Drag-type mineral particle collection device dynamically attached to seabed micro-topography and walking method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography, comprising a mud sled plate arranged on each side of a mineral collecting head, the upper portion of the mud sled plate being fixedly connected to a plurality of shock-absorbing connecting rods, the tops of the plurality of shock-absorbing connecting rods converging into a hinge point, and the mineral collecting head being hinged to the hinge point; the two hinge points each lead out a hinged second connecting rod backward, the hinged second connecting rod comprising an upper hinged connecting rod hinged to a mining vehicle body and a lower hinged connecting rod hinged to the hinge point; an angle less than 90 degrees is formed between the upper hinged connecting rod and the lower hinged connecting rod, the upper hinged connecting rod having an upwardly bent portion, so that: when the mining vehicle body moves forward, the lower hinged connecting rod applies a forward pulling force to the hinge point; the bottom of the mineral collecting head is spaced a set distance from the bottom of the mud sled plate, and the hinged second connecting rod has no effect on the said distance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a seabed mineral particle collection device, in particular to a towed mineral particle collection device and method that dynamically adheres to seabed micro-topography, belonging to the technical field of seabed mining. Background Art

[0002] Nowadays, environmental disturbance and cost-effectiveness have become two hot topics in deep-sea mining. Therefore, designing and developing mining equipment that can collect seabed ores with high efficiency and low disturbance is of great strategic value.

[0003] Deficiencies of existing technology and their causes:

[0004] 1) The existing self-adjusting device ignores the fragility of surface sediments and presses the seabed too violently. Not only does the position and posture of the collecting head fail to be adjusted properly, but it also increases the amount of suspended sediments, causing environmental damage.

[0005] 2) The design of existing ore-collecting equipment cannot avoid the surface soft sediments often causing the mining vehicle to slide, while ignoring the disturbance of the sediments by the tracks.

[0006] 3) Although the existing design scheme takes into account the structural optimization of the ore collecting device, it lacks optimization for the coordination between the ore collecting head and the mining vehicle, resulting in a waste of space resources.

[0007] 4) Although some existing ore collectors use a suspended structure to avoid the disturbance of sediments by the crawler, the vibration and weight changes during the mining process can cause them to move or rotate, making it difficult to ensure operational stability.

[0008] Comparison of patent documents list:

[0009] 1) CN110671111A, a deep-sea self-regulating ore collection mechanism, published on September 30, 2022;

[0010] 2) CN209100040U, a collection mechanism for a submarine ore collection vehicle, published on July 12, 2019;

[0011] 3) CN214007151U, a hydraulic ore collecting head with self-adjusting jet attitude based on the Coanda effect, published on August 20, 2021;

[0012] 4) CN114135289A, fully suspended terrain-following seabed mining machine, published on March 4, 2022. Summary of the Invention

[0013] The present invention proposes a towed mineral particle collection device and method that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography, which has the advantages of high mineral collection efficiency and low environmental disturbance. It solves the problems of traditional mining vehicle tracks causing large disturbance to sediments and easy slipping, unstable height of the mineral collection head from the bottom, and low collection efficiency.

[0014] A towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography includes a mud sled 4 arranged on both sides of a mineral collecting head 3, the upper part of the mud sled 4 is fixedly connected to a plurality of shock-absorbing links 7, the tops of the plurality of shock-absorbing links 7 converge at a hinge point, and the mineral collecting head 3 is hinged to the hinge point; each of the two hinge points leads to a hinged second link backward, and the hinged second link includes an upper hinge link 1 hinged to a mining vehicle body 8 and a lower hinge link 2 hinged to the hinge point; there is an angle of less than 90 degrees between the upper hinge link 1 and the lower hinge link 2, and the upper hinge link 1 has an upward bending portion, so that: when the mining vehicle body 8 moves forward, the lower hinge link 2 applies a forward pulling force to the hinge point; the bottom of the mineral collecting head 3 is at a set distance from the bottom of the mud sled 4, and the hinged second link has no effect on the distance.

[0015] Preferably, a first hydraulic cylinder for buffering is provided between the mining vehicle body 8 and the articulated link upper stage 1 , and another second hydraulic cylinder for buffering is provided between the articulated link upper stage 1 and the articulated link lower stage 2 .

[0016] Preferably, the length direction of the mud sled 4 and the length direction of the crawler track 5 of the mining vehicle body 8 are located on the same straight line, and the widths of the two are the same.

[0017] Preferably, the ore conveying metal hose 6 serves as a ore passage between the ore collecting head 3 and the mining vehicle body 8, and will bend, stretch, and deform as the position between the two changes, ensuring that the ore particles can be transported upward in a timely manner.

[0018] Preferably, two mud sleds 4 are respectively arranged at both ends of the ore collecting head 3, with the bottom being a rectangular plane extending forward along the traveling direction and tilted about 45° at the front end, so that they can quickly cut in when the terrain changes.

[0019] Preferably, it also includes: a mineral particle enrichment mechanism, which includes a pair of outward-expanding jet nozzles symmetrically installed on both sides in front of the mineral collecting head, and the directions of the pair of outward-expanding jet nozzles are: in the horizontal plane perspective, each is aimed at the oblique rear direction between the two; in the vertical perspective, each is inclined downward; a double-sided convex curved wall mineral collecting mechanism, which includes a row of jet nozzles 07 and 08 arranged on the front and rear sides of the mineral collecting head, and the directions of the two rows of jet nozzles 07 and 08 are: in the horizontal perspective, they are arranged opposite to each other; in the vertical perspective, each is inclined downward; a symmetrical two-way mineral collecting water flow circulation is formed between the mineral particle enrichment mechanism and the double-sided convex curved wall mineral collecting mechanism.

[0020] Furthermore, it also includes a water supply pipeline system, on which a first flow distribution valve 05 and a second flow distribution valve 06 are provided; the first flow distribution valve 05 is divided into two water outlets, corresponding to: an outward-expanding jet nozzle located on one side and an outward-expanding jet nozzle located on the other side; the second flow distribution valve 06 is divided into two water outlets, corresponding to: a first jet nozzle 08 located behind the ore collecting head and a second jet nozzle 07 located in front of the ore collecting head.

[0021] Furthermore, a baffle 013 is provided above the spraying direction of the pair of outward-expanding jet nozzles to guide the sprayed water flow.

[0022] Furthermore, the baffle 13 is fixed on a pair of mud skids, and the mud skids are fixedly connected to the ore collecting head through elastic devices, so that when the baffle 13 contacts the seabed, the ore collecting head and the seabed have an adjustable distance.

[0023] Furthermore, the water supply pipeline system includes a water pump 04, and the water pump 04 of the water supply pipeline system adopts a pulsating jet method; a pair of water pumps 04 are used, each serving as a link in one of the two ore-collecting water flow cycles.

[0024] Furthermore, a filter 03 is provided at the water inlet of the water pump 04. Under the action of the filter 07, the mineral particles and the seawater-sediment mixture are separated: the mineral particles fall downward into the ore storage box, and the seawater-sediment mixture passes through the filter 07 and is transported to the flow distribution valve 05 along the drainage pipes on both sides of the water pump 04; the drainage pipes each serve as a link in one of the two mineral collection water flow circulations.

[0025] Furthermore, the ore collecting pipe wall above the outlet of the first jet nozzle 08 and the second jet nozzle 07 is designed to be a streamlined convex curved wall structure that bulges downward. When the mineral particles are enriched in the operating area of ​​the ore collecting head, the first jet nozzle 08 and the second jet nozzle 07 at the front and back of the ore collecting head spray high-speed jets at a set flow rate ratio, and use the Coanda effect to flush, loosen, peel, push and lift the mineral particles on the seabed surface. The high-speed water flow forms a high and low pressure difference at the near wall and far wall of the streamlined convex curved wall structure, so that the mineral particles tend to move along the curved wall toward the ore collecting outlet.

[0026] Preferably, it also includes: a skateboard device 002; two sets of crawler devices 001 arranged on both sides thereof; the crawler device 001 includes a light frame 007 composed of rods, and two sets of sprocket devices are fixed on both sides of the light frame 007; the sprocket device includes a double-headed sprocket at the front and rear, two parallel chains 005 are fixed on the double-headed sprockets at the front and rear, and a plurality of bionic growlers 004 are fixed between the two parallel chains 005; so that: the interior of the entire crawler device 001 is a hollow light structure; the skateboard device 002 includes a mud sled 009 and a stepless lifting device 003; the body of the stepless lifting device 003 is fixed as a whole with the light frames 007 on both sides, and its top rod is connected downward to the mud sled 009, and the crawler device 001 can be lifted upward by pushing the mud sled 009 downward.

[0027] Furthermore, the skateboard device 002 also includes an upper base plate 0015, a lower base plate 0011, and a sliding screw 0010. The lower end of the lower base plate 0011 is fixedly connected to the mud sled 009, and the upper end is fixedly connected to the upper base plate 0015 through the sliding screw 0010. The upper base plate 0015 is fixedly connected to the light frame 007 on both sides thereof.

[0028] Furthermore, one of the front and rear double-ended sprockets is a driving wheel 8.

[0029] Furthermore, the stepless lifting device 003 includes a waterproof motor I0012; the stepless lifting device 003 is powered by the waterproof motor I0012, driving the eight sliding screws 0010 to extend and retract, thereby controlling the distance between the upper base plate 0011 and the lower base plate 0015, and realizing the lifting function of the mud sled 009.

[0030] Furthermore, the bionic grouser 004 and the chain are provided with a detachable structure; the bionic grouser 004 is composed of a straight plate portion at the root and an arc portion at the end, wherein the arc portion is bent backward.

[0031] A walking method of the above-mentioned towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography,

[0032] When the ore collector is traveling on a downhill or flat surface, the mud sled 009 is lowered by the stepless lifting device 003 to a height sufficient to lift the crawler device 001 off the ground. At this time, all power is provided by the ore collector's own gravity and the propeller.

[0033] When the ore collector is traveling on an uphill or slippery road, the mud sled 009 is raised by the stepless lifting device 003 to a height sufficient for the mud sled 009 to be in contact with the ground. At this time, all the power is provided by the bulldozer and propeller of the bionic grouser 004.

[0034] When the ore collector is in a slipping or even sinking condition, the mud sled 009 is pressed down by the stepless lifting device 003, raising the height of the crawler device 001, and achieving the effect of self-rescue through the action of the grouser bulldozer and the propeller.

[0035] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0036] 1) [Reduce the slip rate of the track and reduce the amount of suspended sediment] Studies have shown that the smaller the porosity of the sediment soil, the denser the particles, the greater the interlocking friction, and the greater the energy required for shear failure. Therefore, by pre-loading the seabed with the mud sleds on both sides of the mining head, the water in the saturated soil on the surface of the sediment will be subjected to excess pore water pressure. As the excess pore water pressure dissipates, the pore water in the surface sediment soil is discharged, and the ratio of the pore volume in the soil to the volume of its solid particles, that is, the porosity, decreases, resulting in permeation consolidation. The local shear stress of the seabed increases, so it can more effectively resist the shear stress from the rear track, which can prevent the track from slipping and inhibit the suspension and diffusion of sediment.

[0037] 2) [Stable collection efficiency] The ore collecting head is connected to the mining vehicle using an articulated connecting rod mechanism, so that the ore collecting head can be passively adjusted according to the terrain. Avoid the height of the ore collecting device being too low or too high. When the ore collecting head is too low from the bottom, on the one hand, a large amount of sediment is sucked into the ore collecting device, which not only increases the burden on the ore collecting system, but also disturbs the seabed environment; on the other hand, due to the geometric structure of the ore collecting head, especially the hydraulic ore collecting head, its structure is crucial to the formation of the ore collecting flow field. The present invention adopts a unique articulated two-link structure to achieve the transformation of thrust into pulling force. The bottom of the ore collecting head has a set distance from the bottom of the mud sled, and the articulated two-link has no effect on the said distance; it can effectively prevent the ore collecting head from colliding with the seabed rocks, causing deformation, and thus affecting the ore collecting efficiency. In addition, when the ore collecting head is too high from the seabed, the ore collecting efficiency will be greatly reduced. Research has shown that hydraulic ore collection devices are very sensitive to the height from the bottom. A 10mm difference in the bottom distance can cause the collection rate to differ by more than 80%. The drag-type ore collection device designed in this invention can effectively control the height from the bottom within a small range, thereby keeping the ore collection efficiency stable at a high level.

[0038] 3) [Adaptable to complex and changing seabed terrain] The unique design of the mud sled, with its front end tilted upward, allows for timely adjustment without collision when the terrain ahead changes. Furthermore, the mud sled rotates relative to the collection head, maintaining close contact with the seabed during travel, making the entire collection device more easily adaptable to complex and changing seabed terrain. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional diagram of the towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography of the present invention. Figure 1 .

[0040] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional diagram of the towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography of the present invention. Figure 2 .

[0041] Figure 3 This is a bird's-eye view of the towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography of the present invention. Figure 1 .

[0042] Figure 4 This is a bird's-eye view of the towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography of the present invention. Figure 2 .

[0043] Figure 5 This is a side view of the towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography of the present invention. Figure 1 .

[0044] Figure 6 This is a side view of the towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography of the present invention. Figure 2 .

[0045] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a double-sided wall-attached pulsating jet seabed mineral particle collection device that gathers first and then mines (the ore collection box is removed).

[0046] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of a symmetrical two-way ore-collecting water flow circulation formed between the ore-enriching mechanism of the double-sided wall-attached pulsating jet seabed ore-collecting device that gathers first and then mines (the ore-collecting box is removed).

[0047] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a double-sided wall-attached pulsating jet seabed mineral particle collection device that gathers first and then mines (the ore collection box is retained).

[0048] Figure 10 It is a schematic diagram of the wall jet ore collection module.

[0049] Figure 11 This is a top view of the mining vehicle.

[0050] Figure 12 This is a three-dimensional image of a mining vehicle.

[0051] Figure 13 It is a structural diagram of the bionic track.

[0052] Figure 14 It is a structural diagram of a crawler device.

[0053] Figure 15 It is a schematic diagram of a slide device and an infinite lifting device.

[0054] In the figure, 1- upper articulated link, 2- lower articulated link, 3- ore collecting head, 4- mud sled, 5- crawler track, 6- ore conveying metal hose, 7- shock absorbing link, 8- mining vehicle body;

[0055] In the figure, 03. filter screen, 04. water pump, 05. first flow distribution valve, 06. second flow distribution valve, 07. second jet nozzle, 08. first jet nozzle, 013. baffle;

[0056] In the figure, 001. Track device, 002. Slide plate device, 003. Stepless lifting device, 004. Bionic grouser, 005. Chain, 006. Support wheel, 007. Light frame, 008. Driving wheel, 009. Mud sled, 0010. Sliding screw, 0011. Lower base plate, 0012. Waterproof motor I, 0013. Waterproof motor II, 0014. Worm gear reducer, 0015. Upper base plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0058] This embodiment is divided into the following three parts:

[0059] Part 1:

[0060] See also Figure 1-6 The lifting mechanism that lifts up and down of described lifting mechanism is hinged on the lifting mechanism that lifts up and down of described lifting mechanism, and the lifting mechanism of lifting up and down of described lifting mechanism is hinged on the lifting mechanism that lifts up and down of described lifting mechanism.

[0061] In this embodiment, a first hydraulic cylinder for buffering is provided between the mining vehicle body 8 and the articulated link upper stage 1 , and another second hydraulic cylinder for buffering is provided between the articulated link upper stage 1 and the articulated link lower stage 2 .

[0062] In this embodiment, the length direction of the mud sled 4 and the length direction of the crawler track 5 of the mining vehicle body 8 are located on the same straight line, and the widths of the two are the same.

[0063] In this embodiment, the ore conveying metal hose 6 serves as a ore passage between the ore collecting head 3 and the mining vehicle body 8, and will bend, stretch, and deform as the position between the two changes, ensuring that the ore can be transported upward in a timely manner.

[0064] In this embodiment, two mud sleds 4 are respectively arranged at both ends of the ore collecting head 3, and their bottoms are rectangular planes, extending forward along the direction of travel and tilted about 45° at the front end, so that they can quickly cut in when the terrain changes.

[0065] The height of the ore-collecting device from the seabed in deep-sea mining often plays a decisive role in the collection efficiency. If the height is too high, the efficiency of ore collection will be greatly reduced; if the height is too low, the ore-collecting device will come into contact with the surface sediments of the seabed or the seabed rocks. The former will cause large-scale disturbance and suspension of the seabed sediments, and the latter is very likely to cause damage to the ore-collecting device. Therefore, it is very important to ensure that the ore-collecting device has a constant height from the bottom during the movement of the mining vehicle. However, the existing ore-collecting device and the mining vehicle are mostly rigidly connected. The position and angle changes of the mining vehicle itself will cause the height of the ore-collecting device from the bottom to fluctuate greatly, thereby causing many of the above-mentioned problems. The present invention designs a towing-type ore-collecting device with an articulated structure, which connects the ore-collecting head to the mining vehicle through an articulated mechanism, provides an oblique upward pulling force for the ore-collecting head, and provides the ore-collecting head with sufficient freedom in the vertical direction, so that the height of the ore-collecting head from the bottom remains stable, significantly improving the ore-collecting effect.

[0066] The movement of the crawler tracks will cause disturbance and suspension of the sediments, and the amount of suspension is related to the degree of consolidation of the seabed sediments. The mud sled structure on both sides of the ore collecting head designed in the present invention, on the one hand, controls the height of the ore collecting device from the bottom to remain unchanged; on the other hand, it utilizes the adsorption effect of the ore collecting device on the seabed during the ore collecting operation to pre-apply a uniform load to the sediments that will be crushed by the crawler tracks, so as to produce a consolidation effect, increase the local shear strength of the sediments, and reduce the slip rate of the crawler tracks.

[0067] The ore collecting head 3 is connected to the mining vehicle body 8 via two articulated links 1 and 2 on either side. The angle between the upper and lower articulated links is acute, exerting a forward driving force and an upward pulling force on the ore collecting head 3. This mechanism does not restrict the displacement of the ore collecting head 3 in the vertical direction. As the terrain changes, the angle between the articulated links 1 and 2 decreases or increases as the ore collecting head 3 rises and falls, ensuring that the ore collecting head 3 is always subjected to an oblique upward driving force without affecting its height from the bottom. At the same time, the ore conveying metal hose 6, which serves as a channel for ore particles between the ore collecting head 3 and the mining vehicle body 8, will also deform, such as bending and expanding, as the position between the two changes, ensuring that the ore particles can be transported upward in a timely manner.

[0068] Two mud sleds 4 are arranged at both ends of the ore collecting head 3, with a rectangular plane at the bottom, extending forward along the direction of travel and tilted about 45 degrees at the front end. When the terrain changes, they can quickly cut in without a major collision.

[0069] Each side of the mud sled 4 is connected to the ore collecting head 3 via three damping links 7. The damping links 7 can only deform in their length. It should be noted that the damping links 7 are relatively rigid and generally maintain a certain length during operation, thereby ensuring that the height of the ore collecting head from the bottom remains constant.

[0070] The two crawlers 5 of the mining vehicle are respectively arranged right behind the mud sleds 4 on both sides of the ore collecting head 3, and the two have the same width.

[0071] When the mining vehicle is in operation, the ore collecting head 3 slides forward under the traction of the articulated connecting rod 2, first entering the mining area to collect ore. As it collects, the mud sled 4 presses over the soft seabed surface, causing the sediment it passes through to penetrate and consolidate. The rear crawler 5 then enters the compacted and consolidated area.

[0072] From the above, it can be seen that the present invention:

[0073] "Reduce the slip rate of the tracks and reduce the amount of suspended sediment." Research has shown that the smaller the porosity of the sediment soil, the denser the particles, the greater the interlocking friction, and the greater the energy required for shear failure. Therefore, by pre-loading the seabed with the mud sleds on both sides of the mining head, the water in the saturated soil on the surface of the sediment will be subjected to excess pore water pressure. As the excess pore water pressure dissipates, the pore water in the surface sediment soil is discharged, and the ratio of the pore volume in the soil to the volume of its solid particles, that is, the porosity, decreases, resulting in permeation consolidation. The local shear stress of the seabed increases, making it more effectively able to resist the shear stress from the rear track, preventing the track from slipping and suppressing the suspension and diffusion of sediment.

[0074] "Stable collection efficiency", the ore collecting head is connected to the mining vehicle by an articulated connecting rod mechanism, so that the ore collecting head can be passively adjusted according to the terrain. Avoid the height of the ore collecting device being too low or too high. When the ore collecting head is too low from the bottom, on the one hand, a large amount of sediment is sucked into the ore collecting device, which not only increases the burden on the ore collecting system, but also disturbs the seabed environment; on the other hand, due to the geometric structure of the ore collecting head, especially the hydraulic ore collecting head, its structure is crucial to the formation of the ore collecting flow field. The present invention adopts a unique articulated two-link structure to realize the transformation of thrust into pulling force. The bottom of the ore collecting head has a set distance from the bottom of the mud sled, and the articulated two-link has no effect on the said distance; it can effectively prevent the ore collecting head from colliding with the seabed rocks, causing deformation, and thus affecting the ore collecting efficiency. In addition, when the ore collecting head is too high from the seabed, the ore collecting efficiency will be greatly reduced. Research has shown that hydraulic ore collection devices are very sensitive to the height from the bottom. A 10mm difference in the bottom distance can cause the collection rate to differ by more than 80%. The drag-type ore collection device designed in this invention can effectively control the height from the bottom within a small range, thereby keeping the ore collection efficiency stable at a high level.

[0075] "It can cope with complex and changing seabed terrain." The unique design of the mud sled, with its front end tilted upward, allows for timely adjustment to the terrain ahead without collision. Furthermore, the mud sled can rotate relative to the collection head, keeping it in close contact with the seabed during travel, making the entire collection device more easily adaptable to complex and changing seabed terrain.

[0076] Part II:

[0077] See also Figure 7-12 A double-sided wall-attached pulsating jet-type seabed mineral particle collection device that gathers first and then mines, including: a mineral particle enrichment mechanism, which includes a pair of outward-expanding jet nozzles symmetrically installed on both sides in front of the mineral collection head, and the directions of the pair of outward-expanding jet nozzles are: in the horizontal plane perspective, each is aimed at the oblique rear direction between the two; in the vertical perspective, each is inclined downward; a double-sided convex curved wall mineral collection mechanism, which includes a row of jet nozzles 07 and 08 arranged on the front and rear sides of the mineral collection head, and the directions of the two rows of jet nozzles 07 and 08 are: in the horizontal perspective, they are arranged opposite to each other; in the vertical perspective, each is inclined downward; a symmetrical two-way mineral collection water flow circulation is formed between the mineral particle enrichment mechanism and the double-sided convex curved wall mineral collection mechanism.

[0078] See also Figure 7 and Figure 10 , also includes a water supply pipeline system, on which is provided a flow distribution valve 5, the flow distribution valve 5 is divided into four water outlets, and the four water outlets correspond respectively to: a first jet nozzle 8 located behind the ore collecting head; a second jet nozzle 7 located in front of the ore collecting head; an outward-expanding jet nozzle located on one side; and an outward-expanding jet nozzle located on the other side.

[0079] See also Figure 7 and Figure 11 A baffle 013 is provided above the spraying direction of the pair of outward-expanding jet nozzles to guide the sprayed water flow.

[0080] See also Figure 11 The baffle 013 is fixed on a pair of skids, and the skids are fixedly connected to the ore collecting head through an elastic device, so that when the baffle 013 contacts the seabed, the ore collecting head and the seabed have an adjustable distance.

[0081] See also Figure 7 The water supply pipeline system includes a water pump 04, and the water pump 04 of the water supply pipeline system adopts a pulsating jet method.

[0082] Combine Figure 7 and Figure 8 The water pumps 04 are a pair, each serving as a link in one of the two ore-collecting water flow cycles.

[0083] Combine Figure 7 and Figure 9 The water inlet of the water pump 04 is provided with a filter 03. Under the action of the filter 07, the mineral particles and the seawater-sediment mixture are separated: the mineral particles fall downward into the ore storage box, and the seawater-sediment mixture passes through the filter 07 and is transported to the flow distribution valve 05 along the drainage pipes on both sides of the water pump 04; the drainage pipes each serve as a link in one of the two mineral collection water flow circulations.

[0084] See also Figure 10 The ore collecting pipe wall above the outlet of the first jet nozzle 08 and the second jet nozzle 07 is designed to be a streamlined convex curved wall structure that bulges downward. When the mineral particles are enriched in the operating area of ​​the ore collecting head, the first jet nozzle 08 and the second jet nozzle 07 at the front and back of the ore collecting head spray high-speed jets according to the set flow rate ratio, and use the Coanda effect to flush, loosen, peel, push and lift the mineral particles on the seabed surface. The high-speed water flow forms a high and low pressure difference at the near wall and far wall of the streamlined convex curved wall structure, so that the mineral particles have a tendency to move along the curved wall toward the ore collecting outlet.

[0085] Principle of double-sided convex curved wall attached pulsating jet type ore collection:

[0086] According to the double-sided convex curved wall attached jet type ore collection principle, its basis is based on the Coanda effect ( The main principle of the wall-coated jet hydraulic ore collection method is that the jet flows along the convex curved wall. The area near the convex wall has high velocity and low pressure, while the area away from the convex wall has low velocity and high pressure. The coarse ore particles are forced to move under the pressure gradient. The characteristics of this ore collection method are that the ore inlet of the ore collection device does not directly contact the seabed, and the water jet adheres to the solid wall of the ore collection device, which minimizes the impact on the surface sediments.

[0087] According to the Coanda effect, the mineral particles are set in motion by the jets from the two rows of jet nozzles 07 and 08, and move along the convex curved wall of the collecting head under the action of the pressure gradient. Under the action of the water pump 04 inside the collecting car, they are sucked into the collecting car through the pipeline together with the seawater-sediment mixture. Under the action of the filter 03, the mineral particles and the seawater-sediment mixture are separated. The mineral particles enter the ore storage box ( Figure 9 The ore collection box is shown in the figure. The seawater-sediment mixture is collected along the two pipes at the circulating water outlet (i.e., flow distribution valve 05), which has an internal electric valve. The electric valve in the first flow distribution valve 05 controls the circulating water flow to a pair of outward-expanding jet nozzles, while the electric valve in the second flow distribution valve 06 controls the circulating water flow to the two rows of jet nozzles 07 and 08. Finally, a circulating flow operation is cleverly achieved.

[0088] When the enrichment module is working, the decision-making system will adjust the jet intensity ejected from the nozzle based on information such as the type, shape, and density of the mineral particles in the current mining area, driving the mineral particles to be enriched in the middle; at the same time, the jet height can be adjusted through the height adjustment device according to different environments to maximize the enrichment efficiency.

[0089] From this we can see the following innovations:

[0090] "Double-sided convex curved wall ore collection head design" - Geometric structure innovation

[0091] The geometric structure of the ore collection head has been optimized to address the problems of the current mainstream ore collection methods in China and internationally: the jet-type ore collection method has a high ore collection rate, but consumes a lot of energy and causes significant disturbance to the seabed sediments; the single-sided wall-attached jet method generates a vortex-disturbed flow field, resulting in a suboptimal collection rate, a high flow rate required during mining, and particle trajectories that need to be optimized. The present invention designs a double-sided convex curved wall ore collection head with a smoother linear shape to replace the original single-sided convex curved wall, achieving higher collection efficiency, effectively eliminating vortices, and optimizing particle motion trajectories. At the same flow rate, the ore collection rate of the double-sided convex curved wall ore collection head is always greater than that of the single-sided convex curved wall. Moreover, the rate of increase in the collection rate of the double-sided convex curved wall tends to decrease with increasing flow rate. At the same time, the present invention solves the problem of large local low-pressure areas near the recirculation area within the ore conveying square tube in the single-sided convex curved wall ore collection model, thereby optimizing the ore particle motion trajectory. The present invention can achieve high-efficiency, low-energy, and low-disturbance seabed ore collection, requiring less flow and more stable collection performance.

[0092] "Mineral Particle Enrichment Device Design" - Functional Expansion

[0093] In traditional mining vehicle designs, a mining vehicle can only collect ore particles within the width of the collecting head while traveling. This results in a longer planned route when operating in mining areas with a lower density of ore particles, resulting in poor economic efficiency. However, the present invention utilizes a pre-placed ore enrichment device, based on a pair of symmetrical, outward-expanding jet nozzles, to pre-enrich ore particles outside the width of the collecting head within the operating width of the collecting head before collection, thereby increasing the actual width range of ore particles for mining. Furthermore, the present invention divides the collecting and enriching device into high- and low-energy-density zones. The jet energy density output by the water pump in the enrichment device's working area is relatively low, ensuring ore enrichment while preventing problems such as track collapse caused by the dilution of the bottom sediment during the enrichment process. The high-energy-density jet output from the working area of ​​the collecting device effectively improves the collection rate of the collecting head. The two devices work in tandem to achieve rational energy distribution and effectively save energy.

[0094] “Using circular flow to carry out operations”

[0095] This invention utilizes a circulating flow to further minimize environmental disturbance. A water pump in the collection device repeatedly circulates the seawater-sediment mixture, already separated from the ore particles, through a pipeline. This maintains a high concentration of sediment particles near the collection head, promoting sediment flocculation and settling, reducing particle diffusion and minimizing pollution.

[0096] Part III:

[0097] See also Figure 13-15Based on bionic design, the geometric morphology of the buffalo hoof surface was extracted and the track was optimized. Theoretical and simulation results show that the bionic track has higher traction than the straight track, which can effectively improve the traction of the ore collector and prevent it from slipping and sinking.

[0098] Based on this biomimetic track design, a lifting mechanism has been added, leveraging the low friction between the slide and mud. This allows for flexible switching between different modes depending on the terrain. When going downhill, the skid plate lowers, lifting the track off the ground and allowing the slide to glide forward. When going uphill or on flat ground, the lightweight biomimetic track and the greater traction provided by the propeller ensure steady progress, providing a solution for adapting to complex terrain in deep-sea mining operations.

[0099] Based on the idea of ​​lightweighting, a hollow track plate was designed. By hollowing out a large amount of metal structure between the tracks, it not only reduces the load and reduces the disturbance to the sediment, but also greatly reduces the risk of sediment adhering to the track gaps.

[0100] Overall introduction:

[0101] like Figure 13-15 As shown, the walking device that combines the bionic force-enhancing crawler and the low-disturbance skateboard for soft and sparse soil mainly consists of three parts: the crawler device 001, the skateboard device 002 and the stepless lifting device 003.

[0102] The crawler device 001 is composed of bionic grouser 004, chain 005, supporting wheel 006, frame 007 and driving wheel 008.

[0103] The slide device 002 is composed of a mud sled 009, a sliding screw 10, a lower base plate 11, an upper base plate 15, etc.

[0104] The stepless lifting device 003 is composed of a waterproof motor I 0012, a waterproof motor II 0013, a worm gear reducer 14, etc.

[0105] Track part introduction:

[0106] The crawler device 001 is powered by the waterproof motor II 0013, and the worm gear reducer 0014 rotates the drive wheel 008 to realize the periodic movement of the chain 005, thereby driving the bionic grouser 004 fixed on the chain 005 and arranged at a certain interval to move forward, realizing the overall walking effect of the mining machine.

[0107] The two chains 005 of the crawler device 001 on the same side adopt a hollow design, which greatly reduces the weight of the ore collector.

[0108] The bionic grouser 004 and the chain are designed to be detachable, which is convenient for replacement after the mining operation is completed.

[0109] The bionic grouser 004 consists of a straight section with a length of L and an arc section with a radius of R, which curves backward. Theoretical, experimental, and simulation results show that this structure can provide greater traction for the ore collector.

[0110] The supporting wheels 006 and the driving wheels 008 are connected by a high-strength and low-weight frame 007 to maintain overall strength, rigidity and stability.

[0111] Introduction to the lifting device:

[0112] The stepless lifting device 003 is powered by a waterproof motor I 0012, which drives the eight sliding screws 0010 to extend and retract, thereby controlling the distance between the upper base plate 0011 and the lower base plate 0015, thereby realizing the lifting function of the mud sled 009.

[0113] In order to prevent different eccentric distances due to different ground contact centers when the mud sled 009 slides and the crawler tracks walk, the front end of the slide device 002 should be level with the front end of the bottom of the frame 007.

[0114] When the ore collector is traveling on a downhill or flat working condition, the mud sled 9 is lowered by the stepless lifting device 3, and the lowering height should be enough to make the crawler device 001 leave the ground. All power is provided by the ore collector's own gravity and the propeller.

[0115] When the ore collector is traveling on an uphill or slippery road, the mud sled 009 rises through the stepless lifting device 003. The rising height should be sufficient to make the mud sled 009 fit in contact with the ground, thereby increasing the ground contact area of ​​the ore collector as much as possible and reducing slipping and sinking. At this time, all power is provided by the bionic grouser 004 bulldozer and thruster.

[0116] When the ore collector is in a slipping or even sinking condition, the mud sled 009 is pressed down by the stepless lifting device 003 to raise the height of the machine body, and the grouser bulldozer and thruster are used to achieve the effect of self-rescue.

[0117] In summary, the following two innovative design points are as follows:

[0118] "Maintaining the walking stability and low disturbance of the ore collector": The ore collector has experienced slipping and even sinking during previous sea trials, which has seriously affected the mining efficiency. The sticky force of the soil on the ore collector has even made it difficult to recover the ore collector. To solve this problem, on the one hand, the present invention designs a bionic force-amplifying grouser based on the principles of bionics. Theoretical, experimental and simulation results show that this structure can provide greater traction to the crawler and prevent the ore collector from slipping and sinking. On the other hand, the lightweight hollow crawler design can effectively prevent sediment from adhering to the crawler while reducing the weight of the crawler vehicle, further improving the phenomenon of insufficient traction and effectively reducing disturbance to the sediment.

[0119] "Improve the all-terrain adaptability of ore collectors": Previous studies have shown that there are significant differences in the physical parameters and mechanical properties of deep-sea sediments in different regions, and there is a certain slope on the seabed in the mining area. These factors have led to a sharp increase in the difficulty of developing ore collectors. In order to solve this problem, the present invention fully considers the impact of the bottom boundaries of different regions and different terrains on the ore collector, and proposes a skateboard-crawler switching walking mode. On flat ground or downhill, a low-resistance skateboard and propeller power combination is used, and on uphill or prone to subsidence areas, the traction force generated by the bionic force-amplifying crawler bulldozer is used to move forward. When the ore collector is already in a submerged state, the lifting function of the skateboard can be used to lift the ore collector as a whole to achieve the function of self-rescue. The present invention can help the ore collector adapt to the complex terrain environment of the seabed during ore collection work.

[0120] The above are preferred embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art may make various changes or improvements based on the above. Without departing from the overall concept of the present invention, these changes or improvements should fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography, characterized by: It includes a mud sled (4) arranged on both sides of the ore collecting head (3), The upper portion of the mud sled (4) is fixedly connected to a plurality of shock-absorbing connecting rods (7), the tops of the plurality of shock-absorbing connecting rods (7) converge at a hinge point, and the ore collecting head (3) is hinged to the hinge point; Each of the two hinge points extends backwards to form a hinged second link, wherein the hinged second link comprises an upper hinge link (1) hinged to the mining vehicle body (8) and a lower hinge link (2) hinged to the hinge point; There is an angle of less than 90 degrees between the upper hinge link (1) and the lower hinge link (2), and the upper hinge link (1) has an upwardly curved portion, so that when the mining vehicle body (8) moves forward, the lower hinge link (2) applies a forward pulling force to the hinge point; There is a set distance between the bottom of the ore collecting head (3) and the bottom of the mud sled (4), and the hinged two connecting rods have no effect on the distance.

2. The towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography according to claim 1 is characterized in that: A first hydraulic cylinder for buffering is provided between the mining vehicle body (8) and the articulated link upper stage (1), and another second hydraulic cylinder for buffering is provided between the articulated link upper stage (1) and the articulated link lower stage (2).

3. The towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The length direction of the mud sled (4) and the length direction of the crawler (5) of the mining vehicle body (8) are located on the same straight line, and the widths of the two are the same.

4. The towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The ore conveying metal hose (6) serves as a ore passage between the ore collecting head (3) and the mining vehicle body (8), and will bend, stretch, and deform as the position between the two changes, ensuring that the ore particles can be transported upward in a timely manner.

5. The towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography according to claim 1 is characterized in that: Two mud sleds (4) are respectively arranged at both ends of the ore collecting head (3). The bottom of the mud sleds (4) is a rectangular plane, extending forward along the direction of travel and tilted at about 45 degrees at the front end, so that they can quickly cut into the terrain when the terrain changes.

6. The towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography according to claim 1 is characterized in that: Also includes: The ore particle enrichment mechanism includes a pair of outward-expanding jet nozzles symmetrically installed on both sides in front of the ore collecting head. The direction of the pair of outward-expanding jet nozzles is: in the horizontal plane, each is aimed at the direction obliquely behind the two nozzles; in the vertical plane, each is tilted downward; The double-sided convex curved wall ore collecting mechanism comprises two rows of jet nozzles (07, 08) arranged on the front and rear sides of the ore collecting head, wherein the two rows of jet nozzles (07, 08) are arranged in such a way that they face each other in a horizontal perspective and are inclined downward in a vertical perspective. A symmetrical two-way ore-collecting water flow circulation is formed between the ore-particle enrichment mechanism and the double-sided convex curved wall ore-collecting mechanism.

7. The towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography according to claim 6 is characterized in that: It also includes a water supply pipeline system, on which a first flow distribution valve (05) and a second flow distribution valve (06) are provided; The first flow distribution valve (05) is divided into two water outlets, corresponding to: an outward-expanding jet nozzle located on one side and an outward-expanding jet nozzle located on the other side; The second flow distribution valve (06) is divided into two water outlets, corresponding to: a first jet nozzle (08) located behind the ore collecting head, and a second jet nozzle (07) located in front of the ore collecting head.

8. The towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography according to claim 7 is characterized in that: A baffle (013) is provided above the spraying direction of the pair of outward-expanding jet nozzles for guiding the sprayed water flow.

9. The towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography according to claim 8, characterized in that: The baffle (013) is fixed on a pair of mud sleds, and the mud sleds are fixedly connected to the ore collecting head through an elastic device, so that when the baffle (013) contacts the seabed, the ore collecting head and the seabed have an adjustable distance.

10. The towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography according to claim 8, characterized in that: The water supply pipeline system comprises a water pump (04), and the water pump (04) of the water supply pipeline system adopts a pulsating jet mode; the water pump (04) adopts a pair, each serving as a link in one of the two ore-collecting water flow cycles.

11. The towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography according to claim 10, characterized in that: The water inlet of the water pump (04) is provided with a filter (03). Under the action of the filter (03), the mineral particles and the seawater-sediment mixture are separated: the mineral particles fall downward into the ore storage box, and the seawater-sediment mixture passes through the filter (03) and is transported to the flow distribution valve (05) along the drainage pipes on both sides of the water pump (04); each of the drainage pipes serves as a link in one of the two ore-collecting water flow circulations.

12. The towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography according to claim 7, characterized in that: The ore collecting pipe wall above the outlet of the first jet nozzle (08) and the second jet nozzle (07) is designed as a streamlined convex curved wall structure that bulges downward. When the mineral particles are enriched in the operating area of ​​the ore collecting head, the first jet nozzle (08) and the second jet nozzle (07) at the front and rear of the ore collecting head spray high-speed jets according to a set flow rate ratio, and use the Coanda effect to flush, loosen, peel, push and lift the mineral particles on the seabed surface. The high-speed water flow forms a high and low pressure difference at the near wall and far wall of the streamlined convex curved wall structure, so that the mineral particles have a tendency to move along the curved wall toward the ore collecting outlet.

13. The towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes: a slide device (002); two sets of crawler devices (001) arranged on both sides of the slide device; The crawler device (001) comprises a light frame (007) composed of rods, and two sets of sprocket devices are fixed on both sides of the light frame (007); the sprocket device comprises a front double-headed sprocket and a rear double-headed sprocket, two parallel chains (005) are fixed on each of the front and rear double-headed sprockets, and a plurality of bionic grousers (004) are fixed between the two parallel chains (005); so that: the interior of the entire crawler device (001) is a hollow light structure; The slide device (002) comprises a mud sled (009) and a stepless lifting device (003); the body of the stepless lifting device (003) is fixed to the light frames (007) on both sides as a whole, and its push rod is connected downward to the mud sled (009), and the crawler device (001) can be lifted upward by pushing the mud sled (009) downward.

14. The towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography according to claim 13, characterized in that: The slide plate device (002) further comprises an upper base plate (0015), a lower base plate (0011), and a sliding screw rod (0010); the lower end of the lower base plate (0011) is fixedly connected to the mud sled (009); the upper end is fixedly connected to the upper base plate (0015) via the sliding screw rod (0010); and the upper base plate (0015) is fixedly connected to the light frames (007) on both sides thereof.

15. The towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography according to claim 13, characterized in that: One of the front and rear double-ended sprockets is a driving wheel (008).

16. The towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography according to claim 13, characterized in that: The stepless lifting device (003) includes a waterproof motor I (0012); the stepless lifting device (003) is powered by the waterproof motor I (0012), driving eight sliding screws (0010) to extend and retract, thereby controlling the distance between the upper base plate (0011) and the lower base plate (0015), thereby realizing the lifting function of the mud sled (009).

17. The towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to the seabed micro-topography according to claim 13, characterized in that: A detachable structure is provided between the bionic grouser (004) and the chain; the bionic grouser (004) is composed of a straight plate portion at the root and an arc portion at the end, wherein the arc portion is bent backward.

18. A method for moving the towed mineral particle collection device that dynamically adheres to seabed micro-topography according to claim 13, characterized in that: When the ore collector is traveling on a downhill or flat working condition, the mud sled (009) is lowered by the stepless lifting device (003) to a height sufficient to lift the crawler device (001) off the ground; at this time, all the power is provided by the ore collector's own gravity and the propeller; When the ore collector is traveling on an uphill slope or a slippery road, the mud sled (009) is raised by the stepless lifting device (003) to a height sufficient to allow the mud sled (009) to be in contact with the ground. At this time, all the power is provided by the bulldozer and propeller of the bionic grouser (004); When the ore collector is in a slipping or even sinking condition, the mud sled (009) is pressed down by the stepless lifting device (003), raising the height of the crawler device (001), and the grouser bulldozer and the propeller function to achieve the effect of self-rescue.

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