Binder’s VACOMASS system combines advanced flow control and AI-based automation to maximise cleaning performance and energy efficiency.
In a world where wastewater plants are squeezed between rising bills and tightening regulations, air isn’t cheap anymore. Aeration may be essential to biological treatment, but it is also an energy black hole.
The solution? Smarter systems that do more with less — and prove it with data.
Enter Binder GmbH, a global name in precision flow measurement. Through its Pump and Valve Systems division, Binder has developed VACOMASS®, an intelligent aeration control system that helps plants reduce energy use, stabilise processes, and stay within effluent limits.
VACOMASS combines high-accuracy flow meters, low-pressure drop control valves, and an AI-driven controller that adjusts air delivery based on real-time demand. The result? Oxygen is supplied only when and where it’s needed.
From brute force to brainpower
Traditional aeration systems rely on manual settings or timers, often leading to over- or under-aeration. VACOMASS uses adaptive algorithms to fine-tune airflow, helping operators maintain reliability while saving energy.
The system responds to dissolved oxygen levels, loading rates, and storm events, ensuring airflow aligns with biological demand. Plants using VACOMASS have reported energy savings of up to 20 per cent and improved diffuser life due to reduced pressure losses.
Built-in alerts and fail-safes also help operators avoid process disruptions, reducing site visits and unplanned downtime.
Keeping pace with regulation
Tighter discharge limits and decarbonisation targets are driving change in the wastewater sector. Aeration is a major energy user and a contributor to nitrous oxide emissions, a potent greenhouse gas.
VACOMASS supports compliance by maintaining steady oxygen levels and reducing the conditions that cause nitrous oxide spikes during the nitrogen removal process. Its control system adapts to seasonal trends and variable influent loads, keeping processes within bounds without overcorrecting. When conditions shift unexpectedly, the system adjusts automatically, protecting performance and avoiding regulatory breaches.
Real results, less energy
At the Kiel wastewater treatment plant in northern Germany, VACOMASS has delivered measurable results. Operators eliminated ammonia peaks, improved effluent stability, and significantly reduced the energy used by the blower.
The plant also improved nitrogen removal in anoxic zones by upgrading to jet control valves and dynamic controllers, which prevented carry-over. The retrofit allowed Kiel to enhance performance without major infrastructure changes.
Tuned for local challenges
Australia’s wastewater sector faces high energy prices, climate extremes and tight environmental controls. Binder’s VACOMASS system is designed to address these issues directly.
Its modular design allows for easy integration with existing infrastructure. The controller adapts to local conditions, while real-time data helps optimise performance and support long-term maintenance planning.
Binder’s team will be at Ozwater 2025 (stand R07 and R10) in May, sharing insights into how smarter aeration can support more stable, sustainable operations.
Wastewater operations are evolving fast. As expectations rise, so too must the intelligence behind the infrastructure.
For more information, visit bindergroup.info and pumpandvalve.com
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