Actuators On Aeration Blower Valves Improve Dissolved Oxygen And Increase Overall Process Stability

A wastewater treatment plant that produces near-potable, reclaimed water for irrigation uses in South FL. The plant was built in 1955 and most recently upgraded in 2011. The treatment process includes a Dissolved Oxygen System with (3) Aeration Basins. Installing Beck electric actuators on the aeration blower control valves has improved process stability and plant operations.

Dissolved oxygen (DO) content in the basins is controlled by measuring the DO concentration and then modulating the aeration flow control valves to maintain the ideal setpoint. Good control is critical to keeping the treatment process stable thus optimizing throughput and chemical usage. Each of the plant’s three aeration basins has its own aeration control valve, and the ability to control the basin DO is a function of how well each of these valves can be modulated. Historically, the plant used conventional electric actuators to modulate the Aeration control valves, but suffered from DO concentration swings, often to unacceptable levels especially under certain treatment conditions