Click photo for larger image (79K).

Thompson, CT USA - Numa, a leading designer and manufacturer of down hole hammers and bits, has recently introduced the Champion RC45 reverse circulation hammer. Engineered with a valve-less down hole hammer design, this new RC hammer is perfectly suited for drilling applications in the exploration, water well, construction, mining and environmental industries.

Made from the best materials under exacting conditions, the Champion RC45 yields lower drilling cost per foot by providing longer life and faster penetration rates. As with the entire Champion hammer line, the RC45 uses an interchangeable choke that gives the flexibility to tune the hammer to best meet drilling needs, a hardened non-ported reversible piston case that is extremely durable and a long piston bearing surface to maintain peak operating pressure. A new feature incorporated into the Champion RC45 is a collection tube that is detachable from the backhead. This promotes easier maintenance and accessibility to the collection tube and other internal components without completely disassembling the hammer.

The reverse circulation drilling method provides an environmentally sensitive alternative that can eliminate traditional hole cleaning problems typically found with conventional hammers.

Click photo for larger image (44K).

The Champion RC45 utilizes dual wall drill pipe and high pressure air to efficiently clean the hole. The principles of RC drilling and dual wall pipe are fairly simple. Air is forced down the annular space between the outer and inner pipe and is exhausted out the outer edge of the RC bit. All cuttings and down hole samples are then forced (vacuumed) back up through the center of the bit and inner pipe (collection tube) to be safely collected and discarded at the surface. With this method, no foam is required to clean the hole and lubricants are not free to contaminate the formation.

The Champion RC45 reverse circulation hammer is capable of drilling holes 4-3/4" to 5-1/4" (121-133 mm) in diameter and has an overall weight of just 118 lbs. (54 kg). It boasts the ability to efficiently operate at pressures as low as 150 psi (10.2 bar) while delivering an impressive 2085 blows per minute at 300 psi (20.4 bar). Several backhead connections are available to mate with RC drill pipe made by Drill Systems, Matrix, Remet, Eurodril, Eurotech and many other manufacturers.