Terra Sea Technical Solutions Ltd. -

Intelligent Dredging Is Profitable

Modern mining is technology driven and information based. Dredging continues throughout the life of the mine, from commissioning to final closure. Using “intelligent” equipment can make a huge difference in profitability, safety and risk control during the entire mine’s life cycle.

Infusion of Advanced Technologies into Dredging:

Dredgers, pumps, excavators have been standalone “hardware” equipment for decades. The industrial revolution enabled automation, production efficiency, mechanical modifications, increased safety and remotely controlled productivity. In recent years, advanced technologies are utilized almost in every aspect of our lives and, as such, are integrated also into legacy systems which had always been standalone “hardware” equipment. The leading manufacturers of dredgers have changed the paradigm.

The machine, the “hardware”, while extremely important, is no longer the only R&D spearhead. Today’s R&D departments of the top dredging equipment manufacturer are more similar to high tech companies than to the traditional technical and design studios, yet there are few interesting differences:

Dredgers, pumps, excavators and similar equipment are mechanical platforms ranging from simple to complex, operating in the real world, typically in challenging, often dangerous, environments, handling aggressive materials. These systems must be highly reliable and long-lasting.
The challenges facing R&D engineers working in dredging equipment manufacturers require them to seamlessly integrate multi-disciplinary advanced technologies that are highly reliable into a complex hardware platform that is required to operate in diverse environments. The engineers need to understand not only mechanics and physics, but also electrical engineering, sensors, data systems and software.
Essentially, by analogy, the “mind” is integrated with the “body”, further expanding opportunities into connectivity, communications, cyber, data collection and analysis and gradually adding AI tools.

Remotely controlling the equipment. Credit: Dragflow S.r.l.

Data Collection, Analysis, Management, Remote Control, Realtime Tracking:

Intelligent dredging systems increase operational efficiency and profitability, provide advanced process control, data analysis and learning capabilities and enable intelligent remote dredging and informed decision making. These allow mine owners and operators to maximize production, reduce operating costs, maintain consistent dredging performance during the life cycle of the mine, reduce risks, have documentation available where required and generally increase profitability.

The top manufacturers are setting the market benchmark and pushing the market to excellence. Some technologies are already available by; other technologies are under development and implementation. It’s an evolutional process; each phase leads to the next. Currently available technologies and applications allow for remote control of the pump, the dredger, the excavators, water injection systems, as well as real time dredger GPS positioning, tracking and automating specific dredging processes.

Utilizing advanced sensors and software tools. Credit: Dragflow S.r.l.

These features allow the operators and project managers not only to increase the dredger’s efficiency and accuracy while improving the operator’s safety (especially important in mining and other aggressive environments), but also to analyze historical dredging data and plan future operations. The benefits are higher production consistency, reduced operator’s dependency, reduced training requirements and lower operational costs.

During dredging of slurry, densimeters and turbidimeters can provide operators with information on solids concentrations for process efficiency to optimize production rates and reduce energy consumption.

Dredging accessories such as echo sounders and digital depth gauging, can be utilized to obtain information that can be then integrated into the dredging system operation based on desired bottom profiling, dredging progress verification, pre and post dredging surveys and volume calculation.

Preventive Maintenance and Remote Diagnostics:

Preventive maintenance and early fault detection are important for project planning, extending equipment lifetime and avoiding unnecessary downtime. Modern dredging equipment can constantly monitor itself and the auxiliary equipment, such as, for example, the working data of the pump, the dredger, the excavators, water injection systems, and power consumption. This information assists the project manager with incorporating maintenance requirements while planning the projects.

One of the most important advantages of integrating modern technologies is the possibility of remote diagnostics and technical support, available to the top equipment manufacturers. Remote troubleshooting, parameter modification, software updates, historical data storage, Bluetooth access for field technicians, FFT analysis for equipment diagnostics, operational diagnostics, faster response time, manufacturer’s support in real time – dramatically reduce not only the cost of service but also system idle time and contribute to longer equipment life. This is a game changer in terms of profitability.

Remote monitoring and problem solving. Credit: Dragflow S.r.l.

Cloud Connectivity, Fleet Management:

Thanks to cloud connectivity, modern dredgers and pumps allow fleet management for projects involving multiple dredgers or geographically diverse operations, as well as secure cloud data storage, centralized real-time management of multiple assets, information-based decision making and operational transparency, and better reporting for customers and stakeholders.

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (MI) and..?:

As in other areas, it is likely that the next generation of modern dredgers and pumps will be show AI (Artificial Intelligence) and MI (Machine Learning) tools, for example to support predictive maintenance, improved asset utilization, big data and… who knows? Exciting times!

This is the second post in our series on Mining. Following posts in this series will address additional mining related issues like dewatering, geotextile tubes, dredging pipes, responsible mining and landscaping. Our posts are posted on our website www.terra-sea.com. We invite you to follow us on LinkedIn.

Nelly