Hydropower – What, Why, How?

• Hydropower is the use of high pressure water to power rockdrills and other mining equipment – it replaces compressed air.
• The benefits include 2x faster drilling and more than 80% energy cost savings.
• The use of drilling rigs can further enhance productivity and safety.

Hydropower for mining was in developed for SA mines from the s under the Chamber of Mines, Novatek’s predecessor being a key collaborator. It was developed for deep gold mines to use the mine cooling water to also power machinery, thus saving energy.

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It has since expanded to shallower mines and applications using localised pumps to provide the necessary pressure.

Hydropower holds many benefits; energy savings can be 90% compared to compressed air systems; labour productivity can be doubled and safety improved. The working environment is also improved by eliminating oil lubricators, exhaust misting and reducing noise.

The economics also make sense; capital costs are lower than compressed air systems and much lower than highly mechanised systems.

Electrical power costs have increased by over 300 % in the last few years and labour costs have increased but productivity has stagnated. Hydropower can double drilling labour productivity and saves energy (up to 90%).

The technologies can be adapted to suit a range of mining operations, from hand-held drilling to ‘appropriate technology’ drill rigs to more mechanised mining systems.

By ‘appropriate technology’ we mean systems and equipment that suit the orebody and mining layout, available skills, the mine infrastructure, capital and operating cost profile of the mine.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Down-the-hole Hammer Drilling

Advanced technique known as down-the- hole hammer drilling combines a drill rig with a down-the-hole hammer-also known as a pneumatic impactor-for impact rotary drilling. This technique has extensive use in many different spheres. The operating concept, benefits and drawbacks, and development situation of down-the-hole hammer drilling will be covered in particular here.

Working Principle

The drill rig forces the drill rod to revolve; the down-the-hole hammer is found at its bottom. Concurrent with this, compressed air-also known as compressed air-enters the down-the-hole hammer via the drill rod to provide a frequency-stable impact force that breaks the rock most successfully. Along with helping to cool the hammer head, the exhaust gas empties the chiselled rock chips from the hole. The down-the-hole hammer may be lowered as the drill hole deepens as its outside diameter is less than that of the drill hole. In deep hole drilling, this design clearly shows a benefit in down-the-hole hammer drilling.

Benefits of down-the- hole hammer drilling

Effective and handy

One of the benefits of down-the-hole hammer drilling method is its great efficiency. This method reduces the need for extensive pre-testing before drilling as the construction is direct and quick, therefore enhancing the job efficiency. Furthermore, down-the-hole hammers work especially well while drilling in hard rock formations, thereby helping to efficiently avoid the issue of drilling deviation and is appropriate for drilling requirements under different geological circumstances.

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wide spectrum of uses

From hydropower, railroads, highways to water wells, building foundation piles and geological investigation, down-the-hole hammer drilling finds extensive use. The application area of down-the-hole hammers is still growing as technology develops constantly. Its many times or even hundreds of times better drilling efficiency in hard rock formations and pebble formations than in conventional rotary drilling and mechanical impact drilling clearly shows its benefits in drilling technology.

low impact power loss

The down-the-hole hammer may be utilised in deeper holes as its impact power loss is rather minor when compared to the pneumatic drill affecting outside the hole. When deep hole drilling is necessary and guarantees the smooth development of drilling activity, this function makes the down-the-hole hammer a more perfect option.

Drawbacks in down-the-hole hammer drilling

Simple to dress in

Down-the-hole hammers have some drawbacks even if they have several benefits during usage. Wear and other elements cause down-the-hole hammers to be vulnerable to damage during extensive usage. Particularly in hard rock conditions, the service life of down-the-hole hammers may be compromised; thus, damaged components must be replaced timely to guarantee the seamless advancement of drilling activities.

Simple to block

Down-the-hole hammers may become clogged when facing more difficult rock formations, which greatly affects drilling activities. Should neglect in time, the obstruction will substantially hinder the drilling process. Thus, building workers must be able to handle obstacles and implement efficient cleaning policies to guarantee the continuation and effectiveness of operations.

High volume

The volume of noise produced by DTH hammers during operation may affect the surrounding environment and construction workers in certain ways. Therefore, while selecting down-the-hole hammer drilling technology, one should take related noise reduction actions and take consideration of the possible impact of noise on the surrounding environment to minimise the interference of construction on surrounding inhabitants and the ecological environment.

Limit of maximum diameter

Currently, the more developed single-body down-the-hole hammer has certain restrictions on the maximum diameter, which makes it hard to directly implement it to the building of big-diameter pile foundation projects. Thus, for big projects, building workers must choose appropriate drilling gear depending on real circumstances to guarantee construction quality and efficiency.

Development phase

Developing constantly, down-the-hole hammer drilling technology has produced amazing results both at home and elsewhere. Important technical concerns influencing down-the-hole hammer drilling have been investigated in-depth and discussed: drilling limitations, reasonable matching of drill bits, and acceptable hole depth of gas-liquid mixed drilling. Down-the-hole hammer drilling technology will keep advancing towards high efficiency, energy saving and environmental protection to suit the always shifting market need.

Future possibilities

Down-the-hole hammer drilling technology has demonstrated great application potential as a quick and easy drilling technique. LEANOMS is dedicated to enhance the performance and efficiency of down-the-hole hammer drilling technology and will actively investigate and invent in the process of constant development. By means of ongoing development and enhancement of down-the-hole hammers, future drilling technology will be more intelligent and ecologically friendly, thus better meeting the demands of many sectors.

Maintenance and care

Timely maintenance and upkeep are very crucial when employing down-the-hole hammer drilling technology. Effective extension of the equipment's service life depends on routine examination of the many down-the-hole hammer pieces and prompt replacement of worn-out components. Furthermore, operators should be conversant with the working principle and use down-the-hole hammer techniques to maximise its performance and guarantee the seamless advancement of drilling activity.

With its great efficiency, simplicity, and broad variety of uses, down-the-hole hammer drilling technology basically holds a significant role in the contemporary drilling sector. Though there are certain flaws, scientific upkeep and suitable technological enhancements will help to address them very successfully. Down-the-hole hammer drilling technology will undoubtedly reveal its special benefits in more disciplines in the future.

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