As a result of Thailand’s rapid economic, technological, industrial, and social development as well as population increase, the country’s natural resources have depleted drastically. This was coupled with misuse of natural resource evidently leading to the problem of environmental deterioration, especially in big cities.
An important environment problem is water pollution caused by discharge of water from factories, hospitals, hotels, stores, markets, communities as well as households, directly into ditches or public canals. Since the water did not undergo any treatment before being discharged, it then became polluted and the problem of environmental degradation had worsened. Inevitably, the situation had affected the well-being of many Thais.
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej was highly concerned about the sufferings and, on many occasions, traveled to inspect the water pollution problems at various locations in and outside of Bangkok, including its peripheral areas. During those visits, His Majesty granted several initiatives to solve the water pollution.
From 1984 to 1987, His Majesty had suggested the use of good quality water to dilute polluted water, resulting in the term Good Water Chases Bad, as well as the use of water hyacinth and aquatic plants as natural water filters. These approaches proved to be able to alleviate the problem, yet further attempts remained essential to manage the water pollution in Thailand which had become more increasingly critical since 1988.
Upon the realization that the natural methods were no longer adequate to tackle the problem, His Majesty graciously granted an initiative to invent an aerator that was economical and Thai-made. He modified the aerator from the function of Luk, a device made from local wisdom used by farmers to scoop water into paddy fields. This initiative truly reflected His Majesty’s strong desire to share the burden of the government in mitigating polluted water.
For that matter, His Majesty authorized the Chaipattana Foundation to provide financial support for the study and research to develop his invention. With the cooperation of the Royal Irrigation Department, a machine for polluted water treatment was then created and is widely recognized today as the Chaipattana Aerator.
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Study, Research and Development
On 24 December, 1988, His Majesty graciously granted another initiative to treat polluted water by adding air which can be done by two methods as follows:
One method is to compress air into the main pipe and expel it through diffuser tubes. The other method is to use a waterwheel to lift the water and return it. This waterwheel rotates slowly by using a small electric motor, not exceeding 2 horsepower, or using power from waterflow. It was considered beneficial to construct models of the aerator and experiment with them at Phra Mongkutklao Hospital and Bavornives Vihara Temple.
In accordance with His Majesty the King’s Initiative, the Royal Irrigation Department conducted a study and invented a model of the Chaipattana Aerator by modification of the flotation waterwheel pump. This aerator was installed to treat polluted water at Phra Mongkutklao Hospital and Bavornives Vihara Temple in 1989 as a plan to carry out further study, research and development of waste treatment systems for about four to five years.
Qualifications
The Chaipattana Aerator, formally known as the Chaipattana Low Speed Surface Aerator, Model RX-2 (Royal Experiment Model 2), is capable of transferring oxygen up to 1.2 kilograms per horsepower per hour. Not only is the aerator effective in improving the quality of water, it is also easy to install and transport from one location to another. It is suitable for treating waste water in natural water areas like ponds, swamps, creeks, and canals in which the depth is more than one meter and the width more than three meters.
Functioning
The Chaipattana Aerator is capable of adapting to fluctuations in the water levels. The main components include:
1) Twelve arm buckets frame with a diameter of two meters.
2) Six of the 110 liters of water spraying buckets are perforated and attached to the rim of the frame.
- The water spraying buckets are rotated by transmitting power from a two-horsepower electric motor at a line voltage of 380 volts; 3 phase; 50 hertz.
- The transmission system uses a reduction gear motor, a roller chain and a sprocket. This allows the water spraying buckets to scoop water at five revolutions per minute and at a depth of 0.50 meters below the water surface, and to spray water above the water surface at a height of 1 meter.
The functioning of the water spraying buckets creates a large interface area between water and air, resulting in oxygen being quickly absorbed into the water. When waste water is scooped up, exposed to air, and then released, it creates air bubbles which event