Aeration provides oxygen to the bacteria that naturally occur in wastewater. This allows them to multiply and efficiently digest dissolved contaminants. Wastewater is otherwise an anaerobic environment, so when all the oxygen has been used up, the bacteria would stop working. By reintroducing air using a blower or compressor, the bacteria can continue not just at their previous rate, but become increasingly more abundant and more efficient.

There are several different aeration systems available for wastewater treatment plants. The most common are floating brush aeration and diffusion.

Floating brush aerators

Diffusers

The wastewater produced in certain industries can contain a number of by-products that should not enter the natural water supply. As a result, many of these industries have their own inhouse wastewater treatment plant so that the treatment can be specifically tailored to the contaminants that their process produces. This allows them to comply with any industry-specific regulations. These treatments may include removal of toxic materials, acids and alkalis, treating brine, and removal of various solids.

In some facilities, the wastewater may undergo the complete treatment process and be released back into the environment. In others, it may be partially treated, then sent to the municipal wastewater treatment plant.

Although the industry and the products to be removed vary and additional steps may be necessary, the general process remains largely the same: filtration followed by aeration. Just as in a municipal wastewater treatment plant, blowers or compressors are used to provide airflow to the aeration tank. However, as the wastewater can contain different and potentially harmful chemicals, there may be different requirements for the blower or compressor, such as corrosion resistance.

A wastewater treatment system is divided up into a number of different filtration and aeration processes.

Firstly, the wastewater is screened and filtered to remove any large debris, such as plastic or plant debris, as well as sand and grit. A blower or compressor is used to circulate the wastewater during this process and improve the efficiency of the sand trap.

Then the wastewater proceeds to the first settling tank, where primary treatment takes place. This separates the liquids and the solids – the suspended particles gradually sink to the bottom and are filtered out, while the liquids continue to secondary treatment. This biological process takes place in the activated sludge tank, where bacteria digest dissolved organic compounds and other small particles. As they do so, they form microcolonies that can be subsequently removed as solids.

A blower or compressor injects air bubbles into the wastewater by means of a diffuser network. These air bubbles provide the bacteria with the oxygen they need to thrive.

The wastewater is then transferred to the second settling tank, where the residual solids are filtered out.

In order to ensure that all water-borne pathogens have been removed, the water is taken through one last disinfection process, then can be discharged.

In the wastewater treatment process, blowers are used in two areas: in the sand trap and in the activated sludge tank.

In the sand trap, they avoid sludge build-up by keeping organic matter suspended.

They are also used in biological wastewater treatment systems, such as the activated sludge tank. There they provide the necessary oxygen for microorganisms to break down dissolved organic contaminants in the wastewater.

The stream of bubbles also keeps the wastewater constantly in movement. This ensures an evenly distributed oxygen supply in all areas of the tank, which increases the efficiency of the process.

Aeration in wastewater treatment has several benefits. Instead of introducing chemicals to the wastewater, which would subsequently need to be removed again before the water can be released, the activated sludge process makes use of the bacteria and microorganisms that naturally occur in wastewater.

Aeration simply increases their efficiency and numbers to maximize the effectiveness and speed of the process without creating any harmful by-products.

Busch has a variety of different blowers for aeration to choose from. Every blower has its own advantages and disadvantages, each of which can be decisive for your process.

We are happy to advise you on which would be the best match for your exact application and to develop a solution for your entire plant.

When it comes to aerating aeration tanks in wastewater treatment facilities, blowers and compressors from Busch have become the first choice among the technologies that can be used for overpressure generation.

The following overpressure equipment is especially suitable for wastewater treatment processes:

Blowers from Busch can be used for all aeration and air circulation processes in a wastewater treatment plant. Find out how customers in Denmark and Germany have used compressors from Busch to increase the efficiency of their sand traps. In the activated sludge tank, blowers provide oxygen to the naturally occurring microbes, which allows them to break down solid matter and multiply.

When considering which blower or compressor to purchase for your wastewater processing application, there are a number of criteria to assess. Because a wastewater treatment plant is a complex set-up, an engineering expert specialized in wastewater treatment plants should conduct the calculations that are necessary to make the final decision. The results of these will help you decide which technology to invest in.

We are happy to advise you on the best blowers or compressors for your wastewater treatment facility. Contact us!