Nowadays, with its unique technical advantages, DTH hammer drilling has been widely used in many fields. Whether it is geological exploration, mineral resource development, water conservancy, or hydropower engineering, DTH hammer drilling can provide more support for engineering construction. This article will analyze the advantages of DTH hammer drilling to help readers better explore its application potential.
What is DTH hammer drilling?
In drilling, DTH hammer only rotation and pressurization mechanisms are outside the hole. The DTH hammer is positioned at the end of the drill bit, delivering direct impact to break the rock. Moreover, it uses the power medium to drive the hammer and discharge the rock debris from the hole, achieving efficient energy utilization.
Advantages of DTH hammer drilling
Wide range of applications
DTH hammer drilling is widely employed in open-pit mining and underground mining, as well as in water well drilling, mineral exploration, engineering geological exploration, pile holes, rock reinforcement, geothermal holes, formation anchor holes, communication line holes, and drainage holes.
In mineral exploration and engineering geological exploration, DTH hammer drilling can solve the problems of difficulty in drilling, coring, wall protection, high cost, and long cycles in complex formations such as sand and gravel. Drilling hydrological wells can fundamentally solve problems such as slag discharge, coring, contamination of the wellbore, and blockage of aquifers by rock debris, thereby affecting water output.
In the anchoring construction of soft formations, if the implementation of the impact of not out of the soil squeezes dense hole method, it has high drilling speed, good directionality, and regular hole wall, which is conducive to anchoring and pressure grouting and is particularly suitable for anchoring projects with high precision requirements.
Strong adaptability
It can adapt to various complex formations, including hard rock, soft rock, sand, and soil. Its unique impact method can easily cope with the drilling needs of different strata and ensure the smooth progress of the project. At the same time, the DTH hammer can adjust the drilling parameters according to the stratum conditions to further improve the drilling efficiency.
Wide range of drilling hole sizes
Due to the limited power of the rock drill and the high loss in the energy transfer process, the drilling hole size is generally less than φ115 mm. In rotary drilling, the bearings of drill bits are prone to early damage, so the hole diameter is generally not less than φ165 mm. With the successful development of various DTH hammers, it is possible to drill all holes with diameters ranging from φ65 mm to φ1524 mm.
Fast drilling speed
Drilling with a DTH hammer breaks rocks through high-frequency impact energy, which has higher drilling efficiency than traditional rotary drilling methods. High-frequency impact energy can quickly break rocks, reduce drill bit wear, and extend the service life of the drill bit, thereby improving overall drilling efficiency.
Low drilling cost
Because the price of a DTH hammer drill rig is generally lower than that of a rock drill rig or a rotary drill rig of similar specifications, the cost of drilling with a DTH hammer is usually lower in most cases.
Good hole formation quality
The properties of rocks in all directions are different, and the rock mass itself is not whole, and there are gaps between rock masses. When the rock drill is drilling, the drilling direction will deviate in the direction of the soft surface of the rock with good drillability. When using rotary drilling, the hole can deflect due to the high axial pressure exerted on the drill bit. In contrast, the DTH hammer drilling system is more rigid, with the hammer being slightly smaller than the drill bit and typically equipped with guides at the tails. Additionally, DTH hammer drilling does not require high axial pressure, resulting in better straightness, cylindricity, and centering of the drilled holes compared to rotary drilling methods.
Clean drilling and high energy utilization rate
The DTH hammer drilling uses compressed air or high-pressure water as the power medium. After driving the hammer to break the rock, the power medium can also flush the bottom of the hole well and keep it clean, thus eliminating the need for over-drilling and improving energy utilization. Rotary drilling and rock drill drilling to have an independent slag discharge system, the use of low-pressure air or air-water mixture to flush the bottom of the hole, it is generally difficult to clean the bottom of the hole.
Low drilling noise
Since the DTH hammer is at the bottom of the hole with the drill bit, the impact noise generated is absorbed by the rock, transmitted outside the hole, and reduced a lot, especially when drilling deep holes. When the rock drill is drilling, the rock drill must be outside the hole, so there is no such advantage.
Although DTH hammer drilling has many advantages, it also has some shortcomings. It is not suitable for drilling in soft rock or soil. Due to the limitation of piston diameter, it does not apply to drilling with a hole diameter of less than φ65 mm. In the low wind pressure range, the drilling efficiency of the same hole diameter rock drill is lower than that of the rock drill in the down-the-hole range.
Conclusion
DTH hammer drilling has been widely adopted across various fields due to its advantages of high drilling efficiency, excellent drilling quality, and strong adaptability. With continuous technological development and improvement, DTH hammer drilling will demonstrate its unique benefits and expand its application potential across more fields. In the future, we have reason to believe that DTH hammer drilling will play an increasingly significant role in drilling technology.
