UHP Water Cutter
Output
Water Cutter truck
Water Cutter deckblaster and truck
Deckblaster
Latest Water cutter truck
Compared with traditional methods of excess bitumen removal, UHP Water Cutting has the following advantages:
- Excess (flushed) bitumen is completely removed from the upper surfaces of the embedded stone in a chip sealed surface (the predominant surfacing on New Zealand roads).
- The combination of low water volume and ultra high pressure minimises the likelihood of penetrating the seal membrane and damage to the road surface.
- The microtexture of the stone surface is restored to near the "as-crushed" state and the effects of polishing under traffic are largely removed (New Zealand patent application 517062).
- Minimal chip loss occurs. The energy of the water stream is finely focussed so that it does not dislodge the chip.
- The process is very environmentally friendly. All waste produced during water cutting is immediately sucked from the surface leaving it completely clean and ready for traffic. Relatively small volumes of waste is produced which can be easily disposed of or recycled. Very low volumes of water are used, and there are no emissions as in burning. Solid bitumen collected within the unit's recovered material tank is 100% recyclable.
- The unique umbilical system allows the operator to target only the specific areas that need treatment. The system provides manoeuvrability, minimal overlapping and the ability to square off the ends of areas for a professional finish.
Other uses for the Water Cutter
Although the Water Cutter has been primarily developed for the restoration of chip sealed surfaces further development has expanded the scope of operations to include:
- Texturising asphaltic concrete and concrete surfaces.
- Revitalisation of Open Graded Porous Asphalt (OGPA) surfaces.
- Removal of spillages from road surfaces.
- Rubber removal from airport runways.
- Cleaning of large floor areas in commercial premises.
Conclusion
The use of the UHP Water Cutter has been a success for both Fulton Hogan and the environment. Water cutting provides an acceptable alternative to previously wasteful and highly polluting road maintenance practices such as road burning and resealing operations. Water cutting has many advantages over water blasting which can be harmful to road surfaces and produce large amounts of waste.A patent (517062) for the Water Cutter has been applied for. It's environmental and functional design is unique in New Zealand. Fulton Hogan is proud to have developed this environmentally and commercially successful technology.
