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Aeration Can Use Up to 70% of Plant Energy. Blower Selection Matters.

In many wastewater facilities, blower packages are selected using standard ratings rather than actual system requirements. The result is often excess energy consumption, avoidable maintenance, and inconsistent performance. 

Aquilo is SSI’s blower package for wastewater aeration. The Aquilo blower package is optimized alongside the diffuser system to ensure airflow, pressure, and control align with actual process conditions, not just nominal values. 

Aeration Often Drives a Third to More Than Half of a Plant’s Energy Use.

Blower Selection Is Where Efficiency Is Won or Lost. 

Aeration dominates energy consumption in wastewater treatment systems ( https://www.ssiaeration.com/en/aeration-system) , often accounting for 30 to 70 percent of a facility’s total energy load. What is less widely recognized is how much of that cost is established at the specification stage, long before the equipment is ever placed into operation. 

When a blower is undersized, it cannot deliver the airflow the diffuser system requires. Oxygen transfer suffers, biological treatment performance declines, and meeting discharge limits becomes more difficult. When a blower is oversized, excess capacity is restricted or wasted, and the plant pays ongoing energy penalties for air the system cannot effectively use. In either case, a mismatch between blower performance and system demand drives avoidable operating cost. 

Aquilo is engineered to be sized around actual system conditions, including diffuser head loss, basin geometry, and process airflow requirements, so aeration energy is used efficiently from day one.  

Pie chart with break out of typical energy usage in WWTP

The Aquilo Blower Package

 

Performance and Configuration

 

Aquilo is SSI’s wastewater‑focused blower package, engineered to deliver dependable performance across the operating conditions plants actually face. It is available in both helical (rotary screw) and lobe configurations, allowing it to cover the range of flow, pressure, and process requirements common to municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities. 

Each configuration is selected based on the demands of the application, whether that priority is energy efficiency, turndown capability, operating pressure, or lifecycle cost. Aquilo packages are designed for continuous duty in aeration service and can be applied as standalone blower solutions or as part of a coordinated aeration strategy. 

By offering multiple blower technologies within a common package platform, Aquilo gives engineers and operators flexibility to match performance to process needs without over‑ or under‑engineering the system. 

Blower Package enclosure view

Blower Type 

Max Flow Rate Capacity
SCFM 

Max Pressure
PSI 

HP Range 

Pipe Connection Size
Inches 

Dimensions
W x D x H 

Weight
LBS 

Helical Blower & Lobe Blower 

121 

14.5 

3-10 

2" 

38 x 32 x 57 

950 

Helical Blower & Lobe Blower 

269 

14.5 

7.5 - 20 

3" 

42 x 38 x 62 

1250 

Helical Blower & Lobe Blower 

478 

14.5 

7.5 - 30 

4" 

45 x 40 x 62 

1550 

Helical Blower & Lobe Blower 

770 

14.5 

15 - 50 

5" 

57 x 43 x 72 

2200 

Helical Blower & Lobe Blower 

1100 

14.5 

20 - 75 

6" 

59 x 49 x 74 

3200 

Helical Blower & Lobe Blower 

1925 

14.5 

40 - 150 

8" 

72 x 60 x 87 

5500 

Notes 

1) Values are reflected of Nominal. 

2) Values are reflected to show the maximum weight for each frame size. 

 

Aquilo covers the flow and pressure conditions typical of most municipal aeration basins, as well as a broad range of industrial wastewater applications. For applications requiring higher airflow or multiple blower units, SSI’s engineering team assesses system design within the context of the overall aeration system. 

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Aeration is your biggest energy cost—make sure your blower is working for you. Identify opportunities to reduce energy use with a properly matched blower package. Get a System Assessment

Package Components

A blower package is only as dependable as the systems built around it. Aquilo ships as a complete, integrated unit, with critical components designed into the package rather than sourced and assembled in the field. 

 

NEMA Premium TEFC Motors

 

Aquilo packages are equipped with NEMA Premium Totally Enclosed Fan Cooled (TEFC) motors, selected for continuous‑duty operation in wastewater environments. NEMA Premium efficiency ratings help reduce energy consumption compared to standard‑efficiency motors at equivalent horsepower, which is especially impactful in aeration service where blowers operate for extended periods. 

 

Integrated Inlet Filtration

 

Filtration is integrated into the blower package design. Providing clean intake air helps protect internal blower components and reduces reliance on field‑installed filtration accessories. 

 

Integrated Pressure Relief Valves

 

Aquilo includes integrated pressure relief valves to protect the blower and connected piping from excessive pressure conditions. 

 

Monitoring Sensors

 

On‑board monitoring sensors are integrated into the package to provide visibility into blower operation. These sensors support operational awareness and maintenance planning by making performance data available at the equipment level. 

 

Dedicated Exhaust Fan for Post‑Shutdown Thermal Control

 

Aquilo incorporates a dedicated exhaust fan designed to operate after blower shutdown. This feature helps manage residual heat within the package enclosure, supporting thermal control once airflow from the blower itself has stopped.  

 

Optional Acoustic Enclosure

 

A modular package architecture allows for an optional acoustic enclosure where noise control is required. This option supports installations with site‑specific sound constraints without changing the core blower package design. 

Better Aeration Starts with Thinking in Systems

What ultimately matters in aeration is not the airflow listed in a catalog, but the airflow the blower delivers once it is connected to the system it serves. In the field, a blower operates against the actual backpressure of the aeration system, and that pressure defines where it runs on its performance curve. 

In a fine bubble aeration system ( https://www.ssiaeration.com/en/diffusers/fine-bubble-disc-diffusers/) , backpressure is made up of diffuser (https://www.ssiaeration.com/en/diffusers/) head loss, hydrostatic pressure at diffuser depth, and pressure losses through the air piping. Those conditions are not static. As diffuser membranes age and resistance increases, system pressure changes as well. A blower selected only against a nominal design pressure can end up operating far from its intended point, with the impact showing up in dissolved oxygen control and energy consumption over time. 

Because SSI designs and supplies both blower packages and diffuser systems, our approach starts with the full aeration system. When an application is evaluated, the system curve reflects the actual diffuser type, submergence depth, piping layout, and basin geometry. The blower is then selected to match that reality. 

For facilities already operating SSI diffuser systems (https://www.ssiaeration.com/en/diffusers/), Aquilo can be specified with confidence that blower and diffuser performance are aligned. For plants planning an aeration system retrofit (https://www.ssiaeration.com/en/retrofitting/), blower and diffuser evaluation can happen together, simplifying design and helping ensure long‑term performance from the start. 

Get a System Evaluation

Is your existing blower system keeping pace with your aeration demand?

BABA Compliance and US Manufacturing

BABA-compliant configurations of the Aquilo blower package are available for projects requiring domestic content under the Build America, Buy America Act. For municipal wastewater projects funded through EPA programs, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, or State Revolving Fund grants, BABA compliance is required for product specification. SSI’s Aquilo packages meet these requirements and can be specified for federally funded projects without waivers or exceptions. Contact SSI to confirm the appropriate configuration for your application.

One Partner for the Full Aeration System

Most suppliers sell a blower. SSI delivers a blower package for wastewater treatment that is engineered to perform within your actual aeration system. We look at diffuser layout, basin geometry, airflow demand, and existing conditions before selecting equipment, because those factors determine what the blower truly needs to do. The result is a package that works as part of a complete system, not a standalone catalog item. From specification through startup, SSI supports design, diffuser and media selection, retrofits, and commissioning, backed by millions of installations across municipal and industrial applications.  

Frequently Asked Questions

A blower package supplies pressurized air to the diffuser network in an aeration basin. The diffusers release that air into the wastewater as fine bubbles, transferring oxygen to the liquid and supporting the aerobic biological treatment process. Blowers are the primary energy consumer in most wastewater treatment facilities, typically representing 50 to 70 percent of total plant energy use. A blower package integrates the blower, motor, filtration, pressure relief, and monitoring systems into a single pre-engineered unit designed for continuous-duty plant operation. 

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