Maintenance dredging in industrial ponds by Damen DOP150

Damen DOP150 submersible dredge pump is at work at the industrial settling ponds of a power station in Victoria, Australia.

According to Damen, this piece of equipment is powered by an amphibious excavator, and will pump the sludge over some 1,000 m to a disposal area.

Various industrial settling ponds of the AGL Loy Lang power station needed maintenance dredging. To ensure these ponds can be used to store their maximum capacity of ash and fine sand, they are to be cleaned at regular intervals.

The AGL Loy Yang power station is located 165 km South East of Melbourne in the state of Victoria. The station generates some 2,210 MW, being approx. 30% of Victoria’s power requirements. Next to the power station is a coal mine, supplying the power station with the fuel to generate electricity.

The dredging depth starts at -2m, yet when the ponds is cleared out it will be -6 m. The dredged material will be pumped over a land pipe line varying in length between 400 m and 1,000 m to a disposal area.

The choice for a project set-up of an excavator with attached submersible pump has been made due to the easy relocation of the unit. The area contains half a dozen of settling ponds which are to be dredged in turn.