Theoretical efficiency of the pulverising aerator – A case study based on Lake Swarzędzkie

Lakes can be restored by the aeration method with the use of wind driven pulverising aerators. The method allows for moderate oxygenation of hypolimnion waters and it may be part of an integrated surface waters restoration system. The paper attempts to use the author’s method of maximum wind speeds to assess the volumetric flow of water through the aerator pulverisation mechanism. The study was conducted in 2018 in windy conditions of Lake Swarzędzkie. The introduction to the paper includes the characteristic of the lake and discusses the construction and operation of the wind driven pulverising aerator. Based on the maximum wind speed model, the theoretical capacity of the machine was calculated, which in the conditions of Lake Swarzędzkie was less than 111,500 m3 per year. Based on maximum wind speeds, the method of assessing the efficiency of the wind driven pulverising aerator is suitable for determining the volumetric flow rate of the pulverisation unit. This can significantly facilitate the planning of water reservoir restoration.