AU2021102163A4

AU2021102163A4 - Overwater deployment and recovery monitoring system for deep-sea mining collector

Info

Publication number: AU2021102163A4
Application number: AU2021102163A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Xionglong HU; Jun Tang; Yuanhui XIE
Original assignee: Jiangxi University of Science and Technology
Current assignee: Jiangxi University of Science and Technology
Priority date: 2020-05-07
Filing date: 2021-04-23
Publication date: 2021-06-03
Anticipated expiration: 2029-04-23
Also published as: CN111749700A

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an overwater deployment and recovery monitoring system for a deep-sea mining collector, including an integrated monitoring subsystem and a control subsystem. The integrated monitoring subsystem includes a multi-screen monitoring console, a sensor, and a subsystem measurement and control station. The sensor and the subsystem measurement and control station collect and monitor data and transmit the data and obtained monitoring information to the multi-screen monitoring console; and the multi-screen monitoring console receives and displays the data and the monitoring information. The control subsystem includes a main console, a core control level, and a field control level. The main console implements operation, control and display of control information, the core control level controls electric motors and hydraulic devices, and the field control level receives the control information and controls all other devices except the electric motors and the hydraulic devices. The present disclosure proposes a deployment and recovery operation scheme for a marine mining system, which better solves actual problems of marine deployment and recovery of a long pipeline system for marine mining. 17623231_1 (GHMatters) P116170.AU 1/2 Hoisting of a mining collector Step 1: Move the mining collector out of a storage Start a double-cylinder suspension apparatus, c u 0 suspend the mining collector and lift it to a certain height. Connect the co b ieombielical, and umbiica anacobinropranlowrth hose, open a movable door, and slowly put the mining Step 2: Move the mining collector along a double-track collector into the water from the moon pool to ensure connctatirdlftinpip Pt Opnhmvaldohpaegi efr m n,npu 4 e ' apistonroofthedoube-cylindrus tpensio elevated bride onto a safety door of a moon othat the mining collector and the hose are in a plumb estate. Then lower the hose, combine rope, and umbilical into the water collaboratively. When a fastening position at a connector at the end of the hose Before landing of the is reached, clamp it to a convex ring at the end of the mining collector hose connector. During the lowering of the hose, connect buoye larert aallsand fix the combine rope and Step 3: Connect the mining collector to a hose, an umbilical to the hose with a flange. umbilical, and a combine rope, and lower the mining collector into the water in a coordinated Use a 50 kN crane to hoist the first lifting pipe into way U) the upper derrick, lower it, and use an upper clamp to clamp an upper flange of the first lifting pipe. Then use the crane to hoist the second lifting pipe, and connect it with the first lifting pipe. Fix the dsta:nceslightthhoterntelenghfth ng combine rope to the lifting pipe with a flange, and nnect ' .h hoe a1 'is itn ie n open the upper clamp. Use the 50 kN crane to hoist second lifting pipe the lifting pipe, and connect the upper end of the hose with the lower end of the lifting pipe on the ' 4 movable door by using a sleeve. Step 5: Lower the first lifting pipe into the water,an- - - - - - - - - - - - - connect a third lifting pipe .......... V n Open the movable door, place a guide frame, and put the lifting pipe into the water. Lift a yoke frame through piston rod of the double-cylinder suspension Ste... 6:....Continuous....... l lower.... th litn iesit4h apparatus, clamp the upper end of the second lifting CS' ep~~ ~ ~ 6: Cotnosylwrtelfigppsit h pipe with a lower clamp, close the movable door, and water then connect the third lifting pipe. stp : djs aulitude or te mining collector, and ( Extend the piston rod to lower the yoke frame. When loerth Iftn pipes into the water in a coordin ated c) the stroke of the piston rod ends, clamp the upper W y cc end of the third lifting pipe with the upper clamp, and - U) then connect a fourth lifting pipe. Repeat the previous process to continuously lower the lifting pipes into the q ~water. After landing of the f:Each time a lifting pipe (1 1.5m) is lo1w-ered into the minin collctorwater, control the mining collector to move on the minin collctorseabed along the ocean current at a distance slightly Step 8: Each time a lifting pipe is lowered into the larger than a length of the lifting pipe (such as 15m, a water, control the mining collector to move forward specific distance is determined based on the ocean a~~~~~~~~ ~ ~ ditnelne)hnalnt ftelfigpp current speed, wave height, and surge cycle). After the mining collector stops, lower another lifting pipe into the "A water. When a quantity of lifting pipes lowered into the Slep 9. [ab im ah ifu p" p U. luv1dinuli9 water is greater than n (a value of n is determined water, control the mining collector to move forward a based on a total quantity of lifting pipes, a length of the distance slightly shorter than the length of the lifting hose, and marine environment), each time a lifting pipe pipe. Repeat this process until the deployment is is lowered into the water, the mining collector moves a complete distance slightly shorter than the length of the lifting pipe (such as 10Om). FIG. 1

Description

1/2

Hoisting of a mining collector Step 1: Move the mining collector out of a storage Start a double-cylinder suspension apparatus, c u 0 suspend the mining collector and lift it to a certain height. Connect the co b ieombielical, and hose, open a movable door, and slowly put the mining Step 2: Move the mining collector along a double-track collector into the water from the moon pool to ensure elevated bride onto a safety door of a moon othat the mining collector and the hose are in a plumb estate. Then lower the hose, combine rope, and umbilical into the water collaboratively. When a fastening position at a connector at the end of the hose Before landing of the anacobinropranlowrth is reached, clamp it to a convex ring at the end of the mining collector umbiica hose connector. During the lowering of the hose, connect buoye larert aallsand fix the combine rope and Step 3: Connect the mining collector to a hose, an umbilical to the hose with a flange. umbilical, and a combine rope, and lower the mining collector into the water in a coordinated Use a 50 kN crane to hoist the first lifting pipe into dohpaegi efr m n,npu Pt Opnhmvalclamp 4e ' way connctatirdlftinpip apistonroofthedoube-cylindrus tpensio U) the upper derrick, lower it, and use an upper to clamp an upper flange of the first lifting pipe. Then use the crane to hoist the second lifting pipe, and connect it with the first lifting pipe. Fix the dsta:nceslightthhoterntelenghfth nnect hoe ' a1 .h itn ie 'isn ng combine rope to the lifting pipe with a flange, and open the upper clamp. Use the 50 kN crane to hoist second lifting pipe the lifting pipe, and connect the upper end of the hose with the lower end of the lifting pipe on the '4 movable door by using a sleeve. Step 5: Lower the first lifting pipe into the water,an- - - - - - - - - - - - - connect a third lifting pipe .......... V n Open the movable door, place a guide frame, and put the lifting pipe into the water. Lift a yoke frame through piston rod of the double-cylinder suspension l lower.... th litn iesit4h apparatus, clamp the upper end of the second lifting CS' ep~~ ~ Ste... 6:....Continuous....... ~ 6:water Cotnosylwrtelfigppsit h pipe with a lower clamp, close the movable door, and then connect the third lifting pipe.

stp : djs aulitude or te mining collector, and ( Extend the piston rod to lower the yoke frame. When loerth Iftn pipes into the water in a coordin ated c) the stroke of the piston rod ends, clamp the upper end of the third lifting pipe with the upper clamp, and W y - U)cc then connect a fourth lifting pipe. Repeat the previous process to continuously lower the lifting pipes into the q ~water. After landing of the f:Each time a lifting pipe (1 1.5m) is lo1w-ered into the collctorwater, minin collctorseabed control the mining collector to move on the minin along the ocean current at a distance slightly Step 8: Each time a lifting pipe is lowered into the larger than a length of the lifting pipe (such as 15m, a water, control the mining collector to move forward specific distance is determined based on the ocean a~~~~~~~~ ~ ~ ditnelne)hnalnt ftelfigpp current speed, wave height, and surge cycle). After the mining collector stops, lower another lifting pipe into the "A water. When a quantity of lifting pipes lowered into the Slep 9. [ab im ahifup U. luv1dinuli9 p" water is greater than n (a value of n is determined water, control the mining collector to move forward a based on a total quantity of lifting pipes, a length of the distance slightly shorter than the length of the lifting hose, and marine environment), each time a lifting pipe pipe. Repeat this process until the deployment is is lowered into the water, the mining collector moves a complete distance slightly shorter than the length of the lifting pipe (such as 10Om).

FIG. 1

OVERWATER DEPLOYMENT AND RECOVERY MONITORING SYSTEM FOR DEEP-SEA MINING COLLECTOR TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a deployment and recovery monitoring system suitable for marine mining operations, and belongs to the technical fields of marine engineering, communication and information integration.

BACKGROUND

For exploitation of marine mineral resources, China has carried out basic technical research and development of mining and lifting equipment prototypes. The research in onboard system installation and mining operations has just begun. In actual marine mining operations, a deployment and recovery system, as a key component of a water surface support subsystem of a mining dredger, affects whether a mining collector and a lifting subsystem that are usually stored in a cabin can be safely deployed to a scheduled operation location and smoothly recovered. In addition, deployment and recovery of the marine mining system are complex, involving the coordination of multiple deployment devices, linkage with other subsystems, and monitoring of videos, device parameters and locations in multiple places in and out of water. Multiple objects need to be monitored and controlled in the entire procedure.

The key to monitoring and control during the deployment and recovery of the marine mining system is to formulate a detailed deployment and recovery operation scheme to determine "how to do"; and based on the operation scheme, identify risk factors in the operation process, and analyze monitored objects. On this basis, a deployment and recovery system can be developed by using the general centralized monitoring and control technology.

For deployment and recovery of a marine mining system, a basic hydraulic suspension plan (Water Surface Support System Solution Designfor the Pilot Mining System Used in 1000-meter Ocean drafted by the China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association) has been formulated in the existing basic technology research, and hydrodynamic calculation and analysis for the mining collector, hose, and lifting pipe during the deployment process are made based on the virtual simulation technology, so as to provide a basis for the design of the deployment and recovery system after being loaded on board. However, there is currently no

17623231_1 (GHMatters) P116170.AU detailed solution that can be used for actual marine deployment and recovery operations.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure aims to implement centralized monitoring and control of the entire deployment and recovery process, so as to deploy and recover a marine mining system safely. The key technical problems to be solved are summarized as follows:

Analysis of detailed deployment and recovery process and selection of monitoring information: Although a basic deployment and recovery plan has been determined, there is no detailed deployment and recovery operation process, and actions to be completed in each operation stage and possible risks cannot be determined. Detailed analysis is required to extract information that needs centralized monitoring and control.

Integrated monitoring: During deployment and recovery, required videos, device parameters, and location parameters of various types such as video, text, analog, and Boolean need to be obtained from devices in different places in and out of water, such as monitoring cameras, device sensors, and other subsystems. How to collect such information is one of the key issues that need to be addressed. In addition, due to the special communication transmission environment, a variety of transmission methods need to be used, including serial ports, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, analog transmission, and PROFIBUS buses. How to implement integrated transmission of the information is another key issue that needs to be addressed.

Remote centralized control: A long pipeline system composed of a mining collector, a hose, a lifting subsystem, and a combine rope is deployed for marine mining operations. The deployment is much more complicated than deployment of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and submersibles. The deployment and recovery process requires coordinated control of multiple apparatuses to ensure the safety of the entire system. Obviously, mutual coordination cannot be achieved through separate control on each device. Therefore, remote centralized control is required to perform collaborative operations of multiple devices on one console.

To solve the foregoing problems, the present disclosure is implemented with the following technical solutions:

The present disclosure provides an overwater deployment and recovery monitoring system for a deep-sea mining collector, including an integrated monitoring subsystem and a control subsystem. The integrated monitoring subsystem includes a multi-screen monitoring

17623231_1 (GHMatters) P116170.AU console, an integrated sensor, and a subsystem measurement and control station. The sensor and the subsystem measurement and control station collect and monitor data and transmit the data to the multi-screen monitoring console.

The sensor includes a camera, and the camera may be a wireless network high-definition (HD) camera using wireless digital communication or an analog HD camera using analog transmission.

The subsystem measurement and control station transmits subsystem device parameters to the multi-screen monitoring console in the form of network packets through an RS-422A serial port.

Further, the cameras include a camera on a 320 kN crane, a camera on a 50 kN crane, a camera in a derrick above a moon pool, and a camera in the moon pool.

Further, the subsystem measurement and control station includes a heave compensator measurement and control station, an integrated mother ship attitude information sending unit, an overwater monitoring station for a lifting subsystem, and an overwater monitoring station for a mining collector.

Further, the sensor further includes a positioning system, an aeroacoustic wave meter, a Doppler current profiler, a meteorograph, a hose winch motor programmable logic controller (PLC) control box, and a combine rope/umbilical winch motor PLC control box.

The control subsystem includes a main console level, a core control level, and a field control level that communicate with each other through a PROFIBUS bus. The main console level implements operation, control and display. The core control level controls electric motors and hydraulic devices. The field control level collects device parameters and sensor information, transmits them to the main console level, and outputs a control signal to the main console level.

The main console level is set on the multi-screen monitoring console, and includes an industrial control computer, a PLC, a joystick, a control button, a touch panel, a keyboard, a mouse, and an indicator.

The core control level is set in a generator room, and includes a winch motor control part, a crane motor control part, and a hydraulic device control part. The crane motor control part

17623231_1 (GHMatters) P116170.AU and the winch motor control part each include a frequency conversion control PLC master station and an inverter. The frequency conversion control PLC master station includes modules such as a CPU, a power supply, and a Boolean output module. The inverter includes a rectifier unit, an inverter unit, and a control unit, and each inverter corresponds to an electric motor. The hydraulic device control part includes a PLC master station, a power control cabinet, an electronic switch control cabinet, and an inverter cabinet. The power control cabinet receives a control instruction from the PLC master station to implement high-precision remote control of a hydraulic device power supply. The electronic switch control cabinet and the inverter cabinet receive instructions to implement operation control of the hydraulic devices.

The field control level is set next to each device. Modules such as a CPU, a Boolean input/output module, an analog input/output module, and a power supply are configured in a control box for information collection and input and control signal output.

In actual work, based on the "detailed three-stage deployment and recovery operation process and key monitoring parameter selection scheme", the present disclosure innovatively proposes an integrated monitoring subsystem solution that can implement heterogeneous information collection and integrated transmission, and a centralized control subsystem solution that can remotely and centrally control multiple devices. The two subsystem solutions jointly implement centralized monitoring of deployment and recovery of a marine mining system. Certainly, the technical solutions of the present disclosure are also applicable to other marine mining system deployment and recovery operations.

The present disclosure proposes an operation scheme for deployment and recovery of a marine mining system, which better addresses the issue of actual deployment and recovery of a long pipeline system for marine mining. The present disclosure also analyzes risks in the operations of the plan, and designs a system for centralized monitoring of the operation process, laying the foundation for development of an actual deployment and recovery system for a marine mining system, and providing a reference and feasible technical approach for marine deployment and recovery operations of the marine mining system that has not yet been involved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a detailed operation scheme for three-stage deployment of a

17623231_1 (GHMatters) P116170.AU system according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of an integrated monitoring subsystem of a system according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a remote centralized control subsystem of a system according to the present disclosure.

In the figure, 1. multi-screen monitoring console, 2. network switch, 3. camera on a 320 kN crane, 4. camera on a 50 kN crane, 5. camera in a derrick above a moon pool, 6. camera in a moon pool, 7. hose winch motor PLC control box, 8. combine rope/umbilical winch motor PLC control box, 9. meteorograph, 10. Doppler current profiler, 11. aeroacoustic wave meter, 12. positioning system, 13. overwater measurement and control station for a mining collector, 14. overwater measurement and control station for a lifting subsystem, 15. integrated mother ship attitude information sending unit, 16. heave compensator measurement and control station, 17. wireless access point, 18. Ethernet interface, 19. analog interface, 20. serial port, 21. PROFIBUS bus, 22. winch electric control cabinet group, 23. crane electric control cabinet group, 24. hydraulic device electric control cabinet group, 25. frequency conversion control cabinet, 26. frequency conversion control PLC master station, 27. hydraulic device electronic switch control cabinet, 28. hydraulic device power control cabinet, 29. hydraulic device PLC master station, 30. 50 kN crane PLC control box, 31. 320 kN crane PLC control box, 32. hydraulic upper clamp PLC control box, 33. hydraulic suspension apparatus PLC control box, 34. hydraulic middle clamp PLC control box, 35. hydraulic lower clamp PLC control box, and 36. hydraulic movable door PLC control box.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Further description is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The deployment and recovery of a mining system are inverse processes. The following describes only a detailed operation scheme for the deployment process.

(1) Detailed three-stage deployment scheme for a marine mining system

As shown in FIG. 1, the entire operation scheme can be divided into three stages based on a location of a mining collector.

Stage 1: Hoisting of the mining collector: The mining collector is moved out of a storage

17623231_1 (GHMatters) P116170.AU cabin by using a 320 kN crane, then the crane moves along a double-track elevated bridge to above a moon pool, a movable door is closed, and the mining collector is placed on the movable door.

Stage 2: Before landing of the mining collector: From the start of deployment of the mining collector, hose, and lifting subsystem to the landing of the mining collector, this process can be divided into three sections. Whether the lifting subsystem is deployed is taken as a watershed for the first two sections. The third section starts when the mining collector is about to land, and ends when the mining collector reaches the sea floor steadily. In the first section, the mining collector, hose, combine rope and umbilical are deployed. In the second section, after the entire hose is put into the water, the mining collector, hose, lifting subsystem, combine rope, and umbilical are continuously lowered into the water. In the third section, in addition to lowering the mining collector, hose, lifting subsystem, combine rope, and umbilical into the water, attitude of the mining collector is adjusted to ensure that the mining collector lands the sea floor smoothly.

Stage 3: After landing of the mining collector: The process lasts from landing of the mining collector to the end of all deployment. In this process, in addition to deploying a hard pipe, the mining collector needs to move on the seabed, so that the hose forms a saddle shape.

(2) Centralized deployment and recovery monitoring system for a marine mining system

The safety risks for each step shown in FIG. 1 are as follows:

Step 1 and Step 2: The ship's heave, pitching, and rolling may cause the mining collector to bump into the bulkhead, mast, and moon pool wall. Therefore, video monitoring is required, and the hoisting speed must be controlled.

Step 3: During the deployment, it is necessary to ensure the same lowering speed for the hose and the combine rope. In addition, the lowering speed should not be too fast or too slow; otherwise, efficiency will be affected. Under the joint effect of the hull heave, waves and currents, the displacement relative to the surrounding seawater, velocity, and acceleration of the lowered parts change irregularly. Therefore, the lowering speed should be controlled, to ensure slow and steady lowering. This step requires operations on the suspension apparatus, combine rope/umbilical winch, hose winch, movable door, and hydraulic clamp.

Step 4 and Step 5: The hoisting speed of the lifting pipe should match the lowering speed

17623231_1 (GHMatters) P116170.AU of the combine rope, which requires the 50 kN crane and the combine rope winch to run at the same speed. There is a risk of speed mismatch. Therefore, the guide frame, movable door, hydraulic suspension apparatus, stop clamps, combine rope/umbilical winch need to be operated in a collaborative way.

Step 6: This process requires the use of the stop clamp and the synchronous lowering of the hydraulic suspension apparatus and the combine rope/umbilical winch. In addition to the possible risk of speed mismatch, the position of the intermediate tank may shift due to ocean currents. Without heave compensation, the hard pipe may be "bent" to some extent. Therefore, the shape of the lifting subsystem needs to be monitored.

Step 7: The attitude of the mining collector, the height from the sea floor during the landing process, and the seabed video need to be monitored.

Step 8 and Step 9: The location of the mining collector needs to be monitored to ensure that the mining collector is in a proper and safe area to avoid that hose tension is too large due to an excessively long driving distance, or that the hose is wrapped around the float due to an excessively short driving distance.

For the foregoing safety risks, Table 1 lists the objects that need to be monitored and controlled during the deployment of the marine mining system.

Table 1 Monitored objects

Category Object Category Object

Video monitoring Underwater video of the mining collector Marine Wind speed

Mining collector hoisting video environment Wave height

Lifting pipe hoisting video information Surge cycle

Video inside the derrick above the moon monitoring Sea surface current velocity

pool

Video inside the moon pool Seafloor current velocity

Device Left/right/front/back rake Device parameter Center tank offset

parameter monitoring monitoring of the

of the mining lifting subsystem Height from the seabed Maximum curvature of the lifting collector subsystem

17623231_1 (GHMatters) P116170.AU

Category Object Category Object

Device parameter Work state of the hydraulic suspension Position Mining collector and mother ship

monitoring of the apparatus monitoring positions and trajectories

hydraulic suspension

apparatus

Device parameter Power Mother ship Pitching

monitoring of the Load attitude Rolling

motor Frequency information Heave

Voltage Surging

Current Swaying

Gear box temperature Yawing

Motor control Start/stop Double-cylinder Up/down

hydraulic Counter rotation Speed gear suspension

control

Rotating speed gear Movable gate Open/close

control

Coordinated control Speed control switch for two Camera control Left/right/up/down rotate

switch telphers

Speed control switch for two Focal length adjustment

telphers and piston rod

Stop clamp control Start/stop Guide frame Lower/lift

In Table 1, it should be specially noted that:

Parameters of the hydraulic suspension device are provided by a heave compensation monitoring system. A double-cylinder hydraulic suspension apparatus changes to a heave compensation state after deployment and recovery are completed. Therefore, the heave compensation monitoring system can be used to collect key information of the device and send it to a deployment and recovery monitoring system during the deployment.

Although each device supports continuously variable transmission (CVT), because the deployment is carried out at a slow speed, and for the convenience of operation, several speed gears are set for speed adjustment, for example, four gears from 0 m/s to 2 m/s. 17623231_1 (GHMatters) P116170.AU

Each device has two modes: coordinated control and independent control. When coordinated control is enabled, operating one device can have the devices participating in the coordination deployed synchronously, avoiding that one person cannot operate all the coordinated devices, and also improving coordination accuracy.

Although a position and trajectory of the mother ship can be obtained by DGPS, a position of the mother ship relative to the mining collector is more important for mining. Therefore, to minimize the error, position information of the mining collector and the mother ship is obtained from the positioning system, so that their measured values are all based on the same measurement system.

Based on the above analysis, the structural diagrams of the monitoring subsystem and control subsystem of the centralized deployment and recovery monitoring system for a marine mining system proposed by this technical achievement are shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 respectively.

As shown in FIG. 2, an integrated monitoring subsystem in the overwater deployment and recovery monitoring system for a deep-sea mining collector provided in the present disclosure includes a multi-screen monitoring console 1, an integrated sensor, and a subsystem measurement and control station. The sensor and the subsystem measurement and control station collect and monitor data and transmit the data to the multi-screen monitoring console 1. The sensor includes a camera 3 on a 320 kN crane, a camera 4 on a 50 kN crane, a camera 5 in a derrick above a moon pool, and a camera 6 in the moon pool. In the present disclosure, the camera 3 on the 320 kN crane and the camera 4 on the 50 kN crane are wireless network HD cameras. By using a wireless access point 17 and an Ethernet interface 18, the camera 3 and the camera 4 transmit monitoring signals to the multi-screen monitoring console 1 through a network switch 2. The camera 5 in the derrick above the moon pool and the camera 6 in the moon pool are analog HD cameras, which transmit signals to the multi-screen monitoring console 1 through an analog interface 19.

The subsystem measurement and control station transmits subsystem device parameters to the multi-screen monitoring console 1 in the form of network packets through an RS-422A serial port 20. The subsystem measurement and control station includes a heave compensator measurement and control station 16, an integrated mother ship attitude information sending unit 15, an overwater monitoring station 14 for a lifting subsystem, and an overwater

17623231_1 (GHMatters) P116170.AU monitoring station 13 for a mining collector.

The sensor further includes a positioning system 12, an aeroacoustic wave meter 11, a Doppler current profiler 10, a meteorograph 9, a hose winch motor PLC control box 7, and a combine rope/umbilical winch motor PLC control box 8.

The integrated monitoring subsystem collects information shown in Table 1 by integrating a variety of sensors and communicating with other subsystem measurement and control stations, and then selects an appropriate transmission method to transmit the information to the multi-screen monitoring console for display. Limited by camera installation conditions, some cameras are wireless network HD cameras, and some cameras are analog HD cameras. Correspondingly, two information transmission methods are used: wireless digital communication and analog transmission. Other subsystem device parameters are obtained in the form of network packets through an RS-422A serial port by communicating with the corresponding subsystem measurement and control stations. The voltage, current, power, and frequency of an electric motor of the deployment and recovery device are calculated based on relevant parameters of the inverter. The temperature of a motor gear box is measured by a Pt100 sensor. Such information is all transmitted to a PLC module in a field control box of the motor, and then is transmitted to the multi-screen monitoring console via a PROFIBUS bus. Mother ship attitude information is sent by the integrated attitude information sending unit in the form of network packets. If the device is not available, adaptation may be performed based on an interface of each attitude measurement device.

As shown in FIG. 3, the control subsystem includes a main console level, a core control level, and a field control level. The three levels continuously communicate with each other through a PROFIBUS bus 21. The main console level implements operation, control and display. The core control level controls electric motors and hydraulic devices. The field control level collects device parameters and sensor information, transmits them to the main console level, and outputs a control signal to the main console level.

The main console level is set on the multi-screen monitoring console 1, and includes an industrial control computer, a PLC, a joystick, a control button, a touch panel, a keyboard, a mouse, and an indicator.

As shown in FIG. 3, the core control level includes a winch electric control cabinet group 22, a crane electric control cabinet group 23, and a hydraulic device electric control cabinet group 24. The winch electric control cabinet group 22 and the crane electric control cabinet group 23 each include a frequency conversion control cabinet 25 and a frequency conversion control PLC master station 26. The hydraulic device electric control cabinet group 24 includes a frequency conversion control cabinet 25, a hydraulic device electronic switch control cabinet 27, a hydraulic device power control cabinet 28, and a hydraulic device control PLC master station 29.

As shown in FIG. 3, the field control level includes a 50 kN crane PLC control box 30, a 320 kN crane PLC control box 31, a hydraulic upper clamp PLC control box 32, a hydraulic suspension apparatus PLC control box 33, and a hydraulic middle clamp PLC control box 34, a hydraulic lower clamp PLC control box 35, a hydraulic movable door PLC control box 36, a hose winch motor PLC control box 7, and a combine rope/umbilical winch motor PLC control box 8.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or

17623231_1 (GHMatters) P116170.AU addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

17623231_1 (GHMatters) P116170.AU

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An overwater deployment and recovery monitoring system for a deep-sea mining collector, comprising an integrated monitoring subsystem and a control subsystem, wherein the integrated monitoring subsystem comprises a multi-screen monitoring console, a sensor, and a subsystem measurement and control station; the sensor and the subsystem measurement and control station collect and monitor data and transmit the data and obtained monitoring information to the multi-screen monitoring console; and the multi-screen monitoring console receives and displays the data and the monitoring information; and the control subsystem comprises a main console level, a core control level, and a field control level; the main console level implements operation, control and display of control information; the core control level controls electric motors and hydraulic devices, and the field control level receives the control information and controls all other devices except the electric motors and the hydraulic devices.

2. The overwater deployment and recovery monitoring system for a deep-sea mining collector according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a camera, and the camera is a wireless network high-definition (HD) camera using wireless digital communication or an analog HD camera using analog transmission; wherein the camera comprises a camera on a 320 kN crane, a camera on a 50 kN crane, a camera in a derrick above a moon pool, and a camera in the moon pool.

3. The overwater deployment and recovery monitoring system for a deep-sea mining collector according to claim 1, wherein the subsystem measurement and control station transmits subsystem device parameters to the multi-screen monitoring console in the form of network packets through an RS-422A serial port; wherein the subsystem measurement and control station comprises a heave compensator measurement and control station, an integrated mother ship attitude information sending unit, an overwater monitoring station for a lifting subsystem, and an overwater monitoring station for a mining collector.

17623231_1 (GHMatters) P116170.AU

4. The overwater deployment and recovery monitoring system for a deep-sea mining collector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sensor further comprises a positioning system, an aeroacoustic wave meter, a Doppler current profiler, a meteorograph, a hose winch motor programmable logic controller (PLC) control box, and a combine rope/umbilical winch motor PLC control box.

5. The overwater deployment and recovery monitoring system for a deep-sea mining collector according to claim 1, wherein the main console level, the core control level, and the field control level of the control subsystem communicate with each other through a PROFIBUS bus; wherein the main console level is set on the multi-screen monitoring console, and comprises an industrial control computer, a PLC, a joystick, a control button, a touch panel, a keyboard, a mouse, and an indicator; wherein the core control level is set in a generator room, and comprises a winch motor control part, a crane motor control part, and a hydraulic device control part, wherein the crane motor control part and the winch motor control part each comprise a frequency conversion control PLC master station and an inverter; the frequency conversion control PLC master station comprises a CPU, a power supply, and a Boolean output module; the inverter comprises a rectifier unit, an inverter unit, and a control unit, and each inverter corresponds to an electric motor; and the hydraulic device control part comprises a PLC master station, a power control cabinet, an electronic switch control cabinet, and an inverter cabinet, wherein the power control cabinet receives a control instruction from the PLC master station to implement high-precision remote control of a hydraulic device power supply; and the electronic switch control cabinet and the inverter cabinet receive instructions to implement operation control of the hydraulic devices; wherein the field control level is set next to each device, and a CPU, a Boolean input/output module, an analog input/output module, and a power module are configured in a control box for information collection and input and control signal output.

17623231_1 (GHMatters) P116170.AU