A deep-sea rare earth collection device, a deep-sea rare earth collection system and a collection method

Abstract

The application discloses a deep-sea rare earth collecting device, a deep-sea rare earth collecting system and a collecting method. The deep-sea rare earth collecting device comprises a crawler-type walking frame, further comprises an isolation cover body which is arranged on the periphery of the crawler-type walking frame, a collecting cavity is arranged between the isolation cover body and the crawler-type walking frame, and a plurality of high-pressure jet flow collecting components for spraying high-pressure jet flow to wash up deep-sea rare earth are arranged below the isolation cover body. When the deep-sea rare earth collecting device is located on the seabed, the isolation cover body is in contact with the seabed, and the collecting cavity is in a closed structure. The deep-sea rare earth collecting device with the isolation cover body, the deep-sea rare earth collecting system and the collecting method have the advantages of good collecting walking stability, high collecting efficiency, less generation of seabed plume, small influence on the seabed environment and the like, and are favorable for realizing large-scale and efficient mining of deep-sea rare earth.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of seabed mining, and in particular relates to a deep-sea rare earth collection device, a collection system and a collection method. Background Art

[0002] The deep seabed is Earth's largest untapped treasure trove of mineral resources. To date, the main economically valuable deep-sea mineral resources discovered include polymetallic nodules containing nickel, copper, cobalt, and manganese; cobalt crusts rich in cobalt, nickel, copper, and manganese; seafloor polymetallic sulfide deposits rich in copper, lead, zinc, gold, and silver; and deep-sea rare earth-rich sediments (referred to as deep-sea rare earths) with high concentrations of rare earth elements. Deep-sea rare earths are widely distributed across the Western Pacific, Eastern Pacific, Southeast Pacific, and Indian Ocean. Deep-sea rare earth resources are a crucial material foundation for future human development, and developing deep-sea resources is an inevitable choice for the future.

[0003] Currently, most deep-sea mining focuses on mining solid ores such as metallic nodules. Most mining equipment adds a water jet at the ore collection head to create a swirling effect, thereby increasing suction and improving collection efficiency. This type of mining equipment is not suitable for deep-sea rare earth mining because deep-sea rare earths exist in a different form than traditional metallic nodules. They exist not as solid ores but as slurry. When using traditional mining equipment to collect deep-sea rare earths, the water jet will disperse and wash away the deep-sea rare earth slurry, making it difficult to collect deep-sea rare earths efficiently. Furthermore, surface sediments stirred up by the water jet tend to diffuse and form plumes, impacting the marine environment. Furthermore, traditional mining vehicles typically use tracked running mechanisms, and the sediment dust generated by these running mechanisms also tends to diffuse and form plumes, impacting the marine environment.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide a deep-sea rare earth collection device and collection method with high deep-sea rare earth collection efficiency and which is not prone to generating plumes during the deep-sea rare earth collection process, in order to meet the needs of deep-sea rare earth collection. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings and defects mentioned in the above background technology and provide a deep-sea rare earth collection device with an isolation cover, a deep-sea rare earth collection system and a collection method, which have high deep-sea rare earth collection efficiency and are not prone to generating plumes during the deep-sea rare earth collection process.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the technical solution proposed by the present invention is:

[0007] A deep-sea rare earth collection device with an isolation cover comprises a crawler-type traveling frame and an isolation cover mounted on the periphery of the crawler-type traveling frame; a mineral collection cavity is provided between the isolation cover and the crawler-type traveling frame; a plurality of high-pressure jet collection assemblies for ejecting high-pressure jets to flush out deep-sea rare earths are provided below the isolation cover; when the deep-sea rare earth collection device is located on the seabed, the isolation cover contacts the seabed, making the mineral collection cavity a closed structure.

[0008] In the above-mentioned deep-sea rare earth collection device, preferably, the lower end of the isolation cover is provided with an isolation seesaw for making the isolation cover and the seabed in surface contact. If the isolation cover is directly made to contact the seabed, when the crawler-type walking frame moves, the isolation cover is vertical and acts on the seabed, which will generate a certain seabed plume and shovel away some useful deep-sea rare earths. By providing an isolation seesaw, the isolation cover is made to contact the seabed in surface contact, which is equivalent to the isolation cover sliding on the seabed surface, which can greatly reduce the disturbance to the seabed, is more conducive to controlling the seabed plume, and is conducive to improving the collection efficiency of deep-sea rare earths. In the present invention, the isolation cover is made to just contact the seabed when in use, and an isolation cover lifting movable component can be optionally provided to adjust its distance from the seabed.

[0009] In the above-mentioned deep-sea rare earth collection device, preferably, the isolation seesaw is an arc-shaped plate with an upwardly tilted outer edge and a cavity in the center, and the isolation cover is provided at the inner edge of the lower end of the arc-shaped plate. The isolation seesaw adopts an arc-shaped plate. When the isolation seesaw moves, the front end of the arc-shaped plate tilts up, which is convenient for reducing walking resistance, is more conducive to controlling the seabed plume flow, and is more conducive to the effect of the isolation seesaw. In the present invention, the shape of the isolation seesaw can be a rounded square with a hollow interior, and the isolation cover is directly arranged around the inner edge of the isolation seesaw. The isolation cover and the isolation seesaw together form a sealed ore collection cavity. In the present invention, the curvature of the isolation seesaw can be determined according to the seabed geological conditions, with minimizing the seabed plume flow as the control criterion.

[0010] In the above-mentioned deep-sea rare earth collection device, the high-pressure jet collection assembly preferably includes high-pressure jet nozzles. Multiple high-pressure jet nozzles are evenly distributed at the lower inner edge of the curved plate, and the outlet angles of the high-pressure jet nozzles can be adjusted to face the interior of the ore collection cavity. Using multiple high-pressure jet nozzles, the deep-sea rare earth particles ejected by the high-pressure jets are smaller in size, reducing their viscosity and facilitating transportation. The high-pressure jet nozzles are connected to a liquid supply channel that connects to a surface mining vessel. The high-pressure jet nozzles can be rotated at multiple angles to spray the high-pressure jet in different directions, thereby improving mining efficiency.

[0011] In the above-mentioned deep-sea rare earth collection device, the high-pressure jet ejected by the high-pressure jet collection assembly is preferably a liquid carbon dioxide jet. Using a liquid carbon dioxide jet provides an acidic mining environment, creating an acidic environment suitable for the formation of corresponding carbonates by rare earth elements, converting them into a carbonic acid-bound state, which is more conducive to subsequent extraction and recovery. Furthermore, using a liquid carbon dioxide jet can achieve carbon sequestration.

[0012] In the above-mentioned deep-sea rare earth collection device, preferably, the isolation cover is a multi-layer composite structure, and the outer contour of the isolation cover is a shell-like shape, and the outer surface has multiple arc-shaped protrusions. The upper end of the isolation cover of the present invention can be fixed on a crawler-type walking frame, and the two are sealed with a silicone pad. The isolation cover can be made of gradient materials, such as a flexible polymer tightly compounded with rigid ceramics, to absorb the kinetic energy of the fluid through interlayer shear deformation. In addition, the outer contour of the isolation cover is a shell-like shape, and the shell-like surface has a corrugated or grooved structure. Under headwind conditions, these corrugated structures can induce the formation of controllable turbulence, destroy the formation of large vortices, and reduce the direct impact of the water flow on the structure. At the same time, the corrugated structure can reduce the fluid separation resistance, allowing the water flow to bypass the isolation cover more smoothly, reducing the energy accumulation caused by pressure difference resistance. In addition, the isolation cover adopts a multi-layer composite shell-like structure, which has high structural strength and is suitable for high-pressure environments on the seabed. At the same time, it can control the propagation of vibration and effectively absorb the vibration energy generated by the high-pressure jet assembly during mining. Based on the above reasons, the deep-sea rare earth collection device of the present invention is more stable during operation.

[0013] The above-mentioned deep-sea rare earth collection device preferably further includes a spiral propulsion device and a spiral steering device, both of which are sealed and mounted on the isolation cover. The propulsion device and the steering device can be powered by a crawler-type traveling frame, with the propulsion device primarily used to assist propulsion, and the steering device primarily used to assist steering. Both the propulsion device and the steering device can be equipped with protective casings to prevent debris from striking the propellers. The propulsion device and the steering device can be used only in emergencies to avoid the potential for submarine plumes.

[0014] As a general technical concept, the present invention also provides a deep-sea rare earth collection system, including a surface mining ship, a transmission pipeline and the above-mentioned deep-sea rare earth collection device, the upper end of the isolation cover is provided with a mining outlet for connecting to one end of the transmission pipeline, the other end of the transmission pipeline is connected to the surface mining ship, and the transmission pipeline is equipped with a corresponding pumping device.

[0015] As a general technical concept, the present invention also provides a method for collecting deep-sea rare earths using the above-mentioned deep-sea rare earth collection system, comprising the following steps:

[0016] S1: The deep-sea rare earth collection device is brought to a designated mining area, and the isolation cover is brought into contact with the seabed, so that the ore collection cavity is a closed structure;

[0017] S2: The high-pressure jet collection component ejects a high-pressure jet to pick up deep-sea rare earths, and delivers the deep-sea rare earths to the surface mining ship through the transmission pipeline;

[0018] S3: After the current mining area is mined, the deep-sea rare earth collection device is moved to the next mining area and step S2 is repeated;

[0019] S4: Repeat step S3 to complete the mining of all mining areas.

[0020] In the above-mentioned collection method, preferably, the high-pressure jet ejected by the high-pressure jet collection component is a liquid carbon dioxide jet. In step S2, the liquid carbon dioxide jet is first ejected into the ore collection cavity at a first jet velocity to create an acidic environment in the ore collection cavity, thereby facilitating the conversion of deep-sea rare earths into carbonates. Then, the liquid carbon dioxide jet is ejected into the ore collection cavity at a second jet velocity to flush out deep-sea rare earths. The first jet velocity is less than the second jet velocity.

[0021] More specifically, the collection method may include the following steps: Once the deep-sea rare earth collection device reaches the designated mining area, the high-pressure jet nozzle is adjusted to an appropriate angle, and the carbon dioxide high-pressure jet collection assembly is activated. The jet velocity is first reduced to ensure overall device stability and create an acidic environment suitable for the formation of carbonates by the rare earth elements, converting them into a carbonated, bound state, which is more conducive to subsequent extraction and recovery. During this process, the transmission assembly is closed. The jet velocity is then increased, and the carbon dioxide jet agitates the deep-sea rare earth layer. Due to its high impact, the deep-sea rare earths are broken into small pieces as much as possible, effectively preventing them from adhering to the walls of the transmission pipeline due to their high viscosity, thus facilitating transport. During this process, the transmission assembly is activated. After being transported via the transmission pipeline to a surface mining vessel, preliminary filtration and separation can be performed to obtain deep-sea rare earths with a high rare earth element content. After a certain period of collection, all the deep-sea rare earths on the surface of the mining area are agitated and transported, allowing the equipment to move on to the next deep-sea rare earth-rich sediment area and continue mining. This mining method can also achieve carbon sequestration in situ, achieving the effect of carbon sequestration, which is an environmentally sustainable and potentially cost-effective way to reduce carbon emissions.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are:

[0023] 1. The deep-sea rare earth collection device with an isolation cover of the present invention utilizes the isolation cover to isolate the crawler-type traveling frame from the outside world, and also isolates the ore-collecting cavity from the outside world. The sediment dust generated by the crawler-type traveling frame when it moves, and the surface deep-sea rare earths kicked up by the high-pressure jet collection component when it is in operation, are all isolated from the outside world, which can avoid the generation of seabed plumes to the greatest extent, and is conducive to reducing the impact of seabed mining on the seabed environment.

[0024] 2. The deep-sea rare earth collection device with an isolation cover of the present invention can effectively absorb the vibration energy generated by the high-pressure jet component during mining, and can also effectively absorb the impact of the seabed current on the deep-sea rare earth collection device, due to the use of the isolation cover, making the entire collection process more stable.

[0025] 3. In the deep-sea rare earth collection device with an isolation cover of the present invention, the high-pressure jet collection component directly sprays high-pressure fluid into the ore collection cavity. The spray angle of the high-pressure jet collection component can be adjusted to clean the surface of the walking track of the crawler-type walking frame, thereby preventing the walking track from adhering too much seabed sediment and making it difficult to walk.

[0026] 4. The deep-sea rare earth collection device, deep-sea rare earth collection system and collection method with an isolation cover of the present invention, because the isolation cover separates the ore-collecting cavity from the outside world, there is no need to worry about the high-pressure jet collection component dispersing and losing the deep-sea rare earths. High-efficiency collection of all deep-sea rare earths in the ore-collecting cavity can be achieved, and there is no need to worry about the impact of the plume brought by the high-pressure jet collection component on the seabed environment. High-efficiency deep-sea rare earth collection can be carried out using traditional high-pressure jet collection components, which can realize large-scale mining of deep-sea rare earths and reduce the research and development cost of collection equipment specifically for deep-sea rare earth mining.

[0027] Overall, the deep-sea rare earth collection device with an isolation cover, the deep-sea rare earth collection system and the collection method of the present invention have the advantages of good collection walking stability, high collection efficiency, less seabed plume generation, and little impact on the seabed environment, which is conducive to the large-scale and efficient mining of deep-sea rare earths. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of the deep-sea rare earth collection device with an isolation cover according to the present invention.

[0030] Figure 2This is a schematic structural diagram of the deep-sea rare earth collection device with an isolation cover after the outer layer of the isolation cover is hidden.

[0031] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Bottom view of .

[0032] Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of the isolation seesaw and high-pressure jet nozzle in the deep-sea rare earth collection device with an isolation cover body of the present invention.

[0033] Legend

[0034] 1. Crawler-type traveling frame; 2. Isolation cover; 21. Multi-section arc-shaped protrusions; 3. Ore collection cavity; 4. High-pressure jet collection assembly; 41. High-pressure jet nozzle; 42. Liquid supply channel; 5. Isolation seesaw; 6. Spiral propulsion device; 7. Spiral steering device; 8. Ore outlet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be described in more comprehensive and detailed form below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. However, the protection scope of the present invention is not limited to the following specific embodiments.

[0036] It should be noted that when an element is described as being "fixed, fixed, connected or communicated with" another element, it can be directly fixed, fixed, connected or communicated with the other element, or it can be indirectly fixed, fixed, connected or communicated with the other element through other intermediate connectors.

[0037] Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms used hereinafter have the same meanings as those generally understood by those skilled in the art. The technical terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0038] Unless otherwise specified, various raw materials, reagents, instruments and equipment used in the present invention can be purchased from the market or prepared by existing methods.

[0039] Example:

[0040] like Figure 1-Figure 4As shown, the deep-sea rare earth collection device with an isolation cover of this embodiment includes a crawler-type traveling frame 1 and an isolation cover 2 mounted on the periphery of the crawler-type traveling frame 1. A ore collection cavity 3 is defined between the isolation cover 2 and the crawler-type traveling frame 1. Below the isolation cover 2 are multiple high-pressure jet collection assemblies 4 for ejecting high-pressure jets to flush out deep-sea rare earths. When the deep-sea rare earth collection device is located on the seabed, the isolation cover 2 contacts the seabed, sealing the ore collection cavity 3. The crawler-type traveling frame 1 is a conventional device with a crawler track length of 10 meters and a grouser height of 15 cm. It serves as the main drive device for the deep-sea rare earth collection device.

[0041] like Figure 1-Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, an isolation rocker plate 5 is provided at the lower end of the isolation cover 2 to ensure surface contact between the isolation cover 2 and the seabed. The isolation rocker plate 5 is an arc-shaped plate with an upwardly tilted outer edge and a cavity in the center. The isolation cover 2 is covered at the lower inner edge of the arc-shaped plate.

[0042] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the high-pressure jet collection assembly 4 includes a high-pressure jet nozzle 41. A plurality of high-pressure jet nozzles 41 are evenly arranged at the inner edge of the lower end of the curved plate. The outlet angle of the high-pressure jet nozzle 41 can be adjusted to face the interior of the ore collection cavity 3. The high-pressure jet nozzle 41 is connected to a liquid supply channel 42 for supplying liquid carbon dioxide to the high-pressure jet nozzle 41. For example, the isolation seesaw 5 is a rounded square with a hollow interior. There are five high-pressure jet collection assemblies 4 on the inner side of each of the four sides to ensure that deep-sea rare earths can be collected from all directions. The maximum angle at which the high-pressure jet nozzle 41 can be rotated downward is 60°. Liquid carbon dioxide is supplied to the high-pressure jet nozzle 41 through the liquid supply channel 42. The liquid supply channel 42 can be provided between the multi-layer isolation cover 2.

[0043] In this embodiment, the isolation cover 2 is a multi-layer composite structure, and the outer contour of the isolation cover 2 is a shell-like shape, and the outer surface has multiple arc-shaped protrusions 21. In this embodiment, the specific number of layers of the multi-layer composite structure is not limited.

[0044] This embodiment further includes a screw propulsion device 6 and a screw steering device 7, both of which are sealed on the isolation cover 2 and are powered by the crawler-type traveling frame 1. Specifically, the propeller blade radius of the screw propulsion device 6 can be 3.0m, and the propeller blade radius of the screw steering device 7 can be 1.5m.

[0045] The deep-sea rare earth collection system of this embodiment includes a surface mining ship, a transmission pipeline and the above-mentioned deep-sea rare earth collection device. The upper end of the isolation cover 2 is provided with a mining outlet 8 for connecting to one end of the transmission pipeline. The other end of the transmission pipeline is connected to the surface mining ship, and a pumping device is provided on the transmission pipeline.

[0046] The present embodiment uses the above-mentioned deep-sea rare earth collection system to perform a deep-sea rare earth collection method, comprising the following steps:

[0047] S1: The deep-sea rare earth collection device is brought to the designated mining area, the isolation cover 2 is brought into contact with the seabed, and the ore collection cavity 3 is closed.

[0048] S2: A high-pressure jet is ejected through the high-pressure jet collection component 4 to flush out deep-sea rare earths, and is sent to the sea surface mining ship through a transmission pipeline; specifically, a liquid carbon dioxide jet is first ejected into the ore collection cavity 3 at a first jet speed to create an acidic environment in the ore collection cavity 3 (e.g., 10-15 minutes) to facilitate the conversion of deep-sea rare earths into carbonates, and then a liquid carbon dioxide jet is ejected into the ore collection cavity 3 at a second jet speed to flush out deep-sea rare earths; the first jet speed is less than the second jet speed.

[0049] S3: After the current mining area is mined, the deep-sea rare earth collection device is moved to the next mining area and step S2 is repeated.

[0050] S4: Repeat step S3 to complete the mining of all mining areas.

[0051] The deep-sea rare earth collection device, deep-sea rare earth collection system and collection method of this embodiment have the advantages of good collection walking stability, high collection efficiency, less seabed plume generation, and little impact on the seabed environment, which is conducive to the large-scale and efficient mining of deep-sea rare earths.

Claims

1. A method for collecting deep-sea rare earth using a deep-sea rare earth collection system, characterized in that: A deep-sea rare earth collection system comprises a surface mining vessel, a transmission pipeline and a deep-sea rare earth collection device, wherein the deep-sea rare earth collection device comprises a crawler-type traveling frame (1), and further comprises an isolation cover (2) which is mounted on the periphery of the crawler-type traveling frame (1); a mineral collection cavity (3) is provided between the isolation cover (2) and the crawler-type traveling frame (1); a plurality of high-pressure jet collection assemblies (4) for ejecting high-pressure jets to flush out deep-sea rare earths are provided below the isolation cover (2); when the deep-sea rare earth collection device is located on the seabed, the isolation cover (2) contacts the seabed, so that the mineral collection cavity (3) is a closed structure; an ore outlet (8) for connecting to one end of the transmission pipeline is provided at the upper end of the isolation cover (2); the other end of the transmission pipeline is connected to the surface mining vessel; The collection method comprises the following steps: S1: The deep-sea rare earth collection device is brought to a designated mining area, the isolation cover (2) is brought into contact with the seabed, and the ore collection cavity (3) is formed into a closed structure; S2: ejecting a high-pressure jet through the high-pressure jet collection component (4) to flush out deep-sea rare earths, and sending them to the sea surface mining ship through the transmission pipeline; S3: After the current mining area is mined, the deep-sea rare earth collection device is moved to the next mining area and step S2 is repeated; S4: Repeat step S3 to complete the mining of all mining areas; The high-pressure jet ejected by the high-pressure jet collection component (4) is a liquid carbon dioxide jet. In step S2, the liquid carbon dioxide jet is first ejected into the ore collection cavity (3) at a first jet velocity, so that the ore collection cavity (3) is an acidic environment, which facilitates the conversion of deep-sea rare earths into carbonates. Then, the liquid carbon dioxide jet is ejected into the ore collection cavity (3) at a second jet velocity to flush out the deep-sea rare earths; the first jet velocity is less than the second jet velocity.

2. The collection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: An isolation seesaw (5) is provided at the lower end of the isolation cover (2) for achieving surface contact between the isolation cover (2) and the seabed.

3. The collection method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The isolation seesaw (5) is an arc-shaped plate with an outer edge that is tilted upward and a cavity in the center, and the isolation cover (2) is arranged on the inner edge of the lower end of the arc-shaped plate.

4. The collection method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The high-pressure jet collection assembly (4) comprises a high-pressure jet nozzle (41), and a plurality of the high-pressure jet nozzles (41) are evenly arranged at the inner edge of the lower end of the arc plate. The outlet angle of the high-pressure jet nozzle (41) can be adjusted to face the inside of the ore collection cavity (3).

5. The collection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The isolation cover body (2) is a multi-layer composite structure, and the outer contour of the isolation cover body (2) is a shell-like shape, with a plurality of arc-shaped protrusions (21) on the outer surface.

6. The collection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a spiral propulsion device (6) and a spiral steering device (7), and the spiral propulsion device (6) and the spiral steering device (7) are both sealed and arranged on the isolation cover (2).

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