Cyclic Pumping Tube Sections for Deep Sea Mining Solids Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pumping materials comprising solids in a liquid, such as deep sea mining of nodules, is challenging due to the difficulty in effectively accelerating and transporting solids in a viscous or aqueous environment.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing a series of interconnected tube sections that can be opened or closed, combined with a liquid jet generation mechanism, to accelerate and transport materials by sequentially holding, accelerating, and moving solids through the tube sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If continuous pumping is used to transport materials with solids in liquid, then the transport process is simple, but the pump requires excessive energy and the solids cannot be effectively accelerated
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is divided into multiple tube sections that can be individually opened or closed. Each tube section acts as a separate chamber where material is held, accelerated by liquid jet, and then transferred to the next section. This segmentation allows the pump to operate in discrete cycles rather than continuously, reducing energy consumption while maintaining transport effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump operates in periodic cycles of opening and closing tube sections. During each cycle, a tube section is closed to hold material, then opened to allow liquid jet acceleration, and subsequently closed again to transfer the accelerated material to the next section. This periodic operation pattern enables effective solid acceleration while minimizing continuous energy consumption.
2Speed
If solids are accelerated continuously in the liquid, then transport is effective, but the solids sink due to their higher density and the acceleration is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary acceleration of solids using liquid jet in controlled tube sections before the solids need to be transported to the next location. By concentrating the acceleration action in specific chambers rather than throughout the entire pipeline, the solids achieve sufficient speed without having time to sink during the acceleration phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid jet acts as an intermediary medium to transfer energy to the solids. Instead of direct mechanical agitation, the liquid jet provides a controlled fluid dynamic force that accelerates the solids while maintaining them in suspension. The liquid serves as a mediator between the pump and the solids, enabling effective acceleration without sinking.
3Ease of operation
If tube sections are kept open for continuous flow, then material transport is smooth, but the pump cannot effectively hold and accelerate the material
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous pipeline is segmented into multiple controllable tube sections. This segmentation allows the system to switch between different operational modes: holding mode (tube closed) for acceleration and transport mode (tube open) for continuous flow. The segmentation enables the pump to concentrate power for acceleration when needed while maintaining overall flow continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tube sections are designed to be dynamically controllable, switching between open and closed states based on operational requirements. This dynamic control allows the system to adapt its configuration - closing tubes to create holding chambers for acceleration, then opening them to allow material flow. The dynamic nature of the tube sections enables both effective acceleration and continuous transport.
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
This approach enables efficient stepwise transport of materials, minimizing the required pump energy while preventing solids from sinking during acceleration, thus ensuring successful movement of materials through the tube sections.
Implementation Method 1
A liquid jet is generated which accelerates the held material upstream out of at least the first downstream tube section into at least one opening upstream tube section
Data Source
AI summary
A method of transporting a material includes at least one series of interconnected tube sections that can be opened or closed. At least one downstream tube section holds the material to be transported. A liquid jet is generated which accelerates the held material upstream out of at least the first downstream tube section into at least one opening upstream tube section which then holds a material part waiting for a next liquid jet to propagate that part to the next upstream tube section.