Hydro-Air Portable Aeration System Treats Water for Bacteria, Iron and Hydrogen Sulfide

As produced water management evolves in unconventional oil exploration and production, a transition is developing from waste product to beneficial, reusable product. During this transition, the aggregation and storage of produced water becomes an important first step. Aggregation and storage have also evolved from frac tank storage to impoundments and above-ground storage tanks (AST). Aggregation and storage have led to other challenges, namely water quality management. Over time, produced water can foul quickly, leading to poor water quality and potential odor problems. These issues have created the need for regular pit treatments, including adding oxidizers on a regular schedule. Insufficient mixing and UV degradation of commonly used oxidizers make this a potentially expensive process that isn’t always completely effective. A commonly used alternative is aeration.

A properly designed aeration system isn’t based on just water volume, but also water quality. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) needs to be tested to determine how much air is required to sufficiently oxygenate the water. If this information isn’t included, it is likely you are not properly sizing your aeration system.

Hydrozonix offers it’s HYDRO₂-Aire process which provides customized solutions for each application. Traditionally you have an option of choosing diffuser type aeration or venturi type aeration. Although the capital costs can be similar the operating cost of a venturi aeration system can be up to 8 times higher than a diffuser type system. Alternatively, diffuser type system relies on passive diffusion and require longer retention times to allow oxygen to be absorbed. Venturi systems have the advantage though when it comes to mass transfer efficiency. A venturi system can diffuse oxygen much quicker and effectively and does not need longer retention times. In short, smaller tanks or locations when retention time is short 1-2 days, venturi systems will be much more effective, but in larger pits with longer retention times (greater than 3 days) a diffuser type system is much more cost effective.

As a result, the it’s HYDRO₂-Aire programs utilizes both types of system to provide a suitable option for your application in both rental and purchase options.