Fine Bubble Diffuser Maintenance
Posted by Goody on 02/26/08 in Business
Most fine bubble diffused aeration systems produced today are either discs, tubes or panels. These systems for the most part utilize perforated flexible membranes to produce small bubbles to provide oxygen mass transfer.
Most of these systems operate trouble free and what is not malfunctioning often does not get much attention when there is so much else to do and facilities are under-staffed.
Over time it is possible for membranes to foul with slime, increasing backpressure on the membrane and requiring more pressure and horsepower from the blowers to deliver the same amount of oxygen,
It is also possible for membranes to show signs of creep or deformation.
If membranes are allowed to deteriorate to the point where the diffusers actually fail mechanically, the result is a lot more work and expense as compared to performing periodic maintenance or inspections over the lifetime of the equipment.
It is advisable to monitor fine bubble diffuser performance either with pressure monitoring systems to note changes in membrane back pressure, or retrievable pilot diffusers which can be initially characterized and removed from time to time quite easily and checked or tested for signs of aging or fouling.
The use of retrievable pilot diffusers is not widespread, but the use of oxygen transfer testing of new diffusers in clean water at a new installation is widespread. It would seem to this author that the money spent on re-confirming new diffuser performance in clean water, which is a condition the diffuser will see only once in its life at the beginning, is rather wasteful, as compared to the investment of less money in a pilot setup.
By monitoring system performance, you can operate trouble free for many years, and maximize the efficiency and ease of operation with fine bubble diffusers
Visit Stamford Scientific for more information on fine bubble diffusers, tube diffuser, and disc diffuser systems.
Tags: aeration systems, blowers, bubble diffusers, clean water, deformation, horsepower, monitoring system, monitoring systems, note changes, oxygen transfer, periodic maintenance, pilot, signs of aging, slime, system performance, trouble free
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