United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Water Engineering Research
Laboratory
Cincinnati OH 45268
Research and Development
EPA/600/S9-85/005 Apr. 1985
Project Summary
Proceedings:
Seminar/Workshop on Aeration
System Design, Testing,
Operation, and Control
William C. Boyle
An air aeration system seminar/work-
shop was held at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison on August 2-4,
1982. Consulting engineers, planners,
and other professionals were able to
exchange information on current de-
sign, testing, operation, and control
activities in the United States, Canada,
and Europe. The 2-1/2-day seminar/
workshop consisted of short, formal
discussions on the first day and the
morning of the second day, workshop
sessions on the afternoon of the second
day, and a wrap-up interchange on new
directions on the morning of the third
day. The conference, cosponsored by
theU.S. Environmental Protection Agen-
cy and Environment Canada, was held
primarily to define areas of agreement
and disagreement concerning this ra-
pidly-changing technology and to
identify associated research needs.
The proceedings includes the 25
papers presented at the seminar/work-
shop, summaries of four workshop
sessions, and a list of seminar/work-
shop participants; it provides compre-
hensive, current, state-of-the-art infor-
mation that should be of interest to all
practitioners in the field of oxygen
transfer.
This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's Water Engineering Research
Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, to an-
nounce the contents of the proceedings
that are available in their entirety in a
separate report of the same title (see
Project Report ordering information at
back).
Basis for Seminar/Workshop
In the last few years, substantial effort
has been devoted in the environmental
engineering field to the search for more
energy efficient wastewater treatment
systems. Since the aeration of waste-
water represents one of the more energy
intensive operations in wastewater treat-
ment, research and development efforts
have been aimed toward improvements
in design, manufacture, testing, opera-
tion, and control of these systems. The
following research and development ac-
tivities and concerns(currently completed
or underway) are addressed in the pro-
ceedings:
• Clean water oxygen transfer test anal-
yses and verification
• In-process oxygen transfer test devel-
opment and analyses
• Alpha factor test procedure develop-
ment
• Oxygen sensor evaluations
• Fine bubble diffuser operation and
maintenance evaluations
• Dissolved oxygen control strategy anal-
yses
• Cost-benefit studies on aeration sys-
tems and aeration control
• Field-scale studies to optimize fine
bubble design and operation
The major goals behind these broad-
based research and development activ-
ities are to reduce aeration system
energy needs and to improve criteria for
sizing oxygen transfer equipment. In
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extracting maximum performance from
both traditional and emerging aeration
approaches, four principal technical areas
must be addressed: system design includ-
ing specifications for compliance testing,
shop and field testing, operation and
related maintenance, and air supply
control.
Seminar/Workshop Program
In addressing the principal areas de-
scribed above, the seminar/workshop
was divided into six technical sessions,
presented in the following order:
1. Characteristics of aeration systems
2. Aeration system design
3. Aeration system control
4. Operation and maintenance of aer-
ation systems
5. Testing of aeration systems
6. New directions
Session 1 included discussions of
diffused, mechanical, and oxidation ditch
aeration systems. In Session 2, papers
were presented on translation of clean
water oxygen transfer rates to dirty water
performance; aeration system scale-up;
aeration system design protocols in North
America, the United Kingdom, West
Germany, and the Netherlands; and blow-
er design considerations. Automatic dis-
solved oxygen (DO) control, a suggested
DO field test protocol, and calibration and
evaluation of DO sensors comprised the
topical discussions in Session 3. Opera-
tion and maintenance activities relative
to fine bubble ceramic diffusers, aeration
devices used in treating paper industry
wastewaters, troubleshooting, and the
operator's perspective were addressed in
Session 4. Session 5 was devoted to
presentations on aerator testing in clean
water and under process conditions as
practiced in both the United States and
Canada. Session 6 was opened u[
discussion of emerging methodologie
aerator testing and design. Finally, wi
shop summaries on aeration syst
design, operation and maintenance, £
ator testing, and oxygen transfer
streams are included in the proeedii
following the technical papers.
The full report was submitted in full
ment of Cooperative Agreement I
CR809975 by the University of Wiscons
Madison under the partial sponsorship
the U.S. Environmental Protection Ag«
cy.
William C. Boyle is with the University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706.
Richard C. Brenner is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
The complete report, entitled "Proceedings: Seminar/Workshop on Aeration
System Design, Testing, Operation, and Control," (Order No. PB 85-173
896/AS; Cost: $34.00, subject to change) will be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield. VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Water Engineering Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati, OH 45268
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
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