JT30/20 All Terrain 'Rock' Drilling System
04/29/10
The Ditch Witch Jet-Trac 3020 All Terrain features all terrain technology, one of the Ditch Witch organization's many patented innovations designed to simplify the HDD process. One of the company's breakthrough innovations was the slant-faced drill bit, which revolutionized the industry by enabling HDD operators to steer the drill head. All Terrain technology improves upon the steering process with a patented dual-drive pipe system, which enables the JT3020 All Terrain to drill and steer at the same time. This is an advantage over single-rod systems, which are not capable of steering as well, if at all, in consolidated soils. The inner pipe of the JT3020 All Terrain's two-pipe drill string continuously turns the drill bit at 150 to 400 RPM, depending on the soil, resulting in exceptionally efficient boring. The JT3020 All Terrain is so named because it can steer, drill and backream up to 650 feet in all types of soils, including solid rock, and also because it can be firmly secured on most surfaces thanks to a hydraulic, heavy-duty anchor system. The JT3020 All Terrain also features an industry-exclusive double-pivot drill frame that allows steep entry angles without raising the tracks off the ground, for maximum stability while drilling.
During drilling, the HDD operator keeps track of the drilling head's location with the help of an electronic beacon. A unique feature of the JT3020 All Terrain beacon is the relatively short length of its beacon, which enables it to be positioned in a steel housing just behind the drilling head. This design enables Ditch Witch JT3020 All Terrain beacons to show actual steering corrections during drilling, which makes it easier to guide the drilling head.
Because the JT3020 All Terrain transfers power to the bit mechanically, as opposed to the mud motor utilized by other HDD systems, it requires relatively little drilling fluid and therefore reduces jobsite cleanup time and expense. The All Terrain system is the most efficient method of transferring power to the cutting head.
Other standard features of the JT3020 All Terrain include cruise control for pilot boring and backreaming, which improves productivity by reducing operator fatigue; a patented pipe-loading system that features hydraulically powered shuttle grippers, hydraulic pipe row selection, and single pipe-loading; and low-maintenance, open-top vise wrenches that are angled toward the operator to provide an excellent view of the tool joint.
BENEFITS OF THE ALL TERRAIN ROCK DRILLING SYSTEM
The Ditch Witch All Terrain Rock Drilling System permits effective drilling, steering & backreaming in extreme conditions such as solid rock, broken rock, cobbles, gravel and rock/soil mixtures. The All Terrain units can effectively make installations at a lower cost than is possible with larger, more expensive directional drills, which often require mud motors & mud recycling systems. The 30/20 & 40/20 All Terrain Directional Drilling Systems have an advanced mechanical dual-drive pipe system, where there is a pipe within a pipe. The inner pipe drives the tri-cone bit and due to the 2 degree offset Rockmaster head, the outer pipe controls the steering.
Due to the mechanical power transfer to the tri-cone bit the 30/20 All Terrain transmits 800 ft/lbs rotational torque at 400 rpm at a mud, flow rate of only 8 to 12 gpm. The 40/20 All Terrian transmits 2,000 ft/lbs torque at 250 rpm at a mud, flow rate of only 12 to 20 gpm, whereas a mud motor will require massive amounts of fluid (up to 250 gpm) and a mud recycling system.
The 30/20 All Terrain is capable of drilling from 90 to 200 metres in extreme conditions and the 40/20 All Terrain is capable of drilling 200 to 300 metres.
Power TransferAs the Ditch Witch All Terrain systems are mechanically powered there is only 1.5% loss in power transfer due to friction with the 30/20 having nearly 50 horsepower at the bit the 40/20 nearly 100 horsepower at the bit. A Mud Motor has a 50% loss in fluid to mechanical power transfer with only 24 horsepower at the bit, with a 3.75" Mud Motor & 36 horsepower with a 4.75" Mud Motor.
Production RatesDuring field tests in Oklahoma, USA, through 17,000 psi rock, using a 4.75" Bit the 30/20 All Terrain drilled 28 metres per hour using only 12 gpm of mud. The 3.5" Mud Motor drilled only 14.7 metres per hour using 130 gpm.
Drill Head Dimensions & WeightsThe Ditch Witch Rockmaster Drill Head is up to 80% shorter than a Mud Motor and far lighter in weight.
Drill Head Purchasing & Re-build CostsMud Motors are very expensive to purchase/hire and re-build costs are generally higher than the
Ditch Witch Rockmaster. Mud Motors must be sent back to the service centre to be re-built, whereas the Ditch Witch Rockmaster can be re-built on-site in a few hours, which reduces downtime and maintenance costs.
Drill Head LifeMud Motor tool life is heavily connected to the quantity & quality of drilling fluid used. Poor quality drilling fluids or excessive quantities of drilling fluids reduces the internal life of these tools.
The All Terrain Rockmaster has a fluid passage that deliver drilling fluids to the bit for cutting and cooling the bit and housing. The All Terrain Tooling is mechanically driven, so the drilling fluid has minimal effect on internal parts.
Drill Head TrackingThe Ditch Witch Rockmaster tracking electronics are directly behind the cutting bit, which will give the operator real-time information. Mud Motor tracking electronics are generally 15 to 20 feet behind the cutting bit, depending on the size and power of the mud motor. The operator will not know if the correct steering change has been achieved for 15 to 20 feet.
Drill Head Entry Area
The All Terrain tooling requires about the same entry distance as conventional tooling. A far larger entry area is required with a mud motor due to their excessive length.
