Two types of aerators are commonly used:

Bubble Aerators
From Air
Compressor
Liquid In

Liquid In

Liquid Out

Liquid Out

From Air
Compressor

Turbine Aerators

Liquid In

Liquid Out

Liquid In

Liquid Out

Turbine Aerator: Design Procedure

Aerator Rating: 1, 2, 5 KW ;
Area of Influence: 5m x 5m x 3m (depth)
Aerator Rating: 10, 25, 50 KW; Area of Influence: 6m x 6m x 4m (depth)
Standard O2 transfer efficiency (SOT) is given by the manufacturer as,
kg O2 transferred per hour per KW under standard conditions
Standard Conditions: T = 20oC;

[O2]l = 0.0; In tap water

SOT calculation: (Generally specified by the manufacturer)

Fill up a 5x5x3 m or 6x6x4 m tank (depending on aerator size)
s with tap water
[
O
]
Aerate overnight. Measure DO in the morning. This is 2 l. Measure temp.
Add sodium sulfite to de-aerate water, i.e., [O2]l = 0.0
Aerate from t = 0 to t = t. Measure [O2]l at various times during aeration.
d[O 2 ]l
K L .a [O 2 ]sl [O 2 ]l
dt
Integrating,

[O 2 ]l

d[O 2 ]l
K L .a.dt
[O 2 ]sl [O 2 ]l
t

[O 2 ]sl
ln
K L .a.t
s
[O
]

[O
]
2 l
2 l

(K L .a ) T
(1.02) T 20
T in celcius
(K L .a ) 20

Semi-Log Scale
[O 2 ]sl
[O2 ]sl [O 2 ]l

Slope = (KL.a)T
SOT ( K L .a ) 20 .[O 2 ]sl 20 .(V )

Time

Given SOT how to find the Actual Oxygen Transfer Efficiency (AOT)??
both

K L .a and [O 2 ]sl depend on temperature

(K L .a ) TW
[O 2W ]sl

0.8; F s 0.9
(K L .a ) TF
[ O 2 ]l

( K L .a )20

Impact of wastewater

( K L .a )T
; T in celcius
(1.02)T 20

[O2 ]sl decreases with tempearture, obtained from tables

[O2 ]l 1 mg/L or 3 mg/L (in case of nitrification)
SOT (K L .a ) F20 .[O F2 ]sl 20 .( V )

Generally 1.5 2.0 kg O2 / h/KW

.[O

AOT ( K L .a ) TW . [O 2W ]sl T [O 2 ]l .(V )

AOT ( K L .a ) F20 . .[1.02]T 20

F sT
2 l

[O 2 ]l .( V )

Energy requirements for maintaining completely mixed conditions in the aeration tank
For an aeration tank of volume V,
The P/V ratio for maintaining completely mixed conditions is 15 20 W/m3
Hence in actual design power requirement in an aeration tank must be calculated both from O 2
requirement and mixing perspectives, and the larger value adopted.
In many cases, the mixing requirement becomes the controlling factor for provision of power to
the aeration tank

Consequences of Pollutant Loading to Natural Water Bodies

Consequences of Oxygen Depletion
In Rivers/Lakes

High BOD demand in rivers/lakes causes

dissolved oxygen depletion and suffocation /
death of fish.

Consequences of Nutrient
Addition in Lakes

Dead algae causes

Oxygen depletion

High nutrient loading in lakes and slow

flowing rivers causes eutrophication, i.e.,
excessive growth of aquatic algae/plants.

Algae:

Present as a suspension in water;

Increases dissolved oxygen concentration of water
Important fish food
Dead Algae may cause DO depletion

Aquatic Plants:

The leaves are outside the water

Causes DO depletion
Dead aquatic plants in increase DO depletion

Nitrification
In wastewater, nitrogen is present as TKN, i.e., a mixture of organic-N and ammonia-N
During BOD removal in ASP, a part of the TKN is incorporated into the cell biomass
Amount Incorporated = 0.124. (X) kg/d
The remaining amount remains in wastewater as ammonia N
Presence of high concentrations of ammonia-N in water gives it a disagreeable smell

NH 4

NH 3 H

pK = 9.4

Presence of high concentrations of ammonia-N in water is also toxic to fish in surface water
It is thus desirable that the ammonia present in wastewater is converted to nitrate before release
The biological process for converting ammonia to nitrate is known as Nitrification.
Biological conversion of ammonia to nitrate is a two step process,
ammonia to nitrite conversion by Nitrosomonas species of bacteria
Nitrite to nitrate conversion by Nitrobacter species of bacteria
The first step of the process, i.e., conversion of ammonia to nitrite is rate limiting.
Both Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter are aerobic chemo-autotrophic microorganisms.

Classification of Microorganisms
All microorganisms needs three things to survive,

1) Energy source,
2) Carbon / food source
3) Terminal electron acceptor

Aerobic microorganisms use oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor

Anaerobic microorganisms use chemicals other than oxygen as terminal electron acceptor
Heterotrophic microorganisms use organic carbon as energy source. Hence they need
organic carbon to survive. They also use organic carbon as food source.
Chemo-autotrophic microorganisms use chemical compounds other than organic carbon as
energy source. They do not need reduced carbon to survive. They use inorganic carbon as
food source.
Photo-autotrophic microorganisms use light (photons) as energy source and inorganic
carbon as food source.
Nitrosomonas / Nitrobactor:

Energy source:
Ammonia / Nitrite
Food Source:
Inorganic Carbon
Electron acceptor: Oxygen
Aerobic, chemo-autotrophic microorganisms

Single Stage Nitrification

Nitrification along with the ASP process itself

Low c system; extended aeration
Oxygen provision must be made for nitrifying microorganisms
BOD5 is removed and residual ammonia is converted to nitrate in the aeration tank

Two Stage Nitrification

Stage 1:

Stage 2:

Stage 1

Low c
Only BOD removal and no nitrification
High c
Removal of residual BOD
Nitrification

Stage 2