Alpha correction factors for static aerators and fine bubble diffusers used in municipal facultative aerated lagoons

Abstract

The alpha correction factor (KLa process water/KLa clean water; where KLa is the volumetric oxygen mass transfer coefficient) was evaluated for 4 kinds of static aerators and 2 kinds of fine bubble diffusers used in municipal facultative aerated lagoons. For this purpose, a 40 m3 steel tank was filled (3.1 m side water depth) with clean or process water. The process water consisted of “mixed liquor” from a municipal facultative aerated lagoon divided into a cascade of four identical basins that were 3.5 m deep. Results showed that in the last three basins, the alpha correction factors were relatively high, being between 0.85 to 0.95 for any type of aeration device. In the first lagoon, however, the alpha correction factors were between 0.70 and 0.90 for static aerators and about 0.70 for fine bubble diffusers. Furthermore, at the inlet of the first basin, the alpha factor was as low as 0.59 for a static aerator and 0.26 for a fine bubble diffuser, due to the composition of the “mixed liquor”. It was shown that the alpha correction factor that should be used for the design of aeration systems for facultative aerated lagoons should be lower in the first basin of a series of basins and could be higher than 0.85 for the downstream basins.