Checked out a dredge operation on the Mississippi River last week

I was down near Baton Rouge visiting a buddy and he took me to see a cutter suction dredge working a sandbar. They were pulling up about 200 cubic yards an hour and I couldn't believe how smooth the slurry flow was with the right pump speed. The operator showed me a trick with matching the cutter rotation to the material hardness that I'd never thought of. Anyone else run into situations where you have to dial back the cutter to keep the pipeline from clogging?

2 comments

2 Comments

cooper.mark10d ago

That "smooth slurry flow" line made me laugh. You NEVER get that lucky in real life.

the_john7d ago

Oh come on, @cooper.mark, you gotta have a little faith. I've seen smooth slurry flow happen more times than you'd think. It's all about getting the mix just right and keeping the equipment clean. If you prep your materials right and maintain your gear, you can pull it off more often than not. Sure, it takes some practice and patience, but it's not some impossible fairy tale. I've watched guys do it on their first try after I walked them through the steps. Don't sell yourself short, you can get that lucky.