Dynamic monitoring device for three-dimensional structure of highly diffusive sediment plumes in marine environments

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of marine sediment monitoring technology, and in particular to a dynamic monitoring device for the three-dimensional structure of highly diffusive sediment plumes in a marine environment. The device comprises a buoy system and a tracked vehicle system. The buoy system is connected to the tracked vehicle system below via a cable. A weight and a floating body are fixed on the cable. The weight and the floating body are located at the center of the entire device. A monitoring system is provided on the cable between the buoy system and the weight, and on the cable between the floating body and the tracked vehicle system. The monitoring system moves up and down along the cable and rotates at the same time, thereby forming a cylindrical three-dimensional monitoring area. The device realizes three-dimensional monitoring of sediment plumes in seawater.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of marine sediment monitoring, in particular to a dynamic monitoring device for a three-dimensional structure of a highly diffusive sediment plume in a marine environment. Background Art

[0002] As the global demand for marine resources continues to grow, marine engineering activities are becoming increasingly frequent, including deep-sea mining operations, seabed construction, offshore oil and gas development, and fishing activities. These human activities may have a significant impact on the marine environment. At the same time, natural factors such as submarine landslides, earthquakes, volcanic activities, hydrothermal vent activities, tsunamis, and extreme storms may also have a significant impact on the marine environment. In particular, these activities may trigger sediment plumes, posing a potential threat to marine ecosystems and human activities.

[0003] Sediment plumes are special flow structures formed in water bodies due to the suspension and diffusion of bottom sediments and the transport of suspended matter. Sediment plumes are usually high in concentration, long in duration, and spread over a wide range, which can have a serious impact on marine ecosystems. On the one hand, sediment plumes can cover seabed habitats, change the light conditions of the water body, and affect the reproduction and foraging behavior of marine organisms. On the other hand, sediment plumes may also carry harmful substances, such as heavy metals and chemicals, which may have toxic effects on marine organisms.

[0004] Regarding the study of sediment plumes, on the one hand, there is a lack of research on the disturbance of sediment plumes in space and time; on the other hand, the sediment plume transport process is complex and there is considerable uncertainty, which makes the study of sediment plumes extremely challenging. At present, the transport process, duration, and impact range of sediment plumes are still unclear. Effective monitoring of the sediment transport process is a breakthrough in studying the environmental impact of sediment plumes. In addition, the monitoring methods for sediment plumes have not yet been fully established.

[0005] In order to effectively monitor the impact of sediment plumes on the environment and formulate corresponding environmental protection measures, a device that can monitor marine sediment plumes in real time and accurately is urgently needed. Such a device should be able to provide detailed information about the plume diffusion and deposition process, including key parameters such as the plume diffusion scale, speed, and particle concentration. Summary of the invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned defects of the prior art and propose a dynamic monitoring device for the three-dimensional structure of highly diffusive sediment plumes in the marine environment, which realizes three-dimensional stereoscopic monitoring of sediment plumes in seawater.

[0007] The technical solution of the present invention is: a dynamic monitoring device for the three-dimensional structure of a highly diffusive sediment plume in a marine environment, comprising a buoy system and a crawler system, wherein the buoy system is connected to the crawler system below via a cable, wherein a weight and a floating body are fixed on the cable, and the weight and the floating body are located at the center of the entire device, and a monitoring system is provided on the cable between the buoy system and the weight, and on the cable between the floating body and the crawler system;

[0008] The monitoring system moves up and down along the cable and rotates at the same time, thereby forming a monitoring area in the shape of a cylinder.

[0009] In the present invention, the monitoring system comprises:

[0010] The buoyancy unit is located above the rotating unit and is axially connected to the rotating unit through a hollow cylinder. An open chamber and a sealed chamber are provided in the buoyancy unit. The open chamber is located above the sealed chamber. A foldable oil naan with a variable volume is provided in the open chamber.

[0011] The rotating unit comprises a rotating cylinder, a central bearing is arranged at the center of the rotating cylinder, the outer surface of the central bearing is rotationally connected to the rotating cylinder, the central bearing is fixedly connected to the lower part of the hollow cylinder, and a plurality of sensors are arranged on the upper surface of the rotating cylinder.

[0012] The buoyancy unit comprises an annular cylinder wall, the bottom of which is fixedly connected to the bottom plate, and the top of which is open;

[0013] A partition is arranged inside the annular cylinder wall, a sealed cavity is formed between the partition, the bottom plate and the annular cylinder wall, and an open cavity is formed between the upper surface of the partition and the annular cylinder wall;

[0014] A hydraulic drive mechanism, a control cabin, a motor and a power supply are arranged in the sealed cavity. The hydraulic drive mechanism is connected to the folding oil naan above it through an oil pipeline, and the folding oil naan can be filled with oil or discharged with oil through the hydraulic drive mechanism.

[0015] The top surface of the rotating cylinder is provided with a first pressure sensor, a turbidity meter, an acoustic Doppler flow profiler and an angle sensor;

[0016] A ring gear is fixed at the center of the top surface of the rotating cylinder, a pinion is arranged on the outer side of the ring gear, the ring gear and the pinion are meshed with each other, and the pinion is drivingly connected to the output shaft of the motor.

[0017] A cable guide tube is fixed at the center of the open chamber and the sealed chamber, and the cable can slide through the cable guide tube;

[0018] The cable is slidably passed through the hollow cylinder and the inner hole of the central bearing;

[0019] The cable guide tube, the sealing cavity, the hollow cylinder and the inner hole of the central bearing are connected in sequence.

[0020] The buoy system includes a buoy body, a frame body is fixed on the top surface of the buoy body, a solar panel is arranged in the frame body, a GPS is arranged on the top of the frame body, and a control cabin and a power supply are arranged in the buoy body;

[0021] A first multi-beam echo sounder with an opening facing downward is fixed at the bottom of the buoy body.

[0022] The crawler vehicle system comprises a crawler vehicle cabin, and a plurality of gears are respectively arranged on two symmetrical sides of the crawler vehicle cabin, and tracks are wound around the outer sides of the gears, and the crawler vehicle system is moved when the tracks rotate;

[0023] A second pressure sensor and a second multi-beam echo sounder with an upward opening are provided on the top surface of the crawler vehicle cabin;

[0024] The crawler vehicle cabin is equipped with a power supply, a motor, and a control mechanism with data receiving and sending functions.

[0025] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0026] (1) In the device, the acoustic Doppler current profiler in the monitoring system rotates simultaneously during the movement of the cable, and the turbidity meter moves up and down along the cable. The two work together to form a cylindrical three-dimensional monitoring area for the monitoring system. By analyzing the sediment plume concentration in the monitoring area and driving the crawler system to move forward, the sediment plume can be tracked and the sediment concentration in the spatial range of the area along the way can be monitored in three dimensions;

[0027] (2) At the same time, the GPS, pressure sensor, and angle sensor in the device can accurately record the horizontal coordinate position information of the entire device, the longitudinal depth position information of the monitoring system, and the real-time orientation information of the acoustic Doppler current profiler during the rotation process, providing convenience for the study of the sediment plume evolution process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the buoy system;

[0030] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the monitoring system;

[0031] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the buoyancy unit;

[0032] Figure 5is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the rotating unit;

[0033] Figure 6 It is a structural diagram of the tracked vehicle system.

[0034] In the figure: 1. buoy system; 2. monitoring system; 3. weight; 4. floating body; 5. cable; 6. tracked vehicle system; 7. GPS; 8. solar panel; 9. buoy floating body; 10. first multi-beam echo sounder; 11. buoyancy unit; 12. rotation unit; 13. folding oil naan; 14. first pressure sensor; 15. turbidity meter; 16. acoustic Doppler flow profiler; 17. angle sensor; 18. oil pipeline; 19. hydraulic drive device; 20. control cabin; 21. motor; 22. power supply; 23. pinion; 24. center bearing; 25. ring gear; 26. rotating cylinder; 27. gear; 28. track; 29. ​​tracked vehicle cabin; 30. second pressure sensor; 31 second multi-beam echo sounder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0036] In the following description, specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in a variety of other ways than those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar generalizations without violating the connotation of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0037] like Figure 1 As shown, the dynamic monitoring device for the three-dimensional structure of the highly diffusive sediment plume in the marine environment of the present invention includes a buoy system 1 and a tracked vehicle system 6. The buoy system 1 is connected to the tracked vehicle system 6 below it through a cable 5. A weight 3 and a floating body 4 are fixed on the cable 5. The weight 3 and the floating body 4 are located in the middle of the entire device. The center of gravity of the buoy system 1 is moved downward by the weight and the floating body, thereby reducing the point of action of the buoyancy and making the entire device more stable. In addition, the floating body 4 can also play a role in dispersing the pressure of the water flow, reducing the impact on the buoy system 1, and further improving the stability of the device.

[0038] The monitoring system 2 is respectively arranged on the cable between the buoy system 1 and the weight 3, and on the cable between the floating body 4 and the tracked vehicle system 6. The cable runs through the center of the entire monitoring system 2, so the monitoring system can move up and down under the constraint of the cable 5.

[0039] like Figure 2As shown, the buoy system 1 includes a buoy body 9, which is cylindrical. A control compartment and a power supply are arranged in the internal cavity of the buoy body 9, wherein the control compartment realizes data reception and transmission of the entire device, and the power supply provides electrical energy for the buoy system. A quadrangular frame is fixed on the top surface of the buoy body 9, and a solar panel 8 is installed between the quadrangular frames. The solar panel 8 converts solar energy into electrical energy and stores it in the power supply. A GPS 7 is fixed on the top of the quadrangular frame, which can provide the position coordinate information of the entire device in real time. A first multi-beam echo sounder 10 is fixed at the bottom of the buoy body 9, and its opening direction faces downward. When a sediment plume passes below, the upper interface of the plume can be detected by the first multi-beam echo sounder.

[0040] like Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the monitoring system 2 includes a buoyancy unit 11 and a rotation unit 12. The buoyancy unit 11 is located above the rotation unit 12, and the buoyancy unit 11 and the rotation unit 12 are connected by a hollow cylinder. The upper end of the hollow cylinder is fixedly connected to the buoyancy unit, and the lower end of the hollow cylinder is rotationally connected to the rotation unit. The cable 5 runs through the axial direction of the entire monitoring system 2, so the monitoring system 2 can move up and down along the cable 5.

[0041] In this embodiment, the monitoring system 2 is cylindrical, including an annular cylinder wall and a bottom plate, the bottom of the annular cylinder wall is fixedly connected to the bottom plate, and in this embodiment, the annular cylinder wall and the bottom plate are an integrated structure. The top of the annular cylinder wall is open. The annular cylinder wall surrounds a cylindrical cavity, and a partition is fixed in the middle of the cavity, and a sealed cavity is formed between the partition, the bottom plate and the annular cylinder wall. An open chamber is formed between the upper surface of the partition and the annular cylinder wall, and the open chamber is directly connected to the external seawater. The open chamber is located above the sealed cavity.

[0042] An annular folding oil bag 13 is arranged in the open chamber. A hydraulic drive mechanism 19, a control chamber 20, a power source 22, and a motor 21 are arranged in the sealed chamber. The hydraulic drive mechanism 19 and the folding oil bag 13 are connected through an oil pipe 18. In normal working state, the folding oil bag 13 is in a contracted state under the pressure of the water body. A certain amount of oil is stored inside the hydraulic drive mechanism 19. The control cabin 20 controls the hydraulic drive mechanism 19 to deliver oil to the folding oil naan 13 through the oil pipe 18. When the oil enters the folding oil naan 13, the oil naan expands and its volume increases. At this time, the volume of the entire monitoring system 2 increases, the weight remains unchanged, and the density decreases, thereby causing the monitoring system 2 to move upward along the cable 5; conversely, the control cabin 20 controls the hydraulic drive mechanism 19 to pump oil to the folding oil naan 13 through the oil pipe 18. When the oil is pumped out of the folding oil naan 13, the volume of the oil naan decreases. At this time, the volume of the entire monitoring system 2 decreases, the weight remains unchanged, and the density increases, thereby causing the monitoring system 2 to move downward along the cable 5.

[0043] The rotating unit 12 includes a rotating cylinder 26, and a circular platform is provided on the top surface of the rotating cylinder 26. Several sensors including a first pressure sensor 14, a turbidity meter 15, an acoustic Doppler current profiler 16, and an angle sensor 17 are provided on the upper surface of the circular platform. Among them, the first pressure sensor 14 calculates the real-time depth position information of the monitoring system by recording the water pressure; the turbidity meter 15 is used to record the turbidity information; the angle sensor 17 is used to record the direction of the acoustic Doppler current profiler 16 in real time; the acoustic Doppler current profiler 16 can estimate the change of suspended sediment concentration, and its working principle is to calculate the water flow rate by monitoring the sediment scatterers according to the Doppler effect. However, since the scatterers used by the acoustic Doppler current profiler 16 are mainly suspended particles in the water body, the echo intensity obtained can also be inverted to obtain the change of suspended matter concentration.

[0044] A central bearing 24 is provided at the center of the rotating cylinder, and the central bearing 24 passes through the axial center of the rotating cylinder. The annular outer surface of the central bearing 24 is rotationally connected to the rotating cylinder, and the annular inner surface of the central bearing is fixedly connected to the lower part of the hollow cylinder. The rotating cylinder can rotate around the central bearing 24. A ring gear 25 is fixed to the middle of the circular platform of the rotating cylinder 26, and a pinion 23 is provided on the outer side of the ring gear 25, and the pinion 23 and the ring gear 25 are meshed with each other. The pinion is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the motor 21. The control compartment 20 controls the operation of the motor 21. While the motor 21 drives the pinion 23 to rotate, the pinion 23 and the ring gear 25 are meshed with each other, driving the ring gear 25 and the rotating cylinder to rotate around the central bearing 24.

[0045] In this embodiment, a cable guide tube is provided in the middle of the open chamber and the sealed chamber, and the cable slides through the cable guide tube. At the same time, the cable slides through the axial cavity of the hollow cylinder, and the cable slides through the center hole of the center bearing. The cable guide tube, the axial cavity of the hollow cylinder, and the center hole of the center bearing are connected in sequence.

[0046] like Figure 6 As shown, the crawler vehicle system 6 includes a crawler vehicle cabin 29 and crawlers 28 located on symmetrical sides of the crawler vehicle cabin 29. In this embodiment, a plurality of gears 27 are respectively provided on the symmetrical sides of the crawler vehicle cabin 29, and crawlers 28 are wound around the outer sides of the gears on the same side. When the gears 27 rotate, the crawlers 28 are driven to rotate, thereby realizing the movement of the device.

[0047] The crawler vehicle cabin 29 is equipped with a power supply, a motor, and a control mechanism with data receiving and sending functions. The top surface of the crawler vehicle cabin 29 is provided with a second pressure sensor 30 and a second multi-beam echo sounder 31, which are oriented vertically upward. When the plume passes by, the second multi-beam echo sounder 10 can identify the position information of the lower interface of the plume. After receiving the control designation, the crawler vehicle system 6 can control the rotation of the crawler and drive the entire device to move freely.

[0048] The working principle of the device is as follows. After the device is released into the water, the crawler system 6 contacts the bottom of the water, and the rotation of the crawler 28 in the crawler system drives the position of the entire device to change. During the movement of the entire device, the buoy float always floats on the water surface. When the first multi-beam echo sounder 10 at the bottom of the buoy float detects that a sediment plume passes below it, or the second multi-beam echo sounder 31 on the crawler system detects that a sediment plume passes above it, the crawler system stops moving and monitors the plume at that location.

[0049] The hydraulic drive mechanism 19 is in motion, and by injecting oil into the folding oil naan 13 or extracting the oil in the folding oil naan 13, the entire monitoring system is driven to move up and down along the cable. When the hydraulic drive mechanism 19 injects hydraulic oil into the folding oil naan 13, the volume of the folding oil naan 13 increases, and the buoyancy of the monitoring system increases, so that the entire monitoring system continues to rise along the cable. By accurately controlling the amount of oil injected by the hydraulic drive mechanism into the folding oil naan, the monitoring system can be made to rise at a constant speed. When the hydraulic drive mechanism 19 extracts the hydraulic oil in the folding oil naan 13 back into the hydraulic drive mechanism, the volume of the folding oil naan 13 decreases, and the buoyancy of the monitoring system decreases, so that the monitoring system continues to descend along the cable. By accurately controlling the amount of oil extracted by the hydraulic drive mechanism from the folding oil naan, the monitoring system can be made to descend at a constant speed. During the rise and fall of the monitoring system, the turbidity meter records the turbidity at different heights of the position, thereby inverting the sediment concentration at different heights of the position.

[0050] At the same time, the motor 21 is activated to drive the pinion 23 to rotate. The pinion 23 and the ring gear 25 are meshed with each other, driving the ring gear 25 and the rotating cylinder to rotate continuously, thereby realizing the rotation of the rotating unit. During the rotation of the rotating unit, the acoustic Doppler current profiler 16 on the monitoring system can monitor the echo intensity within the monitoring area and invert it into sediment concentration. Under the coordination of the rotating unit 12 and the buoyancy unit 11, the acoustic Doppler current profiler 16 is driven to move upward and rotate at the same time, and finally a three-dimensional monitoring area can be formed.

[0051] By integrating the turbidity meter measurement results with the acoustic Doppler current profiler measurement results, a monitoring area within the three-dimensional range of a cylinder can be finally formed, and the sediment concentration within this range can be obtained.

[0052] The marine sediment concentration obtained by this device can be used to timely identify some emergencies or early warnings. For example, when a submarine landslide or submarine earthquake occurs in the monitoring area and triggers a sediment plume, its impact on marine life can be evaluated by monitoring the concentration of suspended sediments in the area. In addition, sediment concentration is an important parameter in the study of marine environmental dynamics. Continuous monitoring of sediment concentration in the water environment can provide a basis for the study of the evolution mechanism of sediment plumes.

[0053] The above is a detailed introduction to the dynamic monitoring device for the three-dimensional structure of highly diffusive sediment plumes in the marine environment provided by the present invention. Specific examples are used in this article to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method and core ideas of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, without departing from the principles of the present invention, the present invention can also be improved and modified in a number of ways, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention. The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables professional and technical personnel in this field to implement or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be obvious to professional and technical personnel in this field, and the general principles defined in this article can be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention will not be limited to the embodiments shown in this article, but will conform to the widest range consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed in this article.

Claims

1. A dynamic monitoring device for the three-dimensional structure of a highly diffusive sediment plume in a marine environment, comprising a buoy system and a tracked vehicle system, wherein the buoy system is connected to the tracked vehicle system below via a cable, and is characterized in that: A weight and a floating body are fixed on the cable, and the weight and the floating body are located at the center of the entire device. A monitoring system is provided on the cable between the buoy system and the weight, and on the cable between the floating body and the crawler system. The monitoring system moves up and down along the cable and rotates at the same time, forming a cylindrical three-dimensional monitoring area; The monitoring system comprises: The buoyancy unit is located above the rotating unit and is axially connected to the rotating unit through a hollow cylinder. An open chamber and a sealed chamber are provided in the buoyancy unit. The open chamber is located above the sealed chamber. A foldable oil naan with a variable volume is provided in the open chamber. The rotating unit comprises a rotating cylinder, a central bearing is arranged at the center of the rotating cylinder, an outer surface of the central bearing is rotatably connected to the rotating cylinder, the central bearing is fixedly connected to the lower part of the hollow cylinder, and a plurality of sensors are arranged on the upper surface of the rotating cylinder; The buoyancy unit comprises an annular cylinder wall, the bottom of which is fixedly connected to the bottom plate, and the top of which is open; A partition is arranged inside the annular cylinder wall, a sealed cavity is formed between the partition, the bottom plate and the annular cylinder wall, and an open cavity is formed between the upper surface of the partition and the annular cylinder wall; A hydraulic drive mechanism, a control cabin, a motor and a power supply are arranged in the sealed cavity. The hydraulic drive mechanism is connected to the folding oil naan above it through an oil pipeline, and the folding oil naan is filled with oil or discharged with oil through the hydraulic drive mechanism. The top surface of the rotating cylinder is provided with a first pressure sensor, a turbidity meter, an acoustic Doppler flow profiler and an angle sensor; A ring gear is fixed at the center of the top surface of the rotating cylinder, a pinion is arranged on the outer side of the ring gear, the ring gear and the pinion are meshed with each other, and the pinion is drivingly connected to the output shaft of the motor.

2. The device for dynamic monitoring of three-dimensional structure of highly diffusive sediment plume in marine environment according to claim 1 is characterized in that: A cable guide tube is fixed at the center of the open chamber and the sealed chamber, and the cable can slide through the cable guide tube; The cable is slidably passed through the hollow cylinder and the inner hole of the central bearing; The cable guide tube, the sealing cavity, the hollow cylinder and the inner hole of the central bearing are connected in sequence.

3. The device for dynamic monitoring of three-dimensional structure of highly diffusive sediment plume in marine environment according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The buoy system includes a buoy body, a frame body is fixed on the top surface of the buoy body, a solar panel is arranged in the frame body, a GPS is arranged on the top of the frame body, and a control cabin and a power supply are arranged in the buoy body; A first multi-beam echo sounder with an opening facing downward is fixed at the bottom of the buoy body.

4. The device for dynamic monitoring of three-dimensional structure of highly diffusive sediment plume in marine environment according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The crawler vehicle system comprises a crawler vehicle cabin, and a plurality of gears are respectively arranged on two symmetrical sides of the crawler vehicle cabin, and tracks are wound around the outer sides of the gears, and the crawler vehicle system is moved when the tracks rotate; A second pressure sensor and a second multi-beam echo sounder with an upward opening are provided on the top surface of the crawler vehicle cabin; The crawler vehicle cabin is equipped with a power supply, a motor, and a control mechanism with data receiving and sending functions.

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