JP6501648B2 - Submarine ground core sampling method and core sampling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a core sampling method and a core sampling apparatus for collecting a core for a sample from a seabed ground.

  In order to extract a core from the seabed ground, a number of core sampling devices for the seabed ground have conventionally been developed (see Patent Documents 1 to 4). These conventional core sampling devices excavate the seabed ground while collecting on the seabed ground and collect the core, and are provided with a frame body placed on the seabed ground. And, a spindle to which the core tube is attached, a motor for rotating the spindle, a motor for feeding and retracting the spindle, a battery for supplying power to the motor, and other parts are attached to the frame body.

  The above-mentioned conventional core sampling devices perform core sampling in a state where they are all settled on the seabed ground, and when the motor is driven, the spindle is fed while rotating, and the core tube is brought to the seabed by this feeding. The ground is excavated to collect the core in the core tube.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-293182 JP 7-217361 A JP, 2006-83552, A JP, 2011-226084, A

  The conventional core sampling device performs deep excavation on the seabed ground to collect the core, and is not suitable for sampling a wide area of the surface layer of the seabed ground with a depth of about 100 to 300 mm. That is, the conventional core sampling device has a structure in which a battery for feeding power in addition to a motor, a spindle, a core tube, a weight for stability, and other accessories are attached to a frame body, and the whole is large and heavy Because it is not suitable for frequent movement to change the sampling position for wide area sampling of the seabed ground.

  On the other hand, cobalt rich crust, methane hydrate, etc. exist in the surface layer of the seabed ground, and in these research studies, it is required to extract the core from the surface layer of the seabed ground widely. For this purpose, it is necessary to be easy to move to the seabed ground.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and it is easy to move to the seabed ground, and the core sampling method and the core sampling device for the seabed ground which can carry out sampling from a wide area of the surface layer. Intended to provide.

  The core sampling method for the submarine ground according to the present invention is a core sampling method for sampling the core of the submarine ground using a submersible equipped with a manipulator that performs expansion and contraction, wherein a drill head and a core case are attached to the manipulator; The core tube is rotated by the drill head while advancing the drill head by the manipulator to collect the core of the seabed ground into the core tube, and the core is broken into core pieces in the core tube, and then the core piece is removed It is characterized by being stored in a core case.

  In the core sampling method of the present invention, preferably, the core piece is stored in the core case by a water flow generated by sucking the inside of the core tube.

  The core sampling device for submarine ground according to the present invention is a core sampling device attached to a submersible equipped with a manipulator for performing extension and contraction to sample the core of the submarine ground, and the core passage into which the core of the submarine ground is introduced is A core tube having a core kicker portion formed by bending the core introduced into the core passage, which is formed in an inclined manner inside the core passage and is formed into a core kicker portion, attached to the manipulator, and advanced as well A drill head for rotating a core tube, and a core case exchangeably attached to the manipulator and accommodating a core piece broken at the core kicker portion.

  In the core sampling device according to the present invention, the core passage and the core case are connected in communication, and a suction pump for suctioning the inside of the core passage and the core case is provided, and the core piece is made by the water flow generated by the suction of the suction pump. It is preferable to be stored in the core case.

In the present invention, the core tube further comprises a runout preventing device for preventing runout of the core tube with respect to the seabed ground when the core tube is excavated, and the runout preventing device extends in such a manner as to project from the tip of the core tube. Relative to the core tube, and provided between the swing preventing claw which bites into the submarine ground prior to the core tube, and the swing preventing claw and the drill head, at the beginning of the drilling of the core tube And an intermediate link mechanism that allows the intermediate portion to bend as the core tube digs into the submarine ground, thereby preventing the backward movement of the swing preventing claw, and a reverse link mechanism that allows the reverse movement of the swing preventing claw. It is preferable to have.

  Further, in the core sampling device according to the present invention, the submersible boat is provided with a submanipulator other than the manipulator, and a core rack on which a plurality of core cases are detachably arranged is attached to the submersible boat; The sub manipulator preferably removes the core case containing the core piece from the manipulator and transfers the core case to the core rack and also takes out the core case from the core rack and transfers it to the manipulator.

  According to the present invention, using a submersible equipped with a manipulator performing expansion and contraction operations, the core tube is rotated while the drill head is advanced by the submersible manipulator, the core is collected, and the collected core is broken and the core piece And store in the core case. In the present invention as described above, core sampling is performed using a submersible boat, movement with respect to the seabed ground becomes easy, and sampling can be performed from a wide area of the surface layer portion of the seabed ground.

It is a conceptual diagram which shows the whole of the apparatus used for the sampling method of this invention. It is a top view of a submersible boat when excavating the seabed ground. It is a top view of a submersible boat when replacing a core case. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the submersible when taking out and recovering the core case. It is a side view which shows the member attached to the manipulator and the manipulator. It is a sectional view showing a core tube. It is a side view showing a sub manipulator. It is the top view and side view which show the attachment state of a core case. It is sectional drawing which shows the attachment structure of a core case to a core rack. It is a perspective view of the whole shake prevention device. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of the shake preventing device. It is a side view showing a core sampling state.

FIG. 1 shows the overall arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention, in which a submersible boat 1 is connected to a control vessel 2 by means of a cable 3. The submersible boat 1 may be unmanned or manned. When the submersible boat 1 is unmanned, as shown in FIG. 1, the submersible boat 1 is connected to the control ship 2 via the cable 3 and transfers the command from the control ship 2 to move in the sea while diving in the sea. The submersible boat 1 is provided with a television camera, and a command from the operation boat 2 is transmitted by viewing an image projected on the television camera. When the submersible boat 1 is manned, an operator who gets into the submersible boat 1 moves in the ocean by operating while visually recognizing the ocean. In any of the submersible crafts 1, the submarine ground 4 is excavated while being submerged to collect a core from the submarine ground 4.

  2 is a plan view of the submersible boat 1 when excavating the submarine ground 4, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the submersible boat 1 when replacing the core case 8, and FIG. 4 is a diagram when the core case 8 is taken out and recovered. 3 is a plan view of the submersible boat 1 of FIG. The submersible boat 1 is provided with a manipulator 5, and the manipulator 5 is attached to a front portion of the main body 11 connected to the operating vessel 2 by a cable 3. To this manipulator 5, a drill head 22 operating for seabed excavation is attached.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the submersible boat 1 of this embodiment is provided with a sub-manipulator 6 different from the manipulator 5 on the front surface portion of the main body 11. The sub manipulator 6 is provided to handle the core case 8. Further, a core rack 7 is attached to a front surface portion of the main body portion 11.

  The core rack 7 accommodates a plurality of core cases 8 in an aligned state. An empty core case 8 and the core case 8 obtained by collecting the core are detachably stored in the core rack 7. By housing the core case 8 in the aligned state, in which position the core case 8 is empty, in which position the core case 8 accommodates the core of the seabed, and further, the core case 8 is the seabed It can be easily and accurately grasped which part of the core of the ground 4 is stored.

  The sub manipulator 6 is provided on the opposite side of the manipulator 5 across the core rack 7. FIG. 7 shows the submanipulator 6, which is pivotably attached to the main body 11 of the submersible boat 1. Further, the sub manipulator 6 is telescopic, and a clamp claw 12 for holding the core case 8 by a clamp is provided at the tip end portion so as to be openable / closable. The sub manipulator 6 performs the turning operation and the extension operation to take out the empty core case 8 from the core rack 7 and transfer it to the manipulator 5 side, and receives the core case 8 containing the core of the submarine ground from the manipulator 5 side Transfer to core rack 7

  FIG. 9 shows a cross section of the core rack 7 for storing the core case 8. A plurality of bottomed storage holes 43 are formed in alignment in the rack body 7 a of the core rack 7, and the core case 8 is inserted into the respective storage holes 43 and stored. The housing hole 43 is formed in a trumpet shape that is tapered toward the upper part, and the core case 8 is reliably inserted into the housing hole 43 even if the sub manipulator 6 is operated roughly.

  FIG. 5 shows the manipulator 5 for performing excavation and each member attached to the manipulator 5. The manipulator 5 is pivotally attached to the main body 11 of the submersible boat 1 (see FIGS. 2 to 4). Further, the manipulator 5 is constituted by a plurality of arm portions 15 connected by a hinge portion 16, and expansion and contraction operation is possible by bending each arm portion 15 with respect to the hinge portion 16. The expansion and contraction operation of the manipulator 5 performs the advancing and retracting operations on the seabed ground 4 and excavates the seabed ground 4 by the advancing.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a drill head 22 is attached to the tip of the manipulator 5 via a bracket tube 21. The drill head 22 includes an oil motor 23, and the drill head 22 is rotated by driving the oil motor 23. The core tube 9 is attached to the drill head 22, and the core tube 9 is rotated by the rotation of the drill head 22. The core tube 9 excavates the submarine ground 4 by receiving an advancing force from the manipulator 5 through the drill head 22 in a rotated state.

  FIG. 6 shows the core tube 9, and a bit 25 for drilling the seabed ground 4 is attached to the tip. In the longitudinal direction of the core tube, a core passage 27 into which the core 10 is introduced is formed in a penetrating manner. A core kicker portion 29 which is inclined and protrudes to the inside of the core passage 25 is formed at a part of an intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the core passage 27. When the core 10 is introduced into the core passage 27, the core kicker portion 29 folds the core 10 by eccentrically moving the core 10, and the core 10 is fixed by being broken through the core kicker portion 29. It becomes the core piece 13 of length (less than 100-300 mm).

  As shown in FIG. 5, a swivel 31 is provided inside the bracket tube 21. The swivel 31 communicates with the core passage 27 of the core tube 9 through the drill head 22, and the core case 8 is attached to communicate with the swivel 31. Accordingly, the core case 8 is in communication with the core passage 27 of the core tube 9 via the swivel 31, and the core piece 13 cut by the core kicker portion 29 can move into the core case 8.

The core case 8 is attached by attaching a pair of upper and lower rack holders 35 to the fixed plate 33 provided on the lower surface of the bracket tube 21 and the bracket tube 21 and sandwiching the core case 8 in the rack holder 35. As shown in FIG. 8, the pair of rack holders 35 are formed by an arc-shaped plate spring which is partially open, and the core case 8 is fixed by the spring force. Further, the core case 8 can be removed from the rack holder 35 by pulling it out of the rack holder 35. The attachment / detachment of the core case 8 to the rack holder 35 is performed by the sub manipulator 6.

  The core case 8 is a transparent cylinder made of a transparent resin, and the core piece 13 moved to the inside can be visually observed from the outside. Here, a filter plate 37 made of a mesh is attached to the bottom of the core case 8. By providing the filter plate 37 on the bottom surface of the core case 8, the core piece 13 from the core passage 27 is stopped in the core case 8, and mud, pebbles, etc. which enter the core case 8 together with the core piece 13 are allowed to pass. Can be removed from the core case 8.

  The movement of the core piece 13 to the core case 8 is performed by suction. A suction pump 39 is attached to the main body 11 of the submersible boat 1 for this suction. The suction pump 39 is connected to the lower side of the filter plate 37 of the fixed plate 33 via a suction hose 41. As a result, the inside of the core case 8 attached to the fixed plate 33 is connected to the suction pump 39. In such a structure, a water flow of seawater is generated inside the core case 27 and the core passage 27 of the core tube 13 by the suction operation of the suction pump 39, and the core piece 13 in the core passage 27 becomes the core case by this water flow. You can move it within eight. As a result, the core piece 13 in the core passage 27 can be introduced and stored in the core case 8.

  In this embodiment, a shake prevention device 45 is provided in addition to the above configuration. The shake preventing device 45 prevents the shake of the core tube 9 with respect to the seabed ground 4 when the seabed ground 4 is excavated. 10 and 11 show the shake preventing device 45, and the upper half of FIG. 11 shows the beginning of excavation on the seabed ground 4, and the lower half shows when the excavation has progressed to some extent. The shake preventing device 45 includes a shake preventing claw 46 and a folding ring mechanism 47.

  The swing preventing claw 46 is integrally formed at the tip of the claw forming cylinder 48 outside the core tube 9. The claw forming cylinder 48 is relatively movable forward and backward along the length direction of the core tube 9, whereby the shake preventing claw 46 is also movable forward and backward along the length of the core tube 9. When positioned at the foremost end, the swing preventing claw 46 extends from the tip of the core tube 9 (bit 25) so as to protrude in the direction of the submarine ground 4 and in this state, to the submarine ground 4 prior to the bit 25. It is supposed to bite.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the hook forming cylinder 48 is covered by the cover cylinder 51, and is urged to protrude by a spring 49 disposed in the cover cylinder 51, whereby the shake preventing claw 46 is also urged. There is. The spring 49 is compressed as the drilling progresses. A push block 55 having an inclined surface 55 a is attached to the rear end side of the claw forming cylinder 48.

  The center folding link mechanism 47 is provided between the swing preventing claw 46 and the drill head 22. The folding link mechanism 47 includes a first link 52 and a second link 53 which are bendably connected by a hinge 54. The first link 52 and the second link 53 are provided in a pair. The front end portion of the first link 52 is connected to the cover cylinder 51 by a hinge 54, and the rear end portion of the second link 53 is connected to the drill head 22 by a hinge 54. A receiving block 56 is provided at a portion of the first link 52 facing the push block 55, and the receiving block 56 is formed with an inclined surface 56a opposed to the inclined surface 55a of the push block 55. In such a structure, when the push block 55 is retracted with the retraction of the swing preventing claw 46, the inclined surface 55a abuts on the inclined surface 56a of the receiving block 56. Since a bending force acts on the first link 52 due to this contact, the first link 52 and the second link 53 bend outward of the core tube 25 and the in-folding link mechanism 47 bends inward. The first link 52 and the second link 53 are biased to return to the extended state by a spring (not shown).

  In the above-described shake preventing device 45, at the beginning of excavation of the core tube 9 (bit 25), the center-fold link mechanism 47 is in an extended state in which the first link 52 and the second link 53 become linear. 46 is prevented from moving backward. For this reason, the swing preventing claw 46 is in a state of projecting to the tip side more than the bit 25 and bites into the seabed ground 4 prior to the core tube 9 (bit 25). The shake preventing claw 46 bites into the seabed ground 4 to prevent the shake of the core tube (bit 25) during excavation.

  Thereafter, when excavation to the seabed ground 4 by the core tube 9 (bit 25) proceeds, the seabed ground 4 is excavated without the core tube 9 swinging. In this state, the shake preventing claw 46 (the claw forming cylinder 48) is retracted relative to the core tube 9, and the inclined surface 55a of the push block 55 abuts on the inclined surface 56a of the receiving block 56. As a result, the first link 52 and the second link 53 of the center link 47 are bent, so that the backward movement of the swing preventing claw 46 is permitted.

In such an anti-vibration device 45, at the beginning of excavation, the center link mechanism 47 extends to prevent the anti-rotation claw 46 from moving backward, so that the anti-rotation claw 46 bites into the seabed 4 to prevent oscillation during excavation. . After that, when the drilling becomes stable, the bending link mechanism 47 is broken, so that the digging force of the core tube 9 is not reduced by the unforced force of the spring 49 being compressed, and the core tube It is possible to excavate by effectively utilizing almost the entire length of 9.

  FIG. 12 shows a state where core sampling is performed according to this embodiment. Before core sampling, the sub manipulator 6 operates to take out the empty core case 8 from the core rack 7, and then the core case 8 is sandwiched and held in the rack holder 35. In this state, the submersible boat 1 moves to the core collection point of the seabed ground 4 and sits on the seabed ground 4.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 12, the manipulator 5 is extended and the oil motor 23 is driven. As a result, the core tube 9 is introduced into the core passage 27 of the core tube 9 in order to advance and excavate the submarine ground 4 in the horizontal direction while rotating the core tube 9. The core 10 introduced into the core passage 27 is broken by the core kicker portion 29 in the core passage 27 to form a core piece 13.

  On the other hand, the suction pump 39 operates to suck the inside of the core passage 27. The core piece 13 in the core passage 27 moves to the core case 8 by the water flow generated by the suction, and is stored in the case 8. The core case 8 housing the core piece 13 is removed from the rack holder 35 by the operation of the sub manipulator 6 and is stored in a predetermined storage hole 43 of the core rack 7. After the core piece 13 is stored, the manipulator 5 performs a shortening operation, and the core tube 9 is pulled out of the seabed ground 4 by the shortening operation. In addition, the sub manipulator 6 transfers the empty core case 8 to the rack holder 35, and the rack holder 35 holds the new core case 8. In this state, the submersible boat 1 moves to a new core collection site and collects cores in the same manner.

  According to the above embodiment, the drill head 22 is attached to the manipulator 5 of the diving boat 1 using the diving boat 1 equipped with the manipulator 5, and the core tube 9 is fed and rotated to collect and collect the core 10 After the core 10 is broken to form the core piece 13, the core piece 13 is accommodated in the core case 8. In such an embodiment, there is no need to place the core on the bottom of the submarine ground 4 to facilitate movement to the bottom of the submarine ground 4, and wide area sampling of the surface layer portion of the bottom of the submarine ground 4 can be easily performed.

  In the above embodiment, core sampling is performed by digging the seabed ground 4 in the horizontal direction. However, since the submersible boat 1 can easily change the posture in the sea, digging in the vertical direction or diagonal digging is performed. Can. This increases the degree of freedom of core sampling for the seabed 4.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... submersible boat, 2 ... operation ship, 3 ... cable, 4 ... submarine ground, 5 ... manipulator, 6 sub manipulator, 7 ... core rack, 8 ... core case, 9 ... core tube, 10 ... core, 13 ... core piece, 22: drill head, 27: core passage, 29: core kicker, 39: suction pump, 45: anti-vibration device, 46: anti-vibration claw, 47: center ring mechanism

Claims (6)

A core sampling method for sampling the core of the seabed ground using a submersible equipped with a manipulator that performs extension and contraction operations, comprising:
A drill head and a core case are attached to the manipulator, the core tube is rotated by the drill head while feeding the drill head by the manipulator, the core of the seabed is collected into the core tube, and the core is broken in the core tube. A core sampling method for seabed ground, comprising forming the core piece in the core case and storing the core piece in the core case. The core sampling method according to claim 1, wherein
The core sampling method for the seabed ground is characterized in that the storage of the core piece in the core case is performed by a water flow generated by sucking the inside of the core tube. A core sampling device attached to a submersible equipped with a manipulator for performing a telescopic movement to sample the core of the seabed,
A core tube having a core passage into which the core of the submarine ground is introduced, and a core kicker portion which is inclined in the core passage and which is introduced into the core passage and broken into core pieces;
A drill head attached to the manipulator for advancing and rotating the core tube;
A core sampling device for submarine ground, comprising: a core case exchangeably attached to the manipulator and containing a core piece folded at the core kicker portion. The core sampling device according to claim 3, wherein
The core passage and the core case are connected in communication, and a suction pump for suctioning the inside thereof is provided, and the core piece is accommodated in the core case by the water flow generated by the suction of the suction pump. The core sampling device of the seabed ground characterized by The core sampling device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein
The system further comprises a runout preventing device for preventing runout of the core tube against the seabed ground when the core tube is excavated,
The shake preventing device is movable forward and backward relative to the core tube in a state of being extended so as to protrude from the tip of the core tube, and a shake preventing claw biting into the seabed ground prior to the core tube ,
It is provided between the run-out preventing claw and the drill head, and in the initial stage of excavation of the core tube, it becomes an extended state to prevent the backward movement of the run-out preventing claw, and with the digging of the core tube to the seabed A core sampling device for seabed ground, comprising: a mid-link link mechanism which allows an intermediate portion to bend and allow the backward movement of the swing preventing claw. The core sampling device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein
The submersible is provided with a sub manipulator different from the manipulator, while a core rack on which a plurality of the core cases can be detachably arranged is attached to the submersible, and the sub manipulator is a core case containing the core pieces Is removed from the manipulator and transferred to the core rack, and the core case is removed from the core rack and transferred to the manipulator.

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