Deep-sea mining closed lifting system and mining method

Abstract

The deep-sea mining closed type lifting system comprises a water surface supporting unit which comprises a mining ship, a mine-water separation mechanism, a liquid storage tank and a booster pump, and the mine-water separation mechanism, the liquid storage tank and the booster pump are located on the mining ship; the mineral transfer unit is located underwater and comprises a storage tank and a convergence bin located below the storage tank, the storage tank is used for receiving and storing the ores from the mineral collection unit on the seabed, and the bottom of the storage tank is connected with a first inlet of the convergence bin through an opening and closing device; the water return pipe is connected with the outlet of the booster pump and the second inlet of the converging bin; the ore conveying pipe is connected with an outlet of the converging bin and an inlet of the ore-water separating mechanism; wherein the booster pump pumps liquid in the liquid storage tank and conveys the liquid into the convergence bin through the water return pipe, the liquid and ore from the storage tank form ore pulp, then the ore pulp enters the ore conveying pipe and is conveyed to the ore-water separation mechanism through the ore conveying pipe, and the ore-water separation mechanism separates the ore in the ore pulp to form ore liquid and discharges the ore liquid into the liquid storage tank; therefore, seawater on the ocean surface is prevented from being polluted in the ore lifting process of deep-sea mining.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of deep - sea mining, and in particular to a deep - sea mining closed - lift system and a mining method. Background Art

[0002] With the increasing demand for mineral resources in the world and the shrinking of on - land mineral resources, through ocean exploration, it is found that the ocean stores a large amount of mineral resources, and the development of deep - sea mineral resources has been put on the agenda. Currently, the integrated mining - collection - transportation deep - sea mining mode has always been the mainstream direction of deep - sea mining.

[0003] The current deep - sea mining mode usually sets up a mineral transfer unit underwater to receive ore from the mining vehicle to form pulp, and then a slurry pipeline with a power system (such as a pump) is used to lift the pulp to the water surface for ore separation, and then the separated liquid is directly discharged into the ocean surface.

[0004] In the above - mentioned mining and transportation method, during the process of lifting the ore to the water surface, it is inevitable that slurry is lifted to the ocean surface along with the ore, the liquid after separating the ore is polluted, and the discharge process will inevitably cause pollution to the seawater on the ocean surface. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The applicant of the present invention aims at the above - mentioned disadvantages in the existing production technology and provides a deep - sea mining closed - lift system and a mining method, so as to avoid polluting the seawater on the ocean surface during the process of lifting ore in deep - sea mining.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0007] A deep - sea mining closed - lift system includes

[0008] A water - surface support unit, including a mining ship, and a ore - water separation mechanism, a liquid storage tank and a booster pump located on the mining ship;

[0009] A mineral transfer unit, located underwater, including a storage tank and a confluence bin located below the storage tank. The storage tank is used to receive and store ore from a mineral collection unit on the seabed, and the bottom of the storage tank is connected to the first inlet of the confluence bin through an opening - closing device;

[0010] A return water pipe, connecting the outlet of the booster pump to the second inlet of the confluence bin;

[0011] A slurry pipeline, connecting the outlet of the confluence bin to the inlet of the ore - water separation mechanism;

[0012] Among them, the booster pump extracts the liquid in the liquid storage tank and transports it to the confluence bin through the return pipe, and then forms slurry with the ore from the storage tank and enters the ore conveying pipe, and is transported to the ore-water separation mechanism through the ore conveying pipe. The ore-water separation mechanism separates the ore in the slurry and forms ore liquid which is discharged to the liquid storage tank.

[0013] As a further improvement of the above technical solution:

[0014] It also includes water supply and drainage pipelines;

[0015] One side of the return pipe is connected to the top of the storage tank through the water supply pipeline, and a water supply valve is provided on the water supply pipeline;

[0016] One side of the ore transport pipe is connected to one end of the storage tank through the drainage pipeline, and a drainage valve is provided on the drainage pipeline.

[0017] It also includes a foam generator that provides foam to the lifting system. The foam is mixed with the ore in the confluence bin so that the foam is evenly mixed in the ore slurry. After the ore slurry enters the ore conveying pipe, the foam provides power to lift the ore. The ore liquid contains the foam.

[0018] The number of the storage tanks is greater than or equal to two, and also includes a filling bin for receiving and storing ore from the mineral collection unit;

[0019] An opening and closing device is provided at the entrance of each storage tank, and is connected to the bottom outlet of the filling bin through the opening and closing device;

[0020] The water supply pipeline is connected to the top of each storage tank through a plurality of water supply branches, and each water supply branch is provided with a water supply valve;

[0021] The drainage pipeline is connected to the top of each storage tank through a plurality of drainage branches, and each drainage branch is provided with a drainage valve.

[0022] It also includes a vent pipeline connecting the top of the storage tank and the water area outside the storage tank, and a vent valve is arranged on the vent pipeline.

[0023] The opening and closing device includes a buffer chamber, a first connecting port and a second connecting port are respectively arranged on both sides of the buffer chamber, a baffle is hingedly installed in the buffer chamber, a driving mechanism is installed on the buffer chamber, and the driving mechanism is transmission-connected to the baffle for driving the baffle to rotate, thereby realizing the connection and isolation between the first connecting port and the second connecting port.

[0024] The mineral transfer unit comprises a return pipe connecting the return pipe and the second inlet, and an ore delivery pipe connecting the outlet of the merging bin and the ore delivery pipe, the return pipe is connected to the return pipe through a pipeline quick connector, and the ore delivery pipe is connected to the ore delivery pipe through a pipeline quick connector;

[0025] A pipeline quick connector is provided at the discharge port of the mineral collection unit for connecting the mineral collection unit to the storage tank.

[0026] A mining method uses a water surface support unit located on the water surface and a mineral transfer unit located underwater. The water surface support unit includes a mining ship, as well as a mineral-water separation mechanism, a liquid storage tank, and a booster pump located on the mining ship. The mineral transfer unit includes a storage tank and a confluence bin. The bottom of the storage tank is connected to the first inlet of the confluence bin;

[0027] The mining method includes the following steps:

[0028] Connect the lifting circuit: Connect the outlet of the confluence bin to the mineral-water separation mechanism with an ore transfer pipe, and connect the second inlet of the confluence bin to the outlet of the booster pump with a return pipe to form a lifting circuit;

[0029] Start the lifting circuit: Start the booster pump to pump the liquid in the liquid storage tank into the return pipe, make the fluid in the lifting circuit flow, and introduce foam into the fluid through a foam generator to form a uniform and stable lifting fluid containing foam. The lifting fluid enters the liquid storage tank after passing through the mineral-water separation mechanism;

[0030] Ore collection: Connect the outlet of the mineral collection unit to the storage tank, transport the collected ore to the storage tank, and store it in the storage tank;

[0031] Ore lifting: Keep the lifting fluid in the lifting circuit in a flowing state, connect the storage tank to the first inlet of the confluence bin, the ore enters the confluence bin under the action of gravity, the lifting fluid flows through the confluence bin and mixes with the ore to form a pulp containing foam. After the pulp enters the ore transfer pipe, the foam provides the power to lift the ore in the flowing pulp. After the pulp enters the mineral-water separation mechanism, the ore is separated and a mineral liquid containing foam is formed and enters the liquid storage tank, and enters the lifting circuit as the lifting fluid.

[0032] As a further improvement of the above technical solution:

[0033] There are multiple storage tanks in the mineral transfer unit, all of which are connected to the confluence bin and can be respectively connected to the mineral collection unit;

[0034] The method includes:

[0035] The ore collection and ore lifting steps are carried out synchronously, and for two different storage tanks, the fluid in the return pipe is a mineral liquid containing foam, and the fluid in the ore transfer pipe is a pulp containing foam.

[0036] The number of mineral transfer units is multiple, which are arranged at intervals on the seabed surface of the mining area. The number of storage tanks in each mineral transfer unit is one. The mining ship includes an ore collection ship provided with the booster pump, ore-water separation mechanism and liquid storage tank, and a mine car control ship for controlling the mineral collection unit;

[0037] The method includes the following steps:

[0038] Use an underwater robot to connect the mineral collection unit to the storage tank of a mineral transfer unit, and then perform the ore collection step to collect the ore around the mineral transfer unit. After the ore collection is completed, disconnect the connection;

[0039] Use an underwater robot to connect the mineral transfer unit with ore stored in the storage tank to the return water pipe and the ore transportation pipe to form a lifting loop. After starting the lifting loop, perform the ore lifting step. After the ore lifting is completed, disconnect the return water pipe and the ore transportation pipe from the mineral transfer unit;

[0040] Collect and lift the ore around each mineral transfer unit in turn.

[0041] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0042] The structure of the present invention is compact and reasonable, and it is convenient to operate. Through the liquid storage tank located on the water surface, the booster pump forms a lifting loop with the return water pipe, the ore transportation pipe and the confluence bin. The ore liquid separated by the ore-water separation mechanism is sent by the booster pump to the underwater mineral transfer unit. The ore liquid enters the confluence bin and mixes with the ore to form ore pulp, which is transported by the ore transportation pipe to the ore-water separation mechanism to re-separate the ore liquid. The ore liquid flows back into the lifting loop again, realizing the recycling of the lifting fluid during the ore lifting process, providing power for ore transportation, and reducing environmental pollution.

[0043] At the same time, the present invention also has the following advantages:

[0044] (1) Connect the storage tank to the return water pipe and the ore transportation pipe respectively through the water supply pipeline and the drainage pipeline to form a closed cycle of the lifting fluid, and ensure the relative stability of the amount of the lifting fluid in the loop during the ore collection and ore lifting processes.

[0045] (2) Uniformly mix foam into the ore pulp, and use the method of foam lifting in the ore transportation pipe to provide transportation power. With the flow of the lifting fluid in the lifting loop, the lifting of the ore pulp containing foam is realized, avoiding the installation of a transportation pump on the underwater ore transportation pipe, reducing the overall power load in the lifting system, and facilitating system maintenance.

[0046] (3) One of the two storage tanks in multiple storage tanks is in the ore collection working state, and the other is in the ore lifting working state, realizing continuous operation of both the mineral collection unit for collecting ore and the lifting loop for lifting ore, thereby realizing continuous ore collection and improving the collection efficiency.

[0047] (4) A drain pipe is provided to connect the storage tank with the water area outside the storage tank, realizing the function of the lifting system to conduct ore collection independently, and the stable control of the amount of lifting fluid in the closed cycle during the alternative cyclic ore collection and ore lifting.

[0048] (5) The mining method of the present invention forms an efficient and green closed-cycle lifting mode, which is more efficient, lower in cost and more environmentally friendly compared with the operation mode of traditional deep-sea mining.

[0049] (6) Distributed deep-sea mining operations are adopted, and multiple mineral transfer units are used for distributed ore lifting operations, realizing the separation of ore collection and lifting and transportation functions. It can miniaturize the mining vehicle mother ship, improve the operation efficiency at the same time, and can use the mineral transfer unit with one storage tank for ore lifting. The structure and control of the mineral transfer unit are simple, and the failure rate is low. Description of the Drawings

[0050] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the surface support unit of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the working principle when there is one storage pipe in the mineral transfer unit of the present invention.

[0053] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram when there are multiple storage pipes in the mineral transfer unit of the present invention.

[0054] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the working principle when there are multiple storage pipes in the mineral transfer unit of the present invention.

[0055] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the working principle (one) when there are multiple mineral transfer units of the present invention.

[0056] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the working principle (two) when there are multiple mineral transfer units of the present invention.

[0057] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the ore liquid containing foam in the return pipe and the ore pulp containing foam in the ore transportation pipe of the present invention.

[0058] Figure 9 It is a schematic structural diagram of the opening and closing device of the present invention.

[0059] Wherein:

[0060] 1. Water surface support unit; 11. Mining ship; 111. Ore collection ship; 112. Ore car control ship; 12. Storage bin; 13. Ore-water separation mechanism; 14. Liquid storage tank; 15. Booster pump;

[0061] 2. Ore transportation pipe; 3. Return water pipe;

[0062] 21. Ore transportation connection pipe; 31. Return water connection pipe;

[0063] 4. Mineral transfer unit;

[0064] 41. Opening and closing device; 411. First connection port; 412. Baffle; 413. Buffer chamber; 414. Second connection port;

[0065] 42. Storage tank; 43. Foam generator;

[0066] 44. Confluence bin; 441. First inlet; 442. Second inlet;

[0067] 45. Water supply pipeline; 451. Water supply valve;

[0068] 46. Drainage pipeline; 461. Drainage valve;

[0069] 47. Venting pipeline; 471. Venting valve; 472. Cut-off valve;

[0070] 48. Feeding bin; 49. Ore lifting pipe;

[0071] 5. Mineral collection unit; 51. Buoy; 52. Mining hose; 53. Mining car;

[0072] 6. Pipeline quick connector. Detailed implementation manners

[0073] The following combines with the attached drawings to illustrate the detailed implementation manners of the present invention.

[0074] Embodiment 1:

[0075] As Figures 1 - 5 shown, the deep-sea mining closed lifting system of this embodiment includes a water surface support unit 1, a mineral transfer unit 4, a return water pipe 3 and an ore transportation pipe 2.

[0076] The water surface support unit 1 includes a mining ship 11, and an ore-water separation mechanism 13, a liquid storage tank 14 and a booster pump 15 located on the mining ship 11;

[0077] The mineral transfer unit 4 is located underwater and includes a storage tank 42 and a confluence bin 44 located below the storage tank 42. The storage tank 42 is used to receive and store ores from the mineral collection unit 5 at the seabed, and the bottom of the storage tank 42 is connected to the first inlet 441 of the confluence bin 44 through an opening and closing device 41;

[0078] The return water pipe 3 connects the outlet of the booster pump 15 to the second inlet 442 of the confluence bin 44;

[0079] The ore conveying pipe 2 connects the outlet of the confluence bin 44 to the inlet of the ore-water separation mechanism 13;

[0080] Among them, the booster pump 15 extracts the liquid in the liquid storage tank 14 and transports it to the confluence bin 44 through the return water pipe 3, forms a pulp with the ore from the storage bin 42, then enters the ore conveying pipe 2, and is sent to the ore-water separation mechanism 13 through the ore conveying pipe 2. The ore-water separation mechanism 13 separates the ore in the pulp and forms ore liquid, which is discharged into the liquid storage tank 14.

[0081] As Figure 1 shown, the mineral collection unit 5 includes a mining vehicle 53 and a submersible pump located on the mining vehicle 53. It also includes a mining hose 52. The mining hose 52 connects the outlet of the submersible pump to the inlet of the storage bin 42. The submersible pump transports the ore temporarily stored on the mining vehicle 53 outward through the mining hose 52. A plurality of floats 51 are arranged on the mining hose 52, and the floats 51 are used to control the line type of the mining hose 52.

[0082] As Figure 3 shown, the storage bin 42 is used to store ore. The opening and closing device 41 at the outlet position at the bottom of the storage bin 42 is used to open and close the outlet at the bottom of the storage bin 42, so as to realize the connection or isolation between the storage bin 42 and the confluence bin 44. The opening and closing device 41 can be a standard valve or a valve mechanism with non-standard design.

[0083] The pulp enters the ore-water separation mechanism 13, and the ore is separated through the screening component and collected in the storage bin 12 on the mining ship 11. At the same time, a small amount of slurry that may be carried is separated. The contaminated liquid discharged from the ore-water separation mechanism 13 is ore liquid, and the ore liquid is discharged into the liquid storage tank 14.

[0084] The inlet of the booster pump 15 is connected to the liquid storage tank 14, extracts the liquid in the liquid storage tank 14, and pumps it to the confluence bin 44 in the underwater mineral transfer unit 4 through the return water pipe 3.

[0085] In the deep-sea mining closed lifting system, the lifting circuit for lifting ore includes the liquid storage tank 14, the booster pump 15, the return water pipe 3, the confluence bin 44 and the ore conveying pipe 2, connecting the channel for transporting ore liquid to the seabed and the channel for lifting ore, realizing the circulation and backflow of ore liquid in the two channels, and avoiding discharging ore liquid to the ocean surface during the ore lifting process.

[0086] The power system of the lifting circuit includes the booster pump 15, and a conveying pump can also be set on the ore conveying pipe 2.

[0087] The working process of the deep-sea mining closed lifting system in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0088] Start the lifting circuit: When the power system starts, the fluid in the lifting circuit flows, and the fluid is the lifting fluid.

[0089] Ore collection: The mineral collection unit 5 works to transport the collected ore to the storage tank 42 and store it in the storage tank 42.

[0090] Ore lifting: Keep the lifting fluid in the lifting circuit in a flowing state, open the opening and closing device 41 at the bottom of the storage tank 42. The ore in the storage tank 42 enters the confluence bin 44 under the action of gravity through the opening and closing device 41. The lifting fluid in the lifting circuit flows through the confluence bin 44 and mixes with the ore to form pulp, and the pulp is transported to the water surface support unit 1 by the ore transportation pipe 2. The falling speed of the ore to the confluence bin 44 can be controlled by the opening and closing degree of the opening and closing device, or a feeder can be installed at the first inlet 441 of the confluence bin 44 to control the falling speed of the ore, and then control the concentration of the ore in the pulp.

[0091] When there is one storage tank 42, the ore collection and ore lifting steps are carried out alternately, as Figure 3 shown. In Figure a, it is ore collection, and in Figure b, it is ore lifting. During ore collection and ore lifting, there is continuous fluid flow in the ore transportation pipe 2 and the water return pipe 3 until the ore collection on the seabed surface of the target mining area is completed and the ore in the ore transportation pipe 2 is completely transferred to the water surface support unit 1.

[0092] When ore collection is not required, turn off the power system and stop the fluid flow in the lifting circuit.

[0093] The liquid storage tank 14 and the booster pump 15 located on the water surface form a lifting circuit through the water return pipe 3, the ore transportation pipe 2, and the confluence bin 44. The ore liquid separated by the ore-water separation mechanism 13 is sent to the underwater mineral transfer unit 4 by the booster pump 15. The ore liquid enters the confluence bin 44 and mixes with the ore to form pulp, and the pulp is transported to the ore-water separation mechanism 13 by the ore transportation pipe 2 to re-separate the ore liquid, and the ore liquid flows back into the lifting circuit again, realizing the recycling of the lifting fluid during the ore lifting process, providing power for ore transportation, and reducing environmental pollution.

[0094] Furthermore, as Figure 3 shown, it also includes a water supply pipeline 45 and a drainage pipeline 46;

[0095] One side of the water return pipe 3 is connected to the top of the storage tank 42 through the water supply pipeline 45, and a water supply valve 451 is provided on the water supply pipeline 45;

[0096] One side of the ore transportation pipe 2 is connected to one end of the storage tank 42 through the drainage pipeline 46, and a drainage valve 461 is provided on the drainage pipeline 46.

[0097] The water supply valve 451 and the drain valve 461 can be globe valves. The water supply valve 451 is used to control the connection and isolation between the return pipe 3 and the storage tank 42, and the drain valve 461 is used to control the connection and isolation between the ore conveying pipe 2 and the storage tank 42.

[0098] During the ore lifting process, the water supply valve 451 and the opening and closing device 41 at the bottom of the storage tank 42 are opened, and the drain valve 461 is closed to ensure that the pressures at the top and bottom of the storage tank 42 are equal, facilitating the discharge of the ore. At the same time, when discharging the ore in the storage tank 42, the storage tank 42 is filled with the fluid in the return pipe 3.

[0099] During the ore collection process, the water supply valve 451 and the opening and closing device 41 at the bottom of the storage tank 42 are closed, and the drain valve 461 is opened. When the storage tank 42 is filled with ore, the fluid in the storage tank 42 is discharged into the ore conveying pipe 2 through the drain pipeline 46.

[0100] The storage tank 42 is connected to the return pipe 3 and the ore conveying pipe 2 respectively through the water supply pipeline 45 and the drain pipeline 46 to form a closed cycle for lifting the fluid, ensuring the relative stability of the amount of lifting fluid in the loop during the ore collection and ore lifting processes.

[0101] Embodiment 2:

[0102] To further optimize the power system of the lifting loop, the deep-sea mining closed lifting system of this embodiment further includes a foam generator 43 that provides foam to the lifting system. The foam is mixed with the ore in the confluence bin 44, so that the foam is evenly mixed in the pulp. After the pulp enters the ore conveying pipe 2, the foam provides the power to lift the ore, and the ore liquid contains foam.

[0103] The foam generator 43 is a device that combines air and a flotation foaming agent to form bubbles. This device is a prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0104] The flotation foaming agent reduces the gas-liquid interfacial tension in the pulp to form stable and uniform foam. The bubbles carry the ore upward to achieve the lifting of the ore in the ore conveying pipe 2, as Figure 8 shown.

[0105] The foam generator 43 can be installed on the surface support unit 1, and the foam is transported to the confluence bin 44 through a pipeline, or it can be installed at the confluence bin 44, as Figure 4 shown, and is equipped with a container for storing air and the flotation foaming agent. Preferably, the foam generator 43 is installed on the water surface to form foam in the liquid in the liquid storage tank 14.

[0106] During the operation of the deep-sea mining closed lifting system of this embodiment:

[0107] When the lifting circuit is started for the first time, foam is added to the fluid in the lifting circuit to form a lifting fluid containing uniformly stable foam. When the ore is lifted, the foam is uniformly mixed in the pulp. After the ore is separated by the ore-water separation mechanism 13, the ore liquid contains foam and enters the liquid storage tank 14, and the foam is reused. The liquid storage tank 14 facilitates the control and monitoring of the foam volume in the lifting circuit. The ore liquid containing foam is transported to the confluence bin 44 by the water return pipe 3 and continues to be used as the lifting fluid to lift the ore, as Figure 8 shown.

[0108] In this embodiment, the particle size of the ore is 5 mm - 30 mm, the volume concentration of the ore in the pulp is 5% - 20%, and the volume concentration of the bubbles in the lifting fluid in the water return pipe 3 is 50% - 70%.

[0109] A screen is installed at the inlet of the water supply pipeline 45 to prevent foam from entering the storage tank 42.

[0110] The traditional methods of lifting ore by hydraulic and pneumatic power have low efficiency and economic benefits. The advantages of the deep-sea mining closed lifting system in this embodiment are as follows:

[0111] First, the power of the power system of the lifting circuit is provided by the booster pump 15 and the bubbles in the lifting circuit. The foam lifting method forms a lifting plugging effect in the ore transportation pipe 2, reducing the probability of ore backflow or mineral particle blockage in the ore transportation pipe 2 and improving the ore lifting efficiency.

[0112] Secondly, during the ore lifting process, the closed circulation of the lifting fluid. The booster pump 15 only needs to provide the flow power of the fluid and does not need to overcome the water pressure in the deep sea. The foam lifting method greatly reduces the amount of water in the lifting circuit, reduces the medium density, and does not require a transportation pump to be arranged on the ore transportation pipe 2, greatly reducing the mechanical power demand in the whole system. The power pump of the whole deep-sea mining closed lifting system is located on the surface support unit 1 on the water surface, which is convenient for system maintenance.

[0113] Foam is uniformly mixed into the pulp, and the foam lifting method is used in the ore transportation pipe 2 to provide the transportation power. With the flow of the lifting fluid in the lifting circuit, the lifting of the ore pulp containing foam is realized, avoiding the arrangement of a transportation pump on the underwater ore transportation pipe 2, reducing the overall power load in the lifting system, and facilitating system maintenance.

[0114] Embodiment 3:

[0115] On the basis of the above embodiments, as Figure 5 、 Figure 4 shown, the number of storage tanks 42 of the mineral transfer unit 4 in the deep-sea mining closed lifting system of this embodiment is greater than or equal to two, and it also includes a feeding bin 48 for receiving and storing the ore from the mineral collection unit 5;

[0116] An opening and closing device 41 is provided at the inlet of each storage tank 42, and the bottom outlet of the charging bin 48 is connected through the opening and closing device 41;

[0117] The water supply pipeline 45 is connected to the top of each storage tank 42 through a plurality of water supply branches, and a water supply valve 451 is provided on each water supply branch;

[0118] The drainage pipeline 46 is connected to the top of each storage tank 42 through a plurality of drainage branches, and a drainage valve 461 is provided on each drainage branch.

[0119] The mineral transfer unit 4 further includes a ore lifting pipe 49 connected to the top inlet of the charging bin 48. The mining hose 52 of the mineral collection unit 5 is connected to the ore lifting pipe 49. The ore lifting pump transports the ore collected by the mining vehicle 53 from the mining hose 52 into the ore lifting pipe 49 in the mineral transfer unit 4 and then into the charging bin 48. The ore lifting pipe 49 is a rigid pipe.

[0120] The charging bin 48 is used to cache the ore from the mineral collection unit 5. The opening and closing device 41 located at the inlet of the storage tank 42 is used to open and close the inlet of the storage tank 42 to realize the connection or isolation between the storage tank 42 and the charging bin 48. Specifically, the bottom outlet of the charging bin 48 is connected to a plurality of branch pipes, and the end of each branch pipe is installed with an opening and closing device 41. The plurality of branch pipes and the opening and closing device 41 form a flow path switching device, and different storage tanks 42 for receiving ore are selected by controlling the opening and closing of different opening and closing devices 41.

[0121] In the deep-sea mining closed lifting system of this embodiment, the number of storage tanks 42 in the mineral transfer unit 4 is multiple. By switching the opening and closing states of the opening and closing device 41, the water supply valve 451 and the drainage valve 461, the working state of the storage tank 42 is switched, such as Figure 5 As shown, one of the storage tanks 42 is in the ore collection working state, one storage tank 42 is in the ore lifting working state, and another storage tank 42 is in the ore storage state. After the ore in the storage tank 42 currently in the ore lifting working state is lifted, it is converted to the ore collection working state, and the storage tank 42 that has completed another ore collection is switched to the ore lifting state to realize the continuous lifting and transportation of the ore. When the beats of ore collection and ore lifting in the storage tank 42 are equal, theoretically two storage tanks 42 can meet the continuous lifting and transportation conditions.

[0122] During the working process of the deep-sea mining closed lifting system of this embodiment, the ore conveying pipe 2 can continuously convey the pulp.

[0123] Among the multiple storage tanks 42, two storage tanks 42 are in the ore collection working state and the ore lifting working state respectively, so that both the ore collection by the mineral collection unit 5 and the ore lifting by the lifting circuit are continuous operations, thereby realizing the continuous collection of the ore and improving the collection efficiency.

[0124] Example 4:

[0125] Based on the above embodiments, as Figures 3 - 5 shown, in this embodiment, the mineral transfer unit 4 further includes a vent pipeline 47 connecting the top of the storage tank 42 to the water area outside the storage tank 42, and a vent valve 471 is provided on the vent pipeline 47.

[0126] Regardless of whether the number of storage tanks 42 is one or more, the vent pipeline 47 can be arranged on the top of the storage tank 42. When the mineral collection unit 5 transports ore into the storage tank 42, the opening and closing device 41 at the outlet of the storage tank 42 is in the closed state. At this time, the vent valve 471 on the vent pipeline 47 is opened. While the ore enters the storage tank 42, the fluid in the storage tank 42 is discharged from the storage tank 42 through the vent pipeline 47. Even when there is no fluid flow in the return water pipe 3 and the ore conveying pipe 2, the storage tank 42 can still receive ore.

[0127] Regardless of whether the number of storage tanks 42 is one or more, the vent pipeline 47 can be arranged on the side of the connection end of the drainage pipeline 46 and the ore conveying pipe 2. The storage tank 42 is connected to the water area outside the storage tank 42 through the drainage pipeline 46, and a cut-off valve 472 is installed between the vent pipeline 47 and the drainage pipeline 46 between the ore conveying pipes 2.

[0128] When there is flowing fluid in the return water pipe 3 and the ore conveying pipe 2, the water in the storage tank 42 can be discharged through the vent pipeline 47, avoiding the accumulation of the amount of water carried by the ore collected by the mineral collection unit 5, which causes an increase in the amount of lifting fluid, facilitating the discharge of water to the deep sea without affecting the water surface sea area environment, and adjusting the amount of lifting fluid.

[0129] By setting the vent pipeline 47 for connecting the storage tank 42 to the water area outside the storage tank 42, the function of the lifting system to collect ore alone is realized, and the stable control of the amount of lifting fluid in the closed cycle during the alternative cyclic ore collection and ore lifting is achieved.

[0130] Furthermore, for a single mineral transfer unit 4 with multiple storage tanks 42, in order to reduce the failure rate during the frequent switching of the opening and closing device 41, the opening and closing device 41 is non-standard designed.

[0131] As Figure 9As shown, the opening and closing device 41 is a non-standard valve mechanism. For working conditions with a high opening frequency, the service life of the opening and closing device 41 is longer than that of a standard valve, and the failure rate is low. The opening and closing device 41 includes a buffer chamber 413, and the two sides of the buffer chamber 413 are respectively provided with a first connection port 411 and a second connection port 414. A baffle 412 is hingedly installed in the buffer chamber 413, and a driving mechanism is installed on the buffer chamber 413. The driving mechanism is transmission-connected with the baffle 412, and is used to drive the baffle 412 to rotate, so as to realize the connection and isolation between the first connection port 411 and the second connection port 414.

[0132] When the opening and closing device 41 is installed at the entrance of the storage tank 42, the first connecting port 411 and the second connecting port 414 are respectively connected to the mineral collection unit 5 and the entrance of the storage tank 42. When the opening and closing device 41 is installed at the outlet of the storage tank 42, the first connecting port 411 and the second connecting port 414 are respectively connected to the outlet of the storage tank 42 and the first inlet 441 of the confluence bin 44.

[0133] In order to facilitate the connection between the mineral transfer unit 4 and the ore transport pipe 2 and the return pipe 3, the mineral collection unit 5 is connected to the mineral transfer unit 4, such as Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the mineral transfer unit 4 includes a return water pipe 31 connecting the return water pipe 3 and the second inlet 442, and an ore delivery pipe 21 connecting the outlet of the merging bin 44 and the ore delivery pipe 2, the return water pipe 31 is connected to the return water pipe 3 through a pipeline quick connector 6, and the ore delivery pipe 21 is connected to the ore delivery pipe 2 through a pipeline quick connector 6;

[0134] A pipeline quick connector 6 is provided at the discharge port of the mineral collection unit 5 for connecting the mineral collection unit 5 with the storage tank 42 .

[0135] Specifically, the ore transport pipe 2 and the water return pipe 3 are arranged side by side and connected together, and the ore transport pipe 2 and the water return pipe 3 are fixed in parallel by a plurality of fixing plates;

[0136] The drainage pipeline 46 is connected to the ore conveying pipe 2 through the ore conveying pipe 21, and the water supply pipeline 45 is connected to the return pipe 3 through the return pipe 31;

[0137] The mining hose 52 of the mineral collection unit 5 is connected to the ore lifting pipe 49 of the mineral transfer unit 4 through the pipeline quick connector 6, and is connected to the storage tank 42 through the ore lifting pipe 49, or is connected to the filling bin 48 through the ore lifting pipe 49 and then connected to the storage tank 42.

[0138] All pipeline quick connectors 6 are located outside the frame of the mineral transfer unit 4, which is convenient for assembly and improves the efficiency of pipeline assembly and disassembly.

[0139] Embodiment five:

[0140] The mining method of this embodiment uses the water surface support unit 1 located on the water surface and the mineral transfer unit 4 located underwater in any of the above embodiments. The water surface support unit 1 includes a mining ship 11, and a ore-water separation mechanism 13, a liquid storage tank 14 and a booster pump 15 located on the mining ship 11. The mineral transfer unit 4 includes a storage tank 42 and a confluence bin 44. The bottom of the storage tank 42 is connected to the first inlet 441 of the confluence bin 44;

[0141] The mining method includes the following steps:

[0142] Connect the lifting circuit: Connect the outlet of the confluence bin 44 to the ore-water separation mechanism 13 with an ore transfer pipe 2, and connect the second inlet 442 of the confluence bin 44 to the outlet of the booster pump 15 with a return pipe 3 to form a lifting circuit;

[0143] Start the lifting circuit: Start the booster pump 15 to pump the liquid in the liquid storage tank 14 into the return pipe 3, make the fluid in the lifting circuit flow, and introduce foam into the fluid through a foam generator 43 to form a uniform and stable lifting fluid containing foam. The lifting fluid enters the liquid storage tank 14 after passing through the ore-water separation mechanism 13;

[0144] Ore collection: Connect the outlet of the mineral collection unit 5 to the storage tank 42, transport the collected ore to the storage tank 42, and store it in the storage tank 42;

[0145] Ore lifting: Keep the lifting fluid in the lifting circuit in a flowing state, connect the storage tank 42 to the first inlet 441 of the confluence bin 44. The ore enters the confluence bin 44 under the action of gravity. The lifting fluid flows through the confluence bin 44 and mixes with the ore to form a pulp containing foam. After the pulp enters the ore transfer pipe 2, the foam provides the power to lift the ore in the flowing pulp. After the pulp enters the ore-water separation mechanism 13, the ore is separated and a ore liquid containing foam is formed and enters the liquid storage tank 14, and is pumped into the lifting circuit by the booster pump 15 as the lifting fluid.

[0146] The mining method of this embodiment forms an efficient and green closed-loop lifting mode. Compared with the operation mode of traditional deep-sea mining, it has higher efficiency, lower cost and more environmental friendliness.

[0147] Embodiment Six:

[0148] On the basis of Embodiment Five, in the mining method of this embodiment, the number of mineral transfer units 4 is one, and there are multiple storage tanks 42 in the mineral transfer unit 4. They are all connected to the confluence bin 44 through opening and closing devices 41, and can be respectively connected to the mineral collection unit 5;

[0149] The method includes:

[0150] The ore collection and ore lifting steps are carried out simultaneously and correspond to two different storage tanks 42. The fluid in the return pipe 3 is ore liquid containing foam, and the fluid in the ore conveying pipe 2 is ore pulp containing foam.

[0151] Using a mineral transfer unit 4 can carry out continuous mining operations, and ore pulp is continuously output in the ore conveying pipe 2, improving the mining efficiency.

[0152] Such as Figure 1 、 Figure 5 As shown, a specific working process of the mining method of this embodiment is as follows:

[0153] The ore conveying pipe 2 connects the outlet of the confluence bin 44 of the mineral transfer unit 4 with the ore-water separation mechanism 13. The return pipe 3 connects the second inlet 442 of the confluence bin 44 with the outlet of the booster pump 15 to form a lifting loop. During the mining process, the mineral transfer unit 4 follows the surface support unit 1 and the mineral transfer unit 4 is located above the mineral collection unit 5;

[0154] Start the booster pump 15 to pump the liquid in the liquid storage tank 14 into the return pipe 3, so that the fluid in the lifting loop flows, and foam is introduced into the fluid through the foam generator 43 to form a uniform and stable lifting fluid containing foam. The lifting fluid enters the liquid storage tank 14 after passing through the ore-water separation mechanism 13;

[0155] The mining vehicle 53 inputs the collected ore into the mining hose 52, and the mining hose 52 is connected to the ore lifting pipe 49 in the mineral transfer unit 4, and the ore is input into the feeding bin 48 in the mineral transfer unit 4;

[0156] During continuous mining, the three storage tanks 42 always maintain a state of one ore injection (for ore collection), one full of ore, and one ore output (for ore lifting), which is controlled by the opening and closing devices 41 located at the inlet and bottom of the storage tank 42.

[0157] Example Seven:

[0158] On the basis of Example Five, as Figure 6 、 Figure 7 As shown, in the mining method of this embodiment, the number of mineral transfer units 4 is multiple, which are arranged at intervals on the seabed surface of the mining area. The number of storage tanks 42 in each mineral transfer unit 4 is one. The mining ship 11 includes an ore collection ship 111 provided with a booster pump 15, an ore-water separation mechanism 13 and a liquid storage tank 14, and a mining vehicle control ship 112 for controlling the mineral collection unit 5;

[0159] The method includes the following steps:

[0160] An underwater robot is used to connect the mineral collection unit 5 to the storage tank 42 of a mineral transfer unit 4, and then the ore collection step is carried out to collect the ore around the mineral transfer unit 4. After the ore collection is completed, the connection between the mineral collection unit 5 and the storage tank 42 is released;

[0161] An underwater robot is used to connect the mineral transfer unit 4 with ore stored in the storage tank 42 to the water return pipe 3 and the ore transportation pipe 2 to form a lifting circuit. After the lifting circuit is started, the ore lifting step is carried out. After the ore lifting is completed, the water return pipe 3 and the ore transportation pipe 2 are disconnected from the mineral transfer unit 4;

[0162] The ore around each mineral transfer unit 4 is collected and lifted in sequence.

[0163] The ore collection ship 111 and the ore truck control ship 112 move according to the corresponding mineral transfer unit 4 in the ore collection state and the ore lifting state.

[0164] The mineral transfer units 4 are evenly distributed in an array on the seabed of the mining area, and the movement paths of the mineral collection unit 5 cover the entire seabed of the mining area around each mineral transfer unit 4. Specifically, as Figure 7 shown, the movement path of the mining vehicle 53 of the mineral collection unit 5 within the specified working range around the mineral transfer unit 4 is a figure-eight shape, and all the ore on the seabed of the mining area around the mineral transfer unit 4 is gradually collected.

[0165] The mining ship 11 includes two hulls. One for transporting ore is the ore collection ship 111, and one for carrying the energy equipment for controlling the mineral collection unit 5 is the ore truck control ship 112, which reduces the size of a single ship and the overall cost of the mining equipment. It also avoids the entanglement of the mining hose 52 with the water return pipe 3 and the ore transportation pipe 2. The ore can be lifted using a mineral transfer unit 4 with a single storage tank 42. The structure and control of the mineral transfer unit 4 are simple, and the failure rate is low.

[0166] By adopting distributed deep-sea mining operations and using multiple mineral transfer units 4 for distributed ore lifting operations, the separation of the ore collection and lifting and transportation functions is realized, the miniaturization of the mother ship of the mining vehicle 53 can be achieved, and the operation efficiency can be improved at the same time.

[0167] A specific working process of the mining method in this embodiment is as follows:

[0168] The underwater robot connects the mining hose 52 of the mineral collection unit 5 to the mineral transfer unit 4 of No. 01 through the pipeline quick connector 6. The mining vehicle 53 inputs the collected ore into the storage tank 42 in the mineral transfer unit 4 of No. 01 through the mining hose 52. At this time, the drain valve 471 on the drain pipeline 47 is opened to drain the water in the storage tank 42 to the external water area of the storage tank 42. After the storage tank 42 is full, the underwater robot disconnects the mining hose 52 from the mineral transfer unit 4. The mining vehicle 53 moves to the vicinity of the mineral transfer unit 4 of No. 02 and repeats the above steps. The ore truck control ship 112 moves following the mining vehicle 53;

[0169] For the mineral transfer unit 4 of No. 01 that has been filled with ore, the ore collection ship 111 will adjust its position above it. The underwater robot docks the return water pipe 3 and the ore delivery pipe 2 to the return water connection pipe 31 and the ore delivery connection pipe 21 on the mineral transfer unit 4 through the pipeline quick connector 6. The booster pump 15 is started to pump the liquid in the liquid storage tank 14 into the return water pipe 3, so that the fluid in the lifting circuit flows, and foam is introduced into the fluid through the foam generator 43 to form a uniform and stable lifting fluid containing foam. The lifting fluid enters the liquid storage tank 14 after passing through the ore-water separation mechanism 13;

[0170] Keep the lifting fluid in the lifting circuit in a flowing state, connect the storage tank 42 to the first inlet 441 of the confluence bin 44. The ore enters the confluence bin 44 under the action of gravity. The lifting fluid flows through the confluence bin 44 and mixes with the ore to form a pulp containing foam. After the pulp enters the ore delivery pipe 2, the foam provides the power to lift the ore in the flowing pulp. After the pulp enters the ore-water separation mechanism 13, the ore is separated and a foam-containing ore liquid is formed and enters the liquid storage tank 14, which is pumped into the lifting circuit as the lifting fluid by the booster pump 15;

[0171] After there is no ore in the mineral transfer unit 4 of No. 01, the booster pump 15 is turned off to stop the fluid flow in the lifting circuit;

[0172] Adjust the position of the ore collection ship 111, and dock the return water pipe 3 and the ore delivery pipe 2 to the next mineral transfer unit 4 filled with ore through the pipeline quick connector 6, and repeat the above steps of lifting the ore.

[0173] The above description is an explanation of the present invention, not a limitation of the invention. The scope defined by the present invention is referred to the claims. Within the protection scope of the present invention, any form of modification can be made.

Claims

1. A closed lifting system for deep sea mining, characterized in that: include A surface support unit (1) comprises a mining vessel (11), and a mine-water separation mechanism (13), a liquid storage tank (14) and a booster pump (15) located on the mining vessel (11); The mineral transfer unit (4) is located underwater and comprises a storage tank (42) and a merging bin (44) located below the storage tank (42). The storage tank (42) is used to receive and store ore from the mineral collection unit (5) on the seabed. The bottom of the storage tank (42) is connected to a first inlet (441) of the merging bin (44) via an opening and closing device (41). A water return pipe (3) connecting the outlet of the booster pump (15) and the second inlet (442) of the merging chamber (44); An ore transport pipe (2) connecting the outlet of the merging bin (44) and the inlet of the ore-water separation mechanism (13); The booster pump (15) extracts liquid from the liquid storage tank (14) and transports it to the merging bin (44) through the return pipe (3), and then forms slurry with ore from the storage tank (42), and then enters the ore conveying pipe (2), and is then transported to the ore-water separation mechanism (13) through the ore conveying pipe (2). The ore-water separation mechanism (13) separates the ore in the slurry and forms ore liquid, which is then discharged to the liquid storage tank (14).

2. The deep sea mining closed lifting system according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a water supply pipeline (45) and a drainage pipeline (46); One side of the water return pipe (3) is connected to the top of the storage tank (42) through the water supply pipeline (45), and the water supply pipeline (45) is provided with a water supply valve (451); One side of the ore transport pipe (2) is connected to one end of the material storage tank (42) through the drainage pipeline (46), and a drainage valve (461) is provided on the drainage pipeline (46).

3. The deep sea mining closed lifting system according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a foam generator (43) for providing foam to the lifting system. The foam is mixed with the ore in the confluence bin (44) so ​​that the foam is evenly mixed in the ore slurry. After the ore slurry enters the ore conveying pipe (2), the foam provides power for lifting the ore. The ore liquid contains the foam.

4. The deep sea mining closed lifting system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The number of the storage tanks (42) is greater than or equal to two, and further comprises a filling bin (48) for receiving and storing ore from the mineral collection unit (5); An opening and closing device (41) is provided at the inlet of each material storage tank (42), and is connected to the bottom outlet of the material injection bin (48) through the opening and closing device (41); The water supply pipeline (45) is connected to the top of each storage tank (42) through a plurality of water supply branches, and each water supply branch is provided with a water supply valve (451); The drainage pipeline (46) is connected to the top of each storage tank (42) through a plurality of drainage branches, and each drainage branch is provided with a drainage valve (461).

5. The deep sea mining closed lifting system according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a vent pipeline (47) connecting the top of the storage tank (42) and the water area outside the storage tank (42), and a vent valve (471) is provided on the vent pipeline (47).

6. The deep sea mining closed lifting system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The opening and closing device (41) comprises a buffer chamber (413), a first connection port (411) and a second connection port (414) are respectively arranged on both sides of the buffer chamber (413), a baffle plate (412) is hingedly installed in the buffer chamber (413), a driving mechanism is installed on the buffer chamber (413), the driving mechanism is transmission-connected to the baffle plate (412) and is used to drive the baffle plate (412) to rotate, thereby realizing the connection and isolation between the first connection port (411) and the second connection port (414).

7. The deep sea mining closed lifting system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mineral transfer unit (4) comprises a return water pipe (31) connecting the return water pipe (3) and the second inlet (442), and an ore transport pipe (21) connecting the outlet of the merging bin (44) and the ore transport pipe (2); the return water pipe (31) is connected to the return water pipe (3) via a pipeline quick connector (6), and the ore transport pipe (21) is connected to the ore transport pipe (2) via a pipeline quick connector (6); A pipeline quick connector (6) is provided at the discharge port of the mineral collection unit (5) for connecting the mineral collection unit (5) to the storage tank (42).

8. A mining method, characterized in that: The mining method uses a surface support unit (1) located on the water surface and a mineral transfer unit (4) located underwater. The surface support unit (1) includes a mining ship (11), and a mineral-water separation mechanism (13), a liquid storage tank (14) and a booster pump (15) located on the mining ship (11). The mineral transfer unit (4) includes a storage tank (42) and a merging bin (44). The bottom of the storage tank (42) is connected to a first inlet (441) of the merging bin (44). The mining method comprises the following steps: Connecting the lifting circuit: connecting the outlet of the merging bin (44) to the ore-water separation mechanism (13) with the ore conveying pipe (2), and connecting the second inlet (442) of the merging bin (44) to the outlet of the booster pump (15) with the return water pipe (3) to form a lifting circuit; Starting the lifting circuit: starting the booster pump (15) to pump the liquid in the liquid storage tank (14) into the return pipe (3), so that the fluid in the lifting circuit flows, and foam is introduced into the fluid through the foam generator (43) to form a uniform and stable lifting fluid containing foam, and the lifting fluid enters the liquid storage tank (14) after passing through the mineral water separation mechanism (13); Ore collection: connecting the outlet of the mineral collection unit (5) to the storage tank (42), transporting the collected ore to the storage tank (42), and storing the ore in the storage tank (42); Ore lifting: The lifting fluid in the lifting circuit is kept in a flowing state, and the storage tank (42) is connected to the first inlet (441) of the merging bin (44). The ore enters the merging bin (44) under the action of gravity, and the lifting fluid flows through the merging bin (44) and mixes with the ore to form a foam-containing ore slurry. After the ore slurry enters the ore conveying pipe (2), the foam in the flowing ore slurry provides power for lifting the ore. After the ore slurry enters the ore-water separation mechanism (13), the ore is separated and forms a foam-containing ore liquid and enters the liquid storage tank (14), and enters the lifting circuit as the lifting fluid.

9. The mining method according to claim 8, characterized in that: There are multiple storage tanks (42) in the mineral transfer unit (4), all of which are connected to the merging bin (44) and can be connected to the mineral collection unit (5) respectively; The method comprises: The ore collection and ore lifting steps are performed simultaneously and correspond to two different storage tanks (42). The fluid in the return pipe (3) is a foamy ore liquid, and the fluid in the ore transport pipe (2) is a foamy ore slurry.

10. The mining method according to claim 9, characterized in that: There are a plurality of mineral transfer units (4) arranged at intervals on the seabed surface of the mining area, each mineral transfer unit (4) has one storage tank (42), and the mining ship (11) comprises an ore collection ship (111) provided with the booster pump (15), the ore-water separation mechanism (13) and the liquid storage tank (14), and a mine car control ship (112) for controlling the mineral collection unit (5); The method comprises the following steps: An underwater robot is used to connect a mineral collection unit (5) to a storage tank (42) of a mineral transfer unit (4), and then an ore collection step is performed to collect ore around the mineral transfer unit (4), and the connection is released after the ore collection is completed; An underwater robot is used to connect a mineral transfer unit (4) storing ore in a storage tank (42) with a return pipe (3) and an ore transport pipe (2) to form a lifting circuit. After the lifting circuit is started, an ore lifting step is performed. After the ore lifting is completed, the return pipe (3) and the ore transport pipe (2) are disconnected from the mineral transfer unit (4); The ore around each mineral transfer unit (4) is collected and lifted in turn.

Images