Cobalt-Rich Crust Mining Vehicle With Hydraulic Sediment Circulation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies face challenges in efficiently mining and collecting cobalt-rich crusts from the seabed, leading to low efficiency and environmental pollution, with a need for innovative deep-sea mining equipment.

Innovation Solution

A mining vehicle equipped with a walking mechanism, supporting arm, rotating structure, crushing and collecting mechanism, and hydraulic circulation mechanism, utilizing double crushing drums and spiral drum collection, promoting flocculation and precipitation of sediments to enhance efficiency and reduce particle diffusion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional deep-sea mining methods are used, then mining capability is achieved, but mining efficiency is low and environmental pollution occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemining efficiencyVSAvoidenvironmental pollution

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a hydraulic circulation mechanism that uses water flow to transport crushed cobalt-rich crust from the crushing drum through screening plates to collection containers. The hydraulic system replaces traditional mechanical collection methods, enabling more efficient sediment transport and separation while reducing environmental disturbance through controlled water flow rather than mechanical excavation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical mining and collection systems with a hydraulic circulation system. Instead of using mechanical tools to extract and collect crust directly, the system uses water flow to erode, transport, and separate the cobalt-rich crust, thereby reducing mechanical disturbance to the seabed and improving collection efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If hydraulic circulation mechanism is introduced, then collection efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollection efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hydraulic circulation mechanism serves multiple functions simultaneously: it transports crushed material, separates different particle sizes through screening plates, and collects sorted material in different containers. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanical systems for each operation, thereby managing complexity while improving efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the crushing drum, screening plates, collection containers, and hydraulic circulation into an integrated system. The hydraulic flow path is merged with the crushing and separation processes, allowing material to be transported and sorted in a continuous flow rather than requiring separate discrete operations, thus managing system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The vehicle achieves high-efficiency mining and collection of cobalt-rich crusts while minimizing environmental pollution, reducing production costs, and improving product quality through symmetrical water circulation and flocculation processes.

Implementation Method 1

promoting flocculation and precipitation of sediments to enhance efficiency and reduce particle diffusion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlocculation: Flocculation

Implementation Method 2

promoting flocculation and precipitation of sediments

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSedimentation: Sedimentation

Implementation Method 3

a hydraulic suction pump, the hydraulic suction pump sucks seawater-sediment from the screening and separation bin, passes through a hydraulic pipeline and a connected multi-row outlet pipe, and sprays seawater-sediment out from a high-pressure jet nozzle; the seawater-sediment repeatedly circulates and flows

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydraulic circulation:

Data Source

PatentUS20250243757A1Mining vehicle for cobalt-rich crust from the seabed

Publication Date: 2025.07.31 QINGDAO UNIV OF SCI & TECH

AI summary

A mining vehicle for mining cobalt-rich crusts ore from the seabed includes a walking mechanism; a supporting arm, a crushing and collecting mechanism and a hydraulic circulation mechanism. The supporting arm is set on the walking mechanism, and a rotating structure is set at the connection between the supporting arm and the walking mechanism for realizing left-right rotation of the supporting arm; at the same time, the supporting arm can be realized to rotate up and down. The crushing and collecting mechanism is set at the front end of the hydraulic circulating mechanism for crushing the ores. The hydraulic circulating mechanism is set on the supporting arm and the walking mechanism, for collecting the ores, and for promoting flocculation and precipitation of the sediments, and for reducing the degree of particle diffusion.