Seabed Lifting Device Using Electrolysis Buoyancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional techniques are unable to commercially extract rare-earth elements from the deep seabed at depths of 5000 meters or more due to high pressure and the need for long, heavy pipes and strong pumps.
Innovation Solution
A seabed-resource lifting device utilizing a transport hose with embedded conductive wire, a crawler-type collector, and a water electrolyzer to generate hydrogen and oxygen gas, which creates buoyancy to lift mud containing rare-earth elements to the surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If conventional ore-lifting equipment is used, then ore can be lifted from the seabed, but the equipment cannot operate at depths of 5000 meters or more due to high pressure requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses gas generation (hydrogen and oxygen) to create buoyancy force that lifts the mud and seawater mixture from the deep seabed. The gas is generated by electrolyzing seawater using electric power supplied from the resource-recovery vessel, and the generated gas is injected into the suction chamber to provide upward buoyant force, enabling operation at depths of 5000 meters or more where conventional mechanical pumping fails due to pressure constraints
2Length of stationary object
If long heavy pipes are used to reach the deep seabed, then the equipment can access the seabed, but the equipment becomes more complex and harder to deploy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid heavy pipes with a flexible hose that can be easily deployed from the resource-recovery vessel to the seabed. The hose is made of soft vinyl chloride with embedded conductive wire, allowing it to bend and move freely while maintaining electrical conductivity for power transmission. This flexible hose approach eliminates the need for complex rigid piping systems and heavy mechanical structures required for deep-sea access
3Power
If strong pumps are used to pump seawater from the seabed, then seawater can be transported, but the equipment becomes more complex and energy-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for strong mechanical pumps by using gas-generated buoyancy force to lift the seawater and mud mixture. The hydrogen and oxygen gas produced by electrolyzing seawater is injected into the suction chamber, creating upward buoyant force that naturally lifts the mixture to the surface. This pneumatic-hydraulic approach replaces complex mechanical pumping systems with a simpler electrolysis and gas injection system
4Stress or pressure
If electrolysis is used to generate gas for buoyancy, then the equipment can operate at deep depths, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service energy system where the resource-recovery vessel recovers hydrogen and oxygen gas from the transport hose and uses it to generate electricity through fuel cells. This generated electricity is then fed back to power the water electrolyzer at the seabed, creating a closed-loop energy system that reduces external energy consumption and makes the deep-sea operation more sustainable
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 device effectively collects mud with rare-earth elements from the deep seabed by using the buoyancy of hydrogen and oxygen gas, overcoming the limitations of depth and pressure, and recycles energy to sustain operation.
Implementation Method 1
a water electrolyzer that electrolyzes water so as to generate hydrogen gas and oxygen gas by using electric power supplied from the resource-recovery vessel
Implementation Method 2
the buoyancy of the hydrogen gas and the oxygen gas causes the mud that contains rare-earth elements to rise together with the seawater
Data Source
Figure 1~2(B)
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
Provided is a seabed-resource lifting device capable of causing deep-sea mud that contains rare-earth elements to rise from depths of 5000 m or more. This seabed-resource lifting device comprises: a transport hose that includes a first hose and a second hose and that hangs from a resource-recovery vessel down to the seabed; a crawler-type collector that includes a first suction chamber that sends mud from the seabed to the first hose, and a second suction chamber that sends mud from the seabed to the second hose; a water electrolyzer that, by means of electricity supplied from the resource-recovery vessel, electrolyzes water so as to generate hydrogen gas and oxygen gas; and a gas-injection device that injects the generated hydrogen gas and oxygen gas into the first suction chamber and the second suction chamber, respectively. Mud that contains rare-earth elements rises with sea water due to the buoyancy of the hydrogen gas or oxygen gas.