View source for Engineering:Hydromill trench cutter

[[File:Slurry Wall Hydromill In Tel Aviv.jpg|thumb|upright|Hydromill trench cutter with two cutter wheels at bottom]]
The '''hydromill trench cutter''' is a specialized type of construction equipment designed to dig the narrow but deep trenches used in the casting of [[Engineering:Slurry wall|slurry wall]]s. Typically, it is a cutter attachment mounted on a crawler crane base machine, with different types of hose handling systems. The machine excavates by cutting the soil using two cutting wheels, while a powerful pump extracts the loose material mixed with some of the slurry, typically [[Chemistry:Bentonite|bentonite]].

== Machine components==
[[File:Isw verfahren.JPG|thumb|left|Simplified schematic of a hydromill trench cutter at work]]
The hydromill, also known as hydraulic cutter, basically consists of:
* Base machine, usually a crawler crane, of adequate capacity
* Hose handling system, for both hydraulic and slurry hoses; these systems can use either a hose drum or a hose tension design
* Hydraulic cutter, which typically consists of two cutter wheels powered by a hydraulic motor, a [[Engineering:Slurry pump|slurry pump]], and flaps to control its direction in case of deviation from the intended path.

Usually, there are two sets of hoses, one for hydraulic oil, and another for extraction of slurry and entrained spoil from the diaphragm wall excavation.

== Cutter wheels ==
Hydraulic cutter assemblies have a standard length of {{convert|2.8|m}}, with various widths, varying from {{convert|60|cm}} up to {{convert|250|cm}}. Cutting wheel teeth depend mainly on the type of soil intended to be excavated.

==Gallery==
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|File:Trench cutter casagrande.jpg|
|File:Nashville mayor goes up river to see dam safety project (7754031378).jpg|
|File:Nashville mayor goes up river to see dam safety project (7749068390).jpg|
}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090106035914/http://www.masspike.com/html/bigdig/equipment/hydrotren.html Hydromill trench cutter]
* Bauer Trench Cutter System [https://web.archive.org/web/20150630083604/http://www.bauer.de/export/shared/pdf/bma/products/dia_wall/BAUER-trench-cutter-systems_905-679-2.pdf]

[[Category:Industrial equipment]]


{{Sourceattribution|Hydromill trench cutter}}