Seabed sand excavation device, drilling vessel and seabed sand excavation method
Through the fixed cylinder and drilling string drilling structure of the seabed sand mining base plate, the problem of low collection efficiency of the seabed sand mining device in the lower sea sand is solved, and stable fixation and efficient sand mining are achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202410161507.9
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-02-05
- Publication Date
- 2025-08-05
AI Technical Summary
Existing seabed sand mining devices are difficult to stabilize and fix during seabed sand mining, especially in the lower seabed sand collection efficiency, and are prone to inclination and settlement, resulting in unstable sand mining.
The seabed sand mining base plate is adopted, including a drill string, a fixed cylinder and a sand suction assembly. The fixed cylinder is penetrated into the seabed sand layer through a suction pump and a pipeline to fix the seabed sand foundation plate, and drilled through the drill string to form a sealed drilling. The collection efficiency is improved by combining the suction pump and the mortar return pipeline.
The stable fixation of the seabed sand mining base plate is achieved to prevent tilt and settlement, improve the efficiency of sea sand collection, and a sealed space is formed with the fixed cylinder to prevent the mortar from flowing out, ensuring the stability and efficiency of the sand mining process.
Smart Images
Figure CN120426053A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of sea sand collection, and in particular to a seabed sand collection device, a drilling vessel, and a seabed sand collection method. Background Art
[0002] Sea sand, or gravel from the ocean, is widely used in urban construction and is becoming the second-largest marine mineral, second only to oil and natural gas. With the continuous development of society, the demand for mineral sand resources is also increasing. The ocean is rich in sand mineral resources and has considerable development potential. The seabed sand layer is divided into upper and lower layers. Compared with the upper layer, the lower layer is more economically profitable.
[0003] Seabed sand mining devices in related technologies generally mine the surface layer of seabed sand deposits at a relatively shallow depth. Some seabed sand mining devices also attempt to mine sand and gravel at greater depths. For example, a self-propelled trailing suction hopper offshore ore mining vessel uses an underwater suction pump installed on a rake pipe to mine sea sand. Specifically, during sand mining operations, the rake pipe is first lowered into the water using a hoisting device, and then a single rake mining operation is performed using a rake head and an underwater suction pump. The rake pipe is 65 to 75 meters long. However, the rake pipe cannot be properly fixed on the seabed and is prone to tilting and other unstable conditions, resulting in unstable sand mining. The rake pipe is limited in length, and the high density of the underlying sea sand makes it difficult to draw in sand using a suction pump. If a complex situation occurs, such as the rake head being buried in the sea sand, the mining vessel will find it difficult to escape danger. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The present application aims to solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems in the prior art to a certain extent. To this end, the first embodiment of the present application provides a seabed sand mining device that can fix a seabed sand mining base plate in a sea sand layer to stably mine sand.
[0005] A second embodiment of the present application provides a drilling vessel.
[0006] The third embodiment of the present application provides a seabed sand mining method.
[0007] According to the first aspect of the embodiment of the present application, the submarine sand mining device includes a drill string, the drill string includes a drill rod and a drill bit, one end of the drill rod is connected to the drill bit, the drill rod is hollow, the end of the drill rod close to the drill bit is provided with a water hole, and the end of the drill rod away from the drill bit is connected to the seawater pump; a submarine sand mining base plate, the submarine sand mining base plate can be raised and lowered, the submarine sand mining base plate includes a support frame, a fixed cylinder and a sand suction assembly, the fixed cylinder is arranged below the support frame and connected to the support frame, the bottom of the fixed cylinder is open, the drill string is passed through the fixed cylinder, the sand suction assembly includes a first pipeline and a suction pump, the suction pump is installed on the support frame, one end of the first pipeline is connected to the fixed cylinder, and the other end is connected to the suction pump; a mortar return pipeline, one end of the mortar return pipeline is connected to the suction pump.
[0008] Based on the above technical solution, the first aspect embodiment of the present application has at least the following beneficial effects: by setting a fixed cylinder, during sand mining operations, the fixed cylinder can be penetrated into the sea sand layer through the suction pump and the first pipeline, so that the seabed sand mining base can be fixed to ensure stability during the sand mining operation; a well can be drilled in the sea sand layer by drilling with a drill string, and a sealed space is formed between the well and the fixed cylinder, which can effectively prevent the mortar in the well from flowing out, which is conducive to the collection of mortar; sea sand is drilled out by the drill string, and seawater is injected through the drill rod to mix with the drilled sea sand to form mortar, and the mortar is sucked in by the suction pump and recovered through the mortar return pipeline, which can improve the efficiency of sea sand collection.
[0009] According to the seabed sand mining device of the first aspect embodiment of the present application, the sand suction assembly also includes a second pipeline and a sand suction cylinder. The sand suction cylinder is installed on the support frame. One end of the second pipeline is connected to the fixed cylinder, and the other end is connected to the sand suction cylinder. A first valve is provided on the first pipeline, and a second valve is provided on the second pipeline. The sand suction cylinder is connected to the suction pump.
[0010] According to the seabed sand mining device of the first aspect embodiment of the present application, the vertical center line of the support frame is collinear with the vertical center line of the fixed cylinder, the sand suction cylinder is located on the vertical center line of the support frame, and a first through hole is provided on the top of the sand suction cylinder. The diameter of the first through hole is larger than the outer diameter of the drill string, and the drill string passes through the support frame, the sand suction cylinder and the fixed cylinder along the vertical center line direction of the support frame, and the drill string passes through the first through hole.
[0011] According to the seabed sand mining device of the first aspect embodiment of the present application, multiple groups of optical fiber sensors are arranged in the sand suction cylinder at intervals along its height direction, and each group of optical fiber sensors includes two oppositely arranged optical fiber sensors, and one of the optical fiber sensors in each group has a transmitting end and the other has a receiving end.
[0012] According to the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the seabed sand mining device also includes a clamping member, which is used to clamp the drill string. The clamping member is connected to the support frame, and an introduction structure is arranged above the clamping member. The introduction structure has a first end and a second end, the opening area of the first end is larger than the opening area of the second end, the second end is arranged close to the clamping member, and the opening of the second end is opposite to the clamping port of the clamping member.
[0013] According to the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the seabed sand mining device further includes a cutting piece, which is used to cut the drill string. The cutting piece is connected to the support frame. The cutting piece includes two symmetrically arranged cutters, and cutting parts are provided on opposite sides of the two cutters. A cutting opening is formed between the two cutting parts for the drill string to pass through. A driving component is connected to the opposite sides of the two cutters, and the driving component can drive the two cutters to move toward each other, thereby cutting the drill string.
[0014] According to the seabed sand mining device of the first embodiment of the present application, the drill rod includes multiple sub-drill rods, and the multiple sub-drill rods are connected end to end in sequence to form a drill string with a preset length.
[0015] According to the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the seabed sand mining device also includes a first power mechanism and a second power mechanism. The first power mechanism is connected to the seabed sand mining base plate to retract and extend the seabed sand mining base plate, and the second power mechanism is connected to the drill string to retract and extend the drill string and control the rotation of the drill string.
[0016] The drilling vessel according to the second embodiment of the present application includes the above-mentioned seabed sand mining device and a drilling vessel body, wherein a moon pool is provided on the deck of the drilling vessel body, the moon pool extends along the height direction of the drilling vessel body, and the bottom of the moon pool is connected to the sea surface, and the seabed sand mining base plate is arranged in the moon pool in a liftable manner.
[0017] According to the submarine sand mining method of the third embodiment of the present application, a submarine sand mining base is lowered, and the bottom of the fixed cylinder is allowed to sink into the sea sand layer by the dead weight of the submarine sand mining base, so that a sealed space is formed between the fixed cylinder and the surface of the sea sand layer. The first valve and the suction pump are opened to suck the sea sand under the fixed cylinder, and the submarine sand mining base is continued to be lowered, so that the fixed cylinder of the submarine sand mining base is further penetrated into the sea sand layer until the submarine sand mining base can be stably fixed on the sea sand layer, and the first valve is closed.
[0018] The drill string is lowered to the surface of the sea sand layer, the second valve and the suction pump are opened, the drill string is driven to rotate and lowered, and at the same time, drilling pressure is applied to make the drill string drill into the sea sand layer, form a well and drill out sea sand, and fill the drill string with seawater through the seawater pump. The seawater in the drill string flows into the well through the water hole at the lower end of the drill string and mixes with the sea sand in the well to form mortar. The obtained mortar is sucked into the sand suction cylinder through the second pipeline under the action of the suction pump, and the mortar in the sand suction cylinder enters the mortar return pipeline through the suction pump.
[0019] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be given in part in the description below, and in part will become obvious from the description below, or will be learned through practice of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.
[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a seabed sand mining base plate in an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application;
[0022] Figure 2 This is another structural schematic diagram of the seabed sand mining base plate in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application;
[0023] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of part A;
[0024] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of a drill string in an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application;
[0025] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the sand suction cylinder in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application;
[0026] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of a clamping member in an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application;
[0027] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the retractable mortar return pipeline in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application;
[0028] Figure 8 This is a flow chart of the seabed sand mining method in the embodiment of the third aspect of this application.
[0029] Reference numerals: submarine sand mining base 100, support frame 110, cable 111, controller 112, lighting 113, camera 114, underwater power supply unit 115, fixing cylinder 120, first pipeline 131, first connection point 1311, first valve 1312, second pipeline 132, second valve 1321, sand suction cylinder 133, optical fiber sensor 1331, mortar layer 1332, mixture of mortar and seawater Layer 1333, seawater layer 1334, mortar recovery pipeline 1335, suction pump 134; clamping part 140, clamping block 141, piston rod 142, piston 143, cylinder 144, hydraulic pump 145, introduction structure 146, cutting part 150; drill string 200, drill pipe 210, BHA centralizer 211, drill bit 220; mortar return pipeline 300; deck 400, moon pool 410, moon pool cover 411. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0031] In this application, terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "back," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "center," "vertical," "horizontal," "transverse," and "longitudinal" indicate positions or locations based on the positions or locations shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily intended to better describe this application and its embodiments and are not intended to limit the devices, elements, or components indicated to having a specific orientation, or to being constructed or operated in a specific orientation.
[0032] Furthermore, some of the above terms may be used to express other meanings besides indicating a position or location. For example, the term "on" may also be used to indicate a dependency or connection in certain circumstances. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.
[0033] Furthermore, the terms "installed," "disposed," "provided with," "connected," and "connected" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, removable connections, or integral structures; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections, indirect connections through an intermediary, or internal communication between two devices, elements, or components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.
[0034] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are primarily used to distinguish between different devices, elements, or components (which may or may not be of the same type and configuration), and are not intended to indicate or imply the relative importance or quantity of the devices, elements, or components indicated. Unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.
[0035] The technical solution of the present application will be further described below with reference to the embodiments and drawings.
[0036] See also Figures 1 to 3 The first embodiment of the present application provides a subsea sand mining device capable of fixing a subsea sand mining base plate 100 in a sea sand layer for stable sand mining. The subsea sand mining device includes a subsea sand mining base plate 100, a drill string 200, and a mortar return line 300.
[0037] See also Figure 4 Drill string 200 includes a drill pipe 210 and a drill bit 220. One end of drill pipe 210 is connected to drill bit 220. Drill pipe 210 is hollow. The end of drill pipe 210 near drill bit 220 is provided with a water hole. The end of drill pipe 210 away from drill bit 220 is connected to a seawater pump. Optionally, a BHA centralizer can be sleeved around the outer periphery of drill pipe 210.
[0038] In some embodiments, the seawater pump is connected to the top of the drill pipe 210 through a hard pipe and a hose in turn, the bottom end of the drill pipe 210 is connected to the drill bit 220, and the lower end of the drill pipe 210 is provided with a plurality of water holes. When the drill string 200 drills into the sea sand layer on the seabed, it can drill a well (the inner diameter of the well is greater than the outer diameter of the drill string 200) and drill out the sea sand at the same time. Seawater can be injected into the drill pipe 210 by the seawater pump, and the seawater in the drill pipe 210 flows into the well through the water holes at the lower end of the drill pipe 210 and mixes with the sea sand in the well to form mortar. It is understandable that the drill string 200 can also play a stirring role when it rotates, so that the sea sand and seawater are fully mixed.
[0039] The seabed sand mining base plate 100 can be raised and lowered. Figures 1 to 3 The seabed sand mining base plate 100 includes a support frame 110, a fixed cylinder 120 and a sand suction assembly. The fixed cylinder 120 is arranged below the support frame 110 and connected to the bottom of the support frame 110. The bottom of the fixed cylinder 120 is open so that the fixed cylinder 120 can penetrate into the sea sand layer. Figure 1The drill string 200 is inserted into the fixed barrel 120, so that when the fixed barrel 120 penetrates the sea sand layer, a sealed space is formed between the drill string 200 and the fixed barrel 120, effectively preventing the outflow of slurry in the drilled well. At the same time, by penetrating the fixed barrel 120 into the sea sand layer, the seabed sand mining base 100 can be stably fixed, effectively preventing the seabed sand mining base 100 from sinking, tilting, or other instability during the sand mining process, thereby ensuring the stability of sand mining.
[0040] It is understood that the weight of the seabed sand mining base 100 limits the depth to which the fixed cylinder 120 can sink, insufficient to stably secure the seabed sand mining base 100 to the seabed sand layer. Therefore, the sand suction assembly includes a first pipeline 131 and a suction pump 134. The suction pump 134 is mounted on the support frame 110. One end of the first pipeline 131 is connected to the fixed cylinder 120, and the other end is connected to the suction pump 134. The suction pump 134 is connected to one end of the slurry return line 300.
[0041] The specific process for penetrating the fixed barrel 120 into the sea sand layer is as follows: first, the bottom of the fixed barrel 120 is lowered into the sea sand layer using the weight of the seabed sand mining base 100. The first valve 1312 and the sand suction pump are opened, and the second valve 1321 is closed to allow the sea sand on the surface of the sea sand layer below the fixed barrel 120 to be sucked in through the first pipeline 131. This gradually penetrates the fixed barrel 120 into the sea sand layer until the seabed sand mining base 100 is stably fixed to the sea sand layer.
[0042] It can be understood that in this structure, the fixing cylinder 120 can be first penetrated into the sea sand layer through the first pipeline 131 and the suction pump 134 so that the seabed sand mining base 100 can be stably fixed on the sea sand layer, and then the mortar is continued to be sucked in through the first pipeline 131 and the suction pump 134 to carry out sand mining operations.
[0043] Of course, other passages can also be set up for sand mining operations. For example, in some embodiments, the sand suction assembly can also include a second pipeline 132 and a sand suction cylinder 133. The sand suction cylinder 133 is installed on the support frame 110. One end of the second pipeline 132 is connected to the fixed cylinder 120, and the other end is connected to the sand suction cylinder 133. A first valve 1312 is provided on the first pipeline 131 to control the on-off of the first pipeline 131. A second valve 1321 is provided on the second pipeline 132 to control the on-off of the second pipeline 132. The sand suction cylinder 133 is connected to the suction pump 134. See Figure 5 The sand suction cylinder 133 is connected to a mortar recovery pipeline 1335 to communicate with the suction pump 134 .
[0044] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 and Figure 3The end of the first pipeline 131 away from the suction pump 134 is connected to the top of the fixed cylinder 120. A first connection point 1311 is provided on the first pipeline 131 to connect with the end of the second pipeline 132 away from the sand suction cylinder 133. The first valve 1312 is provided between the first connection point 1311 and the suction pump 134 to prevent the opening and closing of the first valve 1312 from affecting the opening and closing of the second pipeline 132.
[0045] In some embodiments, multiple groups of optical fiber sensors 1331 are spaced apart along the height direction of the sand suction cylinder 133 , and each group of optical fiber sensors 1331 includes two optical fiber sensors 1331 disposed opposite to each other, one of which has a transmitting end and the other has a receiving end.
[0046] For example, see Figure 5 Three groups of optical fiber sensors 1331 are arranged at intervals along the height direction of the sand suction cylinder 133. It can be understood that the number of groups of optical fiber sensors 1331 can be set according to actual needs and is not specifically limited here.
[0047] It can be understood that a certain amount of visible light emitted by the transmitting end of one optical fiber sensor 1331 transmits through the mortar or seawater and enters the receiving end of another optical fiber sensor 1331. The ratio of the amount of light received by the receiving end to the amount of light emitted by the transmitting end can be used to determine the light transmittance of the detected medium (mortar or seawater). The light transmittance of seawater is 100%, the light transmittance of pure sea sand is close to 0, and the light transmittance of mortar is between the two values. The higher the mortar concentration (i.e., the higher the sea sand content per unit volume of mortar), the lower the light transmittance.
[0048] For example, see Figure 5 , the sand suction cylinder 133 contains, from bottom to top, a mortar layer 1332, a mortar and seawater mixture layer 1333, and a seawater layer 1334. It is understood that the mortar mentioned above is formed by mixing sea sand and seawater. Therefore, the mortar and seawater mixture here refers to the mortar formed during drilling and then mixed with seawater again in the sand suction cylinder 133. Moreover, the mortar in the embodiments of the present application refers to the mortar formed by mixing sea sand and seawater during drilling. From the above, it can be seen that the concentration of the mortar layer 1332 in the sand suction cylinder 133 is higher than the concentration of the mortar and seawater mixture layer 1333, that is, the light transmittance of the mortar layer 1332 is lower than the light transmittance of the mortar and seawater mixture layer 1333.
[0049] By controlling the pumping capacity of the suction pump 134, the mortar level in the sand suction cylinder 133 can be adjusted. For example, reducing the pumping capacity of the suction pump 134 raises the mortar level in the sand suction cylinder 133; increasing the pumping capacity of the suction pump 134 lowers the mortar level in the sand suction cylinder 133. The pumping capacity of the suction pump 134 can be manually adjusted to cause the mortar level in the sand suction cylinder 133 to fluctuate. Simultaneously, the readings of the fiber optic sensor 1331 are observed and compared with the monitoring image of the seabed sand mining base 100 to verify the accuracy of the mortar level in the sand suction cylinder 133. It should be noted that the mortar level refers to the level of the mortar layer 1332 in the sand suction cylinder 133, not the level of the mortar and seawater mixture layer 1333.
[0050] As can be seen from the above, when the suction pump 134 is pumping at a constant rate, the fiber optic sensor 1331 within the sand suction tube 133 can detect the mortar level within the tube 133, thereby determining whether to continue sand mining. For example, if the mortar level within the tube 133 is low, indicating that there is relatively little sea sand at the current location of the drill string 200, sand mining should not be continued. If the mortar level within the tube 133 is high, indicating that there is relatively much sea sand at the current location of the drill string 200, sand mining can continue. Therefore, during sand mining, the second valve 1321 and the suction pump 134 are opened, the first valve 1312 is closed, and sand mining is carried out through the passage between the second pipeline 132 and the sand suction tube 133.
[0051] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 The vertical centerline of support frame 110 is collinear with the vertical centerline of fixed cylinder 120. Sand suction cylinder 133 is located on the vertical centerline of support frame 110. A first through-hole is provided at the top of sand suction cylinder 133. The diameter of the first through-hole is larger than the outer diameter of drill string 200. Drill string 200 passes through support frame 110, sand suction cylinder 133, and fixed cylinder 120 along the vertical centerline of support frame 110, and drill string 200 passes through the first through-hole. This structure helps maintain the balance of seabed sand mining template 100.
[0052] The first through hole prevents backflow while allowing the drill string 200 to pass through. The first through hole is provided at the top of the sand suction cylinder 133, connecting the sand suction cylinder 133 to the seawater. This results in weak suction force of the suction pump 134 in this passage, making it difficult to penetrate the fixed cylinder 120 into the sea sand layer. Therefore, the suction pump 134 still penetrates the fixed cylinder 120 into the sea sand layer through the first pipeline 131.
[0053] It should be noted that, in practice, drill rod 210 is typically provided with joints for connection, resulting in different outer diameters of drill string 200. Therefore, the diameter of the first through-hole at the top of sand suction cylinder 133 is larger than the maximum outer diameter of drill string 200 to facilitate insertion of drill string 200. For example, the top of sand suction cylinder 133 is open.
[0054] In some embodiments, the bottom of the sand suction cylinder 133 is also open, and a switch is provided at the bottom of the sand suction cylinder 133 . The switch is connected to the sand suction cylinder 133 to open and close the passage at the bottom of the sand suction cylinder 133 .
[0055] Exemplarily, the switch element comprises two symmetrically arranged semicircular rings, each of which is provided with a driving component on its opposite side. The two driving components can drive the two semicircular rings to move toward each other, thereby closing the two semicircular rings to form a complete circular ring, the inner hole of which is for the drill string 200 to pass through. Exemplarily, the driving component is a hydraulic cylinder piston.
[0056] It is understood that in the above-described structural arrangement, if the inner diameter of the ring formed by the two semicircular rings is equal to the outer diameter of the drill string 200 at the connection, the friction between the drill string 200 and the semicircular rings will be too great, which is not conducive to the use of the drill string 200 (when using the drill string 200, the drill string 200 needs to be rotated and / or retracted); if the inner diameter of the ring formed by the two semicircular rings is larger than the outer diameter of the drill string 200 at the connection, the sealing function will not be achieved, resulting in leakage of mortar in the sand suction tube 133. In actual situations, the outer diameter of the drill string 200 is not equal, and the inner diameter of the ring formed by the two semicircular rings is difficult to adapt to the change in the outer diameter of the drill string 200.
[0057] Therefore, further, the inner circumference of the two semicircular rings can be provided with a semicircular rubber sealing ring to dynamically seal the drill string 200, and the inner diameter of the rubber sealing ring formed by the two semicircular rubber sealing rings is equal to the minimum outer diameter of the drill string 200, so that the rubber sealing ring can also play a sealing effect when the minimum outer diameter of the drill string 200 passes through the second through hole.
[0058] For example, the semi-circular rubber sealing ring can be slidably connected to the semi-circular ring, so that when the two semi-circular rubber sealing rings are closed, they can rotate relative to the ring formed by the closed semi-circular rings. Therefore, when the drill string 200 rotates, they can rotate synchronously with the drill string 200, achieving a sealing effect without affecting the use of the drill string 200. Because the rubber sealing ring has a certain degree of deformation ability, it can also adapt to changes in the outer diameter of the drill string 200.
[0059] When the drill string 200 needs to pass through the sand suction tube 133, the switch is opened to allow the drill string 200 to pass through. When the suction pump 134 and the second valve 1321 are turned on for sand extraction, the switch is closed to prevent leakage of mortar from the sand suction tube 133. When the sand suction tube 133 needs to be cleaned, the switch can also be opened to prevent mortar from accumulating in the sand suction tube 133. It should be noted that during sand extraction, the drill string 200 is in a state of passing through the sand suction tube 133. Therefore, when the switch is closed, it seals the gap between the bottom of the sand suction tube 133 and the drill string 200.
[0060] The above technical solution can also be equivalently replaced as follows: a second through hole can also be provided at the bottom of the sand suction cylinder 133, and a slidable annular rubber sealing ring is provided on the inner wall of the second through hole, so that the annular rubber sealing ring can rotate relative to the sand suction cylinder 133, and the inner diameter of the annular rubber sealing ring is equal to the minimum outer diameter of the drill string 200.
[0061] In some embodiments, the seabed sand mining device further includes a clamping member 140, which is used to clamp the drill string 200 and is connected to the support frame 110. Figure 1 or Figure 2 The clamping member 140 is also arranged on the vertical center line of the support frame 110 and is located directly above the sand suction cylinder 133.
[0062] It is understood that when the drill string 200 is not needed, the drill string 200 can be clamped by the clamping member 140 to prevent the drill string 200 from floating up and down due to the buoyancy of the seawater, which could cause a safety accident. When the drill string 200 needs to be moved to a deeper sea sand layer or needs to be retrieved, the clamping member 140 can be loosened.
[0063] Optional, see Figure 6 The clamping member 140 includes two symmetrically arranged clamping blocks 141. Clamping openings are formed on opposite sides of the two clamping blocks 141 for the drill string 200 to pass through. The two clamping blocks 141 are connected to the piston 143 on opposite sides via a piston rod 142. The piston rod 142 is provided in the oil cylinder 144. The piston 143 is slidably connected to the oil cylinder 144. The piston 143 divides the cavity in the oil cylinder 144 into a first cavity and a second cavity that are independently sealed. The first cavity is provided on the side of the piston 143 facing the clamping block 141, and the second cavity is provided on the side of the piston 143 facing away from the clamping block 141. The hydraulic pump 145 is connected to the second cavity to pump hydraulic oil into the second cavity to generate oil pressure, thereby providing pressure to push the piston 143 to move, so that the two clamping blocks 141 can approach each other to clamp the drill string 200.
[0064] For further information, see Figure 1 or Figure 2A guide structure 146 is disposed above the clamping member 140. Guide structure 146 has a first end and a second end. The opening area of the first end is larger than the opening area of the second end. The second end is disposed proximate to the clamping member 140, and the opening of the second end faces the clamping opening of the clamping member 140 to guide the insertion of the drill string 200. The first end is the upper end of guide structure 146, and the second end is the lower end of guide structure 146.
[0065] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 or Figure 2 The subsea sand mining device also includes a cutting element 150, which is used to cut the drill string 200 and is connected to the support frame 110. The cutting element 150 is also arranged on the vertical centerline of the support frame 110 and is located between the clamping element 140 and the sand suction cylinder 133. In the event of a dangerous situation such as buried drilling, the cutting element 150 can be used to cut the drill string 200, reducing operational risks and improving safety.
[0066] The cutting element 150 includes two symmetrically arranged cutters, each having a cutting portion on opposite sides thereof, and a cutting opening formed between the two cutting portions for the drill string 200 to pass through. A drive component is connected to the opposing sides of the two cutters, which can drive the two cutters toward each other, thereby cutting the drill string 200.
[0067] The structure of cutting element 150 is similar to that of clamping element 140, except that both clamping blocks 141 in clamping element 140 are replaced with cutting tools. Specifically, the driving component is a hydraulic cylinder piston, comprising a cylinder 144, a piston 143, and a piston rod 142. Specifically, the two cutting tools are connected to piston 143 on opposite sides via piston rod 142. Piston rod 142 extends through cylinder 144, and piston 143 is slidably connected to cylinder 144. Piston 143 divides the cavity within cylinder 144 into a first and second, independently sealed cavity. The first cavity is located on the side of piston 143 facing the cutting tools, and the second cavity is located on the side of piston 143 facing away from the cutting tools. A hydraulic pump 145 is connected to the second cavity to pump hydraulic oil into the second cavity to generate oil pressure, thereby providing pressure to push piston 143 to move, thereby moving the two cutting tools closer together to cut drill string 200.
[0068] In some embodiments, the drill rod 210 includes multiple sub-drill rods 210, which are sequentially connected end-to-end to form a drill string 200 of a predetermined length. Specifically, each adjacent sub-drill rod 210 is connected by a threaded connection. By connecting additional drill rods 210, sea sand can be mined at different depths. It will be appreciated that the number of sub-drill rods 210 can be adjusted based on actual needs to achieve sea sand mining at a predetermined depth, and this is not a specific limitation.
[0069] The first power mechanism is connected to the seabed sand mining base 100 to retract and extend the seabed sand mining base 100. Specifically, the first power mechanism includes two winches, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the seabed sand mining base 100 and are connected to the seabed sand mining base 100 via cables 111 to retract and extend the seabed sand mining base 100.
[0070] The second power mechanism is connected to the drill string 200 to retract and extend the drill string 200 and control the rotation of the drill string 200. Specifically, the second power mechanism includes pneumatic slips for clamping the drill string 200, and a top drive for rotating the drill string 200 and providing weight on bit. The top drive is equipped with an elevator for suspending the drill string 200.
[0071] The seabed sand mining device also includes a solids control system and a hopper. The end of the mortar return line 300, away from the suction pump 134, is connected to the solids control system, which in turn is connected to the hopper. After the mortar in the mortar return line 300 is recovered onto the deck 400, it is processed by the solids control system to form sea sand, which is then transported to the hopper for storage. Figure 7 The mortar return pipeline 300 is retracted and extended by the pulley on the deck 400 so that the mortar return pipeline 300 can descend synchronously with the seabed sand mining base plate 100.
[0072] On-site operators can adjust the seawater displacement within drill pipe 210 and the drill string 200's weight on bit (WOB) based on the sea sand produced. For example, if the mortar is treated by the solids control system and a large amount of sea sand is formed, the seawater displacement can be appropriately increased; if the mortar is treated by the solids control system and a small amount of sea sand is formed, the seawater displacement can be appropriately reduced. The seawater displacement here refers to the amount of seawater pumped into drill pipe 210 by the seawater pump.
[0073] Furthermore, the connection between the mortar return line 300 and the suction pump 134 is a flange connection, and the end of the mortar return line 300 away from the suction pump 134 is connected to a hose through a reducer, and the end of the hose away from the mortar return line 300 is connected to the solid control system, and the end of the hose connected to the solid control system is fixed with a clamp, and the end of the hose connected to the mortar return line 300 is fixed with a union.
[0074] The subsea sand mining device also includes a camera 114, a subsea altimeter, a water depth sensor, a lighting fixture 113, a gesture indicator, an underwater power supply unit 115, and a controller 112, all mounted on a support frame 110. The camera 114 is used to monitor the state of the subsea sand mining base plate 100 on the seabed; the subsea altimeter is used to monitor the height of the subsea sand mining base plate 100 from the seabed; the water depth sensor is used to monitor the water depth at the location of the subsea sand mining base plate 100; the lighting fixture 113 provides illumination when the seabed is low-light and can be positioned close to the camera 114 to increase the brightness of the camera 114 and provide a clearer image; the gesture indicator is used to monitor the tilt of the subsea sand mining base plate 100; and the underwater power supply unit 115 provides power.
[0075] The optical fiber sensor 1331, camera 114, seabed altimeter, water depth sensor, lighting 113, attitude indicator, hydraulic pump 145, and suction pump 134 are all electrically connected to the controller 112. The controller 112 is connected to a remote control terminal, which can remotely control the opening and closing and operating conditions of each device. It is conceivable that because the support frame 110 is hollowed out on all sides, the equipment installed on the support frame 110 is waterproof. Among them, the equipment includes but is not limited to the optical fiber sensor 1331, camera 114, seabed altimeter, water depth sensor, lighting 113, attitude indicator, underwater power supply unit 115, and controller 112 mentioned above.
[0076] The seabed sand mining device of the first embodiment of the present application includes but is not limited to the following advantages: by arranging a fixed cylinder 120 at the bottom of the support frame 110, during the sand mining operation, the fixed cylinder 120 can be penetrated into the sea sand layer through the sand suction pump and the first pipeline 131 until the seabed sand mining base plate 100 can be stably fixed on the sea sand layer, thereby ensuring the stability during the sand mining operation; drilling through the drill string 200 can drill a well in the sea sand layer, and a sealed space is formed between the well and the fixed cylinder 120, which can effectively prevent the mortar in the well from flowing out, which is conducive to the collection of mortar; drilling sea sand through the drill string 200, and injecting seawater through the drill rod 210 to mix with the drilled sea sand to form mortar, sucking the mortar through the suction pump 134, and recovering it through the mortar return pipeline 300, which can The invention can improve the efficiency of sea sand collection; at the same time, the mortar can be recovered to the deck 400 through the mortar return pipeline 300 for observation by the operator, and the drilling parameters can be adjusted based on the observed situation, which is conducive to improving the efficiency of sand mining; the optical fiber sensor 1331 in the sand suction tube 133 can obtain the height of the mortar liquid level in the sand suction tube 133, so as to judge whether to continue the sand mining operation; when the drill string 200 is not needed, the drill string 200 can be clamped by the clamping member 140 to prevent the drill string 200 from floating up and down under the buoyancy of sea water, causing safety accidents; when dangerous situations such as buried drilling occur, the drill string 200 can be cut off by the cutting member 150 to reduce the operation risk and improve safety; by adding the drill rod 210, sea sand mining at different sea sand layer depths can be achieved.
[0077] Other structures and operations of the seabed sand mining device according to the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application are known to ordinary technicians in this field and will not be described in detail here.
[0078] The second aspect of the present application provides a drilling vessel, including the seabed sand mining device of the first aspect of the present application, and also including a drilling vessel body. A moon pool 410 is provided on the deck 400 of the drilling vessel body. The moon pool 410 extends along the height direction of the drilling vessel body, and the bottom of the moon pool 410 is connected to the sea surface. A moon pool cover 411 is provided on the top of the moon pool 410, and a seabed sand mining base plate 100 is arranged in the moon pool 410 in a liftable manner.
[0079] The derrick, driller's cabin, and catwalk for conveying drill pipe 210 are also located on the deck 400 of the drilling vessel. Two winches, a solids control system, and a hopper are also located on the deck 400. The mortar return line 300 is retracted and extended by pulleys on the deck 400, allowing it to descend synchronously with the seabed sand mining base 100. The two winches are symmetrically positioned on either side of the moonpool 410. Their cables 111 pass through the moonpool cover 411 to connect to the seabed sand mining base 100, allowing for retraction and extension of the base 100. Pneumatic slips are located in the center of the moonpool cover 411. The derrick is located on one side of the moonpool 410. The top drive is mounted on the derrick via a traveling block and equipped with elevators.
[0080] The drillship is equipped with a dynamic positioning system. Using this operating mode allows for rapid and efficient relocation of sand mining stations. Before operations, the positions of various survey equipment sensors, including the DGPS antenna head and the Octans attitude sensor, were measured relative to the center of the moonpool 410. The survey equipment providing positioning data via GPS receivers included the Octans, the HYPACK navigation system, and the ADCP. The HYPACK receives GPS information from the Fugro 9205 for navigation and positioning. The DP dynamic positioning system maintains the drilling center within 2 meters of the target. The HYPACK navigation system uses the drilling center as a navigation reference point.
[0081] Other structures and operations of the drilling vessel according to the embodiment of the second aspect of the present application are known to ordinary technicians in this field and will not be described in detail here.
[0082] The third embodiment of the present application provides a seabed sand mining method, comprising the following steps.
[0083] The seabed sand mining base 100 is lowered, and the weight of the seabed sand mining base 100 allows the bottom of the fixed cylinder 120 to sink into the sea sand layer, thereby forming a sealed space between the fixed cylinder 120 and the surface of the sea sand layer. It is understood that the weight of the seabed sand mining base 100 limits the height to which the fixed cylinder 120 can sink, which is insufficient to stably fix the seabed sand mining base 100 to the sea sand layer. Therefore, the first valve 1312 and the suction pump 134 are opened to suck in the sea sand below the fixed cylinder 120, while the seabed sand mining base 100 is continued to be lowered, thereby further penetrating the fixed cylinder 120 of the seabed sand mining base 100 into the sea sand layer until the seabed sand mining base 100 can be stably fixed to the sea sand layer, and the first valve 1312 is closed.
[0084] The drill string 200 is lowered to the surface of the sea sand layer, the second valve 1321 and the suction pump 134 are opened, the drill string 200 is driven to rotate and lowered, and at the same time, drilling pressure is applied to make the drill string 200 drill into the sea sand layer, form a well and drill out sea sand, and fill the drill string 200 with seawater through a seawater pump. The seawater in the drill string 200 flows into the well through the water hole at the lower end of the drill string 200 and mixes with the sea sand in the well to form mortar. The obtained mortar is sucked into the sand suction cylinder 133 through the second pipeline 132 under the action of the suction pump 134, and the mortar in the sand suction cylinder 133 enters the mortar return pipeline 300 through the suction pump 134.
[0085] As the sand suction tube 133 draws in mortar, the fiber optic sensor 1331 within the sand suction tube 133 monitors the mortar level within the tube 133. The mortar level determines whether to continue sand extraction. For example, if the mortar level within the sand suction tube 133 is low, indicating that there is insufficient sea sand at the current location of the drill string 200, sand extraction should not be continued. If the mortar level within the sand suction tube 133 is high, indicating that there is sufficient sea sand at the current location of the drill string 200, sand extraction can continue.
[0086] It is conceivable that the height of the mortar liquid level can be adjusted by controlling the suction flow rate of the suction pump 134. For example, the height of the mortar liquid level can be kept within a relatively stable range by controlling the suction flow rate of the suction pump 134.
[0087] When drill string 200 is not needed, clamping member 140 clamps drill string 200 to prevent it from floating up and down due to the buoyancy of seawater, which could cause a safety accident. Clamping member 140 can be released when drill string 200 needs to be moved to a deeper sea sand layer or when drill string 200 needs to be recovered. For example, if the amount of returned slurry decreases, clamping member 140 is released, and drill string 200 is rotated and lowered by the second power mechanism while applying weight on bit to allow drill string 200 to continue drilling into the sea sand layer and continuing sand extraction.
[0088] See also Figure 8 In a specific embodiment, the seabed sand mining method includes the following steps.
[0089] S100 , lowering the seabed sand mining base plate 100 to the sea surface at the bottom of the moon pool 410 .
[0090] Specifically, the drilling vessel arrives at the operation site via a dynamic positioning system, opens the moon pool cover 411 on the deck 400, and steadily lowers the seabed sand mining base plate 100 using two symmetrically arranged winches until it reaches the sea surface at the bottom of the moon pool 410, and then closes the moon pool cover 411.
[0091] S200, adding a drill pipe 210.
[0092] The driller's room controls the drill rod 210 transport catwalk to deliver a sub-drill rod 210 to the bottom of the top drive. The top drive lift cylinder 144 controls the top drive downward, and the sub-drill rod 210 is slowly inserted into the pneumatic slips at the center of the moonpool cover 411. The lower end of the sub-drill rod 210 slowly passes through the support frame 110 of the seabed sand mining base plate 100. The seabed sand mining base plate 100 and the sub-drill rod 210 are slowly lowered until the top of the sub-drill rod 210 is above the pneumatic slips and separated from the pneumatic slips by a first distance, ready for connection with the next sub-drill rod 210. The two sub-drill rods 210 are then fastened together using hydraulic and pneumatic tongs. Once connected, the seabed sand mining base plate 100 and drill string 200 are slowly lowered. This process is repeated until all sub-drill rods 210 are connected, forming a drill string 200 of the predetermined length. When the drill string 200 is lowered to a distance of less than or equal to 1 m from the seabed, the elevator on the top drive is closed to suspend the drill string 200. By adding drill pipe 210, sea sand mining at different sea sand layer depths can be achieved.
[0093] S300: inserting the seabed sand mining base plate 100 into the sea sand layer.
[0094] The seabed sand mining base 100 is further lowered by the winch. Simultaneously, the weight of the seabed sand mining base 100 causes the bottom of the fixed cylinder 120 to sink into the sea sand layer, forming a sealed space between the fixed cylinder 120 and the surface of the sea sand layer. The first valve 1312 and the suction pump 134 are opened, and the second valve 1321 is closed to suck sea sand from beneath the fixed cylinder 120 through the first pipeline 131. The seabed sand mining base 100 is further lowered by the winch, penetrating the fixed cylinder 120 of the seabed sand mining base 100 into the sea sand layer until the seabed sand mining base 100 is stably fixed therein. The first valve 1312 is then closed. By penetrating the fixed cylinder 120 into the sea sand layer, the seabed sand mining base 100 is stably fixed, effectively preventing instability such as settling or tilting of the seabed sand mining base 100 during the sand mining process, thereby ensuring the stability of the sand mining operation.
[0095] S400, sand mining.
[0096] Open the second valve 1321 and suction pump 134, close the first valve 1312 and ball valve, and begin sand mining. The drill string 200 is rotated by the top drive, while the drill string 200 is lowered and pressure on bit is applied, causing the drill string 200 to penetrate the sea sand layer, forming a wellbore and extracting sea sand. The wellbore's inner diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the drill string 200. A seawater pump is used to pump seawater into the drill pipe 210. The seawater in the drill pipe 210 flows into the wellbore through a water hole at the lower end of the drill pipe 210, where it mixes with the sea sand in the wellbore to form mortar. The resulting mortar is then drawn into the sand suction cylinder 133 via the second pipeline 132 under the action of the suction pump 134. The mortar in the sand suction cylinder 133 then enters the mortar return line 300 via the mortar recovery line 1335 and the suction pump 134.
[0097] S500, recycled mortar.
[0098] After mortar in the mortar return line 300 is recovered on deck 400, it is processed by the solids control system to form sea sand, which is then transported to a hopper for storage. The mortar return line 300 allows the mortar to be recovered on deck 400 for observation by operators, who can then adjust drilling parameters based on the observed information, thereby improving sand extraction efficiency.
[0099] The other structures and operations of the seabed sand mining method according to the embodiment of the third aspect of the present application are known to ordinary technicians in this field and will not be described in detail here.
[0100] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present application is not limited to the above embodiments. Various changes can be made within the scope of knowledge possessed by ordinary technicians in the technical field without departing from the purpose of the present application.
Claims
1. A seabed sand mining device, characterized in that: include: A drill string, comprising a drill rod and a drill bit, one end of the drill rod being connected to the drill bit, the drill rod being hollow, the end of the drill rod close to the drill bit being provided with a water hole, and the end of the drill rod away from the drill bit being connected to a seawater pump; A seabed sand mining base plate, the seabed sand mining base plate can be raised and lowered, the seabed sand mining base plate includes a support frame, a fixed cylinder and a sand suction assembly, the fixed cylinder is arranged below the support frame and connected to the support frame, the bottom of the fixed cylinder is open, the drill string is passed through the fixed cylinder, the sand suction assembly includes a first pipeline and a suction pump, the suction pump is installed on the support frame, one end of the first pipeline is connected to the fixed cylinder, and the other end is connected to the suction pump; A mortar return line, one end of which is connected to the suction pump.
2. The seabed sand mining device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sand suction assembly also includes a second pipeline and a sand suction cylinder. The sand suction cylinder is installed on the support frame. One end of the second pipeline is connected to the fixed cylinder, and the other end is connected to the sand suction cylinder. A first valve is provided on the first pipeline, and a second valve is provided on the second pipeline. The sand suction cylinder is connected to the suction pump.
3. The seabed sand mining device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The vertical center line of the support frame is collinear with the vertical center line of the fixed cylinder, the sand suction cylinder is located on the vertical center line of the support frame, a first through hole is provided on the top of the sand suction cylinder, the diameter of the first through hole is larger than the outer diameter of the drill string, the drill string passes through the support frame, the sand suction cylinder and the fixed cylinder along the vertical center line direction of the support frame, and the drill string passes through the first through hole.
4. The seabed sand mining device according to claim 2, characterized in that: A plurality of groups of optical fiber sensors are arranged in the sand suction cylinder at intervals along its height direction. Each group of optical fiber sensors includes two optical fiber sensors arranged opposite to each other. One of the optical fiber sensors in each group has a transmitting end and the other has a receiving end.
5. The seabed sand mining device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a clamping piece, which is used to clamp the drill string. The clamping piece is connected to the support frame. An introduction structure is provided above the clamping piece. The introduction structure has a first end and a second end. The opening area of the first end is larger than the opening area of the second end. The second end is arranged close to the clamping piece, and the opening of the second end is opposite to the clamping opening of the clamping piece.
6. The seabed sand mining device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a cutting piece, which is used to cut the drill string. The cutting piece is connected to the support frame. The cutting piece includes two symmetrically arranged cutters. Cutting parts are provided on opposite sides of the two cutters. A cutting opening is formed between the two cutting parts for the drill string to pass through. A driving component is connected to the opposite sides of the two cutters. The driving component can drive the two cutters to move toward each other, thereby cutting the drill string.
7. The seabed sand mining device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drill rod comprises a plurality of sub-drill rods, which are connected end to end in sequence to form a drill string with a preset length.
8. The seabed sand mining device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a first power mechanism and a second power mechanism. The first power mechanism is connected to the seabed sand mining base plate to retract and extend the seabed sand mining base plate. The second power mechanism is connected to the drill string to retract and extend the drill string and control the rotation of the drill string.
9. A drilling vessel, characterized in that: The invention comprises the submarine sand mining device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and further comprises a drilling ship body, wherein a moon pool is provided on the deck of the drilling ship body, the moon pool extends along the height direction of the drilling ship body, and the bottom of the moon pool is connected to the sea surface, and the submarine sand mining base plate is arranged in the moon pool in a liftable manner.
10. A method for seabed sand mining, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Lowering the seabed sand mining base plate, and allowing the bottom of the fixed cylinder to sink into the sea sand layer by the dead weight of the seabed sand mining base plate, so that a sealed space is formed between the fixed cylinder and the surface of the sea sand layer, opening the first valve and the suction pump to suck the sea sand under the fixed cylinder, and at the same time continuing to lower the seabed sand mining base plate, so as to further penetrate the fixed cylinder of the seabed sand mining base plate into the sea sand layer, until the seabed sand mining base plate can be stably fixed on the sea sand layer, and then closing the first valve; The drill string is lowered to the surface of the sea sand layer, the second valve and the suction pump are opened, the drill string is driven to rotate and lowered, and at the same time, drilling pressure is applied to make the drill string drill into the sea sand layer, form a well and drill out sea sand, and fill the drill string with seawater through the seawater pump. The seawater in the drill string flows into the well through the water hole at the lower end of the drill string and mixes with the sea sand in the well to form mortar. The obtained mortar is sucked into the sand suction cylinder through the second pipeline under the action of the suction pump, and the mortar in the sand suction cylinder enters the mortar return pipeline through the suction pump.