www.wwtonline.co.uk | WWT | JANUARY 2018 | 7
In partnership with the University of
Sheffield, we are testing a fluidic oscillator
device, which rapidly pulses air through
conventional wastewater treatment dif-
fusers to generate microbubbles, without
using more energy. Fast vibrations caused
by the fluidic oscillator 'flick' air bub-
bles off the diffuser into the water before
they increase in size — a key problem for
standard systems. The technology can
be easily fitted to existing and new-build
wastewater treatment plants. While still
in development, the results indicate a
50 per cent improvement in the rate of
oxygen transfer. This significantly reduces
the amount of energy used to breakdown
the sewage, drastically cutting costs and
carbon emissions.
