Technical Bulletin 145

Aeration Pipe Sizes

by:

Environmental Dynamics International

Published: 12/2011
 DISCLAIMER

Technical Bulletins are presented as a service by Environmental Dynamics International

headquartered in Columbia, Missouri USA. For additional more information regarding this
particular bulletin or your specific aeration application contact Environmental Dynamics
D
International by calling +1.573.474.9456, toll free at +1.877.EDI.AIR8 (877.334-2478),
(877.334 or
via email at techbulletins@wastewater.com
techbulletins@wastewater.com.

Technical Bulletin 145 – Aeration Pipe Sizing

1
Copyright © Environmental Dynamics International 2012 – All Rights Reserved
 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 145 – AERATION PIPE SIZING

For sizing of aeration piping system and the piping system between blowers to the aeration tank it
is important to have rational design criteria to allow economical pipe sizing and efficient pipe sizing.
EDI has established a rational design metho
method d for sizing piping for any type of pipe or any aeration
application to deliver economical operating conditions. The most common criteria to size aeration
piping in the industry is to use one of two methods:

A. Limit the amount of pressure drop per unit of pipe length, i.e. inches of water column or
kPa per 100 feet (30.5m) as an example.

B. Set a maximum air velocity in the piping system, i.e. ft/sec or m/sec.

EDI has reviewed these two design methods and have found the criteria for pressure loss per unit u
of pipe length is the consistent method that can be applied rationally and economically for any pipe
size and any type pipe.. EDI designs are all based on limiting a maximum pressure loss per unit of
piping length for optimum performance.

When designers
ners use air velocities for sizing pipe, the tendency is to specify a maximum allowable
air velocity and apply it in a broad range of pipe diameters. This is not logical and results in
significant and excessive pressure losses in small diameter pipe while offering insignificant or very
minor losses with oversizing in larger diameter pipe, i.e. excessive pipe cost.

The use of air velocity in the design of piping systems is convertible to the pressure loss per unit of
length of piping; however, the air vel
velocity should not remain constant for all diameters of pipe.
pipe If the
air velocity criteria is employed it will demonstrate the pressure loss in small diameter pipe with a
typical engineering velocity specification of 12 meters per second will be as much as three times
the pressure loss per unit of length vs a system that has large diameter pipe with the same velocity
limit of 12 meter per second. An example of this would be appropriate:

Technical Bulletin 145 – Aeration Pipe Sizing

2
Copyright © Environmental Dynamics International 2012 – All Rights Reserved
 Example: With a limiting velocity of 12 meters per second, a pipe that is 4 inches in diameter or
approximately 100 mm in diameter in PVC would have a pressure loss of approximately 2.7 inches
of water column per 100 feet (0.67 kPa per 30.5 meters). This is a reasonable pressure loss and is
quite acceptable and typical design criteria for 100 mm diameter pipe.

Now let’s compare this 12 meters per second limitation in a PVC pipe that is 12 inches diameter
(300 mm diameter). Pressure loss in this case is only 0.7 inches per 100 feet (0.17 kPa per 30.5
meters). Larger diameter pipes make velocity losses less significant at the same velocity. For even
larger piping used in air headers the 12 m per sec can be extremely costly.

This demonstrates that using an air velocity that is a constant value does not recognize the
cumulative effects of pressure. Allowing the pressure loss per unit of pipe length to be variable is
costing significant extra capital cost for large piping systems or creating excess pressure loss on
small piping systems. A rational pipe sizing method will recognize pressure losses at any portion of
the system have equal and accumulative impact on blower pressure and energy consumption.

It should also be noted that the use of a single constant design air velocity does not take into
account the material of construction of the piping, i.e. stainless steel versus cast iron pipe, etc. It is
clear that piping systems that use plastic piping or smooth stainless steel have much lower
pressure losses per unit of length than systems that might use cast iron or ductile iron piping. Air
velocity also ignores age or condition of the pipe. Again, the fixed velocity limitation does not
provide for a rational evaluation of all systems.

EDI’s design criteria using pressure limitations

EDI proposes the optimum or economical design of aeration piping and aeration systems will
incorporate a pressure criteria per unit length of air piping. This takes full account of the effect of
diameter on pressure loss, plus it can take into account any roughness, coefficient, or pipe
characteristics that are involved on any project. This is a universal and rational design procedure
and has used successfully by EDI for over 20 years. EDI generally employs criteria limiting
pressure loss in the piping to approximately 3 inches water column per 100 feet (0.75 kPa per 30.5
meters)! This criteria can be applied to any type pipe, any size pipe, and give a economical capital
cost and a low operating cost system. This criteria is consistently applied to assign equal weight to
all pressure losses in the aeration system piping.

Technical Bulletin 145 – Aeration Pipe Sizing

3
Copyright © Environmental Dynamics International 2012 – All Rights Reserved
 With the EDI rational design method, consistent or rational design velocities for aeration piping
range from 8 m/sec for 2 inch (DN 50) pipe to over 27m/sec for 12 inch diameter (DN300) pipe
when limiting loss to 3 inch wc/100 ft (0.75kPa/3.05m).

EDI uses a computer analysis to calculate pressure losses and pipe sizes accurately; however it is
possible to create a guideline chart for selection of pipe diameters. The attached chart provides an
EDI guideline of the maximum m design air handling capacity for satisfactory plastic or stainless steel
pipe systems in any aeration application. As a companion, the chart also includes the approximate
velocity allowed in feet per second and meters per second for this 3 inch wc/100 fftt economical and
consistent pressure loss design basis.

IPS Pipe Metric Pipe

Typical
Recommended Typical Airflow Headloss Velocity* Recommended Airflow Headloss Velocity*
Pipe Size (in) Limit (scfm) (in W.C./100 ft) (ft/sec) Pipe Size (mm) Limit (Sm3/h) (kPa/30.5 m) (m/sec)

2 40 3.0 26.3 50 mm 68 0.75 8.0

3 120 3.0 34.5 90 mm 204 0.75 10.5
4 250 3.0 42.1 110 mm 425 0.75 12.8
6 750 3.0 56.7 150 mm 1274 0.75 17.3
8 1550 3.0 68.3 200 mm 2633 0.75 20.8
10 2850 3.0 80.2 250 mm 4842 0.75 24.4
12 4500 3.0 89.6 300 mm 7646 0.75 27.3

* Based on Sch10 SS piping.

For other material - wall thickness and roughness coefficient variables must be considered.

Technical Bulletin 145 – Aeration Pipe Sizing

4
Copyright © Environmental Dynamics International 2012 – All Rights Reserved