Blowers for Wastewater and Industrial Applications

Session 1: Basic Thermodynamics

• Properties of air
• Fundamentals of compression processes
• Terms and Definitions
• Units of Measure
• Specification parameters

Objective: Understanding of the thermodynamic properties of air and their impact on blower system performance.

Significance: Knowledge of these foundational concepts is required for understanding and selecting blower systems and components.

Session 2: Analysis Methods

• Conversion of flow rates
• Determination of pressure
• Friction losses
• Power of compression
• Electric motors and electric power
• Economic evaluation
• Specification parameters

Objective: Proficiency in calculating key performance parameters and evaluating their impact on system design and specification.

Significance: Evaluating these parameters and their deviations is necessary for understanding design constraints, specification of system performance, and evaluating operation.

Session 3: Characteristics of PD Blowers

• Fundamental principles
• Types of PD blowers
• Performance characteristics
• Testing requirements
• Maintenance requirements
• Specification requirements

Objective: Understanding of the key operating characteristics and limitations of PD blowers.

Significance: This type of blower dominates some application segments and understanding them is necessary for successful applications.

Session 4: Characteristics of Centrifugal Blowers

• Fundamental principles
• Types of centrifugal blowers
• Performance characteristics
• Testing requirements
• Maintenance requirements
• Specification requirements

Objective: Understanding of the key operating characteristics and limitations of centrifugal blowers.

Significance: This type of blower is more complex and is growing in market share. Understanding them is necessary for successful applications.

Session 5: Blower Controls

• Common instrumentation
• Blower protection strategies
• Blower control strategies
• Optimization considerations

Objective: Knowledge of control systems, understanding of the process benefits controls can provide.

Significance: Controls have become an important part of blower systems and are necessary for blower optimization. Most suppliers offer integrated control and blower packages.

Session 6: Ancillary Components

• Motors
• Filters
• Enclosures
• Control valves
• Process controls
• Testing

Objective: Familiarity with typical ancillary components necessary for successful system operation.

Significance: Selection of compatible and properly sized ancillary components is essential for insuring that system performance meets operator expectations.

Event Dates/Times:

• 4/14/2025  10:00am - 11:30am Central Time
• 4/18/2025  10:00am - 11:30am Central Time
• 4/21/2025  10:00am - 11:30am Central Time
• 4/25/2025  10:00am - 11:30am Central Time
• 4/28/2025  10:00am - 11:30am Central Time
• 5/2/2025  10:00am - 11:30am Central Time

This course is taught online over Zoom and Canvas. A UW NetID is required to access the online course. Your registration confirmation email will walk you through the NetID process and access to the Canvas course website. 

A link to access the online course materials and the webinar platform will be provided to all students a few days before the course. Please watch the email address that you provide during registration for release dates and pre-course information.  Please check your spam file If you do not see emails from the "wisc.edu" address.

Zoom sessions will be recorded. 

• Program Director

  Adib Amini

• Tom Jenkins

  Engineering Technician II

  Tom Jenkins co-founded Energy Strategies Corporation (ESCOR) in 1984 and was General Manager until 2007. He was the Chief Design Engineer at Dresser Roots Wastewater Solutions Group (now part of Howden Roots LLC) from 2007 until 2010.

  As the owner and President of JenTech Inc., Tom now provides consulting services to the wastewater treatment industry. This includes design and analysis of control systems, aeration systems, energy conservation measures, and blower systems. While specializing in aeration and aeration controls, his services cover related wastewater process systems such as DO control, piping system design, and blower control systems. His experience includes the design and implementation of PLC, SCADA, and telemetry systems. Tom is the author of many articles and books on wastewater aeration and control. He is the chairman of ASME's Performance Test Code 13 Committee and a Fellow of the Water Environment Federation.

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

• Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
• Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
• You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Enroll over the phone and pay by credit card.

• Call CERC Registrations at 608-262-2451.
• Provide the registrations representative with:
  • the course name, dates, and/or course number.
  • the necessary course attendee information and payment information.
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

• Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
• Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
• Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

• Request Purchase Order information from interpro@union.wisc.edu
  • If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
• You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email interpro@union.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

If you cannot attend, please notify us no later than one week before your course begins, and we will refund your fee. Cancellations received after this date and no-shows are subject to a $150 administrative fee. You may enroll a substitute at any time before the course starts.

The course will be offered as a live online course, with recordings made of each session so that participants can watch them at other times if they are not available at the meeting time. Therefore, this course can be flexible and accommodate a variety of schedules. The course meetings will take place twice a week over a 3-week period, for a total of 6 sessions. Each session will be approximately 1.5 hours.