� COVER STORY �
A schematic diagram of ANT AG ´ s waterjet cutting technology .
application to the realms of ship recycling and railway cleaning . Sustainability is deeply ingrained in our DNA , as our operations involve dismantling and recycling , relying solely on natural elements like water and abrasive ( sand ) for our technology ’ s functionality . Moreover , we use the natural power of bionics .
GSW : Please tell us more about your waterjet technology . What are some of the advantages ? Are there any limitations to the type of material that can be recycled / cut ?
TW : In conventional WAIS ( Water Abrasive Injection System ), water flows under very high pressure through the nozzle into the cutting head of the system . The abrasive is sucked into the mixing chamber by negative pressure (“ Venturi principle ”). This results in an air content of around 95 percent , which leads to turbulent mixing losses and severely reduces the overall efficiency of the cutting jet . In ANT WAS systems , on the other hand , part of the pressurized water flows via a bypass valve into the Abrasive Mixing Unit ( AMU ). Water and the cutting agent ( abrasive ) form a suspension there . The water abrasive suspension is directed and forced through the cutting nozzle via a high-pressure hose . The potential energy of the pressure is converted in the nozzle into a cutting jet that emerges at almost twice the speed of sound . The result is a two-phase jet consisting of approximately 97.5 percent water and 2.5 percent abrasive . Since the abrasive particles in WAS systems are directly bound in the water , the ANT suspension jet is significantly more stable , precise , and up to three times more powerful than the injection jet . There is no air in the jet and no unwanted air bubbles are produced underwater . Due to the special ANT nozzle geometry , WAS systems do not require high pressure and consequently save resources . Regarding the material , there is no limitation , anything can be cut . We have already cut steel of one meter thickness .
Green Steel World | Issue 9 | November 2023 7