Blower and Compressor Sizing and

Selection
SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions
PD Blowers  

2I
PD Blowers
• Rotary Lobe
• Typically used for flows up to 2500 scfm
• Control: ON/OFF or VFD
• Typically belt driven
• Typically supplied with a sound enclosure
• Supplied with a pressure relief valve
• Typical max. turndown = 3:1 (temperature and lubrication requirements permitting)
• Minimum speed based on minimum speed required for splash lubrication. Can also be
based on heating considerations depending on application
• For high pressure or high turndown VFD applications, also supplied with temperature switch
as the air temperature rise across the blower increases with discharge pressure
• Constant Torque machine – VFD must be properly chosen
• Typical maximum discharge temperature = 132oC
PD Blowers

• Typically three lobe with pulsation cancellation

PD Blowers

INLET PRESSURE
 Discharge temperature
increases with discharge
pressure
 No contact between lobes
allows for oil-free air
 Small backflow through
clearances leads to high
efficiency
 CANNOT CHOKE THE INLET
 Fine tolerances between rotors
and housing maintain efficiency
across wide pressure range

DISCHARGE PRESSURE
PD Blowers - Typical Package
PD Blowers - Belt Drive

PD blowers are typically used for membrane aeration

 Constant aeration rate per train (no need for VFD)
 Additional capacity (modules are added to a train – build-out conditions) can
be added by changing the pulley ratio between motor and blower

Blower, DB1 Motor, DM Blower, DB2 Motor, DM

 DM/DB1 > DM/DB2

 Therefore, the output flow will be larger with DB1
Typical PD Blower Components

Inlet filter-silencer allows

access to rotor chamber
without silencer removal,
washable element, filter
monitor
Motor
Pre-engineered local or
piped inlet
Hinged motor base
plate – motor weight
tensions V-belts

Full bore low

resistance check
valve can be
removed without
disturbing piping
Typical PD Blower Components

Belt guard designed

for ease of access to
drive
Full flow corrosion proof
spring loaded pressure
relief valve, liquid filled
pressure gauge (not
shown)

Rubber sleeve for

piping connection
P&ID Representation
Centrifugal Blowers  

11 I
What is a Centrifugal Blower?

• Cast Iron Housing

• Vertically Split
• Multistage Design
• Aluminum Impellers (Fabricated or Cast – SS also available)
• Speed - Direct Coupled or Variable
• Low Pressure High Flow
• Air Cooled
• Grease or Oil Lubricated Ball Bearings
Multistage Centrifugal Blowers

• Series of impellers
• Number and diameter of impellers depend on flow and pressure requirements
• Control: ON/OFF, Inlet FCV, VFD
• If flow control is required, FCV is the low capital cost option but the VFD
option provides better control and efficiency

• Supplied with local control panel

• Provides surge, high temp, high vibration protection

• Provides amp draw

Where is It Used?

Low Pressure High Flow Applications

Generally 2 psi to 20 psi – 50 to 40,000 cfm
Applications:
 Air Scouring
 Digester Gas
 Filter Backwash Systems
 Grit Chamber Aeration
 Lagoon or Basin Aeration
 SBR/MBR
Flow Diagram

Inlet Outlet
MS Centrifugal – Cut-way
MS Centrifugal – Installation
P&ID Representation (Inlet FCV)
UF/MBR Aeration  

19 I
UF/MBR Aeration Requirements

• All UF/MBR plants employ some type of membrane aeration

• Aeration scours the membranes which helps to keep them from sludging
• Aeration increases the life and performance of the membranes
• The type of aeration and how much air flow is required depends on
• the type of membrane

• the type of application

• the number of membrane modules to be aerated

UF/MBR Aeration Requirements
• Aeration is used for ZW1000, ZW500D and ZW1000 membranes
• The ZW1000 and ZW1500 membranes are used for Drinking Water (DW)
and Tertiary applications
• The ZW500D membranes are used for Drinking Water, Tertiary, and
Wastewater (MBR) applications
• Not only are there different air requirements for each type of membrane and
application, the aeration strategy employed can also vary.
• The aeration strategy also has an affect on the blower sizing
ZW500D Aeration Requirements

• The flow of air required depends directly

on the number of gaps that exist between
modules

• i.e. more modules = more gaps = more air

flow required

• The design air flow per gap depends on

the type of application (DW, WW, T) and is
set by our product development group

• The number of modules per cassette

depend on the application
500D Aeration Requirements

Aeration rates depend on application and are given on a per gap basis

gap 4

gap 5
gap 1

gap 2

gap 3

gap 10
gap 6

gap 9
gap 7

gap 8
500D cassette with 4 modules
(hypothetical) – plan view
Aeration Strategies

• 500D DW and Tertiary: Backwash Aeration

• ZW1000 DW: Backwash aeration

• 500D MBR: Sequential or LEAP aeration

Aeration Strategies – Backwash Aeration

• The train of cassettes (one tank) is backwashed i.e. water is pulsed

into the tank through the membranes
• Once the backwash is complete, the aeration commences and the
tank starts draining.
• Aeration stops when the drain is complete
• Only one train at a time can be aerated
Aeration Strategies - Sequential Aeration

• Used only for MBR plants therefore only with the ZW500D cassette

• “Sequential” means that only half of the cassette (either row 1 or row
2 as shown previously) receives air at any one time

• In 10-10 aeration, any one cassette row receives air for a duration of
10 seconds followed by a period of 10 seconds with no aeration (10
seconds ON, 10 seconds OFF, 10 seconds ON, etc)

• In 10-30 aeration, any one cassette row receives air for a duration of
10 seconds followed by a period of 30 seconds with no aeration (10
seconds ON, 30 seconds OFF, 10 seconds ON, etc)
 LEAPmbr AT Development

Focus on creating shear along Why Bigger Bubbles are Better

membrane surface via:
• Bubble volume &
shape
• Frequency of air
release
• Location of air release

Larger bubbles delivered at

shorter intervals create more
shear and reduce fouling.

The effectiveness of the large

bubbles results in less total air
volume being required.

27
MBR Launch Pitch
10/12/2020
 Where we were: 10-30 Eco-Aeration
• Air flow to cassette is alternated
using cyclic valves
• Two air connections per cassette
• Aeration controlled by varying blower
air flow rate + cyclic valves

• Single-stage course bubble

diffusor
• Small spherical-cap bubbles
• High volume initial release of air
28
MBR Launch Pitch
10/12/2020
 LEAPmbr AT: How it works
• Air flow to cassette is continuous
• Single air connection per cassette
• Aeration controlled by varying
blower air flow rate
• No moving parts in cassette or train
air headers!

• Multi-stage course bubble

diffusor
• Large mushroom-cap bubbles
• Fixed bubble size based on
device volume
29
MBR Launch Pitch
10/12/2020
 LEAPmbr aeration technology

LEAPmbr Aeration Sequential Aeration

30
MBR Launch Pitch
10/12/2020
 LEAPmbr AT Advantage

Eco-Aeration LEAPmbr AT

ADF 10/30 Aeration  30 % LEAP-Lo

Through Cycling Through
Valves + Varied Varied Air
Air Flow Flow

> ADF 10/10 Aeration  30 % LEAP-Hi

30% Reduction at All Flow Conditions

31
MBR Launch Pitch
10/12/2020
Specifying Blowers  

32 I
Calculations
 Pact  Psat,act  RH act  Tstd
SCFM  CFM   
 T
P
 std  Psat , stdt  RH std  act

  From

 CFM = actual cubic feet per minute of the air being considered. Can also be
designated as ICFM (inlet cubic feet per minute) for blower sizing
 SCFM = standard cubic feet per minute at 20oC, 14.69 psia, AND 36% RH
 Pstd = standard atmospheric temperature; typically 14.69 psia
 Pact = actual pressure of the air being considered
 Psat,act = saturation pressure of the air at the actual temperature in psi
 Pstd = saturation pressure of the air at standard conditions
 RHact = actual relative humidity
 RHstd = standard relative humidity 3
 Tstd = standard atmospheric temperature; typically 293oK (20oC), or 528oR
(68oF)
 Tact = actual temperature of the air being considered. Expressed either in oK
or oR
 Calculations

For membrane aeration blowers in MBR applications, use the following tool: LINK

 DCFM – delivered cubic feed per minute

 ACFM – actual cubic feet per minute
 SCFM – standard cubic feet per minute
 ICFM – inlet cubic feet per minute
 ACFM, ICFM and DCFM are a measurement of actual flows
 SCFM is not a measurement of actual flow but rather a normalized flow as it
stays constant to changing conditions – a measurement of mass of air
Compressors  

35 I
Reciprocating Compressors
• Positive displacement
• Uses pistons driven by a crankshaft to deliver gases at high pressure
• They operate by drawing air in through a spring loaded inlet valve on top of the cylinder head,
compressing the air on the up stroke and sending it out via the discharge valve
• Single and two stage designs are available
• We typically use single stage which deliver air at lower pressures (125 to 150 psig)
• Ideal for start/stop applications which is what our system demand typically requires
• Duty cycle is between 60-80%
• Drawback is noise although some manufacturers can furnish with sound attenuation enclosures
Reciprocating Compressors
• Available as oil lubricated or oil free
• Oil lubricated are either splash or pressure
• Splash are more suited for “hobby” type applications
• Pressure are more industrial, suitable for high cycle,
heavy duty applications
• Oil free are more costly and typically used in clean
environments such as medical
Rotary Screw Compressors
• Often considered superior to reciprocating because they are designed for continuous duty, experience
low vibration and are quiet
• Not intended for intermittent start/stop operation, and can consequently exhibit issues such as oil
carryover into downstream air distribution systems, and air-end (compression rotor assembly)
condensation causing premature component failure
• They need 15 minutes of run time to get up to the temperature required to burn of condensation – our
run times are typically 5 minutes or less
• The minimum duty cycle for rotary screw compressors is 70%
Rotary Vane Compressors
• Positive displacement
• Noise is similar to that of rotary screw
• Better suited for intermittent operation than rotary screw and much cheaper
Air receiver tanks
• Used to store compressed air and minimize size of compressor
• Pressure vessels and as such should be ASME rated
• Include pressure safety valve and electric or pneumatic drain valve to remove condensation
• Typically have exterior coating
Dryers
• Remove water vapor from compressed air which can damage pneumatic actuators and other
pneumatic equipment
• Brings pressure dew point of compressed air to a level which the water will not condense
• Typically use a non-cycling refrigerated type dryer which are rated for 38oC (100oF) inlet temperature
• Dessicant dryers purify air by absorbing moisture and work at lower dew points – better for colder
temperatures than refrigerated
• Dessicant dryers consume a small amount of compressed air which needs to be accounted for in the
compressor sizing
Compressor Controls
• Either controlled via PLC or control panel
• Vendor can supply control panel with start/stop pressure set points and run-time alerts