ECO-friendly method and system for collecting deep sea mineral nodules

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for collecting deep sea mineral nodules without damaging ocean ecosystem. The said system comprising: 1– A nodule lifting device which is installed on a deep-water vehicle (8) including a lifting module (1) has one or more conduits (2) designed with suitable inlet to guarantee proper guidance of the nodule (10) without running into the impeller blades (6), wherein each of the said conduit (2) is connected to a rim pump (3), that have hub-less impeller (6) to allow the nodules to be sucked safely from the center of the blades, wherein the rim pump (3) creates suction flow and is driven by an electric rim motor (7), that generates pressure difference across a conduit (2), wherein the fast acting rim motor (7) controls the activation of conduit (2) suction; and 2– A Scanning device (4) which is installed on the lifting module (1), wherein an advanced intelligent scanning and sorting algorithm is used to indicate suitable nodules for lifting, wherein the said scanning device (4) is real time active to detect good nodules for collection that are lifeless and with adequate size for the lifting module.

Description

ECO-FRIENDLY METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COLLECTING DEEPSEA MINERAL NODULES

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.63 / 509,252, entitled “ECO-FRIENDLY NODULES LIFTING DEVICE," filed on June 20, 2023.Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates generally to the field of subsea mining in general, and more particular to the metallic nodule mining.Background

[0003] Current methods used for harvesting mineral nodules from the seabed involve the use of large mining machines that are deployed to the ocean floor. These machines are equipped with large suction pipes that suck up the nodules along with the surrounding sediment and any other forms of life that may be living on or near the nodules. This method is not considered to be environmentally friendly as it can cause significant damage to the seabed ecosystem and the marine life that inhabits it. The International Seabed Authority (ISA) has established guidelines for the mining of mineral resources from the seabed, including the need to minimize environmental impacts and ensure the sustainable use of the resources.

[0004] Studies have shown that the current methods used for harvesting mineral nodules can have significant negative impacts on the marine environment. For example, a study conducted by the Deep-Sea Conservation Coalition found that the mining of mineral resources from the seabed can result in the loss of habitat for deep-sea species, the destruction of fragile ecosystems, and the release of toxic pollutants into the water column.

[0005] In addition, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) has noted that the mining of mineral resources from the seabed can have impacts on the ocean's biogeochemical cycles, which can have significant consequences for global climate change. Therefore, there is a need for more environmentally friendly methods for harvesting mineral nodules from the seabed that can ensure the sustainable use of these resources while minimizing the impacts on the marine environment as disclosed in the present invention.

[0006] WO 2005 / 093215 Al relates to collecting and lifting methods of manganese nodule and mining device, this patent disclosed the overall process of nodules collection including a surface ship, a collector, a recovery device and a mining device by using mining methods that are different from the method of the present invention and all these methods have negative impact on the ecosystem.

[0007] FR 2916222 Al relates to independent device for collecting and lifting poly-metallic nodules situated at greater depths in the ocean, comprises a branch that maintains a collection net over the bottom of the ocean, a guidance device, and a combustion chamber. This patent disclosed a method to generate buoyancy from heated seawater vapor and a collecting method based on using a net that is mounted on the device, and spread on the sea floor to collect the nodule underneath and this disclosure is different from the method of the present invention and this method has a negative impact on the ecosystem.

[0008] On the other hand, the method and the system of the present invention have the ability to collect the deep-sea mineral nodules without damaging ocean ecosystem. The present invention also collects only nodules that are devoid of any other species or forms of life to achieve minimal impact on the surrounding ecological system.

[0009] Accordingly, the present invention for collecting the deep sea mineral nodules has advantages against other systems or methods described as below:

[0010] 1 - Unlike the common method that collects everything without precision i.e. using dredging, the present invention is Eco-Friendly, and doesn’t harm the environment or the living species on the sea bed.

[0011] 2- Unlike the proposed methods that is based on using robotic collectors, the present invention uses suction pressure that is much faster.

[0012] 3- Unlike other methods that are complex, the present invention uses a precise suction device (i.e. rim motor and hub-less blades), tolift the targeted nodule.Summary

[0013] The invention addresses the above needs, by combining intelligent scanning algorithm with precise nodule lifting device.

[0014] The present invention discloses a method and system for collecting deep sea mineral nodules without damaging ocean ecosystem. The system of the present invention comprising one or more nodule lifting devices. The said device is installed on a deep-water vehicle (8), and precisely collects only nodules that are devoid of any other species or forms of life to achieve minimal impact on the surrounding ecological system while passes over them.

[0015] The system of the present invention comprising:

[0016] 1- A nodule lifting device which is installed on a deep-water vehicle (8) including a lifting module (1) that has one or more conduits (2) designed with suitable inlet to guarantee proper guidance of the nodule (10) without running into impeller blades (6), wherein each of the said conduit (2) is connected to a rim pump (3), that have hub-less impeller (6) to allow the nodules to be sucked safely from the center of the blades, wherein the rim pump (3) creates suction flow and is driven by an electric rim motor (7), that generates pressure difference across a conduit (2), wherein the fast acting rim motor (7) controls the activation of conduit (2) suction;

[0017] 2- A Scanning device (4) which is installed on the lifting module (1), wherein an advanced intelligent scanning and sorting algorithm is used to indicate suitable nodules for lifting. The said scanning device (4) is real time active to detect good nodules for collection that are lifeless and with adequate size for the lifting module. Marine species and nodules that have any form of ocean ecological life are kept untouched.

[0018] When suitable nodule is detected, the lifting module (1) is brought into a position of proximity to the nodule then the rim pump of the closest conduit above it is activated so that only the detected nodule is sucked through the hub-less impeller (6) to the collecting container (5). This is performed while the vehicle (8) passes through water, which guarantee efficient and fast collecting.

[0019] These illustrative embodiments are mentioned not to limit or define the disclosure, but to provide examples to aid understanding thereof. Additional embodiments are discussed in the Detailed Description, and further description is provided there.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] For a further understanding of the components and systems of the present invention, it will be fully rendered obviously by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing of one of the forms of the invention wherein like parts have like reference numbers, and wherein:

[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic of the working methodology illustrating the scanning system

[0022] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the nodule lifting device

[0023] FIG. 3 is a schematic of the nodule suction inside the conduit

[0024] FIG. 4 is a schematic section view for one conduit with rim pump from the nodule lifting module

[0025] FIG. 5 is a schematic of the rim pump with hub-less impellerDetailed Description

[0026] The present invention provides a method and system for collecting deep sea mineral nodules without damaging ocean ecosystem.

[0027] The system of the present invention for collecting deep sea mineral nodules without damaging ocean ecosystem, the said system comprising:

[0028] 1- A nodule lifting device which is installed on a deep-water vehicle (8) including a lifting module (1) that has one or more conduits (2) designed with suitable inlet to guarantee proper guidance of the nodule (10) without running into impeller blades (6), wherein each of the said conduit (2) is connected to a rim pump (3), that have hub-less impeller (6) to allow the nodules to be sucked safely from the center of the blades, wherein the rim pump (3) creates suction flow and is driven by an electric rim motor (7), that generates pressure difference across a conduit (2), wherein the fast acting rim motor (7) controls the activation of conduit (2) suction;

[0029] 2- A Scanning device (4) which is installed on the lifting module (1), wherein an advanced intelligent scanning and sorting algorithm is used to indicate suitable nodules for lifting. The said scanning device (4) is real time active to detect good nodules for collection that are lifeless and with adequate size for lifting module.

[0030] Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for deep sea mining of mineral nodules without damaging ocean ecosystem comprising the following steps as shown below:

[0031] 1-A lifting module (1) is installed on a deep-water vehicle (8);

[0032] 2-The said deep-water vehicle (8) moves over a nodule field (9);

[0033] 3-A scanning device (4) which contains proper devices such as deep-sea cameras, that utilizes an intelligent sorting and detection algorithm to indicate which nodules to be collected and which to be kept untouched. The said device isactive all the time to scan the filed for suitable nodules; wherein the suitable nodule is characterized by several factors, such as:

[0034] a. Non-living species;

[0035] b. No existence of life on the nodule; and

[0036] c. The nodule is of suitable size for the lifting module (1);

[0037] 4- After that, the suitable nodule is detected, and the lifting module (1) becomes above it;

[0038] 5- A suction pressure is induced in the nearest conduit (2), wherein the suction pressure is induced using a rim pump (3). Wherein the said rim pump (3) consists of:

[0039] a. A hub-less impeller (6), that is driven by,

[0040] b. A rim motor (7);

[0041] The said hub-less impeller (6) allows for the particle to pass axially through it, without being damaged; and the rim motor (7) response is in milliseconds, which makes the nodule lifting process fast and efficient.

[0042] 6- The selected nodule is lifted due to the induced suction lift force, and forced to move inside the conduit (2);

[0043] 7-Then, the nodule keeps moving in the pipes (11) until reaching the collecting container (5).

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a schematic of the invention working concept. It is based on scanning the nodules field (9) while the deep-water vehicle (8) is moving, and detects suitable nodules that are free of marine life.

[0045] FIG. 2 shows the nodule lifting device comprising a rim pump (3), that have hub-less impeller (6) driven by rim motor (7), that generates pressure difference across a conduit (2), fast acting rim motor (7) that controls the activation of conduit (2) suction, one or more conduits (2), and scanning device (4). The scanning device (4) is real time active. It detects good nodules for collection thatare lifeless and with adequate size for lifting module. Once the lifting module (1) is brought into a position of proximity to the nodule, the rim pump (3) of the closest conduit is activated, inducing water flow inside the conduit and generate pressure difference across the conduit length.

[0046] FIG. 3 Illustrates how the pressure difference forces water flow to enter the conduit (2) and generate lifting force on the nodule (10) and suck it into the opened conduit (2). The nodule (10) continues moving through the pipes (11) under the suction pressure until reaching the collecting container (5) as shown in FIG. 4. The amount of the pressure difference needed to lift up the nodule is function of several parameters such as, the targeted nodule (10) size and weight, conduit (2) length and dimensions, and the vertical position of the nodule relative to the lifting module (1). Extra pressure difference is also needed to overcome any cohesion holding the nodule to the seabed, which is controlled by the rim pump (3) rotational speed. Conduit (2) opening is chosen to have slight clearance for the maximum targeted nodule (10) size.

[0047] The lifting module (1), as shown in FIG. 2, have several conduits (2) designed with suitable inlet to guarantee proper guidance of the nodule (10) without running into the impeller blades (6). Each conduit is connected to a fastacting rim pump (3).

[0048] FIG. 5 shows the rim pump that includes hub-less impeller (6) that allows for the nodules to be sucked safely from the center of the blades. The rim pump is driven by an electric rim motor (7) that is fast acting.

[0049] The rim pump (3) is activated based on the results of the scanning device (4), and position of the nodule relative to the conduits in the lifting module (1). The scanning device (4) includes proper scanners, such as deep-sea cameras, and utilizes an intelligent sorting and detection algorithm to indicate which nodules to be collected and which to be skipped, as illustrated in FIG. 1. While the vehicle (8)moves (or hovers) over the nodule field (9), and once the lifting module (1) becomes above the detected targeted nodule (10), the corresponding conduit rim pump (3) is activated (which response time is in milliseconds) and the nodule (10) is sucked into the container (5) as a result of the applied pressure difference.

[0050] Numerical references of the invention:

[0051] - Lifting module (1);

[0052] - Conduit (2);

[0053] - Rim pump (3);

[0054] - Scanning system or device (4);

[0055] - Collecting container (5);

[0056] - Hub-less impeller (6);

[0057] - Rim motor (7);

[0058] - Deep-water vehicle (8);

[0059] - Nodules field (9);

[0060] - Nodule (10); and

[0061] - Pipes (11).

Claims

Claims1- A system for collecting deep sea mineral nodules without damaging ocean ecosystem comprising:A- A nodule lifting device which is installed on a deep-water vehicle (8) including a lifting module (1) that has one or more conduits (2) designed with suitable inlet to guarantee proper guidance of the nodule (10) without being damaged, wherein each of the said conduit (2) is connected to a piping system (11) and suction device / s (3);B- A Scanning device (4) which is installed on the lifting module (1), wherein an advanced intelligent scanning and sorting algorithm is used to indicate suitable nodules for lifting, wherein the said scanning device (4) is real time active to detect good nodules for collection that are lifeless and with adequate size for lifting module.Characterized in that:The system collects only nodules that are devoid of any living species or forms of life to achieve minimal impact on the surrounding ecological system.2- The system of claim 1, wherein the suction device creates suction flow and is driven by an electric motor (7), that generates pressure difference across a conduit (2), wherein the fast-acting motor (7) controls the activation of conduit (2) suction.3-The system of claim 1, when suitable nodule is detected, the lifting module (1) is brought into a position of proximity to the nodule and the rim pump of the closest conduit above it is activated so that only the detected nodule is sucked through the hub-less impeller (6) to the collecting container (5) and this is performed while the vehicle (8) passes through water, which guarantee efficient and fast collecting.4- The system of claim 1 , wherein the deep-water vehicle is moved to scan the nodules field (9) to detect suitable nodules for collection.5- The system of claim 1, wherein the pressure difference forces water flow to enter the conduit (2) and generate lifting force on the nodule (10) and suck it into the conduit (2), wherein the amount of the pressure difference needed to lift up the nodule is function of several parameters such as, the targeted nodule (10) size and weight, conduit (2) length and dimensions, and the vertical position of the nodule relative to the lifting module (1).6- The system of claim 5, wherein the extra pressure difference is also needed to overcome any cohesion holding the nodule to the seabed, which is controlled by the rim pump (3) rotational speed.7 -The system of claim 1, wherein the rim pump (3) is activated based on the results of the scanning device (4), and position of the nodule relative to the conduits in the lifting module (1).8- A method for collecting deep sea mineral nodules without damaging ocean ecosystem comprising the below steps:1- A lifting module (1) is installed on a deep-water vehicle (8);2-The said deep-water vehicle (8) moves over a nodule field (9);3- A scanning device (4) which contains a proper scanner such as deep-sea cameras that utilizes an intelligent sorting and detection algorithm to indicate which nodules to be collected and which to be skipped, wherein the said device is active all the time to scan the filed for suitable nodules;4- After that, the suitable nodule is detected, and the lifting module (1) becomes above it;5- A suction pressure is induced in the nearest conduit (2), wherein the suction pressure is induced using a suction device;6- The selected nodule is lifted due to the induced suction lift force, and forced to move inside the conduit (2);7-Then, the nodule keeps moving in the pipes (11) until reaching the collecting container (5).9- The method of claim 8, wherein the suitable nodule is characterized by several factors, such as: a. Non-living species; b. No existence of life on the nodule; and c. The nodule is of suitable size for the lifting module (1).10-The method of claim 8, wherein the said suction device is a rim pump (3) comprising: a. A hub-less impeller (6), that is driven by, b. A rim motor (7).11- The device of claim 10, wherein the said hub-less impeller (6) allows for the particle to pass axially through it, without being damaged; and the rim motor (7) response is in milliseconds, which makes the nodule lifting process fast and efficient.

Images