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Surface Water Flow

Control Systems
ACO Q-Brake Vortex and ACO Q-Plate
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Introduction to ACOs Surface Water Flow Control Systems

ACOs range of flow control systems are designed to regulate storm water flow before it
discharges into the watercourse or sewer networks. ACO Q-Brake Vortex flow controls
and ACO Q-Plate orifice plates are capable of regulating any flow for surface water
applications and can be used in conjunction with retention and attenuation systems,
such as ACO StormBrixx, as an integrated sustainable urban drainage (SuDS) scheme.
What is ACO Q-Brake Vortex?
ACO Q-Brake Vortex is a horizontal
vortex flow control designed to
regulate storm water flows from 1100 litres per second. Manufactured
from grade 304 stainless steel, each
ACO Q-Brake Vortex is individually
configured to suit specific
performance criteria.

The design of a vortex flow control is

based on the fluid mechanics
principle of the forced vortex, which
permits flow regulation without any
moving parts.
ACO Q-Brake Vortex utilises the
upstream head and discharge to
generate a vortex within the
structure of the unit. The water is
then released at a pre-determined
controlled rate preventing
downstream flooding. Click here for a
short demonstration.

Unlike more conventional methods,

ACO Q-Brake Vortex is less prone to
blockage, and permits higher flow at
a lower head of water, as a vortex
control allows an outlet 4-6 times
larger in cross sectional area to be
used.
ACO Q-Brake Vortex can form part of
the design of any integrated drainage
scheme for a wide range of
infrastructure, industrial and other
SuDS applications.

Why choose ACO Q-Brake Vortex?

4 Planning and connection

4 Proven performance

4 Reduces total installed cost

4 ACO Q-Brake Vortex addresses

the planning and connection
requirements set out in the Floods
and Water Management Act.
Where a discharge restriction is in
place, ACO Q-Brake Vortex
regulates the surface water flow
to the specified rate.

4 ACO Q-Brake Vortex is UK

manufactured and has been
independently laboratory tested to
verified discharge rates.

4 ACO Q-Brake Vortex allows more

flow at lower heads, reducing the
need for on-site storage volume
requirements lowering installation
costs.

4 Tailored performance
4 Each ACO Q-Brake Vortex is
tailored to the specific
performance requirements of the
application providing optimum
efficiency within the system.
4 Optimum hydraulic efficiency
4 The mechanism employed within
ACO Q-Brake Vortex provides
superior hydraulic performance in
comparison to traditional flow
control systems.

What is ACO Q-Plate?

ACO Q-Plate orifice plates are
designed for use where an
ACO Q-Brake vortex is not the
most effective solution.

4 Water Authorities Approval

4 ACO Q-Brake Vortex has been
approved for use by a number of
water authorities including Severn
Trent, Anglian and Scottish Water.

Information regarding the

specification of the ACO Q Plates
can be found here.

To suit application requirements, the

range is available with or without
remote bypass and drain down and is
designed to match a variety on
manhole configurations.
ACO Q-Plates with and without draindown

4 Simplified access and

maintenance
4 ACO Q-Brake Vortex has large
clear openings making it less
prone to blockage. The absence
of any loose parts also reduces
maintenance requirements.
4 The patented bypass door and
emergency drain down facility
allows ACO Q-Brake Vortex to be
remotely accessed from the
surface to allow the upstream
system to be independently
drained, completely bypassing the
inlet. Building Regulations 2000
Section H discourages direct man
access to sewer manholes.

4 Ease of installation
4 Each ACO Q-Brake Vortex unit is
custom built to suit the profile of
the chamber. Radius fixing
options remove the need for
additional benching - simplifying
installation and reducing cost.
4 WinDes
4 ACO Q-Brake Vortex can be sized
and modelled on the latest
version of the design software and
can be incorporated into the
overall hydraulic drainage design.

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Benefits of using a surface water flow control system

Example:

Results:

There is a project in Bedford, England

with a catchment area of 13,000m2.
The project has design criteria of a 1 in
30 year storm and the runoff from the
site must not exceed 6.3l/s at a design
head of 1.3m.

Using MicroDrainage software, ACO has compared

the upstream storage requirements using ACO QBrake Vortex and a traditional orifice plate. The
results are summarised below:

Compared to the use of traditional flow

control systems, the combination of
ACO StormBrixx and ACO Q-Brake
Vortex can reduce the need for
additional upstream storage lowering
overall installation and maintenance
costs.
This benefit is best demonstrated in the
example opposite. The conclusion of
the example means that upstream
storage can be reduced by 11m3
compared to using a traditional flow
control system.

4 ACO Q-Brake Vortex required 90mm.

Upstream attenuation required 402m3.

ACO Q-Brake Vortex reduces upstream attenuation

by 11m3 whilst having an orifice over three times
the area of the traditional orifice plate and making
ACO Q-Brake Vortex more efficient and far less
prone to blockage.

1.3m

4 Orifice plate size required 51mm. Upstream

attenuation required 413m3.

ACOs range of flow control systems can

be used in conjunction with ACOs
award-winning attenuation and
infiltration system, ACO StormBrixx, to
provide a fully integrated storm water
control system meeting the requirements
of the regulations.

Volume of water passing

out of system not retained
in storage

Design head:
1.3m

Manhole chamber

6.3 l/s

This diagram simulates how the ACO

StormBrixx system is used to provide
storm water attenuation, whilst the
ACO Q-Brake Vortex is used to regulate
the rate of discharge from the
development into the watercourse or
sewer network.

Discharge characteristics

Head (m)

Storage and the controlled release of

clean water into the natural
environment is an important aspect of
managing surface water in the SuDS
approach. The Floods and Water
Management Act now gives overall
responsibility to the local regulatory
body to impose, where appropriate, the
discharge rate of a surface water flow
control system.

Flow (l/s)

ACO Q-Brake Vortex 90mm

Flow rate: water

discharged at a
rate of 6.3l/s

Conventional Orifice Alternative 51mm

ACOTex Plus protection fleece

Outlet pipe

ACOWrap geomembrane

Water enters
ACO Q-Brake Vortex

i
For more information on
ACOs award winning
attenuation and
infiltration system, ACO
StormBrixx, please click here.

ACO Q-Brake Vortex

Water enters
the system

ACO StormBrixx
attenuation system

Inlet pipe

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ACO Q-BRAKE FLOW CONTROL FEATURES OVERVIEW

Individually
configured to suit
specific performance
criteria
Flexible fitting
options custom built
to suit the profile of
the chamber

Regulate storm water flows

from 1-100 litres per second

Remote access
cable for emergency
drain down

Sealing gasket and latch

Emergency drain down

All parts are welded
to BS 4872
Remote access
bypass door

Manufactured
from grade 304
stainless steel

Larger* clear
opening, reduces
risk of blockage

Inlet/outlet
determined by
laboratory verified
discharge curves

Additional and varying features for

ACO Q-Brake Vortex >40l/s
A

Remote access bypass door and

emergency draindown. Located in a
different position to ACO Q-Brake
Vortex units <40l/s

Removable maintenance cover

Side vents to aid draindown on units

with radius fixing

Lifting eyes

Fixing locators

*Larger than traditional orifice plates

D
E

A
A

Square manhole fixing (rear)

Radius manhole fixing (rear)

Radius manhole fixing (front)

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ACO Q-Brake Vortex specification and design process

Manufactured from grade 304 stainless

steel, each ACO Q-Brake Vortex is
individually configured to suit specific
performance criteria. Our engineers will
use industry standard drainage software
and hydraulic design calculations to
ensure the system is correctly sized for
any project requirement.
In order to complete this process and
deliver the product options available,
please provide the ACO engineers with
the following information:
4 The proposed design flow
maximum allowable discharge
4 The proposed design head invert of
outlet pipe to top water level
4 The proposed outlet pipe diameter
4 The proposed type and size of outlet
manhole
Before production can commerce,
ALL of the above information must be
verified on ACOs Contract Review
Document issued at the time of order
placement.

Finished product
From this information ACO will size and
design the ACO Q-Brake Vortex to meet
the design criteria and to suit the
proposed surface water application.
ACO will supply:
4 Head discharge table & graph
4 ACO Q-Brake Vortex installation
details
4 Information for manhole sizing

ACO Water Management Design Services Team

i
ACO has embraced the concept of
value engineering a totally new
approach to on-site construction that
saves both time and money. ACO will
review any design to minimise the total
scheme and life cost of a proposal.

By utilising ACOs portfolio of products,

it is often possible to remove the need
for conventional underground drainage.

ACO Water Management

Design Services Team

Tel: 01462 816666

Email: technical@aco.co.uk

Micro Drainage Modelling

ACO Q-Brake Vortex can be sized and modelled on
the latest version of Micro Drainage.

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Installation detail

Guide to installing an ACO Q-Brake Vortex

Installation instructions

Step 1:

Construct the chamber that is to house

the ACO Q-Brake Vortex flow control.
Note that if the chamber has a curved
wall (e.g. a concrete ring manhole), the
diameter of the chamber should be
specified on the order and Contract
Review Document for the ACO Q-Brake
Vortex flow control unit.

Guide ring fixed to wall

Bypass door lifting wire

Outlet Chamber

Inlet Pipe

Guide ring fixed to wall

Step 2:

Bypass door with float

for automatic closure

The base of the chamber must be at a

level 200mm below the bottom of the
ACO Q-Brake Vortex flow control. When
the chamber base is benched, there must
be a 200mm deep sump below the
bottom of the unit as shown on the
sketch.

Outlet Pipe
Sealing gasket
200mm sump in chamber benching

15mm holes for M10

stainless steel bolts
(bolts supplied with unit)
Sealing gasket

Fixing installation detail for flat

sided manhole chambers

Outlet Pipe

Outlet Pipe

Fixing installation detail for

round manhole chambers

15mm holes for M10

stainless steel bolts
(bolts supplied with unit)

Sealing gasket

Step 3:

Step 5:

Offer the ACO Q-Brake Vortex flow control

unit up to the outlet pipe using the lifting
eyes where appropriate. Ensure the unit
is upright (arrow pointing vertically up).
Mark the position of the fixing holes on
the chamber wall. Remove the unit and
drill fixing holes to suit the M10 bolts
supplied with the unit. (Note bolts are
Rawlbolt R-XPT-S stainless steel M10
bolts requiring a hole 15mm diameter).

Fix the two wire guide rings (supplied) to

the chamber wall, one approx mid height
and one just under the access cover.
Thread the bypass door lifting wire
through the rings. Adjust the length of the
wire by fixing the handle in the correct
position and cut to length if necessary.

Step 4:
Place bolts into the drilled holes. Locate
the ACO Q-Brake Vortex flow control onto
the bolts (again check it is upright).
Ensure that the gasket is flat against the
wall. Fit the nuts and tighten them to pull
the unit against the gasket and seal it
against the wall.

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Operation and maintenance recommendations

Commissioning the product

Frequency of inspection / maintenance

Maintenance plan

Before the product is commissioned, the

chamber containing the ACO Q-Brake
Vortex should be inspected in line with
normal practice. Any debris or silt should
be removed. Any visible fixing bolts
should be checked.

Inspections should be carried out at

frequent and regular intervals
(approximately every 3-6 months). The
frequency will depend upon the location
and the environment, and should be
based on local knowledge. Action is only
required in the event of a blockage or
suspected blockage.

ACO Q-Brake Vortex flow controls require

no routine maintenance although
inspections should be carried out at
regular intervals (See frequency of
inspection / maintenance section).

Manual handling

Service life

COSHH

ACO Q-Brake Vortex flow controls should

be handled in accordance with current
legislation and regulations:

ACO Q-Brake Vortex flow controls have no

moving parts to wear or fail.
Manufactured from grade 304 stainless
steel plate they will resist scour,
degradation and chemical attack. The unit
is designed to easily outlast the drainage
system in which it is installed.

ACO Q-Brake Vortex flow controls are

manufactured from grade 304 stainless
steel. This material is not regarded as
hazardous to health and demonstrates no
chemical hazard when used for the stated
applications.

If an internal blockage is suspected, the

control can be inspected internally and
cleaned out by opening the inspection
bypass door on the upstream end. The
bypass door must be returned to the
closed position before the control
becomes operational or bolted shut.

- The Health and Safety at Work Act

1974
- The Management of Health and Safety
at Work Regulations 1999
- The Manual Handling Operations
Regulations 1992

MODEL SPECIFICATION CLAUSE

The vortex flow control device shall be
supplied by ACO Technologies plc; all
materials and components within the
scope of this system shall be obtained
from this manufacturer.
All units shall be manufactured from
grade 304 stainless steel incorporating
rear mounted remote access bypass and
emergency drain down door complete
with stainless steel cable and fixings.
ACO Q-Brake Vortex is a vortex flow
control device designed to suit a design
head of #mm and design flow of # litres
per second.
# Insert information as appropriate

RECYCLED CONTENT

NBS Specification
ACO Q-Brake Vortex should be specified
in section R12. Assistance in completing
this clause can be found in the ACO
Water Management entry in NBS Plus, or
please contact the ACO Water
Management Design Services Team.
Note: A specification in NBS format is available to
download from www.thenbs.com or www.aco.co.uk

ACO Technologies aims to

incorporate as much recycled
material or waste material as is
practicable in its manufactured
products.
Typically steel products contain between
25% and 33% recycled content by weight.
Therefore the total recycled content of the
ACO Brake Vortex will contain be at
minimum approximately 25% by weight
recycled material.
ACO Q-Brake Vortex is intended for a long
life with low maintenance, to reduce the
need to recycle, but when eventually the
product is no longer needed, much of its
content can be readily recycled with a
very low risk of pollution to the
environment.

Product Testing
Through ACOs continual product development and refinement programme has
led to an enhanced range of ACO Q-Brake Vortex flow controls. The range has
been independently tested and complex software written to ensure that the best
possible characteristics and curves are achieved to help reduce upstream storage
requirements and installation costs.

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What is ACO Q-Plate?

ACO Q-Plate orifice plates are designed for use where an ACO Q-Brake vortex is not the most
effective solution. To suit application requirements, the range is available with or without remote
bypass and drain down and is designed to match a variety of manhole configurations. A neoprene
sealing gasket and fixing holes are featured on each unit.

ACO Q-Plate Specification and design process

To suit project requirements, two options
of ACO Q-plate are available:
ACO Q-Plate Bypass

< 100mm orifice with remote draindown and bypass (also available up to
150mm)
ACO Q-Plate

>100mm orifice without remote draindown and bypass

In order to complete this process and

deliver the product options available,
please provide the ACO engineers with
the following information:
4 The proposed design flow maximum
allowable discharge
4 The proposed design head invert of
outlet pipe to top water level
4 The proposed outlet pipe diameter
4 The proposed type and size of outlet
manhole

Finished product
From this information ACO will size and
design the ACO Q-Plate to meet the
design criteria and to suit the prosed
surface water application.
ACO will supply:
4 Head discharge table & graph
4 ACO Q-Plate installation details
4 Information for manhole sizing

Before production can commerce, ALL of

the above information must be verified
on ACOs Contract Review Document
issued at the time of order placement.

Guide to installing an ACO Q-Plate

Step 1:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Construct the chamber that is to house

the ACO Q-Plate orifice control. Note that
if the chamber has a curved wall (e.g. a
concrete ring manhole), the diameter of
the chamber should be specified on the
order and Contract Review Document for
the ACO Q-Plate Orifice control unit.

Offer the ACO Q-Plate orifice control unit

up to the outlet pipe. Ensure the unit is
upright (arrow pointing vertically up) and
that the orifice is correctly positioned at
the invert of the outlet pipe.

Place bolts into the drilled holes. Locate

the ACO Q-Plate orifice control onto the
bolts (again check it is correctly aligned).
Ensure that the gasket is flat against the
wall. Fit the nuts and tighten them to pull
the unit against the gasket and seal it
against the wall.

Step 2:
ACO Q-Plate with remote draindown and
bypass recommended for all orifice
apertures less than 100mm

ACO Q-Plate

ACO Q-Plate Bypass features

ACO Q-Plate features

4 Manufactured from 304 stainless steel

4 Manufactured from 304 stainless steel

4 Orifice aperture up to 150mm

4 Four fixing positions

4 Sealing pipe gasket

4 Pipe sealing gasket

4 Emergency drain-down and access

cable

4 Manhole fixings

4 Bypass door (with improved seal) and

latch

4 Flat or curved radius to suit manhole

diameter

There should be a small sump under the

outlet to ensure the orifice control does
not easily block, ideally there should be
upstream sediment and debris traps.
When the chamber base is benched, there
should be a minimum 200mm deep
sump below the bottom of the unit as
shown on the sketch.

Check there is a good seal between the

orifice plate and the outlet pipe. Mark the
position of the fixing holes on the
chamber wall. Remove the unit and drill
fixing holes to suit the bolts supplied with
the unit.

Step 5:
If you have been supplied the Q-Plate
with the drain down and bypass door fix
the two wire guide rings (supplied) to the
chamber wall, one approx mid height and
one just under the access cover.
Thread the bypass door lifting wire
through the rings. Adjust the length of the
wire by fixing the handle in the correct
position and cut to length if necessary.

500mm outlet pipe

ACO Q-plate with

200mm orifice
(Grey plate)

500mm inlet pipe

4 Flat or curved radius to suit manhole

diameter
4 Manhole fixings

Model specification
ACO Q-Plate orifice control *with remote drain down and bypass (delete as appropriate), ##mm orifice designed to suit a pipe outlet
size of ###mm, a design head of ## mm and design flow of # litres per second.
#insert information as appropriate.

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ACOs sustainable water management system

To help architects, designers and contractors meet the legal requirements that now tightly control
the way surface water is managed, ACO has created its unique Surface Water Management Cycle
Collect, Clean, Hold, Release the four core processes required for the complete and sustainable
management of surface water drainage. Click here for more information.

Collect

Hold

The point at which run-off

enters the surface water
management system.
Drainage channels can be
used individually or in combination to
ensure optimal removal of all surface
water.

Storage for controlled

discharge or infiltration into
the immediate environment
is an important aspect of
managing surface water in the SuDS
approach. ACO StormBrixx provides
an ideal method of delivering
effective management of surface
water where swales and ponds are
not possible.

With the most comprehensive range

of channels available, ACO systems
are manufactured from a variety of
materials and are suitable for load
bearing in domestic applications
through the car park, highway, dock
and airport applications.

ACO Qmax New sizes available

Clean

ACO StormBrixx has been awarded the

BCIA Product Innovation Award 2012.

ACO MultiDrain MD

ACO KerbDrain

ACO StormBrixx

Release
Run-off that picks up
surface pollutants and silt
will need to be treated
before discharge.

Oil separators such as ACO

Q-Ceptor offer an effective solution
providing full or bypassed treatment
of oil polluted surface water.

Controlling the release of

clean surface water into the
natural environment
requires appropriate
upstream controls which culminate in
an appropriately managed flow. This
can be achieved via a flow controller
such as ACO Q-Brake Vortex or
through a soakaway.

ACO Q-Ceptor
ACO Q-Brake Vortex

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The ACO Group: A strong family you can depend on.

Contact us
If you need further product, design or
installation advice on the ACO Q-Brake Vortex
or any other ACO system, please click here for
a list of our key contacts.

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November 2013 ACO Technologies plc. All reasonable care has been taken in compiling the information in this document. All recommendations and suggestions on the use of ACO products are made without guarantee since the conditions of use are beyond
the control of the Company. It is the customer's responsibility to ensure that each product is fit for its intended purpose, and that the actual conditions of use are suitable. This brochure and any advice is provided by ACO Technologies plc (the Company) free of
charge and accordingly on terms that no liability including liability for negligence will attach to the Company or its servants or agents arising out of or in connection with or in relation to this brochure or any such advice. Any goods supplied by the Company
will be supplied solely upon its standard conditions of sale, copies of which are available on request. The Company's policy of continuous product development and improvement renders specifications liable to modification. Information provided in this brochure
is therefore subject to change without prior notification.

PC21147

Standards & Accreditations

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