Performance Testing of Blowers for Wastewater and Industrial Applications

Blowers are critical to meeting process and energy objectives for water resource recovery facilities (WRRF) and for many industrial processes. Blowers are typically a significant capitalexpenditure and a major part of energy and operating expenses. Rigorous testing is essential for developing application data and for verifying the performance of equipment. This course willpresent a comprehensive explanation of the theory and implementation of blower testing procedures. ASME, CAGI, and ISO test protocols will be covered for bare blowers and wire-to-air tests.

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.

(September 1-19, 2025 on Mondays and Fridays from 10am-11:30am, 6 session totals)

At the completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Session 1: Basic Concepts

Objective: Identify the philosophy and fundamental concepts of blower testing.

Significance: Knowledge of these foundational concepts is required for conducting performance testing and interpreting the results.

Session 2: Thermodynamics of Air

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

Significance: Evaluating these parameters and their deviations is necessary for conducting tests and converting performance data.

Session 3: PD Blower Testing

Objective: Understanding of the test procedures and test limitations for PD blowers.

Significance: This type of blower has some characteristics that dictate specific test procedures.

Session 4: Centrifugal Blower Testing

Objective: Understanding of the test procedures and test limitations for PD blowers.

Significance: This type of blower has some characteristics that dictate specific test procedures.

Session 5: Reporting Test Results

Objective: Develop an understanding of the calculations necessary for performance evaluation.

Significance: Most tests require calculations to convert performance at test conditions to projected performance at specified operating conditions.

Session 6: Specification Considerations

Objective: Enable the attendee to specify the testing requirements suitable to project needs.

Significance: Testing is expensive, and it is necessary to clearly identify the objectives methods and required results to optimize value to the owner.

Tom Jenkins

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.