A flexible connector of lifting pipes in a deep sea mining system is designed. The buttress thread （ based on API standard） is used and foreign experience in connector design is referred to. With this kind of connec...A flexible connector of lifting pipes in a deep sea mining system is designed. The buttress thread （ based on API standard） is used and foreign experience in connector design is referred to. With this kind of connector, the lifting pipe wiU only bear the axial force, free of moment. The strength of the connector is analyzed in detail, including the connecting strength of the buttress thread, the dynamic load of the pipe system, pressures inside and outside of the pipe, the lateral stress of the pipe wall and so on. Especially, a geometric model is built for 3-D contact stress analysis. The distribution graph of contact stress is presented. It is indicated that the strength of the spherical connector meets the demand.展开更多
The experiment system of 1000 m deep sea mining system is built up with the similarity theory. Sine mechanism is used to simulate mining ship to generate lateral shock excitation by ocean wave. Simulation and experime...The experiment system of 1000 m deep sea mining system is built up with the similarity theory. Sine mechanism is used to simulate mining ship to generate lateral shock excitation by ocean wave. Simulation and experiment of spherical joint connecting deep sea mining system has been done in band six marine conditions. The results indicate that the moment of spherical joint connecting deep sea mining is smaller than that of the thread connected ones, the lifting pipe of sphelical joint is ＂flexible pipe＂. The flexural torque of the articulated lifting pipe system in pump and buffer is generally periodic variation with some irregularity, the value is stable on 60 N·S, and it is obviously smaller than that of the fixed lifting pipe system; The total displacement exhibits cyclic variation pattern, and the periodicity of them is longer than that of sea current. The results of experiment and simulation are basically consistent. And the analysis in the paper offers theoretical foundation of 1000 m deep sea mining system in China.展开更多
1.Introduction The global transition to green energy has created an unprecedented demand for critical metals and energy resources such as cobalt,nickel,copper,manganese,rare earth elements,and gas hydrates.Against thi...1.Introduction The global transition to green energy has created an unprecedented demand for critical metals and energy resources such as cobalt,nickel,copper,manganese,rare earth elements,and gas hydrates.Against this strategic backdrop,deep-sea mineral and energy resources are increasingly viewed as essential supplements to terrestrial supply bottlenecks and as strategic safeguards for the future low-carbon economy.The international seabed forms a vast strategic resource of global significance,offering great potential to support energy transition and security.Therefore,under sound scientific evaluation and strict regulation,prudent development of this resource should serve both economic needs and the broader goals of sustainable energy transformation[1].展开更多
The dynamics of the gravitational lifting system of the deep sea mining industry is demonstrated in this article.A simplified dynamic model is obtained when gravity,buoyancy and drag force are the major concerns.By qu...The dynamics of the gravitational lifting system of the deep sea mining industry is demonstrated in this article.A simplified dynamic model is obtained when gravity,buoyancy and drag force are the major concerns.By quantitative analysis,different variables like bucket size,distribution distance,and filling rate are considered to measure their influence on lifting speed and production rate,which ends up with that the most influential factor is the bucket size,and it has a positive correlation with both the two targets:lifting speed and production rate.Due to the breaking strength of the cable wire rope,a feasible design of such a lifting system should take the tension force into consideration.Hence,the feasibility is also examined and a conclusion is summarized that a combination of the bucket size and the distribution distance should be optimized according to the concrete working conditions.展开更多
The present status of deep sea bed mining technology for polymetallic nodules has been critically examined in light of its history of development the UNCLoS (the United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea) regime ...The present status of deep sea bed mining technology for polymetallic nodules has been critically examined in light of its history of development the UNCLoS (the United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea) regime and the current trends in research.The critical technologies have been highlighted and the need for system integration underscored. The deep sea bed environment and the engineering challenge were presented and the necessary features of the deep sea bed mining system for commercial mining was analyzed. The key accomplishments, problems and future bends in research in the development of the mining system are also discussed. Finally, it points out that the technology gaps can be filled by the bine commercial mining is undertaken as a result of market conditions in its favor.展开更多
Seafloor massive sulfide（SMS） deposits which consist of Au, Ag, Cu, and other metal elements, have been a target of commercial mining in recent decades. The demand for established and reliable commercial mining syst...Seafloor massive sulfide（SMS） deposits which consist of Au, Ag, Cu, and other metal elements, have been a target of commercial mining in recent decades. The demand for established and reliable commercial mining system for SMS deposits is increasing within the marine mining industry. The current status and progress of mining technology and equipment for SMS deposits are introduced. First, the mining technology and other recent developments of SMS deposits are comprehensively explained and analyzed. The seafloor production tools manufactured by Nautilus Minerals and similar mining tools from Japan for SMS deposits are compared and discussed in turn. Second, SMS deposit mining technology research being conducted in China is described, and a new SMS deposits mining tool is designed according to the environmental requirement. Finally, some new trends of mining technology of SMS deposits are summarized and analyzed. All of these conclusions and results have reference value and guiding significance for the research of SMS deposit mining in China.展开更多
The publisher regrets that the article type for this publication was incorrectly labeled as a Research Article.The correct designation should be Review Article.This correction does not affect the content or conclusion...The publisher regrets that the article type for this publication was incorrectly labeled as a Research Article.The correct designation should be Review Article.This correction does not affect the content or conclusions of the article.The publisher apologizes for any inconvenience caused.展开更多
Hydraulic collecting and pipe transportation are regarded as an efficient way for exploiting submarine mineral resources such as the manganese nodules and ores.Coarse particles on the surface of the sea bed are sucked...Hydraulic collecting and pipe transportation are regarded as an efficient way for exploiting submarine mineral resources such as the manganese nodules and ores.Coarse particles on the surface of the sea bed are sucked by a pipe during the mining and crushing of the mineral.In this paper,the critical suction velocity for lifting the coarse particles is investigated through a series of laboratory experiments,and the solid-liquid two-phase flow characteristics are obtained.Based on the dimensional analysis,the geometric similarity is found between actual exploitation process and model test with the same kind of material.The controlling dimensionless parameters such as the hydraulic collecting number,the relative coarse particle diameter,the relative suction height,and the density ratio are deduced and discussed.The results show that the logarithm in base 10 of the hydraulic collecting number increases approximately linearly with the increase of the relative suction height,while decreases with the relative particle diameter.A fitting formula for predicting the critical suction velocity is presented according to the experimental results.展开更多
The Coanda-effect-based hydraulic collection,celebrated for its high pick-up efficiency,has become a focus in deep-sea mining.However,prevailing research mainly focused on the performance in clear water environments,o...The Coanda-effect-based hydraulic collection,celebrated for its high pick-up efficiency,has become a focus in deep-sea mining.However,prevailing research mainly focused on the performance in clear water environments,overlooking the impact of seabed sediments.This experimental study aims to examine the dynamic characteristics of nodule particles within the"fluid-solid-soil"multi-field under Coanda-effect-based hydraulic collection.The sediments were simulated in the laboratory by mixing the bentonite and water in specific proportions to replicate the physical and mechanical properties of in-situ sediments.A detailed analysis was conducted on the mechanical and motion characteristics of particles under various jet parameters and sediment shear strengths.The results illuminated that the shear strength of the sediment predominantly influenced the soil adhesion force,exhibiting an approximately linear correlation.Subsequent to assessing the collection performance,a criterion for particle incipient motion was proposed,and an empirical formula was established for predicting the maximum lifting force and experimentally confirmed to possess a maximum error below 20%.The pick-up efficiency experiments further demonstrated that when the jet parameters aligned with the critical conditions delineated by using the empirical formula,there was a significant increase to nearly 100% in pick-up efficiency,underscoring the practicality and accuracy of the predictive model.The results can offer theoretical guidance for selecting optimal jet parameters,to ensure efficient collection while minimizing potential environmental impacts due to excessive hydrodynamic forces and sediment erosion.展开更多
基金This research was financially supported by China Ocean Mineral Resources R &D Association (Grant No. DY105-03-02-17) .
文摘A flexible connector of lifting pipes in a deep sea mining system is designed. The buttress thread （ based on API standard） is used and foreign experience in connector design is referred to. With this kind of connector, the lifting pipe wiU only bear the axial force, free of moment. The strength of the connector is analyzed in detail, including the connecting strength of the buttress thread, the dynamic load of the pipe system, pressures inside and outside of the pipe, the lateral stress of the pipe wall and so on. Especially, a geometric model is built for 3-D contact stress analysis. The distribution graph of contact stress is presented. It is indicated that the strength of the spherical connector meets the demand.
基金This research was financially supported by China Ocean Mineral Resources Reasearch and Design Association (GrantNo DY105-03-02-17)Ph.D Programs Foundation of Ministry of Education of China (Grant No20060008025)
文摘The experiment system of 1000 m deep sea mining system is built up with the similarity theory. Sine mechanism is used to simulate mining ship to generate lateral shock excitation by ocean wave. Simulation and experiment of spherical joint connecting deep sea mining system has been done in band six marine conditions. The results indicate that the moment of spherical joint connecting deep sea mining is smaller than that of the thread connected ones, the lifting pipe of sphelical joint is ＂flexible pipe＂. The flexural torque of the articulated lifting pipe system in pump and buffer is generally periodic variation with some irregularity, the value is stable on 60 N·S, and it is obviously smaller than that of the fixed lifting pipe system; The total displacement exhibits cyclic variation pattern, and the periodicity of them is longer than that of sea current. The results of experiment and simulation are basically consistent. And the analysis in the paper offers theoretical foundation of 1000 m deep sea mining system in China.
基金financial support from the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2024YFC2815400)the Young Taishan Scholars Program(No.TSQN202507107)+1 种基金the Shandong Natural Science Foundation(No.ZR2025MS647)the European Commission(HORIZON MSCA-2024-PF-01,101200637).
文摘1.Introduction The global transition to green energy has created an unprecedented demand for critical metals and energy resources such as cobalt,nickel,copper,manganese,rare earth elements,and gas hydrates.Against this strategic backdrop,deep-sea mineral and energy resources are increasingly viewed as essential supplements to terrestrial supply bottlenecks and as strategic safeguards for the future low-carbon economy.The international seabed forms a vast strategic resource of global significance,offering great potential to support energy transition and security.Therefore,under sound scientific evaluation and strict regulation,prudent development of this resource should serve both economic needs and the broader goals of sustainable energy transformation[1].
文摘The dynamics of the gravitational lifting system of the deep sea mining industry is demonstrated in this article.A simplified dynamic model is obtained when gravity,buoyancy and drag force are the major concerns.By quantitative analysis,different variables like bucket size,distribution distance,and filling rate are considered to measure their influence on lifting speed and production rate,which ends up with that the most influential factor is the bucket size,and it has a positive correlation with both the two targets:lifting speed and production rate.Due to the breaking strength of the cable wire rope,a feasible design of such a lifting system should take the tension force into consideration.Hence,the feasibility is also examined and a conclusion is summarized that a combination of the bucket size and the distribution distance should be optimized according to the concrete working conditions.
文摘The present status of deep sea bed mining technology for polymetallic nodules has been critically examined in light of its history of development the UNCLoS (the United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea) regime and the current trends in research.The critical technologies have been highlighted and the need for system integration underscored. The deep sea bed environment and the engineering challenge were presented and the necessary features of the deep sea bed mining system for commercial mining was analyzed. The key accomplishments, problems and future bends in research in the development of the mining system are also discussed. Finally, it points out that the technology gaps can be filled by the bine commercial mining is undertaken as a result of market conditions in its favor.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51074179)National Hi-tech Research and Development Program of China(863 Program,Grant No.2012AA091291)Basic Research Foundation of Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation,China(Grant No.JCYJ20150929102555935)
文摘Seafloor massive sulfide（SMS） deposits which consist of Au, Ag, Cu, and other metal elements, have been a target of commercial mining in recent decades. The demand for established and reliable commercial mining system for SMS deposits is increasing within the marine mining industry. The current status and progress of mining technology and equipment for SMS deposits are introduced. First, the mining technology and other recent developments of SMS deposits are comprehensively explained and analyzed. The seafloor production tools manufactured by Nautilus Minerals and similar mining tools from Japan for SMS deposits are compared and discussed in turn. Second, SMS deposit mining technology research being conducted in China is described, and a new SMS deposits mining tool is designed according to the environmental requirement. Finally, some new trends of mining technology of SMS deposits are summarized and analyzed. All of these conclusions and results have reference value and guiding significance for the research of SMS deposit mining in China.
文摘The publisher regrets that the article type for this publication was incorrectly labeled as a Research Article.The correct designation should be Review Article.This correction does not affect the content or conclusions of the article.The publisher apologizes for any inconvenience caused.
基金The authors of this paper would like to thank the financial supports provided by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant XDA22000000).
文摘Hydraulic collecting and pipe transportation are regarded as an efficient way for exploiting submarine mineral resources such as the manganese nodules and ores.Coarse particles on the surface of the sea bed are sucked by a pipe during the mining and crushing of the mineral.In this paper,the critical suction velocity for lifting the coarse particles is investigated through a series of laboratory experiments,and the solid-liquid two-phase flow characteristics are obtained.Based on the dimensional analysis,the geometric similarity is found between actual exploitation process and model test with the same kind of material.The controlling dimensionless parameters such as the hydraulic collecting number,the relative coarse particle diameter,the relative suction height,and the density ratio are deduced and discussed.The results show that the logarithm in base 10 of the hydraulic collecting number increases approximately linearly with the increase of the relative suction height,while decreases with the relative particle diameter.A fitting formula for predicting the critical suction velocity is presented according to the experimental results.
基金the support of National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52301332)Shanghai Sailing Program(Grant No:23YF1419800)+3 种基金Hainan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.424QN297)Hainan Province Science and Technology Special Fund(Grant No.SQ2024KJTPY0035)the 2022 Sanya Science and Technology Innovation Foundation(Grant No:2022KJCX67)the Major Projects of Strategic Emerging Industries in Shanghai.
文摘The Coanda-effect-based hydraulic collection,celebrated for its high pick-up efficiency,has become a focus in deep-sea mining.However,prevailing research mainly focused on the performance in clear water environments,overlooking the impact of seabed sediments.This experimental study aims to examine the dynamic characteristics of nodule particles within the"fluid-solid-soil"multi-field under Coanda-effect-based hydraulic collection.The sediments were simulated in the laboratory by mixing the bentonite and water in specific proportions to replicate the physical and mechanical properties of in-situ sediments.A detailed analysis was conducted on the mechanical and motion characteristics of particles under various jet parameters and sediment shear strengths.The results illuminated that the shear strength of the sediment predominantly influenced the soil adhesion force,exhibiting an approximately linear correlation.Subsequent to assessing the collection performance,a criterion for particle incipient motion was proposed,and an empirical formula was established for predicting the maximum lifting force and experimentally confirmed to possess a maximum error below 20%.The pick-up efficiency experiments further demonstrated that when the jet parameters aligned with the critical conditions delineated by using the empirical formula,there was a significant increase to nearly 100% in pick-up efficiency,underscoring the practicality and accuracy of the predictive model.The results can offer theoretical guidance for selecting optimal jet parameters,to ensure efficient collection while minimizing potential environmental impacts due to excessive hydrodynamic forces and sediment erosion.
