DK202330124A1 - System and method for recording from great depths - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and a method for collecting from deep seas or the seabed, e.g. catching Calanus by trawling and material from sea nets containing rare metals. The method contains liquid-carrying connections via a submerged tank between the bottom/trawlet and above the sea surface/trawler's deck. A liquid-carrying connection carries seawater with contents up to the tank. From the tank, a liquid-carrying connection carries this up to and above the sea surface using the pressure difference of sea water between the tank and the sea surface. Another hose to sea level assists a low pressure in the tank. This will create the possibility that the pressure of an air space above seawater in the tank will be atmospheric pressure.

Description

DK 2023 30124 A1 1

The present invention relates to a system and a method for recording from great depths under water, e.g. on the seabed.

More specifically, the invention relates to a system and a method that is suitable for pumping up from great depths, e.g. rare metals or stones, Calanus, Krill, general fish, molluscs, crabs, crustaceans and snails.

There is no known profitable technique for trapping Calanus and others

Copepodum on the seabed or in the deep sea.

Known technology for e.g. seabed mining has been tested with equipment that operates in very deep water, e.g. up to 600 bar. A purpose-built pump that can, for example, operate at a depth of 600 bar, will be very expensive and costly to maintain. A pump that operates at sea level and has to "suck" water from e.g. 6000 m cannot be done. Vacuum pumps cannot be built to suck from 600 bar pressure. It is therefore very desirable to develop a method or equipment that can perform the task much cheaper than with a specially built pump.

Brief description of the invention. in the following, liquid-communicating agent must be understood as a compound that is suitable for conducting both liquids and gases, e.g. a pipe or hose.

The system according to the present invention solves the problems mentioned above. The system comprises at least one tank each with at least three liquid communicating means. The tank is suitable for submersion below sea level, i.e. for pressures greater than 1 bar. A first fluid-communicating means ensures that absorbed water with or without contents can be pumped from the tank out or upwards, and if submerged below sea level, from the tank's depth position to sea level. Another fluid communicating means provides unimpeded access of air at atmospheric pressure to the tank. This fluid-communicating means thus extends from the tank to the sea surface when the tank is submerged in seawater. The lengths of the first and second

DK 2023 30124 A1 2 liquid communicating means must be at least 20 m and shorter than 3000 m, so that an economic advantage is obtained by using the invention. A third liquid communicating means is arranged to reach the bottom of and into the tank and has a length so that the hose can descend towards or to the seabed. This means that the hose must be 20 to 6000 m. The tank also includes a pumping device. The lengths of the hoses are determined by how profitable it is to operate a pump to lift water up from the depth of the pumping device. The pump device can be one or both of two types, one that pumps everything from the tank up, and a type that pumps water out through a hole in the tank's wall, while the contents of the water are carried out with a conveyor belt.

Furthermore, in order for the operation to be achieved, it is necessary in most cases for the tank to be equipped with a sensor device for recording the position of a water table inside the tank during operation. in principle, there are three possibilities for establishing a lower pressure before a pumping device in the tank when the system is put into use under water. The water pressure from the third fluid-communicating agent is equalized by the air pressure above the water, so that the pressure before a pump is lower than after this pump. It requires that a pump carries out as much liquid with or without content as comes in. Alternatively, a further valve is inserted, e.g. an adjustable restriction valve at the end of the third liquid communicating means before it terminates in the tank so that the water pressure is reduced to a pressure equal to the air pressure in the tank. As a third option, it may further apply that the third liquid communicating means from the seabed has a smaller diameter, so that the inflow of seawater, despite its higher pressure before the valve than an air pressure in the tank, will mix quickly enough that seawater from the hose reaching up to bottom of the tank, can be pumped on from a suitable low pressure. A suitable low pressure is less than corresponding to a pressure much lower than the lifting height plus atmospheric pressure, preferably atmospheric pressure, up to and above sea level, since a pressure in between is less optimal in that a water table during operation, in that case, will be a place up in other liquid communicating means.

DK 2023 30124 A1 3

The tank's first liquid-communicating means carries seawater with contents from the tank up, e.g. on board a deck e.g. a trawler. The second fluid-communicating means also leads up from the tank to the sea level and to a lower pressure than that at the water depth to which the tank is desired to be reduced, preferably atmospheric pressure. The desired water depth for the tank must be between 20 and 3000m during operation and the pressure in the other liquid communicating medium optimal atmospheric pressure. The optimum is ensured with a control of the pump, so that a water level in the tank is maintained. A sensor device is required for this. A suitable embodiment therefore further comprises a sensor device inside the tank configured to detect a user-acceptable selected level of the water table.

An embodiment also includes a restriction valve configured to control the water table level in the tank by regulating the rate of seawater flowing through the third fluid communicating means,

Hose T, into tank.

Gravity exerts a pressure on seawater on the bottom. The pressure of this water ensures that e.g. a catch of Calanus mixed with seawater will be pushed up to a pressurized tank that has a lower pressure than the lift of seawater from tank to deck plus atmospheric pressure. Only a small fraction of the energy is needed to move aqueous material/catch from tank to deck compared to moving it up from a trawl's depth on the seabed. The energy to lift seawater with or without contents up to the tank comes from the potential energy in the surrounding seawater and is driven by the pressure difference between the seawater outside the tank and seawater in the tank, when there is a fluid communicating connection between the surrounding seawater and seawater in the tank, f .eg via a hose. A preferred solution for the pumping device to pump water with contents further is to use a centrifugal pump that can pump a liquid up from atmospheric pressure to sea level, i.e. the head to be provided is proportional to the pressure difference between before and after the pump head divided by gravity. There are two options for placing this, inside the tank and outside.

DK 2023 30124 A1 4

A pump can be either electrically driven or driven by a hydraulic pump to generate a hydraulic pressure for a pump, e.g. a centrifugal pump.

One embodiment is where the system has a pipe that exits the tank, where the pipe is equipped with a one-way valve that only allows pumping out of the tank. It may allow the tank to be connected to one or more tanks.

One embodiment is where the tank has a hole in a wall in the tank and is equipped with a valve on all connections in and out of the tank so that it can be serviced.

One embodiment is for taking up bottom material from the seabed or for pumping up from great depths, e.g. rare metals, wherein the tank's third fluid communicating means is configured to connect to a fluid collector.

One method of using the invention is to lead the system under water, the lengths of the hoses being adjusted to a desired depth position for the tank.

One embodiment of the method includes ensuring that the hoses are open during immersion, whereby the tank can be easily lowered to the desired depth position.

Rare earths in material on the bottom can be crushed and a crushed mass of this suspended in seawater can be picked up with the new method to a tank from where it can be pumped or otherwise brought up to the sea surface, see below.

One embodiment of the invention thus relates to operation with a tracked vehicle on the seabed, which collects material containing rare earths/rare metals and via the system of the invention brings it to and above the sea surface.

One application of the system according to the invention is thus for the collection of material containing rare metals from the seabed.

Gravity exerts a pressure on seawater on the bottom. The pressure of this water

DK 2023 30124 A1 ensures that e.g. a catch of Calanus mixed with seawater will be pushed up to a pressurized tank that has a lower pressure than the lift of seawater from tank to deck plus atmospheric pressure. Only a small fraction of the energy is needed to move aqueous material/catch from tank to deck compared to moving it up from a trawl's depth on the seabed. The energy to lift up to the tank comes from the potential energy in the surrounding seawater and is driven by the pressure difference between the seawater outside the tank and seawater in the tank when there is a fluid communicating connection between the surrounding seawater and seawater in the tank, e.g. via a hose.

It is essential to maintain a low pressure in the pressurized tank. The tank has at least one first liquid-communicating means or is otherwise e.g. assisted by a conveyor belt with liquid communicating connection to the bottom of the tank further up to sea level. If the tank is in air connection with the sea surface using another fluid-communicating means, atmospheric pressure can be maintained in the tank if all liquid is taken up as quickly as liquid comes up from the seabed. The first fluid communicating means may be a hose inside the second hose and longer than the first. Cavitation must not occur.

If the inflow rate to the bottom of the tank is not too great, it will be possible for a centrifugal pump to work without being damaged.

The dimension of the hose from the bottom to the tank in relation to the maximum performance of the centrifugal pump is significant. A flow of seawater must be achieved into the tank, which the pump can pump further up to sea level.

A centrifugal pump is built to pump from low pressure to a higher pressure and will be damaged by too much pressure from the incoming seawater, which can happen very quickly. The hose from the bottom can advantageously be equipped with a restriction valve, so that the pressure on the liquid in the tank can be lowered to atmospheric pressure, so that the centrifugal pump will not be destroyed. The most advantageous thing is that the valve opening can be controlled. This can be done from sea level or using a sensor before the centrifugal pump in the liquid phase

DK 2023 30124 A1 6 and/or in the air space above the liquid in the tank. A restriction valve at the bottom of the tank will be able to control the inflow of liquid from the bottom.

The restriction valve can advantageously be adjustable so that the system can be run in and run optimally.

A hydraulically driven pump can also be used in the tank. A hydraulic pump will be on e.g. a trawler's deck and, by means of hydraulic hoses, lead pressurized hydraulic box from it down to a pump that can be operated with pressurized liquid. From this pump, hydraulic fluid is returned to the hydraulic pump on the tire by means of a hydraulic hose. Down in the tank there is a pump that is driven by the fluid of the pressurized hydraulic hose.

A typical choice would be a fish pump.

Friction loss in the hoses is reduced by using hoses with a larger diameter such as 500 to 1000 mm Ø and possibly a smoother surface inside the hoses. At 750 mm Ø and predominantly smooth inside, the pressure loss is at most 2 bar and rather negligible at a hose length of 600 m.

In order that the invention may be more easily understood, some non-limiting examples of embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the figures, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates an example of the depths when catching Calanus, so instead of a traditional catch from the bottom (shown on the right side of the figure), the lifting height must be divided into two (left side of the figure) when using a system according to the invention .

Fig. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of the system according to the invention.

Fig. 3 illustrates the principle of the catching method seen from a trawler.

Fig. 4 illustrates the principle of the catching method seen from the tank up to the trawler i

Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 illustrates the principle of collecting material from the seabed for the purpose of extracting rare metals by means of a tracked vehicle.

Detailed description

DK 2023 30124 A1 7

For all the figures, the size ratios do not indicate the actual size ratios. This applies to the depths in relation to e.g. trawler size and the position of the tank in relation to the size of the trawler. An example from practice of the diameter of a tank will be 1 m.

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the depths and thus meters of water column that are operated with by the capture method for Calanus. | instead of a traditional catch, the depth of which is shown on the right side of the figure, the lifting height must be split in half. The influence of gravity on the pressure in water is used to move the trawl catch from the trawl up to a submerged tank according to the invention. It is shown here 100 m below sea level (1). The trawl catch consists of seawater containing Calanus.

A trawler will lie on the sea surface, which has a position as shown as the top horizontal line (1), and the trawler's depth position (2) measured as number of meters below the sea surface is 700 m. Here there is a pressure of 708 bar. The distance down to the seabed is drawn as a line. Hoses for a tank may be attached to a wire on a trawl. A tank's depth position is e.g. 100 m (3). Such a tank will be connected to a third fluid communicating means,

Hose T. A distance of 600 m is indicated here from the mouth (4) of said third liquid communicating means, Hose T, up to the tank.

The tank is also connected to another fluid communicating means,

Hose A, for up and above sea level. The height difference is 100 m (10 bar pressure), which a pump device must lift. The 10 bar minus the friction loss in the third fluid communicating means, Hose T, will constitute the pressure difference that drives a flow into the tank. The catch will be pushed up into the tank if there is a low pressure in the tank, e.g. atmospheric pressure. This happens by connecting a first liquid communicating means, Hose S, from the tank to above the sea level. Friction loss in fluid communicating means is calculated based on the choice of first and third fluid communicating means, Hose S's and T's, diameters and possibly internal smoothness and lengths and taken into account where these are not negligible.

DK 2023 30124 A1 8

Fig. 2 shows the principle of a system according to the invention. The figure shows that the third liquid-communicating means, Hose T, (5) is connected to the underside of the tank, where, due to gravity, a mixture of catch and seawater is constantly led into it, where the first liquid-communicating means, Hose S, (6) is appropriately submerged in tank (7) and leads all the supply from the third liquid communicating means, Hose T, (5) up, as the second liquid communicating means, Hose

A, (8) maintains atmospheric pressure in tank (7), see Fig. 2. First liquid communicating means, Snake S (6) will e.g. bring all catch and seawater mixture up onto a trawler's deck, using a pump (11) in the tank, which is operated with e.g. a pressurized hydraulic fluid, generated by a hydraulic pump located on the ship's deck, or a centrifugal pump located down in or near the tank.

Fig. 3 illustrates a wire coupled to tank, third liquid communicating means,

Hose T, second fluid communicating means, Hose A and first fluid communicating means, Hose S, seen from the stern of a trawler.

Fig. 4 shows a trawler and its starboard side wire and its port side wire connected to the trawler (not shown), as well as tank, third fluid communicating means, Hose T, second fluid communicating means, Hose A, and first fluid communicating means, Hose S, as shown in Fig. 3, connected to a third wire.

The invention also includes the use of the system for a fishing method that can be carried out with or without trawl and trawler in a fixed position. With a trawl, this can be done where the trawl's catch position is where there is a constant current created by nature.

The capture method contains an open second fluid communicating means,

Hose A, for a tank submerged between the bottom/trawlet and the sea surface/trawler's deck.

The submerged tank causes, via a Hose A, a constantly open connection to the surface, so that the pressure of an air space above seawater in the tank will be atmospheric pressure.

DK 2023 30124 A1 9

Third fluid communicating means, Hose T, is connected e.g. to a trawl at 20-6000m depth and at the other end to the bottom of the submerged tank. Gravity will work to equalize the pressure difference between outside and inside the tank, since outside the tank, for example, there is 50 to 80 bar from 500 to 800 m water column above the tank and atmospheric pressure in the tank. The only way that gravity can act to equalize pressure between the pressure at the depth of the tank and in the tank is by distributing the difference in pressure of the water immediately at the depth position at the third fluid communicating means, Hose T's, outlet inside the third fluid communicating means, Hose T. This is done by pressing the catch and sea mixture up into the tank through a third fluid-communicating agent, Snake T. If the air pressure in the air above seawater in the tank is atmospheric pressure, the pressure difference will drive the seawater from the bottom up to the tank. The faster, the lower the pressure in the tank. | the tank is the first liquid communicating means, the Slangen S, connected. This hose is connected at the other end to the trawler's deck. A pump must ensure that seawater with Calanus does not penetrate into other liquid-communicating means,

Hose A. A centrifugal pump is preferably used as a pump in the tank.

The pump must lift with a lifting height that corresponds to bringing everything from the third liquid communicating agent, Hose T, added catch and seawater mixture up. In this way, the second fluid-communicating agent, Hose A, can maintain atmospheric pressure in the tank. There must be enough incoming seawater mixture from the bottom so that the pump does not suck air. If there is too much incoming water, the water level will rise. A controlled pump will prevent this. A regulation of the level of the water level in the tank is usually necessary so that the function of the tank with air in it can be maintained. This is done by controlling the level of a water mirror (12) in the tank with sensor devices (13) designed for this in the tank (7).

A trawl is produced to also stand in a fixed location. The trawlet is connected at the rear, i.e. the end furthest away from the trawler, with a third liquid communicating means, Hose T, which is connected at the other end to a tank, submerged in the sea, according to the invention. The tank is connected to

DK 2023 30124 A1 10 trawler, anchored to a barge or something that stands in a fixed position, via a wire, and two hoses. Hose A, first fluid communicating means, ensures constant connection to the atmospheric pressure at sea level, and second fluid communicating means, Hose S, which is submerged in the tank, transfers via a pump everything, as third fluid communicating means,

Hose T, provides catch and sea water, so that the tank does not lose atmospheric pressure.

The catch is pushed up by gravity through a third fluid communicating means, Hose T, to the tank, which is immersed in a more suitable operational level compared to traditional catching, where a suitable pump e.g. a centrifugal pump in tank, driven by a hydraulic pump on deck connected to it by means of hydraulic hoses, can pump up from tank through first fluid communicating means, Hose S, which has fluid communicating connection to above sea surface or to trawler.

The hoses A and S can also be such that hose S is inside hose A. In this case, Hose A has a suitably larger diameter, so that the atmosphere equalization is unobstructed, and Hose S ends in the tank and may possibly be longer than Hose A.

Gravity will work to equalize the pressure difference between the pressure at the entrance to the tank in the third fluid communicating means and just outside in the seawater, which has a column of water above it up to the sea surface, the tank being connected via an open second fluid communicating means, Hose A, to the trawler's deck . First liquid communicating agent, the Snake S, which is properly immersed in the tank so that the Snake S leads up to the trawler's deck all the catch, e.g. any mixture of seawater and organic matter, e.g. Calanus, and directs all the mixture of catch and seawater out of the tank, which is supplied by the third liquid communicating means, Hose T, so that the second liquid communicating means, Hose A, can maintain the atmospheric pressure in the tank.

DK 2023 30124 A1 11

A centrifugal pump can also be used and will be located in the tank in front of the first liquid communicating means, Hose S.

Sizes for an example: hT= 100 m. Height from tank up to the water crust.

L= 500 m. Length of hose from tank to lower end of hose. g=9.82ms 2. Gravitational acceleration in Føroyum. p=1030 kgm 3. The density of sea water.

Q=1.2litres/second = 72litres/minute. Seawater flow in pipes.

D=75 cm=30". Pipe diameter in the hose. u=1 cP. Viscosity of water in centi Poise.

Water pressure: Water pressure is at a depth for tank below the water crust p=p-g-h-107° bar

Example: pT=1030:-9.82:100:10 bar=10.11 bar

This pressure is the driving pressure and is distributed all the way up to the tank, creating a flow into the tank. A water depth of 10 meters corresponds to approximately 1 bar.

Pressure loss:

Pressure loss in pipes in laminar flow caused by friction is given as: pu=Q-L-ul/(612.95 304)) -10?bar

The example: pu=72:500-1/(612.95-304) 10 ?bar=7.25-10bar

This is a very small number compared to e.g. atmospheric pressure. That is one can disregard friction in the given example.

Third liquid communicating means, the Hose T, is connected between a trawl and tank and is dimensioned so that the entire catch of Calanus, mixed with a sufficient amount of seawater, is pushed upwards by the pressure difference between the pressure of the liquid in the tank and the pressure of

DK 2023 30124 A1 12 surrounding seawater. First fluid communicating means, Hose S, is also connected to the same wire as third fluid communicating means,

Hose T. Second fluid communicating means, Hose A, transfers the atmospheric pressure from the sea level to the tank; this in order to get a suitable difference in water column height between, on the one hand, the sea surface and the rear end of the trawl, where the third fluid-communicating means, Hose T, is connected to, and on the other hand, between Hose T at the rear end of the trawl and the pressure in the tank.

Everything in the third liquid communicating means, Hose T, is pressed from the rear position of the trawler up to the trawler's deck.

In this way, the tank has helped to reduce the distance from the depth of the sea, where the trawl goes, to a much more manageable depth, from which the catch is made, by means of differences in the pressure caused by the force of gravity on seawater outside and above the third liquid communicating means, the Hose T's, upper opening towards the tank be led or taken up.

If a tank is submerged 100m, while the trawl is at a depth of 700m, the friction loss in the hoses is less than 2bar. This causes at most a pressure drop through

The hose T at 10-2bar = 8bar from the rear end of the trawler to the tank. The difference between the depth of the trawl and the depth of the tank can vary greatly and can be adjusted to a desired difference.

Fig. 5 shows an example of "Deep Sea Mining". Collection of bottom material from the seabed takes place at a depth of up to 6,000 metres. A tracked vehicle (9) is, for example, at a depth of 5000m, where there are deposits of rare metals/rare earth material, located on the seabed.

The tracked vehicle collects these deposits and crushes these deposits to a suitable density, so that these deposits can be led up through the third liquid communicating means, Hose T, (5) up to the tank (7) suitably submerged below sea level, from which the first liquid communicating means,

Hose S, (6) pumps up to collection point (10) via a pump located in the tank. First hose/pipe, Hose/pipe A, (8) maintains atmospheric pressure i

DK 2023 30124 A1 13 the tank by constantly having an open connection between the atmospheric pressure above sea level and the tank (7).

Collection point (10) can be a ship, a platform, a barge or something else that is built to receive rare earth Rare Earth materials/occurrences mixed with seawater.

If several submerged tanks are used for a given purpose, each submerged tank has a first fluid-communicating means, Hose S (6), which is in fluid-communicating connection with its submerged tank (7).

This first liquid communicating means, Snake S, is possibly shared with another submerged tank on the part leading up to the sea level. Third fluid communicating means, Hose T (5), is connected between the fresh seawater at a depth of 20 m or less and the submerged tank. One or more hoses, Hoses A, (8) are connected between the top of one or more of the submerged tanks and a location above the surface of the sea.

First liquid communicating means, Hose S (6), can be submerged in the tank and connected to at least one, and if several parallel connected, centrifugal pumps which pump to the surface up to a receiving point.

The submerged tank has atmospheric pressure inside. The pressure is maintained by the other fluid communicating means, the hose A (8). Third liquid communicating means, the Hose T, (5) leads seawater into the submerged tank. Through the first, Hose S, (6), a centrifugal pump or several centrifugal pumps connected in parallel will be powerful enough to pump the seawater supplied from the third liquid communicating means, Hose T, (5), from the tank up to the sea surface.

Tank (7) is at a suitable depth, whereby a desired height difference is achieved in relation to the mouth of the third liquid communicator, Hose T, (5) for intake of seawater. A flow of seawater is generated up to tank (7), which maintains atmospheric pressure, by a pump located in tank (7) pumping all seawater further up through the first liquid communicating means, Hose S,

DK 2023 30124 A1 14 (6). Second fluid communicating means, Hose A (8) is open between atmospheric pressure above sea level and tank (7).

Equalization of pressure will be possible with a centrifugal pump placed in the tank, if the third liquid communicating means, Hose T, is narrow enough, as a centrifugal pump will pump all seawater through the second liquid communicating means, the hose S, supplied by the third liquid communicating means, Hose T, up to sea level. This will cause more rapid removal of seawater than inflow of seawater, allowing the tank to maintain the atmospheric pressure provided by the second fluid communicating means, Hose A.

The advantages of the invention are:

No energy must be supplied to move material from the seabed up to the tank (7).

As a result, expensive special equipment such as a special t tank, a specially built pump for operation under e.g. 600 bar pressure, and specially built hoses or pipe connections do not have to be built. You also don't have to sacrifice a lot of money on maintenance costs.

The financial costs for the maintenance and replacement of the means, i.e. pumps, conveyor belts, valves and other accessories will be much lower for operation at pressures of e.g. 50 bar compared to e.g. 600 bar.

The system according to the invention makes use of, for example, a standard pump. A specially built pump that can, for example, operate at a depth of 600 bar must not be used. The energy for this also does not have to be supplied.

The internal pressure in the fluid-communicating agent will, without the use of the invention, be 600 bar plus the necessary force to overcome the "pipe resistance"/frictional resistance of the fluid-communicating agent and decrease linearly up to sea level. This means a very long transport length with associated energy consumption to overcome the pipe resistance of the fluid communicating medium, the Hose T.

DK 2023 30124 A1 15

With the use of the present invention at a depth of, for example, 6000 m, the seawater has a pressure of 600 bar on the outside at the third liquid communicating means, Hose T, (5). The same applies to the pressure inside, as the sea makes sure to push seawater up into the third fluid-communicating hose, Hose T, just like with two connected vessels with a desired height difference. The distance between tank and sea surface is e.g. 1000 m below sea level and there is atmospheric pressure in the tank. It is like two connected vessels with a difference in height, where the tank is the tank that is furthest down, so seawater will seek to enter the tank. The task of the pump is to pump the incoming seawater up to the sea level as fast as new seawater enters the bottom of the tank.

The long journey of the water from the seabed to the tank takes place without the use of energy. The only thing the pump has to overcome in order to get the water up from the tank to the sea surface is to overcome a small "pipe resistance"/frictional resistance in the first fluid-communicating agent and a somewhat larger one from third liquid communicating means and then the lifting work up to and above sea level. In order for this task to be accomplished by a pump, the pump's outer veins, depth position of tank and dimensions of liquid communicating means must be designed so that application of the invention is realized.

There is no mechanical part on water deeper than 500-1000 m. It only has the liquid communicating means (5), which goes down to the lower end of the seabed or deep water, from which it is desired to move, for example, some water with a content of the help of the sea.

A centrifugal pump in a submerged tank, which maintains atmospheric air pressure, will, through liquid communicating means (5), overcome "pipe resistance" / the frictional resistance and pump seawater with contents into the tank (7)

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Reference number 1 Sea surface 2 Depth position for trawl 3 Depth position for a tank 4 Depth position for outlet of a third fluid communicating means, Hose T, from a tank 5 Third fluid communicating means, Hose T 6 First fluid communicating means, Hose S 7 Tank 8 Second fluid communicating means, Hose A 9 Tracked vehicle 10 Receiving point 11 Pump 12 Water level 13 Sensor device for recording the level of the water level

Claims (10)

DK 2023 30124 A1 17 PATENT CLAIM 1 A system for raising fish, catching e.g. Calanus or taking up bottom material from the seabed or to pump up from great depths, e.g. rare earth metals or for catching Calanus, similar molluscs, fish, or organisms, comprising at least one tank (7) with pressure-tight walls and with at least three fluid communicating means, a first fluid communicating means (6), a second fluid communicating means (8) and a third liquid communicating means (5), where the first liquid communicating means can be built into the second liquid communicating means, characterized in that the tank's at least one first liquid communicating means (6) has a piece of pipe that continues inside the tank (7) in extension of said at least one first liquid-communicating means, and in that the tank's at least one second liquid-communicating means (8) has a connection that is without or with a much shorter piece of pipe that continues inside the tank in extension of said at least one other liquid-communicating means, and in that the tank's at least one third liquid-communicating means (5) has a connection that is without or with a piece of pipe that continues inside the tank in extension of said at least one third liquid-communicating means, said second and third liquid-communicating means being connected respectively in the upper part and respectively in the lower part of the tank, where at least one of said third liquid communicating means (5) has a length of at least 20-6000 m, and where at least one of said first liquid communicating means (6) and at least one of said second liquid communicating means (8) has a length of at least 20 m and is shorter than 3000 m, and where said system comprises at least one of a first device for taking out liquid contents in tank, where said first device is. DK 2023 30124 A1 18 a) a pump to pump water with contents out, or b) a pump to pump water out through a hole in a wall in the tank, where the tank also has a conveyor belt to carry contents from the water out of the tank. 2 A system according to claim 1, where the tank further comprises a sensor device, optimally a level sensor (13) for measuring the water level (12) in the tank, the sensor device being used to control the pumping speed of the pump. 3 A system according to claim 1, where the tank further comprises a restriction valve on said third liquid communicating means for controlling the inflow rate of liquid, at the entrance to said tank. 4 A system according to claim 1, where said at least one first pump a) is a centrifugal pump (11), where said centrifugal pump is located in or near the tank (7). 5 A system according to claim 1, where said at least one first pump in a) is a hydraulic pump, where hoses from hydraulic pump to said tank are hydraulic hoses, and a pump in tank driven by hydraulic pressure suitable for pumping tank contents upwards. 6 A system according to claim 1 or 2, where said tank (7) has another pump device for taking liquid out of said tank, e.g. via a pipe that goes through said hole in the wall of tank (7), and a one-way valve that only allows liquid to flow out of the tank, where said pipe can be opened and closed with said one-way valve. 7 A system according to claim 1, where at least one of said tanks (7) further has one of several: a hole in the wall of the tank configured to function as an entrance, e.g. for servicing the tank, or, where the tank is additionally equipped with valves for shutting off and later reopening said second and third liquid-communicating means and — possibly also — first liquid-communicating means, so that the tank can be emptied and e.g. serviced. DK 2023 30124 A1 19 8 A system for receiving comminuted mass of crushed rare earth material mixed with seabed water according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the system's third fluid communicating means, hose T, (5) can be connected in liquid communication to a liquid collector (9). 9 A method for collecting bottom material from the seabed or for pumping up from great depths, e.g. rare earth metals or for catching Calanus, similar molluscs, fish or organisms using the system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said tank (7) with liquid-communicating means attached or not lowered under water, after which these are possibly attached to the tank and the first device is started, so that said material is pumped upwards with said first device, when said tank (7) is attached first, second and third liquid-communicating means (6 , 8, 5), and said third fluid communicating means (5) is open so that it is filled with seawater as said system is lowered to a desired sea depth, lowering said tank (7) to the desired depth and starting said first device for extracting contents from said tank (7) through said second liquid-communicating means (8), possibly adjusting the pump speed of said first device. 10 Use of a method according to any one of claims 8 to 10 for collecting material containing rare metals from the seabed.