International Journal of Innovative Research in Advanced Engineering (IJIRAE) ISSN: 2349-2163

Issue 02, Volume 5 (February 2018) www.ijirae.com

A SOLUTION TO REDUCE THE AERATION TIME OF A

WATER VOLUME
Eugen Tămășanu, Rareș Păun, Beatrice Tănase
Department of Thermotechnics, Politehnica University of Bucharest,
București 060042, Romania
n_baran_fimm@yahoo.com,inregistrare@gmail.com;tanaseelenab@gmail.com;
Nicolae Băran,Mihaela Constantin, Giovani Roza
Dept. of Thermotechnics, Politehnica University of Bucharest,
București 060042, Romania
n_baran_fimm@yahoo.com;i.mihaelaconstantin@gmail.com; bertu_san@yahoo.com
Manuscript History
Number: IJIRAE/RS/Vol.05/Issue02/FBAE10083
DOI: 10.26562/IJIRAE.2018.FBAE10083
Received: 02, February 2018
Final Correction: 18, February 2018
Final Accepted: 22, February 2018
Published: February 2018
Citation: Eugen, Rareș, Beatrice, Nicolae, Mihaela & Giovani (2018). A SOLUTION TO REDUCE THE AERATION
TIME OF A WATER VOLUME. IJIRAE::International Journal of Innovative Research in Advanced Engineering,
Volume V, 82-87. doi://10.26562/IJIRAE.2018.FBAE10083
Editor: Dr.A.Arul L.S, Chief Editor, IJIRAE, AM Publications, India
Copyright: ©2018 This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License, Which Permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author
and source are credited
Abstract— The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate that the use of fine bubbles generators which are moving
into the water is more efficient than the use of fixed fine bubbles generators. The results of the theoretical and
experimental researches on the oxygen transfer rate to water are presented in the case of an immobile fine
bubbles generator.
Keywords—Water; aeration; generating air bubbles; fine bubble generators; oxygen transfer rate;
I. INTRODUCTION
Oxygen transfer to water, which occurs both in aquariums, fish breeders and sewage, is an important problem in
applying aeration technologies. If fine bubbles aeration [1] is used, significant energy savings are obtained, 20 ÷
50% of the energy required for aeration [2]. Of the power consumption of a sewage plant, 67% is the energy
consumption of water treatment [1] [2]. Reducing energy consumption can be done by using fine bubbles
generators (FBG) where the pressure loss is low; at the same time, the efficiency of the oxygen transfer to water
must be higher and the consumption of compressed air should be reduced.
Air pressure at the entrance to the fine bubbles generator is a very important parameter in the selection and
monitoring of fine bubbles generators, regardless of the shape or material from which they are built. It is
necessary to monitor this parameter during the operation of the aeration system as it indicates the operation state
of the fine bubbles generator by the fact that any clogging of the FBG orifices automatically leads to an increase in
air pressure at the entrance. The size and the orifices dimensions is a major parameter of FBG, because it directly
affects the working pressure of it. The working pressure of the FBG is the air pressure under the orifices plate.
Using FBG which moves in water, i.e. mobile FBG has the following advantage: the trajectory of the air bubbles in
water is a curve directed toward the free surface of the water; as a result the contact time between the air bubble
and the water is higher, the rate of increase in the dissolved oxygen concentration in the water will be higher. As a
result, the time required to aerate the water is reduced.
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 International Journal of Innovative Research in Advanced Engineering (IJIRAE) ISSN: 2349-2163
Issue 02, Volume 5 (February 2018) www.ijirae.com

II. PRESENTATION OF THE TWO TYPES OF INSTALLATIONS

To establish a connection between fixed and mobile FBG, or in order to make a comparison between them, a
similarity expressed by the size and time scale was used [3]. Thus, in the tank where the fixed FBG is introduced
the water has a volume V = 0.5 • 0.5 • 0.5 = 0.125 m3 (Figure 1.a).

Fig. 1 Computing notations

This tank is oxygenated with a fixed FBG for two hours with an air flow rate of V  600 dm3 / h and H = 500
mmH2O. In this case, the concentration of dissolved oxygen in water increases from C0 = 5.84 mg / l to C120 = 8.39
mg / l. If the tank increases by eight times, a volume of 8 • 0.125 m3 = 1 m3 will be obtained (Figure 1.b) to be used
in the mobile FBG study (Figure 4). Figure 2 shows the installation scheme for the fixed FBG and Figure 3 the
operation of it [4] [5].

Fig. 2 The experimental installation scheme

1-air filter; 2- air compressor with compressed air tank; 3-pressure reducer; 4- manometer; 5-thermometer; 6-
rotameter; 7-compressed air supply line of the FBG; 8-water tank; 9- FBG; 10- digital manometer.

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 International Journal of Innovative Research in Advanced Engineering (IJIRAE) ISSN: 2349-2163
Issue 02, Volume 5 (February 2018) www.ijirae.com

Fig. 3 Fine bubbles generator with 152 orifices with Ø 0.1 mm in operation
The fine bubbles generator is provided with a perforated plate with Ø 0.1 mm drilled orifices. Figure 4 shows the
sketch of the water aeration system using a fine, mobile bubbles generator. Above the water tank (Figure 4) is a
platform that moves between points A and B. The platform is moved by a step by step electric motor; the
platform's travel speed can be changed within the limits of 0.2 ÷ 0.8 m / s [6] [7].

Fig. 4 Sketch for the measurement of the concentration of dissolved oxygen for mobile FBGs
1– water tank; 2– A-B: the displacement distance of a mobile FBG; 3– mobile platform; 4– electric engine for the
displacement of the platform; 5–mechanical system for the 180o rotation of the FBG at the points A and B; 6–FBG,
with 17 holes, Ø 0.5 mm

Figure 5 shows a plan view and in Figure 6 a cross section of the experimental installation.

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 International Journal of Innovative Research in Advanced Engineering (IJIRAE) ISSN: 2349-2163
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Fig. 5 The displacement systems of mobile FBG (upper view):

1–mobile platform on wheels; 2–electric stepping motor; 3–gear wheels; 4–platform wheeles axle; 5–intermediary
axle; 6–elastic coupling; 7–motor driver; 8–personal computerl; 9–stepping motor; 10–rod solidary with the FBG;
11–gear wheeles; 12–gear belt

Fig 6 The displacement system of a mobile FBG (front view)

1–guide way; 2–wheel; 3–holder for the axle with bearing; 4–electric motor; 5–wheels for the gear belt; 6–holder
with bearing; 7– FBG rod; 8– gear belt; 9–gear wheels; 10– elastic coupling; 11–holders; 12– electric motor; 13–
plexiglass plate; 14–tank; 15–FBG

III. EQUATION OF OXYGEN TRANSFER RATE TO WATER

The rate of oxygen transfer to water is determined by the relation [8] [9]:
dC
w  a  k L  Cs  C  (1)
d
where: w - oxygen transfer rate to water [kg / m3s]
a∙kL - oxygen transfer volumetric coefficient [s-1]
Cs - mass concentration of oxygen in water at saturation [kg / m3]
C - the current mass concentration of oxygen in water [kg / m3]
Equation 1 can be integrated [10] [11] [12]:
C0 
dC
C Cs  C 0 a  kL dτ
 (2)

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 International Journal of Innovative Research in Advanced Engineering (IJIRAE) ISSN: 2349-2163
Issue 02, Volume 5 (February 2018) www.ijirae.com

ln  Cs  C   ln  Cs  C0   e  ak L τ (3)
It results:
C  Cs   C s  C0   e  a  k L  τ (4)

For the numerical integration of the equation (1), a computation program was developed and, following it, the
curve (1) of Figure 7 was obtained. Experimental researches were then carried out for the fixed FBG (curve 2 of
Figure 7).
The measurements on fixed FBG involve the following steps:
1. Verification if the 152 orifices are working, i.e. the air is introduced into the fine bubble generator;
2. The tank filling with water up to H = 500 mm H2O;
3. The measurements of C0, tH2O, tair;
4. The introduction of the fine bubble generator and the time notation (τ);
5. The removal of the FBG every 15 minutes outside the tank, and the measurement of the dissolved oxygen
concentration [13][14].
6. When a horizontal plane of function C = f (τ) is reached, the measurements stops with the condition: C ≈ Cs;
7. From previous research [15][16], the concentration of dissolved oxygen in water tends to saturation after a
two-hour period. So, the oxygen concentration will be measured at times: 15 minutes; 30 minutes; 45
minutes; 60 minutes; 75 minutes; 90 minutes; 105 minutes; 120 minutes.
8. At the end of the measurements, the oxygen probe is cleaned and the water from the tank is emptied.
9. Following the measurements, the data from Table 1 was obtained.

TABLE I - VALUES OF OXYGEN CONCENTRATION.

τ [min] 0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120

Vair [dm3 /h] 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600
VIO, 2  0,21  600  126 126 126 126 126 126 126 126 126
3
 126 [dm /h]
V other sources
O2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
tH2O [ oC] 23,7 23,7 23,7 23,7 23,7 23,7 23,7 23,7 23,7
tair [ oC] 24,1 24,1 24,1 24,1 24,1 24,1 24,1 24,1 24,1
C0 [mg/dm3] 5,84 5,84 5,84 5,84 5,84 5,84 5,84 5,84 5,84
Cs [mg/dm3] 8,4 8,4 8,4 8,4 8,4 8,4 8,4 8,4 8,4
C [mg/dm3] 5,84 6,89 7,65 8,01 8,10 8,26 8,31 8,35 8,39

Fig. 7 The variation of dissolved oxygen concentration in time 1 - curve based on theoretical data; 2 - curve based
on experimental data
Figure 7 shows a satisfactory coincidence between the theoretical and experimental data. Experimental
researches results on fixed FBG are also presented in papers [17] and [18].
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
IJIRAE: Impact Factor Value – SJIF: Innospace, Morocco (2016): 3.916 | PIF: 2.469 | Jour Info: 4.085 |
ISRAJIF (2016): 3.715 | Indexcopernicus: (ICV 2016): 64.35
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 International Journal of Innovative Research in Advanced Engineering (IJIRAE) ISSN: 2349-2163
Issue 02, Volume 5 (February 2018) www.ijirae.com

IV. CONCLUSIONS
The total duration of the aeration time is based on similarity criteria; so, if for the fixed FBG the total oxygenation
time is 120 min (2 h), multiplying with the similarity constant gives a total oxygenation time of 960 min (16 h).
Experimental researches proved that to reach from C0 to the same concentration of "C120" it is not necessary 16
hours, but only four hours. So, one of the advantages of using mobile FBG is that the oxygenation time is shortened
four times. In addition, the use of mobile FBG increases the degree of water turbulence, causing an increase in the
rate of oxygen transfer to water.
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IJIRAE: Impact Factor Value – SJIF: Innospace, Morocco (2016): 3.916 | PIF: 2.469 | Jour Info: 4.085 |
ISRAJIF (2016): 3.715 | Indexcopernicus: (ICV 2016): 64.35
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