Floating Aerators IrelandAerators for wastewater treatment works
Floating aerators supply the oxygen that aerobic bacteria need to break down organic load (BOD) in aeration tanks, oxidation ditches and treatment basins, and keep solids in suspension. They go into a working tank on moorings, so the plant keeps treating during installation.
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Why use floating aerators at a treatment works?
Tank levels rise and fall. Floating units ride with the level, while fixed systems need bridges, pipework on the floor of the tank or a blower house.
Units can be added as the load grows, or moved to clear a dead zone, without taking the tank out of service.
Which aerator types suit treatment works?
- High speed floating surface aerators: oxygen and mixing where the level changes
- Aerator mixers: aeration and mixing in one unit, and mixing only for anoxic zones
- Low speed surface aerators: activated sludge tanks and oxidation ditches
- Directional aerator mixers: channels and tanks where spray must be kept low
What depth suits floating aerators?
Floating aerators suit water from 0.5 to 5 metres deep. Most treatment tanks and basins in Ireland fall in that range.
What should I send with an enquiry?
- Tank length, width and depth, and how much the level changes
- Flow and load going in, if known
- The limits in your discharge licence
- Power available at the tank
Frequently asked questions
Can aerators be added to a treatment tank without emptying it?
Yes. Floating aerators are lowered into the working tank and held by cables to fixings on the walls or bank, so treatment carries on.
What water depth suits a floating aerator?
Floating aerators suit water from 0.5 to 5 metres deep.
Can floating aerators replace failed diffusers?
Often, yes. Floating units can take over or top up aeration in a tank with failed diffusers, without emptying it to reach the floor.