The underground pipe drilling machine is like a highly skilled “underground threader”. It completes the precise laying of various pipelines without damaging the ground surface, becoming a mainstream choice for modern urban construction and energy transportation.【WhatsApp/WeChat/Phone】+86 13837122632
Why Has the Underground Pipe Drilling Machine Become the Mainstream Choice?
- First of all, it achieves true trenchless construction. During construction, road traffic operates as usual, and green spaces and historic sites remain intact.
- Secondly, its construction precision is extremely high. With advanced guidance systems, the drill bit can flexibly adjust its trajectory underground, easily avoiding obstacles such as existing pipelines.
- Finally, the horizontal drilling equipment features a short construction period and low overall cost. Moreover, it can bury pipelines several meters to more than ten meters underground, using the stable stratum environment to provide natural anti-corrosion protection for the pipelines and greatly extend their service life. These advantages make it perfectly meet the urgent needs of modern cities for efficient and green construction.
Underground Pipe Drilling Machine Vs Traditional Excavation / Pipe Jacking Method
Traditional Open-cut Method: It requires excavating the entire pipeline trench, causing large-scale damage, seriously affecting traffic and the environment. It is suitable for suburban operations with no ground restrictions.
Pipe Jacking Method: It involves mechanical jacking between the starting shaft and receiving shaft, which causes certain disturbance to the stratum. In addition, the construction of the working shaft itself still requires excavation. It is suitable for short-distance straight-line crossing projects.
Horizontal Directional Drilling Method: The underground pipe drilling machine drills obliquely from the ground to form a small-diameter pilot hole, then reams the hole and pulls the pipeline in one go. It causes almost zero disturbance to the ground surface, can complete long-distance and curved crossing projects, and has the widest scope of application. This kind of Horizontal Drilling Equipment represents the advanced direction of trenchless technology.
Underground Pipe Drilling Machine Application Scenarios and Construction Scope Definition
Its application scenarios cover various key projects:
- First, long-distance pipeline laying crossing highways, railways and rivers.
- Second, municipal pipeline network renovation in areas where excavation is not easy, such as downtown areas and crop protection zones.
- Third, laying and renewal of flexible pipelines such as water supply, gas, electric power and telecommunications.
The equipment can operate in an environment of -15℃~+45℃ and is suitable for construction in most non-hard rock areas.
Equipment Configuration Scheme of HDD Rig Machine for Long-distance Crossing Projects
Long-distance crossing is the ultimate test of equipment capability. A complete HDD Rig Machine system includes not only the main engine, but also four key components: power, direction control, mud and drilling tools.
- Power and Main Engine: The required pullback force and torque should be calculated according to the crossing length, pipe diameter and geology, with sufficient margin reserved.
- Precision Direction Control System: It is the “eyes” of the project, ensuring accurate targeting even at a distance of thousands of meters.
- Mud System: Known as the “blood” of the project, it is responsible for hole wall protection, lubrication and cuttings carrying. A large-flow mud pump is the guarantee for long-distance construction.
- Drilling Tool Assembly: It includes high-strength drill pipes, formation-adaptive drill bits and staged reamers to ensure hole-forming quality.
YG Best-Selling Horizontal Directional Drilling Rig Parameters
| Model | YG-160A | YG-180 | YG-280 | YG-320 | YG-320A |
| Engine rated power | 100KW | 97KW | 160KW | 140KW/160KW | 160KW |
| Push and pull | Cylinder | Motor | Motor | Cylinder | Motor |
| Maximum drag/feed force | 160/100KN | 180/180KN | 280/280KN | 320/320KN | 320/320KN |
| The maximum torque of the powerhead | 5000N.n | 6000N.n | 10000N.n | 12000N.n | 12000N.n |
| Powerhead speed | 0-180r/min | 0-140r/min | 0-120r/min | 0-140r/min | 0-140r/min |
| Moving speed of the powerhead | 30m/min | 20m/min | 20m/min | 20m/min | 20m/min |
| Maximum reaming hole diameter | Φ600mm | Φ600mm | Φ750mm | Φ800mm | Φ800mm |
| Drill rod length (single) | 3m | 3m | 3m | 3m | 3m |
| Drill pipe diameter | Φ60mm | Φ60mm | Φ73mm | Φ73mm | Φ73mm |
| Drill pipe diameter | 10-23° | 10-22° | 10-23° | 10-20° | 10-20° |
| Maximum mudflow | 160L/min | 250L/min | 320L/min | 320L/min | 320L/min |
| Maximum mud pressure | 100bar | 80bar | 80bar | 80bar | 80bar |
| Overall quality | 6700kg | 8500kg | 12500kg | 11500kg | 11200kg |
| Dimension(length*width*height) | 5700*1820*2400mm | 6400*2270*2340mm | 7100*2260*2450mm | 7100*2250*2450mm | 7662*2162*2450mm |
Construction Precautions for HDD Rig Machine in Old Urban Areas
In old urban areas with a crisscross network of pipelines, the construction of horizontal directional drilling rig is like a “minimally invasive surgery”.
- Detailed Survey First: Geophysical prospecting technology must be used to find out the exact location and burial depth of all existing underground pipelines.
- Precision Trajectory Control: Adopt higher-precision guidance technology, strictly control the drilling trajectory, and maintain a safe distance from the existing pipelines.
- Mud Management: Closely monitor mud pressure and leakage to prevent slurry from disturbing the surrounding stratum and facilities.
- Emergency Plan: Be prepared to deal with possible unknown obstacles at any time to ensure absolute construction safety. This requirement for refinement reflects the technical value of horizontal directional drilling rig.
Common Problems and Solutions of Horizontal Directional Drilling Rig
Even with mature technology, challenges may still be encountered during construction. Common problems and countermeasures are as follows:
- Drilling Trajectory Deviation: Stop drilling immediately, calibrate the tool face angle through the direction control system, and slowly adjust back to the designed trajectory to avoid sharp bends.
- Drill Bit Encountering Unknown Obstacles: Pull out the drill pipe, replace it with a survey drill bit for detection, and formulate a detour or treatment plan after confirming the nature of the obstacle.
- Mud Leakage (Slurry Loss): Adjust the mud ratio, add lost circulation materials, or reduce the drilling speed and pump pressure. Conduct stratum pre-treatment if necessary.
- Sudden Increase in Pullback Force: Check whether the hole is clean, pump in high-lubricity mud immediately, and inspect the pipeline anti-corrosion layer and hole wall condition. Never drag forcibly.
As the core equipment for trenchless construction, the underground pipe drilling machine has long become the first choice for modern pipeline projects due to its high efficiency, precision and environmental protection advantages. Whether it is long-distance crossing projects or old urban area pipeline network renovation, choosing high-quality equipment and professional construction teams can greatly shorten the construction period and reduce the overall cost. If you have pipeline laying needs, please feel free to contact us for exclusive solutions!【WhatsApp/WeChat/Phone】+86 13837122632
