Microluft® aerator tested in Scotland
4th May 2011
From February till August, Scottish Water will test Sorubin’s Microluft® wastewater aerators to evaluate their operational performance.
“Sorubin is developing so fast, that sometimes we have to pinch ourselves. About eight months ago we were in a Technology Approval Group (TAG) meeting. At that meeting, we met with Scottish Water. Shortly afterwards, they placed an order for a unit of Microluft to test it. And now we are performing an evaluation test which could result in a commercial breakthrough,” says Stefan Sandström, CEO of Sorubin.
Scottish Water’s partnership with Sorubin is to conduct an operational performance test. This will hopefully lead to retro-fitting the plant in Dalderse with Sorubin’s technology. Microluft can be retro-fitted without downtime, and that cuts much of the costs associated with changing from one aeration technology to another. With aeration costing Scottish Water above £7M per year, they see an opportunity to cut energy costs. Since they are operating 2,800 wastewater plants, substantial savings can be made. Once Sorubin’s Microluft aerators are fully employed, Scottish Water´s savings could be over £4.7M annually!
“Our aerators use little energy and have very small retro-fitting costs. That is why payback time for Microluft aerators is well within Scottish Water's investment cycles,” explains Stefan Sandström.
The plan is to carry out an oxygen transfer test together with Scottish Water. The test consists of measuring the energy needed to fully oxygenate a body of clean water with Microluft. Most of Britain's twelve water companies will follow this project, which is planned to take place soon. “Our good relations with influential industry experts such as Isle Utilities, and upcoming projects involving several water companies inside and outside of the UK, enables us to confidently look forward to meeting venture capitalists and financiers during the spring,” says Stefan Sandström.