Basic Characteristics

 

The Underwater Vehicle is viewed as a transport platform for various deep-sea mining operations: using special detachable equipment (mining tools), the Vehicle is capable of harvesting polymetallic nodules, sulphide ores, cobalt crusts, metalliferous sediments and brines. The UV overall dimensions (300-ton carrying capacity): 20 meters
long, 19 meters wide, and 9 meters high. The overall weight of the Vehicle is 1,200 tons.

 

Estimated output of one production complex

1 mln tons of nodules per year

The “Complex” structure

 

- three ore carriers with a carrying capacity of 35,000 tons each

- four autonomous Vehicles with a carrying capacity          

of 300 tons each

Vehicle weight

1,300 tons

Dimension

26х22х9,5 m

Operating cycle duration

4 hours

One UV installed capacity

4,980 kW

 

 

Below you will find the estimation of optimal technical parameters given as a substantiation for the selected UV carrying capacity.


Carrying Capacity Optimization


The estimation proceeds from a condition that zero buoyancy should be maintained in the course of operating motion

and unloading, as well as during the process of additional filling up (pumping out) in the course of immersion (surfacing).

 

 


 

Carrying capacity

100 tons

Maintenance of zero buoyancy in the course of 1-hour unloading at the pressure of

5∙10Pa

Water injection at a rate of  Q=100 m3/3,600 sec

0.028 m3/ sec

Capacity N=0.028∙5∙105

14 kW

Water injection in the course of diving to the depth of 6,000 m (pressure 60∙106 Pa) during an hour at a rate of V= 6,000 m/ 3,600 sec=1.7 m/sec, overcoming the resistance power 311 kN (based on immersion hydrodynamics) at a rate of Q=31,1 m3/3,600 sec

0.0086 m3/ sec

Capacity

N=0.0086∙60∙106= 516 kW

Maintenance of zero buoyancy in the course of the operating motion within an hour at a pressure of

60∙10Pa

Water pumping out at a rate of  Q=100 м3/3,600 sec

0.028 m3/ sec

Capacity N=028∙60∙106

1,667 kW

Water pumping out while emerging from the depth of 6,000 m (pressure 60∙106 Pa) during an hour at a rate of V= 6,000 m/ 3,600 sec=1,7 m/sec, overcoming the resistance power 283 kN (based on emergence hydrodynamics) at a rate of Q=28,3 m3/3,600 sec

0.00786 m3/ sec

Capacity N=0.00786∙60∙106

472 kW

Total capacity

2,671 kW

Specific capacity (per 1 ton of a product)

26.71 kW/t

     

 

Carrying capacity

300 tons

Maintenance of zero buoyancy in the course of 1-hour unloading at the pressure of

5∙10Pa

Water injection at a rate of  Q=300 m3/3,600 sec

0.083 m3/ sec

Capacity N=0.083∙5∙105

41,5 kW

Water injection in the course of diving to the depth of 6,000 m (pressure 60∙106 Pa) during an hour at a rate of V= 6,000 m/ 3,600 с=1,7 m/sec, overcoming the resistance power 837 kN (based on immersion hydrodynamics) at a rate of Q=83,7 m3/3,600 sec

0.023 m3/sec

Capacity N=0.023∙60∙106

1,380 kW

Maintenance of zero buoyancy in the course of the operating motion during an hour at a pressure of

60∙10Pa

Water pumping out at a rate of  Q=300 m3/3,600 sec

0.083 m3/sec

Capacity N=0.083∙60∙106

4,980 kW

Water pumping out while emerging from the depth of 6,000 m (pressure 60∙106 Pa) during 1 hour at a rate of V= 6,000 m/ 3,600 sec=1,7 m/sec, overcoming the resistance power 554 kN (based on emergence hydrodynamics) at a rate of Q=55,4 m3/3,600 sec

0.0154 m3/sec

Capacity N=0.0154∙60∙106

924 kW

Total capacity

7,326 kW

Specific capacity (per 1 ton of the product)

24.42 kW/t

 

 

Carrying capacity

500 tons

Maintenance of zero buoyancy in the course of unloading during 2 hours at a pressure of

5∙10Pa

Water injection at a rate of  Q=500 m3/7,200 sec

0.069 m3/sec

Capacity N=0.069 ∙5∙105

34.7 kW

Water injection in the course of submersion to the depth of 6,000 m (pressure 60∙106 Pa) during 2 hours at the rate of V= 6,000 m/ 7,200 sec=0.83 m/sec, overcoming the resistance power 6590 kN (based on immersion hydrodynamics) at a rate of Q=659 m3/7,200 sec

0.092 m3/sec

Capacity N=0.092∙60∙106

5,520 kW

Maintenance of zero buoyancy in the course of operating motion during 2 hours at a pressure of

60∙10Pa

Water pumping out at a rate of Q=500 m3/7,200 sec

0.069 m3/sec

Capacity N=0.069∙60∙106

4,140 kW

Water pumping out while emerging from the depth of 6,000 m (pressure 60∙106 Pa) during 2 hours at the rate of V= 6,000 m/ 7,200 sec=0.83 m/sec, overcoming the resistance power 5,680 kN (based on emergence hydrodynamics) at a rate of Q=568 m3/7,200 sec

0.079 m3/ sec

Capacity N=0.079∙60∙106

4,733 kW

Total capacity 

14,428 kW

Specific capacity (per 1 ton of the product)

28.86 kW/t

 

In other words, the minimal specific capacity is attained when the carrying capacity equals 300 tons.