A method for transporting a plurality of deep sea mining vessels in parallel

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of deep-sea mining transport ships multi-ship parallel transport methods, it is related to deep-sea resource development technical field.The method first slurry is prepared after lifting, processing to submarine mineral, slurry is temporarily stored in ship bow, ship stern slurry pump cabin;Two transport nodes of ship bow, ship stern are used to dispatch distribution to ore transport ship, realize multi-ship parallel, successively, realize the mode of external transport, ensure that at least one transport ship is connected with mining ship in whole process;Transport ship receives slurry and stores mud after dewatering, tail water is returned to mining ship processing by backwater floating pipe, and transport ship is decoupled according to rules after full load, and the next transport ship replaces operation.The application realizes the continuity of slurry transportation, improves transfer efficiency and sea state window utilization rate, enhances the controllability of multi-ship collaborative operation, considers environmental protection and post-processing efficiency, and has good applicability and scalability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of deep-sea resource development technology, and in particular to a method for transporting multiple deep-sea mining vessels in parallel. Background Technology

[0002] Deep-sea mining is an important direction for marine resource development. With the research and development of deep-sea mining technologies and equipment, a mature joint operation model of deep-sea mining vessels and ore transport vessels has been formed in the industry. Deep-sea mining vessels undertake the core task of fixed-point collection of seabed minerals, while ore transport vessels are responsible for the ocean-going transportation of minerals. Efficient inter-ship transfer of ore slurry is crucial to connecting the mining and transportation processes. The existing ore transportation process requires sequential completion of berthing preparation, connection of loading and unloading channels, loading and unloading of minerals, channel separation and recovery, and departure of the transport vessel. The connection of these stages forms a standardized operating system, providing fundamental support for large-scale deep-sea mining operations.

[0003] However, the existing single-ship sequential slurry transport mode has obvious efficiency shortcomings. The pre-loading and unloading preparations and the post-loading and finishing work inevitably create operational downtime gaps, making it impossible to achieve continuous mineral transfer operations. This gap not only reduces overall transport efficiency but also easily leads to mineral accumulation at the bow of deep-sea mining vessels. In extreme cases, it can force mining operations to stop and wait, making it difficult to meet the continuous collection requirements of deep-sea mining.

[0004] As the scale of deep-sea mining operations continues to expand, and given the limitations imposed by sea conditions and weather on marine operations, effective operating windows are relatively limited, highlighting the increasing inefficiency of existing transportation models. To adapt to the development pace of the deep-sea mining industry and overcome the industry pain points of low utilization rates of operating windows and poor transshipment continuity, there is an urgent need to develop a new slurry transportation model with smoother ore loading and unloading processes and more stable operational connections, thereby improving the operational efficiency and continuity of the entire deep-sea mining process. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to propose a multi-vessel parallel transportation method for deep-sea mining transport vessels, which solves the problems of low efficiency of single-vessel sequential reception of slurry and lack of multi-vessel collaborative operation in the existing deep-sea mining slurry transportation. It realizes continuous operation with multiple vessels taking turns in parallel, improves slurry transportation efficiency, sea state window utilization rate, and overall safety and continuity of deep-sea mining operations.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this invention proposes a method for parallel transportation of multiple deep-sea mining vessels, the specific steps of which are as follows: Step S1: The minerals collected from the seabed are transported to the receiving area of ​​the deep-sea mining vessel via a lifting system, and pre-screening, impurity removal, washing and crushing are completed in sequence. After processing, they are sent to the storage tank for temporary storage. Step S2: The minerals in the storage tank are sent to the pulping tank, seawater is added and dispersing and rheology modifiers are added, and the slurry is formed by stirring; during the pulping process, the key indicators of slurry density, solid content and viscosity are monitored and dynamically adjusted online; Step S3: The prepared slurry is introduced into the bow unloading pump room and the stern unloading pump room of the deep-sea mining vessel through pipelines for buffering and temporary storage, and the uniformity of the slurry is maintained by stirring and liquid level control. Step S4: The ore transport ship establishes an operational connection with the deep-sea mining ship in a parallel and sequential export mode. During the operation, at any given time, at least one ore transport ship maintains a connection with the deep-sea mining ship via the ore transport pontoon, and the ore slurry is exported from the deep-sea mining ship at a smooth and stable rate. Step S5: After receiving the slurry, the transport ship completes the dewatering through the solid-liquid separation system on board. The sludge is stored in the hold, and the dewatered tailwater flows into the return water system and establishes a return water channel with the deep-sea mining ship. During the external transport operation, the ore transport floating pipe and the return water floating pipe are connected at the same time so that the slurry transport and tailwater recovery are carried out synchronously and continuously. The deep-sea mining ship receives the returned tailwater and performs tailwater treatment. Step S6: When the transport ship reaches its maximum load, first reduce the flow rate of the slurry conveying channel to a steady stop and complete the isolation, then terminate the return water channel and complete the isolation. Subsequently, disconnect the ore conveying float pipe and the return water float pipe respectively, and the transport ship sails away, with the next transport ship taking over the operation.

[0007] Preferably, in step S1, the particle size of the minerals after crushing meets the requirements for pulping, and the ore storage tank provides continuous and controllable material supply for the subsequent pulping process through material level monitoring and feeding mechanism.

[0008] Preferably, in step S2, the prepared slurry meets the process requirements for pumping and floating pipe transportation. By dynamically adjusting the amount of water added, the amount of chemicals added, and the stirring intensity, the risks of slurry deposition, blockage, and concentration fluctuations are reduced.

[0009] Preferably, in step S3, both the bow and stern unloading pump rooms are equipped with valve groups, pressure and flow measurement points, and stirring devices to provide a buffer margin for parallel slurry outflow and succession switching.

[0010] Preferably, in step S4, the specific steps are as follows: Step S41, Ship Numbering and Queue Organization: The deep-sea mining vessel is equipped with two transportation nodes: a bow transportation node and a stern transportation node. The number of available transportation nodes is monitored in real time. For each transportation vessel entering the scheduling range... T i The following allocation rules will be applied: When the number of nodes n When =2, it is determined that no transport ship is currently occupying the node, and the transport ship is instructed to... Ti Enter stand-alone operation mode and select one of the transport nodes as the transport vessel. T i The receiving node; When the number of nodes n When =1, it is determined that a transport ship already occupies one of the nodes, and the transport ship is instructed to... T i Entering parallel operation mode will occupy the remaining idle transport nodes; When the number of nodes n When =0, it is determined that there are no idle nodes, and the transport ship is instructed to... T i Enter the loading state and remain on standby at the queue waiting point; after any transport ship completes receiving and disconnects and releases the occupied node, the above allocation is re-executed for the next ship waiting to be loaded in the queue to achieve continuous export. Step S42, when it is a transport ship T i When the target transport node is assigned and the proximity window criterion is met, the deep-sea mining vessel moves towards the transport vessel. T i The transport ship was instructed to move from the standby point to the docking point. T i Approach and complete the hose connection under specified relative speed and relative bearing conditions; if the window criterion is not met, the transport ship... T i Keep in standby mode and scroll through the evaluation until the window appears before triggering the approach and connect actions.

[0011] Preferably, in step S42, the transport ship T i After connecting with the deep-sea mining vessel, keep the two hoses connected: one is a ore conveying float pipe for receiving ore slurry, and the other is a water return float pipe for returning tailwater, so that ore slurry transportation and tailwater recycling can be carried out simultaneously and continuously.

[0012] Preferably, in step S42, the criteria for allowing proximity to the window include sea state conditions, ship relative motion parameters, transport channel pressure parameters, and floating pipe attitude and joint status parameters. The window criteria are satisfied when all parameters meet the safety threshold.

[0013] Preferably, in step S5, the solid-liquid separation system of the transport ship adopts a combination of screening, centrifugation and pressure filtration, and after dewatering, it forms a low-moisture sludge which is then stored in the hold; the deep-sea mining vessel treats the returned tailwater and discharges it into the sea in compliance with standards.

[0014] Preferably, the deep-sea mining vessel is equipped with a ore storage tank, a slurry preparation tank, a slurry buffer tank, a bow slurry unloading pump room, and a stern slurry unloading pump room. The slurry is first stabilized in the slurry buffer tank, and then connected to the bow slurry unloading pump room and the stern slurry unloading pump room respectively through distribution pipelines.

[0015] Therefore, this invention proposes a method for multiple deep-sea mining transport vessels to operate in parallel, with the following beneficial effects: (1) This invention establishes independent slurry unloading channels at the bow and stern of the deep-sea mining vessel and allows two transport vessels to receive slurry at the same time, thus realizing parallel transport of multiple vessels. Compared with the single-vessel sequential receiving mode, it can significantly reduce the gap time caused by waiting, dismantling and re-docking, and improve the utilization rate of sea state windows and the transfer volume per unit time.

[0016] (2) This invention comprehensively monitors key operational parameters such as sea conditions, relative motion of ships, pressure / flow of the transport channel, attitude of the floating pipe and joint status, sets clear safety operation thresholds and ship approach window criteria, and triggers transport operations only when safety conditions are met, so that the entire process of multiple ships operating in parallel and taking turns forms a standardized and rule-based operation system, improves the controllability and reproducibility of collaborative operations, and ensures the overall safety of deep-sea mining operations.

[0017] (3) In this invention, after receiving the slurry, the transport ship completes solid-liquid separation through a combination of screening, centrifugation and pressure filtration to form low-moisture sludge for storage in the hold, thereby improving the efficiency of mineral storage and transportation. At the same time, through the synchronous connection design of the slurry transport and return water double floating pipes, the continuous return of dewatered tailwater is realized. The deep-sea mining ship treats the returned tailwater in a unified manner and discharges it into the sea in compliance with standards, thereby realizing the standardized and traceable management of slurry transfer and tailwater discharge, and effectively controlling marine pollution.

[0018] (4) The ship scheduling and allocation rules and operation process in the method proposed in this invention can be flexibly adjusted according to the ship type of deep-sea mining vessel and the marine operation conditions, and can be easily expanded into a queue take-off operation mode of two or more transport ships; at the same time, the core liquid-solid two-phase medium continuous pumping and multi-ship collaborative transportation design concept can be extended to the same medium inter-ship transportation operation in other marine engineering scenarios, with a wide range of applications and strong adaptability.

[0019] (5) This invention avoids the problem of mineral accumulation on deep-sea mining vessels caused by the interruption of mineral slurry transportation through the continuous design of the entire process of mineral slurry preparation, buffer storage and parallel transportation, eliminates the risk of mining operations being suspended and waiting, realizes the smooth connection of the entire process of seabed mineral collection, onboard processing and inter-ship transportation, and improves the overall continuity and production efficiency of deep-sea mining operations.

[0020] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Fig. 1 This is a flowchart of a multi-vessel parallel transportation method for deep-sea mining transport vessels according to the present invention; Fig. 2This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the multi-ship parallel transportation method for deep-sea mining transport vessels according to the present invention. Fig. 3 This is a diagram showing the cabin layout of a deep-sea mining vessel, which is part of the multi-vessel parallel transportation method for deep-sea mining vessels according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure Labels 1. Deep-sea mining vessel; 11. Ore storage tank; 12. Slurry tank; 13. Slurry buffer tank; 14. Bow unloading pump room; 15. Stern unloading pump room; 2. Ore transport vessel; 3. Ore conveying floating pipe; 4. Return water floating pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the technical solutions, advantages, and objectives of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. The described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0024] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this invention shall have the ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0025] Example 1 This embodiment uses a polymetallic nodule mining area in the western Pacific Ocean as the operating area, with an operating water depth of approximately 4500m. The fleet includes: one deep-sea mining vessel and two ore transport vessels, totaling three vessels; the deep-sea mining vessel is equipped with an ore storage tank 11, a slurry preparation tank 12, and a slurry buffer tank 13; a bow slurry unloading pump room 14 and a stern slurry unloading pump room 15.

[0026] like Figs. 1-3 As shown, this invention provides a method for multiple deep-sea mining transport vessels to operate in parallel, with the specific steps as follows: Step S1: The deep-sea mining vessel 1 receives the seabed minerals transported onto the ship by the hoisting system. First, it undergoes pre-screening and impurity removal unit to remove large pieces of impurities, and then it is washed and sludge removed. Subsequently, it enters the crushing unit, and after the minerals meet the requirements for pulping and in-pipe pumping, they are sent to the storage tank 11 for temporary storage. The material level monitoring and feeding mechanism enable continuous and controllable downstream supply.

[0027] Step S2: The minerals in the storage tank 11 are fed into the slurry tank 12 according to the set feed rate. Seawater is added and dispersants, rheology modifiers and other agents are added. Under the action of stirring and circulation, a uniform slurry is formed so that the slurry meets the pumping requirements of the ore conveying floating pipe 3. The amount of water added, the amount of chemicals added and the stirring intensity are dynamically adjusted by monitoring the flow rate and pressure to reduce the risk of sedimentation and blockage.

[0028] Step S3: The prepared slurry first enters the slurry buffer tank 13 for stable flow, and then is connected to the bow unloading pump tank 14 and the stern unloading pump tank 15 through the distribution pipeline to form two independent transport nodes; the two nodes are respectively equipped with valve groups, pressure and flow measuring points and stirring devices to maintain the uniformity of the slurry and provide buffer margin for parallel external transport and replacement switching.

[0029] Step S4: The three ore transport ships 2 establish operational contact with the deep-sea mining vessel in a parallel and coordinated manner, as detailed below: Step S41: In this embodiment, after scheduling and allocation, the bow node operation vessel and the stern node operation vessel are determined. The two ore transport vessels 2 occupy the bow transport node and the stern transport node respectively to receive ore slurry synchronously, forming a parallel external transport operation state; at the same time, an ore transport vessel 2 to be loaded is determined to maintain a queue outside the safety zone and maintain a dynamic positioning and maneuvering ready state, and continuously receive instructions from the deep-sea mining vessel 1 regarding the takeover time.

[0030] Step S42: After determining the parallel operation relationship between the bow node and the stern node, the deep-sea mining vessel 1 performs pre-connection confirmation on the bow transport node and the stern transport node respectively, and guides the ore transport vessel 2 from the standby point to the bow docking point to complete the connection of the ore transport floating pipe 3 and the return water floating pipe 4; after the connection is completed, the sealing is checked and the tension stability is confirmed, and the vessel enters the transport state under the conditions of pressure establishment and tension stability.

[0031] Step S5: After receiving the slurry, the ore transport vessel 2 enters the ship's solid-liquid separation system to complete the dewatering treatment. The dewatered sludge is then stored in the cargo hold. During the external transportation operation, the ore transport vessel 2 and the deep-sea mining vessel 1 maintain two hoses in a state of simultaneous connection: one is the ore transport floating pipe 3 for continuously receiving the slurry, and the other is the return water floating pipe 4 for continuously returning the tailwater, so that the slurry transportation and tailwater recycling are carried out synchronously and continuously. After receiving the returned tailwater, the deep-sea mining vessel 1 enters the tailwater treatment process and discharges it into the sea after meeting the environmental protection process.

[0032] Step S6: Once the ore carrier 2 at the bow reaches its maximum load, first stop and isolate the slurry delivery channel, then stop and isolate the return water channel. Subsequently, disconnect the ore delivery float pipe from the return water float pipe and depart from the work area for the next transport voyage. The deep-sea mining vessel 1 executes step S4 to reconfirm available transport nodes and guides the next ore carrier 2 to complete the connection of the two hoses at the bow node. Then, the bow node transport is resumed, achieving continuous parallel operation and ensuring overall transport continuity.

[0033] It is worth noting that all contents not described in detail in this invention are existing technologies and are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0034] Therefore, this invention provides a method for parallel transportation of multiple deep-sea mining vessels. By constructing a mechanism for organizing parallel operations of multiple vessels and managing transportation channels, it achieves continuous transfer of slurry, significantly improving slurry transportation efficiency and sea condition window utilization, and enhancing the controllability and standardization of multi-vessel collaborative operations. At the same time, it takes into account the environmental protection requirements and post-processing efficiency of marine operations, has good applicability and scalability, and improves the overall safety and continuity of deep-sea mining operations.

[0035] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can still be made to the technical solutions of the present invention, and these modifications or equivalent substitutions cannot cause the modified technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for transporting multiple deep-sea mining vessels in parallel, characterized in that, The specific steps are as follows: Step S1: The minerals collected from the seabed are transported to the receiving area of ​​the deep-sea mining vessel via a lifting system, and pre-screening, impurity removal, washing and crushing are completed in sequence. After processing, they are sent to the storage tank for temporary storage. Step S2: The minerals in the storage tank are sent to the pulping tank, seawater is added and dispersing and rheology modifiers are added, and the slurry is formed by stirring; during the pulping process, the key indicators of slurry density, solid content and viscosity are monitored and dynamically adjusted online; Step S3: The prepared slurry is introduced into the bow unloading pump room and the stern unloading pump room of the deep-sea mining vessel through pipelines for buffering and temporary storage, and the uniformity of the slurry is maintained by stirring and liquid level control. Step S4: The ore transport ship establishes an operational connection with the deep-sea mining ship in a parallel and sequential export mode. During the operation, at any given time, at least one ore transport ship maintains a connection with the deep-sea mining ship via the ore transport pontoon, and the ore slurry is exported from the deep-sea mining ship at a smooth and stable rate. Step S5: After receiving the slurry, the transport ship completes the dewatering through the solid-liquid separation system on board. The sludge is stored in the hold, and the dewatered tailwater flows into the return water system and establishes a return water channel with the deep-sea mining ship. During the external transport operation, the ore transport floating pipe and the return water floating pipe are connected at the same time so that the slurry transport and tailwater recovery are carried out synchronously and continuously. The deep-sea mining ship receives the returned tailwater and performs tailwater treatment. Step S6: When the transport ship reaches its maximum load, first reduce the flow rate of the slurry conveying channel to a steady stop and complete the isolation, then terminate the return water channel and complete the isolation. Subsequently, disconnect the ore conveying float pipe and the return water float pipe respectively, and the transport ship sails away, with the next transport ship taking over the operation.

2. The method for parallel transportation of multiple deep-sea mining transport vessels according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S1, after the minerals are crushed, the particle size meets the requirements for pulping. The ore storage tank provides continuous and controllable material supply for the subsequent pulping process through material level monitoring and feeding mechanism.

3. The method for parallel transportation of multiple deep-sea mining transport vessels according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S2, the prepared slurry meets the process requirements for pumping and floating pipe transportation. By dynamically adjusting the amount of water added, the amount of chemicals added, and the stirring intensity, the risks of slurry deposition, blockage, and concentration fluctuations are reduced.

4. A method for transporting multiple deep-sea mining vessels in parallel, as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step S3, both the bow and stern unloading pump rooms are equipped with valve groups, pressure and flow measurement points, and stirring devices to provide a buffer margin for parallel slurry outflow and succession switching.

5. A method for transporting multiple deep-sea mining vessels in parallel, as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step S4, the specific steps are as follows: Step S41, Ship Numbering and Queue Organization: The deep-sea mining vessel is equipped with two transportation nodes, namely the bow transportation node and the stern transportation node, and the number of currently available transportation nodes is counted in real time. For each transport ship that enters the dispatch range T i The following allocation rules will be applied: When the number of nodes n When =2, it is determined that no transport ship is currently occupying the node, and the transport ship is instructed to... T i Enter stand-alone operation mode and select one of the transport nodes as the transport vessel. T i The receiving node; When the number of nodes n When =1, it is determined that a transport ship already occupies one of the nodes, and the transport ship is instructed to... T i Entering parallel operation mode will occupy the remaining idle transport nodes; When the number of nodes n When =0, it is determined that there are no idle nodes, and the transport ship is instructed to... T i Enter the loading state and remain on standby at the queue waiting point; after any transport ship completes receiving and disconnects and releases the occupied node, the above allocation is re-executed for the next ship waiting to be loaded in the queue to achieve continuous export. Step S42, when it is a transport ship T i When the target transport node is assigned and the proximity window criterion is met, the deep-sea mining vessel moves towards the transport vessel. T i The transport ship was instructed to move from the standby point to the docking point. T i Approach and complete the hose connection under limited relative speed and relative orientation conditions; When the window criterion is not met, the transport ship T i Keep in standby mode and scroll through the evaluation until the window appears before triggering the approach and connect actions.

6. A method for parallel transportation of multiple deep-sea mining transport vessels according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S42, the transport ship T i After connecting with the deep-sea mining vessel, keep the two hoses connected: one is a ore conveying float pipe for receiving ore slurry, and the other is a water return float pipe for returning tailwater, so that ore slurry transportation and tailwater recycling can be carried out simultaneously and continuously.

7. A method for parallel transportation of multiple deep-sea mining transport vessels according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S42, the criteria for allowing proximity to the window include sea state conditions, ship relative motion parameters, transport channel pressure parameters, and floating pipe attitude and joint status parameters. The window criteria are satisfied when all parameters meet the safety threshold.

8. A method for transporting multiple deep-sea mining vessels in parallel, as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step S5, the solid-liquid separation system of the transport ship adopts a combination of screening, centrifugation and pressure filtration. After dewatering, it forms low-moisture sludge which is then stored in the hold. The deep-sea mining vessel treats the returned tailwater and discharges it into the sea after it meets the standards.

9. A method for transporting multiple deep-sea mining vessels in parallel, as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Deep-sea mining vessels are equipped with ore storage tanks, slurry tanks, slurry buffer tanks, bow slurry pump rooms, and stern slurry pump rooms. The slurry is first stabilized in the slurry buffer tank, and then connected to the bow slurry pump rooms and stern slurry pump rooms through distribution pipelines.

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