Blower Selection in the High-Speed Turbo Age

Process air requirements represent a significant portion of total energy demand in a typical wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Therefore, aeration blowers are an enticing target for energy efficiency improvements. High-speed turbo blowers, a technology first introduced into the US wastewater market within the last 10 years, offer potentially significant energy efficiency improvements as compared to existing blower technology. High-speed turbo blowers have been the main topic of multiple WEFTEC papers in the past few years as awareness and applications increase in the industry. However, they are not necessarily the best solution for each situation. This paper reviews issues related to selection and design of blowers, and summarizes four recent case studies of blower selection that included evaluation of different blower technologies.