Hydro-Brake® Optimum is a self-activating vortex flow control with no moving parts and no power requirement. It is used to control the forward flow of water in both surface water applications and foul / combined applications to prevent flooding.

With no moving parts and no power requirements, the Hydro-Brake® Optimum provides reliable, low-maintenance and engineered flood management as part of green infrastructure developments.

The company's most popular Hydro-Brake Optimum, the Hydraulic Efficient unit, incorporates an adjustable inlet as standard. This will allow engineers to future-proof their drainage designs with up to a ±20% change in design flow, should should additional developments or urban creep cause an increase in flows, saving the cost of a replacement flow control. Find out more about the adjustable inlet here.

Hydro’s unique technical support services, online Design Tool (hydro-int.design) and inclusion in MicroDrainage®, help engineers ensure every Hydro-Brake® Optimum is perfectly sized to balance flow rates and attenuation, according to project priorities.

The performance, strength and durability of the Hydro-Brake® Optimum has been independently assessed, approved and certified by both the BBA (Certification no. 08/4596) and the WRc (Certification no. PT/503/0422) to control stormwater or combined flows.

A range of alternative fittings and installation options to meet most site configurations is available for Hydro-Brake® Optimum.

Surface water applications

  • Stormwater attenuation / storage schemes

  • Source control

  • Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS)

  • Retrofit SuDS applications

  • Flood prevention

  • Blue roofs

Foul / combined application

  • Wastewater treatment plants

  • Foul / combined sewer

  • Sewer risk management

(XP) Fit to Outlet Pipe design objective for retrofitting

Due to specific design conditions, such as pre-existing pipework, pipe availability and cost, size constraints due to chamber size or other utilities below ground, engineers may need to specify a specific pipe size.  This new design objective, (XP) Fit to Outlet Pipe, will enable engineers to match the outlet size of a Hydro-Brake® Optimum to the required pipe diameter, whilst maximising the hydraulic efficiency that can be achieved for that pipe size.