COMPLEX FOR DEEP-SEA MINING OF FERROMANGANESIAN CONCRETIONS Russian patent published in 2002 - IPC

FIELD: equipment for mining of ferromanganesian concretions. SUBSTANCE: complex includes submersible apparatus with actuating member and propeller, and connected by means of pipeline with craft, and is distinguished by the fact that its actuating member is made in form of apparatus rigidly connected with base in form of annular cylinder, whose internal cavity accommodates tubular case housing, with clearance, of airlift pipe for concretion lifting, and bottom plate coaxial with airlift pipe and installed for motion of bottom along airlift pipe. Bottom is made in form plate with radially located corrugations triangular in cross-section. Plate in plan presents polyhedron. Upper end of airlift pipe for lifting of concretions is connected with ball mills with help of troughs and screens, whose underscreen space is communicated with gap between surface of tubular case and airlift pipe for concretion lifting. This gap communicates with space above bottom upper surface. Outlets of mills are connected with cavity of receiving chamber which is communicated by means of main airlift through pipeline with craft. Lower end surface of annular cylinder has rim triangular in section. Propeller of submersible apparatus is made in form of vessels located symmetrically to longitudinal axis of submersible apparatus hydraulically connected with ballast vessel and provided with sustainer nozzles located symmetrically to apparatus longitudinal axis and, at least, one steering nozzle installed asymmetrically and provided with controlled shutoff member. System of generation of gaseous working agent has chambers isolated form one another and hydraulically connected through shutoff member. Chamber are intended for location of reagents. Chambers are made in body of submersible apparatus and pneumatically connected with receiver which is pneumatically connected through distributor with drives of ball mills, dispersers of airlift for concretion lifting and main airlift, ballast vessel and gas holder. Disperser of main lift is pneumatically connected with gas holder cavity which is pneumatically connected with separator of working agent of airlift for concretion lifting. EFFECT: higher efficiency of mining due to reduced capital and working costs for recovery of ferromanganesian concretions and higher maneuverability of apparatus. 4 cl, 5 dwg