Paired with the highly versatile ‘Aqua Spine’, Aquajet’s ‘Aqua Cutter’ 710V hydrodemolition robot increases productivity and safety for challenging concrete removal and surface preparation tasks on spillways, dam faces, intake structures, tunnels, gates, draft tubes, tailraces and locks. Robots can also be used for penstock cleaning and coating removal. Additionally, the company’s innovative ‘Ecosilence 3.0’ high pressure pump and ‘EcoClear’ water treatment system round out the system in a compact footprint that meets environmental regulations.

“Countries around the world are looking for safer, more productive solutions to revitalise aging infrastructure,” said Roger Simonsson, Aquajet managing director. “In addition to roads and bridges, water management systems, such as dams and reservoirs, are in desperate need of repair. Hydrodemolition has proven a cost effective and environmentally friendly solution for these challenging applications.”

Hydrodemolition is an impact free concrete removal method that eliminates the risk of micro fractures. This helps ensure stability of the overall structure, an important consideration in water management applications, and provides a sound foundation for concrete repairs. Hydrodemolition offers an automated solution that is faster and reduces labour. It is said by Aquajet to be up to 25 times faster than jackhammers and other handheld equipment, greatly increasing productivity for large scale concrete removal projects.

Using high pressure water jets as powerful as 2,757bar, the Aqua Cutter 710V hydrodemolition robot blasts away layers of concrete, cleaning and descaling rebar in the process. The model, one of Aquajet’s largest, offers exceptional horizontal, vertical and overhead reach as high as 7m. Aquajet’s unique cutting head and multi axis 3D positioning systems allow for efficient removal on even the most challenging areas including corners and spaces that would be difficult to access with hand tools. An optional extension kit system further increases versatility and area of operation. The kit extends reach for vertical and side to side applications from about 1.5m to 2.5m, depending on the model, to help operators access hard to reach areas.

Additionally, contractors can use an Aqua Spine for concrete removal in areas that are inaccessible to hydrodemolition robots. This multi modular system features a single feed beam to ensure adaptability to different applications. It adjusts from 1m to 6m and is ideally suited for hard to reach corners and curved surfaces where it can replace the use of manual labour. The modular system can be anchored to the concrete surface, such as floors, walls or ceilings, and can also be held in position with hydraulic platforms, cranes and scaffolding for increased versatility. Adding or removing spine beam sections results in an infinitely adaptable support system.

To further improve operating efficiency, contactors can use the 710V and Aqua Spine with the company’s innovative EcoClear water treatment system. The compact, fully automated system treats the hydrodemolition wastewater on site and on demand. It moves as much as 20m3/h through a series of treatment chambers that reduces pH to between 7.5 and 8.5 and suspended solids to between 20 and 40mg/l. This allows for safe recycling and reuse during the process as well as safe release into sanitary sewers, storm drains or directly into the environment. The system can be set up in less than four hours and requires minimal oversight during operation for optimal crew utilisation. It also allows for the reuse of blast water in the high pressure pump as part of a closed loop system. In this way, contractors can recycle the water, resulting in significant time and resource savings on remote or environmentally sensitive jobsites. “Aquajet works closely with our customers to provide innovative solutions to make their jobs safer, faster and more cost effective,” Simonsson said. “In water management applications, we’ve seen great success using hydrodemolition to replace handheld equipment. We’ve taken it a step further, as well, with our EcoClear. Now these applications are safer for the environment, too.”