JP2021521365A - Underwater mining equipment and mining methods - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is an underwater work platform that can be placed on the water body floor, a removal device that removes soil substances from the water body floor, an adjustment device that adjusts the removal device and inserts it into the water body floor, and a removal device that removes the removed soil material. It relates to an underwater excavation device having a transport line to carry it away from, and to a method of excavating soil material with them. What is done in accordance with the present invention is to form a transport container receptacle on the work platform, mount the transport container in the receptacle and hold it in a releasable manner, and open the transport line toward the inside of the transport container. Being able to accept the removed soil material in its transport container, and providing a separator in the transport container.

Description

As described in the premise of claim 1, the present invention is introduced into the water body floor by adjusting the underwater work platform that can be placed on the water body floor, the peeling means for peeling the soil substance from the water body floor, and the peeling means. The present invention relates to an underwater mining apparatus having an adjusting means for carrying out and a transport line for carrying the stripped soil material away from the stripping means.

Further, as described in the premise portion of claim 12, the present invention is a method of mining soil material on the water body floor with an underwater mining device, and the underwater mining device is lowered onto the water body floor and peeled off. It relates to a method of introducing means into a body of water floor by means of adjusting means, thereby stripping the soil material and carrying the stripped soil material off by a transport line.

Such underwater mining equipment is the subject of unpublished European Patent Application No. 16 201 894.9.

According to Patent Document 1, the underwater mining device according to the premise part of claim 1 and the method according to the premise part of claim 12 are known. In particular, from this document we can see the underwater drilling mechanism with a descendable working platform. A drilling tool is placed on the work platform, which can be driven by a drilling drive to provide a boring hole in the water floor. The role of this drilling device is to dispose of the base element below the surface of the water. The perforated cuttings generated during the creation of the boring hole are taken upward and discharged into the surrounding water body through the outlet opening, and they are carried away and diffused by the flow of the water body.

The underwater mining system can be seen from Patent Documents 2 and 3. The system employs several mobile mining units, from which the mined soil material is taken to floating vessels, which are underwater between the mining units and the supply vessel. Is located in.

European Patent Application Publication No. 2562346 International Publication No. WO2015 / 178854 Pamphlet International Publication No. WO2015 / 178853 Pamphlet

An object underlying the present invention is to provide an underwater mining device and method for mining soil substances on the water floor, which can mine soil substances under the water surface in a particularly efficient manner.

According to the present invention, this object is achieved by the underwater mining device having the feature of claim 1 and the soil material mining method on the water floor having the feature of claim 12. Each dependent claim describes a preferred embodiment of the invention.

The underwater mining device according to the present invention has a transport container receiving portion mounted on a work platform, the transport container is supported and held in the receiving portion in a releasable manner, and a transport line transports the transport container. It is guided into a container so that the peeled soil material can be received in the transport container, and a separation means is provided in the transport container, and the separation means holds the peeled soil material having a desired particle size. It is characterized in that it is designed to separate soil substances and liquids smaller than the desired particle size.

The basic idea of the present invention is to directly accept the mined soil material on the work platform and store it for a while. That is, the mined soil material is neither taken out to the environment nor carried to a receiving container away from the work platform. Receiving and storing mined soil material clearly facilitates its transportation.

Another aspect of the present invention is to accept mined soil material in a transport container supported in a releasable manner on the working platform of the subsurface mining apparatus. When a predetermined filling level is reached, the transport container can be released from the work platform and transported to the unloading or unloading site. The empty transport container can then be rearranged on the work platform. This allows the mined soil material to be accepted, preferably carried in a reliable manner towards the surface of the water, and without any significant environmental impact.

Then, another aspect of the present invention is to separate the fine-grained substances from the transport container by sieving the mined soil substances using a separation means while they are still in the transport container. This reduces the amount of soil material that would be carried away in the transport container.

Basically, the peeling means can be a drilling device or any other suitable peeling means. In one embodiment of the present invention, particularly preferably, a cutter having at least one cutting wheel and the cutting ring being driven around a substantially horizontal rotation axis in a rotatable manner is used as the peeling means. Preferably, the cutter can have two pairs of cutting wheels driven in a rotatable manner. If desired, drive these cutting wheel pairs so that the cut soil material is carried to the center, from which it is carried out of the cutting trench by a suction pump. The cutter can have a structure substantially similar to that of a known diaphragm wall cutter.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the adjusting means has a guide, and the peeling means is guided along the guide in a vertical adjustment manner. In particular, the adjusting means may be a mast and one or several guide paths may be provided therein. If desired, the guide may have a framework or tubular structure and the peeling means may be guided in a vertically movable manner accordingly.

The sinking of the cutter can basically be carried out by gravity. In addition to this, there is an example of a preferred embodiment of the underwater mining apparatus according to the present invention, in which the adjusting means has a propulsion means for raising and / or lowering the peeling means. By doing so, it becomes possible to selectively apply the propulsive force or the restoring force.

Particularly advantageous, the propulsion means can have at least one positioning cylinder or winch. Preferably, the positioning cylinder is a fluid pressure cylinder for both raising and / or lowering. Similarly, a winch arrangement with one or several winch ropes and corresponding redirection means can also achieve propulsion and ascent.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention is realized by designing the guide as a guide framework and providing a transport container receiving portion at the upper end thereof. At this time, the guide framework may have a tubular design that guides the peeling means in the internal free space in a vertically movable manner. The transport container can be lowered and positioned above the guide framework.

In this connection, it is particularly advantageous to provide a funnel-shaped centering part in the receiving part and a conical insertion part under the transporting container to be suitable for inserting the transporting container into the receiving part centering part. Is to design. Since the receiving portion has a funnel shape, the conical insertion portion located on the lower side of the transport container and which fits appropriately can be easily received and centered when descending. At the same time as receiving the transport container, it is possible to establish a connection with the transport line for feeding the mined soil material.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention, a first coupling element of the transport line is provided on the transport container receiving portion side, and a second coupling element that can be connected to the first coupling element is arranged under the transport container. In some cases, the line connection is established by the connection. The funnel-shaped and conical designs of these two connecting elements can be facilitated to establish the connection. Through this, the mined soil material can be sent into the transport container from below via the transport line.

In a more preferred development of the present invention, a riser is placed in the transport container, the riser extends from the second coupling means through the transport container to the outlet in the ascending direction, and the exfoliated soil material carried. Is sent from above into the transport container through it. That is, the mined soil material first flows through the container by the action of the riser in the transport container, and is discharged exclusively on the upper side of the transport container. This delivery of mined soil material, which is normally mixed with ambient water, can trigger a settling process within the transport vessel. Solid soil material can be settled on the bottom area of the carrier, while the purified water can be re-emitted above the carrier. As a result, the filling of the transport container with the exfoliated soil material, which is a practical load, is improved.

According to a further development of the present invention, the exceptionally environmentally friendly separation of the transport container from the work platform is the placement of a stop valve on the first coupling means side and / or the second coupling means side, when filling the transport container. This is achieved by opening the stop valve and closing the stop valve when the transport container is removed from the receiving section. The stop valves thereof or those stop valves can be operated by suitable control. The valve may be designed as an automatic valve having a group of mechanical elements so that it is automatically opened when the transport container is mounted and automatically closed when the transport container is removed.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, more advantageously, a locking means is arranged on the receiving portion side, and the transport container after receiving is locked and fixed at that position by the locking means. As a result, the transport container stays in the position reliably even when the water flow is strong. Furthermore, the transport container can also be used in this way when transporting the subsurface mining equipment. In that case, the transport container is preferably connected to the lifting means, more preferably to the lifting rope. Lifting ropes allow the transport container to be moved to the unloading position, especially to water moving objects, especially ships. In this process, if the transport container is tightly locked to the work platform, the lifting means can transport the subsurface mining equipment entirely integrated with the transport container.

If desired, a pump means for transporting the exfoliated soil material from the exfoliating means to the transport container is provided. The pumping means can be integrated with the peeling means or placed as a separate member on the work platform.

For precise setting of the subsurface mining equipment on the water floor, it is a good idea to provide adjustable support legs on the work platform to align the work platform on the water floor. The support legs can be provided together with a positioning cylinder or other positioning means with the aim of compensating for height inconsistencies in the interrelationships. This allows the work platform to be horizontally aligned even on uneven terrain. If desired, a total of three support legs will be placed and scattered around the perimeter of the work platform.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the separating means has a sieving element with a sieving hole, and the sieving holes are designed according to the above desired particle size. Liquids and smaller particles can in this case pass through their sieving holes so that they can be pumped out of the transport container. The diameter of the sieving pores, which is preferably circular, is selected in consideration of the desired application, and can be preferably a size in the range of 1 cm to 5 cm.

According to a further development of the present invention, particularly advantageous, the sieving element is arranged in a tubular design and placed in a larger diameter transport container to accept the separated material that has passed through the sieving element. A separation space is formed. The tubular sieving element can be tapered along the descending direction, preferably placed in the center of the transport container. By designing the transport container as a tubular body, it is possible to create an annular separation space between the sieving element and the transport container.

Furthermore, it is advantageous to provide at least one return line and open it from the separation space to the peeling means with the aim of returning the separated material. An outlet valve that can be closed at will can be placed in the lower bottom area of the separation space, through which the separation material can be transferred from the transport container to the return line. The separated material can be pumped back into the return line and returned to the area of the stripping means by gravity or only the applied pressure difference. By providing one or several outlet openings for the material on the peeling means side, approximately near the cutting wheel, the material can be fed into the holes in the water floor during the operation of the subsurface mining equipment. can do. As a result, pollution of the surrounding water is effectively inhibited.

The method according to the present invention is to transport the peeled soil material to a transport container supported by a release procedure on the receiving part of the underwater mining device, and to use a separation means to select the peeled soil material having a desired particle size. To keep soil substances and liquids smaller than the desired particle size in the transport container and separate them from the transport container, and to release the filled transport container from the receiving part and transport it to another place when a certain filling level is reached. Is a feature.

The method according to the present invention can preferably be carried out using the above-mentioned underwater mining apparatus. Thereby, the above-mentioned advantages can be realized.

In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the present invention, the transport container is fastened to the upper side of the underwater mining device in a releasable manner, the lifting means is engaged with the upper side of the transport container, and the underwater mining device is provided. In some cases, the transport container is locked in the receiving section during transportation. That is, if the transport container is not locked and is released from the underwater mining device, the soil material can be separated and transported by the transport container by the action of the lifting means. If the transport container is locked in the receiving section on the work platform side, the lifting means can be used to carry and move the entire underwater mining device.

According to another embodiment of the method according to the invention, the separated soil material is advantageously sent from the transport container and returned to the stripping means. By locating the peeling means in the ground during operation, the separated substance can be sent back into the underground area. As a result, excessive pollution of the surrounding water body by the turbid particulate matter is hindered.

The present invention will be further described below with reference to preferred embodiments schematically depicted in the drawings below.

It is a side view of the underwater mining apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is an enlarged side view of the transport container for the underwater mining device. It is an enlarged detailed view of the transport container receiving part in the underwater mining apparatus. It is sectional drawing of the underwater mining apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lower part of the apparatus of FIG. It is an enlarged detailed view along the cross section of the transport container receiving part of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the underwater mining device 10 according to the present invention is provided with a framework-like work platform 12 composed of beams, which is moved on the water by a total of three vertically adjustable support legs 28. It can be installed on the body, especially from the ship to the water floor, and it can be done by a lifting device. The work platform 12 can be horizontally aligned by the support legs 28.

A mast-shaped guide framework 14 is arranged on the work platform 12, whereby the adjusting means 13 is formed. In the guide framework 14, the peeling means 30 is supported along the vertical guide 16 in a vertical adjustable manner. The peeling means 30 is designed as a cutter, more preferably a diaphragm wall cutter with two pairs of lower cutting rings 32. Since the cutting wheel 32 is driven around the horizontal rotation axis in a rotatable manner, in that case, when the cutting wheel 32 rotates, the soil substance is peeled off by the cutting wheel, and the substances are paired with each other. It will be carried into the central area between the cutting wheels 32.

A propulsion means 20 with a lateral positioning cylinder 22 is provided for vertical adjustment of the peeling means 30. The peeling means 30 can be raised or lowered stepwise by the positioning cylinder 22. In doing so, the peeling means 30 is guided by a long guide frame along the vertical guide 16 in the guide framework 14. By limiting the adjustment path of the peeling means 30 to the height of the guide framework 14, the peeling means 30 can always be guided in the guide framework 14. Instead of this, the peeling means 30 can be moved outside the guide framework 14 as a whole, in which case further guidance of the peeling means 30 is performed along the long guide frame.

The soil material stripped by the cutting wheel 32 is supported by the pump means 24 via the central transport line 18 up to the transport container 50 in the ascending direction, that is, in the receiving portion 40 on the upper side of the guide framework 14. It is carried to the container.

The receiving portion 40 has a funnel-shaped centering portion 42, and the lower end of the transport container 50 can be received therein in a centering style. Further, on the work platform 12, the drive module 26 is arranged in a releasable manner together with various units and operating means. The drive module 26 is connected to a supply vessel above the body of water via a supply line not shown in detail. The replenishment line also allows appropriate control of the underwater mining device 10.

The transport container 50 for the underwater mining device 10 according to the present invention is depicted in detail in FIG. The transport container 50 has a substantially cylindrical base 52, and a conical insertion portion 54 is provided at the lower end thereof, followed by a locking ledge 55. In the hollow transport container 50, the riser 58 extends from the lower side 53 to the upper end of the cylindrical substrate 52 and further beyond. From the transport line 18 of the underwater mining device 10, the stripped soil material is passed to the riser 58 in the transport container 50 at the lower side 53, and in the upper area, the riser 58 is bent inside the transport container 50 due to an arcuate bend. It has been turned in the direction. This bending guides the material into the upper area of the cylindrical substrate 52, and the exfoliated soil material is sent from above into the transport container 50 together with the suction water. By doing so, the solid component of the exfoliated soil substance can be precipitated in the lower area of the transport container 50, while the liquid can be discharged on the upper side of the transport container 50.

A fastening element 57 is further arranged on the upper side of the transport container 50, and a lifting means, particularly a hook of a crane rope, is fastened on the fastening element 57 (not shown).

As described in detail in FIG. 3, the transport container 50 is fastened on the receiving portion 40 of the guide framework 14 in a releasable manner by the locking means 70. As can be seen from the description in FIG. 3, the conical insertion portion 54 of the transport container 50 is designed to fit into the funnel-shaped centering portion 42 of the receiving portion 40. In the insertion position, by driving the drive mechanism 74 with a positioning cylinder (not shown), the wedge-shaped holding element 72 can be moved to change from the release position to the locked position shown in FIG. In the locked position, the holding element 72, which is moved inward in the radial direction, engages behind the larger diameter locking ledge 55, which is on the cylindrical end side of the transport container 50. In the locked position, the transport container 50 is tightly coupled to the guide framework 14 and thus the work platform 12, so that the underwater mining device 10 can be pulled up together with the transport container 50.

From FIG. 3, the outline of the connection between the transport line 18 and the transport container 50 can also be seen. A first coupling element 46 is charged at the upper end of the transport line 18, and is engaged in a funnel-shaped second coupling element 56 on the transport container 50 side in a conforming manner. At the coupling position between the first coupling element 46 and the second coupling element 56, a line connection is established between the transport line 18 and the riser 58 in the transport container 50. When the transport container 50 is removed from the receiving portion 40, the opening valve 60 schematically shown closes the openings on the first coupling element 46 side and the second coupling element 56 side. If desired, the stop valve 60 is mechanically driven while hitting the soil surface or during the release of the transport container 50.

The underwater mining apparatus 10 according to the present invention is provided for stripping soil substances on the water floor, particularly for collecting specimens, or for mining shallow underground natural resources.

A modified embodiment of the mining apparatus 10 according to the present invention is also drawn with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. The underwater mining device 10 according to FIG. 4 has the same basic configuration as that of the underwater mining device 10 according to FIGS. 1 to 3, and is a guide for the work platform 12, the support legs 28, and the peeling means 30 with the cutting ring 32. It is accompanied by a framework 14 and a transport container 50 arranged on the top in a releasable manner. Please refer to the above explanation.

FIG. 4 shows a cross section of the transport container 50 having the internal separation means 80. The transport container 50 has a substantially cylindrical base 52, and a conical insertion portion 54 is provided at the lower end thereof. Although this is not described in detail here because it has been described in detail in relation to the above exemplary embodiment, it has a locking ledge for a releasable lock on the work platform 12.

From the transport line 18 of the underwater mining device 10, the soil material stripped by the peeling means 30 is delivered to the upper riser 58, which is sent from above into the transport container 50. In doing so, the exfoliated soil material first flows into the tubular sieving element 82, ie, coaxially designed according to the shape of the surrounding transport container 50, but into a smaller diameter element, along with the sucked liquid. Since the tubular sieving element 82 has a plurality of sieving holes 84 having a predetermined diameter, the liquid while holding the solid soil material having a particle size larger than the sieving holes in the sieving element 82. And a smaller diameter soil material can be passed through the sieving holes 84 substantially radially outward into the annular separation space 86 of the transport container 50.

When the soil material thus separated reaches the lower area of the transport container from the annular separation space 86, it is moved out of the transport container 50 through one or several outlet openings 68 having outlets, which is not described in detail. It can be taken out and sent to some downward-running return lines 15. The separated substance can be retransmitted into the area of the peeling means 30 via the return line 15, and the substance can be discharged from there into the underground area through an outlet opening (not described in detail).

In addition, the underwater mining device 10 according to FIG. 4 also has a folding guide wall 38 in the area of the peeling means 30 at the lower end of the work platform 12, which is an additional function for the peeling means 30. Guidance function and protection function are satisfied.

As can be seen from the enlarged detailed view of FIG. 5, the soil substance peeled off by the cutting ring 32 of the peeling means 30 is sucked together with the surrounding liquid by the pump means 24 through the suction opening 17 arranged substantially in the center. It is pumped up to the transport container 50 along the ascending direction via the transport line 18. The separated soil material of the transport container 50 is sucked and returned to the cutting ring 32 of the peeling means 30 along the descending direction via the two return lines 15. Thus, the separating material, along with the liquid, can be re-entered into the ground within the area of the cutting trench through an outlet opening (not shown).

By doing so, the amount to be carried in the transport container 50 is reduced, so that the number of lifting processes of the transport container 50 is appropriately reduced. In addition, unwanted soil material can be retained directly in the ground.

FIG. 6 shows in detail the connection between the transport container 50 and the work platform 12 in an enlarged depiction. Here, a conical centering portion 42 is provided at the upper end of the transport line 18, and the conical design is corresponding to the conical centering portion, which is designed to fit the insertion portion 54 on the transport container 50 side. Has been done. As a result, a line connection is formed between the transport line 18 and the riser 58 in the transport container 50.

Further, as can be seen from FIG. 6, an outlet opening 68 that can be closed at will is provided at the lower end of the annular separation space 86 in the transport container 50, and the annular separation space 86 of the transport container 50 is provided by means of the outlet opening 68. Is line-connected to the two return lines 15, so that the soil material separated from the transport container 50 by the separation means 80 can be sent out again along the descending direction because the particle size is too small.

Claims (14)

An underwater work platform (12) that can be placed on the water floor and
A peeling means (30) for peeling soil substances from the water floor,
The adjusting means (13) for adjusting the peeling means (30) and introducing it into the water body floor,
A transport line (18) that carries the stripped soil material away from the stripping means (30),
It is an underwater mining device that has
A transport container (50) receiving unit (40) is mounted on the work platform (12).
The transport container (50) is supported and held in the receiving section (40) in a releasable manner.
The transport line (18) is guided into the transport container (50) so that the stripped soil material can be received in the transport container (50), and the separation means is contained in the transport container (50). (80) is provided, and the separation means is designed to retain the soil material having a desired particle size among the stripped soil substances and to separate the soil substance and the liquid having a desired particle size. An underwater mining device that features. The underwater mining device according to claim 1.
The peeling means (30) is a cutter, the cutter has at least one cutting wheel (32), and the cutting wheel is driven around a substantially horizontal rotation axis in a rotatable manner. A featured underwater mining device. An underwater mining device according to claim 1 or 2.
An underwater mining device, wherein the adjusting means (13) has a guide (16), and the peeling means (30) is guided along the guide (16) in a vertical adjustable manner. An underwater mining device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
An underwater mining device, wherein the adjusting means (13) has a propulsion means (20), and the propulsion means raises and / or lowers the peeling means (30). An underwater mining device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
The receiving portion (40) has a funnel-shaped centering portion (42), and there is a conical insertion portion (54) under the transport container (50), and the receiving portion (40) is described above. An underwater mining apparatus characterized in that the insertion portion is designed to accommodate the insertion of the transport container (50) into the centering portion (42). An underwater mining device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
The first connecting element (46) of the transport line (18) is provided on the receiving portion (40) of the transport container (50), and the second is on the lower side (53) of the transport container (50). An underwater mining apparatus characterized in that a connecting element (56) is arranged and a line connection can be established by connecting the second connecting element with the first connecting element (46). The underwater mining device according to claim 6.
A riser (58) is arranged in the transport container (50), and the riser extends from the second coupling means (56) through the inside of the transport container (50) to an outlet in an ascending direction. An underwater mining device characterized in that the exposed exfoliated soil material is sent from above into the transport container (50) via the stripped soil material. An underwater mining device according to any one of claims 6 and 7.
A stop valve (60) is arranged on the first coupling means (46) and / or the second coupling means (56).
The stop valve (60) is opened when the transport container (50) is filled, and the stop valve (60) is closed when the transport container (50) is removed from the receiving portion (40). An underwater mining device that is characterized by this. An underwater mining device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.
An underwater mining apparatus, wherein the separating means (80) has a sieving element (82) with a sieving hole (84), and the sieving holes are designed according to the desired particle size. The underwater mining device according to claim 9.
The sieving element (82) has a tubular design, the sieving element is arranged in a larger diameter transport container (50), and the separated substance that has passed through the sieving element (82) is received. An underwater mining device characterized in that a separation space (86) is formed. The underwater mining device according to claim 10.
At least one return line (15) is provided, and the return line is open from the separation space (86) to the peeling means (30) for the purpose of returning the separated substance. Characterized underwater mining equipment. An underwater mining device (10), particularly a method for mining soil substances on the water floor according to any one of claims 1 to 11.
The underwater mining device (10) is lowered onto the water floor to lower it.
The peeling means (30) is introduced into the body of water by the adjusting means (13), thereby stripping the soil material.
It is a method of carrying away the exfoliated soil substance by the transport line (18).
The exfoliated soil material is carried to the transport container (50) supported by the release procedure on the receiving portion (40) of the underwater mining device (10).
By the separation means (80), the peeled soil substance having a desired particle size is held in the transport container (50), and the soil substance and the liquid having a desired particle size are separated from the transport container (50). A method characterized in that when a certain filling level is reached, the filled transport container (50) is released from the receiving portion (40) and transported to another place. The method according to claim 12.
The transport container (50) is fastened to the upper side of the underwater mining device (10) in a releasable manner, and the lifting means is engaged with the upper side of the transport container (50) to engage the underwater mining device (10). A method characterized in that the transport container (50) is locked in the receiving portion (40) during transportation of 10). The method according to claim 12 or 13.
A method comprising sending the separated soil substance from the transport container (50) and returning it to the peeling means (30).

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