Wastewater aeration Victoria is a very important process of adding air into the wastewater being treated to allow aerobic biodegradation of the pollutant components. Unlike chemical wastewater treatment which uses chemicals to react with contaminants and stabilise them in the wastewater stream, microorganisms are used in biological wastewater treatment and these microorganisms occur naturally to degrade the contaminants in wastewater.
When to use aeration
In the industrial and municipal treatment of wastewater, aeration is part of an important stage known as the secondary wastewater treatment process. The process of using activated sludge is the most common option when it comes to secondary wastewater treatment. The aeration process is based on pumping air into a treatment tank and promotes the growth of microorganisms in the wastewater being treated. These microorganisms feed on the organic material to form flocks that can settle out. Once the flock has settled out in a separate settling container or tank, bacteria forming the sludge flocks are recirculated back into the aeration tank or basin to increase the decomposition rate.
Understanding how aeration works
During the treatment of wastewater, aeration provides oxygen to bacteria to treat and stabilise wastewater. Oxygen is required by the bacteria to allow biodegradation. The oxygen is then utilised by bacteria in the wastewater being treated to break down the organic matter that contains carbon to form water and carbon dioxide. Without sufficient oxygen, bacteria will not be able to biodegrade the organic matter at the right time.
Without the appropriate wastewater aeration system, there will be insufficient dissolved oxygen and degradation must happen under septic conditions. This means that the process will be odorous, slow, and yield incomplete conversions of pollutants.
Some biological processes convert Sulphur and hydrogen under septic conditions to form hydrogen sulphide and carbon is transformed into methane. The remaining carbon will be converted into organic acids to create low pH conditions in the basin and this will make the water difficult to treat hence forming odours.
The benefits of aeration in wastewater treatment
During wastewater treatment, aeration is a very important component. A well-designed aeration system will have a direct impact on the level of treatment it achieves. Evenly distributed supply of enough oxygen in an aeration system for wastewater treatment is the key to economically-viable, rapid and effective treatment of wastewater.
Monitoring pH for wastewater treatment aeration
Another important parameter that is usually monitored during the aeration treatment of wastewater is the pH. Microbial communities that help in the removal of nutrients survive and do well in certain pH ranges. This is usually between pH levels of 6.5 and 8.5. Proper monitoring and adjusting of the pH help maintain healthy microbes required during the treatment of wastewater. Self-cleaning pH probes are required for the monitoring of the treatment of activated sludge as the flat glass resists the breakage and build-up of solids suspended in the wastewater.
Now that you have seen the benefits of wastewater aeration Victoria in wastewater treatment, if you are setting up your own wastewater treatment plant, it is crucial to invest in the best aeration systems.
