Water Treatment: Methods Of Aeration

METHODS OF AERATION

Two general methods may be used for the aeration of water. The most common in industrial use is the water-fall aerator. Through the use of spray nozzles, the water is broken up into small droplets or a thin film to enhance countercurrent air contact.

In the air diffusion method of aeration, air is diffused into a receiving vessel containing counter-current flowing water, creating very small air bubbles. This ensures good air-water contact for "scrubbing" of undesirable gases from the water.

Water-Fall Aerators

Many variations of the water-fall principle are used for this type of aeration. The simplest configuration employs a vertical riser that discharges water by free fall into a basin (Figure 4-2). The riser usually operates on the available head of water. The efficiency of aeration is improved as the fall distance is increased. Also, steps or shelves may be added to break up the fall and spread the water into thin sheets or films, which increases contact time and aeration efficiency.

Coke tray and wood or plastic slat water-fall aerators are relatively similar in design and have the advantage of small space requirements.

Coke tray aerators are widely used in iron and manganese oxidation because a catalytic effect is secured by contact of the iron/manganese-bearing water with fresh precipitates. These units consist of a series of coke-filled trays through which the water percolates, with additional aeration obtained during the free fall from one tray to the next.

Wood or plastic slat tray aerators are similar to small atmospheric cooling towers. The tray slats are staggered to break up the free fall of the water and create thin films before the water finally drops into the basin.

Forced draft water-fall aerators (see Figure 4-3) are used for many industrial water conditioning purposes. Horizontal wood or plastic slat trays, or towers filled with packing of various shapes and materials, are designed to maximize disruption of the falling water into small streams for greater air-water contact. Air is forced through the unit by a blower which produces uniform air distribution across the entire cross section, cross current or countercurrent to the fall of the water. Because of these features, forced draft aerators are more efficient for gas removal and require less space for a given capacity.

Air Diffusion Aerators

Air diffusion systems aerate by pumping air into water through perforated pipes, strainers, porous plates, or tubes. Aeration by diffusion is theoretically superior to water-fall aeration because a fine bubble of air rising through water is continually exposed to fresh liquid surfaces, providing maximum water surface per unit volume of air. Also, the velocity of bubbles ascending through the water is much lower than the velocity of free-falling drops of water, providing a longer contact time. Greatest efficiency is achieved when water flow is countercurrent to the rising air bubbles.

APPLICATIONS

In industrial water conditioning, one of the major objectives of aeration is to remove carbon dioxide. Aeration is also used to oxidize soluble iron and manganese (found in many well waters) to insoluble precipitates. Aeration is often used to reduce the carbon dioxide liberated by a treatment process. For example, acid may be fed to the effluent of sodium zeolite softeners for boiler alkalinity control. Carbon dioxide is produced as a result of the acid treatment, and aeration is employed to rid the water of this corrosive gas. Similarly, when the effluents of hydrogen and sodium zeolite units are blended, the carbon dioxide formed is removed by aeration.

In the case of cold lime softening, carbon dioxide may be removed from the water before the water enters the equipment. When carbon dioxide removal is the only objective, economics usually favor removal of high concentrations of carbon dioxide by aeration rather than by chemical precipitation with lime.

Air stripping may be used to reduce concentrations of volatile organics, such as chloroform, as well as dissolved gases, such as hydrogen sulfide and ammonia. Air pollution standards must be considered when air stripping is used to reduce volatile organic compounds.