Deep-sea polymetallic nodule rapid harvesting device with aggregation upwelling flow field structure

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of deep-sea polymetallic nodule rapid harvesting devices, provides a deep-sea polymetallic nodule rapid harvesting device with an aggregation upwelling flow field structure, and solves the problems of non-uniform flow field distribution, high energy consumption, low collection channel conveying efficiency and low collection rate. Comprising a bijection collection head, an annular jet flow system, a beam current structure and a central control system, and the bijection collection head comprises a front-row jet flow system, a rear-row jet flow system, a horizontal jet flow system, a flow guide plate and a collection channel; the annular jet system is arranged in the double-jet collecting head and located at the intersection of the flow guide plate and the collecting channel, and the annular jet system comprises an annular channel, an annular nozzle arranged on the inner side of the annular channel, a fixing frame arranged at the outer end of the annular channel and a spiral groove carved in the inner wall of the annular channel.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of deep-sea polymetallic nodule rapid collection, in particular to a deep-sea polymetallic nodule rapid collection device with an aggregated upwelling flow field configuration. BACKGROUND

[0002] Deep-sea polymetallic nodules are mineral resources rich in nickel, cobalt, copper and rare earth elements deposited on the seabed at a depth of 3000-6000 meters. Efficient exploitation of these resources is of great significance in alleviating the shortage of land-based metal resources. However, the deep-sea environment has complex characteristics such as high pressure, low temperature, and fragile ecology, and traditional collection techniques face challenges such as low nodule stripping efficiency, insufficient transport capacity, and significant disturbance to the seabed environment.

[0003] Among them, the deep-sea mining vehicle is the core equipment for large-scale collection of nodules, and the performance of its collection head directly affects the resource recovery rate and economic efficiency. Since the polymetallic nodules are loosely attached to the surface of the seabed sediments, they need to be stripped and transported in a specific direction by the action of high-efficiency fluid, while minimizing disturbance to the underlying sediments to protect the deep-sea ecosystem.

[0004] The existing collection head at the front end of the mining vehicle mainly relies on jet stripping to collect nodules, and needs to rely on auxiliary measures at the rear end. By setting an induced flow or suction device at the collection channel, the upwelling force of the nodules after the jet impact is enhanced, ensuring smooth collection of the nodules. However, the existing collection device has weak transport sections and blocked sections, which restricts the transport of seabed nodules, and the seabed power supply is difficult, the suction pump has high energy consumption, greatly increasing the operation cost. Therefore, an improved double-row jet collection device is needed to meet the needs of efficient collection of deep-sea polymetallic nodules. SUMMARY

[0005] One of the objectives of the present application is to provide a deep-sea polymetallic nodule rapid collection device with an aggregated upwelling flow field configuration, which solves the problems of uneven flow field distribution, high energy consumption, low collection channel transport efficiency, and low collection rate.

[0006] The technical solution of the present application is as follows: A deep-sea polymetallic nodule rapid collection device with an aggregated upwelling flow field configuration, comprising a double-jet collection head, a ring jet system, a beam structure, and a central control system, the double-jet collection head comprising a front row jet system, a rear row jet system, a horizontal jet system, a deflector, and a collection channel. The ring jet system is located inside the double-jet collection head and at the intersection of the deflector and the collection channel. The ring jet system comprises a ring channel located inside the collection channel, a ring nozzle located inside the ring channel, a fixed frame located at the outer end of the ring channel, and a spiral groove engraved on the inner wall of the ring channel.

[0007] Further, the cross section of the annular channel is in an elliptical structure. And the ratio of the front axis to the rear axis of the cross section of the annular channel is pre-selected and size-optimized according to the flow field requirement.

[0008] Further, the spiral groove surface is provided with a corrosion-resistant layer composed of high-density polymer.

[0009] Further, the fixing frame has 4-6 annular channels fixed in the double-shot collection head by each fixing frame.

[0010] Further, the annular nozzle is provided with 6-12 annular nozzles, each of which is uniformly distributed on the inner wall of the annular channel. And each annular nozzle is embedded in the inner wall of the annular channel, and the angle between the jet direction of the annular nozzle and the tangent of the inner wall of the annular channel is 30°-45°. The annular nozzle jet flow inlet is communicated with a hose.

[0011] Further, the front row jet flow system includes front row jet flow nozzles, and the number of the front row jet flow nozzles is 1.5-3 times the diameter of the nozzles.

[0012] Further, the rear row jet flow system includes rear row jet flow nozzles, and the number of the rear row jet flow nozzles is 3-5 times the diameter of the nozzles.

[0013] Further, the horizontal jet flow system is located above the rear row jet flow system and includes a plurality of horizontal jet flow nozzles, and the nozzle spacing in the horizontal jet flow system is 4-6 times the diameter of the nozzles.

[0014] Further, the inlet cross section of the collection channel is in a rectangular structure, the surface of the flow guide plate is covered with an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene wear-resistant layer and is inclined at an angle of 15°-25°. The junction of the collection channel and the flow guide plate is provided with a round corner.

[0015] Further, the inner wall of the collection channel is provided with a first curvature change section and a second curvature change section, and the first curvature change section and the second curvature change section alternately form a beam structure, the first curvature change section is in a concave arc structure, and the second curvature change section is in a convex arc structure, and the first curvature change section and the second curvature change section are staggered to form a converging flow passage state. The beam structure is composed of a polyurethane-based composite elastomer material. The inner wall of the collection channel is provided with a diamond-shaped reinforcing rib near the beam structure, and each diamond-shaped reinforcing rib is distributed in a 45° staggered grid.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the present application are: The asymmetric double-row jet flow system effectively improves the collection efficiency of deep-sea polymetallic nodules, reduces the jet flow disturbance and energy consumption in the deep-sea environment, solves the problem of weak flow velocity of the collection flow channel through the synergistic effect of the asymmetric jet flow, the annular double-jet flow mechanism and the pipeline cross section control, and improves the nodule conveying capacity of the collection channel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] The application will be further described in detail below in combination with the drawings and specific embodiments.

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the application; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the annular jet flow system of the application; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the double-jet collection head design of the application; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the double-jet collection head design of the application; Figure 3 is an enlarged view of A in the figure; Figure 5 is a top view of the jet flow nozzles of the front and rear jet flow systems of the application; Figure 6 is a side view of the jet flow nozzles of the rear jet flow system and the horizontal jet flow system of the application; Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the beam flow structure; Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the internal nodule stress and movement of the collection channel of the application; Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the internal nodule stress and movement of the collection channel of the application; Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the internal nodule stress and movement of the collection channel of the application.

[0019] In the figure: 1, double-jet collection head; 2, annular jet flow system; 21, annular channel; 22, annular nozzle; 23, angle adjusting device; 24, hose; 25, fixing frame; 26, spiral groove; 3, front jet flow system; 4, rear jet flow system; 5, horizontal jet flow system; 6, front jet flow nozzle; 61, rear jet flow nozzle; 62, horizontal jet flow nozzle; 7, flow guide plate; 8, collection channel; 81, beam flow structure; 82, first curvature change section; 83, second curvature change section; 84, diamond reinforcing rib. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] Example 1

[0022] like Figures 1-10 As shown, this embodiment provides a rapid deep-sea polymetallic nodule harvesting device with a clustered upwelling flow field configuration, mainly including a dual-jet acquisition head 1, an annular jet system 2, a beam structure 81, and a central control system. The dual-jet acquisition head 1 includes a front jet system 3, a rear jet system 4, a horizontal jet system 5, a guide plate 7, and a collection channel 8.

[0023] Specifically, in this embodiment, the annular jet system 2 is located inside the dual-jet collection head 1 and at the intersection of the guide plate 7 and the collection channel 8. The annular jet system 2 includes an annular channel 21 located inside the collection channel 8, an annular nozzle 22 located inside the annular channel 21, a fixing frame 25 located at the outer end of the annular channel 21, and a spiral groove 26 engraved on the inner wall of the annular channel 21. A corrosion-resistant layer made of high-density polymer is provided on the surface of the spiral groove 26 to ensure that it is not easily worn during long-term use. The preferred material is a high-density polymer such as carbon fiber reinforced polyether ether ketone.

[0024] In this embodiment, the spiral groove 26 is mainly a micro-spiral structure, similar to the microstructure design of shark skin. The groove size is usually in the range of micrometers to millimeters, and is designed according to the fluid velocity and flow field requirements. By adjusting the groove depth and width, the friction of the fluid boundary layer is reduced, turbulence generation is reduced, and the stability of the rotating flow field is optimized.

[0025] This implementation designs the cross-section of the annular channel 21 as an elliptical structure to enhance the fluid's adhesion to the inner wall and effectively avoid local eddies within the flow field. Furthermore, due to the operation at the front end of the deep-sea sampling head, the nodule collection concentration is discontinuous due to changes in terrain and mine car attitude. To avoid excessive energy consumption at low concentrations and blockage at high concentrations, the ratio of the front and rear axles of the annular channel 21 is pre-selected and its dimensions optimized based on flow requirements during the design phase. During operation, the flow rate of the annular nozzle 22 is dynamically adjusted according to the particle concentration transported within the channel, and controlled to ensure stable transport within the channel under different sampling environments, provided that the flow velocity is not lower than the critical nodule transport velocity and is less than or equal to the pipeline transport velocity.

[0026] The fixed frame 25 has 4-6 annular channels 21 fixed in the double jet collection head 1 by each fixed frame 25. The fixed frame 25 is composed of a plurality of titanium alloy supports, which are high in strength and corrosion resistant, and are fixed by flange bolts. Rubber damping pads are arranged between the supports and the inner wall of the collection head to reduce vibration transmission.

[0027] The number and spacing of the annular nozzles 22 are optimized according to the flow field requirements, and usually 6-12 can be provided. The jet direction is at an angle of 30°-45° to the tangent direction of the inner wall, and is connected to an external high-pressure water pump by a hose 24. Each annular nozzle 22 is uniformly distributed on the inner wall of the annular channel 21 to ensure that a sufficient rotational flow field is generated.

[0028] Each annular nozzle 22 is embedded in the inner wall of the annular channel 21, and the jet direction of the annular nozzle 22 is at an angle of 30°-45° to the tangent of the inner wall of the annular channel 21 to generate a stable rotational flow field. At the same time, the jet inlet of the annular nozzle 22 is connected to the hose 24, which can flexibly provide jet flow to the annular nozzle 22.

[0029] The centrifugal force generated by the rotational flow field and the upward force generated by the double-row jet flow field combine to increase the vertical force of the nodule and accelerate its upward movement into the collection channel 8. The spiral groove 26 guides the fluid to form a spiral upward flow field, and the annular nozzle 22 sprays high-speed water flow to form an annular rotational flow field, which is superimposed with the upward flow field of the double-row jet to increase the vertical velocity of the nodule. The nodule forms a stronger upward force field through the upward flow field of the double-row jet and the annular rotational flow field, which can reduce the collision between the nodule and the wall of the flow guide plate 7 and reduce the breakage rate of the nodule.

[0030] The front row jet system 3 in the embodiment includes a plurality of front row jet nozzles 6 arranged in a linear array. The number of front row jet nozzles 6 is 1.5-3 times the diameter of the nozzles themselves, and the number is greater than that of the rear row jet nozzles 61, and the spacing is uniform. The specific number of front row jet nozzles 6 is designed according to the width of the collection head.

[0031] The width of the collection head is designed according to the production capacity, vehicle speed, etc., and follows the general collection head width design standard. The formula can be referred to for calculation: wherein: is combined with the collection efficiency (production capacity), is the speed of the mine car, is the width of the collection head, is combined with the abundance, is the collection rate. The technical design of this scheme is to adapt to any collection head width and does not limit the width of the collection head of the mining car. Here, the width is used to indicate that the number of nozzles is determined by someone.

[0032] And the jet direction of the front row jet nozzle 6 forms an acute angle with the seabed plane, forming a high-intensity upflow field mainly for forming a strong upflow field to push the nodules from the bottom into the collection area.

[0033] The rear row jet system 4 includes a plurality of rear row jet nozzles 61, the number of which is relatively small, 3-5 times the diameter of the nozzle itself, and less than 50% of the front row jet nozzle 6, the jet direction forms a complementary angle with the front row jet nozzle 6, and the jet velocity is reduced by 30%-50%, which can reduce the jet energy consumption and the degree of disturbance to the sediment while ensuring the effective stripping of the nodules. Ultimately, it plays a role in assisting the stability of the upflow field, avoiding the imbalance of the front and rear flow fields.

[0034] In addition, the horizontal jet system 5 is located above the rear row jet system 4 and includes a plurality of horizontal jet nozzles 62, each horizontal jet nozzle 62 has a spacing of 4-6 times the diameter of the nozzle itself. The horizontal fluid jetted by the horizontal jet nozzle 62 combines with the upflow field, the jet direction is parallel to the seabed plane, and the jet velocity is synchronized with the travel speed of the mining vehicle through closed-loop control. The horizontal jet system 5 can reduce the relative movement speed of the nodules and the mining vehicle. To extend the movement time of the nodules in the fluid, by controlling the jet velocity of the horizontal jet nozzle 62, the horizontal movement speed of the nodules is close to the travel speed of the mining vehicle, avoiding the nodules from separating from the flow field too early, and improving the collection rate.

[0035] Then, the central control system of the present embodiment can real-time regulate the jet angle and flow rate of the annular nozzle 22, the jet angle and velocity of the front and rear row jet nozzles 61, and the jet angle and velocity of the horizontal jet nozzle 62, to ensure the balance of the flow field under different jet velocities. And the asymmetric (positionally asymmetric) double-row jet system combined with the horizontal jet design can maintain the stability of the entire system's flow field under the condition of imbalance of the jet velocity of the front and rear row jet nozzles 61 through the intervention of the horizontal flow field.

[0036] The inlet cross section of the collection channel 8 is in a rectangular structure, the surface of the flow guide plate 7 is covered with an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene wear-resistant layer and is inclined at an angle of 15°-25°, which is used to guide the nodules to slide into the collection channel 8; The junction between the collection channel 8 and the flow guide plate 7 is provided with a round corner to reduce the damage of the nodules caused by collision. And the inner flow passage surface of the collection channel 8 is polished, combined with the round corner provided at the junction of the flow guide plate 7, while avoiding the sudden change of the flow field.

[0037] The front row jet system 3 in the present embodiment impacts the seabed with high-speed water flow, strips the nodules and forms an initial upflow field; the rear row jet system 4 assists the flow rate to fill the flow field gap of the front row jet, preventing the nodules from falling back; the horizontal jet forms a horizontal traction on the nodule rising path, offsetting the flow field deviation when the mining vehicle is traveling.

[0038] Embodiment 2

[0039] On the basis of Embodiment 1, this embodiment is provided with a continuous (or alternating) first curvature changing section 82 and a second curvature changing section 83 on the inner wall of the collection channel 8, and a beam structure 81 is formed by the first curvature changing section 82 and the second curvature changing section 83. Specifically, the first curvature changing section 82 is a concave arc structure, and the second curvature changing section 83 is a convex arc structure, and the curvature, size and other parameters are designed to match the target production capacity and collection rate indicators. The first curvature changing section 82 and the second curvature changing section 83 are staggered to form a tapered flow channel state. When the fluid passes through the beam structure 81 to narrow the flow cross section, the fluid speed increases, and low pressure is generated near the high-speed flowing fluid, thereby producing adsorption effect, enhancing the transport speed and capacity of particles.

[0040] This embodiment is provided with three kinds of beam structures 81 shown in Figure 8 The main difference among the three beam structures 81 is the arc surface of the beam section (i.e., the curvature design of the first curvature changing section 82 and the second curvature changing section 83 is different, which specifically includes the contraction speed of the structure shape, the degree of channel contraction, and the fluid speed improvement effect brought by it.

[0041] The three structures from left to right are: slow change type, medium taper type and fast contraction type, which are suitable for different operation requirements. According to the seabed ore distribution in the operation area, the particle rising speed and the required recovery capacity of the collection channel 8 and other indicators, the appropriate beam structure 81 is reasonably selected to ensure the efficiency and stability of the collection system.

[0042] The first structure ( Figure 8 The left figure) adopts an arc surface with a larger curvature radius, that is, the radian is relatively slow, and the overall structure is relatively gentle. This design makes the contraction degree of the channel smaller, and the fluid acceleration is more moderate, which is suitable for the case where the motion speed of the collection object is low. For example, when the collection nodule particle rises slowly, in order to prevent the particles from accumulating or separating from the main flow area in the contraction area, this slow change structure should be used. Generally, in such structure, the minimum bending radius of the curvature plate is 50-70 cm, the contraction length of the beam section is longer, and the cross section change range is small.

[0043] The second structure ( Figure 8 The middle figure) adopts a composite curvature design of slow in front and fast in back, the front section changes gently, and the back section gradually and quickly contracts. This structure can provide certain fluid acceleration capacity, and will not produce too sharp pressure change, which is suitable for general scenarios, such as uneven particle size or medium collection speed. The bending radius of the front curvature plate of this structure is generally 45 to 55 cm, and the bending radius of the back curvature plate is 25 to 35 cm. In the channel contraction area of the whole beam section, the fluid speed can be obviously improved, and it has good particle introduction capacity.

[0044] The third structure ( Figure 8 The right-hand image shows an arc-shaped design with the fastest contraction speed and steepest curvature, suitable for operations with sparse particle distribution or high sampling speed requirements. This structure's channel contracts rapidly over a short distance, significantly increasing fluid velocity in a short time and creating a strong adsorption effect in a localized area, thereby enhancing the traction capacity for small or low-inertia particles. The structure has a small bending radius, typically 20-30 cm, and the channel's cross-section changes significantly within the contraction section, making it suitable for deep-sea operations in areas with unstable flow and the need for rapid particle aggregation.

[0045] The beam structure 81 is preferably made of polyurethane-based composite elastomer material, which gives it a certain elastic deformation capability. Through elastic compensation, it can cope with the situation of excessive instantaneous particle volume and avoid particle blockage and energy loss caused by fixed structure.

[0046] The aforementioned central control system can be equipped with a Doppler current meter, pressure sensor, and nodule size recognition camera; these are respectively deployed at the front end of the acquisition head, the inlet of the guide plate 7, and the constriction section of the beam structure 81. Based on the nodule size distribution, the velocity of the front jet and the angle of the annular jet are dynamically allocated. The required velocity of the horizontal jet is calculated in real time and adjusted according to the flow field pressure deviation. When the deformation of the beam structure 81 exceeds the limit, the velocity of the front jet is reduced, while the annular jet is pressurized.

[0047] This embodiment also provides rhomboid reinforcing ribs 84 on the inner wall of the acquisition channel 8 near the beam structure 81. The rhomboid reinforcing ribs 84 are distributed in a 45° staggered grid to prevent flow field distortion caused by excessive deformation of the beam structure 81.

[0048] This implementation can also be equipped with an angle adjustment device 23, which can adjust the angles of the front and rear jet systems in real time according to the nodule collection efficiency, with a response time of less than 0.5 seconds, an IP68 waterproof rating, and adaptability to water depths of up to 6000 meters. The angle adjustment device 23 can also dynamically optimize the jet angle according to the nodule size (large particles are sprayed at a large angle of 45° to enhance lift).

[0049] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A deep-sea polymetallic nodule fast-recovery device of an aggregated upwelling flow configuration, characterized in that, The application relates to a double-shot collecting head (1), a ring-shaped jet flow system (2), a beam flow structure (81) and a central control system, wherein the double-shot collecting head (1) comprises a front row jet flow system (3), a rear row jet flow system (4), a horizontal jet flow system (5), a guide plate (7) and a collecting channel (8). The ring-shaped jet flow system (2) is arranged inside the double-shot collecting head (1) and located at the intersection of the guide plate (7) and the collecting channel (8), the ring-shaped jet flow system (2) comprises a ring-shaped channel (21) arranged in the collecting channel (8), a ring-shaped nozzle (22) arranged on the inner side of the ring-shaped channel (21), a fixing frame (25) arranged at the outer end of the ring-shaped channel (21) and a spiral groove (26) engraved on the inner wall of the ring-shaped channel (21).

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The cross section of the ring-shaped channel (21) is in an elliptical structure. The ratio of the front axis to the rear axis of the cross section of the ring-shaped channel (21) is pre-selected and size-optimized according to the flow field requirement.

3. A deep sea polymetallic nodule rapid mining device of the aggregated upflow field configuration according to claim 2, characterized in that, The surface of the spiral groove (26) is provided with a corrosion-resistant layer composed of high-density polymer.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein, The fixing frame (25) has 4-6 fixing frames, and the ring-shaped channel (21) is fixed inside the double-shot collecting head (1) through the fixing frames (25).

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein, The ring-shaped nozzle (22) has 6-12 ring-shaped nozzles, and the ring-shaped nozzles (22) are uniformly distributed on the inner wall of the ring-shaped channel (21). The ring-shaped nozzles (22) are embedded on the inner wall of the ring-shaped channel (21), and the jet direction of the ring-shaped nozzle (22) and the tangent angle of the inner wall of the ring-shaped channel (21) are 30-45 degrees. The ring-shaped nozzle (22) is communicated with a hose (24) at the jet flow inlet.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein, The front row jet flow system (3) comprises front row jet flow nozzles (6), and the number of the front row jet flow nozzles (6) is 1.5-3 times the nozzle diameter.

7. A rapid deep-sea nodule collector device of the aggregated upflow field configuration according to claim 6, characterized in that, The rear row jet flow system (4) comprises rear row jet flow nozzles (61), and the number of the rear row jet flow nozzles (61) is 3-5 times the nozzle diameter.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein, The horizontal jet flow system (5) is located above the rear row jet flow system (4) and comprises a plurality of horizontal jet flow nozzles (62), and the nozzle spacing in the horizontal jet flow system (5) is 4-6 times the nozzle diameter.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein, The inlet cross section of the collecting channel (8) is in a rectangular structure, the surface of the guide plate (7) is covered with an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene wear-resistant layer and is inclined at an angle of 15-25 degrees. A round corner is arranged at the joint of the collecting channel (8) and the guide plate (7).

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the device is characterized in that: The inner wall of the collecting channel (8) is provided with a first curvature change section (82) and a second curvature change section (83) and sequentially alternately forms a beam flow structure (81), the first curvature change section (82) is in a concave arc structure, the second curvature change section (83) is in a convex arc structure, and the first curvature change section (82) and the second curvature change section (83) are staggered to form a gradually tapered flow channel state. The beam flow structure (81) is composed of a polyurethane-based composite elastomer material. The inner wall of the collecting channel (8) is provided with diamond-shaped reinforcing ribs (84) near the beam flow structure (81), and the diamond-shaped reinforcing ribs (84) are arranged in a 45-degree staggered grid.

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