Understanding Horizontal Dredges: Uses and Applications

Understanding Horizontal Dredges: Uses and Applications

When it comes to efficient and versatile dredging solutions, horizontal dredges stand out as a top choice. At VMI Dredges, we’ve seen firsthand how these machines can revolutionize dredging operations across various industries. Whether you're managing a wastewater treatment plant, maintaining a recreational lake, or dealing with industrial lagoons, horizontal dredges offer the precision and power needed to get the job done right.

What Are Horizontal Dredges?

Horizontal dredges are designed with a wide, horizontal cutterhead that agitates and removes sediment from the water¬bed. This sediment is then pumped through a pipeline to a designated disposal area or dewatering site. The unique design allows for consistent and controlled sediment removal, making it ideal for projects where precision is key.

Key Applications of Horizontal Dredges

Wastewater Treatment Facilities

In wastewater treatment plants, maintaining the capacity of sludge lagoons is crucial. Over time, these lagoons fill with biosolids, reducing their effectiveness. Horizontal dredges are perfect for removing these accumulated solids, ensuring the facility operates at peak efficiency.

                                

Industrial Lagoons

Many industries rely on lagoons to manage wastewater and byproducts. However, sediment buildup can lead to reduced capacity and potential environmental hazards. Horizontal dredges can effectively remove these sediments, helping industries maintain compliance with environmental regulations and extend the life of their lagoons.

Recreational Lakes and Ponds

Sediment buildup in lakes and ponds can lead to reduced water quality, decreased depth, and the proliferation of invasive species. Horizontal dredges are an excellent solution for restoring these water bodies, ensuring they remain clean, deep, and healthy for recreational use.

Mining Operations

In mining, tailings ponds can become filled with residual materials over time. Horizontal dredges can efficiently remove these materials, allowing for the continued use of the pond and preventing potential breaches or overflows.

Environmental Remediation

Horizontal dredges are often used in environmental cleanup projects where contaminated sediments need to be carefully removed without disturbing the surrounding environment. Their precision and control make them ideal for these sensitive applications.

Why Choose a Horizontal Dredge?

Horizontal dredges offer several advantages over other types of dredging equipment:

Smooth Cut: The horizontal cutterhead delivers a flat, even cut across the bottom surface as the cutterhead travels along digging.  This helps create a smooth bottom surface as well as removing unwanted material left in humps along the bottom surface by other dredging methods.

Low Turbidity: The horizontal cutterhead has a variable speed drive allowing the ability to optimize the speed rotation for minimum turbidity underwater.  VMI’s full width suction ensures material is sucked from the full width of the horizontal cutterhead and not left to pass or dissipate on the sides away from the center.  This helps minimize disturbance and maximize the intake of agitated material. 

                              

Precision: The horizontal cutterhead allows for controlled sediment removal, reducing the risk of over-excavation or damage to the surrounding area.

Versatility: These dredges can be used in a variety of environments, from small ponds to large industrial lagoons.

Efficiency: With the ability to continuously pump sediment, horizontal dredges can complete projects quickly, minimizing downtime and disruption.

Environmental Impact: The controlled nature of horizontal dredging minimizes turbidity and the release of contaminants, making it a more environmentally friendly option.

VMI Dredges: Your Partner in Dredging Solutions

At VMI Dredges, we pride ourselves on providing top-of-the-line dredging equipment that meets the unique needs of our clients. Our horizontal dredges are built with the highest standards of quality and reliability, ensuring they perform flawlessly in the field. Whether you're dealing with sediment management in an industrial setting or looking to restore a recreational water body, VMI has the dredge to meet your needs.

Explore our range of horizontal dredges today and discover how VMI can help you tackle your next dredging project with confidence.

Contact us to learn more about how our dredges can be customized to your specific application. Let’s keep your operations running smoothly and efficiently.  www.vmidredges.com  918-225-7000, Ext. 12.