Aeration remains the single largest energy consumer in wastewater treatment, often accounting for 50–70% of total electricity use.
As Australian utilities push toward ambitious net-zero and cost-reduction targets, the inadequacy of legacy air-flow control equipment has become increasingly obvious.
What many operators lack is not new blowers, it’s intelligent control.
Modern biological plants operate under dynamic loading, making variable-speed and often over-sized blowers, simple butterfly valves, and traditional DO control loops incapable of keeping pace. The result is chronic over-aeration, unstable DO levels, and excessive energy use.
Watch; Ready to push aeration control to the maximum with better discharge values?
The VACOMASS® system, developed by Binder Group, addresses this gap by combining high-precision air-flow meter, specially for aeration air developed control valves with a coordinated real-time control strategy that adjusts oxygen supply. Instead of controlling DO indirectly through blower pressure or actuator position, VACOMASS® directly controls the actual mass flow of air delivered to each aeration zone.
Pump & Valve is the distributor of Binder Group products for ANZ region.
This changes everything.
The system reacts instantly to diurnal load variations, storm flows, ammonia spikes, and seasonal temperature changes, maintaining tight DO bands and eliminating unnecessary aeration. Plants adopting the system typically report:
- • up to 35% reduction in total aeration energy
- • Improved effluent stability and reduced ammonia excursions
- • Demand-driven distribution of oxygen across basins
- • Smoother blower operation and reduced mechanical stress
- • Lower OPEX and extended asset life
As Australia faces rising electricity costs and stricter effluent quality compliance, advanced aeration control is no longer optional. With over 20 years of proven global installations—including many in Europe, the USA, and APAC—the VACOMASS® approach has become a benchmark in energy-efficient biological treatment.
WATCH: Struggling to optimize the air consumption of your wastewater treatment plant?
For utilities planning upgrades in 2026–2027, aeration control should be the first system evaluated—not the last. The ROI is immediate, measurable, and aligned with the industry’s push toward sustainability and decarbonisation.
Read the case study here
For more information or enquiries contact Tony Girach of Aeration Control Systems at tony.g@pumpandvalve.com or in New Zealand contact Justin Engels of Pump & Valve at justin.e@pumpandvalve.com
