Mistakes to avoid when selecting an aeration blower
Local government regulations differ greatly, which means there is no one-size-fits-all aeration solution. Opting for oil-free units will ensure no extra pollutants are added to the water. Aside from purity standards, there might be other environmental regulations that impact your choice of the right aeration blower. The conditions on your site, such as the temperature or closeness to a residential area will also affect which solution is right for your site.
Complying with the latest wastewater treatment regulations
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The European directive for urban wastewater treatment provides a set of regulations for, a.o., the purity levels. There might be additional regulations on a local level. Although there are no specific regulations for aeration equipment in the directive, you should keep in mind that some blowers are more suited for wastewater treatment than others. The below list will give you an idea on the most common mistakes and how to avoid them.
Oil contamination by your blowers
Some blowers add oil to the air during the compression process. You should select oil-free blower technologies as they eliminate the risk of any additional oil contamination in the water. Oil-free blowers don’t add any oil to the air during the compressions process. Since the air comes into direct contact with the water, the oil will not end up in the water you’re trying to purify.
Not minimizing carbon emissions
An increasing number of regulations are aimed at reducing CO2 emissions. Blowers are responsible for 70% of CO2 emissions on a wastewater treatment site. This is directly related to the energy usage of those blowers. By opting for an energy-efficient unit, you can drastically reduce the CO2 emissions of your site.
Environmental conditions
Noise complaints
Noise reduction is another important consideration, especially for plants that are not placed in remote locations. Here, there may be government standards for noise emissions. To address this issue, you may want to choose a blower with a sound-protecting canopy.
Not suited for your climate
Finally, the temperature at your wastewater treatment operation also plays a role. If it is subject to very hot or cold conditions, then this is something you should take into account. For example, you may want to consider installing ducted process air inlets. This limits the temperature swings in the blower room. That protects your employees and your equipment from freezing in the winter or from overheating in the summer.
Sizing mistakes
To ensure consistent performance, you have to make sure that the required level of water quality is always reached in regular operation. Therefore, undersizing the system is a big mistake because it will lead to quality problems. On the other hand, you do not want to oversize the equipment, which would waste energy and increase costs. A common error is to design the process for its peak capacity (including future expansion) and not normal operations. This allows your blowers to always supply enough air in the future. However, today’s average demand may be much lower. That means your blowers may be forced to operate in a continuous load-off-load switching pattern. Therefore, an accurate size for today’s demand is crucial while also allowing for future expansion.
Regulations will get tougher
Finally, it is important to remember that you can expect the relevant regulations to get tougher and not more lenient. This should also be reflected in the selection of your blowers. If anything, they will have to meet more stringent quality and water standards in the future. By taking into account the above guidelines, you’re well on your way to comply to current and any future regulations.
