ABSTRACT
Oxygenation or aeration of water is essentially the same process as blood oxygenation, except the requirements are much less stringent because oxygen transfer occurs to the liquid phase. Most aeration is carried out by bubbling air into water by pipes or membrane devices. Aeration membranes are essentially sheets of rubber with many holes in the form of slits. The main functions of membrane are (1) providing numbers of holes and (2) providing valve mechanism to prevent flooding of the pipe system when the system is depressurized. Under applied pressure, membrane expands and the slit opens. When the aeration system is depressurized, membrane contracts and the slits close by the hydrostatic pressure of water.
