A self-adjusting buoyancy configuration method suitable for seabed ore collection vehicles

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of deep-sea mining, and in particular to a self-adjusting buoyancy configuration method suitable for a seabed ore collecting vehicle, comprising a buoyancy configuration device, the buoyancy configuration device comprising a vehicle body posture sensing system and a buoyancy adjustment system; the vehicle body posture sensing system comprises a radar and a multi-sensor joint system, the multi-sensor joint system comprises a vehicle body posture sensor, a speed sensor and an ACN hydroacoustic communication machine, the buoyancy adjustment system comprises a buoyancy device, a propeller propulsion device, a vibration sensor and a vibration compensator, the inner side of the vibration compensator is connected to a ore lifting hose, the buoyancy device is connected to the outer side of the vibration compensator, and the propeller propulsion device is connected to the buoyancy device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of deep-sea mining, and in particular to a self-adjusting buoyancy configuration and method suitable for a seabed ore collecting vehicle. Background Art

[0002] With the global industrialization and technological progress, the demand for mineral resources continues to rise. In particular, the importance of key materials such as rare earth metals, copper, nickel, and manganese in the fields of electronic products, renewable energy, and electric vehicles has become increasingly prominent, while the mining cost of traditional land mineral resources has gradually increased, and the exploitable mineral deposits have been decreasing. Many countries are facing the problem of mineral resource depletion, so they turn their attention to the ocean to seek new resource supplies, leading to attention to seabed resources. The seabed ore collector is the core equipment for seabed mining operations and determines the mining efficiency and environmental impact. However, the operation of the seabed ore collector is affected by many factors, including the seabed topography of the operation, the vibration of the ore lifting hose, the buoyancy configuration of the seabed ore collector, etc. These factors will cause the ore collector to have abnormal posture and other adverse working conditions during operation. As a factor affecting the driving characteristics of a seabed ore collector, buoyancy configuration is a relatively good means to apply it to the posture correction of the ore collector during operation. The existing research on the posture correction of the seabed ore collector has the following defects:

[0003] 1. The influence of buoyancy configuration is different. Improper or unbalanced buoyancy configuration may lead to unstable posture, increased power consumption, reduced operating efficiency, and even affect safety.

[0004] 2. The operation is difficult. The configuration of buoyancy has a multi-faceted effect on the ore collecting vehicle. Adjusting the buoyancy configuration may make the control of the ore collecting vehicle more complicated. The accuracy of the buoyancy configuration adjustment is also difficult. Excessive buoyancy may cause the vehicle to tilt and increase the risk of overturning. Operators need to have more skills and knowledge to deal with different buoyancy conditions.

[0005] The dynamic coupling between the hose and the ore collecting vehicle will cause unstable response of the system. The hose will produce large vibrations due to fluid dynamic disturbances, and the motion state of the ore collecting vehicle will also be affected, which may cause the vehicle to accelerate, decelerate or swing violently. Summary of the invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a self-adjusting buoyancy configuration method suitable for a submarine ore collecting vehicle, so as to solve the problems in the above-mentioned background technology.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is to provide a self-adjusting buoyancy configuration method suitable for a seabed ore collecting vehicle, including a buoyancy configuration device, the buoyancy configuration device including a vehicle body posture sensing system and a buoyancy adjustment system; the vehicle body posture sensing system includes a radar and a multi-sensor joint system, the multi-sensor joint system includes a vehicle body posture sensor, a speed sensor and an ACN hydroacoustic communication device, the buoyancy adjustment system includes a buoyancy device, a propeller propulsion device, a vibration sensor and a vibration compensator, the inner side of the vibration compensator is connected to a ore lifting hose, the buoyancy device is connected to the outer side of the vibration compensator, and the propeller propulsion device is connected to the buoyancy device;

[0008] The method comprises:

[0009] S1: When the ore collector is performing seabed operations, the terrain of the mining area is detected and analyzed in detail through the body posture sensor and speed sensor. According to the different terrain, the changes in the posture of the ore collector under the conditions of the operating area and the impact of different buoyancy configurations on the driving characteristics of the ore collector are evaluated;

[0010] S2: During the operation, the buoyancy configuration of the ore collecting vehicle is adjusted and the speed sensor is used to detect the buoyancy configuration of the ore collecting vehicle in the working area, and the buoyancy configuration is used as the basic parameter for subsequent parameter adjustment;

[0011] S3: According to the body data of the mining truck during operation transmitted by the posture sensor, the safe driving range and safe driving posture angle judgment index of the mining truck are formulated;

[0012] S4: When the attitude sensor detects that the ore collecting vehicle is yawed, the propellers on the left and right sides above the ore collecting vehicle rotate to change the direction of thrust, thereby achieving fine-tuning of the yaw of the ore collecting vehicle;

[0013] S5: When the propeller rotates, it can generate thrusts of different directions and magnitudes. The thrusts can change the angle between the hose and the ore collecting vehicle. The angle is controlled within a certain range to prevent the angle from being too large, which may affect transportation and cause breakage.

[0014] S6: By changing the direction of the propeller force in different directions, the disturbance force on the hose becomes a booster to change the driving characteristics of the mining truck;

[0015] S7: Normal operation and propeller operation will cause vibration of the hose. The vibration compensator effectively reduces the vibration amplitude of the lifting hose.

[0016] S8: The vibration condition of the lifting hose is determined by the data transmitted by the vibration sensor. When the vibration compensator is not sufficient to adjust the vibration of the lifting hose, the propeller works together to stop the vibration of the lifting hose. After the vibration is eliminated, the propeller returns to its original position.

[0017] Furthermore, the radar can monitor the terrain when the ore collecting vehicle is operating and detect the angle between the ore collecting vehicle and the ore lifting hose through scanning, and issue an early warning of the angle to prevent it from exceeding a safe range.

[0018] Furthermore, the body posture sensor can monitor the body yaw of the ore collecting vehicle during seabed operation in real time. It can be connected to the ACN hydroacoustic communication device to directly transmit the yaw parameters. In addition, it can also issue an early warning of the yaw of the ore collecting vehicle based on the safe driving range angle.

[0019] Furthermore, the speed sensor can monitor the speed of the ore collecting vehicle in real time during operation, and can determine the impact of the buoyancy of the working area on the driving characteristics of the ore collecting vehicle according to the change in speed when the buoyancy changes, and seek the optimal driving characteristics of the ore collecting vehicle in the working area.

[0020] Furthermore, the propeller can provide thrust to change the position of the buoyancy configuration to change the position of the buoyancy, and the propeller can rotate in a small range at its position to change the direction of the thrust, thereby changing the posture of the mining hose and the direction of the force on the hose.

[0021] Furthermore, the vibration sensor can monitor the vibration of the hose in real time.

[0022] Furthermore, the vibration compensator is used to mitigate the vibration of the hose caused by the operation of the mining vehicle and the propeller. If the vibration compensator is not sufficient to stop the vibration, the propeller cooperates to stop the vibration of the hose.

[0023] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0024] 1. Highly accurate monitoring: The vehicle body posture sensing system can monitor the posture, driving speed, angle between the lifting hose and the vehicle and other key parameters of the ore collecting vehicle in real time, providing accurate data support for the subsequent adjustment of the buoyancy configuration, ensuring the efficiency and accuracy of the buoyancy adjustment operation.

[0025] 2. Intelligent data transmission and processing: The ACN system can realize two-way data transmission between the mining vehicle and the buoyancy adjustment configuration, as well as perform detailed analysis and preprocessing of the data, and then make corresponding instructions to adjust the parameters through the propeller and buoyancy configuration.

[0026] 3. Flexible adjustment capability: The adjustment of the buoyancy configuration can change the driving characteristics of the ore collecting vehicle; the presence of the propeller in the buoyancy adjustment system can correct the body posture of the ore collecting vehicle, adjust the angle between the ore collecting vehicle and the hose, and change the direction of the force on the hose. At the same time, the presence of the vibration compensator can effectively reduce the vibration of the hose. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific implementation methods of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the specific implementation methods or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some implementation methods of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0028] Figure 1 It is an overall schematic diagram of a submarine ore collection vehicle;

[0029] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the yaw angle and the angle between the ore-lifting hose and the ore-collecting vehicle applicable to the seabed ore-collecting vehicle;

[0030] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of a buoyancy regulating device suitable for a submarine ore collecting vehicle;

[0031] Figure 4 It is a plan view of a buoyancy regulating device suitable for a submarine ore collecting vehicle;

[0032] Figure 5 The diagram is a schematic diagram of a vibration compensator suitable for a submarine ore collecting vehicle.

[0033] Description of reference numerals:

[0034] 1. Vehicle posture sensor; 2. Speed ​​sensor; 3. ACN hydroacoustic communication device; 4. Radar; 5. Buoyancy adjustment system; 6. Yaw route of the ore collecting vehicle; 7. Yaw angle; 8. Angle; 9. Ore lifting hose; 10. Vibration sensor; 11. Vibration compensator; 12. Propeller; 13. Buoyancy device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The technical solution of the present invention will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0037] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0038] In addition, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0039] A self-adjusting buoyancy configuration method applicable to a submarine ore collecting vehicle provided as an embodiment of the present invention comprises a buoyancy configuration device, the buoyancy configuration device comprises a vehicle body posture sensing system and a buoyancy adjustment system 5; the vehicle body posture sensing system comprises a radar 4 and a multi-sensor joint system, the multi-sensor joint system comprises a vehicle body posture sensor 1, a speed sensor 2 and an ACN hydroacoustic communication device 3, the buoyancy adjustment system 5 comprises a buoyancy device 13, a propeller 12 propulsion device, a vibration sensor 10 and a vibration compensator 11, the vibration compensator 11 is connected to the ore lifting hose 9 on the inner side, the buoyancy device 13 is connected to the outer side of the vibration compensator 11, and the propeller 12 propulsion device is connected to the buoyancy device 13;

[0040] A self-adjusting buoyancy configuration method applicable to a submarine ore collection vehicle comprises:

[0041] S1: When the ore collecting vehicle is performing seabed operations, the vehicle posture sensor 1 and speed sensor 2 are used to detect and analyze the terrain of the mining area in detail. According to the different terrains, the changes in the posture of the ore collecting vehicle under the conditions of the operating area and the influence of different buoyancy configurations on the driving characteristics of the ore collecting vehicle are evaluated, so as to adjust the relevant parameters of the ore collecting vehicle in the future:

[0042] When the vehicle weight is fixed, the average speed of the ore collector tends to decrease with the increase of the buoyancy configuration. The increase of the buoyancy configuration causes the ore collector to be subjected to an increase in the horizontal drag force and vertical pulling force opposite to the driving direction. The acceleration of the ore collector when starting is derived from the difference between the traction force and the driving resistance, while the opposite horizontal drag force increases the driving resistance and reduces the difference, resulting in a decrease in the generated acceleration, a shortened acceleration time, and a corresponding decrease in speed when the speed reaches a constant speed. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the additional traction caused by the buoyancy configuration during the driving of the ore collector to ensure that the ore collector can reasonably distribute the traction force and improve the travel efficiency.

[0043] S2: During the operation, the ore collecting vehicle obtains the buoyancy configuration with the best driving characteristics in the working area through the coordinated effect of the buoyancy configuration adjustment and the speed sensor 2 detection:

[0044] By adjusting different buoyancy configurations, observing the speed changes of the ore collecting vehicle transmitted in the speed sensor 2, the optimal driving speed of the working area is explored, and this is used as the optimal driving characteristics of the ore collecting vehicle in the working area, and the buoyancy configuration at this time is used as the basic parameter for subsequent parameter adjustments.

[0045] S3: According to the body data of the mining truck during operation transmitted by the posture sensor, the safe driving range and safe driving posture angle judgment index of the mining truck are formulated:

[0046] When the weight of the vehicle body is fixed, the buoyancy configuration increases, the lateral force of the lifting hose 9 on the ore collecting vehicle becomes greater, the indirect pressure difference between the two tracks of the ore collecting vehicle becomes greater, the slip rate difference becomes greater, the speed difference becomes greater, and the yaw angle 7 of the ore collecting vehicle shows an increasing trend with the increase of the buoyancy configuration. When the yaw angle 7 of the ore collecting vehicle on its original operating route is less than 5°, the ore collecting vehicle can operate safely; when the yaw angle is greater than 5°, it is considered that the ore collecting vehicle is yawed. Therefore, 5° is selected as the yaw angle 7 for safe driving of the ore collecting vehicle.

[0047] S4: When the attitude sensor detects that the ore collecting vehicle is yawed, the propellers 12 located on the left and right sides above the ore collecting vehicle rotate to change the direction of the thrust, thereby achieving fine adjustment of the yaw of the ore collecting vehicle:

[0048] When the ore collecting vehicle deviates from the original operating route to the left by more than 5°, the propeller 12 on the right is adjusted to rotate to the right, so that the propeller 12 generates a rightward thrust, which acts on the ore collecting vehicle through the ore lifting hose 9, thereby adjusting its movement direction and achieving fine adjustment of its left and right yaw. When the deviation to the right is greater than 5°, it is only necessary to adjust according to this operation, and judge whether the ore collecting vehicle has returned to the safe driving range of the original route according to the data transmitted by the attitude sensor. After the ore collecting vehicle returns to the safe driving range, the propeller 12 stops working and returns to its original position.

[0049] S5: The propeller 12 can generate thrusts of different directions and magnitudes, which can change the angle 8 between the hose and the ore collecting vehicle. The angle 8 is controlled within a certain range to prevent the angle 8 from being too large, affecting transportation and causing breakage.

[0050] The angle 8 at the connection between the hose and the ore collecting vehicle shows a trend of gradually decreasing with the increase of the travel distance, and the variation range is relatively large. This shows that in actual engineering, the travel of the ore collecting vehicle will have a significant impact on the configuration of the hose, which will affect the transportation of minerals. The variation range of the angle 8 is too large, which is very easy to exceed the bending limit of the hose or even break, causing safety hazards. The self-adjusting buoyancy configuration will track the movement trajectory of the ore collecting vehicle. When the relative distance between the ore collecting vehicle and the buoyancy configuration exceeds the set safety threshold, the angle and speed of the propeller 12 will be adjusted according to the position of the ore collecting vehicle, driving the ore lifting hose 9 to move and return it to a safe range, avoiding excessive hose load caused by excessive distance, and ensuring the normal operation of the hose. After the ore lifting hose 9 returns to its safe range, the propeller 12 returns to its original position.

[0051] S6: By changing the direction of the force of the propeller 12 in different directions, the disturbance force on the hose becomes a booster for changing the driving characteristics of the mining vehicle;

[0052] The change of the hose posture will affect the stress state of the ore collecting vehicle. When the disturbance force on the hose is opposite to the direction of movement of the ore collecting vehicle, it will form resistance to the forward movement of the ore collecting vehicle, which will increase the energy consumption of the vehicle during driving and reduce the driving characteristics of the ore collecting vehicle. By changing the direction of the propeller 12, the direction of the disturbance force acting on the hose is the same as the driving direction of the ore collecting vehicle, giving the ore collecting vehicle acceleration in the direction of movement. The propeller 12 stops working before the angle 8 between the ore lifting hose 9 and the ore collecting vehicle reaches the limit of the safety range, and the propeller 12 is restored to its original position. If the ore collecting vehicle cannot achieve the best driving characteristics, continue to execute S2.

[0053] S7: Normal operation and the operation of the propeller 12 will cause vibration of the hose. The presence of the vibration compensator effectively reduces the amplitude of vibration of the lifting hose 9:

[0054] When the ore collecting truck is in operation, the vibration of the hose will cause external disturbance and non-uniform tension, resulting in reduced stability and trajectory deviation during driving, and increased hydrodynamic resistance and drag.

[0055] S8: The vibration condition of the mining hose 9 is determined by the data transmitted by the vibration sensor 10. When the vibration compensator is not sufficient to adjust the vibration of the mining hose 9, the propeller 12 cooperates to stop the vibration of the mining hose 9. After the vibration is eliminated, the propeller 12 returns to its original position.

[0056] The vibration compensator around the lifting hose 9 greatly reduces the vibration of the hose, but a certain polarization will still occur. At this time, the propeller 12 cooperates to deal with the vibration. The propeller 12 on the opposite side of the polarization direction changes the thrust direction to give it a thrust in the opposite direction to cooperate to prevent the polarization. After the polarization is eliminated, the propeller 12 returns to its original position.

[0057] Specifically, Figure 1 As shown, the self-adjusting buoyancy device 13 and method suitable for a submarine ore collecting vehicle, wherein the vehicle body posture sensor 1, the speed sensor 2, the ACN hydroacoustic communication machine 3, and the radar 4 together constitute the vehicle body posture sensing system of the ore collecting vehicle, monitor the real-time speed of the ore collecting vehicle during operation, the yaw angle 7, and the angle 8 between the ore collecting vehicle and the ore lifting hose 9, and analyze, process and transmit the parameters through the ACN hydroacoustic communication machine 3. After the analysis results are obtained, the various parameters of the buoyancy adjustment system are adjusted.

[0058] like Figure 2 As shown, the yaw route 6 of the ore collecting vehicle shows the difference from the original working route; the yaw angle 7 shows the yaw angle 7 between the original working route. The angle 8 can be used to determine whether it exceeds the safe driving range and to issue an early warning. The angle 8 between the ore collecting vehicle and the ore lifting hose 9 is displayed in real time, and an early warning is issued for the angle 8 to prevent it from exceeding the range and causing adverse effects such as affecting transportation and damaging the hose. The vibration of the ore lifting hose 9 during the operation of the ore collecting vehicle and the correction of the vehicle body posture is detected by a vibration sensor, and the vibration is prevented by the cooperation of the vibration compensator 11 and the propeller 12; the buoyancy of the ore collecting vehicle is adjusted by the buoyancy device 13, and the position of the buoyancy device 13 and the direction and size of the hose are changed by the propeller 12.

[0059] The embodiments of this specific implementation method are all preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, any equivalent changes made based on the structure, shape, and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A self-adjusting buoyancy configuration method suitable for a submarine ore collection vehicle, characterized in that: It includes a buoyancy configuration device, which includes a vehicle body posture sensing system and a buoyancy adjustment system; the vehicle body posture sensing system includes a radar and a multi-sensor joint system, the multi-sensor joint system includes a vehicle body posture sensor, a speed sensor and an ACN hydroacoustic communication device, the buoyancy adjustment system includes a buoyancy device, a propeller propulsion device, a vibration sensor and a vibration compensator, the inner side of the vibration compensator is connected to the ore lifting hose, the buoyancy device is connected to the outer side of the vibration compensator, and the propeller propulsion device is connected to the buoyancy device; The method comprises: S1: When the ore collector is performing seabed operations, the terrain of the mining area is detected and analyzed in detail through the body posture sensor and speed sensor. According to the different terrain, the changes in the posture of the ore collector under the conditions of the operating area and the impact of different buoyancy configurations on the driving characteristics of the ore collector are evaluated; S2: During the operation, the buoyancy configuration of the ore collecting vehicle is adjusted and the speed sensor is used to detect the buoyancy configuration of the ore collecting vehicle in the operation area, and the buoyancy configuration is used as the basic parameter for subsequent parameter adjustment; S3: According to the body data of the mining truck during operation transmitted by the posture sensor, the safe driving range and safe driving posture angle judgment index of the mining truck are formulated; S4: When the attitude sensor detects that the ore collecting vehicle is yawed, the propellers on the left and right sides above the ore collecting vehicle rotate to change the direction of thrust, thereby achieving fine-tuning of the yaw of the ore collecting vehicle; S5: When the propeller rotates, it can generate thrusts of different directions and magnitudes. The thrusts can change the angle between the hose and the ore collecting vehicle. The angle is controlled within a certain range to prevent the angle from being too large, which may affect transportation and cause breakage. S6: By changing the direction of the propeller force in different directions, the disturbance force on the hose becomes a booster to change the driving characteristics of the mining truck; S7: Normal operation and propeller operation will cause vibration of the hose. The vibration compensator effectively reduces the vibration amplitude of the lifting hose. S8: The vibration condition of the lifting hose is determined by the data transmitted by the vibration sensor. When the vibration compensator is not sufficient to adjust the vibration of the lifting hose, the propeller works together to stop the vibration of the lifting hose. After the vibration is eliminated, the propeller returns to its original position.

2. According to the self-adjusting buoyancy configuration method suitable for a submarine ore collecting vehicle as described in claim 1, the radar can monitor the terrain during the operation of the ore collecting vehicle and detect the angle between the ore collecting vehicle and the ore lifting hose through scanning, and issue an early warning on the angle to prevent it from exceeding a safe range.

3. According to the self-adjusting buoyancy configuration method suitable for seabed ore collecting vehicles as described in claim 1, the body posture sensor can monitor the body yaw of the ore collecting vehicle during seabed operation in real time, and it is connected to the ACN hydroacoustic communication device to directly transmit the yaw parameters. In addition, it can also give an early warning of the yaw of the ore collecting vehicle according to the safe driving range angle.

4. According to the self-adjusting buoyancy configuration method suitable for seabed ore collecting vehicles as described in claim 1, the speed sensor can monitor the speed of the ore collecting vehicle during operation in real time, and can determine the influence of the buoyancy of the operating area on the driving characteristics of the ore collecting vehicle according to the change in speed when the buoyancy changes, and seek the optimal driving characteristics of the ore collecting vehicle in the operating area.

5. According to the self-adjusting buoyancy configuration method suitable for seabed ore collecting vehicles as described in claim 1, the propeller can provide thrust to change the position of the buoyancy configuration to change the position of the buoyancy, and the propeller can rotate in a small range at its position to change the direction of the thrust, thereby changing the posture of the ore lifting hose and the direction of the force on the hose.

6. According to the self-adjusting buoyancy configuration method suitable for a submarine ore collecting vehicle as described in claim 1, the vibration sensor can monitor the vibration of the hose in real time.

7. According to claim 1, a self-adjusting buoyancy configuration and method suitable for a seabed ore collecting vehicle, the vibration compensator is used to reduce the vibration of the hose caused by the operation of the ore collecting vehicle and the operation of the propeller. If the vibration compensator is not sufficient to stop the vibration, the propeller cooperates to stop the vibration of the hose.

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