Maintaining your air blower

Regular maintenance of your air blower is very important to ensure your sewage treatment system works properly, and also to extend the lifespan of your air blower. Frequent inspection of the consumable parts can identify any wear and tear or problems early so that they can be replaced before the blower overheats and potentially fails.

Things to check include:

• Air filter – unscrew the cover on the top of your air blower and check the gauze filter inside. Ideally, this should be clear and free from any clogged dirt or debris. Your filter should be checked and cleaned every 6 months and it is recommended that you replace it annually. If your filter is dark and clogged, this suggests that foul air is being sucked in from the treatment system. This often points to lack of ventilation where the air blower is housed, so make sure it can receive a clean, fresh supply of air as foul air will eventually clog and burn the blower out.

• Diaphragms – for diaphragm-driven air blowers, check the condition of the diaphragms inside the air blower every 6 months and look to replace them bi-annually (unless they are damaged before this and require replacement). If the diaphragms look worn or are split, this is often due to a high back pressure (usually due to either a clogged air filter or a blockage on the air line causing a build-up of pressure inside the air blower). Replacing the diaphragms will be necessary if this is the case, but it’s also advisable to rectify the cause of the problem to avoid having to regularly pay for replacement diaphragms.

• Linear Shuttle Pistons – for linear shuttle piston-driven air blowers, often a warning sign that the pistons will soon require replacement is a whistling sound. This is due to the Teflon coating on the pistons wearing thin and causing audible vibration. There is also a groove on each Teflon seal of the piston indicating the degree of wear – inspect this periodically (try not to touch the Teflon coating).

• Air Hose – check the air hose that feeds the air from your blower into the sewage treatment system on a regular basis. A clear plastic air hose may easily display any blockages or build-up of debris. If in doubt, disconnect the air hose and flush it out to dislodge and blockages. Ensure the air hose is free from kinks or damage so that the air flow that passes through is maximised. Air hoses should be secured to the blower outlet with appropriate clamps.

• Air Pressure – if you are having to replace either your entire air blower or consumable parts on a regular basis, high pressure may be the reason. Generally, air blowers shouldn’t be operating any higher than 200MBAR – connecting a pressure gauge to your air blower to test this will indicate if the pressure is too high. If the pressure is running higher, this often points to the system itself being very full and requiring de-sludging (emptying), a blockage on the air line or insufficient fresh air ventilation to the blower.

If you are still having problems with your air blower, despite checking the above (or asking your Servicing Engineer to check on your behalf), give us a call (or the company you purchased the air blower from) and we will do our best to advise!