Aerator - a simple device with high efficiency

What is an aerator?

An aerator is a nozzle on the tap, which splits the water flow into many small ones, saturates it with air bubbles (aerates) and thus creates a soft, clean stream of water without splashing.

Aerators are not to be confused with fluffers, which are also commonly used in modern faucets.

How do aerators work?

The perimeter of the aerator has a series of small holes through which air is drawn in. In the inner chamber, air mixes with water, resulting in an aerated, that is, saturated with air bubbles, "foamy" stream of water.
The water flow is reduced by the mesh installed in the aerator, which slows down the water flow by saturating it with air.

What are the benefits of using aerators?

The main advantage is a significant reduction in water consumption. On average about 15 liters of water flows through an ordinary faucet per minute, the use of an aerator can reduce this figure by 2-3 times.

In addition to reducing water consumption, the aerator solves several other problems:

1. First, the bubbly water cleans surfaces (both hands and dishes) better.
2. Secondly, by mixing with air, chlorine is removed from the water more quickly. Also aerators, depending on the model, can have the ability to clean solids.
3. And, of course, the jet becomes softer, and washing is more comfortable, the noise impact of the flow is reduced.

Is the installation of aerators required for certification?

Yes, the requirements for efficient water consumption are present in all major standards - LEED, BREEAM New Construction, BREEAM In-Use.

For example, when assessing according to BREEAM New Construction, a special calculator is filled in, which takes into account the water consumption of all consumers, including hand basins and kitchen taps.

Accordingly, the installation of aerators will give a higher score on this criterion (Wat 01).
The BREEAM In-Use v6 standard requires a flow rate of 4 liters per minute for hand basins and automatic shut off (IR sensor) to receive the highest Wat 04 score.

What types of aerators are available and how to choose?
There are two main types:

1) Aerator: produces a flow filled with air bubbles, which feels like foamy, "soft" water. This option is optimal for domestic use, the flow rate depends on the manufacturer and the type of aerator.
2) Spray: thanks to the atomizer, many voluminous miniature jets are created, the flow rate is about 3 liters per minute.

At the moment there are many variations of models and completeness of aerators: vacuum, with lighting - water temperature indicator, with adjustable flow rate, rotary, with cleaning filters and others. This allows you to choose the model that best meets the characteristics and requirements of the project.

Among the manufacturers, when buying an aerator you can focus on the following brands: Neoperl, Grohe, Hihippo, Terla, Minta, Essence, RST.

Manufacturers may indicate the performance of the device, but it is a very relative indicator - it is necessary to take into account that if the pressure in the pipeline is very large, even if the aerator for the output of 2 l/min, it will still pass a larger volume.

It is worth noting that you should not chase the metal mesh aerator, as metal rusts, oxidizes and "overgrows" faster.

Also, the advantages of aerators include low cost (on average - 20-30 USD per piece), which will allow you to implement measures to save resources for the entire building, even with a small budget.


Tags: #resource-saving #water-efficient sanitation #green buildings