The use of modern equipment in maritime and sea exploration have emerged as great help over the past decade. Dredging is a process that focuses on the removal of debris and sediments from the bottom of rivers, lakes, harbors, and different water bodies. This is known as a routine activity necessary in waterways all around the world as a result of sedimentation causing blockage of channels and harbors.
What are the other applications of dredging? The worldwide
dredging market is also concerned with actions assisting gold and coal mining, sand replenishment on public beaches and creation of new harbors. It is important to know that, the device designed for excavation and scraping of the aquatic bed is called the Dredge. Moreover, the vessel or ship to which the dredge is attached to is termed as a Dredger.
Dredges Varieties
At present, dredgers can be largely categorized into two core classes depending on the system preferred to transport slackened material present on the sea-bed to the surface of the water. These two types are termed as:
- Mechanical dredgers
- Hydraulic dredgers
Let us try to understand the various sub-segment versions of dredgers which are used across various water bodies around diverse regions.
Trailer Suction Hopper Dredgers
This variety is suitable for harbor maintenance as well as pipe trenching. The work of a hopper dredger acts as a self-propelling vessel which clasps its load in a big onboard hold termed as the hopper. It is interesting to know that, the load can be carried over large distances and can empty it using the opening present at the bottom doors. Moreover, pumping is also an option for pushing the load at an offshore location. Hopper dredges are known to push soft non-rock soils and due to their impressive production efficiencies are able to handle land reclamation schemes quite easily.
Cutter Suction Dredger
The cutter suction dredger consist of a cutter head equipped at the suction inlet. This acts as an effective equipment to loosen the earth and push it to the suction mouth. CSD is primarily preferred for hard surfaces such as rock. Moreover, they suck up the scoured soil using a wear-resistant pump and later release it through a pipeline.
Grab Dredgers
This version of a dredger consists of a revolving crane that is attached with a grab, positioned on a pontoon or hopper vessel. Going by its name, a grab dredger is able to collect the sediments from the seabed using a clam grabbing motion and later releases the contents. This machine is basically used to excavate bay mud along with picking of loose sand and clays.
Backhoe Dredger
Out of all the dredgers present in today’s time, the Backhoe Dredger is one excellent stationary dredger. These are held using anchors or spud-poles. To be precise, a spud is known to be a large pole which can anchor a ship perfectly while permitting a rotating movement about the point of anchorage. A backhoe dredger can be termed as a hydraulic excavator armed with a semi or half open shell. This particular machine is chiefly used in harbors and activities happening in shallow waters.
Additional Dredger Types
Apart from the most common varieties of dredgers available for seabed cleaning, there are some additional types that are gaining steady popularity.
Air-lift dredgers
This dredger is almost similar to jet-lift dredgers; however, the medium for making water and material flow is primarily high pressure air inserted at the suction pipe opening. Air-lift dredgers aren’t that much effective on hard or other tough to loosen materials.
Pneumatic dredgers
This dredger version functions on the ‘evacuator’ principle. In simple terms, there is a chamber that consists of inlets for bed material to be pumped out while the inlets are closed. Later, the inlets are opened to permit water and material to be pulled inside. This combined mixture is then pushed out and the process moves in a cycle. The overall unit is usually suspended with the help of a crane over the land. Dredging action offered by pneumatic dredgers is convenient for only easily flowing substances.
To the readers’ surprise
, there are many more designs of dredgers that fulfill different purposes depending on the concerned water body. The designs are even customized to complete the task at hand.
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