Also called aerification, it is the process of bringing water and air into close contact in order to remove dissolved gases, such as carbon dioxide, and oxidize dissolved metals such as iron. It can also be used to remove volatile organic chemicals (VOC) in the water. Aeration is often the first major process at the treatment plant. During aeration, constituents are removed or modified before they can interfere with the treatment processes. Also, it is essential to supply soil and roots with air or oxygen.
Aeration (also called aerification or aeriation) is the process by which air is circulated through, mixed with or dissolved in a liquid or other substances that act as a fluid (such as soil). Aeration processes create additional surface area in the mixture, allowing greater chemical or suspension reactions.
English
Alternative forms
- aëration
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɛːˈɹeɪʃ(ə)n/
Noun
aeration (countable and uncountable, plural aerations)
- The process by which air is circulated through or mixed with a substance such as soil or a liquid.
- By extension, a process in which other gases (such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen or argon) are circulated through or mixed with a substance (usually liquid), sometimes with the consequence of increasing the transfer of air into the same liquid at the surface due to the induced circulation.
Usage notes
The extension of the meaning to gases other than air likely arises because gasification describes a totally different process.
