HURRICANE Theory Of Operation

The HURRICANE aerator is designed with a minimum of moving parts for reliable oxygen transfer and basin mixing. Deployed at the bottom of a tank or basin, the integrated submersible electric motor rotates a solid 17-4 stainless steel impeller to generate a low-pressure zone around the impeller blade tips. The pressure differential created between this low-pressure zone at the bottom of the tank and the air at the wastewater’s surface forces air down a stainless steel inlet tube into the HURRICANE aerators central stator assembly. The close tolerance of the impeller and stator assembly is used to macerate grit and other solids in the wastewater, making the HURRICANE aerator ideal in high solids environments.

In the stator, surface air and water are thoroughly mixed through the rotation of the impeller and the turbulence it creates. High oxygen transfer also occurs in the stator assembly due to the break-up of air into very small bubbles. The high surface area to volume ratio of these small bubbles promotes high oxygen transfer into the wastewater, which is further enhanced by the high distortion of these bubble surfaces by the turbulence of the stator.

The oxygen enriched air water combination is expelled at high velocity from the central stator assembly through radial diffuser tubes to deliver oxygen throughout the basin floor. As the air bubbles rise from the bottom of the tank due to buoyancy force, further oxygen transfer takes place until the bubble release pattern in the tank; thoroughly mix the tank with intense agitation. The completely submerged operation of the HURRICANE aerator eliminates splashing, minimizes the generation of hazardous aerosols and promotes stable biological treatment even in the coldest climates.