Drinking water pumped from the ground is rich in valuable minerals. These include iron and manganese, high concentrations of which can cause problematic precipitations in pipes and valves, as well as discoloring of the water and changes in taste. The Environmental Protection Agency therefore specifies limits for both elements.
To comply with these limits, untreated water is injected with air or oxygen in the waterworks, based on the quality of the raw water. The oxides precipitated out of the water can then be removed by using conventional filters. Oxidation can be carried out with various chemicals like chlorine or ozone but it is mostly done with compressed air. If the composition or quantity of the drinking water fluctuates, for example due to the changing interconnection of several wells with different water qualities, a readjustment is necessary, which is costly and time-consuming.
In many waterworks, correct metering of the oxidation air in the treatment of drinking water depends on one factor: Many years of experience on the part of the waterworks supervisor, who manually supplies the air to the untreated water by means of a simple needle valve. With the Bürkert oxidation air unit, this experience is readily available in a controlled and documented process.
Bürkert’s oxidator box operates on the basis of a high-performance, flexibly configurable mass flow controller. The compact system solution can automatically regulate the gas quantity needed for oxidation based on the untreated water supply in order to achieve the required limits with minimal gas consumption. In addition to constant water quality and documented, traceable processes, the automated oxidation air metering system also offers substantial economic benefits due to reduced oxygen consumption and optimized operation of the compressors during metering of the air or the oxygen.