PROCESSES TO IMPROVE ENERGY

EFFICIENCY DURING LOW-LIFT

PUMPING AND AERATION OF
RECIRCULATING WATER IN CIRCULAR
TANK SYSTEMS
Steven Summerfelt, Timothy Pfeiffer, Lauren
Jescovitch, Ethan Metzgar, Dane Schiro
Aqua America 2014
Feb 11, 2014

Developed Three Low-head and HighFlow Gas Transfer Processes

Locate each adjacent to the culture tank improve
energy efficiency & reduce fixed costs of CO2 stripping

Cascade Column and

Airlift Pump
Axial Flow Pump

Aerator Pump
Aqua America 2014
Feb 11, 2014

Methods: Sidewall Box Airlift

Aqua America 2014

Feb 11, 2014

Methods: Sidewall Box Airlift

46 cm (18 inch) wide weir wall
inlet
46 cm

airlift

outlet

foam
Aqua America 2014
skimmer
Feb 11, 2014

Methods: Sidewall Box Airlift

Five diffuser grids tested within the 2060 cm2
(2.25 ft2) plan area airlift
1. Snap-Cap diffusers
Aero-Tube Tubing
2. Flat, 1-air inlet
2.4 m tubing
3. Flat, 2-air inlet
2.4 m tubing
4. L-shaped grid
3.7 m tubing
5. Angled grid
2.7 m tubing BEST

BEST

Aqua America 2014

Feb 11, 2014

Methods: Sidewall Box

Aerator Pump

Aqua America 2014

Feb 11, 2014

Methods: Sidewall Box Aerator Pump

Aqua America 2014

Feb 11, 2014

Methods: Axial Flow Pump &

Aeration Column
Crown nozzle distribution w/
chimney & no packing
Axial flow low-head pump
w/ or w/o forced ventilation

Aqua America 2014

Feb 11, 2014

Methods: Motive Force

Airlift Pump: 0.38 kW (1/2-HP) regenerative
blower
Model S31, Aquatic-Eco Systems

Aerator Pump: 0.38 kW (1/2-HP) aerator

pump mounted above plate
Model 2400AF Pond Aerator, Kasco Marine

Axial Flow Pump: 0.38 kW (1/2-HP)

-HP, 10-cm Discharge, Carry Manufacturing
Also used axial flow fan (0.087 kW)
Aqua America 2014
Feb 11, 2014

Results: Sidewall Box Pumping

& Aeration
Airlift
Pump

Aeration
Pump

Axial Flow
Pump &
Aeration
Column

3.8 (1.5 in)

na

122

2.6

1.8

0.59

(680 gpm)

(470 gpm)

(156 gpm)

Tank HRT, min

4.4

6.4

19

Line Power, kW

0.68

0.54

0.72

3.8

3.3

1.3

(Angled Grid)

Water Lift, cm
Water Flow Rate,
m3/min

Water Flow/Power,
(m3/min)/kW

Aqua America 2014

Feb 11, 2014

Results: Sidewall Box Pumping

& Aeration

Airlift
Pump

(Angled Grid)

Air Flow, L/min

396

Air Pressure, m H2O

Air Pressure Drop (Piping
& Diffuser), m H2O

1.25
0.315

Air:Water, vol:vol

0.15:1

Up-welling Velocity, m/s

0.21
Aqua America 2014
Feb 11, 2014

Results: Sidewall Box Pumping

& Aeration

Change in dissolved O2 across unit @ 13C

O2 increase, mg/L (saturation = 10.38 mg/L @ 120 m)

Airlift
Pump

Aeration
Pump

Axial Flow
Pump &
Aeration
Column

Inlet O2

(Angled Grid)

90%

0.41 0.04

0.45 0.03

80%

0.57 0.03

0.88 0.04

70%

0.75 0.11

0.71

1.25 0.07
Aqua America 2014
Feb 11, 2014

Results: Sidewall Box Pumping

& Aeration

Dissolved O2 addition across unit @ 13C

O2 increase, kg/day (saturation = 10.38 mg/L @ 120 m)

Inlet O2

Airlift Pump
(Angled Grid)

Aeration
Pump

Axial Flow
Pump &
Aeration
Column

90%

1.52 0.04

0.38 0.02

80%

2.12 0.16

0.75 0.03

70%

2.76 0.09

2.04

1.06 0.06
Aqua America 2014
Feb 11, 2014

Results: Sidewall Box Pumping

& Aeration

Dissolved O2 addition across unit @ 13C

O2 increase, kg/(day.kW)

Inlet O2

Airlift Pump
(Angled Grid)

( SE)

Aeration
Pump

Axial Flow
Pump &
Aeration
Column

90%

2.2

0.53

80%

3.1

1.04

70%

4.1

3.8

1.47
Aqua America 2014
Feb 11, 2014

Results: Sidewall Box Pumping

& Aeration

Standard KLa and SOTR for oxygen transfer

Airlift Pump
(Angled Grid)

Aeration
Pump

Axial Flow
Pump &
Aeration
Column

St. KLa (hr-1)

0.89

1.112

0.94

SOTR (kg/hr)

0.093

0.127

0.084

Inlet CO2

(Bigger numbers are better)

Aqua America 2014
Feb 11, 2014

Results: Sidewall Box Pumping

& Aeration

Change in dissolved CO2 across unit @ 13C

CO2 decrease, mg/L ( SE)
Airlift
Pump

Aeration
Pump

Axial Flow
Pump &
Aeration
Column

Inlet CO2

(Angled Grid)

10 mg/L

na

2.43 0.06

15 mg/L

1.24 0.08

4.22 0.02

20 mg/L

2.07 0.10
(10% removal)

2.73

6.78 0.02

(14% removal) (34% removal)

Aqua America 2014
Feb 11, 2014

Results: Sidewall Box Pumping

& Aeration

Change in dissolved CO2 across unit @ 13C

CO2 decrease, kg/day
Airlift
Pump

( SE)

Aeration
Pump

Axial Flow
Pump &
Aeration
Column

Inlet CO2

(Angled Grid)

10 mg/L

na

2.06 0.05

15 mg/L

4.56 0.21

3.67 0.11

20 mg/L

7.68 0.28

7.5

5.79 0.02
Aqua America 2014
Feb 11, 2014

Results: Sidewall Box Pumping

& Aeration

Dissolved CO2 addition across unit @ 13C

CO2 increase, kg/(day.kW)

( SE)

Airlift Pump
(Angled Grid)

Aeration
Pump

Axial Flow
Pump &
Aeration
Column

10 mg/L

na

na

2.9

15 mg/L

6.7

na

5.1

20 mg/L

11.3

14.4

8.1

Inlet CO2

Aqua America 2014

Feb 11, 2014

Conclusions
All three sidewall box pumping & aeration
processes create simple partial-reuse system
Large flows are created with modest energy
1.3 to 3.8 (m3/min)/kW

Exchange the culture tank volume rapidly

5-19 minute exchange rate

Keep aeration outside of culture tank

Tank operates on dual-drain principle & solids
fractionate to bottom center drain MAINTAINS
WATER QUALITY
Aqua America 2014
Feb 11, 2014

Conclusions
Axial flow pumping with cascade aeration
Most O2 addition and CO2 stripping efficiency each
pass through the unit
Lowest water pumping efficiency per kW of pump
Lowest energy efficiency for O2 addition and CO2
stripping
Worst Standard KLa and SOTR for oxygen transfer

Aqua America 2014

Feb 11, 2014

Conclusions
Aeration pump in sidewall box
Best Standard KLa and SOTR for oxygen transfer
Best energy efficiency for CO2 stripping
Nearly best water pumping efficiency per kW
Nearly best energy efficiency for O2 addition
Our anecdotal experience indicates that rainbow
trout are more likely to break with Bacterial Gill
Disease using airlift pump or aerator pump in our
hard water system
Aqua America 2014
Feb 11, 2014

Sidewall Pumps in Large

Circular Culture Tanks

Air Lift Pumps

INSIDE SQUARE TANKS
Airlift Pumps
INSIDE
TANKS

Airlift Pumps
OUTSIDE
Aqua America 2014
TANKSFeb 11, 2014

Acknowledgements
All research was supported by the Agriculture Research
Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, under
Agreement No. 59-1930-5-510.
Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations are of the
authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the USDA.
All experimental protocols involving live animals were in
compliance with Animal Welfare Act (9CFR) and have been
approved by the Freshwater Institute Animal Care and Use
Committee.
Aqua America 2014
Feb 11, 2014