Seabed mining system and method

Abstract

The disclosed seabed mining system and method may be used in marine excavation, i.e., extraction/mining of minerals buried under the seabed. The seabed mining system may be mounted or placed on board an ocean vessel, such as a cargo ship, or a collector ship. The system may include a tether with a distributed collection unit, configured to collect the minerals beneath the seabed without disrupting marine environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A seabed mining system deployable from an ocean vessel for mining a seabed, the seabed mining system comprising:
 a tether deployed from the ocean vessel;   an array of collector units distributed on the tether, each collector unit comprising:
 a collection crate; 
 at least one arm mounted on the collection crate; and 
 an end effector movably coupled to the at least one arm; 
   a collecting condition, wherein:
 the array of collector units is deployed on the seabed; and 
 the at least one arm is extended from the collection crate, wherein each arm is distinctively extended such that each end effector traverses a trajectory on the seabed to collect at least one seabed nodule therefrom; and 
   a recovery condition, wherein:
 the array of collector units with the collected at least one seabed nodule is lifted onboard the ocean vessel after completion of mining the seabed. 
   
     
     
         2 . The seabed mining system of  claim 1 , wherein the trajectory comprises any one of:
 a discrete spiral trajectory, or   a discrete circular trajectory.   
     
     
         3 . The seabed mining system of claim and further comprising:
 a first anchor attached on a free end of the tether; and   a second anchor positioned at a predefined length from the first anchor on the tether,
 wherein the array of the collector units is arranged between the first anchor and the second anchor. 
   
     
     
         4 . The seabed mining system of  claim 1 , the collection crate comprises:
 a bottom;   a top oppositely disposed to the bottom;   at least one wall disposed between the top and the bottom to define a closed storage within the collection crate;   a rotating linkage mounted on the top; and   an arm base coupled to the rotating linkage configured to accommodate the at least one arm.   
     
     
         5 . The seabed mining system of  claim 4 , wherein each arm from the at least one arm comprises:
 a proximal arm end pivotally coupled to the arm base; and   a distal arm end coupled to the end effector.   
     
     
         6 . The seabed mining system of  claim 5 , wherein each arm from the at least one arm comprises:
 a first hollow arm segment comprising:
 a first hollow arm segment distal end oppositely disposed to the proximal arm end by a predefined distance; and 
   a second hollow arm segment comprising:
 a second hollow arm segment proximal end pivotally connected to the first hollow arm segment distal end, wherein the second hollow arm segment proximal end is oppositely disposed to the distal arm end. 
   
     
     
         7 . The seabed mining system of  claim 6  and further comprising:
 a first pivot joint configured to connect the first hollow arm segment to the arm base; and 
 a second pivot joint configured to connect the first hollow arm segment to the second hollow arm segment. 
 
     
     
         8 . The seabed mining system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 in the collecting condition:
 the first hollow arm segment is rotated in a clockwise direction about the first pivot joint, and the second hollow arm segment is rotated in a counterclockwise direction from the first hollow arm segment about the second pivot joint to distinctively extend each arm from the collection crate to traverse the trajectory on the seabed; and 
   in the recovery condition:
 the first hollow arm segment is rotated in a counterclockwise direction about the first pivot joint, and the second hollow arm segment is rotated in a clockwise direction from the first hollow arm segment about the second pivot joint until the first pivot joint and the second pivot joint are arranged in a linear arrangement along an axis normal to the collection crate, to retract each arm from the seabed prior to recovery of the collectors array onboard the ocean vessel. 
   
     
     
         9 . The seabed mining system of  claim 8  and further comprising:
 a first conveyor screw rotatably accommodated within the first hollow arm segment and connected to the collection crate; and 
 a second conveyor screw rotatably accommodated within the second hollow arm segment, wherein the second conveyor screw is configured to transmit the at least one seabed nodule from the end effector to the closed storage through the first conveyor screw. 
 
     
     
         10 . The seabed mining system of  claim 9 , wherein the end effector comprises:
 a cylindrical brush comprising:
 an array of bristles distributed along a segment thereof; 
   a ramp oppositely disposed and offset to the cylindrical brush to define an end effector inlet; and   a conveyor system disposed in line to the ramp and configured to transmit the at least one seabed nodule collected from the end effector inlet to the second conveyor screw.   
     
     
         11 . The seabed mining system of  claim 10 , wherein the end effector further comprises:
 a proximity sensor configured to detect at least one seabed nodule on the seabed; and   a first driving unit rotatably coupled to the cylindrical brush.   
     
     
         12 . The seabed mining system of  claim 11  and further comprising:
 an electronics canister adjoined to the collection crate, the electronics canister comprising:
 a second driving unit coupled to the rotating linkage; and 
 a control unit communicably connected to the proximity sensor, the first driving unit, and the second driving unit, wherein the control unit is configured to:
 actuate the first driving unit to rotate the cylindrical brush to collect the at least one seabed nodule on the seabed; and 
 actuate the second driving unit to rotate the rotating linkage, thereby rotating the at least one arm in a discrete spiral trajectory on the seabed. 
 
 
 
     
     
         13 . The seabed mining system of  claim 1  and further comprising:
 a buoy attached to the tether; and 
 a vertical mast and rigging system coupled to the collection crate, comprising:
 a vertical mast; and 
 a clamp positioned on the vertical mast;
 wherein the clamp is configured to couple and lock the collection crate to the tether. 
 
 
 
     
     
         14 . The seabed mining system of  claim 13  and further comprising:
 a first failure point between the collection crate and the at least one arm; and 
 a second failure point between the collection crate and the tether, wherein:
 a tension from the tether on the vertical mast and rigging system exceeding a first threshold activates the first failure point to disconnect the at least one arm from the collection crate; and 
 the tension on the vertical mast and rigging system exceeds a second threshold, and upon failure in activation of the first failure point, the second failure point is activated to disconnect the collection crate from the tether,
 wherein the buoy is configured to recover the tether from the seabed when the first failure point, or the second failure point is activated. 
 
 
 
     
     
         15 . A seabed mining method for extracting at least one seabed nodule from a seabed, the seabed mining method comprising:
 providing an ocean vessel;   deploying a tether from the ocean vessel;   providing an array of collector units distributed on the tether, each collector unit comprising:
 a collection crate; and 
 at least one arm mounted on the collection crate; 
   providing an end effector, wherein the end effector is coupled to the at least one arm; and   operating each collector unit between:
 a collecting condition, comprising:
 deploying the array of collector units on the seabed; and 
 extending distinctively, at least one arm from the collection crate such that each end effector traverses a trajectory on the seabed to collectively scoop at least one seabed nodule therefrom; and 
 
 and a recovery condition, comprising:
 lifting the array of collector units with the collected at least one seabed nodule, onboard the ocean vessel after completion of mining the seabed. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The seabed mining method of  claim 15 , wherein the trajectory comprises any one of:
 a discrete spiral trajectory, or   a discrete circular trajectory.   
     
     
         17 . The seabed mining method of  claim 15  and further comprising:
 providing a first anchor on a free end of the tether; 
 providing a second anchor, wherein the second anchor is positioned at a predefined length from the first anchor on the tether; and 
 arranging the array of collector units between the first anchor and the second anchor. 
 
     
     
         18 . The seabed mining method of  claim 15 , wherein arranging the array of collector units comprises each collector unit comprising:
 the collection crate comprising:
 a bottom; 
 a top oppositely disposed to the bottom; 
 at least one wall disposed between the top and the bottom to define a closed storage within the collection crate; 
 a rotating linkage mounted on the top; and 
 an arm base coupled to the rotating linkage configured to accommodate the at least one arm, wherein each arm from the at least one arm comprises:
 a proximal arm end pivotally coupled to the arm base; and 
 a distal arm end coupled to the end effector. 
 
   
     
     
         19 . The seabed mining method of  claim 18 , wherein each arm from the at least one arm comprises:
 a first hollow arm segment comprising:
 a first hollow arm segment distal end oppositely disposed to the proximal arm end by a predefined distance; and 
   a second hollow arm segment comprising:
 a second hollow arm proximal end pivotally connected to the first hollow arm segment distal end, wherein the second hollow arm proximal end is oppositely disposed to the distal arm end. 
   
     
     
         20 . The seabed mining method of  claim 19  and further comprising:
 providing a first pivot joint connecting the first hollow arm segment to the arm base; and 
 providing a second pivot joint connecting the first hollow arm segment to the second hollow arm segment. 
 
     
     
         21 . The seabed mining method of  claim 20 , and further comprising:
 in the collecting condition:
 rotating the first hollow arm segment in a clockwise direction about the first pivot joint; and 
 rotating the second hollow arm segment in a counterclockwise direction from the first hollow arm segment about the second pivot joint to extend each arm from the collection crate to traverse the trajectory on the seabed; and 
   in the recovery condition:
 rotating the first hollow arm segment in a counterclockwise direction about the first pivot joint; and 
 rotating the second hollow arm segment in a clockwise direction from the first hollow arm segment about the second pivot joint until the first pivot joint and the second pivot joint are arranged in a linear arrangement along an axis normal to the collection crate, for retracting each arm from the seabed; 
   lifting the array of collectors, comprising:
 recovering the tether with a tether management system onboard the ocean vessel, wherein the tether management system is configured to pull the array of collector units and the collectively collected at least one seabed nodules. 
   
     
     
         22 . The seabed mining method of  claim 21  and further comprising:
 providing a first conveyor screw, wherein the first conveyor screw is rotatably accommodated within the first hollow arm segment and connected to the collection crate; and 
 providing a second conveyor screw, wherein the second conveyor screw is rotatably accommodated within the second hollow arm segment, wherein the second conveyor screw is configured to transmit the at least one seabed nodule from the end effector to the closed storage through the first conveyor screw. 
 
     
     
         23 . The seabed mining method of  claim 22 , and further comprising:
 providing a cylindrical brush in the end effector, the cylindrical brush comprising:
 an array of bristles distributed along a segment thereof; 
   providing a ramp oppositely disposed and offset to the cylindrical brush to define an end effector inlet; and   providing a conveyor system disposed in line to the ramp and configured to transmit the at least one seabed nodule scooped by the end effector inlet to the second conveyor screw.   
     
     
         24 . The seabed mining method of  claim 23  and further comprising:
 providing a proximity sensor in the end effector for detecting at least one seabed nodule on the seabed; and 
 providing a first driving unit rotatably coupled to the cylindrical brush. 
 
     
     
         25 . The seabed mining method of  claim 24  and further comprising:
 providing a second driving unit coupled to the rotating linkage; 
 providing an electronics canister adjoined to the collection crate, the electronics canister comprising:
 a control unit communicably connected to the proximity sensor and the first driving unit; 
 
 actuating the first driving unit to rotate the cylindrical brush to collect the at least one seabed nodule on the seabed; and 
 actuating the second driving unit to rotate the rotating linkage, thereby rotating the at least one arm in a discrete spiral trajectory on the seabed. 
 
     
     
         26 . The seabed mining method of  claim 15  and further comprising:
 providing a buoy attached to the collection crate; and 
 providing a vertical mast and rigging system coupled to the collection crate, the vertical mast and rigging system comprising:
 a vertical mast; and 
 a clamp positioned on the vertical mast;
 wherein the clamp is configured to couple and lock the collection crate to the tether. 
 
 
 
     
     
         27 . The seabed mining method of  claim 26  and further comprising:
 providing a first failure point between the collection crate and the at least one arm; 
 providing a second failure point between the collection crate and the tether; 
 activating a first failure point to disconnect the at least one arm from the collection crate when a tension from the tether on the vertical mast and rigging system exceeds a first threshold; 
 activating the second failure point to disconnect the collection crate from the tether when the tension on the vertical mast and rigging system exceeds a second threshold, and upon failure in activation of the first failure point; and 
 recovering the collection crate from the seabed using the buoy, upon activating the first failure point or the second failure point. 
 
     
     
         28 - 65 . (canceled)