Energy-efficient Turbo Compressor in Germany

The PillAerator, an energy-efficient turbo compressor, takes over the supply of oxygen to the aeration tanks of sewage plants in biological wastewater treatment. The innovation was the result of systematic research and development by Piller Industrieventilatoren GmbH.

Carsten Keunecke, senior wastewater specialist at the sewage plant in Göttingen in Germany, where the turbo compressor supplies oxygen to a sewage plant aeration tank, said: "We would never have imagined this - we have been operating the turbo compressor as a reference system since June 2008." He added: "There have been no complaints; on the contrary, it makes our day-to-day work easier."

A link to the higher-level control system even enables the PillAerator to control and monitor the system's complete process parameters.

The PillAerator provides virtually everything that is required for operation as standard. "All we needed to concern ourselves with were the power supply connection and the aeration tank piping," the senior wastewater specialist added. The compact device also copes easily with extreme temperatures. "Last winter, we had extreme sub-zero temperatures, but there were no outages despite the outdoor installation," Keunecke said.

Hans-Joachim Ring, director of research and development at Piller, said: "At the core of the PillAerator is the drive, a magnetically levitated synchronous motor, for which we completed a bespoke development in conjunction with a partner company." The high energy efficiency of the turbo compressor is achieved by an efficiency factor of over 80. In addition, it works in a wear-free manner and only the filter needs to be exchanged.

The synchronous motor is fed by a highly efficient frequency converter, which provides a continuous rotating. All drive components are water-cooled, being supplied via an integrated cooling system, which uses the ambient air energy-efficiently for heat dissipation.

The entire unit is regulated and monitored via a modern PLC. The latter makes it possible to communicate via ProfiBus with a higher-order "system PLC", thereby allowing the customer to define the extent of communication individually. In the simplest scenario, the unit can be controlled from a control room using analogue signals. Piller will demonstrate the PillAerator at the IFAT in Munich this year. A fully functional glass exhibition model provides an "all-round view" of the inner area of the turbo compressor. www.piller.de

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