How It Works

Vortex Mode (Figure 1 - Top right)
During low flow conditions, when the Hydro Vortex Drop Shaft is operating in the air-entrained mode, water flows into the inlet of the vertical drop barrel. Air enters the vertical pipe through the open air switch, located at a higher elevation than the inlet pipe. Water flows down through the vertical pipe barrel and into the cylindrically shaped Energy Dissipation Unit (EDU), where the geometry of the device causes water to flow in a horizontal vortex flow path through the cylinder and out to the outlet. The air core at the center of the vortex in the EDU throttles back and dissipates the energy of the flow that is conveyed down the vertical drop pipe. Figure 1

Pipe Full Mode (Figure 2 - Bottom right)
The combination of the vertical pipe and vortex in the EDU continues to throttle the effluent discharge as flows into the upstream chamber increase. As a result, the water level in the upstream chamber rises. As water levels rise, the Air Switch controls the amount of air that is allowed into the Vertical Drop Pipe. When the water level finally reaches the height of the Air Switch the air is switched off and the flow in the vertical drop pipel transitions into a pipe full mode of operation. The design of the air switch ensures a smooth transition preventing glugging noises and vibrations that can be caused by other drop shaft systems. Figure 2