Bubble dynamics and oxygen transfer in a hypolimnetic aerator

Abstract

A hypolimnetic aerator operating in one of the City of Norfolk's water supply reservoirs was tested. Dissolved oxygen (DO) profiles, water flow rate, and gas-phase holdup were measured over a wide range of applied air flow rates. A model that was developed to predict oxygen transfer in a Speece Cone was modified to conform to the conditions of the hypolimnetic aerator. By varying a single parameter (the initial bubble size) the model was found to provide a close fit to the experimental DO profiles as well as the observed gas-phase holdup. The model was used to show that a doubling in oxygen transfer may be achieved if initial bubble size is reduced from 5 mm to 2.5 mm. Knowing the initial bubble size, it should be possible to predict water velocity by incorporating the effect of momentum. Further work is now underway to test this approach and to examine the possibility of extending this generalized model to cover the range of hypolimnetic aeration and oxygenation devices.