ROTATING EQUIPMENT/WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Blower selection
for wastewater aeration*
Use these guidelines to understand the many factors
that differentiate different designs
Compiled by the staff of Aerzen USA, Coatesville, Pennsylvania

s the main electricity consumers in a wastewater treatment plant, aeration blowers greatly influence overall
plant operating cost. The most energy-efficient solution
must be based on actual conditions that, in reality, are far from
static. In fact, energy efficiency alone may not be the governing
factor in optimized blower selection and neither are comparisons
made at one hypothetical operating point only.
This article provides overview information that will help engineers understand the importance of more closely looking at the
many factors that separate different designs and deserve far more
detailed evaluation to arrive at the best selection.
Economics and matching aeration blowers. In a
wastewater treatment plant, control design must interact with
aeration demand. Subsystem selection and thoughtful integration
are of paramount importance, as is the overall facility operating
philosophy. All of these influence total ownership cost and must
guide the selection process.
Many plants are oversized because projected population growth
did not materialize. As an example, a rotary-lobe blower package
sized originally for 3,000 cfm/8.5 psi might use 179 bhp when
equipped with a traditional belt drive and standard-efficiency
motor. Suppose this represented oversizing by 30%, in which
case replacing the unit should certainly be considered. A more
efficient, modern rotary-lobe blower package with automatic
belt tensioning and a premium-efficiency motor would produce
20% more cfm per hp than the old machine! Both energy and
maintenance outlays would be saved.
A normal operating point should be defined as the point at
which usual operation is expected and optimum efficiency is
desired. This point is usually the certified point. In other words,
if a plant is designed to operate at 80% of its peak, aeration
blower performance should be optimized for that point. Optimization is facilitated by machines designed with a plug-in-and-run
concept in mind. While this represents an efficient and attractive
proposition, keep in mind that flexibility is required to meet
actual needs. For example, electricians prefer working on motor
starters and variable-frequency drive (VFD) controls (if needed)
located in a clean and air-conditioned electrical room rather than
in a noisy machinery room. In general, blowers installed outdoors
* Based on a comprehensive manuscript available from Aerzen USA, Coatesville, Pennsylvania.

eliminate the need for an enclosed locationa substantial cost

avoidance. Temperature control in a machine room must be
achieved without raising the operating costs for air conditioning;
in addition to OSHA noise limits within the plant, continuous
and transient noise** emissions may cause problems in close
proximity to residential areas. Initial installed equipment cost is a
poor indicator of life cycle cost. Energy cost and expenditures for
typical maintenance, condition monitoring, spare parts, repair
time and overhead are key contributors and yet, there are other
factors to weigh as well.
Unfortunately, the costs used to compare proposals are frequently based on hypothetical conditions. Some less-obvious
aspects are sometimes completely neglected but are, nevertheless,
important ingredients of the ownership cost. To mention a few:
balanced and stable power supply, unused pressure reserves or
air flow, air filter maintenance/replacement frequency, number
of machines, etc.
Blower technologies compared. Four parameters: site
condition, aeration system type, instantaneous air mass flow and
related system variables both upstream and downstream, are of
obvious importance in blower selection. Available blower configurations are generally classified as either positive displacement

FIG. 1

X-ray view of a rotary-lobe blower stage.

** Transient noise is generated by antisurge control valves and pressure safety or

unloading valve opening.
HYDROCARBON PROCESSING APRIL 2010

I 79

ROTATING EQUIPMENT/WASTEWATER TREATMENT

(rotary lobe, Fig. 1, also dry screw, Fig. 2) or dynamic (centrifugal)
machines. Dynamic blowers incorporate either a rotor with stepup gearing (Fig. 3) or a driver that can generate the requisite high
speeds. Special-purpose, high-speed single-stage centrifugal blowers (Fig. 3) incorporate inlet guide vanes and outlet diffuser vanes
to achieve wide turndown at constant operating speed. These

machines can be operated with a VFD to provide additional flexibility while maintaining highest efficiency. They are also offered
as a self-contained package (Fig. 4).
A standardized high-speed, single-stage turbo blower is
depicted in Fig. 5. These recently introduced machines are directdriven by a high-speed permanent magnet motor and always
require a VFD to accommodate varying air densities and/or air
pressure requirements. Impellers are either precision cast or fully
machined. No adjustable diffuser vanes are used and the machines
rely on a well-integrated, elaborate control system to accommodate changing conditions.
Standardized, high-speed single-stage turbo blowers make use
of the most current technology involving magnetic or air bearings.
Continuous vibration monitoring is possible with magnetic bearings
but not with air bearings. A packaged assembly is shown in Fig. 6.
Again, each of these blower technologies is further described in
a comprehensive white paper available from the authors.
Site conditions. Site elevation above sea level determines the

FIG. 2

Dry-screw compressor rotors with timing gears.

FIG. 3

Centrifugal blower section with inlet guide vanes and

diffuser vanes (Source: Dresser Industries).

FIG. 5

Turbo blower section with permanent magnet motor and

airfoil bearings (Source: K-Turbo).

Single-stage centrifugal blower package (Source: Siemens).

FIG. 6

Turbo blower package (Source: Neuros).

FIG. 4

80

atmospheric pressure and, therefore, the inlet pressure and air

density. As a result, the compression ratio (defined as the ratio
of the absolute discharge to the absolute inlet pressures) and the
compressed-air discharge temperature will vary accordingly.

I APRIL 2010 HYDROCARBON PROCESSING

ROTATING EQUIPMENT/WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Considerable diligence must go into evaluating the full impact
of site conditions, as seen in Fig. 7 and Table 1. Note the variation
in oxygen content per unit of volume of ambient air. Going from
the warmest and coldest conditions at constant relative humidity,
the oxygen content in Miami is 14% vs. 31% in Denver.
Aeration system type and operating pressure. Please

recall that it is not the purpose of this article to discuss the most
efficient aeration system. Instead, the write-up is intended to
provide an overview of how aeration system components affect
blower operation and to highlight the implicit role of competent
manufacturers in bringing all pertinent factors to the attention of
discerning operating facilities and buyers.
Aeration blowers must overcome diffuser submersion. Submersion depth determines hydrostatic head; submersion typically
ranges from 10 ft (3 m) to 26 ft (8 m) in municipal wastewater
treatment plants. In contrast, industrial systems may require 33 ft
(10 m) to 66 ft (20 m). Municipal systems would be best served
by aeration blowers capable of pressures under 15 psig (~1,000
mbar) while single-stage, oil-free screw or high-speed centrifugal
compressors should be considered for most industrial systems. In
either case, the pressure losses indicated in Fig. 8 must be added
to the aeration depth.
It should be noted that piping and associated check valves,
isolating valves, elbows or other piping components will engender
restrictions that, at maximum flow, can easily reach, or even exceed,
1.0 psi (70 mbar). Also, the head loss across the diffuser system
typically 0.4 to 0.8 psi (30 to 60 mbar)needs to be considered.
It is appropriate to add a safety margin in the range of 0.5
to 1.0 psi (35 to 70 mbar) to account for diffuser aging and/
or fouling. Operating experience also demonstrates an elevated
stagnation pressure needs to be overcome for a short period.
Moreover, condensate that may have appeared in the pipe must
be displaced.
All these pressure losses and reserve margins must be considered for dependable and stable operation. While this pressure
reserve margin can easily reach and even exceed 15% of the submersion head at full flow, it will decrease to only a small amount at
minimum flow with a clean system. Therefore, a plant can directly
benefit from reduced pressure losses if the blower power demand
decreases in direct proportion.

FIG. 7

TABLE 1. Example of the effects of location on

compression ratio and air flow
Example: If the system pressure to overcome is 8 psi (550 mbar), considering a
constant relative humidity of 36% (data source: weatherbase.com)
Location examples

Miami, Florida

Denver, Colorado

Atmospheric pressure

14.7 psia
(1.013 bar abs)

12.2 psia
(0.84 bar abs)

Discharge pressure

22.7 psia
(1.56 bar abs)

20.2 psia
(1.39 bar abs)

1.544

1.655

Compression ratio @ 8 psid (550 mbar)

Average temperature

76F (24C)

55F (13C)

Lowest temperature

30F (1C)

17F (27C)

Highest temperature

98F (36C)

115F (46C)

Air density at lowest temperature

0.081 lb/ft3
(1.297 kg/m3)

0.076 lb/ft3
(1.225 kg/m3)

Air density at average temperature

0.074 lb/ft3
(1.184 kg/m3)

0.065 lb/ft3
(1.046 kg/m3)

Air density at highest temperature

0.071 lb/ft3
(1.134 kg/m3)

0.059 lb/ft3
(0.937 kg/m3)

14%

31%

Oxygen content variation per unit

of volume of ambient air between the
warmest and coldest conditions at
constant relative humidity

The effect of the relative humidity must also be taken into account; a rise in
humidity results in a lower air density, all other conditions being equal. Example:
at the maximum temperature, air with 100% RH will have a 3% lower density in
Miami, and 2% in Denver, than 36% RH air.

Impact of geographic location and altitude on the

operating conditions.
Select 175 at www.HydrocarbonProcessing.com/RS
81

ROTATING EQUIPMENT

Not the length is important

but the technique

Abstain
from drive shafts being long and susceptible to troubles

Spare
needless shaft and guide bearings

Forget
complex and cost-intensive seal technology

Require
best available technology for a long service life
and high availability

Typical system pressure curve

System pressure, psi

HERMETICALLY SEALED
SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS

9.5
9.0
8.5
8.0
7.5
7.0
6.5
6.0
5.5
5.0

Aging, fouling and stagnation margin

Diffuser head
Piping losses
Submersion head

10

FIG. 8

20

30

40
50
60
Total air ow, %

70

80

90

Typical system pressure diagram in relation to air flow and

to aeration system condition.

TABLE 2. Air mover typical rotor tip speed and

rpm range
Typical maximum
tip speeds

High-speed
centrifugal/turbo

Rotary-lobe
blowers

Oil-free
screw machines

ft/sec

1,150

140

400

m/sec

350

45

120

20,000 to 65,000

1,000 to 5,000

3,000 to 15,000

Typical operating
speeds, rpm

TABLE 3. Drive systems for the various blower types

Special-purpose,
high-speed
Rotary-lobe blowers
centrifugal
Standardized highScrew compressors
blowers
speed turbo blowers

if 2 or 20 meters we are exible

Motor type

support and
cable pipe
pressure /
discharge line

extremely short
drive shaft

HERMETIC-Pumpen GmbH P.O. Box 1220 D-79191 Gundelngen

[email protected] www.lederle-hermetic.com
Select 176 at www.HydrocarbonProcessing.com/RS
82

Standard induction

Standard induction

Drive

Belt drive

Gear

Permanent magnet
Direct

VFD

VFD optional

VFD optional

VFD always required

Blower control schemes and turndown capability.

The system turndown capability is determined by the number

of blowers, their individual turndown capability and the operating mode (variable flow or on/off cycling operation). Turndown
capability is largely a function of the blower and its associated
drive technology. For an entire system, a wide turndown range
is often required to meet varying oxygen demand. With overall
systems often demanding turndown capabilities from 4:1 to 10:1,
multiple blowers and/or well-thought-out blower control schemes
are required.
The purpose of the control system is to match instantaneous
air output to the actual air demand in the most efficient manner.
This, of course, implies running the least number of machines and
operating them at or near their respective best efficiencies.
A large turndown means that the system will be able to meet
the lowest air requirements without wasting energy by idling or
bleeding off excess discharge air to the atmosphere. Large turndown also provides additional flexibility and enables the blower
system to meet the air requirements in a step-less manner with the
minimum number of machines and lowest number of frequency
inverters or VFDs. The turndown of each machine must allow for
some overlapping (preferably 5% of the flow of an individual
machine). Therefore, a 55% turndown is required for a stable
control system, avoiding step-like output strategies or wasting

ROTATING EQUIPMENT/WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Other system variables: upstream and downstream.

impact on power usage and actual flow than the same pressure
drop on the discharge side.
It is preferable that the filter be the last element contacted by
the inlet air before entering the blower. This is most important
in the case of very-high-speed machines such as the turbo and
centrifugal blowers. The authors found that most suppliers do not
pay much attention to this detail. Yet, there is danger that loose
particles from the silencers (or, in the case of standardized turbo
+2 x VFD driven
+1 x xed rpm

Power

+1 x VFD driven
+1 x xed rpm
2xVFD
1xVFD

10%

Flow, %

FIG. 9

Example of a 10:1 turndown with three rotary-lobe

blowers, two of which are VFD-driven and one driven at
fixed speed.

6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
1

100%

Typical aeration airow requirements

scfm

power by blowing-off air to which pressure (energy) has already

been imparted.
The number of blowers required depends on the turndown
capabilities of each machine and, if a system requires a 4:1 turndown ratio, this can be accomplished with two machines each
incorporating only a 2:1 turndown. For ease of control, each
machine should be capable of a flow range from 45% to 100%
under the most severe conditions, i.e., highest pressure ratio and
lowest air density combined.
Example: A 10:1 system turndown can be achieved in two
ways (Fig. 9): three blowers, of which at least two have an operating range from 30% to 100% while one can have a constant flow,
or five blowers would be required, of which at least two must have
a safe operating range from ~ 45% to 100% while three could
have constant flow.
In wastewater aeration applications, depending on the aeration control system, the operating pressure will drop slightly as
airflow decreases. The main portion of this operating pressure
corresponds to the hydrostatic pressure, which remains as constant as the water level. As the machine flow is regulated down,
its efficiency will vary. At pressure ratios of 1.5 to 1.7 that are
frequently encountered in wastewater aeration, efficient rotarylobe blowers and oil-free screw machines can offer turndown
capabilities up to 4:1 of the machines flow capability, while
special-purpose, high-speed centrifugal blowers offer a turndown
up to about 2.2:1 at constant pressure. Standardized high-speed
turbo blowers may have a turndown as high as 2.2:1 at constant
pressure, but this largely depends on the impeller characteristics,
the size fit and the pressure ratio. For all the machines included
in our comparison study, the higher the pressure ratio, the smaller
the turndown capability.
In virtually all cases, aeration requirements vary in the course
of a year (Fig. 10) and turndown capability must be considered
in the selection process.

Max.
Average
Min.
2

10

11

12

7 to 10 psid

10 to 12 psid

12 to 15 psid

> 15 psid

Continuous operation
*** Used for comparison: Aerzen VML and GM
blower packages (provided by manufacturer);
K-Turbo and Siemens Turbo (based on Website
information).

< 7 psid

Inlet air filtration and filter location. Filter cleanliness has

Month
an important impact on energy consumption. Likewise, filter
FIG. 10 Typical wastewater treatment plant air flow variations
maintenance frequency affects the maintenance budget. To proover a year.
tect both blower rotor and downstream diffuser system, the filter must be fine. But TABLE 4. Quick selection guide
fine filters require a large filtration area and/
or more frequent cleaning or replacement. Selection criteria based on standard
Machines with high tip speeds, such as high- conditions at blower inlet and flow
per individual machine:
speed centrifugal blowers and turbo blowers T = Standardized turbo blower
(Table 2), are particularly sensitive to par- C = Special-purpose centrifugal blower
ticles and droplets in the air stream; they, L = Rotary-lobe blower
S = Dry-screw compressor
therefore, require very fine filtration.
L
LS
LST
ST
ST
Although the pressure loss of a clean fil- Flow per machine < 1,000 cfm/30 m3/min
L
L
TS
TSC
TSC
ter may be negligible, dirty filters can easily Flow per machine 1,000 to 8,500 cfm
cause an additional 0.5-psi (35-mbar) drop. (30 to 250 m3/min.) with significant
In that instance, and at sea level, the result- pressure reduction at partial load
L
TS
TS
TSC
SC
ing increase in compression ratio would be Flow per machine 1,000 to 8,500 cfm
in the vicinity of 3%. There would also be (30 to 250 m3/min.) with narrow discharge
a similar increase in energy demand. Inlet pressure band
L
L
L
L
S
pressure losses have a much more important Low operating hours/intermittent operation
L

LST

TSC

TSC

TSC

Turndown capability for each machine > 55%

LS

LS

Turndown capability for each machine 55%

LS

TLSC

TSC

TSC

Simplicity of controls

LS

LS

HYDROCARBON PROCESSING APRIL 2010

I 83

ROTATING EQUIPMENT/WASTEWATER TREATMENT

blowers, from the acoustic enclosure) could enter the blower.
Cleanliness is particularly crucial for high-speed machines and
machines with high tip speeds. A few particles can damage an air
bearing or cause damage when coming into contact with impellers
rotating at tip speeds of 1,000 ft/sec and more. If the filter element
is such that dust particles can fall off during the filter change, it
is recommended to pay particular attention to dust removal prior
to installing the clean filter element. Particles that find their way
into the downstream piping will ultimately restrict the air flow in
fine bubble diffusers.
Inlet piping and air preheating. For various reasons, engineers often prefer to manifold multiple blower external air inlet
piping. Air is thus pulled in from outside a blower room and the
incremental inlet pipe pressure losses need to be accounted for in
loss calculations. Moreover, inlet air noise abatement may require
additional acoustical treatment.

Performance curves: positive-displacement vs.

centrifugal-turbo-type blowers
40%

70%

80%

90%

100%

PD @ ...% of
maximum speed
100%

Pressure, %

100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
20

90%
80%
70%

30

40

50

60

70 80
Flow, %

90

turbo @ .%
of full speed

100 110 120 130

Centrifugal vs. positive displacementcomparative

diagrams of pressure vs. flow characteristics.

FIG. 11

TABLE 5. Energy costs comparison at constant operating pressure

14 psig

11 psig

W2W, kW

Yearly

8 psig

W2W,kW

Yearly

W2W, kW

Yearly

Air flow, icfm

3,300

2,640

1,980

energy,

3,300

2,640

1,980

energy

3,300

2,640

1,980

% operating time

10%

60%

30%

kWh/yr

10%

60%

30%

kWh/yr

10%

60%

30%

energy,
kWh/yr

Low-pressure screw

164

129

99

1,072,905

141

107

80

891,765

116

87

64

723,862

Rotary-lobe blower

212

176

140

1,468,798

165

135

107

1,130,507

119

97

76

805,864

Standardized turbo
(optimized)

167

134

102

1,108,135

136

112

89

938,428

104

83

65

693,502

W2W includes VFD losses and motor losses for all machines as well as transmission losses for the rotary-lobe blower and the low-pressure screw compressor.

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I APRIL 2010 HYDROCARBON PROCESSING

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ROTATING EQUIPMENT/WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Some blower packages use the intake air to cool the electric-drive
motor and some of the power electronics. The result is a higher
amount of energy being used for the same amount of oxygen; the
higher air inlet temperature results in lower air density and proportionally lower oxygen mass per unit of air volume. For example: a
20F increase in inlet temperature results in about 4% lower oxygen
mass per cubic foot of air, a 4% lower density, higher discharge
temperature, higher air velocity and higher pressure losses.
Discharge check valve and additional flow control valve.
While nearly always required, the discharge check valve is rarely
included in a blower package. Whether the pressure loss caused
by the check valve has been accounted for is not always clear. The
TABLE 6. Data points for the evaluation
Data
points

Total flow,
scfm

Flow per
Pressure,
Inlet
Time
machine, scfm
psig
conditions operating

5,100 (maximum) 2,550 (2 units)

9.43

99F and
78% RH

10%

1,900 (minimum) 1,900 (1 unit)

7.72

-5F and
0% RH

10%

4,080 (80%)

2,040 (2 units)

9.43

66F and
78% RH

20%

4,080 (80%)

2,040 (2 units)

7.72

47F and
0% RH

20%

3,060 (60%)

1,530 (2 units)

9.43

66F and
78% RH

20%

3,060 (60%)

1,530 (2 units)

7.72

47F and
0% RH

20%

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PROCESS ANALYZER
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check valve pressure loss should be less than 0.15 psi (10 mbar).
Check valves must have low opening pressure and operate without
chatter at reduced flows.
Some control systemsin particular ones used with centrifugal
or turbo blowersmake use of a discharge pressure control valve.
This valve receives its signal from the dissolved oxygen (DO) control. Should less oxygen be required, the control valve will restrict
total airflow, thereby increasing its upstream pressure. The blower
flow control, being set to maintain a constant discharge pressure,
will reduce blower flow until the set pressure is reached again. The
pressure drop across such a control valve is not negligible (0.3 to
0.5 psi or 20 to 35 mbar). Also, with such a control system, the
pressure generated by the blowers remains constant. The process
may thus be unable to take advantage of any drop in system pressure at partial flow.
Performance characteristics. Fig. 11 shows how dynamic

compressing machines depend on speed to produce pressure and

how pressure relates to the capability of controlling flow. As flow
is lowered, the resulting pressure rise becomes progressively less.
In other words, near the left extreme of a flow-versus-pressurerise curve, small changes in pressure might indicate significant
changes in flow.
The graph also illustrates how, while there is a pronounced
relationship between speed and flow in positive-displacement
machines, the influence that speed has on discharge pressure
capability is relatively minor.
Efficiency diagram.*** Fig. 12 shows the efficiency vs. flow
diagrams at a constant 10 psig pressure for the various types of
blowers compared in this article.
Efficiency range for various manufacturers of the same
equipment type. There is a relatively wide spread of energy efficiency valuesas high as 15%among products of the same type
but from different manufacturers.
Positive-displacement machine efficiency depends largely on
the operating clearances between rotors and between rotors and
housing. Screw compressors that are designed for higher pressures
will also work at low pressure but they will not be as efficient
and their vibration level will be higher than screw compressors
designed specifically for low pressure.
There are also differences in the efficiency of the standardized
turbo blowers, depending on the specific fit of a standardized

ASTM D5191, 5188, 6377,

6378, 6897, EN 13016-1+2,
IP394, 409, 481
Highest Accuracy for
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to Official Limits
Automatic Calibration
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80
70
65
Efciency, %

Up to 2 Sample Streams

60
55
50
45
40
30

FIG. 12
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86

Typical overall efciency graphs for various

blower types at constant pressure

Standardized turbo
Rotary-lobe blower
40

50

Low-pressure screw
Special-purpose centrifugal

60
70
Full volume ow

80

90

Efficiency vs. flow at constant pressure for the various

blower types.

100

ROTATING EQUIPMENT/WASTEWATER TREATMENT

impeller to a given set of conditions. The package design also
greatly influences energy usage. In some cases, the intake air is
preheated by the heat rejected by the motor or even the entire
package, resulting in a drop in performance. Belt-drive tension
can be maintained by manual, partially automatic or fully automatic means. Fully automatic belt tensioners are the only ones
that will maintain peak equipment efficiency without frequent
maintenance intervention.
Regardless of blower technology, the engineer must know that
not every manufacturer includes all pressure losses across the various
accessories. While it should be evident that mechanical and/or electrical drive losses should be reflected in the stipulated performance
data, some manufacturers forget to account for these losses.

ties become high, plants usually consider adding capacitors to

correct (i.e., increase) the power factor. VFDs allow power-factor
corrections approaching unity.
Single-stage, high-speed centrifugal blowers feature a speedincreasing gear with their high-speed shafts on hydrodynamic
bearings. These require pressure lubrication. The oil pump power
needs to be added to the blower power.
The power required to drive cooling fans is not included,
but needs to be added. Some manufacturers do not include a
check valve in their standard package. Its pressure loss must
TABLE 7. Power required for each blower type for
each data point

PD blower

BHP per Machine

Screw
compressor

Standardized
turbo blower

155

137

132

Drive system. In addition to the machine thermodynamic

characteristics, the drive system needs to be considered.

Drive efficiencies. Much is said about drives. Here are some
facts:
Narrow, cogged V-belt drives:
a. 98% to 97% efficient when optimally sized, constantly
properly aligned and tensioned
b. Worst case: 90% efficient, resulting from over-sizing, poor
design, lack of tension or poor alignment
c. Advantage: speed selection and motor sizing flexibility for
best efficiency
Speed-increasing gears:
a. 97 to 99% efficient
b. Advantage: speed selection and motor sizing flexibility for
best efficiency; reliable and low maintenance
Frequency inverter:
a. 95% to 98% efficient average; however, the efficiency is not
constant over the entire operation range. The total drive efficiency
will vary with speed and load.
b. Moreover, the inverter and the motor influence each other,
as mentioned in research papers.
c. Some VFD types and applications may limit the distance
between the VFD and the motor.
Asynchronous induction motors:
a. > 95% for premium efficiency motors at 100 hp and
above
b. Efficiency drops as the load drops
c. Power factor drops as the load drops, however, the power
factor is corrected with the use of a frequency inverter.
Permanent-magnet motors:
a. Permanent-magnet motors used on high-speed turbo blowers are custom. Their efficiency is slightly better than that of
premium-efficiency asynchronous motors. Only little information
is available on their performance.
b. Magnetism may be affected at higher temperatures and
exposure to magnetic fields; sufficient cooling is critical: Some
manufacturers require air conditioning of the blower enclosure;
some require motor water cooling above a certain power rating.
c. Distance between VFD and motor is limited.
Power-factor issues and other points to consider.

For induction motors, power factor drops with decreasing load

and speed; synchronous motors (for example with permanent
magnets) operate at improved power factors. An electric utility
may assess a power-factor penalty if the plant operates at a power
factor that is less than some predefined limit. The power-factor
penalty is usually billed as an additional demand charge. If penal-

Data points
1
2

71

68

67

111

100

98

85

81

80

85

76

75

65

61

62

TABLE 8. Energy costs comparison

Rotary-lobe blower

Screw compressor

Standardized turbo blower

$207,569

$184,117

$181,493

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87

ROTATING EQUIPMENT
be included. The power loss of integral-gear drives are usually
included in the blower performance data, while belt-drive losses
often need to be added.
Finally, the applicable testing codes and procedures differ for
the various blower types and invoking the wrong one has introduced serious inaccuracies. Working with a competent blower
manufacturer will prove of great value in avoiding inaccuracies
and misunderstandings.
Larger flow per machine > 8,500 cfm/250 m3/min can best
be compressed with a special-purpose centrifugal blower or, if the
pressure is low or the turndown requirement is low, a multistage
centrifugal blower.

Turn it on now!

Energy usage example for three blower types. Table

5 compares energy costs at constant operating pressure.

Evaluation in a typical application with multiple
machines.

Location:
St. Louis, Missouri
Normal atmospheric pressure:
14.32 psia
Normal average temperatures over a year: max. 66F/min. 47F
Temperature max./min.:
+ 99F/5F
Maximum recorded temperature:
+115F
RH: yearly average:
day 60%/night 78%

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System
Submersion:
Piping pressure loss:
Diffuser head loss:
Allowance (diffuser fouling and reserve
for emergencies):
Inlet filter pressure loss clean/contaminated:
Allowance for stagnation
Discharge check valve pressure loss
Design pressure:

15 ft (6.63 psi)
0.5 psi
0.5 psi
0.75 psi
0.1/0.75 psi
0.75 psi
0.2 psi
9.43 psig

Discharge control valve pressure loss

0.5 psi
Design compression ratio:
1.73
Operating pressure new/clean system:
7.72 psig
Operating compression ratio new/clean system:
1.55
Lowest normal air density (99F/60% RH):
0.069 lb/ft3
Extreme low air density (115F/36% RH):
0.068 lb/ft3
Highest normal air density (5 F/36% RH):
0.086 lb/ft3
Maximum annual airflow requirement:
5,100 scfm
Minimum annual airflow requirement:
1,900 scfm
Two operating units and one standby unit are desired.
Each blower unit should be designed to handle 2,550 scfm at
9.43 psig during the worst-case site ambient conditions.
Annual energy costs
Assumptions:
Electricity cost = $ 0.12 per kW-hour
Motor efficiency = 95% for all machines
VFD efficiency = 97% for all machines
Belt-drive efficiency = 97% for the PD blower
Notes. The Office of Industrial Technologies of the US Department of Energy has published a useful guide for calculating the
life cycle costs of pumps (http://www.eere.energy.gov/industry).
We believe that the guide can be adapted to aeration blowers
as well. HP

88

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19.02.2010 13:39:16 Uhr