BORE HOLE INSPECTION AIDS FRESH WATER SUPPLY.

A bore hole camera inspection system, recently delivered to the Ivory Coast, is helping to ensure that extraction holes for fresh water supply is free of cavities, cracks, and deposits such as calcification. The FM 4000 system, supplied by Unterwassertech-nik of Bremen, Germany, and manufactured by Stenmar Micro Systems Ltd. of Aberdeen, Scotland, consists of three major components: a camera unit, surface monitor/VCR unit, and cable and storage drum.

The fresh water supply was drilled through rock to a depth of 500 feet, according to Andy Williamson, commercial director of Stenmar. "Bore holes are drilled over a period of time. They have to be regularly inspected for cleanliness, for keeping the pipe in good engineering format," he said. Bore holes are normally lined with a casing that can become damaged.

The camera unit construction was mostly of stainless steel, with view ports for the camera lenses and lighting. Moving parts were enclosed in a housing for protection against damage, and the acrylic ports were recessed to minimize damage and scratching as the camera passes along the pipe.

The unit includes two color cameras, One views vertically downward and the other focuses horizontally The latter can be rotated approximately 330 degrees in each direction, giving full 360-degree inspection capability. Lighting is provided separately for each camera, using solid-state LED modules.