World’s First Hybrid-Electric Horizontal Drill Halves Fuel Consumption - Visedo and Normag Team Up to Break New Ground
Finnish manufacturer Visedo has co-developed the world’s first hybrid electric horizontal drilling machine for groundwork applications, in conjunction with Dutch industrial drilling equipment manufacturer Normag.
Visedo, which manufactures electric power for heavy duty vehicles on land and sea, developed the hybrid powertrain for the new steerable-drill system, which can halve fuel consumption and associated emissions while also reducing noise.
The new Visedo-Normag drill system can dig lateral shafts of up to 1.2m diameter to be bored through subsoil for distances of 3km, while performing drilling duties for water, drainage, sewerage and ducting for pipework and cabling for power and other services in fully developed urban areas.
The machine also offers greater operational flexibility in remote locations where conventional diesel-hydraulic systems have difficulty gaining access. At the same time, it can provide significant operational cost savings as well as the environmental benefits of less fuel consumption and associated emissions.
Instead of the hydraulic motors and pumps that drive standard horizontal drilling systems, the Visedo-Normag machine has 12 inverters that supply AC power to the three main electric motors and six ancillary ones that drive and control rig operations. These provide a combined capacity of 750kW.
Operation of the system is controlled digitally and has been made ruggedly to withstand the particularly harsh wet and muddy environments encountered in horizontal terrestrial drilling.
It is estimated the electrified system adds approximately 10 per cent to the overall capital cost of a 1 million euro mobile drilling rig, but this is mitigated by the significant fuel savings and operational flexibility.
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