which is a pollutant that can be transferred via the food chain.
In addition, any UV radiation system incorporating a “bulb” is prone to burn out. Furthermore, over time the glass or quartz envelope and the bulb become solarized due to the UV light. In addition, over time the quartz envelope that houses the lamp becomes dirty. The quartz tube must be removed and cleaned manually if it does not include a wiper system for in-situ cleaning of the tube. Consequently, the effectiveness of the UV radiation system to inactivate cryptosporidium is reduced over time as the lamp ages and the quartz sleeve or envelope becomes dirty.
Moreover, there is an emerging pathogen of concern, mycobacteria, that is resistant to chlorine and many biocides. Likewise, mycobacteria inactivation requires a higher dose of UV light than either Cryptosporidium and Giardi. In addition, low doses of UV light cannot be applied to meet sterilization or pasteurization guidelines as set forth by the US FDA, USDA and UPH. The terms disinfection and sterilization are clearly defined and differentiated by several regulator agencies.
Accordingly, there is a need for a wave energy water treatment system that is compact and portable, yet does not use mercury. In addition, there is a need for a wave energy water treatment system that is energy efficient, rugged, low maintenance and compact. Likewise, there is a need for a wave energy system that can also remove fine sediment or reduce turbidity in water. In addition, there is a need for a disinfection system that can also phase separate material of various densities from that of water, such as oil and grease, wood, leaves, and plastic bottles from water. Furthermore, there is a need for reducing organic matter in water.