Mineral hydraulic lifting system and method for deep-sea mining

Abstract

The invention discloses a mineral hydraulic lifting system and method for deep-sea mining, and relates to the technical field of deep-sea mining, the mineral hydraulic lifting system for deep-sea mining comprises a water surface supporting platform, a slurry pump set, a drill rod, a marine riser, an underwater workstation and a top driving part, the upper end of the water surface supporting platform is provided with the slurry pump set and the top driving part; one end of the drill rod is in transmission connection with the top driving part, the other end of the drill rod penetrates through the water surface supporting platform, the drill rod is sleeved with a marine riser, an annular cavity is formed between the drill rod and the marine riser, and the lower ends of the drill rod and the marine riser are connected with the underwater workstation. A power device and parts of the lifting system are arranged on the water surface, pipe fittings which are connected between the water surface supporting platform and the underwater work station and are only provided with marine risers and drill rods are convenient to control and maintain, the number of underwater equipment is reduced, high-power electrical equipment is reduced, and related power, control and accessory parts can be greatly optimized; the use risk of underwater equipment is reduced, and the reliability of the system is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of deep - sea mining, and particularly to a mineral hydraulic lifting system and method for deep - sea mining. Background Art

[0002] The vast ocean floor is rich in mineral resources. Proven deep - sea mineral resources with development prospects include polymetallic nodules, cobalt - rich crusts, polymetallic sulfides, etc. The reserves of metals such as manganese, nickel, and cobalt are much higher than those on land. Polymetallic nodules are found in deep - sea basins at a water depth of 4000 - 6000 meters; polymetallic sulfides are found in mid - ocean ridges at a water depth of 800 - 3000 meters; cobalt - rich crusts are found on seamounts, ridges, and guyots at a water depth of 800 - 4000 meters. If safe and efficient commercial mining can be achieved and the impact on the marine ecological environment during the operation can be well controlled, the rich marine minerals will become alternative resources to on - land mineral resources and meet the economic development needs of human society in the coming period. Although the undersea mineral reserves are huge and the grades are high, the mining difficulty is extremely high: the seabed topography is complex, the pressure is extremely high, there is no light, and at the same time, there are complex marine environmental conditions such as sea waves, ocean currents, and internal waves, which pose extremely high safety requirements for operating equipment; the coordinated control and joint operation of multiple systems during the mining process are difficult. In addition, it is necessary to deeply evaluate the impact of undersea mineral resource development on the environment and propose environmental protection plans. Therefore, at present, deep - sea mineral resources have not been commercially exploited worldwide.

[0003] During the deep - sea mining process, the hydraulic lifting method is proven to be one of the most effective and valuable ways to lift minerals. However, since a series of problems such as pump maintenance, pump failure, lifting efficiency, and pump jamming during the lifting process cannot be effectively solved when a series connection of deep - water multi - stage pump sets is often used for lifting. Or the air - lift lifting method is used for mineral lifting, but this causes many functional devices to be in deep water, which brings great trouble to the working reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a mineral hydraulic lifting system and method for deep - sea mining to solve the above - mentioned technical problems.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0006] A mineral hydraulic lifting system for deep - sea mining, comprising a water - surface support platform, a mud pump set, a drill pipe, a riser pipe, an underwater workstation and a top drive. The upper end of the water - surface support platform is provided with the mud pump set and the top drive. One end of the drill pipe is in transmission connection with the top drive, and the other end of the drill pipe penetrates through the water - surface support platform. The outside of the drill pipe is sleeved with the riser pipe, and an annular cavity is formed between the drill pipe and the riser pipe. The lower ends of the drill pipe and the riser pipe are connected to the underwater workstation.

[0007] Preferably, the annular cavity is internally connected to the underwater workstation, and the lower end of the drill pipe extends out of the riser pipe.

[0008] Preferably, it further comprises a diverter. The diverter is arranged on the water - surface support platform and is connected to the annular cavity.

[0009] Preferably, it further comprises a tensioning system. The tensioning system is arranged on the water - surface support platform and is connected to the riser pipe.

[0010] As a further preference, a mud pit is arranged on the water - surface support platform, and the mud pit is connected to the water inlet of the mud pump set.

[0011] Preferably, the water outlet of the mud pump set is connected to a mud pump manifold, the mud pump manifold is connected to a riser manifold, the riser manifold is connected to a hose, and the hose is connected to the inner cavity of the drill pipe.

[0012] As a further preference, a mineral processing system, a water treatment system and a mineral storage tank are further arranged on the water - surface support platform. The diverter is connected to the mineral processing system, and the mineral processing system is connected to the water treatment system and the mineral storage tank.

[0013] Preferably, there are several sections of booster pipelines spaced on the riser pipe.

[0014] Preferably, there are several pipeline parts made of buoyancy materials spaced on the riser pipe.

[0015] A mineral hydraulic lifting method for deep - sea mining, comprising the above - mentioned mineral hydraulic lifting system for deep - sea mining, and further comprising:

[0016] S1. Start the mud pump set. The mud pump set conveys the water in the mud pit into the drill pipe, and through the inner cavity of the drill pipe, conveys the high - pressure water flow to the underwater workstation.

[0017] S2. Under the action of the pipeline valve group inside the underwater workstation, distribute the water flow in the drill pipe into the mineral transportation pipeline.

[0018] S3. High-pressure water flow and in-situ slurry in the mineral transportation pipeline carry minerals through the annular cavity to the water surface support platform and enter the diverter;

[0019] S4. The diverter diverts the mixture of in-situ slurry and minerals, transports the minerals to the mineral processing system. The mineral processing system transports the processed minerals to the mineral storage tank for storage. The formed mineral tail water will be transported to the water treatment system for treatment. Qualified tail water will be directly discharged into the sea, and unqualified tail water will be transported to the mud pit and recycled under the action of the mud pump group;

[0020] S5. Repeat S2 - S4.

[0021] The above technical solutions have the following advantages or beneficial effects:

[0022] (1) High feasibility: The integrated application of deep-sea mining technology based on the drilling platform is to optimize and improve the technical process layout on the basis of a mature oil drilling and production platform. The application technology of related supporting facilities and equipment is mature, and the system integration control and centralized operation of the water surface support platform can be realized.

[0023] (2) Good maintainability: The power devices and components of the lifting system are arranged on the water surface. Only the riser pipe and drill pipe fittings are connected between the water surface support platform and the underwater workstation. Compared with the currently used pump group lifting, it is convenient for operation and maintenance, reduces the number of underwater equipment and high-power electrical equipment, and the related power, control and auxiliary components can be greatly optimized, reducing the use risk of underwater equipment and improving the reliability of the system.

[0024] (3) Wide application range: It can be applied to the development of underwater cobalt, nodules, mud, hydrates, etc.

[0025] (4) Will not block the transportation channel: During the mineral lifting process, the drill pipe can be used to perform operations such as rotation, lifting, and lowering through the top drive, avoiding problems such as sedimentation and blockage of minerals in the annular cavity. At the same time, the bottom of the drill pipe can use diamond bits or roller cone bits to crush large deep-sea mineral particles, which is beneficial to hydraulic lifting.

[0026] (5) Environmental protection: It can discharge the tail water generated during the mining process to a deeper seabed, reducing the pollution to the marine environment. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the mineral hydraulic lifting system for deep-sea mining in the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the lifting of minerals in the annular cavity in the present invention.

[0029] In the figure: 1. water surface support platform; 2. mud pump set; 3. drill pipe; 4. riser; 5. underwater workstation; 6. top drive; 7. annular cavity; 8. diverter; 9. tensioning system; 10. mud pit; 11. mud pump manifold; 12. riser manifold; 13. hose; 14. booster pipeline; 15. pipeline section; 16. derrick; 17. mining vehicle. Detailed implementation manners

[0030] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Apparently, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0031] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that terms such as "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc., the indicated orientation or positional relationship is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is 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 should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. In addition, terms such as "first", "second", "third" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0032] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, terms such as "installation", "connection", "coupling" 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 directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific situations.

[0033] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the mineral hydraulic lifting system for deep-sea mining in the present invention; Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the lifting of minerals in the annular cavity in the present invention. Please refer to Figures 1 to 2As shown, a preferred embodiment is shown, which is a mineral hydraulic lifting system for deep-sea mining, including a water surface support platform 1, a mud pump group 2, a drill pipe 3, a riser 4, an underwater workstation 5, and a top drive 6. The upper end of the water surface support platform 1 is provided with a mud pump group 2 and a top drive 6. One end of the drill pipe 3 is drivingly connected to the top drive 6, and the other end of the drill pipe 3 penetrates the water surface support platform 1. The outside of the drill pipe 3 is sleeved with a riser 4, and an annular cavity 7 is formed between the drill pipe 3 and the riser 4. The lower ends of the drill pipe 3 and the riser 4 are connected to the underwater workstation 5. In this embodiment, refer to Figure 1 As shown, by using the mud pump group 2 as the power source, high-pressure seawater or in-situ seawater at the seabed can be provided as the power transmission medium for deep-sea mining mineral lifting. The high-pressure water flow is transported into the annular cavity 7, then enters the underwater workstation 5, and under the action of water pressure, the mineral and mud mixture can be quickly transported to the water surface support platform 1. The top drive 6, as a power source, can drive the drill pipe 3 to rotate and lift. During the rotation of the drill pipe 3, a power can be provided for the mineral and mud mixture in the annular cavity 7, increasing the fluidity of the mineral and mud mixture, avoiding accumulation or blockage, and cooperating with the high-pressure water flow, the mineral and mud mixture can be quickly transported to the water surface support platform 1.

[0034] In this embodiment, a mineral transportation pipeline and a pipeline valve group are arranged inside the underwater workstation 5. Among them, the pipeline valve group is arranged at the bottom of the drill pipe 3 and is used to divide the high-pressure water flow, so that the high-pressure water flow can enter the mineral transportation pipeline. The annular cavity 7 is communicated with the mineral transportation pipeline. A mineral input port connected to the mineral transportation pipeline is opened on the outer wall of the underwater workstation 5. After the mineral and mud mixture enters the mineral transportation pipeline, the distributed high-pressure water flow will automatically drive the mineral and mud mixture to lift upward. A mining vehicle 17 is arranged outside the underwater workstation 5 and is used to transport the collected mineral and mud mixture to the mineral input port and enter the mineral transportation pipeline through the mineral input port.

[0035] In this embodiment, the water surface support platform 1, the mud pump group 2, the drill pipe 3, the underwater workstation 5, and the top drive 6 are all existing structures. Arranging the mud pump group 2 and the top drive 6 on the water surface support platform 1 is convenient for operation and maintenance compared with the currently used pump group lifting. The number of underwater devices and high-power electrical devices are reduced, and the related power, control, and auxiliary components can be greatly optimized, reducing the use risk of underwater devices and improving the reliability of the system. Among them, a tower 16 is arranged at the upper end of the water surface support platform 1, and the top drive 6 is installed on the tower 16.

[0036] The mud pump set 2 in this embodiment is arranged on the water surface support platform 1. Multiple mud pump sets 2 can be equipped according to the size of commercial mining and flow rate. The mud pump set 2 is divided into a main power pump set and a standby power pump. The main power pump set, according to the needs of the operation target, combines the hydrodynamic conveying capabilities of multiple mud pumps in parallel and conveys them through the drill pipe 3 to the underwater workstation 5. As a supplement to the power, multiple main power pump sets can be set. When working, first, the drill pipe 3 serves as a channel for the power liquid (seawater or other media) conveyed by the water surface support platform, and conveys the high-pressure water flow generated by the mud pump set 2 to the underwater workstation 5. Secondly, through the rotation of the top drive 6, the drill pipe 3 can be driven to rotate within the riser 4. Even if there is local blockage of minerals inside the annular cavity 7, through the action of the drill pipe 3, effective blockage removal can be carried out.

[0037] Further, as a preferred embodiment, the annular cavity 7 is internally connected to the underwater workstation 5, and the lower end of the drill pipe 3 extends out of the riser 4. In this way, the diverted high-pressure water flow can enter the mineral conveying pipeline from the bottom of the mineral conveying pipeline, facilitating the lifting of the mixture of minerals and mud.

[0038] Further, as a preferred embodiment, it further includes a diverter 8. The diverter 8 is arranged on the water surface support platform 1, and the diverter 8 is connected to the annular cavity 7. The provided diverter 8 is used to separate the mixture of minerals and mud, and can separate the minerals and mud containing water.

[0039] Further, as a preferred embodiment, it further includes a tensioning system 9. The tensioning system 9 is arranged on the water surface support platform 1, and the tensioning system 9 is connected to the riser 4. In order to keep the relative positions of the underwater workstation 5 and the position of the mining vehicle 17 stable, the tensioning system 9 installed on the water surface support platform 1 is mainly used to provide wave compensation and the movement response of the riser 4 to the water flow, ensuring that during mining, the underwater workstation 5 and the deep-sea mining equipment will not affect the operation of the underwater mining vehicle 17 due to the fluctuations of the mining support platform.

[0040] Further, as a preferred embodiment, a mud pit 10 is provided on the water surface support platform 1, and the mud pit 10 is connected to the water inlet of the mud pump unit 2. A mineral treatment system, a water treatment system and a mineral storage tank are also provided on the water surface support platform 1. The diverter 8 is connected to the mineral treatment system, and the mineral treatment system is connected to the water treatment system and the mineral storage tank. The mixture of minerals and water separated by the diverter 8 will enter the mineral treatment system. The mineral treatment system separates water from the minerals. The separated minerals will enter the mineral storage tank, and the tail water generated during the mineral separation process will enter the water treatment system for treatment. After treatment, the qualified tail water will be directly discharged into the sea, and the unqualified tail water will enter the mud pit 10 and be recycled under the action of the mud pump unit 2.

[0041] Further, as a preferred embodiment, the water outlet of the mud pump unit 2 is connected to the mud pump manifold 11, the mud pump manifold 11 is connected to the riser manifold 12, the riser manifold 12 is connected to the hose 13, and the hose 13 is communicated with the inner cavity of the drill pipe 3. The mud pump unit 2 can transport water into the mud pump manifold 11, enter the riser manifold 12 through the mud pump manifold 11, then enter the hose 13 from the riser manifold 12, and finally enter the inner cavity of the drill pipe 3 through the hose 13, and then be transported to the underwater workstation 5 by the drill pipe 3.

[0042] Further, as a preferred embodiment, there are several booster pipelines 14 spaced on the riser 4. In this embodiment, the annular cavity 7 between the riser 4 and the drill pipe 3 is an important channel for hydraulic mineral lifting. At the same time, the riser 4 is also a fixed pipeline and channel for the power cables, hydraulic pipelines, communication and other accessory lines of the underwater workstation 5 and the underwater mining vehicle 17. Usually, the riser 4 is characterized by a large diameter, and there are additional booster pipelines, hydraulic control pipelines, power cables, control communication cables, and auxiliary facilities such as the attitude monitoring device of the riser 4 outside the riser 4. During the deep-sea mining operation, a tail water discharge pipeline is added outside the riser 4, and the tail water that needs to be discharged during the mining process is pumped into the deeper seabed through the pump of the surface support platform, reducing the problem of tail water discharge caused by mining. The tail water discharge pipe can be connected to the water treatment system. The water treatment system discharges the qualified tail water into the tail water discharge pipe, and then the tail water discharge pipe directly discharges it into the deeper seabed. Among them, the booster pipeline 14 is short-connected to the riser 4, that is, a section of booster pipeline 14 is arranged on the riser 4 at intervals along the axial direction. A control valve group can be arranged on the booster pipeline 14. During the deep-sea mining process, especially during the ultra-deep mining process, multiple booster pipelines 14 are installed. Through the marine high-pressure air system, high-pressure air is injected into the annular cavity 7 through the booster pipeline 14 to improve the fluidity and power of the minerals. It is also possible to inject seawater with a certain pressure through the mud pump group 2 on the water surface to improve the conveying speed of the minerals. By adding the booster pipeline 14, the slippage effect during the mineral lifting process is reduced.

[0043] Further, as a preferred embodiment, there are several pipeline parts 15 made of buoyancy materials spaced on the riser 4. The rolling parts can be configured on the riser 4 according to the mining water depth, which can effectively reduce the dynamic load of the surface support platform 1.

[0044] The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and it does not limit the protection scope and embodiments of the present invention. On the basis of the above embodiments, the present invention provides a method for hydraulic lifting of minerals in deep-sea mining, including a system for hydraulic lifting of minerals in deep-sea mining, and further includes:

[0045] S1. Start the mud pump group 2, and the mud pump group 2 conveys the water in the mud pit 10 into the drill pipe 3, and through the inner cavity of the drill pipe 3, conveys the high-pressure water flow to the underwater workstation 5;

[0046] S2. Under the action of the pipeline valve group inside the underwater workstation 5, the water flow in the drill pipe 3 is distributed into the mineral conveying pipeline;

[0047] S3. The high-pressure water flow and the in-situ mud in the mineral conveying pipeline carry the minerals and are conveyed to the surface support platform 1 through the annular cavity 7 and enter the diverter 8;

[0048] S4. The diverter 8 diverts the mixture of in-situ mud and minerals, transports the minerals to the mineral treatment system. The mineral treatment system transports the treated minerals to the mineral storage tank for storage. The formed mineral tail water is transported to the water treatment system for treatment. The qualified tail water is directly discharged into the sea, and the unqualified tail water is transported to the mud pit 10 and recycled under the action of the mud pump group 2;

[0049] S5. Repeat S2 - S4.

[0050] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and do not limit the implementation manners and protection scope of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, it should be realized that all the equivalent replacements and obvious changes made by using the description and illustrations of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A mineral hydraulic lifting system for deep sea mining, characterized in that: It includes a water surface support platform, a mud pump group, a drill pipe, a watertight pipe, an underwater workstation and a top drive. The mud pump group and the top drive are arranged on the upper end of the water surface support platform. One end of the drill pipe is drivingly connected to the top drive. The other end of the drill pipe passes through the water surface support platform. The outer side of the drill pipe is sleeved with the watertight pipe. An annular cavity is formed between the drill pipe and the watertight pipe. The lower ends of the drill pipe and the watertight pipe are connected to the underwater workstation.

2. The mineral hydraulic lifting system for deep sea mining according to claim 1, characterized in that: The annular cavity is communicated with the interior of the underwater workstation, and the lower end of the drill pipe extends out of the watertight pipe.

3. The mineral hydraulic lifting system for deep sea mining according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a diverter, which is arranged on the water surface support platform and is connected to the annular cavity.

4. The mineral hydraulic lifting system for deep sea mining according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a tensioning system, which is arranged on the water surface support platform and is connected to the watertight pipe.

5. The mineral hydraulic lifting system for deep sea mining as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that: The water surface support platform is provided with a mud pool, and the mud pool is connected to the water inlet of the mud pump group.

6. The mineral hydraulic lifting system for deep sea mining according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water outlet of the mud pump group is connected to the mud pump manifold, the mud pump manifold is connected to the riser manifold, the riser manifold is connected to the water hose, and the water hose is communicated with the inner cavity of the drill pipe.

7. The mineral hydraulic lifting system for deep sea mining as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that: The water surface support platform is also provided with a mineral treatment system, a water treatment system and a mineral storage tank. The diverter is connected to the mineral treatment system, and the mineral treatment system is connected to the water treatment system and the mineral storage tank.

8. The mineral hydraulic lifting system for deep sea mining according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are several sections of boosting pipelines at intervals on the watertight pipe.

9. The mineral hydraulic lifting system for deep sea mining as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The watertight pipe is provided with a plurality of pipeline sections made of buoyancy materials at intervals.

10. A method for hydraulic lifting of minerals for deep sea mining, comprising the hydraulic lifting system for minerals for deep sea mining according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: Also includes: S1. Start the mud pump group, which transports the water in the mud pool to the inside of the drill pipe, and then transports the high-pressure water flow to the underwater workstation through the inner cavity of the drill pipe; S2, under the action of the internal pipeline valve group of the underwater workstation, the water flow in the drill pipe is distributed to the mineral delivery pipeline; S3, the high-pressure water flow and the in-situ mud in the mineral transport pipeline carry the minerals through the annular cavity to the water surface support platform and enter the diverter; S4, the diverter diverts the mixture of in-situ mud and minerals, and transports the minerals to the mineral treatment system. The mineral treatment system transports the treated minerals to the mineral storage tank for storage. The formed mineral tail water will be transported to the water treatment system for treatment. The qualified tail water will be directly discharged into the sea, and the unqualified tail water will be transported to the mud pool and recycled under the action of the mud pump group; S5. Repeat S2-S4.

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