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Aeration Energy Cost Calculator - Blower Power, Oxygen Demand & Optimization Savings

Calculate annual aeration cost and estimate savings from DO control and VFD retrofits

Calculate blower energy consumption and operating cost for wastewater aeration basins. Enter plant loading or known blower specs to get annual energy cost, cost per pound of BOD removed, and optimization savings estimates. Supports fine bubble and coarse bubble diffuser systems with transfer efficiency by depth. Includes DO setpoint optimization and VFD savings modeling.

Pro Tip: Aeration is typically 40-60% of a wastewater plant's total electric bill. Reducing your DO setpoint from 2.0 mg/L to 1.5 mg/L can save 10-15% on blower energy with no impact on treatment quality. Most plants over-aerate because operators are nervous about low DO alarms.

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Aeration Energy Cost Calculator
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How It Works

  1. Choose Input Method

    Select "Known blower specs" if you have your blower HP and runtime, or "Calculate from loading" to size from BOD loading and oxygen demand.

  2. Enter Loading or Blower Data

    For loading method: enter flow (MGD), influent and effluent BOD, and basin depth. For known specs: enter blower HP, number running, and daily hours.

  3. Set Electric Rate

    Enter your electric rate in $/kWh and demand charge in $/kW/month. Municipal wastewater plants typically pay $0.06-0.14/kWh depending on region and rate structure.

  4. Model Optimization Savings

    Expand the optimization section to compare current vs. optimized DO setpoints and estimate VFD savings. See annual savings and simple payback.

Built For

  • Plant superintendents budgeting annual aeration energy costs
  • Energy auditors benchmarking aeration efficiency
  • Engineers evaluating blower replacement or upgrade options
  • Operators justifying DO control system investments
  • Utility managers comparing blower energy across multiple plants

Frequently Asked Questions

Aeration typically accounts for 40-60% of a wastewater plant's total electricity consumption. For a 1 MGD conventional activated sludge plant, annual aeration energy cost is roughly $40,000-80,000 depending on loading, blower efficiency, and electric rate. Extended aeration plants use more energy per gallon treated.
Start with BOD removed: lbs O2/day ≈ 1.2 × BOD removed (lbs/day). BOD removed = Flow (MGD) × (Influent BOD - Effluent BOD) × 8.34. Add nitrification demand if applicable: 4.6 lbs O2 per lb NH3-N oxidized. Then convert to air demand using transfer efficiency (typically 6-8% per foot of submergence for fine bubble diffusers).
Reducing DO setpoint from 2.0 to 1.5 mg/L saves roughly 10-15% on blower energy. Adding automated DO control with VFDs on blowers can save 20-35% total compared to constant-speed operation at a fixed DO target. Payback on DO control systems is typically 2-4 years.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates based on standard aeration engineering formulas. Actual oxygen transfer rates depend on diffuser type, age, fouling, basin geometry, and wastewater characteristics. Energy savings estimates from optimization are approximate. Consult with an aeration specialist for site-specific analysis.

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