At Metco Industrial we understand hydro demolition and we know what’s needed to get the job done. That is why we have hydro demolition equipment available in our rental and sale fleet. We can provide market-leading hydro demolition products and solutions throughout Australia that we know work.
What is Hydro Demolition
It goes by many different names:
- Hydro demolition
- Hydro blasting
- Water jetting
- Hydro milling
- Water blasting
It all means the same thing. It’s a concrete removal technique utilizing ultra-high-pressure water to remove hard substances like concrete, asphalt, and grout.
Generally, this process is used when preparing surfaces for bonding for repair materials and new coating applications.
Why Choose Hydro Demolition Equipment
With over 30 years of designing and manufacturing UHP solutions. We can provide a wide range of products like :
- Aqua Cutters
- Aqua Power Packs
- Smaller range products like the ergo range.
- Aqua Spine and Frames
- Aqua Cutter Accessories
- UHP Pumps
- Tooling to suit
Which suit a wide range of applications and industries such as :
- Airports
- Berth/piers
- Bridges
- Building Structures
- Chimneys
- Power plants
- Tunneling projects
- And so many more
We have developed to be market leaders in supplying hydro demolition equipment with robotic controls for a range of products as well.
How do they work
Basic hydro dem equipment usually consists of automated programmable robots, connected with a flexible line to a high-pressure unit.
The robot works automatically on the desired surface removing selected concrete areas.
The units have two parts:
Power Pack
A high-pressure pump/engine combination that creates water pressure and water flow.
Aqua Cutter
Which is a programmable robot that handles the positioning of the high-pressure water jet.
These two units are connected to each other and to the operator by one single radio remote control. Which makes it very simple and with no need for extra cables or devices.
How does the water flow
The high-pressure water is delivered from the high-pressure unit to the robot through a flexible high-pressure hose.
The water then travels through a lance. It is the lance that manipulates the water jet to move, oscillate and attack the concrete in the most optimal way, depending on the type of removal required.
Why Lance Angle matters
When the pressurized water penetrates the concrete it fills up the cavities. The pressure then causes small fragments of the concrete to shatter.
By using different angles of the lance you can get a good even result. Since there are no vibrations there will be no micro cracks in the nearby concrete.
What’s the biggest advantage of hydro demolition
The biggest advantage of using hydro demolition is that you don’t get any dust in the air that will harm your lungs.
If you want to do some hydro demolition work, and are unsure of what you need, contact our dedicated team today.
Could this same automated system be used to removed corrosion and marine growth from a sheet pile wharf?
Great question, we have a wide range of solutions that work on marine growth.. Generally we recommended about 12 000 – 15 000 PSI for that application. Depending on what you are wanting to work on, will answer can it be automated. We do a range of automated solutions as well. We can get one of our BDM’s to contact you.