Excavating – Beneath a body of water – By use of submarine or undersea vessel
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-08
2001-01-30
Shackelford, H. (Department: 3671)
Excavating
Beneath a body of water
By use of submarine or undersea vessel
C037S317000, C037S321000, C037S322000, C037S905000, C405S191000, C175S107000, C299S009000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178670
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to underwater mining apparatus and in particular, though not exclusively, to apparatus for the recovery of high value deposits such as gem stones and precious metals.
The existence of mineral deposits on the floor of oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, lochs and the like has long been known but the recovery of these deposits has been economically unviable. Hereinafter the term “sea-bed” is used to identify an ocean, sea, river, lake or loch floor, or the like. As land based reserves become depleted and hence more expensive to extract, attention has been turned to the mining of underwater mineral reserves. Recovery is complicated by both the water depth at which these minerals are to be found and their location often either on or a few meters below the seabed. Such recovery is presently performed at depths of up to 200 meters and involves the transport of quantities of sea-bed material to a surface vessel followed by a sifting operation to extract the desired mineral(s).
Known recovery operations are performed by either Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) or air-lift apparatus. Recovery via ROV employs a submersible vehicle, which may be either electrically or hydraulically powered, to transport small bucket loads of sea-bed material to the surface. ROV's have a low recovery rate and hence are a slow and expensive method of transport.
The air-lift method involves admitting compressed air into the lower end of a pipe immersed in the sea-bed. This creates alternate zones of sea-bed material and air within the pipe which are forced to the surface by the greater hydrostatic pressure of the surrounding water.
Such apparatus is extremely capital intensive and typically requires a large number of diesel driven air compressors which accommodate a great deal of vessel deck space. Air-lift apparatus is, in addition, inefficient and expensive to run and maintain. Licences are currently being issued for the exploitation of mineral reserves at depths of up to 600 meters, depths which make the use of air-lift or ROV apparatus even less desirable.
It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least some of the aformentioned disadvantages.
Accordingly, the present application provides an apparatus for recovery of material from a floor of a body of water, the apparatus providing a vehicle and a duct mounted on the vehicle and permitting communication between the floor and a location remote therefrom, in use, the vehicle having means for allowing movement of the vehicle, means to introduce material into the duct, and means to advance material through the duct, and wherein further the apparatus has non-return means within the duct which acts to prevent movement of material upstream within the duct.
Thus, in use, material can be recovered from the floor of the body of water via the duct to a remote location, e.g. on a surface vessel or structure.
Preferably, the means to introduce material into the duct include at least one scoop and/or other material accumulation apparatus.
Preferably, the non-return means comprises at least a portion of a rotatable body having an external thread, the rotatable body being provided longitudinally within the duct.
Advantageously, the vehicle has a base and the non-return means is disposed along an axis extending at an angle from the base.
Advantageously also, the rotatable body comprises an auger.
Preferably, means for moving the vehicle, the means to introduce material in the duct and the means to advance material through the duct are powered by hydraulic means.
Preferably also, the non-return means are powered by hydraulic means.
An entrance to the duct may be provided at or near a base of the vehicle while an exit from the duct is provided above a surface of the body of water.
Preferably, there is provided means for steering the vehicle.
Preferably, the vehicle may be provided with wheels, tracks or a combination thereof, and may be provided with control systems to allow it to be operated from a remote location.
The means for introducing material into the duct may comprise at least a portion of the auger, said at least one auger being provided substantially within the duct, and preferably at or near the duct entrance.
Advantageously, there may be at least one scoop and/or other accumulation apparatus, for example angled blades and/or ploughshares, provided in the vicinity of an entrance to the duct so as to direct material into the duct.
The at least one scoop and/or other such accumulation means may be moveable by actuation means.
Screens or fenders may be provided ahead of the duct entrance to prevent the ingress of undesirable material such as oversize pieces of rock and other such debris.
Preferably a/the duct entrance, scoop(s) and/or other material accumulation apparatus, and screens or fenders may be provided on the underside of the steerable vehicle.
The means for advancing the material through the duct may take the form of at least one ejection pump which introduces pressurised fluid into the duct.
The at least one ejection pump may introduce fluid into the duct through at least one port provided in a wall of the duct, preferably, at a point downstream of the non return means.
Preferably, the at least one ejection pump is supplied with pressurized fluid by at least one centrifugal pump mounted on the vehicle.
Preferably, the auger, the at least one centrifugal pump and the means for steering the vehicle are powered by one or more hydraulic motors.
Preferably, the motive fluid for the motor(s) is/are pressurised water.
The motor(s) may be provided with a single motive fluid supply hose and distribution means to apportion motive fluid between the motors.
The/each motor may be a drilling motor.
The/each motor may be a “Moineau” (Registered Trade Mark), hydraulic or suitably adapted electric motor.
Alternatively, and advantageously the/each motor may comprise a stator and a rotor rotatably mounted in the stator, the stator being provided with a rod recess and an exhaust port, the rotor being provided with a rotor channel and at least one channel for conducting motive fluid from the rotor channel to a chamber between the rotor and the stator, the rod recess being provided with a rod which, in use, forms a seal between the stator and the rotor. Such a drilling motor is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,444 (SUSMAN et al).
Although not essential, it is highly desirable that the rotor be provided with a seal for engagement with the stator.
Preferably, the seal is made from a material selected from the group consisting of plastics materials, polyethylethylketone, metal, copper alloys and stainless steel.
Advantageously, the rod is made from a material selected from the group of plastics materials, polyethylethylketone, metal, copper alloys and stainless steel.
Preferably the stator is provided with two rod recesses which are disposed opposite one another, and two exhaust ports which are disposed opposite one another, each of the rod recesses being provided with a respective rod, the rotor having two seals which are disposed opposite one another.
The/each motor may advantageously comprise two drilling motors arranged with their respective rotors connected together each motor comprising a stator and a rotor rotatably mounted in the stator, the stator being provided with a rod recess and an exhaust port, the rotor being provided with a rotor channel and at least one channel for conducting motive fluid from the rotor channel to a chamber between the rotor and the stator, the rod recess being provided with a rod which, in use, forms a seal between the stator and the rotor.
Preferably, the two drilling motors are connected in series, although they could be connected in parallel if desired.
Advantageously, the two drilling motors are arranged so that, in use, one drilling motor operates out of phase with the other. Thus, in a preferred embodiment each drilling motor has two chambers and the chambers in the first drilling motor are 90° out of phase with the chambers in the second drilling motor. Similarly, in an embodiment i
Stewart Kenneth Roderick
Susman Hector Fillipus Alexander Van Drentham
Jacobson Price Holman & Stern PLLC
Rotech Holdings Limited
Shackelford H.
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