Bega Cheese
Venturi Aerators transform wastewater lagoon for food processing company
Project Background
In 2018, the Environmental Manager at Bega, Northern Victoria, Mr Sean Trebley, was given the task of upgrading their Strathmerton Plant’s wastewater aeration system.
The wastewater system consisted of a DAF unit, which flowed into an aerated lagoon, and after this the effluent was stored in 2 non-aerated lagoons during winter, before irrigation in summer.
Aerators are needed to keep the COD down and reduce odours in the aerated and the downstream non-aerated lagoons. They had an ageing system of surface aerators in the aerated lagoon, consisting of two 22kW units and six 8kW units, however generally only 1 or 2 of these units were operated at any time.
Over a number of years these surface aerators had progressively failed because of their age and repairing them meant deploying cranes and/or boats to access them. This process was expensive and had resulted in damage to the dam liner. Eventually it became uneconomic to keep repairing the aerators.
Therefore it was decided to look for a solution that was safer for operators and easier to maintain.
The Bega crew are very happy with the results! The wastewater and maintenance teams are pleased that monitoring and maintenance can be done safely.
The Options
Mr Trebley contacted Hydro Innovations to discuss the use of their “bank-mounted” Venturi Aerator systems. These are mounted on the banks of lagoons and use a self-priming pump to draw water from the lagoon. The pump discharges it under pressure through the Venturi Aerator. The unit draws in atmospheric air using the “venturi effect”, mixes it with the water being pumped, and discharges it back into the lagoon, charged with dissolved oxygen.
Sean and his team really liked the idea of bank-mounting because it gave operators easy access to equipment for monitoring and/or repair, making it much safer and more cost-effective to maintain. Their only concern was whether the Venturi Aerator units were as efficient as the surface mounted technologies.
Hydro Innovations were able to provide information indicating that with the use of the right pump, oxygen transfer efficiency [OTE] for Venturi-Aeration units can be as high or higher than 1.86kgO2/kWh, making them as at least as efficient as the surface [floating] technologies.
The aerated lagoon contained 45ML of effluent, with in-flows from 80-120ML per year. This required a 150mm Venturi-Aeration unit and was paired with a Gorman-Rupp V6A60-B self priming pump, with a hydraulic efficiency of 70%.
The Solution
A 150mm Venturi Aerator and a Gorman-Rupp V6A60-B self-priming pump was installed in early 2019.
The above photo shows the condition of the lagoon before the Venturi Aerator was installed and operating.
The after photo shows the amazing transformation of the lagoon.
In this photo, it can be seen that ripples from the Venturi aerator “radiate” to all parts of the lagoon, ensuring a good level of mixing.
Since installation, operators have seen a continued increase in the dissolved oxygen [DO] level, and have seen COD fall by 50% even though the higher level of mixing was re-suspending settled solids, which became more “bioavailable” to the CFUs.
Sean and the Bega crew are happy with the ever-increasing levels of DO, the reduction in COD, and their odour-free lagoon. The Wastewater & Maintenance Teams are also pleased that monitoring and maintenance can be done safely, and without the use of cranes, boats or winches.
More information about Venturi Aerators or Gorman-Rupp pumps can be obtained from info@hydroinnovations.com.au
The Pumps
The Gorman-Rupp Ultra V Series is the most advanced self-priming centrifugal wastewater and sewage pump range on the market today. They are high performance, high head, and high-efficiency pumps, designed to deliver a long and low maintenance service life, with low cost of ownership.
The Venturi Aerator features a classic design for modern applications. Whether you need a complete replacement or simply an enhancement to your existing system, the Venturi Aerator offers an innovative and convenient approach to your aeration needs.
Download the Brochure | Ask Our Team
The EchoStorm water aerator from Gorman-Rupp offers the benefits of safety, reliability and ease of access to water aeration applications.
Because these units are mounted on the bank [instead of floating on the water or being submerged in it], access is much less complicated and safer, while delivering oxygen transfer outcomes.
The EchoStorm water aerator benefits::
- No cranes or row boats for maintenance
- Easily accessed
- Less downtime
- Reliable and easy to maintain
- Easily scalable and low cost of ownership
- Thorough mixing – no dead spots
- High SOTR (Standard Oxygen Transfer rate)
- Oxygenated water
These aeration units are used in conjunction with Gorman Rupp self-priming centrifugal pumps to deliver solutions for the following applications:
- Lagoon and basin water aerator
- Oxidation ditch aeration
- Lake destratification and algae control
- Odour control
- Sludge digestion
- Septage treatment
Our Team is available to answer your pump query within the hour
Hydro’s experts are standing by to help you get the best pump, aerators and genuine spare parts for your specific project.
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Australia Wide
Hydro Innovations is proud to distribute a broad range of quality, reliable and industry-leading industrial pumps and aerators.
We are also delighted to share that Hydro Innovations is proud to be the exclusive distributor of Gorman-Rupp Pumps.
Gorman-Rupp is the world leader in self-priming centrifugal wastewater pump technology, and invests heavily in R&D, and in training for their international representatives – like Hydro Innovations.
This puts us in an excellent position to make the very best recommendations for our Australian customers.
Our other suppliers, Ragazzini of Italy and EDUR of Germany, are also world leaders in their respective technologies (Peristaltic Pumps – Ragazzini, and Specialist centrifugal pumps – EDUR).
We carry a very large inventory of pumps and spare parts for all of these brands, to help us to deliver industry-leading service.
