Cutter suction dredgers

The Efficient Dredging concept on cutter suction dredgers optimises:

  • the cutting and swing process
  • the anchoring and spud changing process
  • the suction and pumping process and the total mixture transport chain, including boosters
  • the accuracy of the location and the dredging profile
  • the utilisation and distribution of available power
  • the relations between these processes
  • crew training with IHC Systems simulators

A wide range of products is available for this purpose, starting with pressure, production and position measurements, for example. At a higher level, monitoring systems present the position of the cutter in its local grid and provide automatic controllers for profile dredging and pumps. Dredge track presentation systems supply information about the working-location and are used to prove correct execution of the job.

Control systems at the basic level provide manual or semi-automatic control for the hydraulically or electrically operated equipment such as winches, sluice valves, spuds and so on. More intricate versions also include process automation features.

The control and monitoring systems usually are shaped into fully integrated presentation, control and automation systems. These serve the total swinging, cutting and mixture transport processes, including control of available boosters, engine room monitoring, automation, and power management. Additional navigation-related functionality is available for self-propelling cutter suction dredgers.

Although the bucket line dredger is becoming rare in dredge operations, automation for these vessels is quite similar to cutter suction dredgers and IHC Systems can also provide it.

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