Effect of orifice diameter, depth of air injection, and air flow rate on oxygen transfer in a pilot-scale, full lift, hypolimnetic aerator

A pilot-scale, full lift, hypolimnetic aerator was used to examine the effect of diffuser pore diameter, depth of diffuser submergence, and gas flow rate on oxygen transfer, using four standard units of measure for quantifying oxygen transfer: (a) K(L)a(20) (h(-1)), the oxygen transfer coefficient at 20 degrees C; (b) SOTR (g O(2)center dot h(-1)), the standard oxygen transfer rate; (c) SAE (gO(2)center dot kWh(-1)), the standard aeration efficiency and (d) SOTE (%), the standard oxygen transfer efficiency. Diffuser depth (1.5 and 2.9 m) exerted a significant effect on K(L)a(20), SOTR, SAE, and SOTE, with all units of measure increasing in response to increased diffuser depth. Both K(L)a(20) and SOTR responded positively to increased gas flow rates (10, 20, 30, and 40 L.min(-1)), whereas both SAE and SOTE responded negatively. Orifice diameter (140, 400, and 800 mm) exerted a significant effect on K(L)a(20), SOTR, SAE, and SOTE, with all units of measure increasing with decreasing orifice size. These experiments demonstrate how competing design factors interact to determine overall oxygen transfer rates in full lift hypolimnetic aeration systems. The practical application for full lift hypolimnetic aerator design is to maximize the surface area of the bubbles, use fine (i.e., similar to 140 mu m) pore diameter diffusers, and locate the diffusers at the maximum practical depth.