The development of sustainable water treatment is a critical challenge for the growing city of Lafayette, Colorado, situated at the edge of the Rocky Mountains in the USA. Since 2022, the city has been constructing a new high-performance plant to enhance the region’s water supply using state-of-the-art wastewater treatment technologies. A central feature of this plant is the installation of 13 HYPERCLASSIC®-Mixing and Aeration Systems from INVENT, designed specifically for challenging wastewater treatment conditions.
Lafayette has long partnered in major water projects aimed at enhancing regional resilience against changing climatic conditions. Alongside developing new water reservoirs, wastewater treatment is becoming increasingly vital for sustaining prosperity and growth in the area.
Following the planning, delivery and installation of the first HYPERCLASSIC®-Mixing and Aeration System by INVENT in the sludge holding tank, twelve further systems were installed by 2023 after the successful operation of the first unit. These high-performance systems primarily focus on sludge stabilization in the sludge basin through mixing and aeration as well as efficient oxygen input to reduce the biological (BOD) and chemical (COD) oxygen demand in the aerated basins
Thanks to the fluid mechanically optimized technology, INVENT says the 13 HYPERCLASSIC®-Mixing and Aeration Systems have proven to be just as efficient and reliable in continuous operation as they are in intermittent operation by providing:
- Improved sludge quality: The unique hyperboloid-shaped mixer body creates an optimized near-bottom flow that stirs up deposits and ensures a more homogeneous distribution of the sludge.
- Efficient aeration: The mechanical aeration generates optimally sized air bubbles, which are evenly distributed in the basin by the rotation of the mixer body. This improves the oxygen input while reducing energy consumption. A significant reduction in operating costs is possible.
- Decoupled Mixing and Aeration: The aeration basins have the ability to create anoxic or aerated zones within the plant by simply turning the air off while continuing to mix. This feature allows operators optimal flexibility in the process trains.
- Reduced maintenance: The construction and design of the mixer and aeration system is designed for continuous or intermittent operation. Overall maintenance has been minimized by a top-mounted dry drive, which reduces maintenance costs but not having to drain the basins and ensures long-term operational stability.
Developed for use in demanding wastewater applications, the HYPERCLASSIC®-Mixing and Aeration Systems form a central element of Lafayette’s innovative and environmentally conscious water supply structure. With a daily volume of up to 6.4 million gallons of water (MGD), the city, in collaboration with INVENT, has demonstrated that modern, high-performance water treatment solutions can be successfully implemented, showcasing their effectiveness and reliability.
