Suction Dredgers
Floating Suction Excavators (mud clean-up by using a so-called wet method)
Technology of removing sediment with floating suction excavators is an alternative to conventional extraction by using common earth machinery (so called dry method).
Using the floating suction excavators brings many advantages but also some disadvantages. This technology is almost irreplaceable in cases where the cleaned water cannot be drained off due to operational reasons.
Advantages:
- Works are carried out without any need to end the use of water areas (recreation, transportation, industrial or farming use).
- During the works, we do not worsen water quality.
- The excavated water-bearing material is transported via pipe system to a distance of several kilometres.
- Surrounding areas are not disturbed by excessive noise, machinery moving or dust.
- The excavation process may be performed within a specific layer without any need to extract material to the tolerable level.
Disadvantages:
- Due to transportation reason, the excavated material is several-fold diluted.
- For final depositing, it is necessary to get a higher capacity storage area or to use mechanical drainage method.
TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION
The floating excavator disrupts and "suck out" mined material from the water area bottom level. The mining pump also transports the mined material to the place of storage or further processing. In case of longer transport journey or higher superelevation, the pump power performance is supported by pumping power stations. Depending on its structure type, the excavator floats on the water surface while being supported with either anchor ropes or own drive-unit. Excavator is powered by a diesel engine with a hydraulic distribution to individual aggregates.