In the past, pneumatic rock drills have been the go-to option for many different reasons. However, with increasing ability to develop more durable and more powerful hydraulic systems, the hydraulic rock drill models and features have been increasingly seen as the best option for many drilling companies.
There are several different reasons the hydraulic models have outpaced and outsold the pneumatic drills, although the pneumatic drill is still a solid option for many types of rock drilling jobs. In fact, most of the larger companies will have both types of drills available in their equipment inventory, allowing for the right drill to be matched to the right job.
To understand the increase in the demand for hydraulic rock drill models and designs, let’s take a closer look at the benefits they offer.
Greater Efficiency
In this comparison, efficiency is the relationship between the power going into the compressor and the power output of the rock drill. With a pneumatic rig it is about 10 percent, while for the same size of hydraulic it is approximately 30 percent. Over the life of the drill, this means a 20% increase in power for the same amount of fuel.
This is an essential consideration for any company. When fuel and operating costs are lower, there is a greater profit margin in using one particular piece of equipment over another.
Another factor with the hydraulic rock drill is that the output can be varied to suit the drilling needs. This means that under different rock materials and different drilling requirements the pressure and the volume to the drifter can modified to reduce energy use when drilling into softer materials, thus saving more energy. This is not as easily controlled with the use of the pneumatic system.
Environmental and Operator Considerations
The pneumatic drill is going to be noisier to operate than a hydraulic model. This is largely due to the release and expansion of the exhaust from the pneumatic system into the air. This is not present at all with the hydraulic systems. In the same way, the mist and the release of fine micro-droplets of oil in that exhaust air is not present, further creating a safer and “greener” drilling operation.
Not only is this safer for the operator, but for use in urban areas or even in road construction, mining or on other job sites this reduction in noise produced in drilling can be the difference in getting the job or not.
