Okay to switch off aeration on sewage treatment plant?
#1
08-05-17, 12:58 PM
Okay to switch off aeration on sewage treatment plant?
Hi, Have recently had installed a Conder asp HDPE sewage treatment plant.
It uses an 'extended aeration principle' and a course bubble diffuser introduces air. My neighbour (who co-owns the plant) is sure that it is okay to switch off the electricity to the plant every night for around 6 hours, to save electricity costs. I am looking for advice and comments around this please. The manufacturers are clear that aeration must be constant. Anyone have experience of this particular system and any issues or concerns, particularly over the longer term, of switching off. Thank you.
It uses an 'extended aeration principle' and a course bubble diffuser introduces air. My neighbour (who co-owns the plant) is sure that it is okay to switch off the electricity to the plant every night for around 6 hours, to save electricity costs. I am looking for advice and comments around this please. The manufacturers are clear that aeration must be constant. Anyone have experience of this particular system and any issues or concerns, particularly over the longer term, of switching off. Thank you.
#3
08-05-17, 10:22 PM
Group Moderator
Welcome to the forums.
That pretty much sums it up.
The manufacturers are clear that aeration must be constant.
#5
08-06-17, 04:55 AM
Thanks for replies, yes we would just save a few pennies and I am sure we should leave it on. My neighbour though is saying the 'manufacturers would say that' and has found comments online where people have just aerated a few hours a day and this is fine for the bacteria. If anyone has any experience or more detailed technical reasons why it should stay on, it would be good to hear them. Thank you.
#6
08-06-17, 05:12 AM
bacteria
Before retirement, I helped out at a small wastewater treatment plant. We continuously monitored dissolved oxygen (D.O.) levels. If a blower was shut down
for repair, D.O. levels started to drop within minutes. Not all the bacteria are dependent on a specific level of dissolved oxygen, but many are. In your situation, how are you going to determine the health of the "bugs" (and the proper level of treatment) if you start shutting down periodically? It seems like false economy to install an aeration system, and then not follow the instructions for proper operation. Steve
for repair, D.O. levels started to drop within minutes. Not all the bacteria are dependent on a specific level of dissolved oxygen, but many are. In your situation, how are you going to determine the health of the "bugs" (and the proper level of treatment) if you start shutting down periodically? It seems like false economy to install an aeration system, and then not follow the instructions for proper operation. Steve
