None of us even thought about how important aeration is for humanity. What it is? Aeration is a certain action, as a result of which oxygen deficiency is compensated for in a particular environment. Paradoxically, very small amounts of fresh air can do wonders for any living being. In this article, we will consider in more detail what aeration is in some processes equipped by man.
Aeration system in the natural environment
In the general concept, the term aeration means purification and saturation with oxygen (air) of any physical body (water, soil, etc.) This process is always accompanied by two-way diffusion. First, air penetrates through the surface into the body and immediately derivative substances also evaporate through its surface.
Under natural conditions, aeration is air exchange in multi-surface layers of soil, in the space of open reservoirs, in waterfalls. Man, as a being who adjusts everything to his subject, could not resist taking advantage of such a process for his own benefit, therefore, inindustry aeration is much more common. The most global application of aeration is wastewater treatment.
Wastewater treatment, aeration function in this process
The aeration station today is determined by experts as the most harmless and modern installation in terms of ecology. As a result of the aeration process, the water is saturated with a sufficient amount of air, the oxidation process is started and, subsequently, the decomposition of all organic components of water. Thanks to special aeration devices, all the described actions take place in artificial conditions and much faster and more efficiently than in the environment.
As a power, such stations consume electricity, due to which a constant movement of air is established, which means that the bacteria living in the water that feed on oxygen are provided with normal vital activity. They are just engaged in the oxidation of organic compounds in the water, and the formation of fertile sludge.
Thus, microorganisms that feed on oxygen, in addition to water cleaners, become active inhabitants of environmentally friendly fertilizer.
When using this system, one should not forget about the aeration field and its proper arrangement.
Purifying drinking water with aeration
Wastewater is not the only one of its kind that is treated with aeration. Since aeration is still a natural process, it is also used to purify drinking water. Today, especially urban drinking watercontains impurities of manganese, iron and hydrogen sulfide. All of them pose a danger to human he alth, so if you want to use really clean and safe water, then you cannot do without reliable purification systems. It is water aeration that underlies a variety of filter installations.
The essence of the cleaning itself can be summarized in the following step-by-step actions:
- Water, saturated with oxygen, oxidizes ferrous iron, which is so rich in its composition, to the state of trivalent. Therefore, as a result of the reaction, iron precipitates and remains on the filter.
- At the same time, the second process takes place - the removal of hydrogen sulfide and other gases in a dissolved state.
The result is pure water, completely suitable for drinking. This process is the most efficient, and most importantly, such systems do not require the introduction of chemicals, and this, in turn, adds to their safety and economy.
Methods for aerating drinking water
Today, depending on the force of pressure and other conditions, the following methods of aeration are distinguished:
- Pressure aeration is acceptable with a good level of pressure and pressure in the line, while the concentration of dissolved iron should be no more than 15 mg / l. At the beginning, water enters the aeration column under a certain pressure, the flow sensor is triggered and the compressor is turned on to pump air. The water stream is enriched with oxygen, after which it enters the filter.
- Free-flow aeration is carried out at lower water pressure and at a high concentration of iron (more than 15mg/l). This method is characterized by the presence of an additional tank in the installation. At the beginning, water is fed into the tank, sprayed through special nozzles. The compressor, as in the previous version, provides oxygen enrichment. After that, water is supplied to the filter using a pump.
Aeration as an integral part of lawn care
In the above text, we considered the aeration of water, but, as you know, aeration can occur in any environment. It's time to familiarize yourself with the process of soil aeration. The most suitable option is lawn aeration.
This procedure is necessary to create a fruitful atmosphere for the lawn. After all, over time, self-compacting of the soil occurs, and there can be a lot of reasons for this (physical activity or an unconscious change in the landscape, etc.), and it is impossible to influence them, it remains only to deal with their consequences.
Consolidation of the soil leads to a reduction in oxygen, as a result of which the roots will not receive nutrients, moreover, the carbon dioxide that accumulates hinders the growth of grass cover. In the soil, aeration is small calcinations, as a result, holes should form through which air and moisture exchange pass.
How to aerate your own lawn
In this matter, everything depends on the size of the available lawn. In the case of a modest size, do-it-yourself aeration will be very helpful. And you can do this by acquiring an ordinary tool - a pitchfork. But if, based on the large size, do thisit will be difficult, you can use special equipment for this business, both manual and mechanical. And these devices began to be called accordingly - aerators. Both models do not differ in the quality of the work done. But it is undeniable that more effective aeration will occur with moist soil, since dry soil prevents the aerator from penetrating normally.
When should you aerate your lawn
The motive for the lawn aeration process should be a long drought or, conversely, many days of heavy rain. Only during drought will aerating the lawn help to facilitate the transport of water to the roots of the lawn grass during watering, and in the second case, draining excess moisture to prevent grass rotting.
Immediately before the start of aeration, if it is carried out by aerators, you need to make sure that there are no foreign objects (stones and branches) on the territory that needs to be processed.
How often should you aerate your lawn
In general, if puddles are still noticeable on your lawn after a light rain, you should know that this sign says that the lawn needs aeration. It will also be useful for the lawn where cars roll from time to time, it will help the grass to rise from the ground.
During systematic and systematic lawn care, aeration should be carried out after 3 lawn mowing. This frequency will take care of the cleanliness of your lawn from moss and weeds,and the damage to the coating itself will be minimized. But it is worth noting that soils with a high content of clay and areas immediately located near pedestrian roads require more careful attention.
After the first aeration, does your lawn look much better? Do not rush to rejoice, continue in the same spirit and in no case stop, because aeration is a longer and more laborious process, because you need to achieve not short-term improvements, but a full recovery.
The role of oxygen in the aquarium
Aeration at depth under natural conditions occurs as a result of the shuffling of water masses. Unfortunately, things are different in aquariums, so it's important
a condition for the normal functioning of the aquarium is to ensure the process of aeration in it. The minimum oxygen content in an aquarium is 5 mg/l, but this value is considered the limit for breathing, but by no means for the normal functioning of the entire biological system.
Aeration of the water in the aquarium promotes saturation with oxygen to the maximum, and in order for the incoming oxygen to be distributed equally throughout the volume, it is necessary to ensure intensive mixing of the water masses and not only.
Mechanisms that provide the process of aeration in aquariums
Aeration of water in an aquarium can be carried out by several installations. Firstly, it can be a filtration system, equipped to circulate water to the maximum, or even better -on the surface of the water. However, everything needs to be measured. In general terms, filtration equipment should be systematically suitable for this type of aquarium in terms of size and durability, and installed accordingly.
Secondly, aeration can also be obtained using a pump (miniature compressor and atomizer). In this case, a stream of bubbles is obtained, which contribute to the circulation process.
Factors affecting oxygen saturation
- Water temperature plays a key role in all processes in the aquarium, regardless of their nature. And, of course, the value of this value is taken into account when calculating the level of oxygen saturation. The higher the water temperature, the worse the oxygen supply will be.
- The size of the bubbles coming from the atomizer also matters. The smaller they are, the better. Small bubbles (0.1mm diameter) have been scientifically proven to supply oxygen to a 10g/m2 aquarium3, while aerating an aquarium with larger bubble diameters (2mm) reduces this value twice. Moreover, the measurements were made at the same depth.
- But not only aeration supplies water with oxygen, the plants located there are engaged in the same action, because no one canceled the process of photosynthesis. Also, a certain amount of oxygen enters the aquarium from the atmosphere.
- Another condition that affects the amount of oxygen is organic matter (food leftovers, waste products and fish excrement) found inaquarium.
- The number of fish and other living creatures, the illumination of the aquarium, etc.
This is not the whole list of ways to use aeration by a person for their own benefit. As you can see, the scope is quite diverse and multifaceted, but scientists believe that the use of aeration is the only human action that does not harm nature in any way.
