Vaned Eccentric Reducer with Contoured Plug Handhole Clean-out
Cincinnati, OH – Mill Creek Treatment Plant
Overview
The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSD) is a public utility responsible for collecting, treating, and managing wastewater for approximately 232,000 households and businesses in Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio. MSD’s mission is to protect public health and the environment by ensuring clean water is returned to local rivers and streams. Working from MSD’s requirements, Flow Optimizers® engineered and fabricated a custom Vaned Eccentric Reducer with an integrated contoured plug handhole clean-out for the Mill Creek Treatment Plant—built to help decrease cavitation within the plant’s Return Activated Sludge (RAS) pumps.
Flow Optimizers 20″ x 10″ Vaned Eccentric Reducer with 8-inch contoured plug handhole clean-out, Mill Creek Treatment Plant, Cincinnati, OH
Project Details
- Location: Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH
- Customer: Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSD)
- Plant: Mill Creek Treatment Plant
- Application: Return Activated Sludge (RAS) Pumps
- Solution: Flow Optimizer Vaned Eccentric Reducer with Contoured Plug Handhole Clean-out
- Size: 20″ x 10″ x 19.75″ length
- Material: SCH40 (0.375″ wall) A-778 304 Stainless Steel
- Flanges: Welded plate type — 5/8″ on 10″ flange, 1″ thick on 20″ flange
- Clean-out: 8-inch Contoured Plug Type Handhole
- Includes: Engineered Custom Vanes & engineering approval drawing
- Fabricator: Flow Optimizers
Application
The Mill Creek Treatment Plant was experiencing cavitation, where static pressure leads to the formation of small vapor-filled cavities. When those cavities meet high pressure they collapse and create damaging shock waves—a phenomenon that destroyed one RAS pump and damaged others. The Flow Optimizer Vaned Eccentric Reducer conditions the flow ahead of the pumps to help decrease cavitation within the RAS pumps. Reducing cavitation lessens maintenance costs, helps extend the life of the RAS pumps, and allows the pumps to run more efficiently—and increasing efficiency anywhere in the treatment process benefits the entire process.
Three-quarter view with the bolted contoured plug handhole clean-out cover in place
Interior view of the engineered custom flow conditioning vanes
“Flow Optimizers cannot fix bad piping… but we can help to mitigate or reduce the effects.”
Flow Optimizers Vaned Eccentric Reducer with contoured plug handhole clean-out and internal flow conditioning vanes, fabricated for MSD’s Mill Creek Treatment Plant
Reducing Cavitation in RAS Pumps
Return activated sludge pumps run continuously and are sensitive to the quality of their approach flow. When static pressure drops, small vapor-filled cavities form and then collapse under higher pressure, creating shock waves that erode impellers and shorten pump life. A vaned eccentric reducer conditions the flow entering the pump, helping to mitigate cavitation, lower maintenance, and keep the pumps operating closer to their design point.
Why a Vaned Eccentric Reducer for Mill Creek
For the Mill Creek Treatment Plant, Flow Optimizers® engineered a 20″ x 10″ x 19.75″ Vaned Eccentric Reducer with custom internal flow conditioning vanes, sized to the RAS pump piping and built in SCH40 A-778 304 stainless steel. The eccentric profile keeps the pipe invert flat to avoid air pockets, while an 8-inch contoured plug handhole clean-out allows inspection and maintenance access without removing the fitting.
Why Choose Flow Optimizers?
Flow Optimizers® is a Minority and Woman Owned Business (MWBE) that designs and builds inlet flow conditioning products to project specifications. We work directly from the requirements of the plant and its engineers to deliver fabricated solutions—like the custom vaned eccentric reducer supplied to the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati.
Get in Touch
To specify a vaned eccentric reducer or flow conditioning solution for a wastewater or pumping project, contact Flow Optimizers® today.
About Flow Optimizers
Flow Optimizers, LLC, a Minority and Woman Owned Business (MWBE), designs and builds inlet flow conditioning products for a wide range of industries, including Power, Oil & Gas, Agriculture, Water & Wastewater, Chemical Processing, Food & Beverage, Pharmaceuticals, Pulp & Paper, and more.