Novel Vortex Powered Aeration: Performance Of A Large Scale System In An Abattoir Wastewater Treatment Plant

Vortex Powered Aeration (VPA) is a novel wastewater aeration technology that adopts cyclonic flow with advanced flexible control to achieve high treatment efficiency in activated sludge systems. The innovation was recently deployed at an industrial abattoir as part of an upgrade. The challenge was to provide a low total expenditure activated sludge system to minimize energy use, reduce trade effluent charges, reduce carbon emissions, and minimize noise pollution. The VPA’s energy efficiency performance was evaluated and compared to a similarly sized abattoir facility which uses fine bubble diffused aeration (FBDA), and a 30% reduction in specific energy consumption was noted. In addition, a carbon equivalent analysis was conducted at the facility, pre- and post-upgrade, which demonstrated a saving of circa 93,500 kgCO2-eq/annum through chemical use reductions alone. This paper describes how the VPA technology is suitable to wastewater treatment plant retrofits and new builds in the food and beverage industry.