Name

Accurate airflow measurements: a key factor in N₂O emission calculations

Speakers

Siam Chowdhury

Authors

Siam Chowdhury and Oliver Hallett, Air Technology, UK

Description

Accurate air-flow measurement is crucial for optimising aeration efficiency in wastewater treatment processes. However, many existing air-flow meters on-site suffer from incorrect installation and a lack of regular calibration, leading to significant inaccuracies in reported air-flow rates. We’ve addressed this issue by conducting detailed air-flow metering studies to assess these discrepancies and implement corrective strategies. Working with major UK water utilities, we identified substantial deviations between recorded and actual air-flow rates, showcasing the impact of meter misalignment and calibration neglect. This is particularly important for calculating nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, as air-flow is a key parameter in Henry’s Law calculations used to determine N₂O emission rates from liquid-phase dissolved N₂O concentrations. Inaccurate measurements can cause significant errors in emissions monitoring hence disturbing the efforts to quantify and reduce N₂O emissions from wastewater treatment, which is 265x more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO₂.

By employing precise metering techniques and validating results to produce calibration coefficients, our work has demonstrated the scale of inaccuracies and their impact on emissions monitoring then resolving it via air-flow correction factors. Our projects have supported improved aeration control, energy savings and environmental sustainability by ensuring reliable air-flow data for both process efficiency and accurate N₂O monitoring.

Time

2:18 PM - 2:30 PM

Location Name

Room 2

Track

14:05 - 15:45 Technology Showcase