Underwater Excavation Device with Detachable Conveying Container
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current underwater mining systems are inefficient in collecting and transporting soil material without polluting the environment, as drill cuttings are discharged into the water current and soil material is not effectively contained during excavation.
Innovation Solution
An underwater excavation device with a retractable working platform and a detachable conveying container that includes a separating device to hold back soil material of a desired particle size, allowing for temporary storage and easy transport of excavated soil, while minimizing environmental contamination through a riser pipe for sedimentation and a check valve for secure decoupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If drill cuttings are discharged into the water current, then the excavation process is simple and continuous, but the environment is polluted and soil material is not effectively contained
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the excavation and transport process into separate stages: excavation at the work platform, temporary storage in the conveying container, and subsequent transport to the surface. This segmentation allows controlled containment of soil material during excavation while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveying container acts as an intermediary between the excavation site and the surface. It temporarily holds the excavated soil material, allowing for controlled transport without direct discharge into the water current, thus reducing environmental pollution while maintaining excavation efficiency.
2Ease of operation
If soil material is not contained during excavation, then the excavation process is simple, but the soil material cannot be effectively transported and dispersed into the environment
Solution Approach 1:
The conveying container combines multiple functions: it contains the excavated soil material, serves as a transport vessel, and provides a controlled discharge mechanism. This merging of functions ensures reliable transport while maintaining operational simplicity through an integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveying container provides a flexible containment structure that can be deployed and removed as needed. This flexible system ensures reliable transport of soil material while maintaining ease of operation through simple deployment and retrieval mechanisms.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a separating device is introduced to separate fine-grained material, then environmental pollution is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separating device extracts and removes fine-grained material from the excavated soil mixture. By taking out the problematic fine particles, the system reduces pollution while maintaining relatively simple overall device complexity through targeted separation rather than complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The separating device applies local quality control by selectively separating fine-grained material only where needed, rather than requiring complex separation mechanisms throughout the entire system. This localized approach reduces pollution while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
4Ease of operation
If the conveying container is detachably mounted, then transport to the surface is facilitated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveying container is designed as a separate, detachable module from the work platform. This segmentation allows independent transport of the container to the surface while maintaining ease of operation through standardized connection interfaces that simplify attachment and detachment procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The detachable mounting system serves multiple functions: it enables easy transport of the container, provides secure attachment during excavation, and allows for standardized operations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
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 solution enables efficient and environmentally friendly excavation and transport of soil material by containing and separating the excavated material on the working platform, reducing pollution and facilitating reliable transport to the surface without dispersing material into the environment.
Implementation Method 1
a separating device is provided in the delivery container, which is designed to hold back removed soil material with a desired particle size and to separate liquid and soil material below the desired particle size
Implementation Method 2
a riser pipe for sedimentation
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an underwater mining device and a method for extracting soil material, comprising a submersible work platform that can be lowered onto the bottom of a body of water, a removal device for extracting soil material from the bottom of the body of water, an adjustment device for positioning and lowering the removal device into the bottom of the body of water, and a conveying line for transporting the extracted soil material from the removal device. According to the invention, the work platform is provided with a receptacle for a conveying container, the conveying container is detachably mounted and held in the receptacle, the conveying line opens into the conveying container, and the extracted soil material is collected in the conveying container, with a separation device provided in the conveying container.