Bromelton, Qld, facility receives aerator upgrade

AJ Bush & Sons operates a large-capacity rendering facility at its processing facility in Bromelton, Qld, where it manufactures nutrient-rich protein meals and tallows/oils.

The factory is rich in organic material which it treats via anaerobic digestion and aerobic treatment processes, with treated water used to irrigate pasture surrounding the facility.

Byron Boyers, Plant Engineering Manager, wanted to upgrade his pond aeration system to a better and safer one, and reached out to Hydro Innovations about its Echo-Storm venturi aerators from Gorman-Rupp for the upgrade. The aerators use a self-priming pump to draw water from the source to be treated. The water is then pumped at pressure through the Echo-Storm, which adds dissolved oxygen to it and ‘conditions’ it as it accelerates at more than 16 m/s through the unit.

Boyers wanted to try a unit because of the easier and safer access to the Echo-Storm for maintenance, as all required equipment can be mounted on the pond bank. He already had a self-priming Gorman-Rupp pump that could be used for the project. Boyers’ pond is 200 x 40 x 4 m deep, with an inflow of 2 ML per day.

For the project, Boyers purchased a 4″ VA4-550 Echo-Storm unit which he hooked to his Gorman-Rupp pump. He designed a floating suction arrangement to keep the suction line off the bottom and fired it up.

Echo-Storm units are available in four sizes (2″, 3″, 4″ and 6″) and may improve safety and reliability while reducing maintenance costs.