To understand what a septic air pump does, we must first understand how a septic tank functions and is used. There are two types of systems of septic tanks that are discussed below.
Aerobic Treatment Systems are a new and advanced form of treatment in waste-water management. These aerobic septic systems consist of one multiple chambered tank or multiple tanks of different chambers, with stages in between them. These stages usually include a number of tanks to get the system working. These include the collecting tank or the trash tank, the aeration chamber, and a settling tank. Most of the systems even have a fourth stage of tank, especially for the purposes of disinfection. This can also double as a pump chamber. This chamber either uses Chlorine or Ultra-Violet. This is how an aerobic septic system is built. This aerobic treatment system can process waste and discharge it as clear and odorless water. These systems usually surface discharge either to a ditch or a pond, a spray irrigation system, or a drip irrigation system. It is very efficient in its working, because of its well-engineered tanks.
There are also the Conventional Septic Systems. These conventional septic systems usually consist of a single compartment tank or a double compartment one. It collects large solids that need to be discharged and allows the liquids to pass on to a secondary treatment system. These secondary treatment systems include some commonplaces of discharge like the drain field, the mound system, the sand filters, so on and so forth. These types of systems do not require a lot of maintenance, because of their durability. They hardly require any mechanical components to start the functioning of their gears. The wastewater is dealt with below the surface.
Septic tanks in waste-water treatment systems use microorganisms to process their waste. This includes the processing of both solid and liquid household or facility waste. These microorganisms are friendly to us as they eat up the rest of the harmful pathogens that processed waste includes before it gets released into the outer environment. There are two types of microorganisms that can do this job, aerobic bacteria and anaerobic bacteria.
In conventional or traditional septic systems, there thrive anaerobic microorganisms because of the typically unoxygenated environments in these septic systems. On the other hand, aerobic microorganisms require oxygen to process the waste most effectively. This is where the role of a septic air pump or an aerator comes in. The septic air pump transforms the traditional septic system into almost like a small-scale wastewater treatment facility. The septic aerator pump breathes air into a holding chamber in the septic tank. The air coming in allows for the growth of aerobic bacteria because they thrive in oxygen. This bacterium breaks the waste-water down, finishing the harmful pathogens off by eating them. As a result, they produce an effluent, odorless discharge that is harmless to the environment.
Aerobic septic tank systems also use the septic air pump or blower system to pump some air into the main tank of the waste-water treatment. Because of this pump, the air mixes with the tank’s solid wastes and liquid waste. This process of pumping is called septic tank aeration. The oxygen in the air keeps the aerobic microorganisms alive, which help in catalyzing the digestion of the waste.
The National Park Service states that the use of aerobic septic tank systems can help in the processing of the waste with a speed of up to 20 times faster than conventional septic tank systems. Unprocessed solid wastes either settle to the bottom of the septic tank as raw sewage or flow through a settling chamber. The solid wastes then eventually flow to the main chamber of the septic tank. Some septic tank systems are built with a chamber that handles pre-treatment of the waste. In this chamber, solid wastes such as toilet paper and solid forms of grease are separated to avoid clogging the entire unit.
Septic treatment systems are a vital part of any unit or facility. They are the best way to deal with wastewater management, helps in sanitation and makes life easier. All of this because of proper functioning of a septic air pump.
