Alternating stepping deep-sea mining system and method based on clean energy platform

Abstract

An alternating stepping deep-sea mining system and method based on a clean energy platform are provided. The platform comprises a main hull, a mining system, a mooring system and an electric propulsion apparatus. The middle of the main hull is provided with a workshop. The mining system comprises a plurality of mining vehicles, and the plurality of mining vehicles are placed in the workshop. The mooring system comprises winches, anchor cable cabins, anchor cables and anchor heads. The winches are arranged at four corners of the top of the main hull, the anchor cable cabin is arranged below each winch, and the anchor cable has one end connected to the winch and the other end connected to the anchor head. The electric propulsion apparatuses are arranged at the front end and the rear end of the bottom of the main hull.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An alternating stepping deep-sea mining system based on a clean energy platform, comprising:
 a main hull, a mining system, a mooring system and an electric propulsion apparatus;   wherein a middle of the main hull is provided with a workshop;   the mining system comprises a plurality of mining vehicles, wherein the plurality of mining vehicles are placed in the workshop;   the mooring system comprises winches, anchor cable cabins, anchor cables and anchor heads, wherein the winches are arranged at four corners of a top of the main hull, the anchor cable cabin is arranged below each of the winches, and the anchor cable has a first end connected to the winch and a second end connected to the anchor head;   the electric propulsion apparatuses are arranged at a front end and a rear end of a bottom of the main hull;   when a mining operation is carried out, a plurality of anchor heads sink into seabed to form a quadrilateral area where the mining vehicle carries out the mining operation; and   when a mining area needs to be changed, the main hull is driven forward or backward by controlling the plurality of winches to pick up and lay down the corresponding anchor heads with help of the electric propulsion apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The alternating stepping deep-sea mining system based on the clean energy platform according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchor cable is a light anchor cable, and the anchor head is a gravity anchor head. 
     
     
         3 . The alternating stepping deep-sea mining system based on the clean energy platform according to  claim 1 , further comprising a moon pool and a working tower, wherein the moon pool comprises a lifting platform and a lifting track; the lifting tracks are arranged on two sides of the moon pool; the lifting track is vertically arranged along a workshop towards the bottom of the main hull; the lifting platform is connected to the lifting track; a picking and laying apparatus is arranged inside the working tower; the picking and laying apparatus is connected to the mining vehicle by means of a rope; the moon pool runs through the bottom of the main hull and is arranged below and communicated with the workshop; and the working tower is arranged above the workshop. 
     
     
         4 . The alternating stepping deep-sea mining system based on the clean energy platform according to  claim 3 , wherein the picking and laying apparatus further comprises an intermediate station, the picking and laying apparatus is connected to a first end of the intermediate station, and a second end of the intermediate station is connected to the plurality of mining vehicles. 
     
     
         5 . The alternating stepping deep-sea mining system based on the clean energy platform according to  claim 1 , wherein the main hull further comprises a transport system and an ore storage room; the ore storage rooms are arranged on a left side and a right side of the workshop; the transport system comprises a conveying channel; the conveying channels are respectively connected to the front end and the rear end of the main hull and pass through the ore storage room; and a conveyor belt is arranged in the conveying channel. 
     
     
         6 . The alternating stepping deep-sea mining system based on the clean energy platform according to  claim 1 , further comprising a renewable energy power generation system, wherein the renewable energy power generation system supplies power for the main hull; the renewable energy power generation system comprises a solar power generation system, a wave power generation system and a wind power generation system; the solar power generation system is arranged at the top of the main hull; the wave power generation systems are arranged at the front end and the rear end of the main hull; and the wind power generation system is arranged at the top of the main hull. 
     
     
         7 . The alternating stepping deep-sea mining system based on the clean energy platform according to  claim 6 , wherein the solar power generation system comprises a solar photovoltaic panel; the top of the main hull is provided with a plurality of cabins; and the solar photovoltaic panel is arranged above the plurality of cabins. 
     
     
         8 . The alternating stepping deep-sea mining system based on the clean energy platform according to  claim 6 , wherein the wave power generation system comprises a wave power generation panel, a trussed support arm, a hinge and a hydraulic cylinder; equipment rooms are further arranged at the front end and the rear end of the main hull; the wave power generation panel is connected to the trussed support arm and arranged in the equipment room by means of the hinge; the hydraulic cylinder is arranged in the equipment room; and an output shaft of the hydraulic cylinder is connected to one end of the wave power generation panel. 
     
     
         9 . The alternating stepping deep-sea mining system based on the clean energy platform according to  claim 6 , wherein the wind power generation system comprises a plurality of wind turbines, and the plurality of wind turbines are arranged at the top of the main hull. 
     
     
         10 . A mining method for an alternating stepping deep-sea mining system based on a clean energy platform, wherein the mining method is performed by using the alternating stepping deep-sea mining system as defined in  claim 1 , and comprises the following steps:
 S 1 , transporting a platform to a mining sea area;   S 2 , starting two winches at the rear end of the top of the main hull to release the anchor cable, wherein the anchor head in the anchor cable cabin is lowered and sunk into the seabed, and starting the electric propulsion apparatus at the rear end of the main hull, wherein the main hull advances until the lowered anchor head reaches the seabed;   S 3 , turning off the two winches at the rear end of the top of the main hull, wherein the two winches stop releasing the anchor cable, and turning off the electric propulsion apparatus at the rear end of the main hull;   S 4 , starting two winches at the front end of the top of the main hull to release the anchor cable, wherein the anchor head in the anchor cable cabin is lowered and sunk into the seabed, and starting an electric propulsion apparatus at the front end of the main hull, wherein the main hull retreats until the lowered anchor head reaches the seabed;   S 5 , turning off the two winches at the front end of the top of the main hull after adjusting the main hull to be in a center of a planar area formed by the four anchor heads, wherein the two winches stop releasing the anchor cable, and turning off the electric propulsion apparatus at the front end of the main hull;   S 6 , releasing a mining vehicle from a workshop to the seabed, carrying out a mining operation in the planar area formed by the four anchor heads until the operation is completed, and recovering the mining vehicle from the seabed to the workshop;   S 7 , starting the two winches at the front end of the top of the main hull to release the anchor cable, and starting the electric propulsion apparatus at the front end of the main hull, wherein the main hull retreats until the main hull is located above the anchor head at the rear end of the main hull;   S 8 , turning off the electric propulsion apparatus at the front end of the main hull, and starting the two winches at the rear end of the top of the main hull to take up the anchor cable, wherein the anchor head rises from the seabed to be recovered in the anchor cable cabin, the main hull turns around the front end, and at this time the front end and the rear end of the main hull are exchanged;   S 9 , starting the electric propulsion apparatus at the rear end of the main hull that is turned around, wherein the main hull advances through an area above the anchor head at the rear end of the main hull that is turned around, and after advancement for a predetermined distance, turning off the electric propulsion apparatus at the rear end of the main hull that is turned around; and   S 10 , repeating S 4  to S 9  until the seabed mining operation is completed.   
     
     
         11 . The mining method according to  claim 10 , wherein in the alternating stepping deep-sea mining system, the anchor cable is a light anchor cable, and the anchor head is a gravity anchor head. 
     
     
         12 . The mining method according to  claim 10 , wherein the alternating stepping deep-sea mining system further comprises a moon pool and a working tower, wherein the moon pool comprises a lifting platform and a lifting track; the lifting tracks are arranged on two sides of the moon pool; the lifting track is vertically arranged along a workshop towards the bottom of the main hull; the lifting platform is connected to the lifting track; a picking and laying apparatus is arranged inside the working tower; the picking and laying apparatus is connected to the mining vehicle by means of a rope; the moon pool runs through the bottom of the main hull and is arranged below and communicated with the workshop; and the working tower is arranged above the workshop. 
     
     
         13 . The mining method according to  claim 12 , wherein in the alternating stepping deep-sea mining system, the picking and laying apparatus further comprises an intermediate station, the picking and laying apparatus is connected to a first end of the intermediate station, and a second end of the intermediate station is connected to the plurality of mining vehicles. 
     
     
         14 . The mining method according to  claim 10 , wherein in the alternating stepping deep-sea mining system, the main hull further comprises a transport system and an ore storage room; the ore storage rooms are arranged on a left side and a right side of the workshop; the transport system comprises a conveying channel; the conveying channels are respectively connected to the front end and the rear end of the main hull and pass through the ore storage room; and a conveyor belt is arranged in the conveying channel. 
     
     
         15 . The mining method according to  claim 10 , wherein the alternating stepping deep-sea mining system further comprises a renewable energy power generation system, wherein the renewable energy power generation system supplies power for the main hull; the renewable energy power generation system comprises a solar power generation system, a wave power generation system and a wind power generation system; the solar power generation system is arranged at the top of the main hull; the wave power generation systems are arranged at the front end and the rear end of the main hull; and the wind power generation system is arranged at the top of the main hull. 
     
     
         16 . The mining method according to  claim 15 , wherein in the alternating stepping deep-sea mining system, the solar power generation system comprises a solar photovoltaic panel; the top of the main hull is provided with a plurality of cabins; and the solar photovoltaic panel is arranged above the plurality of cabins. 
     
     
         17 . The mining method according to  claim 15 , wherein in the alternating stepping deep-sea mining system, the wave power generation system comprises a wave power generation panel, a trussed support arm, a hinge and a hydraulic cylinder; equipment rooms are further arranged at the front end and the rear end of the main hull; the wave power generation panel is connected to the trussed support arm and arranged in the equipment room by means of the hinge; the hydraulic cylinder is arranged in the equipment room; and an output shaft of the hydraulic cylinder is connected to one end of the wave power generation panel. 
     
     
         18 . The mining method according to  claim 15 , wherein in the alternating stepping deep-sea mining system, the wind power generation system comprises a plurality of wind turbines, and the plurality of wind turbines are arranged at the top of the main hull.