DrillCutter – new dredge cutter system from Dredge Yard

With the aim to reduce spillage and turbidity in cutter suction dredging, Dredge Yard developed and tested a new Dredge Cutter System called DrillCutter.

The prototype of a full-scale model is launched in Mid-January 2021 and ongoing testing to demonstrate the full potential of the new cutter.

The new design of a closed type cutter head, driven by an electric ring motor offers a complete solution to environmentally friendly cutting, said Dredge Yard.

In most dredging operations, spillage results in losing a significant part of the cut material. This spillage can be up to 80% of the cut material. In many cases, the dredger should clean the same area again to remove the entire material.

“By having a closed cutter head, Dredge Yard is able to get most of the spillage into the cutter suction pipe,” the company said.

Lowering spillage is better for the environment as in some cases the sediment layers could be harmful to the environment and marine life.

Removing this layer in one cut will limit the damage to the surrounding areas.

Turbidity can be harmful to the environment and it can travel with the water current to far surroundings. Depending on the cut material turbidity can reach high levels and can spread silt and contaminations.

The new Cutter System ensures that the turbidity is sucked within the water flow into the suction pipe, due to its close type cutter and the suction canals between the blades.

In addition to the positive effect on the environment, lowering the spillage will also raise the production of the cutter, pump per hour, and improve the productivity of the dredger, as fewer swings of dredger have to be made to cut the same material.