Method and Apparatus for Priming a Dynamic Buoyancy System for a Deep-Sea Mining Vehicle

Abstract

A buoyancy system for an underwater autonomous vehicle is provided. The buoyancy system includes one or more spherical pressure vessels with each vessel comprising two hemispherical pieces mechanically or adhesively connected together at a seam joint. Further, each vessel includes one or more bulkhead feedthroughs for connecting the vessels to external components and sensors of the buoyancy system. The buoyancy system also includes: (i) a primary pump connected to at least one of the one or more vessels to pump sea water from the one or more vessels; (ii) a pressure sensor connected to at least one of the one or more vessels; and (iii) a level sensor extending through all or a first subgroup of the one or more spherical pressure vessels to detect the level of sea water inside the one or more vessels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A buoyancy system for an underwater autonomous vehicle, the buoyancy system comprising:
 one or more spherical pressure vessels each comprising two hemispherical pieces mechanically or adhesively connected together at a seam joint, wherein each of the one or more spherical pressure vessels comprises one or more bulkhead feedthroughs for connecting the one or more spherical pressure vessels to external components, valves, and sensors of the buoyancy system;   a sea water intake valve connected to at least one of the one or more spherical pressure vessels for introducing sea water into the one or more spherical pressure vessels;   a primary pump connected to at least one of the one or more spherical pressure vessels, wherein the primary pump is configured to pump sea water from the one or more spherical pressure vessels;   a pressure sensor connected to at least one of the one or more spherical pressure vessels; and   a level sensor extending through all or a first subgroup of the one or more spherical pressure vessels, the level sensor configured to detect a level of sea water inside the one or more spherical pressure vessels between a first limit and a second limit.   
     
     
         2 . The buoyancy system of  claim 1 , wherein the first subgroup of the one or more spherical pressure vessels is vertically stacked on top of each other and interconnected via the level sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The buoyancy system of  claim 2 , wherein a second subgroup of the one or more spherical vessels is positioned on a first side of the first subgroup. 
     
     
         4 . The buoyancy system of  claim 3 , wherein a third subgroup of the one or more spherical vessels is positioned on a second side of the first subgroup opposite to the second subgroup. 
     
     
         5 . The buoyancy system of  claim 4 , wherein each of the second and third subgroups of the one or more spherical pressure vessels is connected to an outmost top and an outmost bottom spherical pressure vessel of the first subgroup. 
     
     
         6 . The buoyancy system of  claim 1 , wherein a volume of the sea water within each of the one or more spherical pressure vessels is independently controlled via the operation of the primary pump. 
     
     
         7 . The buoyancy system of  claim 1 , wherein the first limit represents a maximum level of sea water allowable and the second limit represents a minimum level of sea water allowable. 
     
     
         8 . The buoyancy system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more spherical pressure vessels contain a volume of sea water and a volume of a gas. 
     
     
         9 . The buoyancy system of  claim 8 , wherein the gas is at least one of air or filtered air. 
     
     
         10 . The buoyancy system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more spherical pressure vessels are configured to operate up to a sea depth of about 5 km to 6 km. 
     
     
         11 . The buoyancy system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more spherical pressure vessels are configured to withstand an external pressure of about 600 bar. 
     
     
         12 . A deep-sea mining system, the system comprising:
 a dynamic buoyancy system comprising one or more spherical pressure vessels each comprising two hemispherical pieces mechanically or adhesively connected together at a seam joint, wherein each of the one or more spherical pressure vessels comprises one or more bulkhead feedthroughs for connecting the one or more spherical pressure vessels to external components, valves, and sensors of the dynamic buoyancy system;   an autonomous underwater vehicle; and   an ore collection system;   wherein the dynamic buoyancy system is configured to dynamically control a buoyancy of the deep-sea mining system while the deep-sea mining system descends, ascends, and remains at a pre-determined sea depth during an ore collection process.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the dynamic buoyancy system dynamically controls the buoyancy of the deep-sea mining system by independently adjusting a liquid volume within each of the one or more spherical pressure vessels. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the pre-determined sea depth is between 5 km and 6 km. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the dynamic buoyancy system is further configured to adjust the buoyancy of the deep-sea mining system to compensate for weight changes in the deep-sea mining system caused during the ore collection process by decreasing the volume of liquid within the one or more spherical pressure vessels. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a level sensor extending through all or a first subgroup of the one or more spherical pressure vessels, the level sensor configured to detect a level of the liquid inside the one or more spherical pressure vessels between a first limit and a second limit. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first subgroup of the one or more spherical pressure vessels are vertically stacked on top of each other and interconnected via the level sensor. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein a second subgroup of the one or more spherical vessels is positioned on a first side of the first subgroup. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein a third subgroup of the one or more spherical vessels is positioned on a second side of the first subgroup opposite to the second subgroup. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein each of the second and third subgroups of the one or more spherical pressure vessels is connected to an outmost top and an outmost bottom spherical pressure vessel of the first subgroup.