ABSTRACT
In densely populated areas new WWTPs will need to be designed on a relatively small area. This paper describes a deep Carrousel (oxidation ditch) concept resulting in a "small footprint" for the aeration basin combined with an efficient and flexible oxygen input. To enable surface aeration in a deep Carrousel system, the basin was provided with so-called draft tubes, vertical cylinders located underneath aerators, almost extending down to the bottom. A draft tube enables the aerator to draw sludge/water mixture from the bottom of the tank, thereby ensuring proper oxygenation of the tank contents over the entire tank depth. The results of pilot-scale tests for verification of the performance of an aerator equipped with a draft tube are presented. The full scale WWTP Leidsche Rijn, a compact "wrapped-around" Carrousel-3000 system where the draft tube technology is applied in a 7.5 metre deep basin, is described. Before the plant was put into operation a verification test for the aeration efficiency with clean water was carried out. The test showed that the draft tubes have no negative impact on the aeration efficiency of the surface aerators and justified the chosen design concept.
