Hydrovac excavation is somehow a new technique of digging, which uses a powerful vacuum system and pressurized water to soften the ground and break down the soil.
Its popularity begins in the gas and oil industry in Canada. It is difficult to excavate with cold winters characterized by frozen ground using a traditional method.
This makes full service hydro-vac an efficient and safe way to get the project done. Hydrovac companies also require experience to ascertain accurate work while remaining cost-effective.
How the Process Works
Hydrovac usually works by injecting pressurized water into the ground using a hose so as to liquefy the soil. When the underground soil becomes slurry, you will need to vacuum it using a strong pumping system and store it in your truck.
You can use the process to dig up to around 70 feet deep. But in some situations, you can dig at a long distance from a holding tank or where pumping trucks are located. You can use the hydro-vac in nearly any kind of soil, even on frozen ground.
Are There Types of Hydrovacs?
There are various hydro-vac models in the industry. These models have different levels of vacuum, water pressure, and capacity. However, in function and concept, they are all similar.
Hydrovac Services
Hydro vacuum excavation or hydro-vac excavation services are the leading soft non-destructive technology using cold or hot pressurized water to remove and move soil while vacuuming it. This provides a more accurate and non-destructive way to excavate the soil.
Hydrovac Applications
Laying some utilities for subsurface and underground facilities is dangerous and difficult. It may damage the underground cables, pipes, and lines, increasing operational costs and developing safety concerns.
The hydro-vac process is a perfect solution for quickly and safely exposing underground infrastructures, which you might or might not map. Some of the popular applications of hydro-vac include:
- Slot trenching
- Daylighting
- Pole hole excavation
- Culvert cleanouts
- Cold weather excavation
- Debris removal
Safety Guidelines
You must always adhere to safety practices when electrical equipment and overhead electrical lines are present.
When you don’t know the voltage, it is important to ensure that every equipment and personnel on-site keeps back a minimum of around seven meters from the overhead lines.
You should also monitor safe movement distances, especially when the boom is in use. If boom movement is needed within the area of power lines, you must follow safety communication practices to prevent accidents.
Advantages of Using Hydrovacs
Suction and high-pressure water are used to open soil so as to turn stiffer grounds into a muck. The soil is then sucked into a holding tank for disposal. Because water pressure is more intense, the final results of the process are very accurate.
The hydro-vac process also doesn’t encompass unnecessary excavation. More precise and accurate methods are required to reduce damages to surrounding pipes, the environment, and utilities. Apart from this, a limited workforce is needed, which minimizes the cost even further.
Final Say!
Vacuum excavation or hydro-vac process is becoming the go-to technique for many forms of excavation. It is also safer, more cost-effective & efficient, and environmentally friendly than a traditional excavation method.
Interesting Related Article: “8 Markets that Use Composite Manufacturing“