Piranha Industrial Dredges

The heart of the Piranha dredge is our heavy duty submersible agitator pump. The mechanical agitator delivers kinetic energy (energy of motion) to solids surrounding and below the pump rendering these solids in a fluid state. These solids are then drawn through a suction strainer at relatively low velocities, preventing the entry of material too large that may otherwise have difficulty passing through the impeller vanes. The surface area of the suction strainer is much larger than necessary to provide adequate flow to the pump. This allows the larger objects to collect on the strainer without affecting pump performance. Most of this material falls away when the pump is shut off, minimizing annoying delays in production for strainer cleaning. The mechanical agitator is surrounded by an open fabricated frame which inhibits contact with pond liners as well as immovable objects such as tree stumps and large rocks. The pump wear components are generous machined castings of 28% high chrome white iron for long term abrasive wear resistance. Multistage seal assemblies prevent water and particle migration to the motor. A seal moisture sensor activates an indicator light on the master control panel suggesting the need for a seal inspection. The outboard seal integrity may be easily checked via the removal of an external 4 bolt plate. The motor temperature is monitored by an internal sensor which also activates a control panel indicator light in the event of an over temperature condition. The motor cable entry area is encased in an epoxy compound which prevents water entry to the motor in the event of a breach in the outer cable jacket.

Horizontal auger style dredges typically utilize an eight foot wide cutterhead with "dual opposing" augers, large diesel engine, hydraulic power supply unit, generous deck space, operator cab, large diameter discharge piping, and a massive ominous appearance to go along with the price tag. Manufacturers of this style dredge will mislead you to believe that their machine is a highly efficient excavator that powers its way through your sediment cutting an eight foot wide swath in a single pass. Nothing can be further from the truth. We know this because we manufactured this style dredge for more than a decade. Horizontal augers are based upon the same principle as earth moving machinery utilized for trenching. Two fundamental factors that make the earth moving auger effective are gravity & friction. The presence of gravity and friction are what allows the earth to cling to the auger and travel horizontally. Under water, neither of these two elements are present. So what happens under water? The sediment falls off the front of the auger and does not travel horizontally toward the pump intake. The auger does serve to agitate the sediment into a slurry, but this agitation all takes place way too far away from the pump intake and never comes close enough to be drawn in by the pump. The net result is, that the auger pushes sediment like a plow and 90-95% of it is left behind. The vast majority of the sediment that is slurried by the auger simply drifts away and resettles elsewhere. Since the percentage of pumped solids are so low, diesel auger dredges are reduced to depend upon pumping massive volumes of water in order to achieve respectable sediment production rates.

Pond Piranha dredges focus the agitation in the only place that matters, directly beneath the pump intake. Like the horizontal auger, the Piranha agitator delivers kinetic energy (energy of motion) to the sediment rendering it into a fluid state. This is where the similarity ends. Sediment slurried by the Piranha agitator is immediately drawn into the pump and is not allowed the opportunity to escape only to settle elsewhere. Percentage of pumped solids is generally 5-10 times greater than auger dredges. When comparing a Piranha dredge to a larger diesel auger dredge, don't be deceived by the Piranha's compact size and apparent simplicity. In most material, a 30 horsepower Piranha dredge with a 4 inch discharge will move more sediment than an 8 inch diesel auger dredge, and you can enjoy the added benefit of having not unnecessarily wasted all of the extra water. Furthermore, Piranha dredges are a fraction of the cost. Also, Piranha dredges are un-manned, remotely controlled from shore, and are available with fully automated controls.

The Pond Piranha is a remotely controlled floating dredge pumping system capable of excavating gravel, sand, crushed ore, coal slurries, fly ash, wash fines, mud, and sewage & water treatment sludges. Our systems are furnished complete with everything necessary for a fully functional system. The system includes:

Pump: Our severe duty high chrome iron slurry pumps are powered by 1.35 service factor motors enabling

them to handle abrasive slurries up to 70% by weight. The pump intake and agitator are surrounded by a

protective frame rendering it useful for lined ponds.

Flotation Platform: Foam filled UV and chemical resistant pontoons, urethane powder coated steel structural

members, depth control hoist with high and low level limit switches.

Remote Control Positioning System: The Pond Piranha comes standard with a capstan traversing winch remotely

controlled from shore via the master control panel.

Control Panel: Skid mounted onshore remote control panel with push button controls for one man operation of the dredge with:

pump run hour meter, pump motor ammeter, traverse functions forward/stop/reverse, pump elevation functions

raise/stop/lower with manual override for high and low level limit switches, pump seal moisture indicator light, and

pump motor over heat indicator light. Also available with PLC fully automated controls.

Floating Discharge: Each 32 foot assembly consists of a 20' section of rigid pipe, 2/ea foam filled float sections and a flexible

hose section with quick disconnect couplings at each transition point.

Electrical Cable: Heavy jacketed, submersible, power and control cable.

Delivery & Startup: We deliver to your job site and furnish a service technician for startup.