Ernest Lowe’s Aqua-Hydro system cuts costs, enhances mine safety

For the past 100 years, mines the world over have used compressed air as a power source to drive equipment such as rock drills and cleaning jets. Although compressed air is a well-tried system, it has certain drawbacks. Firstly, it is expensive to produce, and with the rapidly rising price of electricity, is becoming more so. Secondly, because of the length of many mines compressed air piping systems, much of the pressure is lost because of air leaks.

Another factor bearing on the use of compressed air is the introduction in some deep level mines of electrically-driven rock drills. These may reduce or entirely phase out the use of compressed air in mines. For example, to save costs, at AngloGold Ashanti’s Tautona mine, which is being deepened, the deeper extension will not be supplied with compressed air.

With these developments in mind, Ernest Lowe, the Hydraulics and Pneumatics Engineering Solutions Company, adapted one of its pneumatic actuator cylinders so that it would operate on water pressure instead of air pressure, using the existing water column pressure as an energy source.

Among others, this Aqua-Hydro system offers two massive advantages, namely:

The application for which the Aqua-Hydro Cylinder was chosen was the operation of a ‘box-front’ or underground train loading point. Traditionally, box-front doors have been opened and closed by a pneumatic actuator cylinder to regulate the flow of broken rock.

There is a further safety aspect to the new water powered system. The Ernest Lowe Aqua-Hydro system has a valve, which controls the actuator cylinder. The valve works as a ‘dead mans’ controller. If the operator releases the valve, it automatically moves the water cylinder actuator into the closed position. Should a box-front operator see that there is a risk of a mudrush, he can instantly abandon the control valve and run to safety, knowing that the box front will close automatically.

Other safety aspects of concern is the health of the operator. Compressed air exhausting from pneumatic equipment tends to be noisy, whereas the water-operated equivalents are almost silent. Extended exposure to high noise levels has been shown to be detrimental to health.

As water is not compressible, the control of the box front is more positive and consequently safer.


There are many other applications for Water Cylinders. Such examples are Power Stations, Tyre Manufacturers and Steel Works.