Operation mode of cutter suction dredger

Dredgers or dredging vessels are ships that are used to dig, excavate, and remove sediment from waterways, lakes, or harbors, to make the waterways deeper.  One special type of dredging vessel is the cutter suction dredger.  This type of dredger uses suction to scoop and remove sediment from the seabed.   This article will explain the operating method of a cutter suction dredger in detail.

What is a cutter suction dredger?

A cutter suction dredger is a dredging vessel that works almost like a vacuum cleaner. The dredger suctions material from the bottom of the waterway using a rotating cutter head attached to a suction pipe.The mixture of water and sediment is pumped via a pipeline to the disposal site.

Operating method

The cutter suction dredger moves by a propulsion unit located at its stern.The dredger moves toward the place where dredging is needed.The position of the dredger is controlled by engines in the bow and stern that allow it to move sideways, back and forth, and rotate.

Then the dredger starts digging by lowering the cutter head to the seabed.The cutter head has several cutter teeth that break the sediment and loosen it up.The loosened soil is then sucked up by a powerful impeller pump and mixed with water to turn it into slurry.

The slurry is transported to a storage tank in the dredger via a pipeline.   The storage tank separates solid particles from the water.   The water is then returned to the sea, and the solid particles are discharged from the dredger by opening bottom doors onto the disposal site.

The cutter suction dredger is an advanced dredging vessel that successfully contributes to the improvement of waterways for transportation and many other applications. The cutter suction dredgers play an essential role in the development of ports and marinas worldwide.Their operating method is efficient, cost-effective and environment-friendly, making them a popular choice among dredging vessels.