Pounder rig
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The Pounder Rig is a manual drilling technique based on the Asian Sludge method, but adapted to deal with hard layers.
A metal drill pipe (25 to 40mm) is moved up and down in the borehole using a human-powered see-saw mechanism. One end of the see-saw supports the drill pipe, the other end holds a counterbalance to compensate for the weight of the pipe. A steel frame is used to ensure a vertical borehole and to help separate the drilling cuttings from the drilling fluid. The borehole is kept full of water. A steel and leather flap at the top of the pipe act as a valve.
History and social context
The Pounder Rig was developed and tested in Uganda by the Cranfield University. One rig has been manufactured.
The Pounder Rig has been designed to deal with the weathered overburden, also known as regolith, which lies on top of basement formation. These conditions are common in much of Africa.
Suitable conditions
Can drill through clay, sand, silt, gravel, laterite and limited amounts of hard rock.
| Advantages | Disadvantages/limitations |
|---|---|
| - Can drill through hard layers. | - Slow progress in hard formations. - limited experience available. |
Technical specification
For the drill pipe, special carbon steel pipe is used, several times stronger than galvenized iron pipe, which can withstand the large stresses generated when the drill bit impacts on hard layers. Hardened steel bits are used to penetrate hard rock.
Operation
Maintenance
Manufacturing
Cost
Country experiences
The Pounder Rig has been developed and tested in Uganda.
Manuals
Movies
Acknowledgements
- The basis for the material on this page was obtained from a desk study shortly to be published on the website of the Practica Foundation, and from the Rural Water Supply Network, and specifically its manual drilling section.
External Links
References
- Ball, P and Carter, R, C. 2000. Specifications and Drawings of the Pounder Rig. Report of DFID KAR Project R7126 “Private Sector Participation in Low Cost Water Well Drilling”, Cranfield University. First Edition, July 2000. Download.
- 'Private Sector Participation in Low Cost Water Well Drilling', Cranfield University, 2001. Article on private sector participation in low cost water well drilling in Africa. Download.
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