RU2779867C1 - Intermediate capsule for recovery of solid mineral resources from the bottom of the world ocean - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: solid minerals extraction.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the extraction of solid minerals from the bottom of the oceans. An intermediate capsule for lifting solid minerals from the bottom of the oceans includes a capsule, a body made in the form of a cylinder with spherical ends. A number of reinforcing circular power rings are installed on the inner side of the body. The capsule contains a free volume filled with a mixture of liquid and solid component. Measuring sensors are placed in the capsule chamber, connected by communication lines with the recording equipment, and communication is carried out through a tubular line with the atmosphere. At the bottom of the capsule there is a technological opening equipped with a hermetically sealed hatch. Lugs are rigidly fixed at the top of the end parts of the housing. On top of the housing, a coupling of a fitting connection is rigidly fixed, through which a tubular line is connected with the possibility of removal, including a high-pressure hose and a communication cable between the recording equipment and the control room on the floating craft. In the front end part of the housing there is a quick-release coupling, to which the catching casing is fixed from the outside with the possibility of removal. Inside the coupling, a connection control sensor and a Coriolis mass flowmeter are installed, the outputs of which are connected to the input of the recording equipment fixed inside the front part of the housing, and its output is connected to the input of the dispatching device. A hydraulic accumulator is rigidly fixed at the top in the front part of the body, connected by a quick-coupling coupling to the pipeline. Inside the housing, a liquid level sensor and an internal pressure sensor are fixed with the possibility of removal, the outputs of which are connected to the input of the recording equipment. In the center of the front end part of the housing, an end eye is rigidly fixed, on which an external pressure sensor is fixed with the possibility of removal, the output of which is connected to the input of the recording equipment.

EFFECT: increasing the reliability of the system and reducing the energy intensity of the complex.

1 cl, 5 dwg

Description

The invention relates to technical means for the extraction of solid minerals, namely, complexes for the extraction of ferromanganese nodules, cobalt-manganese crusts and deep polymetallic sulfides from the bottom of the oceans.

Known installation for the collection of minerals from the surface of the seabed (patent RU No. 2165021, publ. 10.04.2001) which includes a watercraft, a bottom module on a caterpillar track and an underwater module. The bottom module contains an executive body in the form of a drum-ripper with cutters. The drum is driven by a multi-stage direct-flow turbine, the inlet of which is connected directly to the environment. A tip-nozzle mounted on the module is designed to capture the bottom soil. The near-bottom and underwater modules are interconnected by a hydraulic lifting pipeline, and a transport dredger located on the underwater module is designed to deliver the mined mineral to the floating craft. An annular chamber with nozzles directed inside the hydraulic lifting pipeline in the direction of the pulp flow is installed on the hydraulic lifting pipeline in the immediate vicinity of the nozzle tip.

The disadvantage is the use of power equipment, namely the transporting dredger located on the underwater module, which leads to more complex design and lower reliability. The presence of power equipment on the underwater module complicates its maintenance and repair.

A known system for the production of ferromanganese nodules (patent RU No. 2598010, publ. 09/20/2016), containing a mining vessel, a self-propelled collection unit connected to the pipeline by a flexible connection connected to the lower end of the pipeline of the mining vessel, a transport pipeline, a buffer storage. The system is additionally equipped with an uninhabited underwater vehicle with a spatial thrust vector, equipped with hydroacoustic systems and a visual review system, where a lumped system of buoyancy elements is included in the upper part of the mechanical flexible connection, and a concentrated system of buoyancy elements is included in the lower part of the mechanical flexible connection located between the uninhabited underwater vehicle and the self-propelled collection unit , includes a distributed system of buoyancy elements.

The disadvantage of the design is the use of a large amount of electrical equipment, which increases the energy intensity of the system, and the presence of traction on the flexible pipeline can cause it to break.

Known installation for the extraction of nodules (patent RU No. 2208164, publ. 10.07.2003) which includes working apparatus, hung on an endless cable placed between the site of extraction of nodules and the vessel serving the installation. The working apparatus is intended for taking nodules from the bottom and delivering them to the service vessel and includes a base in which control and communication means, a power device and power sources are located. A lifting ball is fixed on the base, inside of which the electrodes are fixed and there are nozzles in the lower part, and a clamshell grip. Opening and contraction of the clamshell jaws is carried out using a power device made of a material with a shape memory effect, operating on commands from an automatic self-propelled station.

The disadvantage is the use of a clamshell grip, which cannot ensure the completeness of the extraction of nodules, since they lie mainly on the surface of the seabed, which implies the production of excavation over the area, and not in the depth of the deposit.

Known installation for the collection of minerals from the surface of the seabed (patent RU No. 2165021, publ. 10.04.2001), which includes a watercraft, a soil intake device and a submersible capsule. As a system for lifting the rock mass, offshore complexes with a capsule (PC) submerged under the sea surface, hydraulically communicated on the one hand through the lower transport pipeline (TN) with the MPD, and on the other hand, through the upper transport pipeline (TV) with the ore collector, are promising as a rock mass lifting system.

A device is known for carrying out strength tests and checking the tightness of a deep-water technical object (patent RU No. 2723634, publ. 06/18/2020), adopted as a prototype, which includes an external high-pressure hydrobaric chamber filled with liquid, having a technological opening in its upper part, hermetically sealed with a lid , and placed in it an internal high-pressure hydrobaric chamber , in which the test object is located, made in the form of a strong detachable high-pressure shell capsule , also having a technological opening placed in its upper part, hermetically sealed by a lid, the lower part of which has the shape of a cylinder with a spherical end , moreover, the high-pressure shell capsule with the test object located in it contains a free volume filled with liquid or liquid together with practically incompressible bodies. In the said chambers there are measuring sensors connected by hermetically drawn communication lines to the recording equipment, and their cavities are connected by pipelines hermetically inserted into the covers of the openings with high hydrostatic pressure hydraulic pumps for supplying liquid to the chambers and changing the hydrostatic pressure in them during strength tests, according to the invention the upper part of the high-pressure detachable shell capsule is made in the form of a truncated conical shell, hermetically mounted on an annular support, placed on a circular shoulder of the tide formed on the inner surface of the wall of the lower part of the shell capsule

The disadvantages are that the power equipment located in the capsule, including high-pressure hydraulic pumps, complicates the design and reduces reliability, complicates its maintenance and repair, and also necessitates the power supply of the power electric motor.

The technical result is to increase the reliability of the system and increase energy efficiency.

The technical result is achieved by the fact that lugs are rigidly fixed on top of the end parts of the body, and a fitting coupling is rigidly fixed on top of the body, through which a tubular line is connected with the possibility of removal, which includes a high-pressure hose and a communication cable between the recording equipment and the control room on the watercraft, in the front the end part of the housing is equipped with a quick-release coupling, to which the catching casing is fixed with the possibility of removal, and inside it there is a connection control sensor and a Coriolis mass flow meter, the outputs of which are connected to the input of the recording equipment, which is fixed inside the front part of the housing and its output is connected to the input of the dispatching device, a hydraulic accumulator is rigidly fixed at the top in the front part of the housing, which is connected to a quick-coupling coupling with a pipeline, inside the housing, a liquid level sensor and an internal pressure sensor are fixed with the possibility of removal , the outputs of which are connected to the input of the recording equipment, in the center of the front end part of the housing, an end lug is rigidly fixed, on which an external pressure sensor is fixed with the possibility of removal, the output of which is connected to the input of the recording equipment.

An intermediate capsule for lifting and extracting solid minerals from the bottom of the oceans is illustrated by the following figures: Fig. 1 - general view of the device; fig. 2 - front end part of the capsule; fig. 3 is an outside view of the front end of the capsule; fig. 4 - 3D model of the device; fig. 5 - scheme of the device, where:

1 - body;

2 - eyes;

3 - catching casing;

4 - hydraulic accumulator;

5 - fitting coupling;

6 - liquid level sensor;

7 - quick coupling coupling (BRS);

8 - cover of the unloading hatch;

9 - circular power ring;

10 - recording equipment;

11 - Coriolis mass flowmeter;

12 - internal pressure sensor;

13 - end eye;

14 - external pressure sensor;

15 - connection control sensor;

16 - watercraft;

17 - tubular line;

18 - power cable;

19 - intermediate capsule;

20 - supply winch;

21 - pipeline;

22 - working body;

23 - soil intake device;

24 - ship winches.

The intermediate capsule consists of a body 1 (Fig. 1-4), which is made of a polymeric material, in the form of a hollow cylinder with a free volume filled with a mixture of liquid and solid component, and end parts in the form of hemispheres. Eyelets 2 are rigidly fixed at the top of the end parts of the body 1. At the top, in the center of the body 1, a coupling of a fitting connection 5 is rigidly fixed, through which a tubular line 17 is connected with the possibility of removal, including a high-pressure hose and a communication cable between the recording equipment 10 and the control room on the floating craft 16. In the front end part of the body 1 there is a quick coupling 7, to which the catching casing 3 is fixed from the outside with the possibility of removal. Inside the quick coupling 7 there is a connection control sensor 15 and a Coriolis mass flowmeter 11, the outputs of which are connected to the input of the recording equipment 10. The recording equipment 10 is fixed in a separate section inside the front part of the hull 1, its output is connected to the input of the dispatching device on the floating craft 16. From above, in the front part of the hull 1, a hydraulic accumulator 4 is rigidly fixed, connected to the coupling of the quick coupling 7 with the pipeline. At the bottom of the central part of the body 1, holes are made in the form of squares, in which the covers of the unloading hatch 8 are installed. Inside the body 1, a number of reinforcing the wall is installed and circular power rings 9 are rigidly attached to it. Inside the body 1, under its upper part, a sensor is fixed with the possibility of removal liquid level 6 and an internal pressure sensor 12, the outputs of which are connected to the input of the recording equipment 10. The capsule contains a free volume filled with a mixture of liquid and solid component. In the center of the front end part of the housing 1, an end lug 13 is rigidly fixed. On the lug, an external pressure sensor 14 is fixed with the possibility of removal, the output of which is connected to the input of the recording equipment 10.

The device works as follows. The intermediate capsule is lowered to a certain depth by ship winches 24 using cables fixed in lugs 2. The depth to which the capsule is immersed is determined from the conditions for creating a stable hydraulic lift through the pipeline due to traction due to the pressure difference at the bottom of the water area and in the capsule, where atmospheric pressure is maintained. pressure and is set depending on the magnitude of the external pressure, determined using an external pressure sensor 14. In order to maintain a constant atmospheric pressure inside the capsule, a tubular line 17 is connected to the capsule to communicate the cavity of the capsule and the surface. To regulate the pressure difference and, accordingly, the productivity of the slurry pumped through the pipeline, a valve is installed on the floating craft 16, to control the movement of air in the tubular line 17. If the valve is completely closed, movement through the pipeline stops, since the pressure in the capsule and at the bottom of the water area are balanced. Together with the tubular line 17, a cable is connected to the capsule to communicate information from the recording equipment 10 to the floating craft 16. For the normal functioning of the accumulator 4, which is necessary to disconnect the BRS, the pressure in it must be somewhat the capsule additionally descends to a depth greater than the calculated one, providing a stable hydraulic lift, after which it rises back to the calculated value of the immersion depth. After charging the hydraulic accumulator 4 and positioning at the required depth, a pipeline 21 is connected to the capsule with the help of an inlet winch 20, connected by a cable through the end eye 13, and the quick-release connection 7 is fixed. surface, since the supply winch 20 itself remains connected to the pipeline 21 and does not rise to the surface. Together with the pipeline 21, a power cable 18 is supplied to the soil intake device 23. A connection control sensor 15 is installed in the BRS coupling, which, when the pipeline 21 is correctly connected to the quick coupling 7, gives a signal about the tightness of the connection. The presence of a tightness signal on the watercraft 16 allows you to open the valve installed on the pipeline 21 and due to the pressure difference on the working body 22 of the soil intake device 23 and the pressure inside the capsule, a thrust is created inside the pipeline 21 that sets the slurry in motion, in the form of which the extracted mineral resource. The degree of filling of the capsule is controlled by the liquid level sensor 6. After filling the capsule to the level, the valve closes, the hydraulic lift through the pipeline 21 stops, with the help of the energy accumulated in the accumulator 4, the coupling is disconnected. After that, with the help of ship winches 24, the capsule is lifted onto the floating craft 16 and unloaded through the unloading hatch 8. After unloading the mineral from the capsule, the described operation algorithm is repeated.

The use of BRS in conjunction with a hydraulic accumulator in deep-sea production makes it possible to separate the capsule and the pipeline without using additional external supplied energy. The capsule can be lifted to the surface at any time using winches, which means that there is no need to use pumps to lift the solid mineral to the surface, which reduces energy costs.

Claims (1)

An intermediate capsule for lifting solid minerals from the bottom of the oceans, including a capsule, the body of which is made in the form of a cylinder with spherical ends, on the inner side of its wall there is a number of circular power rings reinforcing the shell capsule body wall, and the capsule contains a free volume filled with a mixture liquid and solid component, while in the capsule chamber there are measuring sensors connected by hermetically drawn lines of communication with the recording equipment, and communication is carried out through a tubular line with the atmosphere, also at the bottom of the capsule there is a technological opening equipped with a hatch, hermetically closed, characterized in that lugs are rigidly fixed on top of the end parts of the housing, and a coupling of a fitting connection is rigidly fixed on top of the housing, through which a tubular line is connected with the possibility of removal, which includes a high-pressure hose and a communication cable between the recording equipment and the control room on the floating craft, in the front end part of the body there is a quick-coupling coupling, to which the catching casing is fixed with the possibility of removal from the outside, and inside it there is a connection control sensor and a Coriolis mass flow meter, the outputs of which are connected to the input of the recording equipment, which is fixed inside the front part housing and its outlet is connected to the inlet of the control device, a hydraulic accumulator is rigidly fixed at the top in the front part of the housing, which is connected by a quick coupling to the pipeline, a liquid level sensor and an internal pressure sensor are fixed inside the housing with the possibility of removal, the outputs of which are connected to the input of the recording equipment, in In the center of the front end part of the housing, an end lug is rigidly fixed, on which an external pressure sensor is fixed with the possibility of removal, the output of which is connected to the input of the recording equipment.

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