Raw Water Blog Post
There are numerous types of monorail raking machines used for raw water intakes of power plants, potable drinking water plants and headworks of wastewater treatment plants. These machines have environmental issues of using hydraulics submerged in the water and festoon systems that become entangled when the wind blows. Hydraulic hoses break and cylinders leak. Some manufacturers use biodegradable fluids, yet these still leave a sheen on the water confirm that hydraulic fluid has escaped causing public concern. The festoons used require long loops and during high winds or storm events, become entangled around the monorail or support columns, either breaking high voltage electrical connections, tearing apart support wagons or stopping the machine altogether. WTR® Engineering has overcome both of these issues by using a fully mechanical closing gripper rake, avoiding all hydraulics and by using a ‘hot rail’ or monorail electrification system, avoiding a festoon system to power the rake. Both of these advancements for the Talon Raking Machine have been utilized on other industries for many years and utilize all manner of human safety engineering in the design. Utilizing a mechanical gripper rake eliminates requirements to maintain, inventory and repair hydraulic hoses, cylinders, fluids, heaters, reservoirs, pressure / level switches, hose reels or winding components. The use of the hot rail saves costly labor intensive replacement of expensive electrical cables, cable support wagons / trollies and ties to electrical junctures. The WTR Talon Rake® still offers the end user the benefit of a wireless remote control yet avoids the issues of fluids and overhanging cables.