A draw-works (sometimes spelled drawworks) refers to a type of hoisting machinery. It is one of the components of a typical rotary drilling rig, and its main function is to allow the traveling blocks to be raised and lowered. The drawworks usually has a pulley drive on the front side to give the rotary table turning power, although on some rigs, the rotary table may be independently powered. Drawworks are widely used to lower or hoist hundreds of thousands of pounds of weight. There is a wide range of horsepower ratings for drawworks—anywhere from 1000 HP to well over 3000 HP.
A modern drawworks has of five parts: the drum, the reduction gear, the motor(s), the brake, plus the auxiliary brake. Some drawworks are connected by metal belts directly to diesel engines while others have AC or DC motors. The number of gears very; it could anywhere from one to three speed combinations. There are also different types of main brakes—including friction band brake, modified clutch, or disc brake—and they are usually manually operated via a long handle. The main brake acts as the parking brake when motion is not desired. The auxiliary brake, which connects to the drum, absorbs the energy that is released when heavy loads are lowered. The auxiliary brake use either water-turbine-like apparatuses or eddy current rotors to convert the kinetic energy produced by a stopping a downward-moving load to heat.
If you need drawworks for sale, don’t hesitate to contact us at Henderson Rigs & Equipment. We specialize in the brokerage and sales of capital drilling equipment and drilling rigs. We maintain a comprehensive inventory of equipment—new, used, or refurbished. Trusted by drilling contractors from around the world, Henderson can also help you sell your drilling rigs, drawworks, and other equipment on consignment.